Victory on GSS campaign on payment issues

As many of you are aware, the GSS has been lobbying for three years to change the way students can pay their tuition. We sought a means for students to deduct their tuition in monthly installments without late fees, as is done by graduate students on every other major Canadian campus.

 Today I am pleased to say we have won a victory for all UVic graduate students.

 Effective September, UVic graduate students will be able to pay their tuition in equal monthly installments from their bank account by filling out a form with UVic, regardless of funding. Students will not be charged interest or pay a late fee penalty if they are using this program. There will be an administrative fee of $25 per year for the service. This fee is far less than what many students are paying in interest and late fees currently. Further, the program is optional - so if the current system works for you, you can stick with it.

 This victory is a great way for the GSS Executive to end our term. We want to send out a big thanks to everyone on Grad Council and the past executives who worked so hard on this over the past three years. A big congratulation and thanks to everyone who came to the meetings with the dean, wrote letters to the president, and generally worked to make our campaign succeed - you have won a victory that will help many grad students in the coming years!

 Patrick Reed,

GSS Chair

GSS Party March 20

Need an excuse to cut out early for the long weekend??
Exercise your franchise... and then your drinking arm!

Party for Democracy!

Step one: GO VOTE
March 18-20, 9am to 5pm is polling on the referendum on CFS membership. So... if you haven't already voted by Thursday, better leave the lab/office/corner of a shared desk where you study and get to the polls before 5! (Polling is at University Centre and MacLaurin A wing foyer

then...

Step two: Come to the party!
Starting at 5pm at IQ Bistro in the Grad Centre!!
DJ Westcoast Convolution will provide the tunes, there will be cool prizes, and of course, you can enjoy the friendly camaraderie of your fellow grad students before the 4-day weekend.

Step three: Be first to hear the referendum results!
Referendum ballots are being counted (at a secret location) starting 5pm Thursday. We will hear the results first.. and then toast the referendum process!

Lots of referendum websites

As mentioned previously, students at Simon Fraser (including grads) and Kwantlen University College are holding referenda on CFS membership this coming week.

Yes and No CFS Campaign websites launched

The NO (campaign to leave the CFS) and YES (campaign to stay) have had their websites approved by the Referendum Oversight Committee.

No Campaign: http://cogitoergono.blogspot.com/

Questions for the No side can be sent to Joe Kolthammer gssdcomm [at] uvic.ca or by phone cell 889-4134

The "Yes" campaign (campaign to stay with the CFS) website is here.

Also, you can contact the CFS yes side with questions etc at campaigns [at] cfs-fcee.ca

General information on the referendum (rules, where to vote, etc) is here.

For those who prefer to read about the synchrotron there is also this site.

Other referenda?

You may have heard there are other students in BC holding referenda on CFS membership. This is true. They are Simon Fraser Students Society (which currently includes both grad students and undergraduates) and Kwantlen College Students Association.

Cape Breton University Students Union has also posted a notice of referendum for next week.

Referendum update

Some news on the referendum on CFS membership.

Referendum Oversight Committee meeting minutes from March 3 are now online and posted
outside the GSS office.

Campaign period has now begun (until March 20), and graduate students interested in campaigning can join a campaign team via contacts here. It is important to remember that campaigners must register with the campaign teams prior to campaigning.