FIMS Graduate Manual 2022-2023 (MS MA/PhD, MHIS, HIS PhD, LIS PhD)

WESTERN UNIVERSITY

FIMS GRADUATE MANUAL

For MS MA/PhD, MHIS, HIS PhD, LIS PhD 2022 - 2023

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WESTERN UNIVERSITY

FIMS GRADUATE MANUAL For MS MA/PhD, MHIS, HIS PhD, LIS PhD 2022 - 2023 (Updated July 10 2022)

PRESENTED BY:

CONTENTS

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WELCOME

WELCOME TO WESTERN MAP OF WESTERN LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT

GRADUATE ORGANIZATIONS FIMS STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS SCHOOL OF GRADUATE AND POST-DOC STUDIES SOCIETY OF GRADUATE STUDENTS PUBLIC SERVICE ALLIANCE CANADA

HEALTH & WELLNESS

SOCIETY OF GRADUATE STUDENTS PUBLIC SERVICE ALLIANCE CANADA UWO MENTAL HEALTH UWO PHYSICAL HEALTH OTHER UWO HEALTH & WELLNESS RESOURCES

FINANCES

SOCIETY OF GRADUATE STUDENTS PUBLIC SERVICE ALLIANCE CANADA LOANS, GRANTS, AND BURSARIES SCHOLARSHIPS & RESEARCH FUNDS

ABOUT FIMS

MAP OF FNB ACRONYMS STAFF GRADUATE STUDENT SERVICES

FIMS RESOURCES INTRANET FIMS GRADUATE LIBRARY PRINTING AT FIMS PARKING SERVICES

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FIMS COMMUNITY PHD & MA OFFICES PHD KITCHEN MA KITCHEN GRADUATE STUDENT LOUNGE FIMS COMMUNITY EVENTS FNB FIGURINES

TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS (TA) TA OFFICES CENTER FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING TA DAY TA TIPS & TRICKS

LONDON, ONTARIO ACCOMODATIONS GROCERY STORES TRANSPORTATION HEALTHCARE SHOPPING BARS & RESTAURANTS LONDON COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

SOCIAL MEDIA

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WELCOME TO WESTERN & FIMS

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WELCOME TO WESTERN & FIMS Hello!

You’ve made a decision to join a graduate program at FIMS and we couldn’t be more excited to have you!

This manual is meant to provide some introductions into various services and communities within FIMS and UWO. Of course, it is not exhaustive, that’s why he have included links to relevant resources where appropriate.

Also, the Society of Graduate Students (SOGS) releases an in-depth guide to graduate life at Western every year. Keep a close eye on your email inbox and on this page for a copy of that guide.

Have a great year!

Your FIMS Peer Mentors coordination team PS. This manual does not necessarily reflect changes made due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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UWO CAMPUS MAP

A graduate-specific campus map can be found here via SOGS.

Additional campus maps including accessibility and safety on UWO website..

LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT As part of Western University’s Indigenous Strategic Plan, approved in 2016, the Land Acknowledgment has become a widely-used staple within our institution. You will find that it is used officially and unofficially in a variety of settings. The Land Acknowledgment allows us to pay respect to the original peoples located on the territory that Western now occupies. It serves as a reminder of our commitment to respect these communities and build our relationships with them. The Western website offers several versions of the Land Acknowledgment.

The “full” version of this Land Acknowledgment is as follows: “We/I acknowledge that Western University is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek (Ah-nish-in-a-bek), Haudenosaunee (Ho-den-no-show-nee), Lūnaapéewak (Len-ahpay- wuk) and Attawandaron (Add-a-won-da-run) peoples, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum.

With this, we/I respect the longstanding relationships that Indigenous Nations have to this land, as they are the original caretakers. We acknowledge historical and ongoing injustices that Indigenous Peoples (e.g. First Nations, Métis and Inuit) endure in Canada, and we accept responsibility as a public institution to contribute toward revealing and correcting miseducation as well as renewing respectful relationships with Indigenous communities through our teaching, research and community service.”

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GRADUATE STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

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GRADUATE STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS Western offers many opportunities to get involved with student organizations both within FIMS and within the University as a whole. Involvement ranges from union work, to student government, to leading doctoral students in the department.

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FIMS STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS MEDIA STUDIES The Media Studies Graduate Students Associations represents the students of doctoral and Master’s programs internally and externally within the FIMS community. Students in this association gather officially in September to elect a President. Currently, the MSGSA Presidents are Charlotte Nau (cnau@uwo.ca) and Giada Ferrucci (gferrucc@uwo.ca).

These Presidents work both exclusively and in concert with one another to keep the students they represent informed on meaningful events within FIMS, and give a report on behalf of their representation at the Faculty Council meetings each semester.

