Candidate Data Appearing in the Ballot

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Hello, I'm Zoe (She/her), and I'm excited to nominate myself for the position of Undergraduate member on the Academic Board at Monash University.

I'm currently in my second year pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Science, majoring in Accounting and Chemistry, with a minor in Mathematics. Also, I have completed a Diploma in Higher Education previously.

Over the past three years, I've had the privilege of being part of the Monash community as both a student and a resident. This unique perspective has allowed me to interact with students from various faculties and campuses while witnessing the incredible research taking place at Monash. My involvement as the Secretary of the Society of Chemistry Students and within a Hall society have honed my leadership skills and generated ideas that I believe will be instrumental as an undergraduate member.

I am driven by a desire to give back to the university which has had a profound impact on my personal and academic growth. My goal as an Undergraduate member is to be a strong advocate for all students, representing their concerns and bringing forward ideas for the continual enhancement of teaching and research quality at Monash University.

I commit to dedicating my energy and skills to this role over the entire two-year term, ensuring that the voice of every student is heard, and meaningful change occurs, ultimately contributing to a stronger and more vibrant university.

Thank you for considering me as a candidate for this important position.

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Hello Voter, I am Pavan Sundar. As a Monash Student, and your representative at multiple Academic Progress Committees (APCs) Hearings this year, I choose to run for a position at the Academic Board to bring real and true change, and listed below are some of the reforms I will work on, should I be elected:

- Feedback on all major projects be provided at least twice (Week 6, Week 9) before the final submission for thesis or a single major project.
- Universal 23:55 end-time for all assignments.
- No assignment may be due two days after a published Mid-Semester Break.
- Grant Additional assessment on the same learning outcomes as failed hurdle, if a unit has multiple hurdles, and if a student has failed only one.
- Ensure Withdrawn Fail (WN) does not count for WAM, GPA or referral to APCs.
- Reduce the maximum eAssessments scheduled from three to two per day.
- Spell check function remains available across all eExams.
- Extend the Short Extension Policy from 2 to 5 days with no questions asked.
- APCs must consider the impact of the APC outcomes on international students.
- APC Notice of Decisions be sent within 5 working days to the student.
- Ensure that the composition of the Exclusion Appeal Panels always includes a student member.
- Work with Faculty to create units with more weight towards practical assessments than a single heavily weighed Final Assessment

Choose Reform, choose Pavan for the Academics Board!

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Assignments being returned on-time.

Faculties acting on student feedback.

Up-to-date content.

These are all expectations – minimum standards.

But how many of us have waited too long for assignments, seen faculty repeatedly ignore feedback or watched a lecture filmed before this decade?

Hi! I’m Xavier.

I’m a medical student heading into my third year and I believe I’m the best candidate to serve as your Undergraduate Student Member on the Monash Academic Board.

Being a student representative means knowing the problems, pursuing opportunities for change and giving constructive feedback.

I know the problems (we’ve all faced them).

I understand how change happens – having been a student representative in my faculty over two years, I’ve worked with lecturers who listened and made genuine changes.

And I always offer practical solutions for any concerns I raise.

Additionally, I have the skills to work with the Board to achieve real outcomes.

I founded Accredicare, a not-for-profit launched in July that is already working with 14 organisations, including Beyond Blue, to help carers overcome barriers to meaningful work.

As co-chair, I established the cancer medicine society alongside my faculty and sought to include, for the first time, non-medical students as well.

And I understand what it’s like to teach too.

I worked with refugee children as a teaching assistant during my gap year; I edit exams and create classroom resources for an education company trusted by >450 schools; and, I’m also a tutor.

So, let’s make it happen – vote for me to create genuine change!

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Hi, my name is Leonie, and I will be running for the position of Undergraduate Member.

If elected, there are three areas of interest that I will commit to improving at Monash:

Firstly, I want to make sure that all members of the Monash community receive a high-quality education. I firmly believe that everyone deserves a valuable education that can support them in the workplace and beyond. Especially since Monash is prestigious at the international scale, I want to ensure that all students feel satisfied with the quality of education they are receiving.

Next, I want to focus on the balance between students’ academic and social lives. I understand that students have many commitments outside the classroom, such as work, participation in Monash clubs and societies, family commitments and more, hence, I would love to find ways to make sure that students are able to achieve the results they need whilst taking part in these commitments.

