Semester break has a funny way of making campus feel like it’s asleep. Lecture halls grow quieter, group chats slow down, and for some, internships have already begun. Yet somewhere between the silence of the holidays and the anticipation of Semester 2, the Monash Student Council logged into another meeting, not to announce the next big event, but to prepare something just as important.

While most students are enjoying a well-deserved break, MUSA is quietly preparing for one of its biggest responsibilities of the year: ensuring that the next Annual Election is conducted fairly, transparently, and with every student in mind.

Changing the rules before the race begin

Before anyone can run for office, someone has to make sure the race is fair.

That was exactly what the council spent the first half of the meeting discussing.

A constitutional amendment was proposed to update who can serve as MUSA’s Returning Officer, the person responsible for overseeing the Annual Elections. Previously, anyone who had contested any student election within the past two academic years was ineligible. The proposed change narrows that rule to only MUSA elections and shortens the restriction to one academic year.

It may sound like a tiny wording change, but the intention is simple: make the rule more practical without compromising the fairness and neutrality expected of the person running the election.

When the motion was put to a vote, the majority of the council agreed, and the amendment officially passed.

With that settled, the council moved on to endorsing the MUSA 2026 Annual Election Blueprint, essentially the roadmap for this year’s elections. Think of it as the behind-the-scenes guidebook: who does what, how the election unfolds, and the steps put in place to ensure every student has a fair opportunity to participate. After all, before campaign posters start appearing across campus, the system itself has to be ready.

The People Behind Process

No election runs itself, and this meeting introduced the two individuals entrusted with ensuring exactly that.

The first appointment saw Shereen, Vice President of the Sunway University Student Council, nominated as Deputy Returning Officer. In her speech, she reflected on the opportunity to step beyond her own institution and experience a different student leadership environment. While acknowledging that every university operates with its own culture, traditions and systems, she expressed enthusiasm about working alongside MUSA to uphold a professional, transparent and student-centred election.

The council then welcomed Xiao Xuan Lee (Xuan), President of the Sunway University Student Council, as the nominee for Returning Officer.

Confident yet composed, Xuan spoke with the assurance expected of someone already leading an entire student council. She shared that leadership is never simply about holding a title, it demands responsibility, careful judgement, and the ability to oversee every moving part without losing sight of the bigger picture.

Perhaps the philosophy that lingered most in my opinion was :

“Do everything right, and right everything wrong.”

A fitting reminder that elections are not merely about counting votes, but about protecting trust. As Returning Officer, she emphasised her commitment to careful planning, attention to detail, and ensuring that every stage of the election remains fair, impartial, and accountable.

Following their respective presentations, both appointments received majority support from the council and were officially endorsed.

The meeting itself may have been brief, but the conversations carried weight. Before campaign posters appear, before manifestos are shared, and before students cast a single vote, there is already a team working quietly behind the scenes to ensure the process is one worthy of every ballot.

With Semester 2 just around the corner, campus is slowly beginning to wake up again and if history has taught us anything, quiet meetings rarely stay quiet for long.

Here’s to another semester of stories, spirited debates, unexpected motions, and perhaps a little organised chaos. And if there is news worth hearing, whether from within MUSA or beyond its meeting rooms….I certainly hope you’ll hear it from me first.

Until the next MSC, this has been MUSA Did What, episode 5.1.

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