President's News
Contact SRC
In Person
Level 1 (basement level), Wentworth Building G01.
Access from City Road (underneath the footbridge).
By Mail
PO Box 794 Broadway NSW 2007
Ph 02 9660 5222
Fax 02 9660 4260
SRC Help Email: help@src.usyd.edu.au
Mobile 0466 169 664 (Satellite Campuses Caseworker)
General Enquiries Email: admin.assistant@src.usyd.edu.au
Ask Abe, Q&A Help
Students have the opportunity to ask Abe questions on anything that may affect their “welfare”. This can be as personal as a question on a Centrelink payment or as general as a question on the state of the world. Abe gathers his answers from experts in a number of areas. Coupled with his own expertise on dealing with people, living on a low income and being a dog, Abe’s answers can provide you with excellent insight.
To ask Abe a question send an email to: help@src.usyd.edu.au
Abe answers:
Personal Health Questions
Money Question
Hi Abe,
I’ve had a really bad year. I’ve failed almost everything. I haven’t really got any excuse. My dad is taking me on a short trip to Thailand to relax and clear my head to get ready for next year. I think this will be a lot of fun and help me to focus on my studies. Is there anything else you can suggest that I do.
Engo II
Hi Engo II,
The first thing you need to know is that the faculty will ask you to Show Good Cause. That is, explain why they shouldn’t kick you out of the University for at least 2 years. Not having an excuse or a real plan to change things will not convince them to let you stay. Talk to an SRC caseworker straight away. Preferably this will be before you go on holiday. You will need to outline 3 things.
First: What were the reasons that you failed subjects. For example, you couldn’t concentrate in class, you were sick, you have difficulty with maths
Second: How did this affect your studies, for example, you couldn’t attend class, you did turn up to exams, you didn’t understand the work in class.
Third: What are your solutions. For example, you have a tutor, you are no longer working a job, you have done a time management course, etc.
The SRC can give you more details on what you should do and what you should put in your letter. Most importantly be informed that being overseas is not an excuse for missing the deadline on the show cause letter. If you do not respond you will automatically be excluded from the course for 2 years. Readmission is not automatic – you need to appeal. So please take this very seriously and deal with it, with the help of the SRC, as soon as possible.
Abe
CENTRELINK QUESTIONS
Dear Abe,
I hear you are the welfare dog and can help me with questions about Centrelink. I have just received a letter from them saying that I have gone over the allowed time to complete my degree. I am only in the first year of this degree, but have previously studied a different degree. Is it right that I’m getting cut off?
Thank u, Cut Off
Dear Cut Off,
The maximum amount of time that you are allowed to receive a Youth Allowance payment is the “normal” length of the course plus one semester (well sometimes two semesters but this is very rare). So if you’re doing a Bachelor of Economics, for example, you would be allowed to receive a payment for the first 3 years plus 1 semester worth of study. This is regardless of whether you have received a payment since the beginning of the course or not. With Youth Allowance (as distinct from Austudy – the payment for students above 25 years old) if you have done any previous courses, finished or not, your clock should be re-set to zero.
We’ve heard that Centrelink have sent out a number of letters to students telling them that they’ve been cut off the same as you. Make sure you appeal this decision because it simply is not correct. The SRC caseworkers can help you to put together your appeal, and show you where in the legislation your situation is covered.
Abe
To Abe:
I heard that I have to have saved $15,000 before I can get Youth Allowance. I think this is ridiculous if it is true. Why would I need Youth Allowance if I had my own savings.
From: No Savings
Dear No Savings,
That’s not true, but it may come from the bit that says you are deemed independent (assessed on your income not your parents) if you have worked and earned a certain amount of money in an 18 month period. That amount depends on when you earned the money. If you’ve earned about $17,000 it’s certainly worth having a look to see if you’re eligible. The other thing to keep in mind is a thing called the liquid assets waiting period. This says that if you have more than $2,500 in your bank account (or as shares) you have to wait one week for every $500 you have. The SRC caseworkers are employed by the SRC (not Centrelink) and can give you excellent advice on all these sorts of issues. Their services are available for free to all members (all undergraduate students).
Abe
Dear Abe,
I know that this is a bit of a joke column, but I don’t know where else to turn to. I’m having some trouble at home and I need to get away. I haven’t got any money and I really want to finish my degree. Please tell me who to talk to.