Lastly, I will ensure that Monash University students are motivated to commit to their studies. Especially during such unprecedented times, I know the importance of prioritising mental health. I want to be able to make sure that all students are happy during their journey with Monash University.

I will be open to all students’ voices and opinions and discuss all areas of interest or concern at Academic Board meetings. No matter if you are a domestic or international student, or your faculty and area of study, all students deserve the best academic experience.

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As a determined individual, it would be a great privilege to hold the responsibility of being a member of the Academic Board. Serving in this capacity would fulfil the desire within me to make a meaningful contribution to our academic community and the wider society. Not just in the conventional manner of being a positive voice, but genuinely interacting with all stakeholders needed to ensure the efficient execution of ideas. My ability to employ the strategic thinking skills that I am further enhancing as a law student, as well as my strong organisational abilities, cultivated through active participation in extracurricular activities, make me well-suited for the demands of this role.

During high school, I was extensively involved with the Academic Board of my college, owing to my numerous leadership roles. I am grateful to have been one of two selected to represent the student voice in shaping new policies and a strategic outlook for the future of my school. Having such an exposure has instilled in me an appreciation for the importance of collaborative decision-making and the positive impact it can have on an educational institution. I am confident that I would thrive in this university-level position, as it strongly aligns with my aspiration to pursue executive positions in my future career. I deliberately chose my Commerce and Law course at Monash University specifically, recognising that exciting opportunities like this would hold significant value in helping shape me into the future leader I aspire to be, who ignites positive change.

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I am writing to express my keen interest in joining the Academic Board at Monash University, aspiring to be a valuable contributor to the enhancement of our esteemed institution and its student community.

During my enriching two-year tenure as an undergraduate student at Monash University, I gained a deep understanding of how even subtle changes within the university ecosystem can profoundly affect us academically and personally. This realization fueled my passion to advocate for fellow students and represent their concerns effectively.

As a prospective Academic Board member, I am enthusiastic about championing the student body's voice, ensuring that our collective perspectives and welfare remain paramount in university decisions. My role as a Residential Advisor at Monash University equipped me with the skills necessary to voice student concerns and advocate for their needs. Additionally, serving as the International Student representative broadened my ability to represent diverse perspectives with tact and empathy.

I am committed to utilizing these experiences to ensure that the voices of all students, both domestic and international, are heard and considered in the university's decision-making processes. My goal is to foster an inclusive and supportive academic environment prioritizing student welfare, academic growth, and a holistic educational experience.

Thank you for considering my application for the Academic Board membership at Monash University. I am eagerly looking forward to the opportunity to contribute my skills, experiences, and dedication to advancing the university's mission and vision.

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Hello! My name is Demitri Kaminis and I’m running to be your representative on the Academic Board.

As a 4th year Law student who currently works in the education sector, I have a deep passion for increasing accessibility to quality education and upholding student-focused policy. I will fight for your student rights, such as receiving high quality feedback on assessments and ensuring access to essential student services is quick and painless.

Recently, we have seen the five-day extension disappear, diminishing class options within units, and a “mid-semester” break after week 9 of 2nd semester, forcing many students to decide between catching up study or rest.

If elected to the Academic Board, I will fight to:
● Reinstate the availability of a five-day extension across all faculties;
● Increase the number of class options within units, with morning, afternoon, and evening options to cater for the many students now working part time or full time;
● Revitalise the student feedback model, with mandatory requirements for chief examiners to call for anonymous feedback during semester so you can get the benefits of your feedback, not only future students through SETUs;
● Increase the variety of units available; and
● Move the 2nd semester break to occur earlier in semester, or another suitable alternative subject to consultation with the student body.

I promise to strongly advocate for refreshed and student-oriented education policy across every faculty.

Your vote is vital. Vote [1] Demitri Kaminis for a strong and independent student representative on your Academic Board.

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Hi everyone! My name is Yu-Shin, I’m in my 3rd year of a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Global Studies and I would be honoured to represent, to the best of my ability, the diverse and hard-working student body at Monash. I hope to represent students by making changes the right way and understanding where and how the changes we want to see can be achieved. Students are faced with various issues such as needing extensions, getting better feedback and balancing assessments which can usually fall on the same week or few weeks in the semester, ultimately affecting our mental health and wellbeing which should not be a sacrifice made. I want to champion our voice by first understanding the Academic Boards oversight and understanding how and where changes can be made so that we can achieve better results overall and receive the quality education that we’re all here for, all while being free to experience all the wonderful things University life has to offer.

