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GSS October 2019 Newsletter

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Welcome to your October newsletter!

Here are this month’s announcements from the GSS and the SFU community. To hear about events as they happen, please follow us on Facebook.

As always, we are happy to see you stop by our offices and the GSS lounge (MBC 2205) for a chat, to get some coffee, and connect with fellow graduate students. The GSS Lounge and Offices are open Monday through Friday, 9:00 am โ€“ 4:00 pm.

Announcements from the GSS

The GSS Director Elections

The Fall GSS Election period is underway for three Executive Committee positions: Student Life, Academic Relations and Finance. If you would like to join the GSS Executive team and have an interest in these positions, please consider running. More information is available here: https://sfugradsociety.ca/elections

You can also help the GSS by informing and encouraging fellow graduate students to consider running for these positions. Talk to a friend and / or share this posting on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2IGfvu5

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Grad Nights at Club Ilia

Every Tuesday, from 6 to 9 pm, Club Ilia offers a special for graduate students with discounts on select beers and burgers.

This is a great opportunity for grad students from different programs to meet, talk, unwind and build a sense of community. Please join in and spread the word!

Grad Nights

Fall Student Social in Surrey

We are planning a Student Social in Surrey on November 12, after the monthly GSS Council meeting. Please save the date and stay tuned for the announcement!

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Research Assistant Needed for a GSS Project

The Research Assistant for the GSS Know Your Rights Guide Project will be responsible for researching, collating and analyzing any of the universityโ€™s policies and regulations that might have an impact on graduate students.

The position will be responsible for collecting and preparing information from both SFU and government policies to present in a guide for graduate students.

This is a temporary, part-time position for a total of 150 hours between the date of hiring and February 2020.

For more information about the position and how to apply, please see: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qLSsFUxvOsSdbT35GbLn5FJJwlWfblr-EQsJcqKP3NI/edit?ts=5d9b9542

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GSS Statement on Poster Vandalism

This month, the GSS published a statement on the vandalism of #WeJustNeedToPee posters in the bathrooms of SFU campuses. We encourage you to read the statement and show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community: https://sfugradsociety.ca/statement-on-wejustneedtopee-poster-vandalism/

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GSS Affordability Bulletin

We at the GSS are continuing our education campaign for graduate students about the affordability of your education. This month, our posters focus on the rising tuition costs that are being used to replace inadequate government funding. Graduate student tuition has increased approximately 15% in real terms since 2008-09 and has more than doubled since 2001-02. Check out this month’s poster, last month’s poster, and the entire GSS submission on affordability here: https://sfugradsociety.ca/affordability/

Copy of Copy of Green and Pink Geometric Abstract Sale Poster (1).png

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Graduate Caucus Funding

Did you know that every graduate caucus gets money to spend on almost anything that benefits the grad students in your department? (See the Caucus Funding Spreadsheet for funds available to you for the rest of this fiscal year.)

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Discounted tickets for Fright Nights and Harvestland at the PNE

Discounted tickets for PNE Fright Nights and Harvestland are available using the GSS discount code. Please email us for discount codes: info@sfugradsociety.ca.

Please note: The GSS info email is only checked during office hours.

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Announcements From the University

Centre for Accessible Learning

SFU is committed to the full participation of students with disabilities in all aspects of academic life.  The Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) supports such equal participation by coordinating the provision of services and reasonable accommodations (adjustments to programs or policy) for students with mental and/or physical disabilities.  Graduate students are encouraged to contact CAL as early as possible to confidentially explore any disability-related issues or needs.  Please visit the Centreโ€™s website for further details: https://www.sfu.ca/students/accessible-learning.html

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Contribute to The Peak

The campus newspaper, the Peak is always looking for new graduate student contributors to cover issues such areas as family housing, tuition & finances, child care, student-supervisor relationships, and GSS advocacy campaigns and any other issues of interest to graduate students.

