Presidential Monthly Report!

This is for both November and December 2021.

Hi all,

This documents serves to highlight the activities, events and engagements over the months of November and December as far as the KPA is concerned. The whole committee are looking forward to lots of exciting events over the course of the year for postgraduate students.

I want to wish you a very, very Happy New Year, and best wishes for everything you do in 2022!

Beth and I were elected on 19th November, and made a very swift start to our roles the following Monday 22nd November! We had our inductions, and are working hard behind the scenes with Atieme and the rest of the committee to keep you all updated on what we’re doing as a team. We’re also working closely with the Clubhouse to ensure that the wonderful activities and events we all so enjoy are supported and attended.

Eight days into our tenure, we hosted the Emergency General Meeting on Tuesday 30th November. This was a forum where postgrads could ask questions regarding the strikes, and receive support with any concerns they were facing regarding the industrial action by UCU. We are continuing to meet with senior management within the University, and with UCU, to understand whatever situation comes our way. This also helps us to plan the support for our members – for you.

We had a very successful trip to Trentham Christmas Markets, ably assisted by our lovely Beth. Everyone had a wonderful time!

We have continued to run our ‘Productive Postgrads’ sessions on a Monday, 10am – 3pm, which have been a resounding success. These are a fantastic opportunity to study, have a free coffee and some lunch, and to get to know fellow postgrads and members of the committee.

I went to my first Senate meeting, and reported on what the KPA have been doing (strikes, events and future planning ideas).

I attended the Faculty Presentations for the Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences, and gave my feedback based on who I thought would be best for student experience and student support. It was also a valuable experience for me to get to know important contacts in the schools across the University, so that we can better tailor the support that is offered to you.

I also sat on an external scrutiny panel for the University of Nottingham’s sabbatical team, to better understand the experiences of their students, and to also share our knowledge about how better to support you all. I made some excellent contacts there, and I’m sure our relationship will continue.

I attended my first Education Leadership Group meeting in the middle of December, where we discussed possible COVID mitigations for exceptional circumstances, exam procedures and support offered to you over the Christmas period and beyond.

I have just managed to have one-to-one discussions with all of the members of the committee, alongside my one-to-one meetings with Atieme, Beth, and Jules from the Clubhouse. These are helping me create the relationships that we need to ensure that your experience at Keele is the best it can possibly be, and that the support you need is always in place.

We are currently in the process of planning for January, so watch this space for exciting activities and events that will be coming your way!

All the best,

Sarah x