QUT GUILD's UNIVERSE MAGAZINE Universe_Sem1_FINAL PRINT | Page 8

Epic G U I L D 101 VICTORY In the latter half of semester 2, QUT students have the power to elect their student representatives for the QUT Guild. Last year saw two teams nominate with what was regarded as one of the quietest elections in recent QUT history. EPIC arose victorious in what was a display of their continued commitment to redefining what university culture should be at QUT. The election saw EPIC retaining the Guild and picking up a majority on the Guild Student Council. 2017 will bring another 12 months of an EPIC executive, with more EPIC parties and an even more EPIC uni life. Before EPIC there were only 40 clubs and societies, no QUT Sport, minimal student advocacy, and annual deficits of $800,000. Since EPIC’s inaugural win in 2011, the EPIC executive has delivered students an official world record with the World’s Largest Toga Party, has grown club affiliation to over 160, founded QUT Guild Social Sport and increased student advocacy to support almost 1200 students in 2016. Of course EPIC is all about the good times on campus, but are also your experts in academic advocacy with the 24/7 student rights hub, featuring the 1800 WINGMAN advocacy hotline. EPIC has continuously had your back during exam times with puppies and pancakes, chill spaces and support stalls with endless amounts of FREE stationery, FREE coffee and FREE Redbull. Under EPIC, university life for students has definitely been loaded up on Redbull, don’t worry that you will be made to pay for it. With EPIC, the Guild will never waste money on irrelevant political grandstanding or pushing personal agendas unlike others in the past. Students of QUT overwhelmingly voted in favour of EPIC, receiving approximately 68.5% of the student vote, in what was an EPIC victory. QUT STUDENT GUILD ELECTION RESULTS Last year saw the Botanic Bar, also introduced by EPIC in 2011, officially become the number one university bar in Australia. The Guild bars and other commercial services are all a part of EPIC’s financial responsibility to accommodate student needs while remaining independent from the university. In doing so EPIC still has increased club funding, grown social sport to over nine competitions and continued to bring you the UNIVERSE Magazine that you are reading now. 8 OTHER EPIC