By Pia Bobeff
As the exam period comes to a close, it’s important to reflect on all that has been accomplished.
And for ANUSA, that would be quite a bit.
ANUSA is the “peak representative body for all students at ANU” and has a range of programs and initiatives (as previously explained by Observer).
This semester for ANUSA has been marked with controversy, with its most recent AGM seeing students divided over electoral reforms. However, their commitment to service and students remains evident.
Kickstarting the year, ANUSA was responsible for what, according to President Charley Ellwood, was their largest O-Week, introducing students to what university life is all about.
The week was a big success with 120 events over the week from a variety of different portfolios. ANUSA’s Education Officer, Aurora Neumann, printed 3,400 Canberra Crash Course Guides and over 4000 tote-bags were packed by enthusiastic volunteers. From Moose Monday to a Puppy Playdate to Band Night, there were a range of events organised that catered to all students and all interests.
ANUSA was also committed to helping ease the stress of the cost of living crisis on students. This semester, they have expanded their Union Pantry initiative, which has grown from feeding 80 students once a week, to 300 students twice a week. This program allows students to take five free items from the Union Pantry, which eases the stress of budgeting for groceries. This increase has been attributed to ANUSA’s Cost of Living Report, which prompted the university to provide greater funding to this necessary initiative.
To help ease the stress in other capacities, ANUSA relaunched their textbook program following the closure of the ANU’s on-campus bookstore Harry Hartog. The program follows a reimbursement model, securing close to $30,000 worth of physical textbooks for distribution.
In SRC 3, they passed a motion that advocated for the ANU to provide free online textbook access for a minimum of 10 per cent of each subject’s cohort. This allows more students to have access and to eliminate stress surrounding the financial burden of course materials.
ANUSA’s Education Department have been “working hard to serve all students” across various issues, according to Education Officer Aurora Neumann.
This includes the establishment of ANUSA’s Education Committee (EdCom) which has three focuses. One focus is to make university processes “more accessible and equitable” through the Accessibility Portfolio, which is currently looking at reforming the EAP and ECA process.
The second limb is through the Scholarship Reform portfolio, focusing on “inconsistencies at the ANU, college-specific and residential hall scholarship systems, and the need for reformed institutional support for students with scholarships”. The third aspect is the Weapons Divestment portfolio, which is focused on creating meaningful change to the ANU’s “largely superficial Socially Responsible Investment Policy”, as Neumann states, “money should be fuelled into education, not destruction and warfare”.
Working alongside the ANU Disabilities Student Association, Neumann launched an EAP “waiting period protocol” initiative which advocates for “better communication and collaboration from the university” and for “clear contingency plans and student inclusion” allowing for greater support as students await their Accessibility appointments.
Other initiatives Neumann has been involved with include creating a survey to gauge student sentiment surrounding the ANU and the university’s AI policy. Other work includes an ongoing RenewANU report, initiated to ensure the “level of damaging restructuring [from Renew ANU] will never occur again”.
According to Ellwood, ANUSA has continued to advocate for the Higher Education sector, featuring in multiple media appearances and through showing their support for the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) in various endeavours.
Whilst study is an important aspect of university, there is more to the ANU than simply coursework and revision. Community plays an invaluable role for every student. The ANUSA autonomous Departments have arranged a variety of initiatives and events throughout the semester, which assist in creating spaces where students can connect.
The ANU’s Queer* Department “is the social and representative group run by and for queer* and questioning (LGBTQIASB+) students” and is run by ANUSA’s Queer* Officer Connor Winfield. This semester, the Queer* Department started planning the Queer* Ball, launched their annual free Gender Affirming Gear program, and formed a working group to plan their 2026 Queerphobia Report. They also launched the 2024-25 Queer* Zine and are now taking submissions for this year’s Queer* Zine. They also passed constitutional changes, allowing them to elect their inaugural First Year Officer.
In another way to increase the sense of community, ANUSA have expanded their clubs, providing greater outlets for students. At their second SRC meeting, several clubs were approved for affiliation: ANU Association for Defence & Security Studies, ANU Taylor Swift Society, ANU Hong Kong Students Association, Effective Altruism ANU, ANU School of Art Collective, and ANU European Studies Association.
ANUSA’s Welfare Officer Leila Clarke described how new regulations were passed at the first Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) of the year, allowing student performers to receive financial compensation for their contributions to club events. In addition, beginning in 2027, all club representatives will be required to complete Gender-Based Violence disclosure training.
As the semester wraps up, Ellwood highlights that ANUSA will build on the work they have already accomplished, as they start negotiations for their next allocation of SSAF and that “the work of ANUSA is only possible through the hard work of our dedicated staff”.
He noted that ANUSA’s services are “oversubscribed” and operating in a sector which is “underfunded and plagued with governance crises”. Ellwood promised that they “are doing everything [they] can to ensure [they] are able to meet students and support them during their studies”.
Ellwood concluded that he “could not be prouder of what the team at ANUSA has been able to achieve”.
“ANUSA will continue working to Build the Campus You Want, Deliver the Services You Need, and Fight for the Education that You Deserve”.
Graphics by Henry Dennis
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