December 1, 2021

Message to students - 1 December, 2021

Dear students, I hope you have been enjoying this time of rest and relaxation despite the wet weather. Release of grades for Spring Session occur tomorrow – the very best of luck to you.

If you have any queries regarding your results, please visit the exams and results FAQs. Of course, the study calendar has only just begun for our Summer Session students – wishing you success in your studies! 

Staying alert – not alarmed 

Many of you will have heard about the new coronavirus strain Omicron. So far, the Federal Government have stated that we cannot yet know the impact this strain will have, but at this point, they are being very cautious. The current advice is to stay alert but not alarmed and remain vigilant. Please get tested if you have the slightest symptoms. With vaccines on our side, we’re in a much better position than we have been previously. If this news is difficult to hear, I completely empathise. If you need to speak to someone about any anxieties you may be experiencing, please reach out to our student wellbeing and support line and remember, we’re all in this together.  

International student travel 

You may also be wondering what impact this new strain will have on the arrival of international flights – particularly international students. So far, the Government has paused the easing of travel restrictions, moving it from 1 December to 15 December. However, the flights organised as part of the International Student Arrivals Pilot Plan will go ahead as planned at this point in time. For those interested, Study Sydney is a great resource to keep up to date on the latest with this. 

Students as Partners 

To close out a wonderful year of collaboration with the Student Advisory Committee and others from our student cohort, I'm pleased to say that tomorrow we’ll officially be signing Students as Partners -formalising our ongoing working relationship. This is a very exciting opportunity for students to offer their insights and advance teaching, learning, and the curriculum at UOW. It has been a real honour to work so closely with our student leaders this year and I look forward to even more collaboration in 2022. 

New Colombo Plan Scholarship recipients  

Congratulations to the five outstanding UOW students who were recipients of the New Colombo Plan Scholarships and will spend part of next year studying and working in the Indo-Pacific. In a virtual ceremony held on Monday, 29 November, Thomas Allman, Amelia Frey, Morgan Howard, William Jamieson, and Naomi Poscoliero were named New Colombo Plan Scholars! Well done and good luck on your travels! 

Clubs and Societies feature: UOW Cycling Club 

UOW has many clubs and societies to join (keep an eye out for them at Campus Fest next year) and I love hearing about what they’re up to. The UOW Cycling Club exists to gather the cyclist community at UOW and give them support and encouragement to ride their bikes as a means of transportation. On Monday, the club re-purposed some old bikes and gifted them alongside a helmet and lock to 10 students after they finished their Ride and Road safety course! This sort of initiative is so befitting of UOW and the generosity of spirit you find here amongst our students.  

Goodwill Hunting for students 
 
Goodwill Hunting is a UOW staff-run initiative that gives UOW students a leg up as they start their new year of study. It offers students the opportunity to pick up free household items to help set up your new lives, courtesy of generous household donations by UOW staff and the community. All the info you need for where, when, and how to claim items can be found on the , but please mark 25 February 2022 in your calendar as the pickup date.  

A final sign-off for 2021 

This will be my final message to students for the year, as you start to switch off for the festive season. I want to send a big heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you for your dedication, resourcefulness, kindness and welcome. This was my first ride alongside you as Vice-Chancellor and despite the many difficulties thrown at us this year, we got through. It was incredible to witness the support you offered one another and the patience you showed toward your teachers and other University staff. Humans can be particularly good at adapting to change, and as a cohort, you really proved that. The months ahead will hopefully be restful, while also offering you the chance to continue making important connections with your peers, spend some time with loved ones and prepare for the year to come. We so look forward to welcoming you back in 2022. See you at CampusFest! 

To keep up to date with University news, please regularly check in to your SOLSmail, UOWmail  and the MyUOW App 

Enjoy your summer and the festive season! 

 
My warmest wishes, 
Trish