I’m not here to make unrealistic promises, but I hope to be able to become the middle person and keep students informed about decisions affecting them and their studies and find solutions to issues students face through the Academic Board. I want to be as involved in the process as possible to ensure that we are heard.

Vote [1] for transparency and results!

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My name is Aryan Gupta! I am a second-year student, pursuing my bachelors in psychology. I have a bunch of dreams from buying my own sailboat and going on fun adventures, to being able to engage in deep conversations about consciousness and many more psychological concepts. I would also love to be a professor one day and help teach everyone about the fun world of psychology. I strongly believe that anyone is capable of learning practically anything, but that is if they are taught in the ways most appropriate with their learning styles. I would like to apply to be part of the academic board and contribute a bunch towards enhancing our efforts to create a safe and fun learning environment for everyone! My passion for psychology has helped me be more open-minded and notice those slight behavioural patterns that can reveal a bunch about one’s struggles with their studies. I wish to bring forth these skills and collaborate with the board to develop better strategies that can help nourish every students’ potential.

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“Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life“ - Confucious

I was a high school student with absolutely no dreams, until discovering my true passion - studying abroad. From then, I started everything from 0, participating in numerous extracurricular activities, being a member to leader, and learning harder. From others’ perspective, my life was full of work and exhaustion, but for me, I was living my love.

No road is 100% smooth, and my road is no exception. Up until taking my first step at Monash University, I was still faced with bunches of obstacles. However, what saved me is nothing but Monash - Monash Connect staff, course advisor, my resident advisors, and so on. There, I found it a lot simpler to overcome my difficulties, and moreover, I knew that I will always be supported whenever I need it. That is my biggest mental reliance, which also strengthens my love for the school.
Having faced challenges and received support, I have an insightful understanding of the struggles encountered by students. Hence, I aim to improve communication between the school and students, enabling problems to be solved from both sides, from that leads to a better understanding of both Monash and the student community to one another.

Work will become a burden without love. I may not be the most powerful candidate, but I believe that my passion will help me not only to fulfil my responsibilities but also to develop the school’s academic aspect in the long run.

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I am thrilled to announce my candidacy for the Academic Council Student Representative position, and I am asking for your trust and support in this upcoming election. As a law student and club executive deeply involved in our vibrant campus life, I am dedicated to championing your voices, concerns, and aspirations on the Academic Board.

Monash University's Academic Board is the cornerstone of our academic excellence, shaping policies, procedures, and practices that affect us all. As your Student Representative, I will bring a student-centric perspective to these vital discussions. My experience within student clubs, such as the Law Student Society, Progressive Law Network has instilled in me a passion for advocacy and a deep commitment to enhancing our educational experience.

I believe in transparency, inclusivity, and sustainability. I will work tirelessly to ensure that academic decisions are made with the best interests of all students in mind. Your experiences and ideas will guide my efforts to foster a campus environment that supports both academic excellence and student well-being.

I am determined to strengthen the connection between students, faculty, and the administration, making sure our diverse voices are heard and respected in every academic decision. Monash University's reputation for excellence and innovation should be mirrored in our academic policies, making our campus a hub for creativity and growth.

I kindly ask for your vote and support, so together, we can influence the future of our university positively. Let's work collaboratively to ensure that Monash remains a beacon of academic excellence and sustainability, and that every student's concerns are addressed.

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Hey Monash, I’m Ulyana (she/her)! Let me take a minute or two to break down my candidacy for the Academic Board...

I've always loved learning, so, why not put it to good use? My own academic journey has been a roller coaster, filled with stress, mess and success. My point is, I’ve been there.

With this in mind, I recognise that everyone has unique experiences and needs within the context of university. And so, I intend to listen. There are many ways in which we can exchange concerns or solutions regarding the direction and quality of academics. My inbox will always be open, but, through using trusty Monash surveys and organising casual conversations, ALL of our voices can be heard. I will simply be the messenger.

As a Board Member here are the key areas I would focus on integrating, listed in a convenient triad:
1. Support: exploring how Monash can alleviate the impact of external factors on our learning (cost of living, transportation, controlling the Melbourne weather if possible)
2. Transparency: fortnightly/monthly Board summaries to all students on social or other media identifying key decisions and what impact they will have
3. Innovation: a cleaner Moodle experience with clearer timelines, greater resources and boosted cohesion within subjects

All in all, your experience matters. Let me be there for you.

