Sydney University Evangelical Union

The Sydney University Evangelical Union (abbreviated to SUEU or simply the EU) is a student led Christian group that has operated at the University of Sydney since 1930. [http://www.anchist.mq.edu.au/CTE/Documents/MELBOURNE%20UNIVERSITY%20EVANGELICAL%20UNION.doc] It is affiliated with the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (AFES) and the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students.The EU has throughout its history maintained a relationship with St Barnabas Anglican Church in Broadway and the Sydney Anglican culture in general whilst retaining a strong non-denominational base. [Australian Broadcasting Corporation, [http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2008/s2369179.htm "The World Today: "Evangelicalism surge hits universities: Transcript"] , 19 September, 2008. Accessed 23 September, 2008.] The EU is also quite unique amongst its contemporary AFES affiliates in having a student-staff partnership, in contrast to other groups (such as Campus Bible Study at the University of New South Wales) which has maintained a staff-run model.

In 2002, the publication by the Union of a statement during their on-campus mission, "absoluteGod", encouraging students to investigate Christianity, was signed by 22 senior academics at the university and worried many for allegedly damaging the religious and racial tolerance at the university. [Contractor, Aban, Noonan, Gerard, & Burke, Kelly, "God's Quad", Sydney Morning Herald, 16 November, 2002. Accessed 14 January, 2008.]

Description

The EU are a group of around 600 Christian students [Anglican Diocese of Sydney, [http://www.sydneyanglicans.net/sydneystories/meet_universitys_spice_guys/ "SydneyAnglicans.net: Meet the SPICE guys"] , 16 July, 2007. Accessed 23 September, 2008.] at Sydney University. The Sydney University Evangelical Union is a registered student society of the University of Sydney. It is led by an elected student executive consisting of President, male and female vice-presidents, secretary and treasurer. They are elected annually at the September AGM.

The executive meet weekly with two senior staff members from the EU Graduates Fund (the body responsible for employing staff to work in partnership with the EU). This meeting of students and staff is called the SMEAS - Special Meeting of Executive And Staff - and is, according to the standing orders of the EU:

to assess the state of the SUEU and to create and implement strategies to achieve the Objects with the approval of the General Council and with the assistance of Faculty Groups and Specialist Committees.

Notable people

Former members of the EU:
*Peter Jensen
*Philip Jensen
*Sir Marcus Loane
*Catherine Hamlin
*Barbara Thiering
* Robert Forsyth
* Bruce Baird
* Tanya Costello (nee Coleman; student Liberal leader, daughter of Peter Coleman, wife of former Treasurer Peter Costello [Loane, Sally, "In Her Own Right", Sydney Morning Herald, 23 October 1998. Accessed 14 January, 2008.]
* former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson. Fact|date=August 2008

References

Further reading

*Lake, Meredith (2005), "Proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord". The EU Graduates Fund: Sydney. ISBN 0646452789
*Prince, John and Moyra (1987), "Out of the Tower". ANZEA: Sydney. ISBN 0858923092

External links

* [http://www.sueu.org EU website]
* [http://www.gradsfund.org EU Gradsfund website]
* [http://www.afes.org.au Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students]