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Traffic seminar/launch with the Hon Michael Kirby

Posted in: News, Traffic Seminars

Trafficlaunch.jpg
Click image to view launch invitation (PDF)
Join us for the launch of the eleventh edition of Traffic, 'Fact or Fiction?' and a seminar with the Hon Michael Kirby on 23 November at 2.30pm in the Gryphon Gallery, Graduate Centre. He will discuss the topic of "Truth or Fiction?" and launch the latest edition of the refereed graduate student interdisciplinary journal, Traffic. The journal, published by the Graduate Student Association, includes contributions from graduate students from fields as diverse as nursing, anthropology and history.

Michael Kirby will explain the differences we have had in the courts (including the High Court of Australia) concerning whether one can tell the difference between truth and falsehood by the impression of witnesses in the artificial circumstances of a court room. Or anywhere else for that matter. In recent years, the High Court has moved to reduce the previous confidence in the mystical judicial capacity to evaluation truth based upon impressions. Instead, it has insisted upon greater reliance on contemporaneous records, objective facts, and the internal logic of the circumstances.

A light snack and drinks will be provided at the seminar. Please RSVP to events@gsa.unimelb.edu.au if you wish to attend.

Download attachment(s): [ Traffic Launch Invitation ]


15 October - Important Event for Graduate Student Teachers and Educators

Posted in: Events, News

Dr Neil Hawkes event  - click image to download PDF poster.
Dr Neil Hawkes is speaking on Thursday 15 October - click image to download PDF poster.
“In a values-based school the shared values language comes to inform everything that a school does and says. It underpins pedagogy, leadership, planning, policy positions, curriculum practices and behavioural expectations. If there is no common values language, if the values within the school are neither owned nor shared by the school community, there can be no basis for implementing effective, planning and systematic values education.”

The GSA, together with MGSE and the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, are inviting graduate student teachers (pre-service teachers), beginning teachers and educators to hear a presentation by noted international educator Dr Neil Hawkes on his experiences of introducing values-based education into schools in London and in Australia.

Read more >


YouTube 1 - Fair Fares Rally!

Posted in: Concession Card Campaign, News

Academic Misconduct Committee Member Training

Posted in: Advice & Advocacy, News

GSA Advocacy Manager Sara Pheasant will be conducting training for graduate students who are interested in being called upon to be a member of Academic Misconduct Committees.

Date: Monday 19 October
Time: 2:30 pm
Venue: Foundation Life Members Room, Graduate Centre

Students who are interested in participating in this valuable and important service for the University and your fellow students can register by emailing gsa@gsa.unimelb.edu.au or phoning 8344 8657. Please mention the training session and include your contact details in the message.


Graduate Student Elections: Declaration of the Returning Officer

Posted in: Elections, News

The ballot for the position for the graduate student representative member of University Council for 2010, closed on Friday, 25 September 2009.  After a counting of votes on 28 September 2009, Returning Officer for the election, Ms. Phillippa Heskett has declared Ms Zoe Edwards elected as the representative of graduate students on the University Council to serve for the period ending 31 December 2010.

Pursuant to Rule 205 (1) of GSA Election Regulations, a member of the Graduate Student Association may appeal against the result of this election by contacting a member of the Electoral Tribunal within two weeks of the declaration of the election result.

Download attachment(s): [ University Council Declaration of Result ]


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.