Grad school, and? An introduction to your student union Graduate Students’ Union (GSU) University...

Grad school, and?An introduction to your student union

Graduate Students’ Union (GSU)University of Toronto

Local 19, Canadian Federation of Students16 Bancroft Avenue, University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario M5S 1C1 416-978-2391

www.gsu.utoronto.caby Gina Trubiani, GSU Executive 2005-06

The Tech, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

THEACADEMIC FRONTIER

A few tips!

Get the most out of your relationship with your supervisor

• Meet regularly• Prepare for your meetings• Email him/her a brief summary of EVERY

meeting • Show your advisor the results of your work

as soon as possible • Communicate clearly • Take the initiative

Making continual progress on your research

• Keep a journal of your ideas• Keep a to do list • Continually update your: • Problem statement • Goals • Approach (or a list of possible approaches) • One-minute version of your research (aka the

elevator ride summary) • Five-minute version of your research (aka

impressing the hot cashier at the local Dominion)

Discuss your research with anyone who will listen

• use your fellow students, friends, family, etc. to practice discussing your research on various levels.

• They may have useful insights or you may find that verbalizing your ideas clarifies them for yourself.

Avoid distractions

• it is easy to ignore your research in favor of more structured tasks such as taking classes, teaching classes, organizing student activities, creating presentations like this, etc. balance these kinds of activities or commitments.

Confront your fears and weaknesses

If you are afraid of public speaking, volunteer to give lots of talks.

• If you are afraid your ideas are stupid, discuss them with someone.

• If you are afraid of writing, write something about your research and have it reviewed by a colleague you are comfortable with.

Other resources: Books

• Getting What You Came For by Robert L. PetersThis book contains a lot of helpful advice on getting the most out of the MSc/PhD process. The sections on writing and giving presentations are particularly helpful.

• The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play by Neil FioreSince one of the biggest problems in finishing a PhD is procrastination, this book should be helpful to those of you who actually get around to reading it.

Procrastination

The Tech, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

The Tech, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

The Next Frontier:Life Beyond the

Lab/Library

Understand your University

• You dictate the services that you pay for

• Know who makes the decisions and how they are made

e.g. funding packages

funded cohort

IP

• Use your Course Union

• Get involved

• Ask questions and voice concerns

Know your Department

Know your campus and available services for students

e.g.

Check out countless clubs, use the athletic facilities, eat in the Arbor Room, and see spectacular shows at the theatre.

www.harthouse.utoronto.ca

Know your Graduate Students’ Union

Know where it is and go there!

GSU

• The Graduate Students' Union at University of Toronto represents over 12,000 students studying in over 70 departments. For many years this union has advocated for increased student representation, funding, and provided services such as health insurance, confidential advice, and a voice for the graduate student body on the various committees of the University.

We are the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS): Graduate

Students’ Union (GSU)University of Toronto

local 19

http://www.cfs-fcee.ca

Canadian Federation of Students (CFS)

• The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) was formed in 1981 to provide students with an effective and united voice, provincially and nationally.

• Today, the Federation comprises more than 450,000 students from 60 university and college students' unions across the country.

• Because universities and colleges are funded primarily by the federal government and administered exclusively by the provincial government, government policies and priorities determine the quality and accessibility of post-secondary education in Canada.

• Tuition fee levels, student financial assistance programs and funding for research are all set directly or indirectly by both levels of government.

We are the National Graduate Caucus of the CFS

• The NGC consists of 32 students’ unions representing over 60,000 graduate students in Canada.

• The National Graduate Caucus has the following objectives: advocating for the interests of graduate students nationally and internationally; providing a forum for discussion of issues of concern to graduate students; and representing the concerns of graduate students within the Canadian Federation of Students. Working together for these objectives has led to a record of success.

NGC campaigns and graduate issues

1. “Sticker Shock!”: A Comparative Analysis of the Full Cost of Graduate Education in Canada2. “Whistleblower” Campaign3. Crisis In Scholarly Publishing4. National Library of Canada - Theses Canada5. Advisory Committee on International Students and Immigration6. Study Permits and On Campus Work

GSU services• International Student Identity Card (ISIC)

• Student Saver Discount Card

• Supplementary Health Insurance

• Homes4students.ca

• GSU Pub/Café

For more info go to www.gsu.utoronto.ca

• Workshops

• Common Handbook

• Gym (intramurals ect.)

For more info go to www.gsu.utoronto.ca

GSU services ctd.

International Student Identity Card (ISIC)

• The ISIC provides access to discounts on domestic air travel purchased through Travel CUTS, a 35% discount on VIA Rail travel, and discounts on major bus lines across Canada. In addition, the ISIC provides access to discounted cellular phones and phone plans through studentphonestore.com, and to discounts available at studentsaver.ca.

• Please call and make an apt. first.

Studentsaver Discount Card

• The Studentsaver Card is Canada's only student owned and operated national student discount program. With thousands of discounts across Canada, Studentsaver helps students save money on everyday purchases like books, clothing, food, and entertainment.

• Visit the studentsaver website here:www.studentsaver.ca

Supplementary HealthInsurance from Greenshield

• Full-time grads are covered. Benefits include 80% refund on prescription

• drugs, eye exam and eyewear, orthotics, travel insurance and more. You can

• opt-out if you have equivalent insurance, or purchase family coverage or a

• 1-year extension upon graduation, until Friday Oct. 7/05.

