Who's representing you?

18 January 2024
Group of UTS student representatives on campus

There's plenty of new faces representing you in 2024. With so many different student representative positions, it can be confusing about who does what. Let's take a look at how it works and hear from a few of our new leaders.

What are student reps?

Across different areas, the reps are elected to ensure students have a say in decisions made by the university. They also raise concerns that students may have, debate issues and advocate for the student community.

Students represent fellow students within:

What do they aim to achieve?

Our student reps are passionate about giving a voice to their fellow students and enhancing the inclusivity of the UTS community. They are committed to ensuring students feel empowered and have an enriching experience studying at the university.

Here's what a few student reps hope to achieve in their roles: 

  • "My goal is to foster an inclusive environment where every student, regardless of their background or journey, feels welcomed and supported at UTS. I aspire to facilitate an atmosphere where all students can readily access and maximize the abundant opportunities offered." - Mila Fisher, Academic Board rep for Engineering and IT

  • "I would love to continue the growth and ambitions of ActivateUTS, particularly around wellbeing initiatives." - Hannah Lambert, Faculty Board rep for Law and ActivateUTS director

  • "I hope to be able to make sure the student voice is heard by decision makers." - Alastair Tomkins, Faculty Board rep for Arts and Social Sciences
  • "My efforts will focus on organising events that help international students build networks and gather information on vital topics such as visa policies, career opportunities, and volunteering." - Raghav Motani, UTSSA International Students' Officer
  • "I want to make sure students feel seen by Vertigo, and as its upcoming Arts and Lifestyle Editor it’s my job to ensure that we are looking at a diverse, exciting range of media." - Mia Rankin, UTSSA Vertigo Editorial Team
  • "My priority is to shape an end to end student experience where the support we provide to first-years is continued throughout a students' journey with UTS." - Kurt Cheng, UTS Council Undergraduate Student rep

What makes them a good fit for their role?

The passion, personalities and previous experience of our student reps is what sets them apart as strong leaders for the UTS student body.  

Here's what a few student reps are bringing to their roles:

  • "I am deeply passionate about making UTS the best university for all students and to give others the same opportunity I have had to feel a sense of belonging in the university and have a voice that is heard and valued." - Sabrine Yassine, Academic Board rep for Law

  • "I've gained deep awareness of challenges faced by Honours and postgraduate students and am passionate about speaking up for our community's welfare." - Matthew Pittorino, Faculty Board rep for Science
  • "I believe my fit for this role stems from my core strengths in empathy and enthusiasm. I view university life beyond academia, drawing from my experiences on campus and a passion for living a busy, balanced lifestyle." - Hannah Cerezo, ActivateUTS President
  • "I’ve served on the UTSSA for the past two years, so I’ve already been witness to the great achievements of the previous teams and I know how my role can create meaningful change at UTS." - Mia Campbell, UTTSSA President
  • "I am a natural leader and problem solver. I love helping people and only want to see people reach their full potential in any endeavour of their life." - Jermaine Petterson-Heard, UTSSA Indigenous Students' Officer 

Where can they be typically found?

Our student reps can be found in all parts of campus. If you happen to see them, feel free to say hello!

  • You're likely to find Raghav working on a business project at UTS Startups and Jermaine at the Activate gym.
  • You'll probably catch Sabrine and Mia R buying Mad Mex, Sina at Sushi World and Alastair at the Loft. 
  • Samiha typically eats a chicken sandwich while working hard in a Building 11 study pod, whereas Sai prefers lunch in the rooftop winter gardens in Building 2.
  • You may catch Hanwei, Aylin and Mila in-between classes, and you'll probably bump into Dick reading policies in the library. 
  • There’s a strong chance that the person asking for directions at the concierge is Shree (despite having studied at UTS for two years!).
  • For the coffee lovers, you'll find Kurt grabbing a third coffee of the day from Little Roaster at 12pm, Bridie having a skim cappucino at The Terrace and Lucas queuing up for Cornerstone Cafe’s $2 happy hour deal.
  • If you head to Alumni Green, there's a chance you'll see Mia C eating Uni Bros hot chips or Darcy having lunch with friends. 

What would they do if they won the lottery? 

For a final fun getting to know you question, we asked what our student reps would do if they won the lottery. The most popular ways to spend their hypothetical winnings were to travel, invest, donate to charity, payoff their HECS or buy something special. 

Here’s what a few student reps would do first:  

  • “Defer university, take a leave from my job, and embark on a trip around the world with my friends and family.” – Mariam Yassine, Faculty Board rep for Law and UTSSA Women’s Officer
  • “Book a holiday overseas. I love to travel and explore new places so you'd definitely see me at the airport.” – Joseph Naffah, UTSSA Councillor
  • “Set up a cat sanctuary to ensure that all stray cats in Australia have a warm and safe place to stay.” – Aylin Cihan, UTSSA Welfare Officer
  • “Either buy a house or set up a family trust fund.” – William Chen, Faculty Board rep for Business
  • “Donate a large sum of the funds to a charitable organisation such as one of the children’s hospitals or animal shelters here in Sydney.” – Darcy Davies, Faculty Board rep for Business
  • “Pay for as many students’ HECS debts, and then buy a chalet in Switzerland.” – Bridie O’Kelly, UTSSA Assistant General Secretary

How can you contact them?

You can reach out to a student rep via their UTS student email. Take a look at Meet your representatives page to find out more about them, including their roles and contact info. 

How can you become a student rep?

While the next student rep elections won't take place until Spring 2024, you can get involved in all the events and activities being run. You can also reach out to the relevant student rep to learn more about their role and see if it is something you might be interested in applying for.

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UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.