Edu Setiawan

Hey, I’m Edu (he/him), a first-year arts student and current ressie at B&G. I’m running with the RAGE ticket to be one of your General Representatives on ANUSA for next year. With my platform, I’ll fight for:

• A workable university policy on the use of Generative AI in student assessments to bring our education into the 21st Century.
• Improving the social scene on campus through developing options for attracting new F&B outlets to this uni, with particular preference to bringing the first Yo-Chi in Canberra!
• Making digital textbooks the norm, and supporting students with the costs of obtaining physical textbooks where possible, to make class resources accessible for all to the greatest possible extent.
• Expanding usable spaces at the Bryan Kenyon Student Space (BKSS) to make ANUSA, its facilities and the organisation an approachable and useful resource on campus.

As a first-year student who also struggles with the stress of our university assessments, it’s incredibly important that we have a student union that fights for students’ academic interests and continually improves its service offerings to meet student needs. That’s why I’m proud to be running with the RAGE ticket.

AI @ Uni

The rapid rise of Generative AI tools has created a confusing and often stressful environment for students at ANU. As someone pursuing an Arts degree and taking courses across various academic colleges, I’m constantly playing catch-up, trying to understand how each college, and even individual convenors, respond to AI use – if they even have a clear response at all. This inconsistency hinders our ability to learn effectively and complete assignments with confidence, often leading to unnecessary anxiety about academic integrity.

University is about equipping us with the skills for the working world, yet by prohibiting or failing to integrate AI into learning, we are often denied the opportunity to learn how to ethically and effectively use these powerful tools. This leaves us at a real-time disadvantage for our future careers. The ANU needs to stop standing on the sidelines. We need a forward-thinking policy that doesn’t just react to AI, but proactively shapes its responsible integration into our learning journey. Students must be at the forefront of these decisions. My goal will be to advocate for the swift development and implementation of a university-wide, consistent, and progressive AI policy that reflects student needs and prepares us for the future, rather than punishing us for engaging with new technologies.

As one of your 2026 Genreps, I will:

• Work in hand with College Representatives and the ANUSA Education Officer to design and disseminate a comprehensive student survey. This survey will directly capture student perspectives on how Generative AI should and shouldn’t be used in their education, covering everything from ethical integration into assignments to support for developing AI literacy.
• I will formulate a report which will be formally tabled to ANUSA and distributed to all academic colleges, and seek consultation meetings with the University Executive and academic leaders. Following on, I’ll collaborate with the university to introduce practical workshops and resources that teach students how to ethically and effectively use AI tools, rather than just warning against them. This includes guidance on proper citation, understanding AI’s limitations, and using it as a learning aid.

Elevating social life on campus through F&B

Imagine finishing a study session or exam and grabbing a delicious frozen yogurt with friends, or having exciting new food choices to look forward to between classes. This isn’t just about convenience; it’s about enhancing our overall university experience, making our campus a more attractive and liveable place, and encouraging a stronger sense of community. It’s time ANU actively pursued partnerships with popular, student-friendly brands to revitalise our social spaces. Specifically, I believe bringing a beloved brand like Yo-Chi to ANU would be insanely beneficial for our campus culture and social scene.

As one of your 2026 Genreps, I will:

• Develop a green paper to consider options for improving the F&B selection on campus, with a particular view to creating a roadmap for the introduction of Yo-Chi’s first store in Canberra at the ANU campus.
• Lobby the Yo-Chi brand to consider opening a store on the ANU campus via direct business communications and cooperation through third-party intermediaries (my friend who interns at Yo-Chi).
• Work with the ANU student body, ANUSA and the University administration to identify opportunities for a potential future site of Yo-Chi on campus.

Textbook Accessibility and Digitisation

The cost and accessibility of textbooks and essential readings remain a significant barrier for many ANU students. Relying solely on expensive physical copies or limited library resources creates an uneven playing field. Students shouldn’t have to choose between buying a textbook and affording groceries, or spend valuable study time hunting down obscure physical copies when digital alternatives are readily available. In the 21st century, digital resources should be the default, not an afterthought. Making digital textbooks the norm not only reduces financial strain but also aligns with our university’s sustainability goals and provides greater flexibility for diverse learning styles and accessibility needs.

As one of your 2026 Genreps, I will:

• Advocate the university to develop and adopt a policy where course convenors are encouraged, and ideally required, to prioritise and select digital textbooks and open educational resources (OERs) as the primary required readings wherever academically appropriate and available. This includes pushing for bulk licensing agreements where beneficial.
• Where digital alternatives are not suitable or available, or where a student specifically requires a physical copy for accessibility reasons (e.g., specific learning disabilities, preferred study methods), I will campaign for ANUSA to establish or expand a fund to subsidise the cost of physical textbooks for students facing financial hardship, potentially involving grants or a buy-back/lending scheme.
• Work with the ANUSA Education Officer and the ANU Library to significantly expand the number of e-copies available for highly subscribed courses and ensure easier, more intuitive access to these resources through the Canvas platform.

Making the Bryan Kenyon Student Space (BKSS) Work for YOU

The Bryan Kenyon Student Space is meant to be one of the hearts of ANU life. It’s the home of ANUSA, and a hub for student services and activities. However, for many students, especially those new to campus, it often feels underutilised, difficult to navigate, or simply not fit-for-purpose. As a first-year ressie, I’ve seen firsthand how crucial accessible, comfortable, and well-equipped common spaces are for building community, studying, and seeking support. We need to revitalise the BKSS to ensure ANUSA, its facilities, and the vital services it provides are truly approachable, useful, and welcoming resources for every single student on campus. It’s time to transform the BKSS from a functional building into a vibrant, student-centric hub.

As one of your 2026 Genreps, I will:

• Initiate a comprehensive audit of the current BKSS facilities, identifying underutilised areas and opportunities for improvement. Crucially, this will be done in direct consultation with student clubs, associations, and the general student body through open forums and suggestion boxes, to ensure changes reflect actual student needs.
• Advocate for expanding and improving the designated study areas within BKSS, focusing on creating diverse zones – including the BKSS’s famed balcony areas!!!
• Push for better signage, digital information screens, and creating more mobile ANUSA ‘Help Desks’ to make it easier for students to find offices, services, and understand how to engage with their student association. In essence, we need to make ANUSA less intimidating and more approachable.