Curtin University and the Curtin Student Guild, the representation body that has looked after the interests of students for almost 50 years, have signed a new 10-year lease agreement, guaranteeing the future of essential student services across the University.
The new agreement, signed today, will ensure the Guild continues to provide support to students through various services and activities on campus, operate food and beverage outlets, and provide students with confidential support services for academic, financial and personal issues.
Curtin University Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry acknowledged the work of the Guild.
“The Guild plays an important role in ensuring Curtin students are supported while completing their studies at university and I am delighted to sign this new agreement and look forward to working closely with them over the next decade,” Professor Terry said.
Guild President Liam O’Neill said the 10-year lease agreement provided a footprint for support services, recreation space, food outlets and retail space.
“With close to 30,000 students enrolled at Curtin’s Bentley Campus in Perth, the Guild’s role remains critical in supporting students through their university journey and helping Curtin to deliver the best education outcomes,” Mr O’Neill said.
Mr O’Neill said elected student representatives had juggled their studies with advocacy roles since 1969 when the first president was tasked with bringing together the student population, establishing not only a constitution for the Guild, but also a sense of unity at the newly formed WA Institute of Technology, which later evolved into Curtin University.
“We are one of a few student bodies in Australia that continues to operate a commercial food business and the Guild is one of the main providers of food and retail services on Curtin’s Bentley Campus,” Mr O’Neill said.
“In order to maintain our relevance, we must be responsive to changing trends and conscious about providing value for money, which is critical in the student market. The Guild has adapted and refined its services to meet the needs of each generation.”
The Guild’s award-winning food and beverage operation is responsible for more than 100,000 hot meals, one million espresso shots and 120,000 sushi packs consumed by tens of thousands of Curtin students and staff each year.
The food outlets recently introduced biodegradable products to all outlets replacing plastic containers with carbon neutral and biodegradable alternatives, an initiative that has been popular with students and staff.
As well as operating the largest university commercial food and catering facility in WA, the Guild leases extend to recreational spaces where students foster a sense of community through club engagement and enjoy a year-round calendar of events and activities.
