Grad Student Boogie Challenge 2007

Amy (on our front desk) introduced me to her friend Katherine's Grad Office Boogie on youtube and I think UVIC grad students can do better. We dare you to post a grad office boogie and send it to us so we can post the links and make you famous. (Actual talent is verboten!). We will find a prize (depending on how good you are) for the BEST/WORST (or the person who manages to be both!) submission!! Send submissions to gsscomm [ at ] uvic.ca.

Has there ever been a better argument for grad students needing their own office? Check out that guy trying to get work done!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hxv6AP6Frp0

You can also fine Katherines marvelous failed audition for Canadian Idol, which achieved her goal of making it to the "Worst Auditions" show!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJHMF_PMrFg

The First Nations Day of Action: Why we should support it

Thursday June 28, 2pm
Grad Centre Room 108 (board room), UVIC.

Come join the GSS for tea and coffee and an informal round table discussion with:

Chiinuuks, an MA student in Indigenous Governance who is from the Nuchalnuth First Nation

Glen Coulthard, a Dene activist and PhD student in political theory at the University of Victoria who teaches courses in the Indigenous Governance Programs and the Department of Political Science.

What is the day of action?
National Chief Phil Fontaine issued an invitation to all canadians to join a peaceful First Nations Day of Action to improve the lives of First Nations people. Information on June 29th activities and the campaign can be found at http://afn.ca. Chief Fontaine also discussed many of the issues faced by First Nations in this short YouTube statement about the Day of Action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skV_UB32fxA

For more information about this event, contact Stacy at gssmgr@uvic.ca

Deans presentation on expanding grad enrolment

Recent funding from the BC government will mean a rapid expansion in graduate student enrollment, starting in September 2007 and continuing to 2010. This link is to Dean Aaron Devor's presentation at a recent Town Hall meeting to explain the new funding and possible impacts at UVic.
While pleased to finally have a BC graduate scholarship, the GSS is concerned about the impact of resources such as office space and supervisory time with this jump in enrollment.

Grad student rep needed for UVSS constituency group council

The GSS is seeking a graduate student representative to sit on the UVSS advocacy council.

Every graduate student contributes to the UVSS constituency groups budget, and as such graduate students have a seat on the Advocacy Council, which recommends budget allocations to constituency groups, and supports the groups working effectively. You can view the terms of reference for this council below.

If you are interested, please send a brief statement of interest, along with your full name, degree program, and contact information to gssmgr@uvic.ca.

[From UVSS POLICY]

PART B: ADVOCACY COUNCIL

1. Type

a. Standing, open committee of the UVSS BoD with closed membership.

2. Purpose

a. Act as the primary liaison between constituency organisations, NSU and the BoD.

3. Duties

a. Serve as a forum for constituency organisations to work collectively on common issues on campus and in the community such as but not limited to, homophobia, sexism, racism, anti-semitism, classism, colonialism, ableism and ageism.

b. Allocate funds from the constituency control account to constituency organisations subject to approval by the BoD

c. Facilitate the reactivation of inactive advocacy council member organizations

4. Membership

a. The Chairperson - ex officio and chair of the committee

b. One Director elected by the BoD

c. One GSS member elected by the GSS

d. Resource Coordinator(s) – ex officio and non voting

e. One representative from each Constituency Group, as per UVSS bylaws selected by their respective organization and ratified by the BoD

f. One representative selected by the NSU and ratified by the BoD

5. Quorum

a. Shall be a majority of voting members and the chair and not less than three (3) voting members.

6. Meetings

a. Shall meet at least once a semester at date set by the chair of the committee or upon the call of the BoD.

7. Term of Office

a. Shall be from the date of appointment until the end of the current board year (ie April 30).

Simpsons makes fun of grad students

hat tip to Joey Coleman.

Childcare Bill supported by GSS

The GSS Sent this letter in support of Bill C303, the Access to Childcare act.

April 30, 2007

Dear members of the House of Commons HUMA Standing Committee,

I am writing on behalf of the University of Victoria Graduate Students’ Society (GSS) to encourage you to support Bill C-303.

Access to affordable childcare has a major impact on the ability of many of our members to succeed in pursing post-graduate studies. In 2006, there were 2423 graduate students at UVic, and of these 1426 were women. The median age of full time graduate students is 30 yrs, but for part time students, who are often students juggling parenting, jobs and their studies, the median age is 37.

While UVic has excellent childcare facilities, the wait for childcare, both at UVic and at other childcare centres in Victoria, can be several years. There are simply not enough spaces available. Many students complete an entire degree without being able to access UVic childcare services. Even parents who can afford the most expensive facilities are sometimes unable to find care. Bill C303 addresses the need to create new childcare spaces.

Lack of spaces drives prices up and for families living on a low income this means it is even more difficult to find safe, quality childcare. According to Campaign 2000, BC holds the shameful distinction of having the highest rate of child poverty in Canada (23.5%). For parents who are raising children in poverty, post secondary education is one route to increasing family income. For many students, the cost of childcare is a major barrier to attending college or university. In 2005, the average monthly cost of childcare in BC ranged from $705 for infants to $419 for after school care, and according to Statistics Canada’s Consumer Price Index, childcare costs in BC rose 5.6% from 2005 to 2007. Bill C303 supports the creation of public, affordable childcare.

Finally, Bill C303 safeguards federal funding for childcare. This is especially important to citizens of BC, where shortly after a federal childcare funding announcement the provincial government cut funds for infrastructure and creating new childcare spaces in BC.

For these reasons, we encourage you to support Bill C-303.

Sincerely,
Patrick Reed
Chair, University of Victoria Graduate Students’ Society

Travel Grants amounts increased

The Faculty of Graduate Studies is pleased to announce that travel grant funding has been increased as of April 1, 2007.

 

As part of our commitment to support the research activities of our graduate students, we have adjusted the following categories:

 

Travel Grant category:	Previous funding amount:	New amount:
1	$150	$300
2	$200	$400
3	$400	$600

 

Students who have already been approved for travel grant funding for the current fiscal year (travel occurring after April 1, 2007) will receive the additional funding in the particular category to which they have applied. No new application is required in order to receive the increased amounts. Those students who have already been approved for travel grants should submit receipts to the Faculty of Graduate Studies that equal or exceed the new amount in their particular category.

 

Please distribute this announcement to all of your graduate students.  Attached are revised travel grant regulations, as well as a new travel grant application form. Please use these forms from now on. They can also be found on our web site at

http://web.uvic.ca/gradstudies/fund/documents/TravelGrantAPPLICATION-new.pdf

 

If you have any questions, please contact Anitra Winje, Travel Grant Facilitator, at 472-5209 or fgssec1@uvic.ca.