Another avenue where students are represented in the FIMS community is within the Media Studies Program Committee (MSPC), the FIMS Research Committee, and Faculty Council. In September, Media Studies students in both the Doctoral and Master’s programs elect Student Representative(s) to attend Program Committee meetings on their behalf. The Representatives communicate student needs, issues, and concerns to the Program Committee and work to keep their students informed of important and emerging new information pertaining to their program.

Students wishing to get involved in representation at the Doctoral and Master’s level are encouraged to attend all representation meetings. Every student’s voice is important, and the President/Chair’s role is to make that voice heard in both the Program Committee, Research Committee, and Faculty Council levels taking place throughout the academic calendar.

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FIMS STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS LIBRARY INFORMATION SCIENCE (LIS) The Library and Information Science Doctoral Student Association (LISDSA) represents LIS doctoral students throughout the FIMS community, acting as the official communication channel between Administration and LIS doctoral students. General meetings are held regularly and details about meetings are distributed via UWO emails.

Current LIS DSA contact: Amber Matthews (amatthe4@uwo.ca)

HEALTH INFORMATION SCIENCE The Graduate Health Information Science Student Association (GHISSA) represents graduate students from Western's interdisciplinary program, Health Information Science.

GHISSA represents an energetic group of masters and doctoral students from diverse backgrounds, raising awareness about the pressing needs and opportunities in health information science, making an impact on Western University campus and beyond.

GHISSA student council fosters collaboration with Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences and other Health Information Science (HIS) allied faculties at Western University through active representation and participation on faculty councils, meetings and events. The student council advocates on behalf of HIS students to advance their interests and ensure that all issues affecting students in the program are addressed. The council organizes extra-curricular activities and social events to enhance HIS student experience.

More information is available at the following website. The current GHISSA contacts are Emily Porchak or Sandeep Dhaliwal at eporchak@uwo.ca or ghissaadmin@uwo.ca or sandeep.dhaliwal@uwo.ca 14

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (SGPS) SGPS is Western’s department of graduate studies; it covers everything from admissions, to funding, to academics, and beyond. The SGPS website is your go-to guide for everything broadly graduate studies, including opportunities for career development and engaging with community.

Covering everything that SGPS offers would be an infeasible task, therefore we hope you take the time to explore their website thoroughly. Western is dedicated to its graduate community and this is a great place to begin seeing how it engages this dedication.

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SOCIETY OF GRADUATE STUDENTS (SOGS) GRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT The Society of Graduate Students represents over 6,000 graduate students at Western University. Membership in SOGS is automatic for almost all graduate students. SOGS creates a better Western for its graduate students by handling the graduate student health and dental plan, as well as the bus pass; by funding committees that engage its members; by creating Commissioners to represent marginalized populations on campus; by hosting the Western Research Forum; by owning the Grad Club; by organizing a rich calendar of events; by offering support to members; and much more.

SOGS offers graduate students a myriad of ways to get involved from joining committees, to serving on its executive, to running for a non-executive position.

Furthermore, every department has councillors who represent the interests of the department’s graduate students to SOGS. Council meetings run on the last Thursday of each month, except in December. Councillors are nominated by their departments in October. Getting involved as a councillor is a good first step to getting involved with SOGS. SOGS Councillors are elected and ratified in October.

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Grad Club The Grad Club is a space for graduate students, staff, and faculty to gather. It is a fully-licensed restaurant and a wholly-owned subsidiary of SOGS. The Grad Club is home to many SOGS-organized events throughout the year including Trivia Nights, Karaoke Nights, and more.

A long-standing tradition with freshly-defended graduates at Western University is having a drink from the legendary “Goblet of Knowledge”.

GradCast GradCast is the official podcast of SOGS focused on showcasing the research being conducted by Western graduate students. The GradCast radio show airs every Wednesday at 1:30 pm on CHRW 94.9 FM, and episodes are uploaded to the website weekly. GradCast is always looking to have more graduate students on the show; interested parties can email them at gradcastradio@gmail.com.

Events SOGS hosts many different types of events throughout the year organized by its various committees. These include social events, academically-focused events, wellness events, and more. A full list of events can be found on the calendar as well as on the various SOGS social media accounts. They also typically hold a full roster of Orientation events, so keep an eye out for that!

Academics SOGS is invested in advocated for graduate students on an academic level. They offer various initiatives and resources toward this goal. The Peer Advisor for Academic Matters offers one-on-one confidential support on all manner of academic concerns. Additionally, SOGS runs the Western Research Forum annually, hosts several workshops, and offers an academic fund to help graduate students host conferences.

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PUBLIC SERVICE ALLIANCE LOCAL 610 (PSAC 610) UNION PSAC 610 is the Graduate Teaching Assistant and Postdoctoral Associate union at Western University. This union represents its members through collective bargaining and with grievances related to the workplace. PSAC 610 also offers benefits to its members and is a politically active organization. These benefits include an extended health plan, a mental health fund, food support fund, UHIP assistance, and more.

