SMH: Selling the union to students (1 Viewer)

[Frigid]

Selling the union to students

Fearing massive drops in membership, student unions are set to launch major recruitment drives and advertising campaigns after voluntary student unionism was introduced last week.

With some unions forecasting that as few as 11 per cent of students will voluntarily join the union now that they have a choice, rescue plans to fight the effects of the Federal Government's user-pays legislation are hastily being constructed.

High-profile alumni may be called on for support and professional marketing executives are being hired to help "sell" the union to students.

Unions will blitz their campuses with posters and leaflets in the lead-up to the new year and are considering sending taskforces into high schools to help spread the word.

"We, of course, are going to go out and advertise ourselves as much as possible and try to get as many members but the reality is, unless the university helps us out with funds we are simply not going to be in a position to survive," Sydney University's Student Representative Council president Nick Wood said.

"The reality is that if we are reliant on membership the SRC probably has another year before we have to close our doors.

"We want to get the SRC's name out there as much as possible and we will be promoting that all the way through semester."

They are considering contacting famous past students, including barrister Geoffrey Robertson, as possible spruikers for the SRC.

Newcastle University Students Association co-president Jack Thieme said they were considering hiring a marketing expert to help boost the union's profile.

After 12 years working at the University of Newcastle's student union, administration officer Marilyn Kane recently accepted a redundancy package.

A result of cutbacks caused by the introduction of VSU, the mother of two was among five staff to be offered redundancy, ruining her plans of staying with the job until her retirement.

"I had very direct contact with students and found them generally a lovely bunch of people," Mrs Kane said.

"They were very nice, positive, motivated people."

As Mrs Kane prepares to find a new job at the age of 53, she has decided to embark on a business administration course that will give her skills to work in a legal office.

well, my sympathies to Mrs Kane and her colleagues, but on the whole i do not regret the introduction of VSU.

it will be interesting to see what happens to student unions in the next few years.

 

[Zeus!]

God I hate Dick Wood.

 

[blackfriday]

well considering student apathy as it is, hiring marketing gurus wont do much.

 

[jpr333]

Wasting the last of the funds from the coffers before the union fades from existence...