ANNUAL REPORT
2014-2015 Graduate Students’ Association Annual Report | 1
table of contents
who we are 1 what we’ve accomplished
5
plans for the future
20
financials 26
who we are
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Message from the President The GSA is dedicated to enhancing the experience of all graduate students at the University of Calgary, and I have strived to do just that in my two terms as President. Through our services, advocacy, funding, and support, the GSA is always searching for ways to improve the graduate student experience. Our graduate students are integral to the success of the GSA. Through their feedback and volunteer contributions we have been able to take our services to new heights this year. Using feedback from of our members, we recognized a greater need for mental health awareness and services and a desire for more readily available funding options. We continuously strive to meet the needs of our members. The accomplishment I am most proud of is the increased engagement I have seen from our students this past year. The generosity and drive of our graduate students are the reasons that the GSA has been able to accomplish so much this year. I leave my post in the capable hands of Mike Webster. I had the pleasure of working with him this past year, and I know he, and the new Board of Directors will do great things for the GSA and all University of Calgary graduate students. - Sarah Akierman Outgoing president
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Sarah Akierman President
Cari Gulbransen VP Academic
Chris Carlile VP External
Sarah Akierman was President of the GSA for two terms. In that time she was the voice for graduate students at the University of Calgary. One initiative Sarah started this year was including “breakout sessions” during the Graduate Representative Council (GRC) meetings. She and the rest of the Board of Directors facilitated small focus groups with graduate students on topics such as mental health, student life events, and tuition and fees. Prior to the end of her term, Sarah also initiated the planning of a threeyear strategic plan.
Cari Gulbrandsen served as the GSA’s VP Academic. She previously worked for the GSA as the student services administrator while she completed her Masters degree from 2002-2007. During that time, she participated in planning events and programs for graduate students.
Chris Carlile became the GSA’s first VP External of the Graduate Students’ Association on May 1, 2014. As VP External, Chris was responsible for representing the GSA when talking to the government, other universities, or community stakeholders. During his time with the GSA, Chris’ greatest accomplishment was passing a referendum to allow the GSA to join the Alberta Graduate Provincial Advocacy Council (abGPAC).
Sarah successfully defended her MSc thesis in January 2015 in Biological Sciences and her research interests lie in the role of gut microbiota in the cause of Crohn’s Disease. During her program she received the Dean’s Graduate Performance Award in recognition of superior performance in an MSc program in Cell Development & Physiology.
When she returned to campus to pursue a PhD, Cari welcomed the opportunity to fulfill a leadership position with the GSA. A major focus for the VP Academic in 2014-2015 was to introduce the 2014-2016 Collective Agreement to the campus community and departments, while providing specific information and answers to questions. Cari worked with Human Resources and the Deputy Provost to the implement the Collective Agreement. Cari is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Social Work. She looks forward to contributing to the GSA as a volunteer in her remaining time at the University of Calgary.
Chris is currently working on a MA in Political Science. His research focuses on the role of databases and communication technology in election campaigns. Outside the academic world, Chris is interested in all things political. He has worked as an intern in both the Government of Alberta and the Government of Canada, as well as volunteering in a number of local political associations. Once he is finished his MA, he plans to pursue a career in government. Mike Webster served as VP
“I get to leave this institution with some of the best leadership training under my belt.”
Sarah Akierman, outgoing president
Danica MacDonald VP Student Life
Mike Webster
Danica MacDonald was acclaimed as VP Student Life for the GSA in October 2014 and will continue in the role for the 2015-2016 term. Some of the responsibilities of the VP Student Life portfolio are addressing issues concerning International Students and students living in residence and family housing, managing the Departmental Graduate Association program, overseeing GSA social events, and co-organizing the two graduate orientations with the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Finance and Services, and he will be the GSA’s President in 201516. In his time as VP Finance and Services, Mike led the transition to the GSA’s new Health and Dental provider, StudentCare. Within the Finance portfolio, he also instituted changes that will lead to greater financial accountability and transparency. Policy and procedure changes to the budgeting and reporting processes make the budget easier to read and potential issues easier to identify. The changes allow the Finance Standing Committee to be more effective in its role as an advisor to the Board and GRC.
