As PGR officer, I plan to work to improve conditions at the Doctoral School. Recently, the RSA has voted that the Doctoral School is in crisis, due to poor working conditions, financial problems facing postgraduate research students, lack of supervision, the high cost of attendance, and many more reasons. Many of these situations can be addressed with a coordinated effort led by the RSA. I also want to work with the new Doctoral School leadership in planning training opportunities for PGRs, something I have already been working on. I will also work closely with FFFP in their efforts around fractional issues.
I also hope to expand on the successes of the RSA from last year, which included maintaining student workspace in the Doctoral School and working to change the draconian tier 4 visa compliance scheme that was implemented without consultation of the PGR student body. Hopefully this year PGRs will face fewer threats from management, and we will be able to use our organising energy to improve our conditions, rather than need to fight to maintain what we have.
If you have any questions, please send me an email at 621042@soas.ac.uk. You can also find me most days in the basement of the doctoral school.