Vignette 122: A culture of activism at the Union

A union is a society or association formed by people with a common interest or purpose. In 1895, when students wanted better accommodation and more student focused services, they achieved their goals by founding the Adelaide University Union. 

The Union was the main social and cultural centre for activities not specifically included in the academic syllabus, and endeavoured to provide a common ground for staff, graduates and students. 

With a strong history of activism, the Union organised its first Prosh event in 1905, which involved students making their way from the Mitchell Building to Adelaide Town Hall in drays and wagons to raise funds for charity. As well as staging processions and concerts, students were known to pull Prosh stunts. Legendary among Prosh tales was the suspension of an FJ Holden underneath the University Footbridge by Engineering students in 1973. 

Student activism also involved speaking out on both internal and external concerns. The focus varied over the years, with a rise in student radicalism world-wide during the late 1960s and early 1970s. This declined after 1972 following the withdrawal of troops from Vietnam, the election of Federal and State Labor governments, and the introduction of greater student participation in University administration. 

The Union still plays a crucial role in supporting students, creating a sense of community, and representing their interests and concerns to the administration and other stakeholders.

The University of Adelaide: 150 Years of Making History.  Providing a place. p.166