Angus Fisher

Faculty/Degree Held
FASS School of Economics

Year of Studying/Conferring
IV

USU Positions
BoulderSoc 2021-2024
USU Debating Society 2022-2023
USYD EconSoc 2021-2024
Sydney Arts Students' Society (SASS) 2021-2022
DemSoc 2023-2024

USYD Positions
USYD SRC Councillor 2024
Member - USYD SRC General Executive 2024
School of Economics Casual Academic Tutor 2024

Other Interests
I have a variety of passions that help keep me sane. If I had to pick just one, it’d be rock climbing, some would call me obsessed. I’ve been doing it for 3.5 years now and have managed to become somewhat capable. I love how it combines physicality, the outdoors, and socialising all into one activity. Debating is something I also enjoy. While I don’t do it as much at university anymore, coaching a high school team this year has been a lot of fun. I also love campus culture and try to attend as many events as possible!

Candidate Policy Statement
Vote to Amplify Angus!

I believe the USU should serve students first because students fund the USU. As a Board Director, I would ensure this is the organisation’s main priority. I will strive to improve campus life, service provision, and students’ voices through the USU.

Campus:
a) Expand food and drink Happy Hours at all USU outlets for more affordable student social spaces post-classes.
b) Invest in campus community gardens and student hang spaces.
c) Revive bubblers on campus– top-tier university infrastructure.
d) Increase paid live student gigs and DJs at USU outlets in the evenings.
e) Rave in the graffiti tunnel at the USYD festival Someday Soon.

Student Services:
a) Extend Foodhub operating hours beyond 11am - 2pm to ensure no student goes hungry. b) Increase subsidies for on-campus health services like GP, dental, and pharmacy visits.
c) Provide free pill tests and STI self-tests in Foodhub.
d) Visa assist service.

Representation:
a) Host forums, with free food, for students to meet USU stakeholders and provide recommendations on USU events and operations like festival line-ups, food outlet options and pricing, and society functioning.
b) Lobby the university to save International House.
c) Pressure the university to divest from fossil fuel and weapons companies.
d) Improving staff/student ratios.
e) Universal Student Unionism.

Describe the key roles and responsibilities of a USU Board Director
A USU Board Director’s key responsibilities include contributing to and overseeing the strategic vision of the USU. As I understand it, this involves making informed suggestions and recommendations on USU policy and regulations, events planning, student engagement and student life. The USU is the cultural and financial pillar of student life, funded by and for students– a key responsibility is representing students’ interests on board through genuine and consistent engagement with the student body. USU board directors sit on a variety of decision-making bodies and committees which may require them to give opinions on financial performance, union policy and governance.

How will you ensure that you can commit the time required to be an effective Board Director?
The most important factor is knowing how to manage simultaneous responsibilities. Being in my 4th year, I have had deep experience in managing tasks with constantly changing deadlines. From my experience being involved in academics, debating, SRC, and working as a university tutor, I’ve learned how to prioritise the most urgent tasks and complete them well in advance to make space. In a more tangible sense, if elected I intend to undertake a reduced study load. Further, my place of work being on campus allows me to reduce travel and hence be more efficient with my time.

How will you represent the best interests of the student community, while also representing the best interests of the USU?
In the role of Board Director, I would seek to make the interests of students and the USU synergistic and mutually beneficial. A student union's fundamental role is to represent its members' interests– the student community. We can best represent the interests of students when students are affiliated with the USU and understand its role and responsibilities under SSAF agreements, improving the functioning of the USU. Should a direct conflict between such interests arise, I believe it should be resolved through discussion which would ideally find consensus, and a democratic vote among the board if not.

Identify an area of the USU where you would like to see improvement and explain how this will be of benefit to the organisation and/or students
I believe that as a student union, the USU should primarily seek to benefit its members, in particular the student body. On board, I would oppose any attempts to overturn regulation (j) under board director roles and responsibilities. I believe voluntary student unionism has had a detrimental impact– the USU is a fundamental part of university life, broadening horizons and socialising, and should be fully representative. Further, a priority of mine is to improve the USU's connection with students and increase union affiliation through member forums and by halting the increasing corporatisation of the USU.

Nominator 1
Rose Gilbert Donnelly
Arts and Social Sciences IV

Nominator 2
Jasmine Donnelly
Arts and Social Sciences III