All Quiet On The USU Front

WORDS BY SANDRA BUOL

Today’s Annual General Meeting was short and painless. After initial difficulties to get quorum, it was done and dusted after 14 minutes – which is partially due to President Courtney Thompson talking very fast and partially (albeit the bigger portion) because there were no issues and no motions to be discussed.
 
I’ll try to give an account anyway.
 
10.15: The meeting is supposed to start but hasn’t reached quorum yet – 4 more members need to show up. Courtney asks people to do a call-out on their social media and promises to buy lunch for everyone who helps to make the meeting happen. Pulp has no information if those lunches will actually be bought. (Pulp has also not asked.)
 
10.19: The call-out was successful, quorum has been achieved. The meeting is open.
 
Biggest (and only issues) with last year’s minutes: One part will be deleted because it’s incorrect. And one of the board member’s (and this term’s Honorary Treasurer’s) name has been misspelled. It’s Koko Kong. Not Koko Wong.
 
10.21: The President presents her report.
 
Courtney mentions the positive financial situation of the USU (compared to last term’s) and warns against complacence. She points out the positive achievements and thanks the staff for their ongoing engagement, calling them “the heart and soul” of the USU.
 
10.26: The Honorary Treasurer presents her report.
 
Koko mentions that the USU is currently meeting the financial expectations and emphasises the success of new initiatives – amongst them USYD Got Talent.
 
Author’s opinion: Considering this new format a success might be looking at it with very pink glasses. I’m not saying it shouldn’t be tried and yay for coming up with new formats. However, it’s also okay to say that something didn’t quite work out the way it was supposed to. Opinion closed.
 
Koko acknowledged the wave of international student engagement, exemplified by the election of several international students on the board and the new International Revue that took place for the first time this year.
 
10.33: The President asks for questions (none) and states that there is no other business scheduled. The meeting closes at 10.33.