Newcastle University Postgraduate Students’ Association

WHAT’S NUPSA?

NUPSA was formed in 1997 as a separate Association for postgraduate students.

As a postgraduate student you are well aware that the issues you face are very different to those you faced as an undergraduate student. The best way to address your needs is through a Postgraduate Student Association.

NUPSA’s main purpose is to advocate for and represent postgraduate students at the University of Newcastle.

The objectives of NUPSA are to:

(1) Identify and respond to the needs and concerns of postgraduate students;

(2) Promote the development of a postgraduate community;

(3) Promote the quality of postgraduate education; and

(4) Ensure effective representation of the interests and concerns of postgraduate students.

The focus of NUPSA’s role can be captured in three words: Action, Advocacy, and Activities.

YOU ARE A MEMBER

Membership of NUPSA is universal for all postgraduate students of the University of Newcastle. This includes all PhD, Research Masters and Coursework Masters, Grad.Dip., Dip.Ed. and Grad.Certificate students. Honours students (although not classified as members of NUPSA) are invited to contact NUPSA should they need assistance, and are welcome to attend NUPSA events and workshops.

EXECUTIVE

NUPSA is run by an Executive Committee, consisting of 15 students, in portfolios covering educational standards (research and coursework), communication, activities, international students, women, equity, campus representation (Callaghan Satellite & Ourimbah Campus), and three General Executive positions.

Current Executive members are –
Ms. Sandy O’Sullivan (President);
Mr. Yuhua Shi (Vice-President);
Mr. Renu Rathnam (General Secretary);
Ms. Yanping Lu (Education Officer – Research);
Mr. Hou-Jiun Li (International Student Rep);
Ms. Simonne Pengelly (Callaghan Satellite Rep); and
Mr. Shehbaz Singh (Ourimbah Campus Rep).

There are vacant positions on the executive – if you are interested in taking on one of the roles please contact the NUPSA office for details and a nomination form.

Members hold executive positions from 1st January to 31st December each year.

Executive meetings are held monthly, with an Annual General Meeting in April.

RESEARCH

NUPSA conducts research into issues of concern to postgraduate students. This research then forms the basis for policy formulation and submissions to the University when matters of concern arise.

EDUCATION QUALITY

NUPSA makes an annual award for Supervisor of the Year (SOYA) and Teacher of the Year (TOYA).

Nominations from a research student for a supervisor (SOYA), or from a coursework student their lecturer or tutor (TOYA), are invited for the Awards during the 2nd semester of each year.

The recipients of the Awards are acknowledged and presented with a certificate at our Annual Dinner.

REPRESENTING YOU

Postgraduate students are represented by an executive member or an elected postgraduate student on a number of University Committees, working parties and sub-committees.

NUPSA will continue to seek representation on other Committees relevant to postgraduate students at all levels of University decision-making, and advocate on behalf of postgraduate students when necessary.

GRIEVANCES

NUPSA represents individuals or groups of postgraduate students when issues relating to grievances arise.

If you find yourself in need of such assistance please make contact with the NUPSA office. Any grievance matter is treated with the strictest confidence, and help to resolve the situation can be provided informally if needed.

Members of the Executive can be contacted through the office to arrange a suitable time to discuss your particular situation.

FACILITIES

There are postgraduate study rooms in the Auchmuty & Huxley libraries – contact the library enquiry desk to access these facilities.

The NUPSA Parenting Room is situated in Room HC09, Hunter Building. If you are a parent with a baby or young child, feel free to use the room when you are on campus. The room has been refurbished by the Facilities Management Division of the University, with furniture and other items provided by NUPSA.

WORKSHOPS and SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Overcoming the isolation of being a postgraduate student enrolled off-campus or in a small Faculty or Discipline is of primary importance.

NUPSA will endeavour to hold regular informal social functions and workshops during the semesters.

Workshops are aimed at providing postgraduates with skills, which will be useful to their studies as well as life after University. Workshop topics vary each year, and cover areas such as: Electronic Library & Reference Management; Literature Review; Intellectual Property; Statistics; Tutor Training; Thesis Writing; Stress Management; and Thesis Examination.

Social functions provide networking opportunities for members as well as the chance to raise issues with the Executive Committee.

Social functions are generally informal in nature but occasionally may be a more formal function such as the Annual Dinner. This is held in November each year and where the SOYA and TOYA winners are announced, as well as Faculty prizes presented for excellence, to research students.

YOUR NEEDS & CONCERNS

We want to know what you need so that we can provide representation to the University.

LET’S COMMUNICATE

WEB PAGE

Check out the NUPSA web site at http://www.nupsa.org.au

NEWSLETTER

Keep an eye out for POSTGRADS, our newsletter, which is distributed by email on a regular basis. The student mail address is used for the newsletter but if you let the NUPSA office know another email address can be recorded. Submissions are welcome.

HOW TO FIND US

The NUPSA office is located in Room HA150 of the Hunter Building, Callaghan Campus (opposite the Huxley Library).

Office Hours

The office is open on a part time basis with core hours being from 9.30am to 2.30pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (closed Monday).

Contact details

Telephone (02) 4921 8894
Fax (02) 4921 8895
Email: nupsa(AT)newcastle.edu.au

Postal address
Box 5, Hunter Building
University of Newcastle
Callaghan. NSW 2308