UWS Macarthur students fight to save SRC
By Jo Brown
SYDNEY — Students at the University of Western Sydney MacArthur campus are taking the fight to save their Student Representative Council to the courts after the SRC was abolished by the UWS chief executive officer in mid-December.
The SRC has been replaced by a university-appointed administrator, leaving students with no representation.
The CEO, David Barr, decided to abolish the democratically elected student organisation after it changed its constitution, loosely interpreting the powers given to him by the university by-laws.
Rachel Wilson from the National Union of Students NSW told Green Left Weekly that, according to university by-laws, the CEO may make rules relating to the establishment and management of student organisations.
However, Barr presented the situation to the University Council as a legal fait accompli, suggesting that he was required to approve any changes to the SRC constitution. Following the decision, the student representatives called for negotiations, but Barr refused to reinstate the SRC.
The students then sought legal advice, and have decided to challenge the decision in court.
According to Chris Heppel, general secretary of NUS NSW, "Any moves by Professor Barr to abolish the SRC can only be seen as an attempt to silence the student voice, thus giving the CEO free reign".
UWS students are facing numerous attacks on the quality of their education, with tutors being replaced by video tutoring, and a reduction in security staff on the campus following the contracting of security services to a private company.
NUS NSW has called on prospective students to reconsider their enrolment at UWS, as the lack of an SRC will leave students' welfare and educational interests at risk.
On February 6, academic staff held a stop-work meeting to condemn the administration for dissolving the SRC. Several motions of support were passed for the students' campaign to re-establish the SRC. The meeting also criticised the imposition of an administrator, who has been rewriting the SRC constitution.