For the second consecutive year, Grassroots, a broad left-wing ticket has won a majority on the governing council of the Wollongong Undergraduate Students Association (WUSA). The elections were held on October 3-5.
Last year, Grassroots focussed its election campaign on opposition to the Howard government voluntary student unionism (VSU) legislation, which came into effect at the end of June, and bans student associations from funding their activities and the services they provide to students through compulsory fees.
"This year, the Grassroots ticket campaigned strongly on an anti-war platform, against the Howard governments's neoliberal offensive and on making WUSA more democratic and participatory", explained Jess Moore, current WUSA president and Grassroots candidate in this year's election.
"The reason for Grassroots' success was that we connected with students on an intellectual level and discussed issues that were important to them, rather than making empty promises about parking", said Nick Kafer, incoming education campaigns coordinator, referring to campaigns of the two Labor student tickets.
The Grassroots ticket also campaigned in support of a referendum question to change the WUSA constitution to enable WUSA to function effectively under the VSU law.
The proposed changes are designed to give more autonomy to issue-based collectives, making elected representatives on the WUSA council more accountable to students and creating a more democratic and participatory union.
The changes were approved by 90% of the 400 students who cast a ballot.
"The referendum result was the most significant victory", said Moore. "Next year, Wollongong University students will have a student association in which they have a voice — and a vote — between elections."
A key initiative of Grassroots team this year is the newly formed Students Against War collective. The referendum has created a new WUSA council position of global solidarity officer.
"Students walk into the WUSA office all the time and talk about the racism they face, stirred up by the so-called war on terror and the consequential Islamophobia", said Karlee Jones, SAW activist and newly elected Wollongong University delegate to this year's National Union of Students conference.
"It's major that students responded so positively throughout the election to our anti-racist message", she added.
Moore summed up the significance of the Grassroots win, saying that "student unions need to have a campaign approach and engage with issues beyond those perceived as purely student issues. The election result vindicates this and the fact that students want a fighting union."