The Queensland University of Technology Student Guild voted on November 8th at Kelvin Grove to implement a five-year strategic plan beginning in 2022, intended to provide a broad framework to guide initiatives into future executive teams.
The plan includes the introduction of subcommittees for Academic Advocacy, Community and Culture, Welfare and Wellbeing, and Social Equity, to replace the traditional portfolio-lead management of initiatives.
The Student Guild Treasurer and Business (Finance) student Jarrod Ward, who spearheaded the plan, welcomes the changes.
“Over the last six months, we have been reflecting on which issues are most relevant to our over 50,000 students and how we can better serve them to ensure that their student experience is the best it can be,” Ward said.
“Through this process of reflection, one thing has become abundantly clear: the needs of our students are changing.
“We need to adapt to provide the absolute best possible university experience to all QUT students.
The Student Guild’s executive members will be broken into the four subcommittees, responsible for budgeting for events and resources, and student outreach.
“We have identified four key themes that will underpin our fundamental philosophy and initiatives undertaken by the QUT Guild,” Ward continued.
“These undertakings will be supported by annual documentation that will focus the work we complete while still allowing the other priorities of the annually elected officers to be met in an ever-changing higher education landscape.”
“To assist with creating our overarching vision, the QUT Guild has also begun to implement structural changes that will allow for long-term goal setting.
“This additional security enables us to be more aspiring in what we provide for the betterment of all students.”
The intention of this structure is to assist the Guild in playing a key role in the lives of QUT students, and to serve as a platform for empowerment and inspiration.
“The Student Guild aims to deepen our relationship with all stakeholders that benefit students with a brand-new identity that people desire to work for and work with,” Ward said.
“We want to refine our internal procedures and training so that our student leaders and staff are enabled with the skills and capabilities to implement our strategic plan.
“Our organisation should be a transparent and well-defined configuration that is set to meet the Guild’s demands and the members it serves.”
The Student Guild also intend to empower faculty councillors to take a more proactive role in academic advocacy going forward.
When asked for comment, Guild President Olivia Brumm said she was keen to see the plan’s implementation.
“A lot of work has gone into the development of this plan, and I’m really excited to see how the organisational, structural and cultural changes we’ve made will help the Guild develop and grow with our members,” Brumm said.
Members of the Glass team have been invited to sit in on subcommittee meetings in 2022.
