The Blame Game

Andew Quah on VSU

At the University of Sydney, our Student Representative Council is currently up in arms over the proposed Higher Education Support Amendment Bill (Abolition of Compulsory Up-front Student Union Fees) Bill 2005, otherwise known as the Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU) legislation. For students, this basically means that student Union fees will no longer be mandatory - a move long awaited by many, and one which has angered many others. The impact on our student organisations will be profound. Our representatives running these organisations are quite rightfully worried that they will no longer be able to continue to offer the same services that they have in the past. While many students debate the merit of these services, and whether students will benefit or suffer under these changes - the real question must be why the legislation has even been proposed. And to find an answer, we must consider the viewpoints of the two opposing sides - and find solutions as to how to strike a balance between the two interests.

For those in support of VSU, the existence of student unionism essentially amounts to an attack on our very human rights. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “no-one may be compelled to belong to an association”, and the compulsory nature of student unionism as it stands is an attack on the fundamental right to choose. Their argument is supported by the fact that many of the activities run by our student organisations often do not have the support of their members, and in some cases are actively opposed.

To those opposed to VSU, the collection of fees should be considered more as a “tax” than as a “mandatory joining fee” - and that while we may not like paying taxes, they provide the foundation for our university environment and experience, which many believe we would be poorer without. For them, the introduction of VSU will limit the choices of activities and experiences on campuses, making the university environment less attractive to them and taking away from what some consider an “invaluable life experience”.

The question of whether to support or oppose VSU is a difficult one to answer. Ideologically, I believe that students should be contributing to the university community, and pooling our efforts to improve us all. But in a pragmatic sense, I see my student fees being used to promote viewpoints that I actively disagree with - and if I had the choice, I would not be able to justify continuing to subsidise organisations that pursue a conflicting viewpoint to my own.

Most students would agree with me to suggest that our student organisations would, ideally, represent student interests, and make university life far more engaging. And if our student organisations were, there would most likely be a lot more opposition to moves to weaken these organisations. But the fact is that Voluntary Student Unionism is a move many students will take advantage of - and from next year, these organisations will most likely be considerably crippled because our student organisations do not, and have not for many years, the support of the thousands of students continuing to subsidise their activities.

The blame, if one can call it that, for Voluntary Student Unionism lies not only with the ideologically-driven Federal Government who are introducing this legislation - but with the ideologically-driven student parties that dominate our student organisations. For far too long our student organisations have neglected the views of their members, continuing to push stupid, politically charged, or even just plain unpopular viewpoints. Protesting at a boy’s funeral. Demonising half the ethnic groups on campus to support the other half. Funding the Falun Gong Cult. Gay and Lesbian Pride flags at an Education protest. Women’s Officers, without Men’s Officers. The eternal question remains: Where Does It End? And, just maybe, the answer is in this legislation.

They blame others, but in the end our student organisations have only themselves to blame for VSU. And it's now time for our student representatives to finally take responsibility for their inaction, and resign their positions.

It is time for a fresh perspective on student representation. We need to start thinking outside the proverbial box, in finding ways to continue to provide services to students, while maintaining a high approval rating among them. The fact is that student unionism, and student organisations are hated by the students. If this situation is to change, our SRC must recognise this fact and work to improve their reputation. This means abolishing collectives like the Global Solidarity Collective, and merging the Welfare and Women's Officers into a combined Gender Issues and Equal Opportunity portfolio. And if the students affected are so upset about losing SRC support, they would be more than welcome to invite organisations such as the Democratic Socialist Party or the NSW Greens to subsidise their work.

The burden of providing services to students should not fall upon the students who cannot afford to pay for their meals. Services such as subsidised, or even free childcare are invaluable to many students at our university - but it doesn't seem fair that it is poor students whom have to bear the burden of the operating costs. Our student representatives must look at alternative solutions - such as petitioning the government, or the private sector - to contribute towards the community by providing student services. If our student organisations looked into these sorts of solutions, we would be able to ease the squeeze on the student coffers, and perhaps even completely alleviate the cost over a few years. THIS is the sort of work the students need - not the fighting, protesting and vandalising characteristic of a student protest.

For students to believe in their organisations - we must strike a balance between the contrasting opinions of each side. Our representatives have proven they cannot do that, so I call upon them to stand aside and make way for a team that can.