Call for Papers: Traffic No. 12 2010, ‘The Big Picture’

Posted in: Traffic 12, News
Traffic

Submit your research article to Traffic 12 'The Big Picture' and be in the running for a $1000 prize, as well as picking up a refereed journal publication to add to your CV. Submissions close 7 June 2010.


Greetings from the GSA

Posted in: President, News
2009 GSA Christmas Image
(C) Copyright Gary Shaw
The magnolia tree growing in front of the GSA offices is blooming again - with its huge white petals reflecting an ever-longer day, and persevering ever-shorter in the mounting heat. At Christmas time in Australia everything gets remarkably hotter - and we are reminded once again that our planet is fragile. Sadly we are also reminded of the inertia of those that govern us, despite the will of humanity mounting against them.

Read more...

Hon Michael Kirby launches Traffic 11

Posted in: Traffic 11, News

Traffic Logo23 November 2009 saw the launch of Traffic number 11 'Fact or Fiction' at the Gryphon Gallery in the University of Melbourne Graduate Centre. The Honourable Michael Kirby and Provost Professor John Dewar attended and spoke at the launch.

The winner of the Traffic prize of $1000 was Christian Clark from the School of Philosophy, Anthropology and Social Inquiry for his article "Knowledge, Numbers and the Northern Territory Intervention: Re-conceptualising Facts in Remote Indigenous Australia." The runner-up was Dr Madonna Grehan from the School of Health Sciences for "Heroes or Villains? Midwives, Nurses, and Maternity Care in Mid-Nineteenth Century Australia".

See our photo gallery here >


YouTube 2 - More on Fair Fares

Posted in: Concession Card Campaign, News

Is it a type of institutionalised racism to refuse concession fares to international graduate students?


YouTube 1 - Fair Fares Rally!

Posted in: Concession Card Campaign, News

Article in The Age elicits responses and more

Posted in: Graduate Issues & Campaigns, News

Fingerlime
From little things, big things grow? The Faculties of Land and Environment and VCA and Music face budgetary and administrative restrictions that could damage the quality of graduate teaching and learning, according to GSA Council
"I was sickened to see not 1 but 10 Melbourne University ads for open day on prime time television on Sunday evening.  Not only is it a colossal waste of money, it will not attract students when the University is making more and more cuts to teaching staff.  Students want access to staff who are not overworked and underpaid."

This quote is from an email sent by Ms Kelly Donati, a graduate student at the University of Melbourne. But let's start at the beginning...

Read more >


Annual Graduate Student Elections 2009

Posted in: Elections, News

Nominations for the graduate student representative member of University Council for 2010, closed on Friday, 7 August 2009.  The following three graduate students have nominated:

Alexander White
Tammi Jonas
Zoe Edwards

This election will be conducted by a postal ballot to all currently enrolled graduate students.  Ballot papers will be sent to the home addresses that graduate students have recorded with the University.  Papers should be received by Monday, 7 September 2009.

The nomination period for the 2010 Graduate Student Association Council was extended to Friday, 14 August 2009 and fourteen graduate students have been declared elected by the Returning Officer, Ms. Phillippa Heskett.

Download attachment(s): [ GSA University Council Ballot Paper Position ] [ GSA University Council Nominations Received 14 August 09 ] [ GSA Council Nominations Received 7 August 09 ] [ GSA University Council Nominations ]


GSA Submission to the Senate Inquiry into the Welfare of International Students

Posted in: Concession Card Campaign, News

Link to the pdf of the GSA's full submission
GSA Recommendations

The GSA recommends that:

  • funding for scholarships and for student support services be increased in order to meet the increasing demand of a growing international student cohort;
  • international student visa costs be reduced to make them comparable with other countries;
  • international student visa conditions be revised in order to allow for more leniency for students whose visas are revoked or those who wish to have their visa extended;
  • public transport concessions be granted to all international students, regardless of which state they reside in, or which course they are studying."
Click the picture or the link below to see the GSA's full submission

Download attachment(s): [ GSA Submission Senate Inquiry - Welfare of International Students ]


“Fair Fares” Campaign Update, July 2009

Posted in: Concession Card Campaign, News

Fare Fairs Rally Poster
Fair Fares Rally - 2 pm, Wednesday 2 September 2009, Outside the State Library of Victoria
During the winter holidays, the Fair Fares campaign has been given a new breath of life. The Graduate Student Association should be proud of its efforts in Semester One to launch and sustain a public campaign demanding public transport concessions for international and graduate students. The petition campaign we coordinated resulted in over 10,000 students’ and supporters’ signatures that were presented to a representative of the Premier during a successful protest. The petition was the centrepiece of the Fair Fares campaign and gave thousands of students a voice, where previously that voice had been muffled and muted. In the cover letter I wrote with Melbourne University Overseas Students Service (MUOSS) President, Sarah Quek, we spelled out the compelling case for transport concession equality.

Read more...

Download attachment(s): [ Letter to Premier John Brumby about the Concession Card Campaign (PDF format) ] [ Table of eligibility for concession cards by CAPA (PDF format) ] [ Poster for Fair Fares Rally 2 September 2009 ]


Traffic 11 - Book Reviewers Wanted!

Posted in: Traffic 11, News
TrafficThe Call for Papers for Traffic 11 has now closed and while we are no longer accepting article submissions, we are still seeking book reviewers.

We're also planning a 'best-of' Traffic edition, drawing together the most engaging papers from the past ten issues.

