Universities Australia National Student Safety Survey - to close 3 October
Upcoming Online Events
Dear Colleagues,
UCA Forum: Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 November, 2021
Whilst COVID precludes us from meeting in person, we have such a impressive line-up of keynote speakers and we have received so many valuable contributions from members that we simply cannot let this opportunity slip by. We shall present our Forum as an online only event with timing to be framed around major 45 minute presentations. The last 15 minutes of each slot is devoted to questions.
Our confirmed keynote speakers include:
Professor Patrick McGorry - Innovations and Early Interventions in Youth Mental Health
Professor Dan Woodman - The Changing Landscape of Employment: Education, Work and Wellbeing in Young Adulthood
Associate Professor Laura Tarzia - Accomplishing Gender Based Violence Prevention Education
Sessions for new Heads and for Deans & Deputies will be held on the first morning of the Forum. State wide timings, based on one 2 hour session in the morning and another 2 hour session in the afternoon, are listed below.
Dr Brenda Holt and Adjunct Professor Bill Peirson and Brenda Holt have done an excellent job in putting together an inspiring and informative program, and I encourage you all to join us on line in November. Full Program details to follow next week.
Sydney, Melb,
Perth -3
Brisbane -1
Adelaide -½
11:00 AM
08:00 AM
10:00 AM
10:30 AM
1:00 PM
10:00 AM
12:00 PM
12:30 PM
2:00 PM
11:00 AM
1:00 PM
1:30 PM
4:00 PM
1:00 PM
3:00 PM
3:30 PM
COVID-19 vaccination policies specific to colleges - report
With experience in NSW & Victoria indicating that the only path out of the current outbreak is vaccination, Members met on Tuesday to discuss COVID vaccination specific to colleges. This latest session in our “Conversation with Colleagues” series was a valuable opportunity for members to share their experiences and expertise and with special thanks to Pip Fitzgerald, Community Coordinator at Ursula Hall for providing her notes from this session. Read more
ATO GST tool update
Following our consultative meeting on 18 August, the ATO has advised that they are currently working on positioning this project with the most suitable team within the ATO and that they will shortly engage with external stakeholders for further consultative working groups. The next working group meeting will look at generating ideas for possible solutions in relation to this matter. I will be part of this working group. In the meantime, be assured that:
ATO will not leave those who rely on the tool “in the lurch” – transitional arrangements will be put together and put in place.
ATO is not going to “throw away” what has been working well and see this is as an opportunity to update and contemporise reliance on the tool.
I will provide further advice following our next working group meeting.
As we enter the final week of the National Student Safety Survey, UCA encourages our members to promote the survey to residents in our colleges and halls of residence. We are proud of the initiatives that you have all implemented in your individual communities following the first survey in 2016 to promote our residences as places of respect and safety, free from any form of harassment. This includes the work on Respectful Relations led by Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion expert Julie McKay.
In acknowledging the changes within our colleges around culture and attitudes to alcohol and drug use, hazing, gender equality, consent, sexual violence and wellbeing, we recognize there is still much more to do. We look forward to the findings and recommendations of the research team led by Dr Anastasia Powell from the RMIT Social Research Centre, which will be available early in the new year. In the meantime, we thank you all for encouraging the students in your care for participating in the survey.
If your students have not been selected in the random survey, they may still participate in the survey here. Any questions about the survey can be made through emailing safetysurvey@srcentre.com.au
Collegiate Way International (CWI) newsletter
I am delighted to distribute the second edition of the newsletter produced by our friends at Collegiate Way International. CWI is committed to articulating the many great advantages of “the collegiate way” in university life. The newsletter (here) is full of stories and information about happenings around the collegiate world. We encourage you to share it with your colleagues.
As always, please contact a member of the UCA Committee should you have any queries or require further assistance in this matter.
With best wishes to you all,
Wayne Erickson UCA President
Online Events Calendar Dates: Note timings - 11:00 in WA, 1:00pm in Qld, 1:30pm in SA & 2:00pm in Syd, Melb, Tas & ACT
Tuesday 12 October - College Governance & Working with your Council - An invitation to College Heads & their Council Chairs
Tuesday 26 October - Circle Based Restorative Practices - Dr Nerilee Flint, Head of Fenner Hall, ANU. All Welcome.
Please contact the Executive Officer to register you interest for these events.
Reminder: An Invitation to New College Lectures - 5-7 October at 7:30pm (DST) Nurture: Confronting a Crisis, a series of three lectures presented by New College at the University of New South Wales. You are welcome to attend online. Find further information and registration details at www.newcollege.unsw.edu.au/lectures
Career Opportunities
Where possible UCA seeks to advise members of any advertised positions for Heads of Colleges or other senior college positions in University Colleges and Halls of Residence. There are a number of Senior College positions currently advertised and see further information here
