Elections for the postgraduate committee have opened and you have the opportunity to choose the committee that will represent postgraduates for the academic year 2019/20. Often these elections have relatively low turnout, so I felt it was important to explain what the role of this committee is, how to vote, and why it is integral for PGRs to vote for who will represent them this year. I am not writing to recommend any one candidate, but it is important to think who will represent you in the discussions that will shape the way the SU interacts with the PG community.

What is the PG Committee?

The PG committee is a group of 6 PG students who control the five figure pg(su) budget. To ensure that there is greater representation within the Students Union, there are 4 protected places on the committee, two for women + candidates and two for postgraduate researchers. They meet around once a month, come to PG assembly to talk to PG students about issues they are facing, and represent PG students at the highest level of student democracy, Union Council. Not only does that mean they decide the balance between the social grant, research grant, and campaigns, it also means that they are able to hold the Postgraduate Officer to account. This is particularly critical for postgraduate students who are often on the edge between staff and student, resulting in ineffective representation.

Why is it important to have PGR representation in the SU?

This is going to be a critical year for the PGR community. Not only is this the year where the Courage Project will produce its findings about how to improve mental health on campus for PhD students, it is also a year where a strong PGR voice is going to be needed. Issues such as Associate Tutor casualisation, the provision of space on campus (in particular the SU should be involved in consultations with university over the building of the ‘Sky House’), discussions about the role of the Postgraduate(su), and the possibility of the formation of a Graduate Students Association. It is also critical to protect the research grant fund which is fundamental to the ability of students to develop both in terms of them as members of the academic community and in their future career. The postgraduate committee will act as your voice on these issues, representing PGR students to the students union.

How do I vote?

As in all Union elections, the election will be online at uea.su/pgelections! The voting will take place from Tuesday the 15th until Friday the 18th of October. All the manifestos will be online, so give them a read and make sure to vote!

This post was submitted by Matthew Gallagher, a postgraduate researcher in PPL.