The current iteration of USU formed in 1972, as an amalgamation of Sydney University Union (SUU), established in 1874 as a debating society, and Sydney University Women's Union (SUWU), founded in 1914.
USU's Welcome Festival
USU is a non-profit entity that provides student services and programs including over 200 clubs & societies, a world-class debating team, volunteer program, and events including the biggest orientation festival in Australia, Welcome Fest. It supports its Members through free food initiatives and by providing safe spaces on campus.[2]
The organisation operates three buildings located at the Camperdown/Darlington campus, comprising student, public and commercial spaces - Holme Building, Manning House and Wentworth Building.
USU also owns and operates Manning Bar,[3] Hermann's Bar, Verge Gallery[4] and HostCo,[5] a catering and events company.
Clubs & societies
Sydney University Marching Band Association (SUMBA) perform at Welcome Fest in 2023
Since 2001, USU has supported and managed a significant number of University of Sydney clubs & societies. They broadly fall into the following categories: Academic, Art, Music & Performance, Culture & Language, Faith & Religion, Hobbies & Special Interest, Political, Professional, Social Impact & Advocacy, and Social Sport & Recreation.
USU boasts some of the oldest university clubs in Australia, including Sydney University Medical Society (1886) and Sydney University Dramatic Society or 'SUDS' (1889). The Sydney University Labor Club (1925) is the oldest political campus club in Australia.
Revues
University of Sydney Revues are student-run comedy revues, started at University of Sydney in the 1960s. Revues have been financially supported by USU over the past 3 decades, usually tied to a faculty or cultural identity group.
History
The Sydney University Union (SUU) was established in 1874 for debating, at a time when the university had fewer than a hundred students; graduates and staff were thus dominant. In 1884, the university's Senate provided a common room for the union, and in 1906, it decided to provide a building for the union's use. This building is now known as the Holme Building. Holme contains a large Refectory, historically a dining hall and now a function space. The interior is decorated with three murals by the artist Virgil Lo Schiavo: the Sulman-Prize-winning Tribute to Shakespeare (1945),[6] the Sulman-Prize finalist Characters from Dickens (1951),[7] and in the main hall, Mankind (1970).[8]
Holme Building
A separate Sydney University Women's Union (SUWU) was formed in 1914. The Senate also agreed to fund a building for the Women's Union; Manning House was opened in 1917, named after William Montagu Manning. It was at this time that the university made membership of one of the two Unions compulsory.
Until the 1970s, the Unions' headquarters were an important meeting place for staff and students; however, with the establishment of a University of Sydney staff club and the growth in size of the university population, the influence of staff in the activities of the Student Union decreased. The amalgamation of the two student unions came after the decision in 1971 to jointly fund the construction of the Wentworth Building, named after William Wentworth, one of the leading figures in the colony of New South Wales. The two unions amalgamated on 1 January 1972 to form the University of Sydney Union (USU).
Since Voluntary student unionism was enacted in 2006, USU membership has been voluntary. Membership is currently free for all current students of the University of Sydney.
The USU today
The USU operates numerous programs for its 42,000+ members,[9] from facilities located in three main buildings, Manning House, and the Wentworth and the Holme Building. These buildings house the large proportion of the university's catering outlets, and provide space for retail outlets, an art gallery, meeting rooms, game rooms, bars, cafes, restaurants and function centres. One of the more prominent activities organised by the union is the Welcome Festival. In 2019, following the Broderick Review, the USU and University made the decision to rebrand the festival from "Orientation Week (OWeek)" as "Welcome Week", and later "Welcome Fest".[10] The festival centres on stalls set up by clubs and societies along Eastern Avenue, the main university thoroughfare, and events and entertainment at the beginning of the semester each year to welcome new students to university. The USU Clubs program is a key part of the USU's activities, with over two hundred clubs to cater for the university's diverse student population.
Manning Bar, on the top floor of Manning House, has been a major part of Sydney's live music scene. It hosts the Sydney Uni Band Comp, launching the careers of The Jezabels, The Laurels, and Cloud Control.[11] In February 2020 it was announced that Manning Bar would no longer trade during daytime hours, but would remain active as a music venue.[12][13][14] This decision was reversed in 2023.
