Fig Tree Hall is one of the new Kensington Colleges in UNSW. The "Tree"/"Fig" is not only unique in its regulations and guidelines but boasts the greatest array of international and domestic students. The culture within this new college is unrivalled within the UNSW campus and as residents of Fig Tree Hall we are quickly growing more and more aware of just how much we can achieve together.

Fig Tree currently stands to "provide students with an accommodation option that is academically and culturally supportive", while it is largely agreed that the first stipulation is met by the facilities available to Fig Tree Residents, the second aspect: one of a culturally supportive base, has not yet been met to the high standard that UNSW Kensington colleges should.

Our college is in desperate need of an Executive committee. Currently, we rely upon the Resident Facilitators of Fig Tree, whom have their own workloads and responsibilities, to coordinate activities and functions. However the more efficient and self-sufficient solution would clearly be our own Executive team. Not only will it's establishment mean that the college is given the licence to function with a certain amount of autonomy; organising events and projects to welcome the consistently changing population, facilitating a welcoming and vibrant community whilst maintaining the integrity of such a rare college. But a student exec will also give this new residency a sense of involvement and belonging in relation to the established and long-standing Kensington colleges.

It is clear to us as "Figs" that this is essentially just a title for what already exists. We have unofficially been organising group activities and events, we are already forming incredibly close bonds within our college and we are doing this all without an acknowledged representative base. However, without this executive team it is far more difficult to facilitate relationships amongst other colleges, meet the quieter members of our own college and accommodate for new members that will start to join over the consecutive semesters and years. Further, it is never certain that we are doing things to benefit the majority of the community housed in Fig Tree, without diplomatic elections, votes and an effective system whereby Residents can be consulted as to what they would like to see achieved in Fig Tree Hall it is likely that we will not be able to progress past the unofficial and sparing functions we are managing currently.

This petition is essentially a way to show our request concisely and explicitly. We need a student Executive team at Fig Tree Hall. After this is established we will not only be largely more satisfied as we autonomously work to make this space an even better one, but we will also be able to show all other colleges that we are willing to be involved and to begin our own traditions here and now.