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March 29, 2024, 09:36:47 pm

Author Topic: Joining the Student Union...Is it worth it?  (Read 6695 times)  Share 

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squance

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Joining the Student Union...Is it worth it?
« on: January 12, 2008, 10:47:36 pm »
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This year when I'm going to uni, Im considering joining the Student Union...

Is it worth it?

Eriny

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Re: Joining the Student Union...Is it worth it?
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2008, 10:51:12 pm »
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I think it is. They offer all sorts of discounts and different programmes and clubs and such. Plus, if you get into a situation where you'd really need the union like if you ever get into any academic trouble or something, you'd be glad that you joined.

brendan

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Re: Joining the Student Union...Is it worth it?
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2008, 12:02:05 am »
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i'm just glad you are able to ask that question now

excal

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Re: Joining the Student Union...Is it worth it?
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2008, 03:00:49 am »
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Well, yes - if you feel that financially supporting the services that may end up supporting you in future is important.

Otherwise, no.

Personally, I support the union.
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Collin Li

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Re: Joining the Student Union...Is it worth it?
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2008, 12:19:17 pm »
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Nah, not worth it.

Some people here are saying it's like an insurance policy in case you need it to support you, but I don't see how the student union can support you any more than just give you advice. They can't circumvent the rules of the university, and they don't have tutors. If you need to form study groups, you won't need a student union membership for that either. Advice isn't worth $200+ a year, you can come on FSN and get it for free.

However, if you believe you have a moderately high risk of becoming depressed or anything that requires counselling, I am pretty sure the student union provides that, and this would be the fiscally conservative way to get it (although I'm not sure about the quality of them, compared to private counsellors).
« Last Edit: January 13, 2008, 12:22:37 pm by coblin »

squance

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Re: Joining the Student Union...Is it worth it?
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2008, 12:37:47 pm »
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Well...I think im gonna join....

I like discounts....

Collin Li

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Re: Joining the Student Union...Is it worth it?
« Reply #6 on: January 13, 2008, 12:48:14 pm »
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Think carefully about the costs versus the benefits. Let's say that the Student Union gives you a 10% discount on things:

You need to spend in order to break even. It depends how much of a consumer you are though. Over 24 weeks of university and 5 days a week, that's more than $16.65 a day. If you are going to buy breakfast and lunch, that will fulfil that quota, but then you've got to find union supported restaurants, because they don't give out discounts to everything.

I'm not sure how the pricing works. For Melbourne University they say its $198 if you're new, but then there is a $17 monthly price, which means in your first year you're paying $402, and every year after it's $204.
« Last Edit: January 13, 2008, 12:56:15 pm by coblin »

excal

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Re: Joining the Student Union...Is it worth it?
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2008, 02:04:45 pm »
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Student Unions haven't been able to prosper as well in the 'free market' nature of post-VSU - they simply haven't been able to provide for the services that they previously were able to...I personally see any financial contribution to be simply a show of support for what they try to do rather than expecting any tangible benefits in return.

Discounts are nice, though. That said...coblin does make a very accurate fiscal analysis on discounts.

You can't actually pay yet at Monash...they've scrapped our 'Community Card'.

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Re: Joining the Student Union...Is it worth it?
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2008, 03:36:10 pm »
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whats on offer for monash student union?
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Collin Li

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Re: Joining the Student Union...Is it worth it?
« Reply #9 on: January 13, 2008, 04:29:36 pm »
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I would suggest you think about your own money before being charitable to the student union. They will (and should) receive a clear message at the end of this year (as they did at the end of 2007) about their services, and will need to make their prices lower, and/or their services more attractive in order to get more memberships.

The only reason why they prospered under CSU is because they did not have to provide an excellent service for their customers, membership revenue was guaranteed for them.

excal

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Re: Joining the Student Union...Is it worth it?
« Reply #10 on: January 13, 2008, 05:40:37 pm »
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I would suggest you think about your own money before being charitable to the student union. They will (and should) receive a clear message at the end of this year (as they did at the end of 2007) about their services, and will need to make their prices lower, and/or their services more attractive in order to get more memberships.

The only reason why they prospered under CSU is because they did not have to provide an excellent service for their customers, membership revenue was guaranteed for them.

I think it's a matter of complacency - 'I don't have to pay because I don't'. Students are, generally speaking, inherently lazy to things they don't *have* to do and the rather dissociative nature of Uni culture further incubates this complacency.

I'm not saying that we should FORCE students to pay - but I think that the option to pay needs to be made much more apparent to students. In addition, the benefits that such membership can bring probably need to be clearly highlighted.
 
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Collin Li

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Re: Joining the Student Union...Is it worth it?
« Reply #11 on: January 13, 2008, 05:44:07 pm »
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My point is: don't join them for the reason of helping a collective cause that doesn't benefit you.

Only join them if it benefits you more than it costs. Simple as that.

nak

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Re: Joining the Student Union...Is it worth it?
« Reply #12 on: January 14, 2008, 01:27:17 am »
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Yeah join, because for $200 you get to use the microwaves at Melb Uni i think :D
I remember going there for TSFX lectures and on the microwaves it says something about Union people only.. i think.

Collin Li

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Re: Joining the Student Union...Is it worth it?
« Reply #13 on: January 14, 2008, 01:45:07 am »
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Yeah join, because for $200 you get to use the microwaves at Melb Uni i think :D
I remember going there for TSFX lectures and on the microwaves it says something about Union people only.. i think.

You can use them for free because they don't check. There's a place called the International Students Lounge with a microwave, and if you're Asian, you have the benefit of slipping in unnoticed :) There may also be other microwaves in other places that can be freely accessed.

Or, if you want a goody-goody no-slipping-through-unchecked option, you can buy microwaves for $100 these days, LOL. Get a microwave, and get a locker (yearly is like $10-20, depending which faculty), and find a power-point (there are plenty) and woo, it's cheap microwaving :D (absurd idea, I know). It's cheaper, but you should make sure that the microwave fits in the locker, LOL.
« Last Edit: January 14, 2008, 01:49:41 am by coblin »

nak

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Re: Joining the Student Union...Is it worth it?
« Reply #14 on: January 14, 2008, 02:30:37 am »
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Yeah join, because for $200 you get to use the microwaves at Melb Uni i think :D
I remember going there for TSFX lectures and on the microwaves it says something about Union people only.. i think.

You can use them for free because they don't check. There's a place called the International Students Lounge with a microwave, and if you're Asian, you have the benefit of slipping in unnoticed :) There may also be other microwaves in other places that can be freely accessed.

Or, if you want a goody-goody no-slipping-through-unchecked option, you can buy microwaves for $100 these days, LOL. Get a microwave, and get a locker (yearly is like $10-20, depending which faculty), and find a power-point (there are plenty) and woo, it's cheap microwaving :D (absurd idea, I know). It's cheaper, but you should make sure that the microwave fits in the locker, LOL.

hahaha next thing it will be a fridge but except it needs constant power. Maybe an esky will be fine.
So they dont check at all? That is the only reason i can think of to join them but if the microwaves are easily accessed then no chance of joining them.