With all the hype about the upcoming Guild elections, a lot of you are asking; ‘what even is the Guild?’
We’re glad you asked! Here’s your rundown of all things Guild, and how you can make a difference by voting in the elections.
The basics:
The Guild is essentially the student representative body on campus; separate to (but strongly involved with) UWA. We’re run by elected students, and we make sure that all students have a voice, fun stuff to do on campus, and communities to be a part of. We sit on a lot of committees not just internally but with the University to make sure that your best interests are kept in the conversation on decisions that impact the student body.
We have 13 student departments representing students and have over 150 affiliated clubs and societies. That super awesome club-run event you went to? We provided them with funding and support to make it happen. Themed weeks promoting different groups and departments on campus? Yep, us again! Not only that, we run a lot of Guild events like O-Day, end of semester shows and activities.
Fun stuff aside, the Guild also provides support for students in the form of Student Assist (where you can advice and counselling on academic, welfare and financial issues), and opportunities to give back to the community through Guild Volunteering. We also run 6 cafes across 3 campuses, and the UWA Tavern!
Why should I vote?
The Guild elections are easily the biggest university-based election in Australia. This gives you some indication as to the passion of those involved! While it can be a bit intimidating for the newbies, it’s good to get informed to see how your vote can make a difference.
Voting in Guild elections allows you to have your say in the people and policies you want making the decisions affecting students at UWA.
Remember: VOTING IS NOT COMPULSORY, but we encourage you to have your say in who advocates for the student body each year – a student body you are a part of!
Keep an eye out for more elections information being circulated in the next couple of weeks in the lead up to the Guild elections.
Important dates:
Campaign Week – Week 8, September 9-13
Polling Week – Week 9, September 16-19
Deadline for receipt of applications to postal vote – 4pm Friday September 13
Deadline for receipt of postal votes – 5pm Thursday September 19
