James Green
Faculty/Degree Held
Economics/Law
Year of Studying/Conferring
III
USU Positions
Cohort Representative, Sydney University Law Society (SULS) 2026
Member, SULS 2024 - 2026
Member, EconSoc 2024 - 2026
Member, PPESOC 2026
Member, 180 Degrees Consulting 2026
Member, Sydney Univeristy ALP Club 2025 - 2026
Member, Sydney University Evangelical Club 2026
Member, South East Asian Law Society 2026
Other Interests
Hi everyone!! I'm James, a third-year law and economics student. You might find me hanging out in 'Courty' (slang for Courtyard), playing pickup basketball with strangers, or bunkering down for a Late-Night Library sesh during Exam Season (we've ALL been there!). I'm also deeply honoured and humbled to be a four-time winner of Gladesville Sporties Trivia Night. When I first got to uni, I heard tales of a vibrant, affordable, and safe campus, with so much to do before and after classes. As your Board Director, I'll be eager to practically deliver that in a way that brings students together.
Candidate Policy Statement
TOUCH GRASS. VOTE GREEN.
TOUCH GRASS on Cost-of-Living
- USU-owned discount grocery store in Wentworth.
- Cheaper e-bikes for USU members.
- Free sunscreen, fruit at Quad Lawn.
- Fairer pay/conditions for staff.
TOUCH GRASS on Student Life
- Establish a Campus Life Committee, recapturing the vibrant student experience that has been lost.
- Revitalise Manning via student-led planning of live music, theatre, film screenings.
- More table-tennis/pool tables, arcade machines.
- USU Store Accessibility: online ordering, food delivery; publish Halal, Kosher options.
- Food trucks at all D1 home games, promoting student turnout.
TOUCH GRASS with Clubs & Societies
- A student-facing, efficient C&S System: address MyUSU, staff workload, response times.
- Grant funding for club merchandise, joint events.
- Big-Club-Little-Club mentoring program; New Society Survival Guide.
- Compensatory society credits for excessive wait times.
TOUCH GRASS on Safety
- Deliver comprehensive night-time campus lighting.
- Reform USU Complaints: victim-survivor anonymity, more counselling options.
- Mandatory Ethical Bystander Training for Presidents.
- Accountability: annually publish complaints statistics, average review times.
TOUCH GRASS on Student Engagement
- Live-streamed board meetings.
- Director-Student consultation at USU Venues.
- USU AI policy: prioritising local artists/design students.
- Support Safe Spaces: surveys/repairs budget.
Get to know James
Describe the key roles and responsibilities of a USU Board Director.
A USU Board Director should guide the Board's strategy in line with students' interests, driven by student input. Board Directors must understand and respect the USU Bylaws so they can use all mechanisms available to deliver for students; otherwise, they simply cannot deliver their proposed policies. They must be respectful to their fellow board members and cooperate transparently to drive each other's initiatives. Beyond the monthly meetings, Board Directors must drive change behind the scenes and engage in open forums to listen to students. This all ensures that a USU Board Director truly represents students.
How will you ensure that you can commit the time required to be an effective Board Director?
As I have done with my own studies, I will utilise my calendar to ensure regular spaces are available for board meeting preparation, consultation with students, committee work, and the liaising that comes with the role. I'll dedicate considerable time to the weekend so I can effectively plan out executing these responsibilities. Given I've effectively managed University workload, part-time work, and private tutoring, I have the experience required to commit the time effectively for this role.
How will you represent the best interests of the student community, while also representing the best interests of the USU?
These interests are inextricable. The mission of the USU is to be student-centric; as a Board Director, I will participate fully in engaging with students to understand their needs, so that this mission can be achieved. Further, my policies can only be in the best interests of the student community if the USU's financial sustainability is maintained when delivering them. Otherwise, this risks the effective delivery of existing services. That's why I have practical steps to deliver my policies with credible funding sources in mind. Therefore, I believe the best interests of the USU and students go hand in hand.
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.
The USU must improve campus life and address its decline. Not assisting is the rising cost of food and transport that induces students to take on jobs that reduce their leisure time. Addressing this area not only improves students' social and mental wellbeing, but also increases sales revenue and reduces expenses for the USU. More funding can then be allocated to important USU services such as FoodHub. My policies address this well: a USU-owned grocery store will improve affordability. Lifting restrictions on Manning and establishing a Campus Life Committee will revitalise students' opportunities for quality experiences and leisure.