Setting: Conference room, everyone is late
Present: JC (Postgrad & Mature students’ rep), JW (PG academic rep), ZM (PG social rep), EE (PG international rep)
Apologies: EMM(JCR Vice-President), AK (JCR President)
Absent: SB (Mature student’s rep)
Events
JC: We’ve had poor attendance at events recently and had to cancel a few next week. I’ve sent out a survey which a few responses, no-one wants events during exams-
*general surprise that PGs have exams*
JC:-other than that people pretty much want more of what we’ve done, no time is better than any other, and the idea of karaoke has been well received
JW: Lets do an event right after exams then
EE: I think karaoke would be a good first event, DT (karaoke president) will happy to help
ZM: lets have food at it too so people come for the food then stay and sing
*General agreement, date is set for karaoke and food on 7th June*
AP: JC to contact DT about karaoke
JW: We could have a meal out the following week
ZM: We don’t want to use 2 consecutive Fridays in case people have other plans
JC: Let’s to it on 13th then
JW: Spags is good
ZM: I don’t think we should subsidise this one, Spags is cheap and it caused problems last time
*Date set for meal in spags on 13th June*
AP: JC to book nearer the time
ZM: I like writing quizzes
JW: Let’s have a Midsummer night’s quiz
EE: The week after the meal I guess
JC: Can we put it on Wednesday to make a diagonal line in my diary?
ZM: Food at this too
*Date set for quiz and food on 19th June*
JW: We should make an effort to invite mature students to these
JC: We can email them now
*Agreement that mature students’ should be contacted directly*
JW: I thought about a research forum this week but decided not. Let’s do one last week of term. Hopefully student speakers
*discussion about days of the week*
*Date set for research forum on 25th June*
AP: JW to find speakers
JC: What about EAM (mead brewer)’s idea of a fun alcohol based one?
JW: I like the idea but it shouldn’t be a research forum
ZM: Let’s do a mead tasting with the science of alcohol, we can pay for EAM’s supplies and JC can talk about science
*All in agreement, date set for 15th June pending discussion with EAM*
AP: JC to discuss date with EAM and think about science and alcohol
JC: Other thoughts on events?
JW: At these events we should talk about what people want over summer, I think we should have some kind of weekly casual though so people still get human contact
ZM: We could do that during exams too, I’ll sit in a coffee shop and people can come and join me
JW: I’ll do that with you
*Agreed that weekly during exams ZM and JW will sit in a coffee shop to chat to anyone that wants to, PGM comm budget will cover coffee*
JW: It’s good for welfare too
JC: Let’s do this over exams as a trial for over Summer. That leads nicely into next agenda point
AP: JC to circulate dates within PGM community
Postgrad Welfare Officer
JC: It’s been discussed that we should have a postgrad welfare officer, what are your thoughts?
JW: It’s hard to get people to run for PGM comm
*Aside on recruiting people for committee next year, JW suggests directly messaging people*
JW: We could combine it with another role
JC: Within the current framework it’s very easy to make it flexible and able to be part of anyone’s role. If they do drop-ins though it could be a lot of time
EE: If it’s PGM welfare mature students might have more time
*Decision to make it an electable position, but if it’s not filled another member of PGM comm can do it*
AP: JC to discuss position with LM (senior welfare officer) and ES (senior welfare officer elect) and write motion
Freshers’ Week
JC: I was concerned about PG and mature students’ freshers’ week but no longer. We’re likely to have a PGM chair and vice-president, I’ll be JCR vice-president and SB will still be mature students’ rep
EE: I’ll be around over summer so we can discus doing things together
*General excitement*
No other business
Meeting adjourned