National Women's Update

[Noni Sproule]

Hi There NOWSA Ladies,

Just wanting to update you all on the goings on in the National Women's Department and make a few requests of you all.

There's been a slight lull following the craziness of O weeks and launching all the campaigns. The slowing pace has been a welcome opportunity to take some time to regroup and consider the direction that we want to see the department head in for the end of semester one. During this period i've been focussing on the online presence of the NUS Women's Department, this task has seen a significant improvement in the ability of new women to engage with the department. It's also allowed for women in small and regional universities to have greater involvement. 

The intention of the blog was to have a diversity of voices commenting on feminist issues, so far this has not been met as the vast majority of the posts are written by me. This means there's one voice coming through loudly. I would really appreciate it if people took the time to send me anything to put up. Drawings, poems, fiction, musings anything. I'm really keen to put it up and we generally get more than 100 views when new things go up. So you'll get some good exposure as well. Please send me anything to wom...@nus.asn.au

Apart from online growth, the submission to the anti violence review and campus visits I have also begun work on a guide to safe events and respectful clubs and societies. This is a significant task (more significant than I originally envisioned) I had hoped that we would have it done in the near future but it seems like a longer task. It will definitely be completed by NOWSA, most likely before.

The NTEU is keen to work with us on Blue Stockings Week which is exciting. I'm hoping to finalise the dates soon.

I'd like to get some feedback on who has been running the Safety on Campus campaign and what sort of progress you have been making. It's important that this campaign is being prioritised on your campus as there has been significant good will at most universities surrounding safety and I would hate to see that momentum lost because other issues get in the way. PLEASE send me copies of your signed petition, so far i've only got them from Griffith and Monash and La Trobe in Victoria. I know that more campuses were running the petition during O weeks.

I'll be heading to Adelaide on the 23rd and will be running some events with the University of Adelaide Women's Collective. Including a training day on the Safety Campaign. Then the week of the 7th i'll be running the new f word campaign with the women of Queensland. I also am hoping to make a visit to Sydney before the winter break.

As always, please get into contact with me whenever with questions/comments/concerns/to chat. I'd love to hear from you, email and phone number below. 

In Sisterhood,

Noni

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Noni Sproule
National Women's Officer
National Union of Students
wom...@nus.asn.au
0403 9869 10