Lot's Wife Edition 1 2017

edition one
lot’s wife
Orientation Festival, Dan Sultan, and Zest Fest!
For all jaffys and newcomers, the Monash Student
Association (MSA) annual Orientation Festival is on at the
Lemon Scented Lawns from the 20th to 23rd of February.
Enjoy free food and entertainment as Monash showcases
its diverse clubs, societies and sporting teams. In
addition, there are special events each day of O-week.
Key highlights are: Wominjeka Monash, the official
Welcome to Monash event that is celebrating Indigenous
culture with a feature performance by Dan Sultan as well
as the Beach Party to be held at the Royal Melbourne
Hotel, presented by Monash Engineering Students’
Society and the Society of Arts Students. The Student
Theatre will be running their Harry Potter themed O-Show
with four shows each day until Thursday. Roaming Host
Scheme volunteers are available to give all new students
a hand. Don’t be stressed if you can’t make it to O-week
though, as Zest Fest, held on March 1st, will be an
extension of the clubs days with the Soundshell and
Northern Plaza hosting live performances and comedy
acts. Further details on all events can be found at the
MSA social media pages, Facebook events and Monash
Orientation Planner.
Monash Welcomes Diversity in Response to Trump’s
Executive Order
In an email addressed to all Monash staff and students,
the President and Vice Chancellor of Monash University,
Professor Margaret Gardner AO has expressed Monash’s
continued commitment to internationalism, diversity and
inclusion. In response to the US travel ban for citizens of
the specified countries in Trump’s Executive Order, she
condemned its negative impact on global collaboration
and tolerance of people from all backgrounds. Monash
does not support President Trump’s recent overarching
measures. Monash’s policy embraces the “free exchange
of ideas that is vital to the education and research of
universities” and emphasises diversity and inclusion as
remaining core to its values.
Summerfest 2017
To celebrate the end of summer, Summerfest kicks
off at the Clayton and Caulfield campuses from the 13th
-17th of March. So far, the Full Moon Party has been
announced for the Tuesday with the gigantic waterslide
making a return along with DJs, face paint, food and
drinks. Tickets are available via MSA outlets for $20.
Watch out for further announcements including the Dive-
In Cinema at the Doug Ellis Swimming Pool, foodies’
night, comedy, live music, markets and more.
M-Pass
The new Monash student ID, the M-Pass, will be rolled
out in February and March, and it will be sent to students’
addresses. The transition period will last until April, and
after this the M-Pass will be used as official Monash ID,
even in exams. The current ID will be required for secure
building access until updates are completed. Library
services such as borrowing, printing and photocopying
will only be accessible with the M-Pass, some through
online credit. Head to Monash Connect with your old
student ID to collect your M-Pass if you haven’t yet
received it.
National Student Protests
Students across the country will gather on March 22nd
in protest of government cuts to education and welfare
for the National Day of Action. The demonstration at
the State Library is organised by the National Union of
Students. The Monash contingent will be meeting on the
Lemon Scented Lawn at 12pm. Juliet Steel and Jasmine
Duff elaborate on page 17.
Counselling Restructures
Monash is going ahead with their plan to cut one third
of the full-time-equivalent (FTE) counsellors and replace
them with contractor or private practice psychologists.
This has been met with student disdain, as it will mean
fewer services provided for free drop-in consultations,
as psychologists require GP referral. It is feared that the
incoming psychologists will lack institutional knowledge.
Counsellors will be lost en masse and students dealing
with issues not deemed serious enough for a psychologist
will face longer wait times. Criticism from the National
Tertiary Education Union points out the hypocrisy in
the university heavily promoting R U OK? Day, whilst
reducing its mental health services.
WOT’S
NEWS?
With Jessie Lu
Refurbished Matheson Library Offers Some Welcome
Relief from Construction
Major construction works around Clayton campus are
continuing with the Learning and Teaching Building by
the bus loop whilst the fully refurbished Matheson Library
reopens. Other projects that are expected to be near
completion are the Monash Transport Interchange and
the Forum, which encompasses the area between the
Campus Centre and Matheson Library.
This comes as Monash powers forward with their
Masterplan, the framework for campus development
envisioning the transformation into a ‘university city’.
Although the construction comes as an annoyance
to many current students with the ‘great blue wall of
Clayton’ still standing, future students will benefit greatly
from a revitalised campus.
The comprehensive refurbishment of the Sir Louis
Matheson Library is expected to be completed in time
for Semester 1 with a new seating capacity of 1,500.
This follows the opening of the updated Lower Ground
level in mid-July last year with modern study spaces.
The introduction of the Forum, which will fill the area
between the Matheson library and the Menzies Building
will complement the reinvigorated library. Landscaping
works are taking place to finish the new water feature and
decked courtyard, replacing the previous water fountain
near the Rotunda.
