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UniSC Ally Network

'Creating safe study and work spaces for LGBTQIA+ students and staff'

All Australian universities have an important role to play in promoting inclusion and tolerance.

UniSC supports diversity in the higher education sector and recognise the rights of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual students and staff to learn, live and work, free of prejudice and discrimination, with all the essential freedoms enjoyed by other members of our university community and the broader population.

UniSC is committed to providing an inclusive environment for all, including those of diverse gender and sexualities (LGBTQIA+) by educating staff on important issues relating to these communities.

UniSC will not tolerate harassment or discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Please be aware that codes of conduct for staff and students apply at all times. The Student Charter sets out the expectations the University has of its students and also the obligations of the University to its students. The Student Expectations and Responsibilities site provides further relevant information for students.

Please make use of our support services. For students, contact Student Wellbeing, Student Guild Advocacy, or Safety and Security For staff, email the Health, Safety & Wellbeing team or use the links on the Workplace health, safety and wellbeing page at any stage if you need support, or advice on reporting or disclosing harassment. If you would like external support and advice you can call Diverse Voices, (peer to peer LGBTQIA+ telephone and internet counselling service).

Invitation to become a UniSC Ally

An Ally is an individual who is informed about, empathetic towards and has an understanding of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA+) issues.

An Ally acknowledges the experiences, upholds and supports the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals by raising awareness of diversity in personal identity, gender, and relationship choices.

UniSC Allies act as a point of contact for staff and students on LGBTQIA+ issues and can discuss these areas confidently.

Want to become a UniSC Ally?

For more information about LGBTQIA+ Awareness training events for staff go to the Page Up Learning Library.

Aims of an Ally

Aims of a UniSC Ally

  • Visibly support LGBTQIA+ inclusion by promoting and participating in Ally and Pride network events, utilising UniSC Ally Network merchandise and identifying yourself as an Ally within your networks.
  • Provide a confidential and safe environment for people to make enquiries about issues related to the diversities of sex, sexualities and genders.
  • Direct individuals to appropriate touchpoints should someone seek support.
  • Call out (where safe to) inappropriate anti-LGBTQIA+ behaviour.
  • Commit to ongoing personal education on the experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Roles and responsibilities of an Ally

An Ally is:

  • An open, understanding, non-judgmental and comfortable listener.
  • Aware of maintaining confidentiality.
  • Knowledgeable of the additional support available at UniSC and in the wider community.
  • NOT necessarily a counsellor, nor necessarily trained to attend to crisis situations, but aware of the referral process.
  • NOT necessarily from the LGBTQIA+ community.
  • NOT necessarily able to act upon grievance processes associated with bullying, discrimination or harassment. However be aware of the referral process.
  • Committed to promoting UniSC as a safe, inclusive and diverse university.

UniSC Ally responsibilities:

  • Participate in an interactive training program and commit to ongoing personal education on the experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community.
  • Publicly identify as an ally by allowing your name and faculty/department to be available or student contact details to be published on the UniSC ally web page.
  • Wear your UniSC Ally Network lanyard and/or pin to affirm your commitment and make you visible as an Ally.
  • Provide a safe place for individuals to access you.
  • Be open to questions relative to LGBTQIA+ issues.
  • Work within and support existing equity policies.
Professional Development - LGBTQIA+ Awareness Training

UniSC Ally Network training

Staff can register for a workshop though the Page Up Learning Library.

LGBTQIA+ Awareness Training:

Learn about:

  • LGBTQ+ terminology.
  • What should I know about the trans community?
  • Why is inclusion important?
  • What are some ways I can be an ally?
  • What should I know about LGBTQ+ history and relevant current legislation?
  • What are current health priorities for the LGBTQ+ community members?

For further enquires, email staffdevt@usc.edu.au.

Contact a UniSC Ally

Look for an official ally sign or rainbow flag on an office door or reception counter.

 
Office of the Vice Chancellor and President
Office of the Vice Chancellor and President
Contact Email
Kate Hunt kjhunt@usc.edu.au
              
Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)
Student Services and Engagement
Contact  Email 
Rani Kleinhans    rkleinh1@usc.edu.au  
Bree Glasbergen studentrep@usc.edu.au 
Jessica Bryant    jbryant@usc.edu.au  
Anna Hodkinson  ahodkins@usc.edu.au  
Tess Robinson trobinson@usc.edu.au 
Emma Christie echristie@usc.edu.au 
Peter Cahill    pcahill@usc.edu.au  
Daniel Meloncelli dmeloncelli1@usc.edu.au 
Alice Lingard alingard@usc.edu.au 
Sonya Holder   serringt@usc.edu.au  
Student Wellbeing 
Contact Email
Sharon Anderson    studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au  
Karryn Bratby  studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au  
Alex Sharp studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au 
David Duncan dduncan@usc.edu.au 
Library Services
Contact Email
Alicia Berneville-Claye abernevi@usc.edu.au
Donna Laffin dlaffin@usc.edu.au
Sue Svensen ssvense1@usc.edu.au
Academic Support Unit
Contact Email
Jodi Winning  jthomas2@usc.edu.au
Caitlin Finger cfinger@usc.edu.au

