Semper Floreat

Semper Floreat (Latin: "May it always flourish") is the student newspaper of the University of Queensland, in Brisbane, Australia. It has been published continuously by the University of Queensland Union (UQ Union) since 1932, when it began as a fortnightly newsletter of only a few pages, produced by one editor.

Semper Floreat
The current logo, inspired by an 80s' iteration, was introduced in November of 2021.
Co-ChiefDylan Thomas & Alexandra Tolley
EditorsSoumya Garawadmath, Justin Chen, Stephanie Koflin, Jack Walmsley, Grace Cameron, Sascha Wightman, Serene McCormack
CategoriesPolitics Youth Arts
FrequencyMonthly
First issue1932
CompanyUniversity of Queensland Union
Country Australia
LanguageEnglish
Websitesemperfloreat.com.au

Recent History

In 2014, Semper (as it is colloquially known) became a 48-page, monthly magazine that employs a full-time editor, deputy editor and 8 part-time editors[1] The editors are elected annually by the student body. In 2017, Semper reduced its magazine publications to three for the year, and relaunched its website.

Semper occupied an important position in Brisbane's cultural and radical history, and has been closely connected with such cultural icons such as 'Time Off'. Semper editor, Alan Knight (1973), was a founding Director of 4ZZZ FM (1975). A number of important Australian writers, critics, historians and social commentators have been associated with the newspaper including David Malouf (writer, poet), Joan Kerr (art and cultural historian, academic), Jack Carmody (Professor of Medicine, opera and theatre critic), Shane Porteous (actor), Alan Frost (historian), Graeme Rowlands (poet and critic), William Yang aka Willie Young (photographer), Peter McCawley (economist, senior civil servant, Asia specialist), Brian Toohey (economist, newspaper editor, political commentator), Michael O'Neill (political activist), Dan O'Neill (academic and political activist), Susan Geason (journalist, political adviser, writer), Lenore Taylor (Walkley-winning journalist, author, now editor of Guardian Australia), Julianne Schultz, John Birmingham, Clinton Walker and Humphrey McQueen. In 2005 its editors included Daniel and Sarah Spencer, who went on to form the influential underground rock band Blank Realm.

The University of Queensland Fryer Library holds the most complete collection of the newspaper and archival issues are available through UQ eSpace; copies are also held in the State Library of Queensland, the Queensland Parliamentary Library, and the National Library of Australia in Canberra. Archival issues are also available from UQ eSpace.

The first student magazine for the university was called Queensland University Magazine (later known as Galmahra). It continued to publish alongside Semper Floreat until the 1950s.[2]

Editors (2020-2023)

In 2020 UQ Union elections the Labor-aligned ticket Rebuild successfully beat the LNP aligned Real and third party ticket Forward to win both Semper Floreat and the UQ Union executive.[3]

2023 Editors
Co-Chief Editor Editors
Dylan Thomas & Alexandra Tolley Grace Cameron
Justin Chen
Soumya Garawadmath
Stephanie Koflin
Jack Walmsley
Sascha Wightman
2022 Editors
Chief Editor Editors
William Kugelman
Kye Gaviglio
Jack Mackenzie
Isabella Towers
Grace Cameron
Eric Yun
Alexandra Tolley
Cloey Capewell
2021 Editors
Chief Editor Editors
Matthew Johnson William Ketter
Tennessee Walker
Jacob Hayden
William Kugelman
Daniel Chancellor
Isabella Towers
Marisha Robinson
Will Simon
Claire Sturm
2020 Editors
Chief Editor Editors
Rowan Evans Nilsson Jones
Matthew Johnson
William Ketter
Oliver Friendship
Emma Grady
Ruby Green
Pierce Knoblanche
Max Mayer
Shreyas Shet

Art of Shoplifting controversy

In 1995, Semper reprinted a controversial article from Rabelais Student Media, its La Trobe University counterpart, entitled 'The Art of Shoplifting' – one of seven student newspapers to do so. Although the Rabelais editors responsible for the original article were prosecuted for ignoring a ban on publication issued by the state's Chief Censor; the editors of the other seven newspapers were not targeted by the authorities. Charges against the Rabelais editors were later dropped.[4]

A similar article appearing in the August 2022 edition of Semper, this time called “the Subtle Art of Shoplifting”, made headlines internationally. Its anonymous author rehashed some of the points made by the original article, as well as adding some modern techniques to circumvent the increasing sophistication and technological expansion of security. Australian networks such as Newscorp, Seven, Fairfax, and the ABC ultimately criticized the publication for its promotion of criminal behaviour.[5]

See also

References

  1. Union, UQ. "Semper". Retrieved 6 December 2009.
  2. O'Neill, Dan (1960). "Editorial". Galmahra. 1960: 3–9.
  3. "2020 Sch 14 Declaration of Poll - Elected Officers.pdf" (PDF). Dropbox. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  4. "The Rabelais Case". Burning Issues. 21 August 1999. Archived from the original on 30 June 2006. Retrieved 16 August 2007.
  5. Staff, 9News (21 October 2022). "Queensland university's student magazine under fire for article on shoplifting tips". 9 News.
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