Thanks
Hi,
I’m glad you wrote to me. This is a joke column, but only in its format. The information is meant to be serious and helpful to students like yourself. In situations like your own, there will usually be a number of different issues that will need attention. Your immediate safety is always the first concern, then we would need to look at your financial situation, and finally we would make sure that you gave yourself every chance to be a successful student. The SRC has caseworkers who can help you with issues such as this. You can make an appointment to see them by calling 9660 5222 or you can email help@src.usyd.edu.au. If you don’t want to talk to the SRC caseworkers try talking to someone in the university’s counselling unit (9351 2228). Both of these services are free for undergraduate students. For your own general information Centrelink has a Youth Allowance category called Independent – Unreasonable to Live at Home. This applies to anyone who is experiencing physical, emotional or sexual violence at home. There are lots of conditions attached to this payment so get some help before applying.
Abe
Dear Abe,
I heard that there might be a way to get the government to give me money to pay my bond and my rent. Is that only for certain people or can everyone get it? What do I have to do to get it?
Evelyn
Hey Evelyn,
There are two different schemes. One is called RentStart, which is a payment from the Department of Housing. They will pay between 50 and 100% of your bond if you are a “low income earner” and have not yet moved into your new house. This applies only to people who are on the lease and who have an ongoing income (eg, Centrelink payment or part time job). They will also help out with rent if you fall behind and risk being thrown out.
Rent assistance is a payment given to people already receiving a Centrelink payment (apart from Austudy). It is only meant to help out with the maximum amount paid being about $90 a fortnight.
The SRC has a leaflet explaining all of these details on their website (www.src.usyd.edu.au) or you can talk to one of their caseworkers.
Abe
Hello,
I can’t get youth allowance because my parents earn too much money and they won’t say that I can’t live with them. I need to get some other money though. What else can I apply for? Am I able to get Austudy? How much money will that be?
Hello nameless one,
It’s annoying to think that if your parents have a combined income of $50,000 or more that they earn too much for you to get youth allowance, particularly if they are unwilling or unable to give you any money to survive. Our government is a mean one. Being eligible for other payments may be a little more complicated than what I can explain in the few words I have here. You can only apply for Austudy (instead of Youth Allowance) if you are over 25 years old. You may be able to go to part time study and look for full time work and get the newstart allowance. If you have a disability you may be able to apply for the disability support pension. Short of that it sounds like you might need to look for some part time work. Be careful that this doesn’t adversely affect your grades.
If you are a “low income earner” (less than $411 per week) you can apply for a Health Care Card. This will give you cheap pharmaceuticals, access to free dental treatments, free frames and lenses and free ambulance coverage. Just grab a form from your nearest Centrelink office.
Dear Abe,
My parents live in Glen Innes and they expect me to be there to celebrate Christmas with the family. Where can I go to borrow some money for the $200 ticket?
Bumpkin
Dear Bumpkin,
If you are currently receiving Youth Allowance at the “Dependent But Away From Home” rate you can get Centrelink to pay for your trip to the uni to start studying, a return trip home for the holidays, and a trip home at the end of the year. Call Centrelink to register your intent to claim and get them to send you out the form. If you cannot get this payment you can try getting a loan from the University Financial Assistance Centre (9351 2416).
Abe
ACADEMIC QUESTIONS
Dear Abe,
I recently withdrew from one of my subjects. I defer my HECS payments and am now wondering if I still have a HECS debt for the subject?
Poor and in Debt
Dear Poor and In Debt,
If you withdrew from the subject prior to the HECS census date, that is Friday 31 March, the debt will have been automatically remitted. If you withdrew after this date you will need to apply for a remission of debt. The introduction of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA) has from 1 January 2005 significantly changed the process for a student seeking a remission of HECS-HELP debt. A HECS-HELP debt may be remitted where a student has encountered circumstances that affected their ability to complete a course. Rather than apply to the Department of Education Science and Training - the process under the formerly applicable Higher Education Funding Act 1988 - students now apply directly to the University for a re-crediting of the newly introduced Student Learning Entitlement and associated remission of the relevant HECS-HELP debt. Applications for remission should be made within 12 months of having discontinued your studies. For further advice contact the SRC. The application form for the Recrediting of the Student Learning Entitlement is available from the Student Centre.
Abe
Hi,
I was wondering if you could help me with altering last semesters results? I didn’t attend the last half of the semester because I was having a really hard time. I received all absent fails and wanted to know if it’s possible to change them to DNFs – Discontinued – Not to Count as Fail?
Thank u
Hi,
You can certainly apply for your AFs to be changed to DNFs. A DNF is a Discontinued – Not to count as Fail. This will appear on your transcript but says that you have not attempted the subject and so will not count as a fail when your aggregate mark is worked out.
