After the Adelaide University Union recently rebranded to “YouX”, it was noted that the name shared a title with a pornography website, while some students and union members said they weren’t properly consulted.

In July student magazine OnDit reported that a spokesperson for YouX said the name was ‘strongly linked’ to the term ‘user experience’ which was was aligned to the organisation’s purpose.

In May, university student and union member Edward Satchell submitted a Freedom of Information request on the reasons behind the rebrand, but YouX replied that it was not subject to the FOI Act.

“What I was wanting to see was primarily the cost of this project, as well as the reasoning they adopted the change because it’s highly controversial getting rid of a brand name with decades of recognition,” Satchell said.

“The student body hasn’t been fully consulted in relation to this [the rebrand], we certainly weren’t told about the cost and so everyone’s confused as to why they went ahead. The fact that YouX shares its name with certain other, unprofessional publications is concerning.”

Satchell said that he understood that the union enlisted a consulting service to facilitate the brand change and was concerned at the costs this incurred.

“I would imagine the cost of those consulting services as well as changing all of the paraphernalia and logo design would have cost a significant amount,” he said.

“How much money did they spend on this? And why aren’t they telling us this basic information?”

Satchell also sought to see documents relating to union meetings on freedom of the student media on campus and the independence of the SRC, after the union was accused of stripping its powers earlier this year.

He said that after YouX told him it was not an agency and not subject to the FOI Act, he contacted the state Ombudsman.

Satchell also submitted a request to University management about the matter but said he received limited information.

The Ombudsman Wayne Lines last week responded to Satchell with the results of his office’s inquiries.

“I agree with your submissions that the AUU meets the definition of ‘agency’ under the Freedom of Information Act,” the Ombudsman replied, in a letter seen by InDaily.

“On 25 July and 4 August I advised the AUU of my views and invited the AUU to reconsider its position and process your application, the AUU declined to do so.”

Satchell said he will follow the Ombudsman’s advice to lodge an external review application with the Ombudsman.

If the Ombudsman finds in his favour, the Ombudsman could make a direction for YouX to provide access to the information Satchell requested.

An Ombudsman’s review into the University’s response to his initial inquiry is already underway.

YouX President Oscar Zi Shao Ong said it wouldn’t be appropriate to comment on the FOI issue but said the YouX board unanimously endorsed the rebrand and that ‘a broad range of voices’ were consulted.

“An all-student survey in March 2021 was a central part of the student consultation process followed by tailored student focus group research and further focus group research in September 2021,” Ong said.

A university spokesman said the unions rebrand did not require endorsement by the University of Adelaide.

“YouX, has the right to make independent decisions about how it funds and delivers activities it believes are in the best interests of students,” he said.