VOTE [1] ULYANA KONDRATOVA

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Hi, I'm an Arts and Science student majoring in psychology and linguistics. I’ve loved my classes and teaching staff so far, but I know not everyone has the same experience. My friends have stunned me with their tales; some receive minimal support and feedback on assignments, and some are only given slides full of text instead of recorded or in-person lectures. I feel outraged that they’re not having the same positive experience that I am. To fix this, I would fight for consistent lecture delivery and duration, minimum requirements for staff responses to assignment and content questions (eg. regular drop-in sessions), and unit forms for extra assignment feedback and grading questions. I hope to address people’s concerns across faculties, so that everyone can experience the same high standard of academic rigour!

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Hello, my name is Jenn and I’m running for the HDR member position on the Academic Board.

I’m a PhD student in the Arts Faculty, working on increasing accessibility to federal government documents using artificial intelligence and design practices. I’ve taught at the university this and last year as a sessional tutor, and I’ve worked as a research assistant.

I’ve been disappointed in the Monash Doctoral Program (MDP) offering. I’ve wished for training that hasn’t been provided. I’ve done my best to learn on my own. I’ve been very lonely at times. I’ve slowly made friends through being given a desk on campus and opportunities to connect via a reading group.

I’m sure that we can do better than this.

Specifically, I’d like to:
- secure training, not just online modules, for tutors who are new to teaching
- get feedback from HDRs on the MDP and see what we can do about improving the offering so it meets our current and future needs
- have a nuanced discussion on artificial intelligence use that includes HDRs in the discussion, since we’re often the ones marking the assessments and giving feedback to students in class
- know more about the industry research training that the university would like us to do and give feedback
- push for more funding for MGRO so that they have the resources available to answer all of our questions. They’re doing their best, but they need more funding.

I welcome your feedback and thoughts,

Jenn Wilson

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"I am an inter-disciplinary PhD candidate with the Department of Management and MADA, researching change management and theories of identity. As someone who has experience and is passionate about improving the outcomes and experiences of our graduate students, I hope to advance our collective voice and representation across the broader University by continuing to engage with the Academic Board as the HDR member.

Having been the HDR representative in my Department and Faculty since 2021, a member on the Graduate Research Committee throughout 2023, and a Monash student since 2016, I have seen firsthand the numerous structural challenges that have stifled the ability of our graduate students to organise around issues that matter. My interest in the Academic Board role stems from my desire to address these challenges and improve the representation of graduate student concerns.

By voting for me to be on the Academic Board, I will focus on developing sustainable and impactful relationships across the university to ensure strategic challenges are reframed and collaboratively tackled. Our HDR community continues to confront a competitive environment amidst financial constraints from the cost-of-living crisis, educational complexities from technological change, and evolving pressures from publishing to researching responsibilities.

We need a representative who is not afraid to tackle complex issues and engage collaboratively with leadership to enact sustainable change. By practising my core values of empathy, authenticity, and respect, I hope to lead our community towards collective improvement.“

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My name is Calvin Chow, currently a 2nd year PhD in Engineering from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. I am deeply honoured to be nominated for the Academic Board position and would like to take this opportunity to ask for your support in my candidacy.

As an international research student from Malaysia, I am aware of the unique challenges that we HDR students encounter when adapting to an international research environment. Issues like maintaining work-life balance, tackling high costs of living, as well as lack of career guidance, dampen our motivation and causes duress to our mental wellbeing.

If elected, my focus will be on advocating transparency, communication and addressing the problems experienced by our HDR community. I would like to play an active role in simplifying HDR administrative processes in obtaining grants and achieving milestones in research works. This includes tackling issues on workload, stakeholder management, and ensuring graduates can get the resources required to complete their studies. As research activities are challenging in nature, I hope to leverage the board’s platform to encourage fellow members to support HDR wellbeing and acknowledging our HDR contribution in realising an excellent research environment. Furthermore, we will work with the board in providing better access to teaching as well as casual opportunities for our HDR community. Hence, with your vote, let us work together to impart positive changes and passionately work towards a better future for our early career researcher community.

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Candidate statement not provided prior to the deadline for submission of candidate statements.