Media Release

Students win in Sports Hub expansion

Students at the University of Adelaide will be the big winners in a major expansion of the University's popular Sports Hub [1] fitness facility at its North Terrace campus [2].

Valued at around $300,000, the expansion will result in the Hub approximately doubling in physical size by the end of 2006. The Hub is run jointly by the University, the Adelaide University Union [3] (AUU) and the Adelaide University Sports Association [4], who will also contribute to fund the expansion.

The expansion represents a strong commitment from the University and the University's student union towards providing students with needed services in the wake of the Federal Government's Voluntary Student Unionism legislation passed through Parliament late last year.

Executive Director of the University of Adelaide's Division of Student and Staff Services, Ms Susan Macintosh, says the expansion illustrates the willingness of the University and the AUU to work together to find the best solutions for students likely to be affected by the VSU changes.

"The University conducted market research with the AUU last year into student opinions and priorities about services, and they valued the Hub very highly," she says. "The Hub has more than 1200 members and is popular with both local and international students.

"It is very exciting to be able to offer our students an improved facility as part of a service they have told us they value highly."

AUU President Mr Josh Rayner says the AUU is working with the University to offer the best possible range of services that students have indicated they want.

"Both the AUU and the University are being responsive to the needs of students and members," he says. "The AUU is working with its counterparts in the other South Australian universities and the University of Adelaide to find a workable solution for the continued provision of services, including the very popular student radio at Radio Adelaide [5], and we're hopeful of reaching a positive outcome.

"We are also looking forward to working together with the other two student unions in South Australia to find the best way to deliver high valued services to all university students in this state."