The2019-2020teamofGSADirectly-ElectedOfficers(DEOs)developedtheGSABoardStrategicWorkPlan(SWP)fromMay-June2019andpresentedthefinalizedPlantoGSACouncilinJuly2019.ThecompleteSWPisavailableontheGSAwebsite.

FollowingapreviousupdateprovidedtoGSACouncilinOctober2019,belowisthesecondupdateconcerningtheDEOs’progressinpursuingsomeofthemajorgoalsoutlinedinthe2019-2020SWP.AfinalupdatewillbeprovidedtoGSACouncilinApril.Keyprojectsareasfollows:

ImprovingStudent-SupervisorRelationships

• President,FahedElian,establishedcontactwiththenewChairoftheBoardofGovernors(BoG),KateChisholm,aswellasothernewmembersofBoGtodiscussthisstrategicpriority.

• TheGSAcirculated,inOctober2019,asurveytograduatestudentswhichsolicitedfeedbackontheoverallsuccessandeffectivenessoftheirrelationshipwiththeirsupervisors.Atotalof68responsesweresubmitted,ofwhich59%indicatedpositivestudent-supervisorrelationships,28%indicatedambiguous,neutral,ormildlynegativerelationships,and12%indicatedgenerallynegativerelationships.Therespondentsinthelastcategorydescribedinstancesofbullying,harassment,andhostileworkenvironments.Amongallresponsestherewasageneralconsensusthatexcellentstudent-supervisorrelationshipsweredrivenpurelybyindividualsandnotregulatedorfosteredinanywaybyadministration.ThesefindingsweresharedinapresentationtotheBoardHumanResourcesandCompensation(BHRCC),aswellaswithvariousmembersoftheBoG,andadetailedreportonthissurveywassharedwithBrookeMilne,Vice-ProvostandDeanoftheFacultyofGraduateStudiesandResearch(FGSR)inNovember2019.

• Atthe28October2019meetingofGSACouncil,BMilneinformedmembersthatsheandherteamhaddevelopedaSupervisor-StudentGuidelinedocumentandaProgressReportFormintendedtoberegularlyfilledoutbybothgraduatestudentsandtheirsupervisors.Thesetwodocumentswillfunctionastoolstoestablishexpectationsforgraduatestudentsandsupervisorstomeet,andtogiveFGSRtheabilitytooverseeandregulatetheacademicprogressofstudents.ThesedocumentshavesincebeenpresentedforearlyconsultationtoFGSRCouncilandGeneralFacultiesCouncil(GFC),andhavebeenwell-received.TheywillbepresentedtoseveralothergovernancebodiesandapilotprojectconcerningtheirusagewillbegininLawinthespringof2020.

• FElianandVice-PresidentAcademicDylanAshley,attendedtheCanadianAssociationforGraduateStudies(CAGS)conferenceinNovember.DAshleypresentedontheimportanceofqualitystudent-supervisorrelationshipstothementalhealthofgraduatestudents.Commentsduringthepresentation,aswellasfurtherconversationsthereafter,revealedthatothermajorCanadianinstitutionsalsograpplewiththeseissuesandtherewerefruitfuldiscussionsconcerningwaystoimprovethings.

• Asnoted,FElianalsopresentedonthistopictomembersoftheBHRCCon26November2019.Amongothers,hetouchedonpossibleoutcomesofpoorrelationshipsandsolutionsfortheserelationships,includingbettertrainingforsupervisorsandthedevelopmentofaccountabilitymechanisms,aswellasthecreationofpoliciesandproceduresbasedonthoserecentlyadoptedbytheUniversityofCalgary.DAshley,aswellasVice-PresidentExternalMarcWaddingham,Vice-PresidentLabourShanawazMohammad,andVice-PresidentStudentServicesChantalLabontéwerealsoinattendanceatthepresentationandspoketotheimportanceoftheissue.

• ThistopicwasfurtherraisedattheBoardLearning,Research,andStudentExperienceCommittee(BLRSEC)whereFElianwasjoinedbyBMilneaswellasSteveDew,ProvostandVice-President(Academic)andRayMuzyka,ChairofBHRCC.BMilnealsopresentedontheformsdevelopedbyFGSR.

• Asareminder,theGSA’scurrentkeyrecommendationsincludethatthesupervisorsshouldcompletemandatorytrainingbeforegainingtheprivilegeofsupervising,andthattheUniversityshouldcreateamechanismbywhichthisprivilegecanbesuspendedorrevokedifthereareissueswithsupervision.Advocacyonthesepointswillcontinue.

MichenerParkClosure

• TheMichenerParkTransitionAdvisoryCommittee(MPTAC)hasbeenstruckandhascommenceditsworkofidentifyinganddevelopingsupportmechanismstoMichenerParkresidentsastheypreparefortheclosureoftheresidencein2020.MWaddinghaminitiatedthecreationofthiscommitteeandcontinuestoserveonit.

• Additionally,FElianremainsengagedinconversationswithofficialsfromtheCityofEdmontonconcerningtheexpansionofaffordablehousingresourcesinthecity.

TuitionandFunding

• FElianandMWaddinghammetwiththeMinisterofAdvancedEducation,DemetriosNicolaides,abouttheupcomingpost-secondaryeducationbudgetcutsandtheGSAremainsdeeplyconcernedabouttheimpactthisbudgetwillhaveonpost-secondaryaccessibilityandqualityandcontinuestoarticulatethismessagetogovernment,oftenjointlywiththeAlbertaGraduateProvincialAdvocacyCouncil(ab-GPAC).