Danica has worked on building a stronger graduate student community by engaging students in various events and activities outside the classroom. Prior to her position with the GSA, She served as the GRC representative for Linguistics and was the GSA Awards Chair. Danica is a PhD candidate in the Department of Linguistics, Languages and Cultures and is working on her dissertation in Historical Morphology in Korean.
VP Finance & Services
Previously, Mike has been a coorganizer of Free Exchange, the longest-running interdisciplinary graduate conference in Western Canada, as well as Departmental Graduate Association co-chair and chair for the Department of English. Mike is a PhD candidate in English Literature where he is currently working on his dissertation in Digital Humanities.
Graduate Students’ Association Annual Report | 4
what we’ve accomplished | 5
Over 5800 graduate students attend the University of Calgary, and the GSA aims to the make the time of each of those students as rewarding as possible. This report highlights the accomplishments of the GSA in 2014-2015. The GSA wants to celebrate these achievements and showcase our services, funding opportunities, and how the GSA has supported graduate students at every opportunity.
The GSA’s New Executive Director In January, the Executive Director position with the GSA was vacated. The President, VP Finance and Services, two GSA staff members, and a member of the Graduate Representative Council, formed a committee to search for a new Executive Director. This thorough process involved several stages of interviews. The committee, with approval from the GSA Board of Directors, chose Jason Unsworth, a seasoned student government professional with over 14 years experience at Mount Royal University. Jason began his position with the GSA on May 19, 2015. Jason holds an MBA from Royal Roads University with a focus in executive management. Jason looks forward to supporting the GSA Board of Directors in achieving their goals in the coming year.
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Quality Money In 2002, the University of Calgary launched the Quality Money Program, which provides funds to the GSA and the Students’ Union (SU), the University’s undergraduate student association, to use for projects and initiatives that enhance the student experience. In 2010, these projects were given an additional mandate of aligning with the University’s Eyes High vision. As part of the yearly tuition consultation process, the University of Calgary proportionally distributes this money by population to the GSA and the SU. Some of the programs and services for graduate students that are funded through Quality Money are:
• Departmental Graduate Associations and
Consortiums • Employer Liaison Program (professional development, workshops, and the Mentorship Program) • Graduate Student Orientation • Self Defense Workshops Several times a year, the GSA announces a call for project proposals to graduate students and university groups. The Board of Directors reviews the submitted proposals and selects the ones that they believe will make the largest positive impact on our graduate students. This past year, the GSA used over $48,000 of Quality Money to fund student and University community projects that would positively impact graduate students. A few of the projects funded this year were:
• Global Families Program - resources and support for families of international students at the University of Calgary
• Let’s Talk Science - a graduate volunteer-led
program that works with children and youth to encourage engagement in science, technology, engineering, and math.
• 5th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association of Cognitive Behavioural Therapies - a yearly conference to promote research in cognitive behavioural therapy.
• Test of Workplace Essential Skills for
International Graduate Students (TOWES) Career Services uses the TOWES assessment to measure three essential workplace skills for international students to support their transition from academia to the working world.
• Campus Alberta Graduate Student Conference on Health - A conference directed at the health sciences for Alberta’s research-intensive institutions to discuss trends in health care and Thank you! health research.
Photo from the Campus Alberta Graduate Student Conference on Health Campus Alberta Student Conference on Health, 2014
• Life After Grad School - A pilot project in the
English department to establish a peer-support group to help students in assessing their strengths and develop career path plans.
• Graduate Research Networks (GRNs) - Funding for GRNs, groups that come together for interdisciplinary research interests.
Global Families Program event
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Bursaries, Awards & Grants Bursaries
Grants
The GSA administers individual and family bursaries twice per academic year in the fall and winter semesters. These bursaries are available for students to apply for when facing an unforeseeable financial need. The GSA Awards Committee evaluates the bursaries, which are administered by the University of Calgary Faculty of Graduate Studies (www.grad. ucalgary.ca). Families are eligible to receive $1500 and individuals are eligible to receive $1000. In 2014-2015 $48,000 was paid to assist students.
There are several ways in which the GSA provides funding for our members. One of those ways is through Professional Development and Group Project Grants. These grants are available to individual graduate students and groups who are seeking funding to pursue an academic project.
