New Graduate Student Senator Acclaimed

Paula Bryk has been acclaimed as the graduate student representative on the Laurier Senate, which governs all academic matters at the university. Paula is a Master’s in Geography and Environmental Studies Candidate, with a focus on sustainable food systems. 

Paula's Platform:

I would like to bring the unique graduate student perspective to Laurier’s Senate.  As your graduate student senator, I will work to ensure accountability in decision-making, and to promote graduate students’ interests.  I will work closely with the Board of Governors representative and the GSA to enhance the graduate student experience at WLU.

July Reports Available

July Committee and Executive Reports are online in the documents section.

The latest email update is also online, including information on Summer Grad Lounge Hours, by-elections for the graduate student WLU Senate position, and more.

New GSA Executives

The new GSA Executive team takes office today, and position titles have changed this year. Here's what you need to know!

The new President, Christinia Landry, can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The “Treasurer” position is now Vice President: Finance. Julian Mason-Espin can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The “Secretary & Director of Policy” position is now VP: Policy. Michael Wright can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The “Advocacy Officer” position is now VP: Advocacy. Melissa Skerritt can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The “Events Coordinator” position is now VP: Student Life. Jeremy Beggs can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

More information:

• Job Descriptions
• Executive Bios

Graduate Student Experience Survey Results

A report detailing some of the results of the Graduate Student Experience Survey has been released and is available for download here ( PDF).

The purpose of the survey was to identify areas for the GSA to focus its advocacy efforts on in the near and long-term future. Some areas highlighted in the results include office and workspace provided on campus, support for attending conferences, a desire for interdepartmental socializing, and support from most students for a Parental Leave Bursary

Some highlights:

• Most students study more at home than anywhere else. More students find their on-campus office/workspace conducive to socializing (73%) than to getting work done (55%).
• Of students that intended to enter an academic profession, nearly all (80%) of them felt that their department was encouraging them to do so.  Of students that did not intend to enter an academic profession, most (>50%) felt that they received no encouragement from their department to do so.  Of those who were undecided, feelings of departmental encouragement were nearly evenly spread out.
• When it comes to transportation to campus, although most students live in the Waterloo Region, the most common mode of transportation is to drive to campus. Interestingly, although 35% of respondents said they "always" drive to campus, only 16.2% of respondents have a Laurier parking pass.
• Respondents indicated “meeting other graduate students” and “familiarizing yourself with campus” as the two most useful aspects of orientation.
• There were no significant differences among faculties in the importance of either academic enrichment events or professional development events. There were no significant differences among faculties in general satisfaction with the graduate experience.

Election Results

 

Christinia Landry has been elected GSA President for 2010-2011.

Acclamations for VP positions were also ratified:
VP: Finance - Julian Mason-Espin
VP: Advocacy - Melissa Skerritt
VP: Student Life - Jeremy Beggs

Javaid Iqbal was elected graduate student Governor for 2010-2012.
Sarah Quinlan Cutler was acclaimed as graduate student Senator for 2010-2012.

 

241 valid ballots were counted, which is a 20% turnout.

Continue to results breakdown

Greetings from your Grad Dean

Thanks to all of your who responded to the Graduate and Professional Student Survey. 

We now have a response rate of 39% for students in research-intensive programs and 23% for those in professional programs.  A final reminder notice will be sent early next week to students who have not participated in the survey. This notice will contain instructions for accessing and completing the survey. If you have not completed the survey and do not receive this notice, or if you experience any difficulties accessing and completing the survey, please email Wally Pirker ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

Sincerely, Joan Norris

Green Day Event and Photo Contest

 

Net Impact presents Green Day!

A full day of conversations around sustainability, featuring speakers, photo contest, and documentary screening.

March 30, 9:00am - 1:00pm  
Dress Code: wear something green!
Locations:
     Senate and Board chamber (9-1)
     Grad Lounge (4:30)

Read more: Green Day Event and Photo Contest

Notice of Graduate Student Survey from Dean Norris

Hello everyone,
 
I'm writing to ask that you take the time to complete the Canadian Graduate and Professional Student Survey (CGPSS). This survey is currently being administered at Laurier and other Canadian universities. Over 125,000 students from 38 institutions Canada-wide are being contacted to participate in the CGPSS.  I know that there have been quite a few surveys recently, and you are probably getting tired of answering questions, but this one is very important--it will help the university identify our strengths as well as issues of concern that we can work on over the next few years.  It also benchmarks us and our programs relative to others in Canada.
 

Read more: Notice of Graduate Student Survey from Dean Norris

Nominations Open for Executive, Senator, Governor Positions

WLUGSA Elections have been called for Tuesday, March 30, 2010, and nominations are being accepted for the following positions:

WLUGSA President
WLUGSA Vice President: Finance
WLUGSA Vice President: Advocacy
WLUGSA Vice President: Policy
WLUGSA Vice President: Student Life

WLU Graduate Student Senator
WLU Graduate Student Governor

WLUGSA President and VPs will serve one-year terms from May 2010 through April 2011, and include an honorarium. WLU Senate and Board representatives will ideally serve two-year terms from May 2010 through April 2012.

Nomination packages are available below and in the Documents section of the WLUGSA website. Completed nomination packages are due in the GSA Office by 3:00pm on Tuesday, March 16, 2010. Please see the nominations package for job descriptions, important dates, and other elections information.

Read more: Nominations Open for Executive, Senator, Governor Positions

2nd Annual Interdisciplinary Speaker Series: Call for Papers

Learning Today for a Better World Tomorrow

The WLUGSA is now accepting abstracts for the 2nd Annual Interdisciplinary Speaker Series. This year's theme is “Learning Today for a Better World Tomorrow”. The speaker series is scheduled to take place over a two-day period: Wednesday, March 31st, and Thursday, April 1st, 2010 from 4pm-6pm in The Grad Lounge.

Your topic should reach a wide range of people and your presentation should focus on how your research not only contributes to your field, but also its potential to better the world as a whole. Often we specialize in our research areas, which can have us easily forget the tangible ways our research can improve the world in which we live. Understanding these tangible benefits of our research is important if we wish to have persons outside of our field accept and value it.

Read more: 2nd Annual Interdisciplinary Speaker Series: Call for Papers