History

The MPA has come a long way since 1961, when a group of research students banded together to form the first collective postgraduate body...

The beginning

The idea was (and still is) that postgraduates have different needs from undergraduates and therefore need autonomous representation.  Under the name of the Monash Research Students/Scholars Association (MRSA), this body sought funding in order to carry out its aim to improve conditions for research students.  Some funding was obtained briefly through Clubs and Societies, however it was felt that this arrangement was inappropriate for a representative body and the postgraduates then sought funds from the Union Board.  By 1969 a formal association was operating with a small budget, and by 1970 it had obtained a small office in the Union building.

In the 70s

The position of the postgraduate association seems to have been rather tenuous in the 70s, even though it was fully accepted by the administrative and academic sectors of the University.  Pressure was applied for the MRSA to affiliate with the Monash Association of Students (MAS, now called MSA), but this was strongly resisted.  Its meagre budgets were cut from time to time, especially when the Howard government's Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, was Administrative Executive officer of the MAS, and started to apply the fiscal axe to the postgraduate body.

In the 80s

Nevertheless the MRSA survived, and in 1980 changed its name to the Monash Association of Graduate Students (MAGS).  Staffing had gradually increased to meet the ever-growing demand placed on the association, relieving committee members of their administrative tasks, and allowing them to devote more time to policy issues and cultivating contacts and networks through which the objectives of the association could be achieved.  MAGS was beginning to have a real influence on the University and the late 80s saw a period of growth and development for the postgraduate association.

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In the 90s

In 1990 MAGS changed its name again, and became the Monash Postgraduate Association (MPA).  It was thought that this name would indicate the professional status of many postgraduate students and that it would help avoid confusion with the Mature Age and Part Time Students' Association (MAPS).  As both MAPS and MPA can attest, this second purpose failed.

Becoming multi-campus

The amalgamation with Chisholm Institute of Technology in 1990 also introduced a whole new perspective to Monash student associations.  Initially MAGS was invited by the Director of Chisholm to extend its services to postgraduates at the Caulfield campus.  However, concerns about the different levels of amenities fees at the two campuses, as well as different philosophies, meant that this connection was not maintained.  A similar situation arose with the later amalgamations with Gippsland College and the Pharmacy College.

1995: Effects of VSU

The introduction of Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU) by the Victorian Liberal State Government in 1994, provided the irresistible imperative of reorganisation, and the Monash Student Association, MSA, was born on 1 January 1995.  Most independent bodies such as the MPA, MAPS and the Monash University International Students' Service became divisions of the new MSA, while still retaining financial and operational autonomy.

Cross-campus expansion

The next few years saw the MSA become increasingly aggressive towards the MPA, with subsequent MSA Presidents ignoring the constitutional rights of the MPA by interfering in funding, staffing, and office-bearer positions.  At the same time, it was becoming increasingly apparent that postgraduates on other campuses wanted access to the services and activities of the MPA.  At the 1999 MPA Annual General Meeting, the MPA was directed by the postgraduate body to provide services to all postgraduates across all campuses, and this directive was echoed by University Council in 2000.

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2000: The new millennium

The MPA began to provide postgraduate services and representation across all six Victorian campuses in 2000, without receiving any additional funding.  Lobbying the University for the next three years for an equitable share of the postgraduate amenities fees, the MPA struggled to meet the needs and demands of a rapidly growing postgraduate population.

The MPA were required by the University to enter into negotiations with Monyx and the generic student bodies on each campus, in an effort to come to an agreement over the distribution of postgraduate amenities fees on each campus.  Not surprisingly, Monyx and the generic student associations were reluctant to accept any decrease in their funding, and the year long negotiations were unable to resolve the issue. 

2003: Incorporation

On 4 February, 2003, the MPA incorporated, with the support of the University, effectively separating from the MSA. In December 2003, University Council passed a proposal that the MPA be funded through a 20% cut off-the-top of the cross-campus postgraduate amenities fees.  However the impossible conditions placed upon the receipt of this funding meant that through most of 2003 and 2004, the MPA received only half of the allocated funding, and was left no option but to temporarily operate its affairs through the University, while continuing to lobby for financial independence.

2005: Independence

By 2005, the MPA was completely independent of both the MSA and the University.  For the first time in history, the staff were employed directly under the MPA, with a new Enterprise Bargaining agreement in place.  The MPA budget had doubled under the 20% funding agreement, even though funding from Caulfield and Gippsland was still under negotiation.  Just as prospects were looking good for the MPA, the Federal government once again proposed the introduction of VSU.

2006: Working under VSU

In December 2005, the Federal government passed a severe form of VSU, preventing universities from collecting any compulsory amenities fee after 1 July 2006.  This legislation was effectively a funding cut to Australian universities, who had to replace at least part of the funding from their own budgets, to ensure essential services such as independent advocacy continued.  While most undergraduate student associations had their budgets dramatically reduced, the MPA was successful in negotiating with the University to retain its current funding level and thus has been able to continue to provide targeted and effective services to support the Monash University postgraduate community. The MPA is indebted to the Vice-Chancellor for ensuring financial support of the MPA and in doing so, acknowledging the importance of MPA support services to the postgraduate community.

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