Thinking of running for grad council?

Hey grad students ! Why not run for grad council as your departmental graduate representative to the GSS?

Info here:

http://gss.uvic.ca/#GRCelection

BC September 2009 budget update and graduate students

BC's September budget update makes little mention of graduate school, graduate students or research, although graduate studies is briefly mentioned as one targeted area of expansion in the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour service plan.

Capital spending is discussed in the budget speech, with $500 million for capital expansion on campuses--$86.4 million is going to UBC's pharmaceutical research facility--which is a drug commercialization facility. The ministry must disclose projects over $50 million, sp presumably the rest of the capital spending falls under that amount. Other major projects mentioned focus on environmental technologies or research, including Okanagan College's Centre for Green Building Technologies ($27.6 million), Energy House project at Northern Lights College ($7.8 million) and 21 million for UNBC's project involving turning waste wood into energy. Indeed, the investment in research and development mentioned in the budget speech is in green energy.

The Ministry's service plan shows an increase in funds directed to post-secondary institutions (5% increase). Bear in mind there is a 2% price index increase over last year, and UVIC is slated to have a 14% increase in graduate enrollement this year. Meanhile there's a 15% cut back to Student Aid BC--this is for ministry spending so whether this will result in cuts to bursaries, and exactly how this will be handled, is not yet clear. But earlier this year, the Pacific Leaders graduate funding was put on hold, and other student support focussed on helping disabled students, nursing students and those needing loan forgiveness was quietly cut in July (see Vancouver Sun article).

Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Development service plan

http://www.bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/2009_Sept_Update/sp/pdf/ministry/almd.pdf

Budget speech

http://www.bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/2009_Sept_Update/speech/Budget%20Speech_Sept_2009.pdf

Grad Students and self funding

I always find it fascinating and impressive to see how graduate students manage to do so much while in school.

For instance, Nursing grad student Pasquale Fiore teaches nursing courses at Camosun and is a Reiki master... he also manages to keep up with artistic hobbies. Today he showed me he art cards today--they are on sale at the UVIC bookstore and feature Victoria and BC lanscapes and scenes.

you can see his work here on a sight dedicated to creative work by nurses--so it seems he is not alone among his colleagues in creating art work!

I asked him how he manages to pursue a graduate degree, his SSHRC research, teaching and his art projects, and he says, "With a very good iPhone. It beeps and tells me what to do!"

So next time you need to send mom a card, check out Pasquale's cards at UVic bookstore!

SFSS-CFS dispute must be resolved in full trial

Those who were involved in the referendum in which the GSS left the Canadian Federation of Students have been watching the trial resulting from the Simon Fraser vote on the same issue with some interest. Simon Fraser students voted 66% in favour of leaving 2008, but the CFS contests the validity of the referendum. The SFSS tried to get a summary judgement (judgement without trial) affirming the vote was valid, but lost this month--not because they were wrong, but because the jude decided the issue needs a trial to be resolved. The judge's ruling makes for interesting read. And it seems not only SFSS will be paying (part of?) the CFS costs for the summary judgement proceedings but SFSS students are paying CFS fees with their tuition and it seems unclear what is happening to them. Is SFU holding them in trust until this is resolved?

The GSS referendum to leave the CFS (in which our members voted to leave) has not been contested. GSS members voted 57% in favour of leaving the CFS.

Bike Kitchen cooking up near you

UVIC is doing well by their cyclists, I must say.

In the past year, cycling commuter showers have been included in every new building.

The Spokes bicycle program helps students who have just arrived get a bike for a year-- free! And Spokes also lets you rent bikes for visiting family and friends (oh, and visiting scholars too!) at dirt cheap prices.

There are even charging stations for those with electric batteries on their bikes.

And now, lucky me, right outside the Grad Centre, UVIC plans to install a "Bike Kitchen". Four stands to fix your bike, and tools and compressed air all right there for you. For students, a bike is a great way to get around. Minor repairs are much easier with a stand, but investing in that sort of equipment is out of reach. A bike kitchen is a fantastic bonus for all the cyclists on campus. The Bicycle User Committee intends to use it as a meet-up spot for rides as well.

Kudos to all involved in this project, and to the Bicycle Users Committee for all their work improving UVIC for cyclists.

So many ways to tandem

I was trying to figure out a way to include this on the grad student blog, but I can't--except it qualifies as thesis distraction. Or perhaps there are some interesting kinesiology or physics questions that arise..

Anyway, as mentioned, I do love a tandem bike, so here are some interesting variations on the theme!

Back to back



three wheeler



what the hell? wild rowing machine tandem...with disco soundtrack and 1950's (norwgian?) documentary voice commentator that reminds me of my grade 10 PE teacher...



I want this one:


This one is great--hand crank and cycle tendem combo--called the "handem tandem" !

Couldn't get it to embed, but it is at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whD86tuujxE

Perhaps a new project for the grad house... the beer bike (10 riders, two bartenders!)




And finally, a side by side sitting up

SSHRC campaign presents 17,000 signatures to the house of commons

I just received this email from the campaign to stop the changes to SSHRC. Congratulations to the organizers of this campaign.

-----------------

Hello, Thank you for being one of more than 17,000 people who have signed the written petition in opposition to the government's earmarking of Canada Graduate Scholarship funding within SSHRC.
Once we started our campaign against this earmarking, petitions flooded our office from every province and territory in Canada, as well as the United States, Britain, Germany and Japan.
It was an incredible response.
In this last legislative session, I had the honour of presenting this petition in the House of Commons on your behalf. Together, we have made a powerful statement in opposition to the government’s attack on the social sciences and humanities and its overall disregard for the fundamental principle of academic freedom.

(Featured: Arati Sharma and Rick Theis of CASA, Hon. Niki Ashton, and from CFS Graham Cox, Federico Carvajal and Gaétan-Philippe Beaulière)
We must continue to work together. The battle continues in the face of ongoing actions and interference of the Minister of Science and Technology, Gary Goodyear. In advance of the next budget, we will continue to make it clear that not only is discipline-related earmarking unacceptable but that social sciences and humanities research in Canada is vital. The contributions made by students, researchers, academics and people working in the social sciences and humanities are integral to moving our country forward.
Thank you again for joining me, and the thousands of others who have spoken out in opposition to the actions of this Government.
I invite you to watch the embedded video link of my presentation to the House: https://mail.uvic.ca/owa/redir.aspx?C=856195e385fa4f9aaab6b65e26669bdb&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2fwatch%3fv%3d-ms6o_LlUc0
I look forward to staying in touch!
Niki