BC graduate tuition above national average

Statistics Canada produced a report yesterday about tuition for Canadian students by province.

According to the report, graduate student tuition is increasing at a rate higher than undergraduate tuition.



Of interest at UVIC is that BC graduate tuition is above the national average by about $1,000 per year. This is particularly daunting given BC's lack of a graduate scholarship program, and high cost of living.

Obtain the stats can report here.

The UVIC GSS is working with graduate student unions across western canada to advocate for better graduate funding, maintaining tuition caps, and support for students.

Famous GSSers in CUPE ad!

The campus CUPE locals at UVIC have put together a new ad campaign, and some familiar faces are in the video. (Hint: Cristal and Dave both work or worked for the GSS).

Champions of Public Education from Bryan Skinner on Vimeo.

Pick up a free pen from our office... or (if you are a UVIC student) go to the site and enter to win a $500 gift certificate from UVIC bookstore! Goodbye textbook fees (for one semester anyway!)

http://www.cupeworkingtogether.ca/

UVIC bunny bakesale

This was spotted in Vancouver and sent to me... hat tip to wendy!

cool grad student moment

ultimate research fantasy!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/grad-student-uncovers-haitis-declaration-of-independence/article1521036/

Travel Grants issue resolved (for now)

To: All University of Victoria graduate students
We are happy to announce that, as a result of additional one-time funding commitments of $95,000 ($15,000 from the Graduate Student Society, $27,000 from the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and $53,000 from CUPE 4163 – the union representing teaching assistants, language instructors, and sessional lecturers at the University of Victoria) the FGS/GSS Travel Grant program is once again active for the 2010-11 fiscal year.
All three parties are pleased to be able to ensure that graduate students who have already made travel commitments based on an assumption of funding availability will be eligible to receive the monies they were relying on. This additional funding will allow the fund to be reinstated under the current eligibility guidelines for the summer (May-August), in order to provide time to address concerns with the funding structure for the fall.
As always, the distribution of funds will be done on a first-come, first-served system, so we encourage students to apply as soon as they receive the necessary paperwork from conferences.
Sincerely,
Adrienne Canning – Chair, Graduate Students’ Society
Dr. Aaron Devor – Dean, Graduate Studies
Craig Ashbourne – President, Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4163

Blog takes issue with research funding in canada

http://dontleavecanadabehind.wordpress.com/

With posts on "Green Brain drain" research in the budget and NSERC as outsourced labour, this blog looks to be an interesting place for debate about research in Canada. Check it out!

UBC Insiders gives GSS rave reviews

I love the UBC Insiders blog.

I love them even more, now though, because they provided some excellent coverage of our athletics fee fight. Not only that, they identify some implications for UBC students regarding their athletics fees at UBC-O.

Check out the full story here.