Every department nominates a student to the position of Union Steward, falling under the jurisdiction of the Chief Steward of Arts and Sciences. Another way to get involved with PSAC 610 is through its committee work.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

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HEALTH & WELLNESS Western offers a wide variety of on-campus services to assist with all aspects of your health and wellbeing.

Please note that due to COVID-19, the availability of in-person services may be altered or limited. Many services have shifted to virtual or telephone-based delivery. Be sure to check websites, social media, and call the service ahead of time just to be sure!

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SOGS Health and Dental Plan Full-time graduate students at Western University who are members of the Society of Graduate Students (SOGS) and have paid their SOGS Health & Dental Plan fee are automatically billed for, enrolled in, and covered by the SOGS Health & Dental Plan. The SOGS website offers an in-depth FAQ about this plan.

The SOGS health and dental plan is meant to extend healthcare coverage beyond OHIP and UHIP. Ontario residents are encouraged to registered for the Ontatio Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). International students are required to be covered by the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP). More information can be found on UWO’s Student Health page.

Empower Me Eligible Western graduate students now have FREE, UNCAPPED access to additional support through Empower Me: a confidential support service and network of professionals covering a variety of domains available 24/7, 365 days a year. Call 1-833-628-5589 (toll-free), available 24/7 from anywhere in Canada or the US. See the FAQ for additional helpline numbers for international access in over 22 countries. Empower Me allows you to request professionals with specific characteristics - ie, multi-lingual, faith/gender requests, experience with supporting various issues, etc.

Wellness at SOGS The Graduate Peer Support Committee at SOGS is dedicated to providing mental health and wellness support to SOGS members. This includes the Wellness Joint Fund, the Food Bank for Non-TAs, Wellness Week, and more.

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PSAC 610 Health Plan and Mental Health Fund PSAC offers an extended Health Plan to Teaching Assistants, above OHIP/UHIP and the SOGS StudentCare Plan. This extended Health Plan covers physical health (as well as mental health once the MHF is used up) costs up to $599 a year, per student. An FAQ is provided on their website.

PSAC also offers a Mental Health Fund to Teaching Assistants. This fund provides up to $599 a year in mental health funding to each student. The FAQ for this fund can also be found on their website.

UHIP Assistance PSAC provides international student Teaching Assistants the opportunity to request a refund on their UHIP fees. There is an application process for this refund which opens in the Spring. More information can be found on PSAC’s website.

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UWO MENTAL HEALTH Western offers many different services to students regarding mental health supports. The main page can be found here.

WESTERN PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES Booking an appointment through Western Psychological Services is very easy. Appointments (urgent or otherwise) can be booked at this link.

INDIVIDUAL COUNSELLING Individual counselling appointments can be made here. Appointment needed - Mon-Fri 9am-4pm - Brief counselling (referral to a community partner is available for long-term or complex cases)

GROUP CARE AND WORKSHOPS Group care options are available; ranging from 5-15 participants Various specific topics available with a full list available on the website Laura Evans Wellness Workshops available - Register by calling 519-661-3030

CRISIS COUNSELLING Western provides information for crisis counselling, as well as a link of 23 external resources.

UWO PHYSICAL HEALTH Western’s Student Health offers a variety of general and specialized services. These include: Birth Control Information, Allergy Injections & Immunization, STD Testing, and a Trans Care Team. These various services can be found on their website.

Health and Wellness Center The Health and Wellness Center can be found in Room 11 in the UCC. Appointments can be booked via shappt@uwo.ca or the following website.

Student Emergency Response Team Western is also home to a Student Emergence Response Team (SERT) which is a student run, volunteer organization proviidng emegency medial response to 911 calls on campus. Additionally, SERT offers training in First Aid. The SERT works alongside Campus Police and the Western Foot Patrol.

On Campus Pharmacy Found in the lower level of the UCC, Western’s pharmacy is not only a full pharmacy and variety store, but it is now a fully-functional post office as well.

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OTHER UWO HEALTH & WELLNESS RESOURCES Campus Recreation The Western Student Recreation Center is a relatively new state-of-the-art facility accessible to all graduate students. The Rec Center includes a pool, a fitness centre, several gymnasia, locker rooms and showers, squash courts, wellness rooms, and more. The website includes full schedules for all of the different amenities, as well as information on the various programming available (aquatics/dance/fitness/personal training). Information on Western’s intramural programs and recreational sport clubs can also be found on this website.

Specialized Medical Support Western offers a variety of services that are almost too many to name.

These include the Dental Clinic, Campus Vision (optometry), LifeLabs clinic, chiropractic services, physiotherapy services, a Speech and Hearing Clinic, and so much more. A full list of additional resources can 25 be found here.

