I’ve been getting a number of questions about the postgrad
mailing list, both subscribing and unsubscribing. Rather than explaining it
individually repeatedly, I’m writing a blog about it and hopefully should be
able to direct future enquiries here. Also, there’s pictures!
Once again, thank you so much to you all for coming to the Quiz Night last night! I hope you had a fun evening, I had a lovely time with you all. I'm looking for feedback on the night from you all - you can send me an email, or just comment right here!
Did you have a good time?
Were the questions too hard? If so, how could we improve them/what level should we pitch them at in the future?
How about prizes? Good/bad/more/less? Any sponsors you'd like to see us approach in the future?
Did you not come? Is there something we could do to make it easier for you to come next time?
I'd love for you to answer as many of these questions as you'd like! Enjoy your weekend and the newsletter which should arrive in your inboxes very soon.
I'll post photos here, on Facebook, and on the website soon - feel free to tag your pretty faces when I do!
Do you find my normal newsletters too long? I’m trying a different approach this time, let me know what you think! I'd like to merge it with the purple box formatting if you like the more concise style.
·
ALBANY
STUDENTS: I’m coming to visit this Friday! I don’t know if you have a
formal branch of the association down there (or anyone is interested in
starting one) but I’ll be down on Senate business for one day, so send me an
email if anyone would like to meet up.
· HUMANITIES
STUDENTS: There is a Masterclass you should go to! It’s about articulating
the impact of your research. See more here: http://www.ias.uwa.edu.au/masterclass/chubb
· SCIENCE
AND ENGINEERING STUDENTS: There is also a Masterclass for you! It’s also
about articulating the impact of your research. See more here: http://www.ias.uwa.edu.au/masterclass/chubb2
· QUIZ
NIGHT: There is free pizza! There are prizes sponsored by T. Sharpe and
Co., Uni Club, Co-op and more! There are questions! There is a raffle!
I know there have been difficulties getting tables registered – my profuse
apologies! We’re bringing the forms to Connect, so you can also register a
table there. Bring 8 names, and $10 from each person and you’ll be set.
· CONNECT:
Thursday the 3rd at 5pm, Uni Club Balcony – be there or be square. I
unfortunately can’t stay for the whole time, but hope to catch up with at least
some of you!
· SLEEPY
PEOPLE: Sherilyn Tan is a psychology honours student at UWA looking
for participants between the ages of 25-50 to participate in her honours
project as part of the "Sleep Across the Lifespan" study.
Participants will be asked to complete a series of questionnaires
regarding sleep, general well-being and mood. Anyone who would like more
information or is interested in participating may email her at tanh08@student.uwa.edu.au.
· PSYCHOLOGY
STUDENTS: I want to make a survey for postgrads, but I’m a History student!
I don’t know how to measure what people think and feel, but if you do and want
to help PSA and other postgrads, please email me!
· LAW
STUDENTS: You don’t have a faculty rep! This makes me sad – so nominate
yourself or an unwitting currently enrolled friend in that faculty by emailing
me!
· COURSEWORK
STUDENTS: You don’t have an officer! This makes me sad as well – so nominate
yourself or an unwitting currently enrolled friend in a coursework course by
emailing me!
· COURSEWORK
STUDENTS: Ideas are being floated about where postgrad coursework students should
fit into the structure of student representation. I think you should stay with
the PSA – because you’re postgrads who have different issues, focuses, and
priorities to undergraduates. The Guild is talking about taking over
representing you – so you would go through their structures rather than the PSA
when you have a problem. I want to know what idea you prefer. Lacking a
coursework officer, I’d appreciate it if you could talk about this with other
postgrad coursework students and let me know your thoughts through
email/Connect/Quiz Night.
· LOUNGE
USERS/FANS: I think it’s excellent and very important that the PSA/Guild
provide a free space dedicated for postgraduate students to use. Do you agree?
Do you use the lounge, for discussion groups, seminars, chilling out, or other?
Do you disagree? Please send me an email so I can push for us to keep a lounge
as the Guild reorganises the distribution of space.
· PSA
TRAVEL GRANTS: Close on Friday at 5pm! Don’t miss out, get your
applications in!
