Student Elections
Student elections are conducted by the University Secretary (as Returning Officer). UON has a range of opportunities for students to become involved in committees that contribute to the teaching, learning and the business of UON. The committees include the University Council, Academic Senate, Faculty Boards and NUPSA.
The student voice is an important voice in UON matters and ensures that students are able to have a say in important decisions.
UON seeks students who want to:
- meet new people;
- learn new skills; and
- effect change at the University.
Student who are elected to a committee need to attend meetings, read the meeting papers and be prepared to discuss items at meetings and share their perspective as a student. Student representatives serve for a period of one year from 1 January to 31 December.
Joining such groups allows you to expand your network and is a great environment in which to learn the various skills which are invaluable once in the workforce, such as:
- team work
- negotiation
- leadership
- organisation
- financial management
- committee processes
- understanding of the importance of good governance for the effective running of an organisation
- understanding your role and responsibilities as a director or member of a board or Council
The long‐term benefits of the student governance experience have been proven in various studies that show:
- the positive impact of student involvement is evident in overall student excellence, leadership, job placement and potential job success
- the more a student gets involved in the academic life of an institution, the greater the acquisition of knowledge and development of skills
All students eligible to nominate for open positions are sent an email to their student email account at the beginning of each nomination period outlining the nomination process. You will need to fill in a nomination form and send it to the Student Elections team. The process is specified for each election period.
You will be advised of any elections in which you are eligible to vote via email. In the majority of cases, voting occurs through the 'Surveys' function in the myUON portal. This will be confirmed in each election. Your vote is always confidential.
Nomination Forms
Nomination forms are created for each election and can be found under the 'Current Elections' section.
Rules, Legislation and Resources
- University of Newcastle Act 1989
- University of Newcastle By-law 2017
- Governance Rule
- Council Charter
- Constitution of the Academic Senate
- Faculty Board Terms of Reference
- Code of Conduct
- University Annual Report
- NeW Futures Strategic Plan 2016-2025
Generation Governance
Generation Governance is an online resource for student leaders. It offers a free online governance course, and tips and tools for running a successful student organisation.
Recent Election Results
Nominations were called for the student position to the University Council for a term of office from 1 Jan 2020 to 31 Dec 2020.
A ballot was held and the successful candidate is:
Council
| Position | Successful candidate |
|---|---|
| 1 x student | Helena Qian |
Nominations were called for student positions to the Academic Senate for a term of office from 1 Jan 2020 to 31 Dec 2020.
The successful candidates are:
Academic Senate
| Position | Successful candidate |
|---|---|
| 1 x undergraduate student (Callghan) | Samuel Sebastian |
| 1 x undergraduate student (other location) | Jaclyn Jauhiainen (Ourimbah) |
| 1 x postgraduate coursework student | Bridget Andersen |
| 1 x postgraduate higher degree research student | Evan Gibbs |
Nominations were called for student positions to the Faculty Boards for a term of office from 1 Jan 2020 to 31 Dec 2020.
The successful candidates are:
Faculty of Business and Law (FBUSL)
| Position | Successful candidate |
|---|---|
| 1 x undergraduate student | David Kolarovski |
| 1 x postgraduate coursework student | Nil nominations received |
| 1 x postgraduate higher degree research student | Nil nominations received |
Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment (FEBE)
| Position | Successful candidate |
|---|---|
| 1 x undergraduate student | Elliot Thomas |
| 1 x postgraduate coursework student | Nil nominations received |
| 1 x postgraduate higher degree research student | Peter Fisher |
Faculty of Education and Arts (FEDUA)
| Position | Successful candidate |
|---|---|
| 1 x undergraduate student | Drucilla Templeton |
| 1 x postgraduate coursework student | Nil nominations received |
| 1 x postgraduate higher degree research student | Sabrina Syed |
Faculty of Health and Medicine (FHEAM)
| Position | Successful candidate |
|---|---|
| 1 x undergraduate student | Riashad Monjur |
| 1 x postgraduate coursework student | Nil nominations received |
| 1 x postgraduate higher degree research student | Nil nominations received |
Faculty of Science (FSCI)
| Position | Successful candidate |
|---|---|
| 1 x undergraduate student | Jaclyn Jauhiainen |
| 1 x postgraduate coursework student | Nil nominations received |
| 1 x postgraduate higher degree research student | Peter Marshall |
Postgraduate Students to the NUPSA Executive Committee
Nominations were called to fill student positions on the NUPSA Executive Committee for a term of office from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020. At the close of nominations, one position was filled unopposed and three positions received no valid nominations. Ballots were held for five positions.
View the list of newly elected NUPSA Executive Committee members and outstanding vacant positions below:
| POSITION | SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE |
|---|---|
President | Aaron Matthews - Ballot held |
Vice President | Kathleen Smithers - Ballot held |
Research Representative | Sarah Gurr - Ballot held |
Coursework Representative | Jennifer Hanson - Ballot held |
International Representative | Emy Guilbault - Ballot held |
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Representative | Nil nominations received |
Equity Representative | Amber Sauni - Elected unopposed |
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (GLBTI) Representative | Nil nominations received |
Satellite Representative | Nil nominations received |
For more information about NUPSA please click here.
Questions?
If you would like more information or have questions regarding the election, please contact the Deputy Returning Officer, Renae Morgan on:
- p: +61 2 4921 6983,
- e: elections@newcastle.edu.au
Current Student Elections
There are no current student elections.
Questions?
- Read the Student Elections – Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 155KB),
- Contact UON's Deputy Returning Officer, Council and Academic Senate Services for further information on elections@newcastle.edu.au