Hi, I'm Hau-Yu. Although I'm a new member of the School of Law here, I've been coming to SOAS as a visitor since 2015, when I was researching my undergraduate dissertation. So I know my way around the place and the groups, am very fond of SOAS and feel well-settled here. I also work alongside my studies, as a heritage projects and community worker. Hence I'd like to connect and collaborate with my fellow PG Taught students - particularly those who are holding down a job or jobs, or who are adjusting to life in London/UK, or feeling isolated/confused/distressed, or looking to get something new started - to get our talk travelling and landing, and to improve our experiences of studying and living.
I would like to:
1. Develop a range of channels (and improve on those existing) for PG Taught students to voice their ideas, complaints, feelings, and make these as visible as possible to all. Besides emailing me or finding me on campus, I am thinking also to have a blog/online forum where you can post anonymously, a commenting facility in the PG Common Room, and of course socials, workshops and open meetings. I would relay these to the Union and School, and make the records of these meetings available publicly. I would encourage constructive critique from PG students, about absolutely anything.
2. Establish a Postgraduate Students' Society.* I would work with PGs and class/programme reps to publicise their events and help to organise events. These would range from big socials, to trainings to more personal sessions. For example = potluck lunches, storytelling training (useful for many things), PG festival. We would work to build a supportive culture where PGs can have their needs, desires and interests met. *apologies if one already exists; I couldn't find it when searching.
3. Work with the SU to translate PG concerns into strong campaigns and fun events, either free-standing and specific, or joined up with bigger campaigns and events.
4. Give the PG Common Room some love! At the moment it is a little neglected... We could decorate it, strive to keep the boards lively and updated, make it a place to go/be in! Also to fix the broken sockets, add some cushions, plants and some PG Tips... any other ideas?
5. Work with PGs and volunteers to ensure all Union Publicity is displayed prominently in the PG Common Room and that the Union is promoted to postgraduate Students - via Facebook, Gmail Newsletter and Common Room updates.
Rachel Tam Hau-Yu, MA Human Rights Law (part-time, 2017-19)