• Likewise,theDEOsparticipatedinthe“StudentsNotSilent”marchandprotestattheAlbertaLegislature.ThiseventwasorganizedbytheStudents’Union(SU),

• FElianhaspursuedanumberofdiscussionswithDaveTurpin,UniversityofAlbertaPresident,GittaKulczycki,Vice-President(FinanceandAdministration),andSDew,toraiseconcernsthattheburdenofabsorbingtheprovincialbudgetcutsnotbeundulyimposedongraduatestudents.TheUniversityisworkingtomitigatecutstotheirbudgetbyeliminatinginfrastructuremaintenanceprojects,applyingbudgetcontingency,andincrementaltuitionfeeincreases.Withrespecttotuition,thusfaranincreaseonundergraduatetuitionhasbeendiscussedbytheBoardofGovernors(BoG)and,movingforward,FElianwillmakesurethatanypotentialtuitionfeeincreasesforgraduatestudentsarefullydiscussedandthatappropriatelyfulsomerationales(thatalsodetailcommensurateincreasesinfinancialsupport)andriskassessmentsareprovidedforanyproposedincreases.

• FElianandDTurpin,alongwithSUPresidentAkankshaBhatnagar,co-hostedthePresident’sHolidayReceptiontocelebratethelife-changingopportunitythatUniversityofAlbertaeducationprovidesstudents.Thegoalofthisreceptionwastofundraiseforfinancialaidforstudents.

LabourandCollectiveAgreement

• SMohammadhascontinuedadvocatingforindividualgraduatestudentsregardinginterpretationofandcompliancewiththeGraduateStudentAssistantshipCollectiveAgreement(CA).Inadditiontorespondingtoapproximately10emailconversationswithgraduatestudentsperweek,sincethebeginningofhistermhehasmetwithapproximately7-8graduatestudentspermonthtoassistwithmorecomplexissues.

• The2018-2020CAwasratifiedbyacademically-employedgraduatestudentsinOctober2019,andbytheBoGinDecember2019.

• SMohammadhasdevelopedaproposaltoensuretheinclusionofelementsthataddress,specifically,graduatestudentneedsinprovincially-mandatedhealthandsafetytrainingthattheUniversitywillbedeveloping.Thisproposalwaswell-receivedbytheJointWorkplaceHealthandSafetyCommittee(JWHSC).Inthevein,hehasalsometwithVictoriaRuetalo,FGSRAssociate-Dean,aswellasWaynePatterson,Vice-ProvostandAssociateVice-President(HumanResources),MichelleStrong,FacultyRelationsDirector,WadeKing,DirectoroftheOfficeofSafeDisclosureandHumanRights,andPhilipStack,AssociateVice-President(RiskManagementServices).

• WorkwillbeginshortlyonthenegotiationofthenextCA.

OtherKeyProjects

• CLabontécontinuestoparticipateinconversationsrelatedtosupportingstudentswhoparentoncampus,andtheOfficeoftheDeanofStudentswillbeworkingoncreatingapolicyoverthenextyeartoclarifysupportsforstudentswhoparent.TheGSAisalsoworkingtoestablishaspaceforinfantcareandfeedingwithinTriffoHallasasupportforgraduatestudentparentsandcaregivers.

• DAshleycontinuestomeetwithgraduatestudentsnavigatingacademicissuesand,wherenecessary,workingwithFGSRandotherUniversityadministrativeunitstofindsolutions.

• FollowingthecirculationofarequestforproposalstoknownprovidersofstudenthealthanddentalplansinorderensurethebestcombinationofserviceandcostassociatedwiththeGSAHealthandDentalPlan,theGSAreceivedanumberofproposalsandCLabontéandDAshleyconductedinterviewswithaselectnumber.Attheir4December2019meeting,theGSABoard(GSAB)votedtomoveforwardwithStudentcareastheproviderfortheGSAHealthandDentalPlan,effectiveforaperiodtobedeterminedfollowingnegotiationswithStudentcare.

• FEliancontinuestoworkwiththeIndigenousGraduateStudents’Association(IGSA)concerningfindinga

permanentspacefortheorganization.Tothisend,FElianinvitedtheIGSAtohisnextmonthlymeetingwithAndrewSharmanVice-President(FacilitiesandOperations)toexplorespaceoncampusthatwouldaccommodatetheIGSA.

• FElianhasbeenworkingalongsidetheGSAofficeteamtodevelopaseriesofmarketingvideostohelpgraduatestudentslearnabouttheservicesandbenefitstheGSAprovidestoitsmembers.ThesevideoshavenowbeencompletedandthefirstvideoisexpectedtobelaunchedinJanuary2020.

• FollowingconversationswithFElianconcerningtheSupportingAboriginalGraduateEnhancement(SAGE)program,apilotprojectofwillstartinJanuary.FGSRwillprovideofficespaceandwillhireafulltimeGraduateStudentAssistantshipasthegraduatecoordinatorforSAGE.

• MWaddinghamandFElianfinishedaproposalregardingPermanentResidencyforgraduatestudentsandwilldiscussitfurtherwithMinisterJCopping,LabourandImmigration,andMinisterDNicolaides,AdvancedEducation.Additionally,alongwithotherab-GPACmembers,theyworkedtodeveloptwoadditionalpolicyproposalsconcerningprofessionaldevelopmentandscholarships.Longstandingprioritiesforab-GPAC,includingfundingformentalhealthsupportsandmattersrelatedtograduatetuition,likewisecontinuedtobeadvanced.

• DAshleyandFElianhaveworkedonasectionongraduatestudents’rightstobeincludedintheCharterofStudentRightstheStudents’Unionhasdeveloped.Thisdocumentwillgothroughthegovernanceroutefordiscussionand,ultimately,forapproval.