Welcome and Update for Semester 1 2013
On behalf of GUPSA, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all new and returning postgraduate students. May the upcoming year be filled with opportunities to grow and learn. Best wishes to you in your studies during 2013!
2013 will be a big and busy year for GUPSA and I want to let you know what we’re planning for the year ahead and to encourage you to get involved with your student association. Your input, involvement and support will play a key role in what we have planned for the year.
FUNDING FOR POSTGRADUATE ACTIVITIES
Each campus has a representative position on the GUPSA committee, there are five in total – Logan, Mt Gravatt, Nathan, QCA and Conservatorium. (Note: Gold coast has its own postgrad assoc). The GUPSA Executive have allocated a set amount to each of the 5 campuses for activities and events to be determined by each campus. To that end, we want to establish campus sub-committees to assist the campus representative on committee to develop events suited for your particular campus. Already some interesting event ideas are being developed by College of Art postsgrads. I want to give a particular call out to people at the Conservatorium – you don’t have a rep on our committee yet but we have funding which will not be spent unless someone nominates to be rep and others come forward with ideas. And for those of you at the other campuses we want to hear from you too. We need your input so that we can develop events and activities and services that you want.
As with the campuses, we also have an international student representative on the committee, and we have funding for activities and services for international students too. Likewise, we want to establish an international subcommittee so that we can get your ideas and input on the sorts of events and services that international students want.
We especially want to hear from coursework postgrads. Much of our funding comes from the SSAF fee, which you are paying for the first time this year. We need your input and involvement so that we can provide you with services and events you want.
WEEK I MARKET DAYS
Please come and see us at the GUPSA stall on your campus market day in Week 1. We would love to meet you and hear what you would like GUPSA to do for you. You’re also welcome to help out on the stall. We’ll be at your campus between 10 and 2 on these days
Southbank Monday 25 February (now cancelled due to weather)
Mt Gravatt Tuesday 26 February (postponed to 12 March due to weather)
Logan Wednesday 27 February
Nathan Thursday 28 February
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Our first social event, incorporating our AGM, will happen 4pm, 14 March at the Unibar, Nathan campus. There’ll be more information about that soon.
KEEPING UP TO DATE
Keep following our new website here for more information about GUPSA. On Twitter, follow us on @joinGUPSA. We invite your ideas and contributions via email or our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/joingupsa.
You can contact our Support Officer, Michael Carden if you need any more information. You can call him on 373 54822 or email him on m.carden@griffith.edu.au.
Maggie May
President GUPSA