· PSA SMALL
GRANTS: Guess when they close? Friday at 5pm! Don’t miss out, get your
applications in! (please)
· COURSEWORK
STUDENTS: (I think you’re secretly my favourites) How do you like the
application procedures for your courses? What do you think of the information
you have available? How accessible is it? Guess what I’d like you to do with
the thoughts you’re having right now – write them in an email and send them to
me!
I think that is everything! I can always send you more
emails... so if you reply to this one you might just keep me busy enough to
minimise my (lovingly sent) spam.
Please note that the following people are being appointed to casual vacancies in the PSA Committee (and congratulate them!):
Education Rep: Eileen Slater
Engineering CM Rep: Revanth Reddy Garlapati
OCM: Ashleigh Prosser
If you are new to academic research there are several sections of the University that can assist you, help you understand our processes, and help you meet some obligations that arise when performing advanced research.
One of these sections is Research Services, which is located in the Administration building at the north end of the campus, west of Winthrop Hall. My section of Research Services is called “Research Ethics and Biosafety” and we are here to help you understand the expectations and obligations you have regarding legislation and regulation governing research that involves animals, people, genetically modified organisms, and other bio-hazards. This area is one that requires detailed compliance with laws and the highest ethical standards in working with people, animals and biological safety.
If your research deals with people, even data about people, or just observing people in day to day activities, you will need to submit your project proposal for review, possibly by a formally constituted Human Research Ethics Committee. Our Human Research Ethics Office can help you to prepare for this review.
If your research deals with animals, even for observation in the wild or the study of tissue samples, you need to submit your project proposal to a formally constituted Animal Ethics Committee. Our Animal Ethics Office can help you to prepare for this review.
If your research deals with genetically modified animals, plants, bacteria, viruses, prions, or any bio-hazardous material we have a Biosafety Office that can arrange to have your research proposal reviewed by a formally constituted Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC).
The University will not approve your research to begin without the required reviews, and you will not be able to publish your work without these reviews either. Further you, your supervisor, your school, and ultimately the University itself are also held accountable for complying with the laws and regulations on research with people, animals and biosafety.
These review committees are made up of senior researchers, specialists external to the University, representatives of organisations with an interest in research ethics, safety and animal welfare, and members of the public. These people volunteer their time and meet roughly once per month to review research proposals. Often a review will result in concerns about the ethical, welfare or safety matters of your plan being communicated to you, such that you will need to alter the practical details of your research plan and re-submit it for a second review. This all takes time.
The meeting schedule means that you are wise to consider the research ethics and safety aspects of your proposal very early in your research project plan.
We are here to assist you with that and to help you navigate the ethical, welfare and safety labyrinth of modern research. Please contact us or come and see us. You can find out more about Research Ethics and Biosafety at: http://www.research.uwa.edu.au/staff or, UWA website -> Research -> Staff.
I hope you enjoy your postgraduate research here at UWA. I certainly did and trod this same path myself in the mid-2000s with human ethics review of my research.
Sincerely, Mark Dixon Associate Director for Research Ethics and Biosafety
Research Services, The University of Western Australia
A heads up to those that are casual tutors.At the end of 2010 the Academic Staff Agreement was renegotiated.This affects you because it was agreed that casual staff would be paid for marking that occurs outside of class time.That is, any assignments that students hand in that are separate from in-class work. (i.e. research essays).Any tutors who do this type of marking should be paid.
This new arrangement came into force in the second semester of 2011.However, a large number of tutors in Arts have had problems getting paid in a timely manner.
In response to this situation, as PSA Arts Faculty representative, I have raised the issue with the Dean of Arts, and talked to the Faculty Manager Scott Sullivan.He has apologized for the delay, noting it has taken the faculty longer than foreseen to consult and negotiate with unit coordinators to standardise marking loads across units and identify which units have assessments that require marking outside of class.
I was assured that eligible tutors (that the faculty are aware of) would be paid on 7th of February for marking.Scott says they may still have missed some eligible tutors and advises anyone who thinks they may have been eligible for marking pay to contact their school’s manager:
Systems should now be in place to prevent a repeat of the delays to marking pay this year.But keep me posted if there are further problems in Arts.My email is 10421751@student.uwa.edu.au.
If there have been similar problems with tutorial marking pay for Semester 2 2011 in other Faculties, please let your PSA Faculty Representative know.If you are unsure who your representative is, contact Aisling at psa@guild.uwa.edu.au.
