Should ANU still guarantee students in their third year re-entry to on-campus residences?
Students gave varying answers during the ANUSA Housing Reviews that have been held at each undergraduate residence over the past few weeks.
At the Housing Reviews, facilitators also asked students whether tariff rates have forced residents to take illegally paid jobs or was affecting the demographic of students living at their residence, how they felt the physical structure of their residence impacted their community, what they thought about integration between domestic and international students, whether students felt supported by their pastoral care networks, among other questions.
During each Housing Review, ANUSA representatives arrived at student residences to facilitate the discussion. The opinions students expressed at each Housing Review will be summarised into a final report, which will be used to direct ANUSA’s lobbying of the university and government, according to ANUSA President Leah Ginnivan.
“We want the Housing Review to be a document that represents student views on all forms of accommodation available to undergraduates at ANU,” she said.
Students attending Housing Reviews were also given background information on accommodation issues. Facilitators told students that many of the residences required immediate attention such as extensive rebuilding, but that ANU has not been appropriately accumulating the funds required to cover the cost of such rebuilding.
The Ursula Hall Residents’ Committee has not yet decided when a Housing Review will be held at their residence.
A motion passed in ANUSA OGM 2 requires ANUSA to present an interim report on the Housing Review at the following OGM this Wednesday 26 October. The written draft report will be open to further submissions before a final report is released publicly.