School of Law and Society
Contact  Email 
Dr Lara Christensen   lchriste@usc.edu.au 
Natalie Cairns  ncairns@usc.edu.au  
Ashley Pearson    apearson@usc.edu.au  
School of Business and Creative Industries 
Contact  Email
Lee McGowan lmcgowa1@usc.edu.au 
Dr Andy Ward  award4@usc.edu.au  
Dr Briony Luttrell  bluttrel@usc.edu.au  
Hannah Banks      hbanks@usc.edu.au 
Gail Crimmins GCrimmins@usc.edu.au 
School of Heath 
Contact  Email
Daniel Mellifont  dmellifo@usc.edu.au 
Professor Marion Gray Marion.Gray@usc.edu.au
Dr Florin Oprescu    foprescu@usc.edu.au 
Matthew Mason  mmason1@usc.edu.au  
Chantal Perera cperera@usc.edu.au 
Tereza Carpenter tcarpenter1@usc.edu.au
School of Education and Tertiary Access
Contact  Email
Dr Anne Drabble  adrabble@usc.edu.au 
Sandra Elsom   selsom@usc.edu.au  
Dericka Frost dfrost@usc.edu.au  
Erin Siostrom  esiostrom@usc.edu.au  

 

Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation)
Centre for Human Factors and Sociotechnical Systems
Contact Email
Kelly Stewart KAMurphy@usc.edu.au 
Kerri Salmon    ksalmon@usc.edu.au 
Graduate Research School
Contact  Email
Lyndal Viney    lviney@usc.edu.au  
Office of Research 
Contact  Email
Samantha Valentine  svalenti@usc.edu.au 
Athena Swan
Contact Email
Elvessa Marshall     emarsha1@usc.edu.au 

 

Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global & Engagement)
 
Advancement Office   
Contact Email
Elizabeth Brooks      ebrooks@usc.edu.au 
Kate Evans kevans@usc.edu.au 
Melissa Price melissa.price@usc.edu.au 
International Office
Contact Email
Mandy Cilantro    mcilento@usc.edu.au 
Georgia Hooper ghooper1@usc.edu.au 
Marketing 
Contact Email
Michelle Moore  mmoore@usc.edu.au  
Rebecca Cundy  rcundy@usc.edu.au  
Holly Tompkins    htompkins@usc.edu.au  
Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Strategy)
Buranga Centre
Contact Email
Nicole Copley indigenous@usc.edu.au   

 

Office of the Chief Operating Officer
People and Culture
Contact Email
Cathy Baynham cbaynham@usc.edu.au 
Fiona Murphy fmurphy@usc.edu.au
Facilities Management
Contact Email
All Safe UniSC Community Officers  safe@usc.edu.au  

Felicity Burridge                                fburridge@usc.edu.au  

Robyn Clark                                      rclark1@usc.edu.au 

Justine Hudson                                 jhudson3@usc.edu.au 

Student Services and Engagement

Meredith Young                                 myoung@usc.edu.au 

People & Culture 

Sarah Lowry                                     slowry@usc.edu.au  

School of Business and Creative Industries 

Dr Shahab Pourfakhimi                      Shahab.pourfakhimi@usc.edu.au     

Justine Hudson                                 jhudson3@usc.edu.au 

School of Education and Tertiary Access 

Erin Siostrom                                   esiostrom@usc.edu.au

School of Law and Society 

Dr Amy Clarke                                 aclarke1@usc.edu.au 

Student Services and Engagement

Joe Del Vecchio                                jdelvecc@usc.edu.au 

Bree Glasbergen                              studentrep@usc.edu.au 

Alice Lingard                                   alingard@usc.edu.au 

 

UniSC Student Guild
Manager

Emily Wall                                        ManagerStudentGuild@usc.edu.au 

Events Coordinator

Dan Bolton                                       EventsStudentGuild@usc.edu.au                   

How to identify a Student Ally

Many students are LGBTIQ+ Allies and show this by wearing a Diversity Champion Lanyard, Rainbow Lapel Badge or Ally Sticker  on their books or bags.

Renee Curran                                  rcurran1@usc.edu.au