University of Saskatchewan Graduate Students' Association

University of Saskatchewan Graduate Students' Association
InstitutionUniversity of Saskatchewan
LocationSaskatoon
 Saskatchewan
 Canada
Established1992 (33 years ago) (1992)
PresidentKayla Benoit
Vice presidents
  • Finances & Operations:
    Ramin Mohammadi
  • Student Affairs:
    Olusola Akintola
  • External:
    Abbas Fazel Anvari-Yazdi
  • Indigenous Liaison:
    Kayla Benoit
Members+ 4,000
AffiliationsCanadian Federation of Students
Websitegsa.usask.ca

The University of Saskatchewan Graduate Students' Association (GSA-uSask or UofS-GSA) is the university-wide representative body for graduate students at the University of Saskatchewan, located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.[1][2] It was established in 1985 as an office inside the University of Saskatchewan Students' Union (USSU), but it became an independent body only in 1992. Its head office is located at 1337 College Drive in the Emmanuel and St. Chad. The College of Emmanuel and St. Chad was designed by Webster, Forrester and Scott of Saskatoon and constructed in 1965 and 1966.[3][4]

"The GSA Commons is located on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis, and we pay our respect to the First Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and reaffirm our relationship with one another."

History

In 1883 by an Act of Parliament, Emmanuel College was incorporated as “The University of Saskatchewan.”[3][5][6]

In 1984-85, it was created inside the USSU (University of Saskatchewan Students' Union) a group to handle issues specifically related to graduate students in the University of Saskatchewan.

In 1992, this group became an independent body, called University of Saskatchewan Graduate Students' Association. The GSA-uSask is a not-for-profit student organization that provides services, events, student clubs and advocacy work to the graduate students of University of Saskatchewan.

In the fall of 2006, the Emmanuel and St. Chad space earmarked for GSA-uSask.[3]

stained glass in the GSA Commons, Emmanuel and St. Chad Chapel.

Since 2016-17, the GSA is pleading for a seat on the U of S Board of Governors.[7] The Board is responsible for overseeing matters on management, administration and control of the university's property and financial affairs.[8] Currently, the U of S is the only university in the U15 group that doesn't have a seat for graduate students on the Board. Although changes on the composition of the Board depends on University of Saskatchewan Act's amendments (within the scope of the Provincial Legislature), recent support by the University Council is an indication that not only the graduate students consider this an important cause.[7] In 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the GSA and the PSAC Local 40004 — which represents U of S graduate students who work as teaching, research and student assistants — created a petition to oppose the tuition increase proposed by the U of S.[9] Another increase to the differential rate of 14.6%, from 1.58 to 1.81, will affect more the international student. The projected tuition for this group will rise from $2,243 to $2,698.71 — a difference of about 20%.

GSA Commons

Since 2007, Emmanuel and St. Chad Chapel holds the GSA-uSask headquarters, also referred as GSA Commons. The chapel was de-consecrated by a multi-faith opening ceremony.[3]

Governance

The governance of the University of Saskatchewan Graduate Students' Association is shared among three bodies: the executive committee; the Council; and the Board of Directors.[2]

  • Executive committee: members of the University of Saskatchewan Graduate Students' Association elected by their peers for a one-year-long term of office.
  • GSA Council: composed of Academic Units' representatives, chosen in their Departments by their own rules. All graduate programs should have at least one representative in the monthly GSA Council meetings.
  • Board of Directors: Defined in the GSA Bylaws.

Academic units

See also: University of Saskatchewan academics

Student clubs

The student clubs in the University of Saskatchewan may be ratified by the USSU and/or ratified by the GSA. Among the several student clubs in this University, there are those related to cultural backgrounds (students from other countries), professional associations, sustainability groups, religious studies, sports and many more.

