Monash University - Faculty of Arts

Help Me!

General questions

1. I've lost my ID card , how do I replace it?
2. How do I obtain an academic transcript?
3. How do I obtain a proof of enrolment letter?
4. What is the cost of…?
5. I have fines on my library account, how do I pay them?
6. Am I entitled to receive Youth Allowance/Austudy?
7. I need to find work , where do I start?
8. I can't afford my books or amenities fees - what should I do?
9. I can't afford where I am living, what can I do?
10. I need to work to be able to afford to study but how do I know if the balance between work and study is right?
11. I am having difficulty with my studies due to a disability or long-term medical condition - what help is available?
12. I feel that a tutor/lecturer/classmate makes inappropriate sexual/racial references in class/in conversation with me, what should I do?
13. I have a pre-school child that requires care. Can you help me?
14. I have just used my Hotmail email account to ask my lecturer a question and it has been bounced straight back. Why?
15. I have received an email talking about the academic advising programme. What is it, and do I have to be involved?
16. I do not understand how to use Allocate+, who can help me?
17. How do I find out what computer resources are available to me at Monash?

1. I've Lost My ID Card , How Do I Replace IT?

Go to Student Services

Warning: There is a cost for Replacement cards on some campuses.

2. How do I obtain an academic transcript?

(OR: How do I get proof of my results to date)

You need to contact Student Services.

Warning:There is a cost for academic transcripts.

3. How do I obtain a proof of enrolment letter?

You need to apply for a ‘Short Letter' at Student Services.

4. What is the cost of…?

Fee inquiries can often be answered with information from the Fees web site, or you can ask at the Student Services, Fees Section.

5. I have fines on my library account, how do I pay them?

You can check what is owed on your card by looking up the “Patron Information” section in the Voyager Catalogue On-line.

To find out where and when you can pay library fines, follow the links to your appropriate Branch on the Library web site.

6. Am I entitled to receive Youth Allowance/Austudy?

(OR: I need to apply for a government benefit/allowance?)

Both Student Welfare and Financial Aid (Community Services) can assist you with applying for, and dealing with, most Government Benefits. See the Arts Current Students (Support Services) web site for further information.

7. I need to find work , where do I start?

The best place to start is MONSEACS - Monash Student Employment and Careers Service. They provide:

• On-Line Job System
• Gradlink
• Tutoring
• Careers Education Workshops
• Careers Counseling
• Employer Activities
• Careers Library
• Graduate Destination Survey
• Special Events
• Information for Employers

See the Arts Current Students (Support Services) page for further information.

8. I can't afford my books or amenities fees - what should I do?

There are a number of sources of information (and some funds) that you might try. These include:

Books: The Financial Aid Office (Community Services) administers the Bookshop Grant, which allocates funds to Monash University students experiencing severe financial hardship so they can gain access to necessary books.

Student Loans: The University can provide short-term loans (up to $500), long-term loans (up to $3000), and emergency cash loans ($20 for 7 days)- all interest free. To apply you need to contact Financial Aid (Community Services)

Government Benefits: Both Financial Aid (Community Services) and Student Welfare can help you apply for government benefits such as AUSTUDY.

Fees: Students who are suffering financial hardship may apply for a short-term extension of time to pay fees. It should be stressed that this is not an alternative payment scheme.

Note : Some grants are not available to students new to Monash University (i.e. First Year students)

See the Arts Current Students (Support Services) page for further information.

9. I can't afford where I am living, what can I do?

(OR: I need to find somewhere to live…)

This problem can require more than one solution.

For financial advice Financial Aid (Community Services) and Student Welfare can help with Government Benefits and general advising on finances.

The Housing Service (Community Services) may be able to help you make alternative housing arrangements.

See the Arts Current Students (Support Services) page for further information.

10. I need to work to be able to afford to study but how do I know if the balance between work and study is right?

(There are no hard and fast rules as to how much time you need to spend studying and how much time might be available for paid work. This will depend on how quickly you can read and comprehend, what units you are studying, and what other commitments you have in life (for example partner, family, sporting, etc).

