College Life
Bridge Night
Bridge Night is held every Wednesday of the month and is not restricted to Graduate Union Members. We welcome all gaming groups, so bring your friends and partake in any quiet board game you like! From chess, to checkers or scrabble, the game is yours!
Monthly Luncheons
Monthly Luncheons are lunch meetings held on the first Wednesday of every month. There are guest speakers from various disciplines ranging from politics, law, arts and culture, to medicine, health, law and the humanities. These luncheons are open to Members and non-members.
Women’s Forum
Once a month, female graduates come together to discuss topics including politics, philosophy, current affairs, social history and contemporary society. These meetings then continue over lunch in the dining room. Forums are open to Members and Non-Members.
During your stay at Graduate House, consider joining the Resident Member Committee (RMC). You can be a part of advancing the feeling of collegiality and being a voice for the Resident Members at Graduate House.
Resident Member Committee
The Resident Member Committee (RMC) meets regularly with staff to discuss residency matters, compiles reports for use by staff and the Council subcommittees, and receives and distributes communications from Council, subcommittees and staff to all Resident Members.
The RMC comprises the Resident Member representatives on Council subcommittees, the Duty Residents and representatives from the Graduate House Student Group (GHSG).
Meeting dates are shown in the annual calendar, with the first of four scheduled for late-January each year.
The following shows an example of the composition of the RMC. This changes each year according to the governance structure and the active working parties.
Resident Member representation on subcommittees of Council
Council, the governing body of The Graduate Union, delegates responsibilities to six Committees:
- Advancement
- Governance
- Finance
- Facilities
Each year, Resident Members can apply to be appointed to each of these subcommittees. On these subcommittee the Resident Members work alongside the Association’s Council members as well as with industry experts. With terms ranging from one to three years, the voluntary Resident Member positions provide valuable experience in governance, access to influential career networks and potential referees, and a good line on the resume! If interested in applying to become a subcommittee member, read the Rules and Regulations of our Association — the latter of which explain the roles and responsibilities of the subcommittees — and then arrange for a meeting with our CEO/Head of College by emailing admingh@graduatehouse.com.au.
Graduate House Student Group
The Graduate House Student Group (GHSG) began in 2014 and is a constituted affiliated member of the Graduate Student Association of The University of Melbourne (GSA).
This affiliation brings benefits to GHSG, including opportunities to network with other post-graduate student groups, to apply for funding, to provide representation of postgraduate matters and to gain training.
The GHSG is a vital component of our Graduate House and of the wider Association membership and is convened by the Resident Members for the Resident Members, primarily to organise social activities.
Office holders on the GHSG committee include (variously) a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Events Coordinator, Environment and Social Justice Coordinator, Sports Coordinator and Publicity Coordinator. The committee welcomes input and contributions from all residents.
The GHSG committee has a succession process to ensure its continuation with the ever-changing population of Graduate House. If you are interested in becoming a committee member or in giving your support for other college initiatives, get in touch. Details are in the newsletter and on in-house flyers. To view the GHSG constitution, click here.
Members of the Graduate House Student Group
Working Party
Various working parties are established each year. Resident Members may volunteer to become members of these working parties and thus assist in providing feedback and suggestions, and in delivering on the charter for each. This gives meeting and governance experience and can be listed on the resident’s resume.
Duty Residents
Duty Residents are also Resident Members who assist others living in the college during non-core business hours (from 7:00PM to 7:30PM Monday to Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday).
New residents who arrive in the evenings or on weekends are shown to their rooms and given a brief tour of the facility by the Duty Resident rostered on at that time.
Duty Residents aim also to make all residents feel welcomed and included in college life. The Duty Resident roster rotates weekly. The roster is shown on the notice board to the left of Reception. The rostered Duty Resident may be contacted by mobile phone, by pressing the external intercoms and from the wall phone at reception (the M3 button).