William McCarthy
Faculty/Degree Held
Arts/Law
Year of Studying/Conferring
II
USU Positions
Contingent Captain, USU Debating at Australian Intervarsity Debating Championships (Easters) 2025
International Competitor, USU Debating 2025 - 2026
Client Interviewee, Ashurst Client Interviewing 2026
Member, Sydney University Law Society 2025 - 2026
Member, French Society 2026
Mentor for novices at Easters 2026
Other Interests
Hey everyone!! I am Will, a second year arts/law student majoring in International Relations and also studying French. My dad is from Canberra so I am an avid Canberra Raiders fan and my mum was born in Ireland so you may see me munching on a Tayto. I love live music! I am a big fan of Taylor Swift and Zara Larsson (I have tickets!!!). One of my favourite concerts was Budjerah playing at Manning at the beginning of first year and I am keen for more people to experience that.
Candidate Policy Statement
I WILL Fix It
FIXING FOOD ON CAMPUS
- Bring Yochi to campus!
- Expand cheap eats and $6 meals.
- Increase variety! Add more vegetarian and dietary options.
- 20% of my salary direct to foodhub.
- Fix foodhub access across campuses.
- Increase food trucks at the Con.
FIXING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
- Establish a mental health portfolio holder in the USU Board.
- Increase funding and advertisement of mental health services. USU funded counsellors and counselling sessions.
- Increase support for first years and international students beyond O-Week.
- Coordinate with external mental health providers to lower costs on provision of mental health.
FIXING THE USU'S POLITICAL IMPACT
- Implement BDS!
- Publish companies the USU works with to allow for accountability.
- Sexual assault and bystander training for clubs and USU outlets.
- Adopt Ask For Angela.
- Protect staff and workers rights.
- Fight for international student concession cards!
FIXING CAMPUS LIFE
- Bring back Pride Fest! Run Glitter Gala! Support queer students and spaces!
- Platform the con! More transport and services!
- Bring back the Someday Soon festival! Platform and pay USYD musicians alongside famous artists! More music festivals on campus!
Get to know Will
Describe the key roles and responsibilities of a USU Board Director.
Board directors must do more than just turn up to meetings. The most important obligation of a board director is to have their pulse on the needs and desires of the union. Work, community consultation must be done openly and frequently every week, whilst following up and directing USU workers to enact policies that fulfil those desires. The responsibility of a board director to listen to students must never end at the ballot box and must be constant. Further, board directors have a special responsibility to engage the communities which are affected by their portfolios and their work.
How will you ensure that you can commit the time required to be an effective Board Director?
Working on fixing issues facing students and staff is something I am extremely passionate about so the USU will be my chief priority. I have experience juggling working 23 hours a week and university courses as well as fulfilling debating commitments that often take all weekend and a few hours during the week. If I were to be elected, I would take steps back from my other commitments, working other jobs and debating less to ensure I can fulfil the honour of serving the community as an effective board director.
How will you represent the best interests of the student community, while also representing the best interests of the USU?
The best interests of the USU should always align with the best interests of the student and staff community. Accountability, the provision of mental health services, and a cheaper and more accessible campus are all directly in the interest of the USU and the student community. It is time that board directors stop hiding behind the idea that fiduciary duty blocks the board from engaging in politics and representing the political interests of students to boycott and divest from companies complicit in morally reprehensible behaviour. Students deserve a competent board that will fight for their interests.
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.
University and campus life can be incredibly difficult. Mental health is an issue that is personal to me, and if elected I would implement and become the mental health portfolio holder to make sure that mental health is not a subsidiary of any other issue. The USU turns a large profit and has the most direct access to students through clubs and societies so is in a prime position to provide mental health services. I will make sure that mental health services have increased funding and that students know they do not have to struggle alone at university.