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Student council members at Monash University's Caulfield campus, in Australia, passed a rule last week that effectively bars international students from standing in student elections, The Age reported. The council passed a rule requiring candidates to be eligible to work at least 22 hours a week, which international students cannot do under the terms of their visas.
Some condemned the new rules as discriminatory against international students and Chinese students in particular. (A group consisting mostly of Chinese students was poised to run in elections next week.) International students make up 62 percent of students on the Caulfield campus.
"The university is concerned the recent changes may impact the eligibility of international students," a Monash spokeswoman told The Age.
"While the university recognizes the legal independence of [the Monash Caulfield student council] as an entity, it also must ensure its recognized student associations continue to fulfill their requirements to represent the student body," the spokeswoman said.