The union also has an extensive art collection, and until 2006, it maintained the Sir Hermann Black Gallery. In July 2009, the Verge Gallery opened in the Jane Foss Russell Plaza as a new student art space on main campus.
The USU founded the award-winning startup accelerator and entrepreneur program, INCUBATE.[15]
Today, the union is operated as a non-profit membership organisation, with a board of directors elected by the students at the university. Consisting of 14 members, the board is composed of:
11 directors elected for overlapping two year terms by members of the union, with 5 elected in even-numbered years and 6 elected in odd-numbered years;
2 directors appointed by the University of Sydney Senate; and
The immediate past president, who is non-voting.
Debating
A USU team has won the 2015, 2017 and 2019 editions of the World Universities Debating Championship and the 2015, 2022 and 2023 editions of the Australasian Intervarsity Debating Championship.[16][17][18] with both the 2022 and 2023 winners defeating another USU team in the semi-final to reach the championship. In 2014, the Mandarin debates team won the Fourth Australian Mandarin Debating Championship, and placed second in the prestigious International Chinese Debating Competition in Beijing. The USU team captain was also awarded the top prize in the individual competition.
A debater from the USU has held the title of best speaker in Australasia for three consecutive years, these being 2021-2023[19][circular reference] . The Best Speaker at the 2014 World Universities Debating Championship was also a USU debater, [20] and in 2019 the same award was bestowed on a USU debater.[21][circular reference]
Student media
Sydney University Radio Group stall at Orientation Week
Arna is also an annual literary journal published by the University of Sydney Arts Student Society. First published in 1918, it was disbanded in 1974. It was relaunched as Arna in 2008 by Rebecca Santos and Khym Scott, alongside the revival of the Sydney Arts Students' Society. The journal contains creatives pieces as written and edited by students.
Student publication the Union Recorder was first published in 1921, showcasing writing from University of Sydney students. The Bull, formerly The Bulletin, was a daily print outlining the events of the day on campus, which had been since rebranded BULL Magazine, which is edited and written by students. In recent years, the Recorder became a monthly publication; however, due to rationalisation in the face of VSU, it was announced in the November 2005 issue that it would become an annual publication as of 2006[update], with BULL Magazine taking its place as the primary repository of student content to be published monthly. In 2015, it was announced that BULL Magazine will be re-launched as an online only site for student created news and content.[22]
Since its creation at the start of 2016, PULP Media, successor to BULL Magazine has boasted a number of successful breaking news pieces, such as editor Aparna Balakumar's "Rackweb". PULP has been distributed as a print magazine since 2022.
Presidents & Board Directors
Notable past Presidents & Board Directors of the University of Sydney Union include:
Edmund Barton (1884–1885), Australian politician and judge, was the first Prime Minister of Australia and a founding justice of the High Court of Australia.
H.V. Evatt (1916–1917), Australian jurist, politician and writer.
The Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG (President, 1964–1965),[23] former justice of the High Court of Australia.
Malcolm Turnbull (Board Director, 1975–1976), 29th Prime Minister of Australia.
Judith Whelan (President, 1983–1984), former editor of the Sydney Morning Herald and ABC executive.
Adam Spencer (President, 1991–1992) Australian radio presenter.
The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the world's first universities to admit students solely on academic merit, and opened its doors to women on the same basis as men. The university comprises eight academic faculties and university schools, through which it offers bachelor, master and doctoral degrees.
The Sir John Sulman Prize is one of Australia's longest-running art prizes, having been established in 1936.
Honi Soit is the student newspaper of the University of Sydney. First published in 1929, the newspaper is produced by an elected editorial team and a select group of reporters sourced from the university's populace. Its name is an abbreviation of the Anglo-Norman phrase "Honi soit qui mal y pense", meaning "shamed be who thinks evil of it".
The Students' Representative Council (SRC) is the representative body for undergraduate students at the University of Sydney. In addition to a student-elected council and student advocacy portfolios, the SRC coordinates a free legal service and caseworker service for all undergraduate students at the University of Sydney. These services provide legal, academic appeal, migration, tenancy and study advice to students.
The University of Melbourne Student Union (UMSU) is one of two student organisations at the University of Melbourne, Australia. UMSU, incorporated as University of Melbourne Student Union, Inc. (UMSU) provides representation and services for all current students and the University of Melbourne.