The new Monash Transport Interchange which boasts
improved integration of bus, cycling and pedestrian
services was set to open in February 2017. However,
additional works may continue into the future. The LTB
is scheduled to open in mid-2018 with four storeys
of learning space, innovative technology and a retail
precinct. The sustainability of the Masterplan has been
a key concern with the installation of nearly 4,000 solar
panels and a water harvesting system, which will include
a filtration rain garden. Future works are to include a new
200-seat Jazz Club, a Sound Bar replacing Rotunda and
the refurbishment of the Alexander Theatre, scheduled to
open in 2018.
JCU Under Pressure After Promoting a Convicted
Rapist
Controversy shrouds James Cook University following
revelations that former employee Douglas Steele
was promoted to a senior position with JCU advising
Indigenous students after being charged of rape. He was
permitted to remain employed whilst awaiting sentencing
even after Vice Chancellor Sandra Harding was made
aware of his charge. JCU is now purportedly conducting
an investigation into its sexual assault policies after
criticism of its slow response.
Renaming of John Medley Library
The Monash Student Council has authorised the
renaming of the MSA-run John Medley Library, to the
Mick Dodson Library after realisations that John Medley
was involved in eugenics that was linked to the White
Australia Policy. Mick Dodson was the first Monash
Indigenous graduate to hold a Bachelor of Laws, however
the new name is yet to be confirmed. Further details on
page 14.
MSA Space
The new MSA space run by the Monash Student
Association has opened on the ground floor of the
Campus Centre. It is currently offering a dry cleaning
service, bicycle products, event tickets and student
printing with more to come.
New Nature Walk
The Jock Marshall Reserve at Clayton is now open to
public following the opening of the new Nature Walk last
November. This includes a footbridge to allow greater
accessibility to the reserve.
Robert Doyle Awarded with Honorary Doctorate
Melbourne’s Lord Mayor, Robert Doyle was awarded
his alma mater - Monash University’s highest honour - the
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa. This was in recognition
of his contributions to public life and his associations
in industry and philanthropy. Doyle has recently been
making headlines for targeting the homeless community
by banning them from camping in the CBD.
The same honorary doctorate was also conferred onto
the Deputy Chancellor and Council member of Monash
University, Clinical Professor Leanne Rowe, in recognition
for her outstanding career in the fields of adolescent
and Indigenous health and her service to the University.
Jeanne Pratt, AC was also among the recipients.
Carpooling Fee Remains Amidst Further Fee Hikes to
Parking Permits
Despite continued opposition and frustration by
Monash students regarding the lack of available Blue
permits and their cost, the university has yet again raised
the cost. The yearly Blue permit has been elevated from
$400 to $405 and from $200 in 2016 to $202.5 for the half
yearly Blue permit, which have been selling for Clayton
campus from the 7th of February.
In 2016, the annual permits were sold out before
the semester had even commenced, forcing hundreds
of students to either park away from campus, join the
waitlist or risk excessive fines. A major concern for
students is the scarcity of parking spots. Some of the
strain has been alleviated with the opening of a new level
at the N1 car park, adding 1,170 spaces, as well as an
underground car park at the new Learning and Teaching
Building (LTB), touted to open mid-year with an additional
800 parking spots. The overcrowding may be further
relieved with the gradual introduction of new digital
vehicle signage, providing live data on the availability of
spaces. Free off campus parking will now only be limited
to the Off-campus Two (OC2) car park with discounted
parking being offered at the OC1 car park for $1 per hour
or $5 all day.
The Monash Student Association is continuing their
lobbying efforts for reduced permit fees, the abolishment
of the carpooling fee and better transport options for
students. The MSA is committed to fighting permit fee
increases following an unsuccessful campaign last year.
The contentious introduction of the fees for Rideshare
carpooling in 2016 has continued. Previously, specified
areas for carpooling were free. The justification for the
fee from Monash is to “deter misuse of the program and
help genuine ride sharers find available parking”. The
yearly fees have increased from $70 to $76 for each
individual student to participate in the program. To secure
a carpooling place, the combined worth of the yearly
Rideshare permits will equate to at least $152. Students
are being deterred from this program as individual Blue
permits provide much more convenience for a little
more money. This is worrying for Monash sustainability
initiatives that are aimed at reducing vehicle emissions
despite efforts to promote public transport, walking and
cycling.
Universal Changes to Engineering Degrees Cause a
Stir
At the close of October last year, all Engineering
students were informed of the introduction of a new
compulsory course requirement, named Continuous
Professional Development (CPD). From Semester 1,
2017, all Engineering students graduating after Semester
1, 2017 will be required to undertake a minimum of
105 hours of CPD, increasing by 105 hours for every
additional year in the course, up to 420 hours for students
anticipated to graduate at the end of 2020. The preferred
method of accruing time through CPD is work experience
with an engineering related firm.
As with all major university announcements (such
as the new standardised Business School calculator,
closing of gym chicken and the Asian grocery), there was
a uproar on Monash Stalkerspace. The primary concern
was with the lateness of the announcement, considering
all Engineering students graduating at the end of 2017...