FINANCES

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FINANCES Being a graduate student is, financially, a difficult undertaking. Luckily, there are options for additional funding within UWO. The following sections outlines the various bursaries, funds, and scholarships which UWO graduate students have access to. In terms of employment, Western’s HR website offers a job board; it’s also important to network with FIMS faculty and ask about possible RAships internally, as well. Additional information can be found on the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website.

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SOGS Bursaries SOGS Bursaries are awarded each term (Summer, Fall, Winter) to full-time members of the Society of Graduate Students (Masters or Doctoral) who have demonstrated financial need.

Applications are available here

Subsidies SOGS offers a few subsidies every term including a childcare subsidy, a professional placement subsidy, and a travel subsidy. More information and applications can be found on their website.

Emergency Loan SOGS members in good standing can apply for an interest-free emergency loan of up to $1,000. Repayment occurs between 30 days and 3 months, depending on the size of the load. Applications can be found here.

Bus Pass All full-time SOGS members are enrolled in the mandatory bus pass program. You can then use your Western OneCard as a bus pass.

Other SOGS Financial Help SOGS offers many other programs and financial aid to its members including, but not limited to, free tax filing software, a scholarship, a free 28 program, and more.

ISIC card (for discounts), a food bank

PSAC 610 Financial Assistance Fund PSAC 610 offers a financial assistance fund to Teaching Assistants who might experience unexpected financial need. Funding can fall under a variety of umbrellas including medical emergency, child care subsidy, and conference travel. Applications are found on PSAC 610’s website.

Food Support Fund PSAC 610’s Food Support Fund helps members who experience financial shortage which leads to a inability to purchase food. Applicants can receive food bank vouchers. Applications are found on PSAC 610’s website.

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LOANS, GRANTS, AND BURSARIES A variety of opportunities are available to graduate students to fund either tuition or research interests. Funding is provided by Western as well as via different external sources, some of which have been covered in this manual.

Via the Intranet, FIMS students can also apply for research funding or conference funding.

OSAP Full-time graduate students who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents are eligible to apply for the Ontario Student Assistance Program. This is a joint loan and grant program; students complete an application and are awarded a loan, a grant, or both. Successful applicants do not have to take the money if they don’t want to.

Western University offers an in-depth explanation of OSAP and how to apply here.

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SCHOLARSHIPS & RESEARCH FUNDS Tri-Agency Awards UWO allows domestic graduate students to apply to three national Doctoral Awards using one application. This application portal opens in the summer and is usually due by mid- to end of September. This application allows students to be considered for both a Canada Graduate Scholarship-Doctoral (CGS D) award and the agency-specific (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) doctoral awards.

The eligibility criteria for each Doctoral Award is as follows: ● ● ● ●

CGS-D (All Agency) ($35,000/year for 3 years) CIHR ($35,000/year for 3 years) NSERC ($35,000/year for 3 years OR $21,000/year for 3 years ) SSHRC ($20,000 per year for 12, 24, 36 or 48 months)

Ontario Graduate Scholarships (OGS) The Ontario Graduate Scholarships awarded annually are merit-based scholarships available to students in all disciplines of graduate study. Students who have applied to a Tri-Agency Award can now submit the same application to the OGS rather than complete a whole new application. A set amount of OGS are available for international students as well.

More information can be found on Western’s UWO webpage.

Research at FIMS Karen Kueneman is the FIMS Research Officer and keeps a website updated with research funding opportunities for FIMS students and faculty.

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ABOUT FIMS

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ABOUT FIMS The Faculty of Information and Media Studies (FIMS), dedicated to the advancement of knowledge about media, communications and information technologies, is a vibrant, expanding Faculty comprising more than 45 full-time faculty members and 22 non-academic staff. FIMS offers strong programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels and is linked to the public and private sectors and to community organizations, in an academic environment characterized by interdisciplinarity, collaboration, creative inquiry, and critical thinking.

Learn more about FIMS here and throughout this manual.

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MAP OF FNB (4th Floor)

SNAKE STARTS (AT ELEVATOR) AND ENDS HERE

The 4th floor will, for the most part, be “home” to most FIMS graduate students. Although it may seem confusing at first, the room numbers actually follow a snake-like pattern beginning at the elevators. This map includes arrows which indicate the direction of the room numbers. Purple Xs indicate PhD offices and blue Xs indicate MA offices!