The Otago University Debating Society (OUDS) is a debating society established in June 1878 and is the oldest society of the University of Otago, the first university to be founded in New Zealand. Echoing trends in Australia and the United States, in the latter decades of the nineteenth century debating was seen as an important talent for New Zealand's thought leaders, and was one of the three sports in the New Zealand University Games from 1902.
The Australasian Intervarsity Debating Championships (known colloquially as "Australs") is an annual debating tournament for teams from universities in the Australasian region. It is one of the world's largest debating tournaments, second only in size to the World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC), the European Universities Debating Championships (EUDC) and one of the largest annual student events in the world. Australs follows the Australia-Asian Debating format (three speakers plus replies), rather than the British Parliamentary Style used at WUDC. It is held every year in early-July under the auspices of the Australasian Intervarsity Debating Association (AIDA). The host university is selected a year before at a meeting of the Council of the Australasian Intervarsity Debating Association.
Doctor Who in Australia refers to the history and culture surrounding the British Broadcasting Corporation science fiction programme Doctor Who since its first broadcast in Australia in January 1965.
The University of Sydney plays host to a wide variety of comedy revues each year, each typically tied to a faculty or identity group. Each revue features comedy sketches, songs and videos written and performed by students, usually commenting satirically on current affairs, the supporting faculty and general student life.
The Sydney University Liberal Club (SULC) is a student association operating under the auspices of the University of Sydney Union (USU). The club hosts policy debates, annual dinners, student election campaigns, and guest speaker events with members of parliament. It is an affiliate of the Australian Liberal Students' Federation.
The Sydney University Musical Society (SUMS) is an undergraduate choral society at the University of Sydney. Founded in 1878, it is one of the oldest secular choirs in Australia, and the oldest Australian University Choir.
Hermes is the annual literary journal published by the University of Sydney Union. It is the oldest such journal in Australasia, having been established in 1886.
The University of Queensland Debating Society (UQDS) is the debating society of the University of Queensland. It has been recognised as one of the oldest and most active student societies at the University of Queensland and one of the most active and successful university debating societies in the world. The UQ Debating Society was also a founding member of the University of Queensland Union.
The Sydney University Labor Club is the oldest political society in Australia. It is one of the most influential Australian university political societies. Many of the club's alumni have gone on to prominent political careers. The club is associated with the left of the Australian Labor Party.
BULL was the student magazine of the University of Sydney in Sydney, Australia, and was published by the University of Sydney Union. Established as The Bulletin, then The Bull, BULL was the union's only high-gloss magazine and was published monthly by an editorially independent student team.
Christine Forster is an Australian former local government politician who was a Liberal councillor in the City of Sydney (2012–2021) and the younger sister of former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
Pulp Media is the online student publication of the University of Sydney Union and was established in 2016. As a replacement for student magazine BULL that was discontinued, Pulp is now the second student-run publication at the University of Sydney alongside student newspaper Honi Soit.
SURG, previously styled as SURG FM, is the campus radio station of the University of Sydney. The station is run entirely by students as an initiative of the University of Sydney Union, and broadcasts online through the iHeartRadio platform. SURG stands for the 'Sydney University Radio Group'. SURG showcases a diverse array of music and shows, allowing students to create their own programming.
The University of Tasmania Liberal Club (TULC) is a politically affiliated club based at the University of Tasmania. The club is closely tied with the Liberal Party of Australia and at times through its history has been a constitutional branch of the Tasmanian Division. The club is the fourth oldest of its kind in Australia after the University of Melbourne Liberal Club founded in 1925, the Sydney University Liberal Club in 1933 and the University of Western Australia Liberal Club in 1944. The club hosts policy debates, annual dinners, student election campaigns, and guest speaker events with members of parliament. It is an affiliate of the Australian Liberal Students' Federation and the Tasmania University Union.
Vergil Lo Schiavo, also known as Virgil Lo Schiavo and nicknamed 'Vig', was an Italian-born Australian visual artist based in Sydney.
Williams, Bruce. Liberal education and useful knowledge: a brief history of the University of Sydney, 1850-2000, Chancellor's Committee, University of Sydney, 2002. ISBN1-86487-439-2.
Wilkie, Janet. "Amalgamated, But The Same: a brief history of the first 25 years of the University of Sydney Union 1972-1996", The University of Sydney Union, 1996.
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