Initiatives

Local Advocacy Efforts:

We hold our partners accountable. Our past “wins” include:

• Ensuring that MSW students have a positive and enriched experience with the MSW practicum office and in their practicum placements

• Asking Laurier to commit to a mandatory TA Training program that includes Gendered Violence, Micro-aggression's in the classroom, the TRC in the classroom, FIPPA legislation and all government regulated training pieces for employees

• Requesting that graduate students receive the same benefits of a mid-semester break (Fall Reading Week) that undergraduate students at Laurier receive

• Making the Tuition Payment plan for graduate students become a permanent option after a pilot program in Fall 2016)

• Securing a webpage and guide where graduate students can go for help in terms of their employment with the university

• Secured funds from the Sustainable Hawk Fund for creation of an herb garden outside of Veritas

• Raised awareness about the need for clearer communication in faculties regarding research assistantship pay on all communication channels

• Developing a student-supervisor checklist to encourage positive working relationships

• Ensuring that the graduate student voice was heard during Laurier’s Integrated Planning and Resource Management (IPRM) project

• Detailing the specific needs of graduate students with respect to the Access Copyright fee

• Building and maintaining cross-departmental relationships to create diverse programming to reach all graduate students

• Championing mental health on campus, acting as leaders and contributing to the development of a Wellness Strategy and Centre for Laurier

• Executing graduate student feedback into the graduate student Health and Dental Plan options

• Ensuring that the departments reporting to the VP: Student Affairs have programs and services that reflect the needs of the graduate student population

• Offering guidance to all graduate students with individual needs and confidential matters

• Creating the Laurier Wellness HUB – an online tool that all Laurier students can access (now through the Wellness Centre) wellness information through

• Developing the Laurier Library Exhibit space to showcase graduate student research

• Ensuring that graduate students are represented on all university committees

• Working to see the establishment of parental leave benefits for PhD students

Individual Advocacy/Assistance

We also work one-on-one with graduate students who require advocacy assistance for both curricular and co-curricular reasons.

Resources

Annual Report

Our annual report highlights our yearly outcomes and any work that may be ongoing. It is available to view on our Governance page.

Laurier’s Non-Academic Student Code of Conduct Procedure

The purpose of the Non-Academic Student Code of Conduct Procedure is to outline how Laurier will respond to and address non-academic misconduct by students. Learn more about the process that aims for restorative outcomes.

Microcredentials At Laurier Report

As the post-secondary environment and workforce continue to adapt based on innovations, changing policy, and in response to employer demands, Wilfrid Laurier University is in a unique place to respond to these needs. As microcredentials and their implementation is in the process of being conceptualized at Laurier, the Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) would like to highlight their feedback and recommendations to ensure the perspective of graduate students is incorporated in future discussion and implementation of microcredentials. View the full report.