Setting
House 8 Conference room. Introductions sound a bit like AA to be honest. People have forgotten who they are. His honour, PG Tips (mascot), graced us with his presence. We are not worthy.
Present: SM (PGM Chair), JW (PGM VP), RM (Academic Rep), BD (Treasurer), OT (Fourth Year Rep), HH (PG Welfare), AB (International Student Rep), SF (Mature Student Rep), NN (Social Secretary).
Apologies: JC (Vice President), EM (President)
Absent:
Welcome – SM
SM: *introducing what we’re gonna talk about and taking questions.*
BD: asking if we have a meeting every week.
SM: we don’t. If we need to meet, we will. But we have to have two meetings a term
AB: Asking if we can have some meetings in brooks coz we live closer.
SM: can do.
Social Events – SM & NN
SM: I would like to have some inter mrc events that aren’t formals cause they’re expensive, like a pub quiz.. Using dining room rather than brooks for the pub quiz.. Something this term. Trying to get a schedule of events for postgrads that isn’t just formals. End of November/beginning of December to give time to plan: the inter mrc pub quiz. Cake crawl next term.
HH: maybe cake crawl for valentines day?
SM: that’s a good idea.
JW: last year we had an anti-Valentine social and one couple announced they were engaged.
NN: Christmas event in brooks, maybe a raffle or secret Santa. Xmas jumpers etc. Use the Secret santa website thing to organise it if we do that. General bar crawls, maybe themed? Go back to Newcastle for minigolf/ bowling.
SM: feedback thing for social suggestions.
NN: event for Chinese new year next term.
SM: pub quiz – end of November, Christmas thing in dec. and something else like a meal out/bar crawl.
AB: meal out
JW: one to the other.
Academic Events – SM & RM
JW: Beginning of December is a better time to have the next research slam
HH: workshop type event?
SM: In my manifesto I said I wanted something to help people apply for masters/phd
RM: I suggest we have two different things for that, one for master proposals, another for thesis proposals. Rather than just a general one about getting into further education.
SM: Regarding research fora, getting four people to speak this term is ambitious.
RM: Aim for mid-nov?
SM: We’ll aim for that then see what happens, I’ll consult with EA (Principal).
JW: We have one speaker for arts and humanities and one for science (at the research fora). In the past there were themes, (cookery and death) but that didn’t go too well… We ran out of themes after those two.
RM: How about a research slam first week of dec.?
AB: We don’t want dec to be too crammed.
RM: January would be too late.
SF: I suggest phrasing the masters application thing in a casual way to prevent people from panicking.
*organising the events on a sheet of paper so we can see where the gaps are*
SM: Let’s combine the research proposal thing with the research slam.
RM: I will try and collate all the interesting academic talks/seminars and then post about it on fb (PG page) to make it clear for people
SM: I’ll share info via on mailing lists
Mature Students – SM and SF
SM: EA is keen for a mature student brunch. But apparently didn’t turn out too well in the past.. Had issues with the age thing, as in defining who’s a mature student. EA is very keen to do sth.
SF: I’m not sure how successful brunch would be. Would only attract a few students. I don’t have much event planning experience so would rather piggyback off other events being run. Making sure to advertise other events to mature students and make sure it’s open to them. It’s easier to run mature-student-only events earlier in the term.
SM: EA was planning to focus on students with families but apparently there was an issue with bringing children into Cuth’s. …. Need to talk to EA about this.
SF: I don’t think brunch will work, so I’d rather focus on sth. else. MATSA: Last year they had something every week, but this wasn’t successful. Most successful events seem to be focused around meals. End of term meals etc.
SM: Maybe best to direct mature students to MATSA? We should aim for greater communication between Cuth’s and MATSA.
International Students – SM & AB
AB: My plan was to show international films with subtitles, then talk and discuss the film afterwards. Not sure how regularly.
SM: We don’t have to go to every event.
JW: I don’t have another social life
AB: Maybe don’t cram too many in
SM: Feedback from last year, people wanted a weekly event. Plan is to get the main events sorted and then get a calender sorted out so people know when the events are in advance. Have you talked to EE (international rep)?
AB: I’ve talked to EE and meet up with him. How about films once a month so we can share cultures, with a chill vibe? Maybe as a collab with international committee. In my first year, international committee organised an event for which everyone cooked a big portion of a meal from their country, so everyone could try different foods. Was held in brooks and was quite successful. We could bring that back as a collab with international committee.
PG Welfare – SM & HH
SM: How do you wanna advertise? Instagram takeover with welfare?
HH: Sth related to housing for postgrads, since the situation is different. I should chat to EA (Senior Welfare) about it at some point. Using the instagram would be useful as well as posting about the housing thing on fb.
SM: Are you thinking of any specific campaigns?
HH: Maybe movember. Mental health seems a bit generic, so perhaps focussing on more specific things like loneliness
JW: Overworking is also a big issue to bring up.
HH: Good idea.
Fourth Years – SM & OT
OT: I’m gonna treat it like Mature Students Rep and just advertise our events to make sure that fourth years know they’re included.
SM: You can post in the 2016:17 freshers group when there are events on like mcr formals etc.
AOB
SM: The SU role is an unelected position. *explains what the SU is and how assembly works* Currently I’ve been going but I want to ask if anyone “has a burning desire” to be on SU comm.
SF: What does the role entail?
SM: Going to a meeting twice a term and giving your opinion on student matters etc. Okay everyone is really quiet so it seems like I’ll just keep doing it. But if I can’t go, one of you can takeover. (*people nod reluctantly*). Any other business? The reason I haven’t got a section for BD or JW is because they generally just help run things. Our budget is £1000.
JW: What happened about the pizza? I hope that it comes out international budget as well as ours.
Action Point: SM to talk to RJ and EE.
SM : Didn’t we only spend £300 last year?
JW: Yes but we’ve already had more interest in events this year.
BD: Most events seem cost effective.
JW: Something we did last year was have a meal out and offer discounts…..
SM: I’m passing BD’s emails on to someone about a Treasurer’s Comm. (*General confusion as to why Treas. Comm would exist?*)
JW: I am here eternally, like herpes.
SM: anyone want to go to the bar? (*everyone says yes*)
*Meeting Adjourned*