The one important thing to realise is that contact hours ARE NOT the only hours you need for study. For first year units it would commonly be accepted that you would need to spend at least another 5 to 6 hours working independently for EACH unit you are undertaking.

If your studies are suffering because of the number of hours you are in paid employment you have two options: (1) reduce the number of hours of paid employment, or (2) consider reducing your course to a part time load. It is better to complete say 2 units successfully than risk failing 4 units. Clearly, you are the only one who can gauge what you can cope with. If you are looking at reducing your course load be aware that there are specific dates for changes to enrolment which must be adhered to.

See the Arts Current Students (Support Services) page for further information.

11. I am having difficulty with my studies due to a disability or long-term medical condition - what help is available?

If you are finding that you have difficulty with your studies due to a disability or long-term medical condition, the Disability Liaison Unit (DLU) provides a range of services to allow students to participate as independently as possible in academic activities.

See the Arts Current Students (Support Services) page for further information.

12. I feel that a tutor/lecturer/classmate makes inappropriate sexual/racial references in class/in conversation with me, what should I do?

You have a right to a learning environment that is free from discrimination and harassment.

If you feel that a staff member, or fellow student, is behaving in a way that is improper there are people on campus who can help you.

Within each Faculty there are Discrimination and Harassment Advisers who can advise you on how to proceed (see below for list). For more information on your rights and the support available to you should contact the Equity and Diversity Centre - their FAQ section will answer many of the questions you may have (see "What to do" link below).

Harassment of any kind can have both short and long-term effects. As well as making a formal complaint you may need to consider speaking with a counsellor, chaplain or a doctor.

See the Arts Administrative Information and Arts Current Students(Support Services) web pages for further information.

13. have a pre-school child that requires care. Can you help me?

Monash has a range of childcare options available to suit the varied demands of parents at Monash.

Warning: Some childcare services have long waiting lists. Please enquire about facilities as soon as possible.

See the Childcare web site for further information.

14. I have just used my Hotmail email account to ask my lecturer a question and it has been bounced straight back. Why?

With the current privacy rules, Monash staff have been instructed to ONLY respond to emails coming from Monash email accounts. Even though you may use a Hotmail (or other) account more frequently, we require that you use your official Monash email for Monash business! This is the only way that we can ensure that you are in fact the recipient of what may be confidential information. It may seem painful, but if a message is bounced back it means that you will need to resend it from your Monash email account.

Also, please ensure that your email account is not allowed to get full. If the email account is full, you will not be able to receive any new messages, and you may miss out on receiving important information.

Finally, please check your email regularly. Email is one of the major forms of communication at Monash and your lecturers, tutors, academic advisers, and even Faculty Office will use it to contact you. Please ensure that you are able to receive all relevant information.

15. I have received an email talking about the academic advising programme. What is it, and do I have to be involved?

The Arts Faculty recognises that many students face problems in their transition from secondary to tertiary education. Research shows that those students who develop social links and/or academic links within their institution generally have a lower chance of dropping out than those who do not create these links. As a result the Faculty provides the academic advising programme.

All new first year students are grouped according to the units that they are studying. Every other person in your academic advising group should be studying at least two of the units that you are enrolled in. Look out for familiar faces in your lectures and tutorials! You will meet the others in your academic advising group during O-week and also meet your academic advisor (who is an academic who is not involved in the units you are taking). Your academic advisor should be your first port of call for any problems you might have. You will meet with them during the O-week activities, and then two or three further times during the year. The academic advisor will contact you by email at these times.

Of course, you do not have to be involved in this programme, but we think that it will be well worth your time!! It is an opportunity to meet some of the people you will be studying with, and it is meant to be a fun way of providing pastoral care to our new students.

16. I do not understand how to use Allocate+, who can help me?

If you have any questions about Allocate+, what it is, how it works, how to solve problems like timetable clashes etc. you can visit the Arts Allocate+ page - it has everything you will need.

17. How do I find out what computer resources are available to me at Monash?

All the information you need on what computer resources are available to you while you are studying at Monash including, what systems we use, where labs are, online learning tools, policies and software available for your use can be found on the Arts Student Computing at Monash page.