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12 May 2025

Week 11, Semester 1

 

This edition

To-do this week

Top stories

What's happening at Sydney

What's on at the Library

Welcome to your Week 11 edition of Student News!

As readings pile up and exams draw near, we’re leaning into the literary vibes this week – from Orwell and Shakespeare to rare finds and a chance to showcase your own creativity, there's something for everyone.

You’ll also find tips on accessibility, a heads-up on Wi-Fi outages, and a reminder to cast your vote in the Senate election before it closes.

Whether you’re powering through readings or powering up your caffeine intake, we’ve got fresh ways to help you make it through the final weeks of semester.

This edition

To-do this week

Top stories

What's happening at Sydney

What's on at the Library

Welcome to your Week 11 edition of Student News!

As readings pile up and exams draw near, we’re leaning into the literary vibes this week – from Orwell and Shakespeare to rare finds and a chance to showcase your own creativity, there's something for everyone.

You’ll also find tips on accessibility, a heads-up on Wi-Fi outages, and a reminder to cast your vote in the Senate election before it closes.

Whether you’re powering through readings or powering up your caffeine intake, we’ve got fresh ways to help you make it through the final weeks of semester.


Support for those affected by escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan

We're dismayed to see an escalation in violence between India and Pakistan and are here to support all affected students. Free health and wellbeing support is available 24/7 from our Wellbeing team. If recent events have impacted your studies or assessments, special consideration and arrangements may be available to you. If you wish to apply, please submit a student declaration (docx, 51.5KB) as your supporting document. 


To-do this week

Find your focus with a mid-sem prep refresh 🙇‍♂️

Feeling the end-of-semester slump? You’re not alone. It’s the perfect time to refresh your study habits and regain momentum. Consider incorporating short, unstructured breaks into your study sessions. Even a five-minute pause can significantly restore attention and improve focus. For more strategies on effective study habits, check out our guide on productive study. 

 

Vote in the Undergraduate Student Fellow of Senate election before 4 pm tomorrow 🗳️

Eligible undergraduate students have received an invitation from BigPulse to their student email to vote in the 2025 election of one Undergraduate Student Fellow of Senate. Make sure you vote before 4 pm tomorrow, Tuesday 13 May 2025. For more information, visit the current elections page on the current student website.

 

Explore our accessibility resources 💻

In recognition of Global Accessibility Awareness Day this Friday 16 May, we encourage you to explore our accessibility resources – from accessible technologies to resources to support your learning. Whether you’re after learning adjustments, accessible tech or just want to know what support’s available, check out the University’s accessibility homepage.


Top stories

three students stand in front of The Quad wearing the 2024 winning hoodie design

What's the story of Sydney? Show us with your hoodie design and you could win $2000 🧑‍🎨

The most iconic collab on campus is back! We're teaming up with USU once again for the hoodie design competition to mark 175 years of the University of Sydney.

We’re calling on students to design a hoodie that celebrates our story – from groundbreaking discoveries and bold ideas to the people and moments that shaped us. The winning design will score $2000 and be featured on an exclusive USU hoodie. Entries close midnight this Sunday 18 May.

 
2024 USU creative award winners

USU Creative Awards 2024 category winners, image by Michael Cole. 

USU Creative Awards 🧑‍🎨

Interested in showcasing your artwork, written or musical piece, or short film to your University community? You could win up to $1250 by submitting your creative work to the USU Creative Awards, USYD's largest creative arts prize, highlighting the very best of visual arts, writing, short film and music, from our student members. Entries close Monday 16 June 2025, so start preparing your submission! 

 
A stack of books

Got books collecting dust? Donate them at our Book Drive 📚

Give your stories a second life 📚✨ We’re collecting books of all kinds – novels, kids books, non-fiction, and textbooks (in good condition) for the Great Hall Book Fair in September.

Drop them off between 9 am and 5 pm, Monday 26–Friday 30 May, at Level 2, The Michael Spence Building (F23) (near the lifts).

 

What’s your favourite genre to read?