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ACRONYMS FIMS Faculty of Information and Media Studies GSS Graduate Student Services FNB FIMS and Nursing Building SGPS School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies LIS Library & Information Science; Master’s & PhD HIS Health Information Science; Master’s & PhD PMC Popular Music and Culture - MPMC MS Media Studies; Master’s & PhD MMJC Master of Media in Journalism and Communication MIT Media, Information & Technoculture (Undergraduate degree) 35

STAFF The Graduate Student Services Team – FNB 2020 Brandi Borman, Manager, Graduate Student Services Cindy Morrison, Team Leader, Graduate Student Services Shelley Long, Graduate Program Assistant Rudra Seegobin, Co-op/Internship Assistant Sara Irons, Graduate Programs Assistant/Dean’s Office Assistant Nicole Versaevel, HIS Coordinator

Pam McKenzie, Associate Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Susan Knabe, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies Lisa Henderson, Dean of FIMS 36

Dean Henderson’s Mascot

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GRADUATE STUDENT SERVICES Graduate Student Services (GSS) is responsible for administering the services necessary to run the graduate programs. This includes things like course scheduling, academic counseling, coordinating funding and scholarship distribution, and other administrative services.

Every week, GSS holds an open Q&A session where staff is available to answer any and all questions. The 2020-2021 “Ask GSS” schedule is TBD. A breakdown of which GSS staff member can answer what type of questions can be found on the Intranet, but we have also included a brief outline here: Brandi Borman: Academic and career counselling // Scholarships // Admissions Cindy Morrison: Graduate programs timetables // Course registration // Internal funding and scholarships Shelley Long: Admission inquiries and applications // Point of contact for incoming students Rudra Seegobin: Internships and Co-op positions Nicole Versaevel: HIS admissions, HIS timetabling, main contact for HIS inquiries Sara Irons: TA contracts/pay // application processes for major external scholarships // organizing thesis defenses

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FIMS RESOURCES

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FIMS RESOURCES

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INTRANET The FIMS Intranet is an incredibly useful compendium of everything you need to know as a graduate student at FIMS. It can be accessed through the FIMS UWO website:

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(what’s on the) INTRANET • Program Objectives - Goals of the Program • Program Structure & Progression – Graduation Requirements, Required courses chart, Part-time/Full-time options (if applicable) • Course Information – Syllabi, Potential Courses for Future Term, Incompletes, External and Directed Study courses • Comprehensive Exam, Thesis and Major Research Project Regulations and Guidelines – Timelines, Roles of Supervisor and Committee Members, Ethics Requirements, Thesis Tips • Financial Information – Conference Travel Funding and Other Awards – Research Funding (PhD only) & MORE!

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FIMS GRAD LIBRARY The FIMS Graduate Library is found on the 3rd floor of FNB in Room 3020. The Library provides access to electronic databases, as well as print collections which include books, comics, graphic novels, periodicals, DVDs, and board games. The Library also lends equipment such as digital cameras, e-readers, and tablets.

The Library has a makerspace, called Bibliotech, which allows students access to equipment for experimentation, for projects, or for fun! The Library also includes meetings rooms, a reading room, and an outdoor patio space (weather permitting).

The Library hosts workshops and seminars, under the heading “FIMS Graduate Library Presents…”

More information can be found on their website, as well as on their social media accounts @fimsgradlib The library hosts (virtual) drop-in hours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 12-1 PM. Find the zoom link in your @uwo inbox.

Staff Melanie Mills, Library Director ms.melanie.mills@gmail.com Kendall Sturgeon, Library Assistant ksturge3@uwo.ca 43

PRINTING AT FIMS Printing remotely is quite easy using myFIMS Printing (aka, Papercut) and your Western OneCard. You can access your account on myFims Printing using your FIMS username and password -- we suggest making your UWO password and your FIMS password the same for ease of use. The FIMS password allows you to access the Intranet and this printing service.

Print jobs will not automatically print; to retrieve your print job, you must tap your Western OneCard on the printer that you sent your print job to and it will print. You must then log out of the printer once your print job is complete.

For an FAQ on printing at FIMS, click here.

This manual also includes a step-by-step guide to using the myFIMS Printing (PaperCut) system.

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Steps to Web Printing at FIMS After logging into the website, you will see a screen which shows how much printing money is left in your account. To print, hit “Web Print” from the left side menu.

Click “Submit a Job”.

Choose your preferred printer. myFIMS Printing gives you access to the graduate library printers, as well as the ones on the 3rd and 4th floors of FNB.

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Steps to Web Printing at FIMS The next screen autopopulates your login and assumes you are charging to your personal account. This will almost always be the case except if you’ve been given a TA account to print materials for your students. This will show up under “Charge to shared account” if applicable.

The next screen allows you to upload your documents.

The final screen will show your print queue including how many pages each document is and the full cost. The documents will be held in the queue until you tap your Western OneCard on the printer they’ve been sent to.

Alternatively, you can choose “Jobs Pending Release” from the side menu and either release (remotely) or cancel your 46 print job.

PARKING SERVICES Western has a limited amount of parking spots to be shared by its students. The closest parking lot to FNB is the Huron Flats parking lot.

