What we do and the way we do it

RMIT Union underwent dramatic change in late 2006 / early 2007, in the light of RMIT University’s response to the introduction of Commonwealth Government VSU legislation, which prevents the collection of a compulsory amenities fee from tertiary students.

Most staff appointed to ongoing roles in 2007 were new to RMIT and to RMIT Union.

A series of three forums for staff of the “new Union” was convened during 2007, designed to:

• Give our new staff the opportunity to get to know one another and to understand their respective team roles within the Union
• To clarify the purpose of RMIT Union
• To reach some agreement about the way in which we wanted to work with one another as a staff team within the Union

Key outcomes from the forums included the following:

1. Purpose or mission of RMIT Union

Through provision of a range of sports and recreation, fitness and arts and culture services, RMIT Union:

• Contributes positively to the RMIT student experience
• Helps enhance the RMIT community, providing a “sense of belonging” on campus
• Provides valuable learning and development opportunities in co – curricular settings for RMIT students

2. Our approach……….the way we behave

The key themes raised in discussion were:

Passion, energy, creativity and vitality: resilience, “a new beginning”, “safe place and space for expression”, inspiration, innovative

Teamwork: synergies, common goals and culture, front and back of house, inclusive of volunteers and alumni, collaboration, coordination, integration, humour and fun, unified action

Student focused: responsive, respectful, supportive, adaptable, empowering of students, training, mentoring and developing, supporting their learning journey

Community building: human face of Uni, a hub for student life, whole of Uni focus, promoting citizenship, being accessible, connecting, respecting diversity, inclusive, reaching out to a broader community, user friendly

Sustainable:

• On a personal level - enabling a balanced lifestyle, setting realistic expectations, undertaking work that reflects our interests and who we are

• At the organisational level - operating within our capacities, and being mindful of our cultural, economic, environmental and social impact, recognising a custodial responsibility to RMIT and its students, embarking on “a new beginning on an new footing”


Make an impact: deliver quality outcomes, retaining visibility within RMIT, be known for our points of difference, establish and maintain recognition, an identity and a positive reputation.

The forums embraced the RMIT values outlined in “RMIT2010: Designing the Future”, i.e.: Useful, Creative, Connected, Fair and Passionate, and we believe the behaviours outlined above to be consistent with those of the University as a whole.

Discussion on these matters will remain a “work in progress”, but this document will serve to give greater insight into the Union for new and prospective staff and those seeking to become involved with us in any capacity.