Hello, My name is Maria-Stella Aloupie and i am from the University of
Reading. I would like to send a message to you, regarding representation.
I hope it will be of use in the conference.

I find that representation at the University of Reading at least, in
all levels, simply does not work in the vast majority of the times. 
I have been here for 5 years and i am
naturally involved in issues that would require the help of a
representative, from simple technical issues to big and important issues.
Unless we stand for hours in common ripping-off phones in
order to find persons we do not know in hall-corridors without phones at
all, hoping that someone will pick the phone up on the grownd floor and go
3-4 stairs up to face locked corridor doors, there is no way to find them. 
Most of the time there simply is no posible contact at all.
We only hear about some representatives in the elections, but we never
hear anything else. I think there is not enough encouragement for
noticeboard and e-mail communication. One might think that the reps would
have an e-mail or a noticeboard at the Student's Union premises at least.
No such thing (visible with the naked eye at least).

Further more, sometimes nominees appear only in the election period in
order to include their acquired " rep- title" in their CVs.
 In a hall of residents that i was, there were all sorts of self-elected
representatives for all sorts of things that they did not do. They never
carried my messages to anyone, even when i got sick by drafts in the
bathrooms.

As for Post-Grad representation in particular, it is the same. THere is no
noticeboard in every faculty informing us at least who the rep is, not to 
mention interests,  rights and obligations that should be clarified.
The student's rep may be working beside you for a year, but you do not
know it, and you don't know what they are supposed to do or that they
exist at all.
 Student's opinions are almost never asked, and certainly never discussed.
There is no exchange of absolutely any arguments, in the entire community.
Sometimes people are not elected but volunteer. Many times these are
trully THE WRONG people...

Another issue that is very important is the fact that even students' reps
are students themselves, and thus vulnerable to the same threats as the
students they represent. I am not convinced that they feel freer to
represent someone without penalties in case of dispute with the
University more than i do.
 I am also not convinced that by reporting an issue to the
proper people there will be some kind of response. Many times you just do
not know the fate of your recommendation,  observation or complaint.
 There just is not always a mechanism for reply, arguments and exchange of
ideas. This has created a very widespread opinion that i have heared
everywhere, from native and international students alike, that "they do
not do anything" (meaning the university).
 In fact, a lot of good things happen. However, we always
have the idea that these good things happen from good people, and not from
the University policy and spirit as a whole. THere are plenty of very good
people around, and they are wonderful (staff and academics), but they are
not always in position to help. Recently we have an equal opportunities
officer, which is a very promissing thing that honours the university.

I think the MOST IMPORTANT task you have, is to promote
LEGISLATION that would cover students and student's representatives from
direct and indirect penalization merely for complaining, as is supposed to
happen in every emploee's union for example.
 I have been a Post-Graduate student's
representative myself in a non-university hall of residents (with
University students), and involved with loads of international students in
another (University) hall of residence and i can assure you that MOST OR
evne ALL international students including me are terrified of penalization
if they speak their mind in some cases, whether alone or through a
representative, even for very minor things.
(This has happened to me personally three times). I am really afraid to
confidently send even this letter, and in the case that i have trouble
from it i shall need your support. Please do not disclose my name if you
can. I feel that the best way to deal with these problems is to encourage
structures and promote ideas, than to target e.g. persons or particular
cases.

 Perhaps representation in the UK has a long way to go.
 It can be ignored, neglected but at times even  boycoted, discouraged,
even threatened.
My feeling is that some  old-fashioned powerful people consider any
involvement at all as "trouble", and actively discourage it, particularly
in the case of international students that are more vulnerable in terms of
visas, money etc. I feel that those people do not understand at all how
democracy works, and they scrutinize it as if it were something immoral.
To them "quietness" and "obedience" are the key elements that a student
should have if s/he wants to take a degree. I think that one major task
that you have, is to make some kind of demand, that ALL STAFF AND
ACADEMICS, and not only the volunteering to attend meetings ones, should
READ THE WHOLE CODE OF GOOD PRACTICE and EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES that every
university should compose.
 It appears that they are miles away from the present reality.
The bad thing is that there are some young people around with the same
mind, because they have never been educated to seek democratic procedures
as normal. They almost consider it a sin!

 I am convinced that
lately the University is doing serious movements towards equal
opportunities and democratization, and i hope your Conference will help
identify  problems and  methods.

  I hope that
you bring this letter to the conference which i cannot unfortunately
attend. It seems that even people that would like to make representation
work  better do not know how. 
Many students of all ages and countries simply have no
experience on how things could work, from their past life.  
Our Student's Advisory Centre is i think taking care of this at
the moment, together with the counceling service,  and i am willing to
help to that. The Advisory people believe that democracy is not highly
appreciated at a university level because of the culture of 
Thacherism, which made people indifferent and selfish. Coming from a
trully free university (at least in the expressions of our ideas
whatever they might be), the University of Athens, i think i can see a
long way ahead here.