Fiction ✨
Non-fiction 👨‍🏫
Fantasy/Sci-fi 🪐
Biography/memoir ✍️
Something else? Click this button to tell us in the comments! 🗣️

Notices

The Australian Government is progressing a 20 percent reduction of HELP

The Australian Government will cut existing Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) debts by 20 percent by Sunday 1 June.

 

Prepare for rolling Wi-Fi outages on our campuses this Saturday 17 May

Studying on campus this Saturday? Be aware that the University’s network resiliency test will impact access to Wi-Fi and wired networks for up to 30 minutes per building over the course of the day – between 6 am and 4 pm.

 

Sydney Student offline for maintenance this weekend

Sydney Student will not be accessible from 5 pm Friday 16 May to 9 am Monday 19 May. During this time, the system will be undergoing scheduled maintenance.

If you experience any difficulties after this outage, please don’t hesitate to contact the University Service Desk on 1800 SYD UNI (1800 793 864) or 8627 1444 (select 3 for ICT). 


What's happening at Sydney

 
A student with numbers projected onto their face

Are you ready to lead in the age of digital transformation? 👩‍💻

Discover how our new MBA (Technology and Digital Strategy) can help you enhance your business skills, unlock new career opportunities and stay ahead in a world of constant technological disruption. Join the Business School on Wednesday 4 June to learn more about our MBA (Technology and Digital Strategy).

 
Clothes arranged in the shape of the recycling icon

Can’t donate it? Recycle it instead ♻️

Got clothes with holes, tired towels or worn-out uniforms laying around? Drop them off at one of our Textile Recycling points on Camperdown/Darlington campus before Friday 23 May and they’ll be given a new life as cushion fillings, insulation or moving blankets by textile recycler Upparel.

 

Support SUPRA's campaign to make part-time RTP scholarships tax-free ⚖️

Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association (SUPRA) have launched a campaign for tax equity in Research Training Program (RTP) stipends. Currently, full-time HDR students receive their stipends tax-free, whereas part-time students are taxed for their stipends. 

We support SUPRA's call for immediate legislative change to address this inequity, which disproportionately affects students with disabilities, parents and carers, those with chronic illness, and regional and rural students. Visit SUPRA's website to find out how you can support the campaign. 


What's on at the Library

 
George Orwell novels Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four stacked atop one another

Orwell, power and the world that shaped him 🔎

Explore how international influences shaped George Orwell and how he, in turn, shaped the modern world. In George Orwell: the world that made him and the world that he made, Emeritus Professor Peter Marks will unpack the life and legacy of this literary icon in a free talk hosted by the Friends of the Library, at 6 pm on Thursday 15 May in Fisher Library.

 
La guerre des mondes (War of the Worlds) by H. G. Wells, SF W454 J14 TF 2 天經或問 Tian jing huo wen (Some questions about astronomy), EA 7108 7 The amazing Spider-Man, vol. 1, no. 1, March 1963 by Stan Lee, RB 9863.3

Frankenstein, Spider-Man and the stars ✨

Get up close with some of the most fascinating rare books in our collection, from early Chinese astronomy texts to Spider-Man comics. Drop into Fisher Library Level 1 next Tuesday 20 May for 'Discover Rare Books and Special Collections: Science vs Fiction' – a special 90-minute event exploring how science and fiction have shaped our understanding of the world, with expert insights, collection highlights and light refreshments.

 
A crown

Rethinking Hamlet’s Queen 👑

What if Gertrude wasn’t just a passive figure in Hamlet, but a politically savvy queen in her own right? In Hamlet’s Hereditary Queen, author and theatre scholar Kerrie Roberts reimagines one of Shakespeare’s most overlooked characters through the lens of performance, gender and power. Join this free talk on Monday 26 May from 1–1.30 pm in the Fisher Seminar Room (Level 2) to hear how silence on stage can speak volumes.

 

Happy Vesak! 🌸

Today, Monday 12 May, is Vesak (or Buddha Day) – a day to commemorate the birth, enlightenment and passing of Gautama Buddha. It’s the most significant day in the Buddhist calendar and is marked by acts of kindness, quiet reflection and community gatherings.

Looking to connect with other Buddhist students on campus? Check out UniBodhi – the Buddhist Society.


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