The other parking lots available to students with a green pass are: Althouse West (Tip: fills to capacity by about 10:00 am) Ontario Lot Medway (Tip: does not usually fill to capacity) Springett West Gate (Tip: fills to capacity by about 8:30 am) Graduate students can also purchase the grey pass which is for faculty and staff. This is a more expensive option but it also allows for access to more parking lots.

Parking passes are available for purchase as of August 1st. More information, including rates and length of passes, can be found at Western Parking Services.

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PARKING SERVICES

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FIMS COMMUNITY

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FIMS COMMUNITY

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PHD & MA OFFICES Doctoral students may book a desk, in a shared office space, to be used throughout their time at FIMS. The shared offices are found in FNB 4094, 4018, 4038, 4062, and 4039.

MA students may use desks in the shared office spaces found in rooms 4016 and 4007.

These spaces can be reserved by contacting the head of each respective student association within FIMS. Some shared office spaces have a more sociable vibe, while others are more conducive to quiet work. Some currently have more students from one faculty than the other. Therefore, it’s best to ask either the head of the student association you’re a part of, or a current FIMS graduate student for advice on which space to request depending on your personal preferences.

Additionally, via the Intranet, graduate students may book meeting rooms for their use. This booking system can be found under ‘Quick Links’, then ‘FNB Information’, then by clicking the link titled ‘FNB Room Calendars’.

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PHD KITCHEN FNB 4069 The FIMS PhD kitchen is for all FIMS Doctoral students within FIMS. It is a cornerstone of the FIMS graduate community; the PhD kitchen community stocks food, coffee, and tea for doctoral students. There are also several appliances for use and it is a hub to learn about upcoming events, and such, within the FIMS community. The PhD kitchen functions on a donation-basis; users of the kitchen are encouraged to donate, when/if the can, to the fund that keeps the kitchen stocked.

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MA KITCHEN FNB 4003 The MA kitchen on the 4th floor of FNB offers a space for MA students to store their food, warm up food, make coffee, tea, etc.

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GRAD STUDENT LOUNGE FNB 3040 This graduate student lounge, found on the 3rd floor of FNB, offers kitchen facilities to FIMS graduate students, as well as tables, chairs, and couches. It includes several appliances, a telephone, and a separate meeting room that can be booked via the Intranet system.

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FIMS COMMUNITY EVENTS FIMS Writes Do you expect to have paper, story, article, report, thesis, or book deadlines coming up? Does having other people writing around you help keep you on-task? Then join FIMSWrites, an informal initiative to provide some solidarity in the sometimes-solitary writing process. What it is: a group of people sitting silently together working on their individual writing projects, with a short coffee, snack, and socializing break in the middle. What it's not: a writing tutorial or workshop. When and how?

Once per week (tbd), 9-noon via Zoom. Contact: Pam McKenzie (pmckenzi@uwo.ca)

Mediations Mediations is a graduate student-run workshop series that offers the FIMS community an opportunity to share ongoing research or works-in-progress with student and faculty colleagues. These sessions seek to establish a space in which members of the FIMS and UWO community at large may come together in an intellectually stimulating and productive exchange of ideas. Each workshop consists of one 30-40 minute presentation followed by two respondents (approx. 5 minutes each). The remainder of each session is devoted to questions and discussion with the general audience.

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FIMS COMMUNITY EVENTS FIMS Buddies The FIMS buddies program (official title: “FIMS Peer Mentors”) was established in 2020 to help incoming graduate students with their transition into the FIMS community. The role of the peer mentors is a largely informal and social one. They help answer questions, point to FIMS resources, and share “unofficial” advice about graduate student life at Western. If you are interested in becoming a mentor to an incoming graduate student, watch out for an email in the spring. In the meantime, send your questions to fims-buddies@uwo.ca.

Graduate Bulletin The FIMS Graduate Bulletin is a monthly newsletter with news, announcements, and events pertaining to FIMS graduate programs. It also lists awards, publications, presentation and media coverage for FIMS faculty and graduate students. You will start receiving it automatically and do not need to sign up. Submissions from the FIMS community are always welcome and may be sent via e-mail to bblue@uwo.ca.

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FNB FIGURINES A FIMS LEGACY Walk around any floor of the FIMS side of FNB and it is immediately obvious that we have been overrun by figurines - action figures, origami creatures, dolls, and much more. Legend has it an intrepid FIMS staff member started putting out these little figures a few years back. The FIMS community quickly jumped on board.

Photos of these figurines have been interspersed throughout this manual and more are included on this page. FIMS community members are welcome to add to the collection and move them around!

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TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS

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TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS (TA) Every summer, the Undergraduate Associate Dean reaches out to graduate students about TA opportunities. A lot of consideration is given to students’ preferences about what type of TAship they might take on. Additionally, within Western and FIMS, there are constantly opportunities emerging to improve teaching skills.

