GSA Committees
The GSA currently has 9 committees, 4 subcommittees, and 2 working groups that work diligently to carry out initiatives and host events to improve the graduate student experience. The Chairs and Vice Chairs of these committees and subcommittees together with the Chief Returning Officer, GRC Speaker, GRC Clerk, AVP Labour, and GSA Executive Director make up the Senior Leadership Team which acts as an advisory body for the GSA Board of Directors.
Governance Committee
Governance Committee
Finance Standing Committee
Awards Committee
Academic Events Committee
Student Experience and Events Committee
Sustainability Committee
Graduate Labour Union
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, & Accessibility (EDIA) Committee
Departmental Engagement Working Group
Food-Housing Working Group
Health and Dental (H&D) Service Standards Committee
Health and Dental (H&D) Provider Search Committee
Governance Committee
The Governance Committee provides oversight and advice to the President on the governance of the GSA, at the direction of the President, the Board, or GRC. This may include conducting an annual review of the GSA's bylaws, reviewing and updating GSA policies, and conducting a DGA bylaw review.
Finance Standing Committee
The Finance Standing Committee (FSC) reviews the financial records and investments of the Association on a regular basis. FSC reviews the draft budget for the following financial year prior to GRC approval, and ensures that an annual audit of Association records is performed.
Awards Committee
The Awards Committee adjudicates award applications and recommends the recipient of the GSA’s awards, grants, and bursaries. This includes implementing a transparent process of developing the awards program, selection criteria, and evaluation procedures. The Awards committee has approximately 50 members.
Contact
awards.gsa@ucalgary.ca
Leadership
Lauren Bowron, 2023-24 Chair
Samantha McIntosh, 2023-24 Vice Chair
Gabbriel Gabari, 2023-24 Vice Chair
Academic Events Committee
The Academic Events Committee facilitates graduate student academic development opportunities and professional advancement. This is implemented through the organization of academic workshops, as well as the Peer Beyond Graduate Research Symposium.
Contact
academic.gsa@ucalgary.ca
Leadership
Mehak Stokoe, 2023-24 Chair
Balkarn Gill, 2023-24 Vice Chair
Student Experience and Events Committee
The Student Experience and Events Committee (SEEC) enhances the life and graduate school experience of GSA members at large at the University of Calgary through events, programming, and other initiatives. The Student Engagement and Events Committee oversees and leads the five SEEC subcommittees. This committee also acts as a consultative body for the VP Student Life.
Subcommittees of the SEEC Committee:
Sustainability Committee
The Sustainability Committee functions to create a sustainable workplace and learning space for graduate students in order to enhance the overall graduate experience. The Sustainability Committee works to bring forth issues as well as opportunities related to sustainability, in order to integrate sustainable efforts into the University of Calgary. The Sustainability Committee partners with the Office of Sustainability (OS), graduate students, and University of Calgary partners to ensure its work is meaningful both for graduate students and within the larger realm of the University. Some of the works the committee does include host sustainability related trivia and educational events, workshop on Sustainability award in partnership with OS and hands-on sustainability related events such as growing your own plants, recycling. The works by the committee aligns with the university and United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Contact
sustain.gsa@ucalgary.ca
Leadership
Nneka JK-Onyeka, 2023-24 Chair
Valentyna Maslieieva, 2023-24 Vice Chair
Graduate Labour Union
The Graduate Labour Union, chaired by the GSA AVP Labour, exists to represent and support Academically Employed Graduate Students at the University of Calgary through education and advocacy. This includes but is not limited to collective agreement negotiations, the handling of disputes with employers, and advocating for a high standard of graduate student employment.
Contact
chair@glucalgary.ca
lrc.gsa@ucalgary.ca
Webpage
Leadership
Hunter Yaworski - AVP Labour
Vice Chairs
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, & Accessibility (EDIA) Committee
The GSA is committed to advocating on behalf of equity seeking groups including women, Indigenous peoples, racialized individuals, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ2S+. The GSA EDI committee will work to amplify the voices of oppressed groups, bring awareness to issues, and improve equity, diversity, and inclusion within the GSA itself.
Contact
edi.gsa@ucalgary.ca
Webpage
Leadership
Assadullah Ali Bik, 2023-24 Chair
Richard Liu, 2023-24 Vice Chair (Student life)
Hailey Barrell, 2023-24 Vice Chair (Advocacy )
Departmental Engagement Working Group
The Departmental Engagement Working Group (DEWG) is an ad-hoc committee of the GSA, whose goal is to promote active participation within the Departmental Graduate Associations (DGAs) concerning their respective spaces of advocacy and governance. The DEWG is meant to support the Board in fulfilling the Association’s priority to broaden and deepen student engagement, as identified in the Strategic Plan (2023-2026). To this end, in collaboration with GSA staff, the DEWG may organize information sessions, workshops, town halls, and/or other outreach initiatives deemed relevant to engage DGAs with their roles within the GSA. The DEWG shall operate in a space of ongoing reflection and learning, and is intended to work closely with the VP External and Board.
Food-Housing Working Group
The Food-Housing Working Group (FHWG) is an ad-hoc committee of the GSA, whose goal is to conduct research and advise the GSA’s advocacy team on issues of student needs and priorities concerning food-housing security. The FHWG is meant to support the Board in fulfilling the Association’s priority to address critical barriers to thriving, as identified in the Strategic Plan (2023-2026), particularly from the lens of basic needs (food and housing security).
Health and Dental (H&D) Service Standards Committee
The purpose of this Committee is to ensure graduate students are fully consulted throughout the Association’s consultation with the current H&D provider. This Committee meets monthly with representatives from StudentCare, GSA staff, and relevant GSA Board members to discuss any ongoing issues with service, systems, and student cases that have been escalated.
Health and Dental (H&D) Provider Search Committee
The purpose of this Committee is to ensure graduate students are fully consulted throughout the Association’s task of renegotiating the H&D contract. This Committee will draft a Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit bids for a new H&D provider. This Committee will field, evaluate, discuss, and vote on RFPs to determine which should be recommended to the Finance Standing Committee (FSC), Executive Board, and Graduate Representative Council (GRC). The Committee will conclude all required work by November 14, 2023, to present its recommendation to the FSC, Executive Board, and GRC before the holiday break in December.
Introducing 2022-2023 Senior Leadership Team
The GSA has 8 committees and 4 subcommittees that work diligently to carry out initiatives and host events to improve the graduate student experience at the University of Calgary. The Chairs and Vice Chairs of these committees and subcommittees together with the Board of Directors, Chief Returning Officer, GRC Speaker, GRC Clerk, AVP Labour, and GSA Executive Director make up the Senior Leadership Team which acts as an advisory body for the GSA Board of Directors.
The GSA is excited to introduce this year’s Senior Leadership Team members who are committed to providing collaborative, consultative guidance for the GSA this year.
Read more about them here
