New UQ Union President Joshua Young hopes his year in office will mark a turning point for the University’s student body, ushering in a host of changes designed to improve student services and revitalise campus culture.
The 21-year-old swept to electoral victory in the recent union elections on the back of his “Fresh” team’s successful platform of addressing bread-and-butter student concerns and boosting union accountability.
Previously a union councillor and National Union of Students (NUS) delegate, his election marks a changing of the guard in the union leadership, delivering the University with its first ‘liberal’ president in over a decade.
A fourth-year Business Management/Economics student, Mr Young said it was the opportunity to effect practical change that drew him to the position.
“The union is a vital institution with a rich history, …[and] the president has a unique opportunity to make an impact on the way that students are represented and provided services on campus,” he said.
“This is the first time for quite a while that a ‘liberal’ executive will be working in the union, and it’s a real chance for us to try new strategies and succeed.”
According to Mr Young, this means making union facilities more affordable, investing in the University’s campus culture, and redeveloping the internal structure of the union.
“We have already begun a union review process which is being conducted by Ernst and Young, which we hope will lead to significant gains in terms of efficiency.
“There’ll also be noticeable changes on campus with the reopening of the Schonell Theatre, as well as immediate price cuts and a more active campus culture.
“I am also very keen to see the union adopt the International Accounting Standard and begin publishing its financial information in the public space in the interests of greater accountability and scrutiny.”
As well as targeting issues of social justice – through the re-introduction of Student Emergency Loans; campaigning on public transport and car-parking charges; and a broad focus on student equity – Mr Young said the union was firmly focused on overcoming the challenges presented by VSU.
“As a liberal-minded student, I strongly believe in the freedom of association and the democratic right of students to choose what ideals they support, and while we do have to take a moderate approach, …I’m proud to be a member of a Union that doesn’t force money from students’ pockets.”
“This year, I hope to show that it’s possible, under a VSU environment, to run a revenue-neutral student union that is self-sufficient in the short, medium and long-term.”
Mr Young said he eagerly looked forward to working with the union team in a cooperative environment to achieve significant progress for students and leave the union on solid footing for 2009.
Media: For further information, contact Lucy Manderson at UQ Communications (07 3365 2339 or l.manderson@uq.edu.au) or Joshua Young (07 3377 2293 or president.union@uq.edu.au).
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