The University of Sydney Union has long been at the forefront of the dissemination of information to the student community. Furthermore the USU has been instrumental in taking the concerns of the student community to the wider community. The public issues convenors’ role is to facilitate this ebb and flow of information through such events as public debates, discussion panels, visiting guest speakers and so on.
Specific Responsibilities:
- In consultation with staff, members of the SPAC Committee, Clubs & Societies and other relevant groups, develop a broad, interesting and relevant program of public discussions, lectures and panels
- To acknowledge and work on programs to highlight specific days of national or international importance.
- To promote the events to both the broader USU membership and specific interest groups
2010 applications open: 24 August 2009
2010 applications close: 30 September 2009
Public Issues Convenors 2009
Steph D’Souza & Gerard McCarthy are the USU Public Issues Convenors in 2009. They can be reached at 
Steph D'Souza
Stephanie is a second year Economics and Social Sciences student, majoring in Government and International Business. She currently debates for the University of Sydney Union and has debated at a number of intervarsity tournaments such as the Australasian Debating Championships and the Australian Women’s Debating Championships in 2008.
As Public Issues Convenor for 2009, she hopes to bring the liveliness and interactive nature of the debate format to a variety of world issues which are often ignored by the media spotlight.
Outside of university, Stephanie is a committed advocate for Thai food on King St, leggings as pants (for comfort, not fashion) & the Twighlight fiction series.