MeCCSA Postgraduate Network Call for Nominations 2020

The MeCCSA Postgraduate Network is calling for nominations from postgraduate students interested in joining our Committee for the period of September 2020 to September 2021.

About the MeCCSA Postgraduate Network Committee

The aim of the Postgraduate Network is to bring together postgraduate students in media, communication and cultural studies from different intellectual traditions and cultural backgrounds in order to form networks for research, teaching and learning, as well as ensure peer support.

The Postgraduate Network Committee is comprised of postgraduate students (at both Masters and Doctorate levels) based at universities across the UK. All positions are voluntary and offer excellent opportunities to contribute to enriching the postgraduate community as well as experience being part of the postgraduate arm of the UK’s association in the field of media, communication and cultural studies. Work carried out by the PGN Committee is mostly done remotely (via email, Skype, etc.), though the Committee is expected to attend the Annual General Meeting at our PGN conference (with the upcoming conference planned for September 2021).

Available Roles

This year, the following roles are available in the Committee:

Chair

The Chair is responsible for the overall operation of the Network, ensuring all Committee  members and involved parties keep to schedule and to MeCCSA standards. This involves liaising with the local organising committee for the PGN’s annual conference, creating the annual plan for the PGN including the budget, sending regular updates on the PGN’s activities to MeCCSA and maintaining regular contact with the rest of the Committee to ensure the Network runs smoothly. The Chair allocates tasks to the appropriate Committee member and ensures that each member is aware of the others’ duties so that they can effectively work together.

You can view the full specification for the role here.

Vice Chair

The Vice Chair is responsible for keeping records of PGN activities. The main duties and responsibilities include minute taking at meetings of the PGN and the subsequent circulation of those minutes among the PGN executive committee, as well as circulating other information pertinent to the committee’s operation. This role also requires supporting the network Chair with the co-ordination of all MeCCSA PGN events and activities. In circumstances when the Chair is unable to chair meetings, the Vice Chair fills this role.

You can view the full specification for the role here.

Associate Editor

The Associate Editor works alongside the Editor to oversee the running of the PGN’s journal Networking Knowledge. Networking Knowledge provides a platform for postgraduate and early career researchers to publish work as well as gain experience in all aspects of the peer review system. The journal features special themed issues proposed by guest editors, as well as inviting individual articles on any of MeCCSA’s subject areas.

Reporting to the Journal Editor, the Associate Editor oversees the peer review process, communicates with reviewers and authors, and together with the Editor, actively participates in the Copyediting and Production process of journal issues, and in planning regular, conference and special issues of the journal.

Unlike the other roles, elections for Associate Editor are only held every three years, unless the Associate Editor steps down.

You can view the full specification for the role here.

Nominations

You may apply for more than one role. To nominate yourself for any of the roles, please email Emma Kaylee Graves (e.graves206@canterbury.ac.uk) with the following details:

– Name

– Institution

– Year of study

– The role you wish to apply for

– A brief statement (maximum 100 words) on your relevant skills/interests (this statement will be included on the public voting form that voters base their decision on).

Deadline: Thursday 30th July 2020.

Election Process

Every nomination received for each role will be put forward to the postgraduate community to vote. This year, elections will be held online. Any postgraduate student is able to vote (including those who have submitted nominations). In the event of a tie, the current PGN Committee will vote to decide the final outcome. When voting has ended, the Chair will offer the roles to those who received the most votes.

If you have any questions about the MeCCSA Postgraduate Network Committee or any of the roles, please contact Emma with the email address above.

We look forward to receiving your nominations and welcoming some new members to our passionate team.

Best wishes,

MeCCSA Postgraduate Network Committee