Thank you very much for your attention.
Maria-Stella Aloupie







On Wed, 28 Jul 1999, Jeremy Hoad wrote:

> (Apologies for cross-postings)
> Please feel free to forward this information to anyone who may find it
> useful
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Postgraduate Policy & Practice
> 
> National Postgraduate Committee
> 10th Annual Conference
> 
> 2nd - 5th September 1999
> University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
> 
> Sponsored by
> The Prospects Postgraduate Series
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The National Postgraduate Committee
> 
> The NPC is the representative body for postgraduates in the UK, promoting
> the interests of postgraduates and campaigning to help Student Unions and
> Institutions to improve the services they provide.
> 
> The NPC Conference
> 
> The NPC Conference is a perfect opportunity to focus on postgraduate issues.
> Share experience and discuss ideas to develop and improve the provision of
> services and facilities to postgraduate students. Sessions will be provided
> in a mixture of presentations, workshops, discussions and training events.
> 
> The Conference starts at 13.00 on Thursday 2nd September and finishes at
> 13.30 on Sunday 5th September.
> 
> Who should attend?
> 
> Postgraduate students or anyone who deals with them such as postgraduate
> representatives, student union sabbaticals and staff, University
> administrators, staff development officers and education researchers.
> 
> Conference Sessions include:
> 
> Student Complaints and Appeals
> Postgraduate Policy after Harris and Dearing
> Training Postgraduate Students as Teachers
> Good Practice in Research Supervision
> International Students Issues
> Meeting the needs of Mature Students
> Communicating with postgraduate students
> Graduate Schools
> Student Representation
> Equal Opportunities Issues
> Postgraduate Qualifications
> 
> Some keynote speakers
> 
> Paul Clark, Chief Executive, ILT
> Professor Martin Harris, Chair, CVCP
> Professor Robert Burgess, Chair, UKCGE
> Professor Nick Harris, Chair, Development Directorate, QAAHE
> Dr. Iain Cameron, Head of Postgraduate Training Cross-Programme Group, EPSRC
> Andrew Pakes, President, NUS and Chris Fabby, VP Education, NUS
> Janusz Karczewski-Slowikowski, AHUA
> Dr. Pat Cryer, SRHE
> Dr. Ewan Gillon, AUT
> Rosemary Stamp, National Director, Education, Riley International
> 
> Registration
> 
> Registration for the conference includes:
> 
> *    3 nights accommodation
> *    all meals (dinner Thursday - breakfast Sunday)
> *    refreshments throughout the conference
> *    attendance at any sessions
> *    NPC Annual General Meeting and elections
> 
> A drinks reception with a private gallery view of the Sainsbury Centre for
> the Arts, a reading by writers at UEA, world renowned for its MA in creative
> writing and attendance at the Annual Dinner are also included.
> 
> If you need accommodation for the Wednesday night this can be arranged.
> Please contact the General Secretary for details.
> 
> Further information
> 
> A provisional schedule for the conference will be available soon on the NPC
> web pages.
> 
> Jeremy Hoad, NPC General Secretary, 11 Onley Street, Norwich, NR2 2EA
> EMAIL:  [log in to unmask]            TELEPHONE: 01603 473487
> 
> conference email:       [log in to unmask]
> 
> NPC web site:              http://www.npc.org.uk/
> 
> Booking
> 
> By email
> Please cut the section between the lines (*****) and return it to the
> conference email address with all relevant sections completed.
> Your booking will be confirmed on receipt of payment in full.
> 
> By post
> Please print out the form between the lines (*****) and send to the General
> Secretary including payment in full.
> 
> Invoices
> An invoice can be supplied on request.
> 
> Jeremy Hoad, NPC General Secretary, 11 Onley Street, Norwich, NR2 2EA
> 
> We can also send you a booking form by post. Please contact the General
> Secretary to request one.
> 
> Payment
> 
> Please make cheques payable to:      The National Postgraduate Committee
> 
> 
> ****************************************************************************
> **********************************
> 
> 
> Postgraduate Policy & Practice
> NPC 10th Annual Conference, 2nd - 5th September 1999, Norwich
> Conference Booking form
> 
> 
> 
> CONTACT DETAILS
> 
> Name___________________________________________________________________
> 
> Title_______________Position_______________________________________________
> 
> Organisation______________________________________________________________
> 
> Address_________________________________________________________________
> 
> _______________________________________________________________________
> 
> ___________________________________________Postcode_____________________
> 
> Telephone____________________________Email_______________________________
> 
> REGISTRATION FEES (please mark your choice)
> 
> Members are affiliates and individual subscribers to the National
> Postgraduate Committee.
> 
> MEMBERS
> Full Conference £150  _______        Day Registration £40    _______
> 
> NON-MEMBERS
> Full Conference £200  _______        Day Registration £60    _______
> 
> If you are not attending the full conference please specify the days you
> wish to attend:
> 
> Thursday 2nd______   Friday 3rd______   Saturday 4th______   Sunday 5th
> ______
> 
> SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS (please specify)
> 
> _____________________________________________________________________
> 
> AGREEMENT
> 
> I have read and agree with the terms and conditions below.
> 
> Signature (please enter you name here)
> 
> ____________________________________________Date:_____________________
> 
> PLEASE MAKE CHEQUES PAYABLE TO        "The National Postgraduate Committee"
> 
> TERMS AND CONDITIONS
> 
> This booking form constitutes a legally binding agreement. Cancellations
> must be notified in writing before 15th August 1999. A surcharge of £25 will
> be deducted from all cancellations to cover administration costs. Bookings
> made after 15th August 1999 are non-refundable.
> 
> ****************************************************************************
> ******************************
> 
> --
> _____________________________________________________
> 
> JEREMY HOAD
> 
> General Secretary
> National Postgraduate Committee (NPC)
> [log in to unmask]
> 
> President
> Postgraduates¹ International Network (PI-NET)
> [log in to unmask]
> 
> Contact
> Address....................11 Onley Street, Norwich, NR2 2EA
> Telephone..............01603 473487
> E¹[log in to unmask]
> _____________________________________________________
> 

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