Questions Page

The first postgrad omni-coffee-time raised a lot of interesting questions. Here we collate them so that they can brought to the attention of those that can help answer them.

Questions

• We require greater financial transparency. No one really know how much money they have and for how long.
  • Funding allowance needs to be made more clear per person. Collective grants don't seem to have any regulations to keep them fair?
  • It needs to be made clearer exactly what funding is available for travel etc. If it should be known in theory it certainly is not in practice.
  • If we submit a thesis prior to the end of our funding, do we have to pay back any money? For example, if I submit a couple of days after I am paid an installment, do I have to pay most of it back?
  • Continuation fees? 4th year students need to pay money to the college after 3 months, to encourage them to submit?

• Information regarding international students (e.g. funding duration and visa details)
  • When does our status change from student to non-student? On submission? Or after our viva? How does this change international students visas? Additionally when do students need to start paying council tax?

• Laptop encryption

• Other questions...

• Information regarding myPGR?
  • Information is very scarce, some students are unsure what they are supposed to do and others aren't happy about the amount of time MyPGR^? takes, but it is better now.

Problems from the Forum (Coffee Session) and possible Solutions

• We need more socialising between the groups in our department.
  • Need a PGR socialising email list?
  • We need more than just the one whole department social event (the Christmas Meeting). Bill Barnes and Alastair Hibbins also agree with this so we are planning a summer social - what do people think of a BBQ? The date of this is still being considered to try to be after Staff have marked exams (i.e. after the meeting of the exam boards) but before people go away for conferences etc...
  • Termly PGR Fora, where we ensure we spend a little while at the beginning casually chatting (not bringing up issues), so this will become a whole departmental PGR coffee session.

• Email lists are not complete - PGR students are being missed off of emails and so aren't getting important information that they need.
  • The PGR admin team are aware of this problem so students shouldn't worry too much if they hear about a deadline too late - this can be taken into account.
  • This is in the process of being rectified.

-- ThomasHaworth - 13 Nov 2012