The ANU has announced that it will no longer be funding PARSA, the student union for postgraduates, who make up 48% of the student population. While PARSA has some reserves and can continue operating for some time, the association is dependent on continued SSAF funding to keep running its advocacy, community building and essential student services. 

The University has a responsibility to ensure that its students have proportionate representation and strong advocacy for student needs, as set out in the Higher Education Support (Student Services, Amenities Representation and Advocacy) Guidelines (2022). 

ANU has cited governance issues in PARSA as their reason for defunding the entire organisation, ignoring the new constitution created to ensure sound governance in future, and ratified at the Association’s AGM recently.

PARSA has been representing students since 1960: our work includes advocating for accessible and online classes, pushing the university to make progress on student safety, building postgraduate community through O Week and beyond, and helping students with migration issues, just to name a few. If the university defunds PARSA, we have no guarantee that postgraduates will have an independent association next year and beyond.

We ask the ANU to recognise the need for a fully-funded, independent students’ association for postgraduate and research students, and agree to restore SSAF funding.

Please put your name to this petition to show your support for a strong postgraduate students’ association