The National Student Health Network

• Through negotiations with Canada's only non-profit insurance provider, Greenshield, the CFS offers the most comprehensive set of benefits available through a campus health plan:

Homes4students.ca

• Homes4students.ca is a national online housing database owned and operated by the CFS. With vacancy rates in many Canadian cities and towns being at an all-time low, it is difficult for many students to find affordable accommodation. By bringing listings for many regions together in one place, homes4students.ca enables students to search for housing anywhere in the country quickly and efficiently.

GSU services

AND

Common handbook project

• The CFS handbook project was initiated primarily to reduce the cost of producing high-quality handbooks. Students' unions of all sizes soon benefited from the project.

• IT’S FREE, you can pick it up at you department

GSU GYM

Our gym at 16 Bancroft is available for booking 1 hour/week on a monthly basis. Suitable for badminton, volleyball and basketball.

Call us to book 416-978-2391

Workshops

• Workshops

• Academic Careers for Women

• Financial Survival for Student Families

• Income Tax

• Each event is "hosted' by a student or staff member and includes some pre- or post-show chit chat.  We'll try to keep the price below $20 where possible!

GSU services

• This program is specifically designed by Student Services to offer workshops, social events, and other resources to enhance the graduate student’s experience.

GSU services

GSU committees

Academics & FundingChair: Nancy Dawe

OutreachChair: Daphne Sniekers

Social JusticeChair: Gina Trubiani

For a full listing visit us at www.gsu.utoronto.ca

Campaigns

• Find out what campaigns are being adopted

• Choose what you like and contribute

e.g. volunteer on a committee

NOV 2005 Plebiscite Referendum

• Questions will be posed on how students feel about decreasing their fees or at least extending the Tuition Fee Freeze until the next election.

• Watch out for voting dates in Nov 2005.

Tuition Fee Freeze campaign

Where does your money go?

• $450-millionaire U of T Chancellor (1997-2003) Hal Jackman counting his money during a Governing Council meeting where tuition fee increases were approved

Tuition Fee Freeze• Via tireless efforts of students,

administrators, staff and faculty a tuition fee freeze was won in 2003

The Rae Review• THE RAE COMMISSION: ONTARIO'S REVIEW OF THE DESIGN

AND FUNDING OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION

• In the May 2004 Ontario Budget, former Premier Bob Rae was appointed to lead a comprehensive review of the Design and Funding of Post-Secondary Education in Ontario.

• Mr. Rae, released a discussion paper in the fall of 2004. • Following that, consultations with students, university

administrators, faculty, staff and members of the private sector were conducted.

• Premier Dalton McGuinty, and the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, Mary Anne Chambers will be considering this report before implementing changes to address problems facing our post-secondary system.

• Students from across the province had a very strong presence at all the meetings and town halls. BUT……

• Members of the panel have been quoted stating they had every intention of recommending an end to the freeze.

• In addition, under the heading "go now, pay later", the discussion around a regressive system of "Income contingent loan repayment schemes" was reintroduced. THIS PROGRAM OF STUDENT LOANS AND REPAYMENT HAS BEEN FOLLOWED BY SKYROCKETING TUTION FEES WHEREVER IT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED

Day of Action, Feb 3 2005

GSU, Local 19Other Current Campaigns:Corporations on Campus

Corporations on campus

• As tuition fees increase, as colleges and universities make new and often secret arrangements with the private sector, and as courses and research go up "for sale," Canada's universities and colleges are losing sight of the public interest.

The Corporate Campus

• By James Turk• Articles on

commercialization of post-secondary education

• Authors include Ursula Franklin, Nancy Olivieri, Bill Graham, Paul Axelrod, David Noble, Bill Bruneau,

Dr. Nancy Olivieri

• The dispute began after researcher Dr Nancy Olivieri decided to break a confidentiality agreement with Apotex, a Toronto based pharmaceutical company that was sponsoring her research. She published results critical of the drug deferiprone, which she was testing in young patients with thalassaemia, in the New England Journal of Medicine (1998;339:417-23).

What’s the point?

• Graduate School is like anything else in life!

• You get as much out of it as you put in

“Do not be happy with what you know, but always strive for the unknown”

Welcome to GRAD school! stop by and visit us at the GSU anytime

Your Executive for 2005-06:

Deanna Wasyliuk

Architecture

deanna.wasyliuk@utoronto.ca

Claire Hurtig Art History secretary.gsu@utoronto.ca

David Bateman Medical Biophysics treasurer.gsu@

utoronto.ca

Anthony Kola-Olusanya Curriculum, Teaching and Learning president.gsu

@utoronto.ca

Nancy Dawe Musicvpinternal.

gsu@utoronto.ca

Gina Trubiani Zoologyvpexternal.gsu@

utoronto.ca

Daphne Sniekers

Mechanical Industrial Engineeringsniekers@

mie.utoronto.ca

Graduate Students' UnionUniversity of Toronto

16 Bancroft Avenue, University of TorontoToronto, Ontario M5S 1C1

• 416-978-2391• www.gsu.utoronto.ca