Media Release: Transport Concession Campaign

Posted in: Media Releases, News, Concession Card Campaign
GSA welcomes Universities Australia Call for International Student Transport Concessions

GSA President Condemns condemns police response to Indian student attacks

Posted in: Media Releases, News, Graduate Issues & Campaigns
GSA President condemns police response to Indian student attacks

GSA President condemns police response to Indian student attacks
GSA President condemns police response to Indian student attacks
The University of Melbourne Graduate Student Association has today applauded the decision by Indian international students to publicly protest against racist violence in Melbourne.  A protest rally and march to State Parliament has been called for tomorrow (31/05) by the Federation of Indian Students Australia (FISA, www.fisa.org.au).

GSA President Paul Coats said “It is appalling that Victoria Police refuse to acknowledge the racism that is inherent in violent attacks against up to 70 Indian students in the last 12 months- they have become part of the problem, not the solution.”  Coats added, “it is now up to the Indian students themselves to mobilise and show that they are not the deserving victims the police seem to make them out to be.”

Download attachment(s): [ Media Release (PDF) ]


Melbourne universities strike for better education

Posted in: Coursework Education Officer, News
rally_slv.jpg
Rally on the steps of the SLV
About a thousand university staff and supporters rallied in Melbourne on Thursday, 21 May.
It was part of a 24-hour statewide strike over wages and conditions that disrupted five universities - Deakin, Melbourne, Monash, RMIT and Swinburne universities. Latrobe were set to take action on 28 May.
As well, Hawthorn Learning joined the action and the University of Tasmania walked out in what was said to be the first strike there in 20 years.
About 250 marched down from the University of Melbourne.

Download attachment(s): [ Verity Burgmann speech at NTEU Rally ]


Fair Fares Rally successful - great turnout validates the campaign!

Posted in: Concession Card Campaign, News
"What do we want? - FAIR FARES!! When do we want them - NOW!!"
"Full Fair - NOT FAIR!!"
(Chants from the crowd at the GSA 'Fair Fares' Rally, Wednesday 29/04/09)

Rally on the move
The Fair Fares rally moves towards the city.
Over 250 students and supporters gathered on the steps of state parliament last Wednesday (29/04) to send a loud and vibrant message that Graduate and International students need 'Fair Fares'. Earlier that day graduate students had gathered in front of the Graduate Centre at the University of Melbourne to participate in the associations Annual General Meeting, at which a vote was taken unanimously in support of the GSA campaign.

Download attachment(s): [ Article in Sydney University's Honi Soit Issue 8-09 ]


Class sizes: they’re just too big!

Posted in: Graduate Issues & Campaigns, Coursework Education Officer, Coursework Students, News

The message coming back from Masters coursework students at this University is that class sizes of more than 50 students are just too big for a seminar. Do you agree? Come and discuss strategies for reducing our class sizes and increasing the quality of education at this GSA public consultation forum around the topic, ‘Class sizes: they’re just too big!’

Date: Monday 27 April
Time: 5:30 for a 6 pm start
Venue: Gryphon Gallery, Graduate Centre (1888 Building)


Household Stimulus Package - Graduate Update

Posted in: Graduate Issues & Campaigns, News
CAPA President Nigel Palmer writes to affiliates of the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations, with an update on postgraduate eligibility for the Training and Learning Bonus, as part of the Household Stimulus Package. We publish an edited version below:

Just a brief update regarding postgraduate eligibility for the Federal Government’s Household Stimulus Package.

Read more...

Students for Gaza at Unimelb

Posted in: News, Gaza
Olive Branch
The Graduate Student Association encourages all students who wish to show their solidarity with the people of Palestine to get involved in the Students for Gaza campaign group. President Paul Coats regularly attends along with other GSA reps.

Students for Gaza meets every Tuesday at 12:30pm on the 2nd floor of Union House.
Contact Paul Coats for more information: president@gsa.unimelb.edu.au

And to really show your support, join in during Palestine Solidarity Week 30 March to 3 April


Public Transport Minister: System Is Fair

Posted in: News, Graduate Issues & Campaigns
'Postgraduate and international students now pay, for example, the full cost of a zone 1 monthly ticket ($109.60), while local undergraduate students pay HALF that.'
...
'A spokesman for Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky said the system was fair, and ensured that students "IN GENUINE NEED" were given travel discounts.' [The Age, Wednesday Feb 25 2009, 6, emphases added]

The system is NOT fair.

GSA Public Transport Concessions Campaign

Posted in: News, Graduate Issues & Campaigns

signingPetition-200.jpg
A University of Melbourne graduate student signs the public transport concession petition
Victoria does not grant travel concessions to postgraduate students, and is one of only two states that do not grant travel concessions to international students.

Sign the GSA petition (PDF petition download attached below), and then get your fellow graduate students,  friends, colleagues or family to sign it. Return signed petitions to the GSA reception, Graduate Centre.

Or sign this petition on the web http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fairfares/

Get involved with the campaign, contact GSA President Paul Coats president@gsa.unimelb.edu.au

 

Download attachment(s): [ Download Petition.pdf ]


GSA Bushfire Response

Posted in: News

Red_Cross_Pic.png
Picture from the Red Cross Website
The Councillors, Office-Bearers and Staff of GSA have been shocked and dismayed at the devastation and loss of life resulting from bushfires across Victoria over the last week. Along with hundreds of innocent victims, whom we mourn, we also understand that one University of Melbourne students and two staff members have been killed.

We strongly encourage graduate students to assist in whatever way possible. The GSA has already donated $5000 to the Bushfire Appeal fund, and we suggest that graduate students might be able to help in the following ways...