Week 16: The Student Voice

Monday, 30 June 2014

From the early days of the establishment of UWS and its predecessors (and in some cases prior to the establishment) students have expressed their opinions through protests, student newspapers, student representatives councils, involvement in student unions and representation on the Board of Trustees.

Below are links to a range of student publications. The HAC Journal for September 1914 is the first to address the advent of the 'Great War'. The opening lines read:

'THE British Empire is at war! The last word has been spoken; the die has been cast; and the nations of the world have once more appealed to the sword as the arbitrament of international disputes, whilst the expression of friendship and goodwill have bravely left the lips of our treacherous enemy.'

Reading through the journals and newsletters it is clear that the issues for students have changed little over the years.

From the archives

Image gallery

• In the above image gallery, Student Representative Council, 1937 - EA Southee (Principal) seated centre front [Hawkesbury Agricultural College (HAC)] (P1276)
  
• Students at Frogmore House (Werrington North) protest against fees, 1998 (P3736)
  Note: The shirts worn by many of the protesters read: 2/3 of UWS students are the first in their family to go to university. More than 1/3 are from non-English speaking backgrounds or were born overseas. UWS’s vision is to increase access to the greater West of Sydney. UWS CAN’T AFFORD FEES!
  
• Turning of the first sod for the new Chifley University by NSW Premier Nick Greiner – Students protest against being a part of Sydney University, 1988 (P5584) Nick Greiner (Premier for NSW) is giving a speech - protestors can be seen with placards in the background. Placards read 'No to Sydney Uni Offcast' and 'Nepean Uni not Sydney'.
  
• Turning of the first sod for the new Chifley University by NSW Premier Nick Greiner – Students protest against being a part of Sydney University, 1988 (Ref: P5586) To the far right are Ralph Rawlinson (Planning Vice-Chancellor of Chifley University Interim Council) and NSW Premier Nick Greiner.
  
• Jumbunna – Student Newspaper at Hawkesbury from 1985 (AI-31231)
• HAC Journal (Vol. 11, No. 9) - Sep 1914 (AI-45638) (PDF, 3546.5 KB) (opens in a new window)
  
• Jumbunna, vol.5 no.1, 1989 (AI-31231) (PDF, 3281.43 KB) (opens in a new window)
• 1st Edition - Student Newspaper for Nepean College of Advanced Education - Vol. 1 - 3 Mar 1986 (AI-1785) (PDF, 3240.22 KB) (opens in a new window) 
• Berzerk - Student Newspaper for University of Western Sydney, Macarthur March 1990 (AI-36977) (PDF, 5840.21 KB) (opens in a new window) 
• Hemlock - UWS Nirimba Students Newspaper - Election Edition - Oct/Nov 2003 (AI-4024) (PDF, 4244.06 KB) (opens in a new window) 
• Nepean Echo – Student Magazine – 1984 (Ref: AI-2653) (PDF, 5897.72 KB) (opens in a new window) 
• The Western Onion – UWS Student Newspaper - Issue 1 - Semester 1, 2005 (AI-36943) (PDF, 7663.92 KB) (opens in a new window) 
• TWOT - Student Newspaper for Nepean College of Advanced Education – 1982 (AI-1097) (PDF, 2140.92 KB) (opens in a new window)
• Union Press for Young Academics (UPYA) - Student Union Newsletter – 1973 (AI-24011) (PDF, 3922.67 KB) (opens in a new window)

Did you know?

The 'HAC Journal' is the oldest student magazine/journal from all of the UWS predecessors. The HAC Journal was first published in 1898 by the newly established Hawkesbury Agricultural College Old Boys Union. A full set of the HAC Journals is held by the UWS Archives. They are currently being digitised with the first priority being the war years (1914-1918).