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TA OFFICES Location: FIMS graduate students assigned a TA position have access to two shared offices. TA offices are located on the second floor near FIMS’ Creative Commons Space (room 2011 and 2012).

Booking An Office: You can book a TA office through the FIMS’ Graduate Intranet or by emailing fims-frontoffice@uwo.ca.

Sign in to the intranet and click the Self-Booking Meeting Rooms tab to the left of the homepage.

Scroll down to the heading TA Offices, and select which office you would like to book.

Click on an available day and time slot in the calendar. Enter your name followed by the course you are the TA for.

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CENTER FOR TEACHING & LEARNING (CTL) Located in D.B. Weldon Library, room 112.

Tel: 519-661-2111 x80346 ctl@uwo.ca https://teaching.uwo.ca The CTL offers support for teaching and learning missions through orientation, training, mentorship, research and innovation opportunities for instructors. Online resources and information about programs offered specifically for TAs by the CTL can be found at : https://teaching.uwo.ca/teaching/teaching-assistants.html

Western Certificate in University Teaching & Learning The CTL offers a program which allows graduate students to obtain a certificate in teaching and learning. The training for this certificate includes the very advantageous Teaching Assistant Training Program which is a four-day program offered by the CTL teaching TAs about fair grading practices, diversity in the classroom, lesson design, and how to give feedback on written work. Opportunity to get feedback through microteaching sessions. Certificate award after successful completion.

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TA DAY What is it?

A conference meant to inform graduate students about teaching at Western, helping to preparing students for their roles as TAs. Offered through the Center for Teaching and Learning, TA Day occurs annually (often in the beginning of the academic year).

Registration is required to attend the conference. Check your Western email for information about how to register or reach out to the CTL.

What to Expect: -

All incoming graduate students are welcome Sessions are interdisciplinary and led by experienced instructors The conference offers choice as to what session to participate in (you can select the sessions most relevant to you)

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TA TIPS & TRICKS ●

● ● ● ●

● ● ●

Read over your TA Contract and Duties Specification Agreement and know your rights. ○ You are paid for 140 hours of work which works out to roughly 10 hours of work per week (however, some weeks are busier than others) Make sure to keep track of your hours worked per week Make sure to get a media key if you plan on using powerpoints for tutorials Make sure to consult FIMS grading policies when marking When marking: ○ Mark with pencil or use sticky notes ○ Set a timer to keep track of how long each assignment takes to mark and budget your time accordingly. ○ Mark in small batches not all at once ○ Make sure to set aside time to review assignments for consistency in your marking ○ Feedback should be objective, constructive, specific, and include recommendations for how the student can improve in future assignments. ○ Seek a second opinion if you aren’t sure of something Be aware that students have the right to appeal marks assigned and make sure that students are aware of their right to appeal Give students clear justification with your assigned grades Keep thorough notes of lectures

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TA TIPS & TRICKS (Developed by Wendy Pearson, amended by Susan Knabe)

Do ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Check out the location of your room in advance Turn up on time for every lecture and/or tutorial Learn your students’ names (you will be provided with a class list with photographs from Extranet at the start of the semester) Arrive prepared Have some activities to fall back on Keep your office hours Try to be consistent in your marking Be respectful Be enthusiastic Know when to call for help Know where to send students for help

Don’t ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Be inconsistent Pretend an expertise you don’t have Try to make yourself look smart at a student’s expense Allow for too much time wasting Procrastinate Be unprofessional Be inefficient Set a bad example Become a student’s counsellor Play favourites Allow students to give you medical information Change the assignment Be to hard on yourself Fail to ask for help 64

LONDON, ONTARIO

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LONDON, ONTARIO London is a Canadian city in southwestern Ontario, just north of Lake Erie and the U.S. border. It's home to the University of Western Ontario. Among the city's range of museums are Museum London, a showcase for regional art and historical artefacts, and the interactive Children's Museum. The city centre features numerous parks and greenways along the Thames River.

In the next few pages, we have outlined some of the things that London has to offer to graduate students but this list is by no means exhaustive.

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LONDON, ON Accommodations ●

●

Western offers a number of housing options for graduate students. They also offer a listing of off-campus housing options.