You need to write a letter to the Dean.
In your letter you need to reflect on your situation and stress the following:
* at the beginning of semester you thought everything would be okay as far as your studies were concerned
* things did not become really bad until the second half of semester
* these marks do not reflect your skills as a student
* you do not want this hard time to have such a disadvantageous effect on your studies
Your letter will be stronger if you can supply some supporting documentation – eg from your doctor/counsellor.
You may also be able to apply for your fees back for these subjects. The form / letter differs according to whether you are a HECS/full-fee/International student. You should do this within 12 months of when you finished these studies if you are a HECS student.
If you want further info, make an appointment with an SRC caseworker on 9660 5222 – you can take your draft letter to the appointment. There are also drop-in times on Tuesday and Thursday 1-3pm where you do not need appointments.
Most importantly, you should make sure that you are back on track for semester 2. Talk to a counsellor or your doctor or ask an SRC caseworker to recommend someone for you.
Abe
Hello Abe,
I know that the HECS census date is coming up soon and I feel a little stressed about it. I’m doing a couple of subjects that seem really boring and I think I’d like to drop them. How can I decide what to pick and when do I need to decide by?
Fussy About Subjects
Dear FAS,
Stress in humans is an interesting thing. Whenever I feel stressed I find great relief in my flexibility (it’s true what they say about male dogs). The HECS census dates each year are the 31st March and 31st August. This means that any subject that you are enrolled in on this date will incur a HECS charge. However, you should also keep in mind that your faculty may have earlier deadlines for withdrawing from subjects without penalty. As with any change to your study program I would strongly recommend that you talk to your faculty advisor and get them to answer any of your questions (preferably by email) before you vary your program. This way you can be sure that you will still be able to keep studying and graduate. If you are an international student or a local student on Centrelink payments remember that you may need to report these subject changes to DIMIA or Centrelink.
Abe
Dear Abe,
I was driving to an assessment when my car broke down. When I told my lecturer what happened he didn’t believe me. I don’t know what I can do to avoid failing that assessment. I really need those extra marks to get me over the line.
Special
Dear Special,
The best thing to do in this type of situation is to apply for a special consideration. These forms are usually available on the faculty website or in the faculty office. You must fill these out as soon as possible (within 7 days). You will need to include any proof that you have of the incident. If you were sick you will need to include a doctor’s certificate with certain particular pieces of information, for example, how badly you were affected by the illness. For a situation like yours you might have called the NRMA out and be able to get a note from the patrol person. Alternatively you may have a receipt for a new tyre. If you have no evidence you may decide to submit a statutory declaration. The SRC can help you with one of these.
Abe
Hi Abe,
I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve been accused of cheating in an exam. I accidentally left my study notes in my pants pocket and they fell out during the exam. I didn’t want to leave them lying on the floor so I picked them up. Of course when I did that the exam supervisor saw me and got me to leave the exam room. I was quite upset and may have raised my voice a little. I’m not sure that I will get a fair hearing from the university about this, so could you please tell me where I should go for some legal advice.
Innocent
Dear Innocent,
It’s funny that you’re embarrassed about being accused of cheating but not embarrassed about asking a dog for help. Anyway, your story may well be true, but without judging you at all, it sounds a little unlikely to me. You’ll have to convince the registrar’s representative that you are indeed telling the truth. If by chance you are bending the truth a little, it is usually better to come clean, cop a failure, and redo the subject next time. The SRC has caseworkers who can help you with defending yourself on this “academic misconduct” charge. If a lawyer becomes necessary the SRC has access to a lawyer through the Redfern Legal Centre.
Abe
Abe,
I have too many things to do. I work between 20 and 30 hours a week so I can earn enough money to support myself. I am doing a full time study load so that I’m not at uni too long. By the end of the week I am so totally exhausted that I just collapse into my bed. I don’t have time to do any study. I haven’t been out with my friends for ages. I can’t keep going like this. What should I do?
Time poor
Dear Time Poor,
One of the recurring reasons that people fail out of uni is that they didn’t manage their time better. You need to find a balance between working to earn money, leaving yourself enough time for study, and still having a reasonable social life. All of these aspects are important for a successful university career. Perhaps it would be worthwhile seeing if you would be eligible for a Centrelink payment. This might take some pressure off you to work so many hours. If this is not possible consider whether you can drop a subject to allow you the best opportunity to pass what you are enrolled in. You could talk to your faculty advisor about what the best way to do this would be, without affecting any pre-requisites or co-requisites in the future. The Learning Centre runs time management classes FREE to all students. You can check their website or visit them on Level 7 of the Education Building.
