Dear PARSA members,
I seek your approval of my candidature for the position of Parents & Carers’ Officer at PARSA. As a postgraduate international student delivering parenting responsibilities for my child, I strongly empathize with the community.
Managing work, studies and our household, while making time for our loved ones can be overwhelming at times. A more considerate approach by the university towards the communities’ needs, I believe, can make a difference for many of our lives.
With commencement of on-campus sessions, finding affordable places to stay in and around ANU has become increasingly challenging. With very limited provisions for university managed accommodation for families, the parents and carers of our student community are dependent on the larger Canberra housing market for their family’s stay. Canberra’s rental property availability constraints, coupled with the restricted residency options available for international students, compels them to make tough choices, while making their decision to study at Australia’s best university.
If elected, I wish to place the family housing challenges faced by the student community as a core issue for the university leadership to consider. Also, I intend to work with PARSA towards enabling the successful transition of representation and service delivery structure for the student community, for 2023 and beyond.
Looking forward to working with you,
Best Regards,
Mathew (Arun) Kizhakkekara