Offered services

Previous executive members

Academic year President VP Finances VP Operations VP Student affairs VP Academic VP External affairs Indigenous Liaison
2021-22 [15] Rifat Zahan Ehsan Moradi Ehsan Moradi Olusola Akintola/Mostofa Kamal Olusola Akintola/Mostofa Kamal Leslie Tetteh/Devin Cherneski Tina Alexis/-
2020-21 [16] Humaira Inam Hadi Ramin/Emerita Mendoza Hadi Ramin/Emerita Mendoza Carmen Marquez Carmen Marquez Qasim Gill Tina Alexis (Dakelh)
2019-20 Emerita Mendoza Rengifo[17] Mohammad Wajih Alam Mohammad Wajih Alam Alejandra Fonseca - Chiamaka Ezekwesili -
2018-19 Naheda Sahtout[18] Jesus Corona Gomez Jesus Corona Gomez Edgar Martinez-Soberanes [19] - Somto Ufondu [20] Marie-Eve Presber [21]
2017-18 [22] Ziad Ghaith David Bennett David Bennett Ali Kiani - Naheda Sahtout Iloradanon Efimoff
2016-17 [23] Ziad Ghaith Kusum Sharma Nafisa Absher Shailza Sapal Ali Kiani Carolyn Gaspar[24] Dana Carriere
2015-16 [25] Rajat Chakravarty David Bennett Ziad Ghaith Hardi Shahadu Jebunnessa Chapola Natalia Terekhova Dana Carriere
2014-15 [26] Izabela Vlahu Mohammad Rafati Xin Lu Rajat Chakravarty Ranjan Datta Rahwa Osman Dana Carriere
2013-14 [27] Ehimai Ohiozebau Mohammad Rafati Kiri Staples Reanne Ridsdale Izabela Vlahu Steve Jimbo Dana Carriere
2012-13 [28] Ehimai Ohiozebau John McLeod Maily Huynh Steve Jimbo Dylan Beach Elizabeth O’Meara Nicole Callihoo

References

  1. ^ "Graduate Students' Association fonds - SAIN Collections". sain.scaa.sk.ca. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  2. ^ a b "Graduate Students' Association-University of Saskatchewan". gsa.usask.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  3. ^ a b c d "History-Graduate Students' Association-University of Saskatchewan". gsa.usask.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  4. ^ "Saint Chad's College". digital.scaa.sk.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  5. ^ "Emmanuel College / Rugby Chapel". digital.scaa.sk.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  6. ^ "College of Emmanuel and St. Chad-University of Saskatchewan". www.usask.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  7. ^ a b "Graduate students seek seat on U of S Board of Governors". 26 February 2018.
  8. ^ "Board of Governors - University of Saskatchewan". www.usask.ca.
  9. ^ "'A distasteful act:' U of S graduate students decry proposed tuition increase". thestarphoenix. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  10. ^ "Health and Dental Plan". studentcare.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  11. ^ "U-Pass". gsa.usask.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  12. ^ "Grad student U-Pass approved - The Sheaf - The University of Saskatchewan Newspaper Since 1912". thesheaf.com. 2013-03-07. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  13. ^ "Bursaries". gsa.usask.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  14. ^ "ISIC Cards". gsa.usask.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  15. ^ "Retreat Meeting Minutes" (PDF).
  16. ^ "Retreat Meeting Minutes" (PDF).
  17. ^ MacPherson, Alex (2019-08-08). "U of S cutting subscriptions to almost 4,000 academic journals - Saskatoon StarPhoenix". Saskatoon Star. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  18. ^ "President - Graduate Students' Association - University of Saskatchewan". Archived from the original on 2018-10-03. Retrieved 2019-08-08.
  19. ^ "Vice-President Student Affairs - Graduate Students' Association - University of Saskatchewan". Archived from the original on 2018-10-03. Retrieved 2019-08-08.
  20. ^ "Vice-President External - Graduate Students' Association - University of Saskatchewan". Archived from the original on 2018-10-03. Retrieved 2019-08-08.
  21. ^ "Indigenous Liaison - Graduate Students' Association - University of Saskatchewan". Archived from the original on 2018-10-03. Retrieved 2019-08-08.
  22. ^ "2018 AGM Meeting Notes" (PDF). gsa.usask.ca.
  23. ^ "New GSA president primed for progress".
  24. ^ Markewich, Courtney (2016-11-02). "Sask. students rally for access to education, tuition removal". CBC News.
  25. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-07-07. Retrieved 2019-08-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  26. ^ "June 20, 2014 Special General Minutes" (PDF). gsa.usask.ca. 2014.
  27. ^ "GSA Council AGM SGM Meetings Minutes" (PDF). gsa.usask.ca.
  28. ^ "September 20, 2012 Meeting Notes" (PDF). gsa.usask.ca.