Graduate student voices are often not heard loudly enough when it comes to campus issues. Along with The Peak, we would like to see that changed. If youโ€™re new to journalism or writing, The Peak offers freelancing positions that pay per article written. Email the Promotions Coordinator at promotions@the-peak.ca and they will get you on the mailing list for the newspaper section you want to write for. We hope to see some of you take up this opportunity!

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Academic Integrity Week at SFU

October 15 to 18 is Academic Integrity Week at SFU! Learn how you can cite your sources, prepare for assignments and exams, and find resources to support your academic success at free workshops and pop-up events all week. http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity/academic-integrity-week.html

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Graduate Student Representative needed for the SFU Chemical Safety Committee

Charged with overseeing the safe storage, use and disposal of hazardous chemicals by all members of the SFU community including faculty, staff, graduate students and undergraduate researchers. The University Chemical Safety Committee is a standing committee with faculty and staff representation from across campus.  The committee is responsible for developing and implementing programs and procedures with respect to hazardous chemicals at SFU.

The committee is seeking a new graduate student representative for a volunteer position. An ideal representative is one who is familiar with working in a laboratory with hazardous chemicals and who would be available for meetings. The time commitment is not onerous; the committee meets twice a year for 1.5 to 2 hours each time.

Please send your resume or CV and a paragraph description on why you want to be on the committee to pierre.cenerelli@sfugradsociety.ca directly ASAP!

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On Campus Events

Announcements from the TSSU

MSP Changes: The system for charging MSP premiums is changing, resulting in major increases in costs for international students, particularly for international students with families, who could end up paying hundreds of dollars per month. TSSU is organizing to make sure SFU continues to cover the costs for TSSU members, as clearly stated in the Collective Agreement. To stay updated of further info or future actions, please see:  http://www.tssu.ca/mspfees 

SSU Fall 2019 Executive Election Nomination Open! Do you want to get involved in the TSSU as an exec? Nominations are now open for multiple exec positions. Each position is stipended or salaried, and does not require any former experience. It’s great way to get more involved with your union and learn about how TSSU works as a non-hierarchical, directly democratic and feminist labour union. 
Nominations close on Oct 24 General Membership Meeting. See more details: tssu.ca/fall-elections

TSSU Fall 2019 Exec Election Square (1).png

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Announcements from the Community

Events and Announcements for Indigenous Graduate Students

Here are some upcoming events and announcements for Indigenous graduate students. 

National Gathering for Indigenous Education – Nov 21-22, 2019 | Toronto, ON – More details

Learning Bird, who works in collaboration with First Nations across the country to create digital classroom resources that infuse Indigenous language and culture, is looking for Education Content Creators (which is a part-time role that can be remote) and a Partner Development Representative (full-time role).  

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Free Subscription to the University Affairs Magazine

University Affairs (UA) is an award-winning publication read by students, faculty and administrators on campuses across Canada. You may not know that as a graduate student, you are eligible for a free print/digital subscription (8 issues/year)!

University Affairs is currently celebrating 60 years of delivering news, commentary and in-depth articles on a wide range of Canadian higher education topics. UA is also Canadaโ€™s largest source of academic career advertising, and its website regularly includes postings for postdocs and research associates. It also offers career advice, with a particular focus on graduate students and younger faculty.

If youโ€™re unfamiliar with University Affairs magazine, you can view a sample digital edition online. Redeeming your free subscription is easy – just visit universityaffairs.ca and sign up for the print edition, the digital edition or both today!

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Travel Grants from the Youth Tourism Foundation

Theย Youth Tourism Foundation is very pleased to announce the launch of its Fall 2019 Grants Competition, with the nomination period ending on Friday, November 8, at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). On this occasion, three grants will be offered: two Solo Travelย grants of $1,000 each, as well as oneย Group Travelย grant, valued at $1,500. For more details, please see: https://ftj-ytf.org/grants-fall-2019

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If you have events or announcements that you would like to see included in next months’ GSS newsletters, you can share them with us by emailing student-life@sfugradsociety.ca

Follow the GSS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sfugradsociety/

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