Student-friendly rental companies in London include: ○ ○ ○

Luxury Student Rentals Inc. (https://lsrentals.ca/) PADRentals (https://www.padrentals.ca/) Core Rentals (http://www.corerentals.ca/)

Grocery Stores ● ● ● ● ●

Bulk Barn: 15% off discount on Wednesdays with student card/bulk buying Food Island/United: international food suppliers Food Basics (Oxbury & Sherwood Forest): 10% student discount with student card on Tuesdays Metro: 10% student discount with student card Real Canadian Superstore ○ ○

● ●

Every Tuesday: 10% more PC Optimum points for students Free shuttle bus for students that leaves from Residence Circle every Tuesday at 7pm

Sobey’s: 10% student discount on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with student card and AirMiles card Loblaws (Market Masonville): 10% discount to students with student card and PC Optimum card 67

LONDON, ON Transportation w/Discounts ●

LOCAL BUS: LTC (FREE with student card) ○

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BUS: Greyhound ○ ○ ○

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Access bus schedules via apps such as LTWatch or the official LTC website at http://www.londontransit.ca/ 25% discount for international students 10% discount for Canadian students *Requires student ID and either schedule of classes, enrolment form and any other document to verify; more info at https://www.greyhound.ca/

TRAIN: ViaRail ○ ○

Unlimited student pass for $449 that allows students aged 12 - 25 to travel on routes between Kingston & Windsor Student discounts on individual fares; more info at http://viarail.ca

Healthcare ●

Walk-in clinics ○ ○ ○ ○

●

Vets ○ ○ ○

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Western Student Health Services // (519) 661-3030 Wharncliffe Walk-in Clinic // (519) 435-0111 // 240 Wharncliffe Rd N #201 Oxford Medical Walk-In Clinic // (519) 433-4999 // 140 Oxford St E #102 FOR EMERGENCIES: University Hospital - London Health Sciences Centre // (519) 685-8500 or 911 // 339 Windermere Rd Masonville Animal Hospital // (519) 660-1770 // 101 Fanshawe Park Rd E #8 Talbot Animal Hospital // (519) 672-0672 // 121 Oxford St E FOR EMERGENCIES: London Regional Veterinary Emergency and Referral Hospital // (519) 432-3300 // 41 Adelaide St N

Animal shelters ○

Humane Society London & Middlesex // (519) 451-0630 // 624 Clarke Rd

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LONDON, ON Shopping w/Discounts ●

Malls and Markets ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

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Masonville Mall White Oaks Mall Northland Mall Covent Garden Market The Market at Western Fair District

Online shopping discounts: ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Columbia: SOGS members receive bi-annual invites to shop the Columbia employee sale ASOS: 10% discount off full-priced items online Champion: 10% discount off online purchases Nike: 10% discount off online purchases TopShop: 10% discount; see website for more info Urban Outfitters: 10% discount off on specific days with student ID Puma: 20% discount off online purchases

Other Student Discounts ● ● ●

Amazon Prime: 6 month free trial, then 50% off discount each month after that Spotify: $4.99 monthly subscription for students (starts with 3 month free trial) Apple Music: $4.99 monthly subscription for students (starts with 3 month free trial)

Bars & Restaurants ● ● ● ●

The Grad Club; on campus and owned by SOGS! Near campus: Barakat // Alibi Roadhouse Quick eats along Richmond St: Barneys // Chuck’s Roadhouse // Osmow’s // Prince Albert’s Diner // Burger Priest // Symposium Cafe // MELTwich Nightclubs: Jack’s // Frog // McCabe’s // Ceeps // Molly Blooms // Lost Love // The Pub on Richmond

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LONDON, ON Local Community Volunteer Opportunities are available in a variety of capacities at the following organizations: ○ ○ ○

Western’s Student Success Centre (https://studentexperience.uwo.ca/leadershiplearning/) Pillar Non Profit Network (https://pillarnonprofit.ca/) Volunteer London (https://volunteerlondon.ca/)

Tourism and other Attractions in London ●

Parks ○ ○ ○ ○

●

Trails & Dog-Friendly Fun ○ ○ ○ ○

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Eldon House Banting House National Historic Site Museum London

Nearby beaches ○ ○ ○ ○

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Covent Garden Market Events at Budweiser Gardens Labatt Brewery

History ○ ○ ○

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Medway Trail Sifton Bog Thames Valley Parkway Stoney Creek Dog Park (off-leash, closest to campus)

Downtown London ○ ○ ○

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Gibbons Park (biggest park near UWO Springbank Park Harris Park Victoria Park

Port Stanley Grand Bend Pinery [dog beach] Port Burwell [dog beach]

More info on London’s tourism at https://www.londontourism.ca/ 70

SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook UWO FIMS Graduate Students (private group) FIMS Facebook Page

Twitter

FIMS Graduate Library

FIMS

Mediations Facebook Page

SOGS

SOGS Facebook Page

Western

PSAC Facebook Page Western Facebook Page

Instagram

Discord SOGS Virtual Grad Space

FIMS FIMS Graduate Library SOGS PSAC 610 Western 71

ENJOY YOUR YEAR!

FIMS GRADUATE MANUAL For MS MA/PhD, MHIS, HIS PhD, LIS PhD 2022 - 2023

fims-buddies@uwo.ca