The Victorian College of the Arts Student Union (VCASU) was the
student union
A students' union, also known by many other names, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to social, ...
of the former
Victorian College of the Arts
The Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) is the arts school at the University of Melbourne in Australia. It is part of the university's Faculty of Fine Arts and Music. It is located near the Melbourne city centre on the Southbank campus of the ...
(VCA), now known as the
Faculty of VCA and Music (VCAM) in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. It was a separately incorporated organisation which represented the VCA student body. It had a strong history of creative
student activism and successful political campaigns. VCASU's student newspaper was called
Spark
Spark commonly refers to:
* Spark (fire), a small glowing particle or ember
* Electric spark, a form of electrical discharge
Spark may also refer to:
Places
* Spark Point, a rocky point in the South Shetland Islands
People
* Spark (surname)
* ...
. VCASU officially went into voluntary liquidation on 15 May 2009 and shut down operations by 30 June 2009.
The Melbourne Model
VCA became a faculty of the
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...
(UoM) in 2007, which is in the stages of implementing the
Melbourne Model
The Melbourne Model is a standardised academic degree structure which was introduced at the University of Melbourne in 2008. The Melbourne Model is designed to align itself "''with the best of European and Asian practice and North American tr ...
at UoM. VCASU argued the new changes were aimed at cutting university courses, staff and services which UoM Vice-Chancellor
Glyn Davis
Glyn Conrad Davis AC (born 25 July 1959) is an Australian academic who is the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, appointed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on 30 May 2022, and commenced on 6 June 2022.
Davis was pre ...
denied. Davis, the architect of the Melbourne Model had come under much criticism from staff and students alike.
UoM Provost
Peter McPhee announced on 22 April 2008, that VCA's six separate schools of fine art, music, drama, dance, production and film and television would become three by 2009, while maintaining the six disciplines.
VCASU also argued that UoM was attempting to silence VCASU for its criticisms over the Melbourne Model in the wake of
Voluntary student unionism
Voluntary student unionism (VSU), as it is known in Australia, or voluntary student membership (VSM), as it is known in New Zealand, is a policy under which membership of – and payment of membership fees to – university student organisations ...
introduced under the
John Howard
John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian former politician who served as the 25th prime minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007, holding office as leader of the Liberal Party. His eleven-year tenure as prime minister is the s ...
Government, by refusing to fund the organisation any further, which they foresaw forcing its closure. Despite this, VCASU achieved a 25% voluntary membership in 2007, with more than 50% of VCA students agreeing to join VCASU when enrolling online in both 2007 and 2008.
Sue Pennicuik
Susan Margaret Pennicuik ( ; born 17 April 1957) is an Australian politician, and Greens member of the Victorian Legislative Council from 2006 to 2018. Since April 2022, Pennicuik has served as a councillor on the City of Glen Eira
Early car ...
of the
Greens raised concerns with the University of Melbourne Amendment Bill that prior to the amalgamation of VCA with the university, VCA students had their own student union which represented them in their particular way of studying, pointing out the difference between the practical way of studying the arts to how university students study.
Campaign history
In 1998, VCASU stopped the introduction of
Up Front Fees at the VCA by staging a
tent city
A tent city is a temporary housing facility made using tents or other temporary structures.
State governments or military organizations set up tent cities to house evacuees, refugees, or soldiers. UNICEF's Supply Division supplies expandable ten ...
on administration lawns. In 2003 VCASU led a militant campaign to reinstate VCA sessional staff which were to lose their jobs due to a "budget deficit" according to VCA Director
Andrea Hull
Andrea Douglas Hull (born 13 March 1949) is an Australian academic, and was appointed the Director of the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) in 1995, the college's longest standing director. Hull announced her retirement to commence in March 20 ...
. In 2004, VCASU were involved in the
student occupations at VCA,
RMIT University
RMIT University, officially the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology,, section 4(b) is a public research university in Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city ...
and
Monash University
Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university has a ...
against the Howard Government's increased
HECS
Tertiary education fees in Australia are payable for courses at tertiary education institutions. The Commonwealth government provides loans and subsidies to relieve the cost of tertiary education for some students. Some students are supported ...
fees. Also in 2004 VCASU protested against the then Federal
Minister for Education,
Brendan Nelson
Brendan John Nelson (born 19 August 1958) is a business leader and former Australian politician. He served as the federal Leader of the Opposition from 2007 to 2008, going on to serve as Australia's senior diplomat to the European Union and NA ...
while visiting the VCA campus by dressing as
Grim Reaper
Death is frequently imagined as a personified force. In some mythologies, a character known as the Grim Reaper (usually depicted as a berobed skeleton wielding a scythe) causes the victim's death by coming to collect that person's soul. Other b ...
s and labeling him the "Minister for Higher Execution". In 2008 VCASU accused UoM of forcing the closure of their union, a charge the university denies. The union was also involved in protesting academic staff cuts in 2008 by attempting to disrupt a UoM council meeting.
Proud
''Proud'' was VCASU's annual acquisitive prize exhibition held for all VCASU members to participate. It had traditionally been held in the Margaret Lawrence Gallery at VCA. Beginning in 1996, Proud provided a launch pad for many of VCA's successful emerging artists, including
Anastasia Klose
Anastasia Klose (born 1978) is an Australian contemporary artist. Her work has received much attention in the art world due to the personal nature of her subject matter, often putting herself in humiliating situations. She is a graduate of both ...
,
Van Thanh Rudd
Van Thanh Rudd (born 1973), also known as Van Nishing, is an Australian artist and politician.
Personal life
Rudd was born in Nambour, Queensland, to Vietnam veteran Malcolm Rudd and Tuoi. Rudd is the nephew of former Australian Prime Minister, ...
and
Azlan McLennan. Previous Proud exhibitions included high-profile arts industry judges such as
Marcus Westbury
Marcus Westbury (born 1974) is an Australian urbanist, festival director, TV presenter, writer and broadcaster. He is based in Melbourne, Australia where he filmed the TV series '' Not Quite Art''. for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation scre ...
and
Patricia Piccinini
Patricia Piccinini (born 1965 in Freetown, Sierra Leone) is an Australian artist who works in a variety of media, including painting, video, sound, installation, digital prints, and sculpture. Her works focus on "unexpected consequences", conv ...
.
Proud
''VCASU''. Accessed 23 April 2008.
References
External links
Victorian College of the Arts Student Union
Victorian College of the Arts
University of Melbourne
{{NUS
Students' unions in Australia
University of Melbourne