Abe
Ask Abe,
I don’t feel I can do these exams to my best. I will try very hard, but I’ve have too much to do this year. I’m sure that I’m the only one in my year that has had lots of bad stuff keep me busy during the year. I will be disadvantaged against them now. Should I skip the exams?
A. N.
Dear A. N.,
Sometimes trying hard isn’t enough. Sometimes you need a bit of help to make sure that you show your true potential in any situation. If you are not able to complete your exams, talk to someone in the counselling unit IMMEDIATELY. They can help you with a number of techniques that will be able to help you through. Together with the SRC, they can also approach your lecturers to see if there is an alternative available for you, like another exam or another assignments.
Abe
PERSONAL HEALTH QUESTIONS
Questions that Abe has answered...
Hello Abe,
My girlfriend is pregnant and I just don’t know what to do. If she wants to keep the baby I guess I’ll support her but I’ve only got 2 years to go in my course and I’d rather finish my studies then think about starting a family. I don’t even know if I love her or not. What would you suggest my options are?
Not Ready to Be a Daddy
Dear NRBD,
I’m sorry to hear that you’re in this situation. I would encourage anyone who is having sex to use a condom, as that is the only way to stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. If you are in a committed relationship then you could consider some of the other contraceptives available. Now that your girlfriend is pregnant it would be a good idea for her to talk to a counsellor. The university has a free counselling service that will keep your issues confidential. That is, they will not tell the university or your family. You can also talk to a doctor who is also bound to keep your situation confidential. If you do decide to keep the baby then both you and her will need to negotiate your situation through a counsellor. You need to work out what you’re willing to commit to, and what else you will need. If you decide to terminate the pregnancy then you can talk about your choices with the doctor. Be aware also that this kind of stress will often impact upon a student’s ability to study effectively. If you find that you are too stressed to focus on your study talk to a caseworker at the SRC to get special consideration with your subjects.
Abe
Dear Abe,
I’ve been a bit sick. I’m really run down. And I’ve got 4 essays that are now overdue. Please help me.
Sick, but not in that cool way.
Dear Sick (but not in that cool way),
I’m no doctor, but when I feel sick I eat blades of grass, I throw up and I feel better. When I’m run down I try to eat bat poo. Apparently the vitamin B in it helps give me energy. You might want to explore your options with that.As for your essays, first work out when you might be able get each one done. Set out a timetable – get help if you need it. Then, as soon as you can, ask for an extension from the lecturers for each essay. They will probably ask you to fill in a Special Consideration Form, but maybe not. You’ll have to explain why the essay is late and provide them with evidence like a medical certificate - maybe from the doctors at the Health Service on campus. Your Faculty web page will have the Special Consideration policy and the special forms you and your Doctor will need to fill out. If it’s a long term illness you may need to talk to someone in the disabilities unit. If it all gets too hard come and talk to the nice Welfare Officers at the SRC.
Abe
MONEY QUESTIONS
Dear Abe,
How the f*?k am I mean to be able to afford to live in Sydney? After I pay rent and bills I barely have enough money to feed myself. What the hell am I meant to do?
Hungry.
Dear Hungry,
Your problem is a huge one that affects thousands of people (not just students) to greater or lesser extent. I think that the best thing to do in the long term is to join the campaign to make the government develop a welfare system that offers a liveable income.
In the short term contact the SRC for the financial assistance information that they have put together.
Abe.
Dear Abe,
A friend of mine gets all of his medicine for free. I don’t know why, but hoped you could tell me how I could get mine free too.
Sicky.
Dear Sicky,
It is very difficult to shoplift medication - usually it’s behind the counter and may in fact bring you a world of trouble in the likely event that you would get caught, because of the type of product it might be, eg, narcotic, stimulant, etc. I certainly recommend that you steer clear of that option.
Sometimes pharmaceutical companies will give doctors samples of the medicines that they are trying to get them to prescribe. If your doctor has a sample and believes that you are in financial need, he/she may give you a sample pack to use. This is unlikely (though not impossible) for long term medication. It’s a good idea to ask.
If you are a low income earner (less than about $300 a week) then you are probably eligible for a Health Care Card (HCC). This is issued from the Centrelink office, based on your last 8 weeks payslips. If you’re on Youth Allowance, Austudy, Abstudy or a pension you probably already have one. Otherwise go to your nearest office and apply. A HCC will give you reduced price pharmaceuticals (about $4), free ambulance cover, free dental cover, free glasses/lenses, and some other discounts. Ask an SRC caseworker for details.
Abe.