PARSA PRESIDENT ANNUAL REPORT 2012 – 2013
PARSA P re s i den t
Annua l Repor t on A c t i v i t i e s 2012 -‐2013
Author: Julie Melrose, PARSA President [email protected] [email protected]
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Key achievements and new projects in 2012/13
• Improvement in PARSA’s governance structures
• New joint staffing arrangement with ANUSA with the employment of a shared Student Assistance Officer as a first step to creating a shared “Student Assistance Unit” for all students, and a shared bookkeeper to manage financial affairs (see attached staffing structure and organizational diagram);
• An agreement reached between the ANU and PARSA including full funding of a new PARSA office located next to ANUSA, to support shared staffing arrangement, with weekly meetings with Facilities and Services and a timeline in place for completion of refurbishment works in November 2013;
• Launch of a new “Global Café” cultural sharing project that involves partnerships between PARSA
and other international student associations, to drive increased international student engagement;
• New ‘Health and Wellness’ project launched with the introduction of women’s fitness classes, cooking classes, and an Annual Postgraduate Health Fair, in partnership with ANU Sport, Counseling and Health Services as well as community organisations;
• New Indigenous Student Advocacy Project launched by PARSA Indigenous Student Officer, involving
‘Aboriginal Women’s Business Retreats’, collaboration on a PARSA Multicultural Festival with Indigenous elders, and a NAIDOC festival planned for August;
• New Research Student Advisory committee established to consult with DVC-‐R;
• Administration of a new Emergency Welfare Grant for financial hardship;
• Launch of new PARSA logo and PARSA website with more up to date information on events,
advocacy and representation to drive student participation within the organisation.
Improvements made to PARSA’s Governance Structures
• Anti-‐Fraud training for all executive members was undertaken and several policy gaps identified • Employment of shared Bookkeeper with ANUSA to ensure efficient financial management and
transparency • Introduction of Strategic Planning Day’s in between PRC meetings • Development of a PRC member induction kit • General reps encouraged to take on individual project initiatives • Introduction of a PARSA Credit Card to ensure staff and students are not out of pocket when incurring
expenses for events
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Pr
New ANUSA/PARSA Staffing Structure
Department ANUSA Shared PARSA Admin Office Administrator
(Eleanor) Both administrators provide ad-hoc reception support in shared space
Office Administrator (Gaea, full-time)
Outreach Communications Officer (New)
Events/Marketing (Monica)
BKSS Manager (Nick, Bianca, Alex)
Clubs and Societies Officer (New)
Welfare Student Assistant (Bronwyn)
Student Assistant (New)
Student Welfare Advisor (Wayne, full-time)
Student Assistant [Legal] (Don)
Finance (Located in Union)
Payroll Officer Accounts Clerk Accountant
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Postgraduate Student Support Services delivered
• Student Welfare Advisor casework • Legal Advisor casework • Regular Thesis Whisperer PhD writing workshops • Graduate Student Loan administration • Introduction of new Emergency Grant for financial hardship • Shut Up and Write – ongoing regular intensive writing workshops for PhD students in groups • PARSA Leadership Forum with the VC & prominent members of the Australian community • Careers forums
Postgraduate Health and Welfare Initiatives In 2012, PARSA launched a series of new initiatives to promote and encourage health and welfare amongst postgraduate students. The initiatives included:
• Postgraduate Health Fair: A huge success with over 100 students attending, having their fitness, cholesterol, blood pressure, posture and knowledge about health and wellness tested, effective partnerships with a range of health and welfare stakeholders forged;
• Healthy Cooking and Eating Classes at the Food Coop trialled; • Free Women’s Only Fitness Classes: currently being trialled every Friday lunchtime, in partnership
with ANU Sport. So far a great success; • PARSA Sporting Day: End of October soccer game for exam period stress release.
International Students
• Advocacy on greater support in finding accommodating for international students – an accommodation seeker forum held in O Week 2013;
• Partnership and collaboration with International Student Organisations on advocacy and events, for example financial support for the African Student Association to hold a retreat for their members;
• PARSA Global Café: Cultural sharing activities involving food sharing and cultural performances, once monthly in partnership with different international student organisations;
• Postgraduate Multicultural Festival held in 2012 and planned again for late 2013; • PARSA/ANUSA BushDance and sheep shearing day trip to introduce international students to
Australian culture; • Special Anzac Day tours: for international students to the Dawn Service and War Memorial.
Australian Experience Trips for Postgraduates, particularly International Students
• Annual Canberra Wineries Tour • Batemans Bay Trip, including tour of the Harbour and Broulee Beach • Wee Jasper Caves Tour • Annual Jervis Bay Beach Trip • Annual Snow Trip to Perisher • Sheep Shearing Trip for International Students • Upcoming introduction to camping trip in the Blue Mountains
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Indigenous Student Advocacy and Experience One of the main targets of the ANU Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is for all ANU students to develop a thorough understanding and appreciation of indigenous knowledge and culture. In October 2012, PARSA President Julie Melrose and Indigenous Student Advocacy Officer Tjanara Goreng Goreng held talks with the ANU Tjabal Centre about how student organisations can help in meeting this important RAP target. Certainly, within the PARSA community there has been an expressed desire for there to be more open, accessible and visible opportunities for both local and international students to learn more about indigenous culture and practices. PARSA and ANUSA, in collaboration with Tjabal Aboriginal Centre and the National Centre for Indigenous Studies would host a group of ANU community wide events during NAIDOC week in 2013. Planned Events in 2013;
• NAIDOC Art competition • NAIDOC ANU Community Day • NAIDOC Elders and Elders for he Future Event, morning tea with ANU executive • NAIDOC Sport Competition • Women’s Business Retreat
Equity Events and Advocacy
• Joint employment of a new student assistance officer with ANUSA • Student assistance officer administration of free meals donated by ANU Union to struggling students • Research and advocacy on childcare issues for postgrads through the Childcare Committee • Creation of the PARSA Parents Networking Group on Facebook • Postgraduate Women’s Leadership competition held to win a place at the International Women’s
Day table UN Women lunch • Postgraduate and ANU staff International Women’s Day morning tea • Progress made towards the development of a Postgraduate Sexual Health awareness program
“Postgrads Have Sex Too” • Administration of the emergency welfare grant
Social Events held in 2012/13 Below is a non-‐exhaustive list of social events held by PARSA over the past year:
• Regular fortnightly networking drinks at University House, with guest speakers from a range of different backgrounds
• Postgraduate School of Music Drinks • CASS morning tea, College of Law networking dinner, and other College events/BBQs • PARSA Family Day for students with families • PARSA BBQs • First PARSA Postgraduate Ball • First PARSA Karaoke Evening in the Brian Kenyon Student Space • PARSA Bush Dance (partnership with International Student Services) • PARSA Salsa Dancing
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PARSA Environmental Projects
• ANU Student Delegation to Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development, led by PARSA President Julie Melrose and Environmental Officer Luke Kemp, including private consultations with Australian Government and Prime Minister Julia Gillard in Brazil.
• Participation in the IARU Global Sustainability Forum in Rio de Janeiro Brazil. • Partnership with ANUgreen on IARU Campus Sustainability Project – Move Out Recycling. • PARSA gardening day and tour of organic gardens on campus. • Pizza making at the ANU food coop and learning how to garden. • Launch of a new environmental magazine produced by ANU Rio+20 delegates “Ambiente”,
combining creative and research on environmental issues around campus. • Op Shop Tour encouraging the purchase of recycled clothing.