Fall Intake Family
Individual
Winter Intake Family
During every Professional Development Grant intake, the awards committee gives out a special grant to the most deserving applicant in the amount of $1000. This grant, the Margo M. Husby award, is named after a Communications and Culture professor who had a passion for original thought, personal growth, and giving back to the community. The GSA created this award in 2013 in her honour.
Alberta Graduate Citizenship Award Individual
Graduate students that volunteer and serve the Alberta community are important members of the University. The Alberta Government offers an award to recognize these students, and celebrate their public service efforts. Each year twenty University of Calgary graduate students are eligible to receive the Alberta Graduate Citizenship Award in the amount of $2000. Some of the areas of service that an applicant of the award may be involved with are community charitable and non-profit organizations, clubs, and student governments or societies. The GSA Awards Committee evaluates the applications of University of Calgary students and forwards their approved applications to the Government of Alberta for final approval. Graduate Students’ Association Annual Report | 8
Excellence Awards Each year the GSA celebrates individuals that are enhancing the graduate student experience. A call for nominations is announced to recognize excellent instructors, administrators, and supervisors at the University of Calgary. This year the GSA added a new category to recognize excellence in graduate mentorship. Students are able to nominate individuals that are providing them with support, knowledge, and guidance. The following are the winners of the Excellence Awards for the 2014-2015 year:
• Excellence in Administrative Support – Merrit Penny, Department of Economics
• Excellence in Teaching – Dr. Tom Langford,
Department of Sociology • Excellence in Supervision – Dr. Rob Huebert, Department of Political Science and Dr. Amanda Pounder, Department of Linguistics, Languages and Culture (honourable mention) • Excellence in Mentorship – Dr. Denice Bay, Department of Biological Sciences
President Sarah Akierman presenting the Excellence in Administrative Support Award to Merrit Penny
The GSA awards gala is held in April to celebrate the winners. As well as recognizing the award winners of teaching, leadership, supervising and mentorship, the GSA recognized many invaluable volunteers of the Association.
GSA Leadership Award At the gala in April, the GSA introduced the GSA Leadership award. The nominations for this award demonstrated the diversity of leadership roles graduate students fulfill in their departments, faculties, and in the University community. Applicants needed to highlight their volunteer experience and provide supporting letters of reference. The GSA evaluated applications of the Leadership Award from 55 students this year.
Winner of the Excellence in Teaching Award, Dr. Tom Langford, and his nominator, Kristen Chaisson
The GSA Leadership Award, along with our two other major GSA awards, the Lifetime Achievement Award and the GRC Distinguished Services Award, were presented to the following individuals:
• GSA Lifetime Achievement Award – Liam Cummings
• GRC Distinguished Service Award – Chris Hyland • GSA Leadership Award – Kristen Barton | 9
VP Finance and Services Mike Webster giving the GSA Leadership Awards to Kristen Barton
Liam Cummings, GSA VP Academic 2013-2014; Joey Windsor, GSA VP Academic 2012-2013; Cari Gulbrandsen, GSA VP Academic 20142015. Each of these individuals had a part in the negotiations of the 2014-2016 Collective Agreement.
Collective Agreement The Collective Agreement is a policy laid out between the University of Calgary Board of Governors and the Graduate Students’ Association. It explains the rules and codes of conduct, which ensure that graduate assistants are treated and paid fairly by laying out the rights and responsibilities of each party (the instructor, supervisor, or researcher, and the assistant). There are three types of graduate assistants:
• Teaching – assistants with instructional responsibilities • Non-teaching – assistants that help departments and/or academic staff with research responsibilities
• Research – assistants that are appointed with the funds held by a researcher In July, the GSA finalized the bargaining for the Collective Agreement that took place retroactively from May 1, 2014 to April 30, 2016. Many provisions were added to the employment contract such as bereavement leave, parental leave and compassionate care leave (see gsa.ucalgary.ca/ assistantships for a copy of the 2014-2016 agreement.) There have been substantial improvements in the compliance of the graduate assistantship contracts since the finalization of the collective agreement. In the fall of 2014 there was an increase of completed contracts by 56%, which affected the 2872 Teaching Assistant appointments for the year.
Professional Development, Career Workshops, and Mentorship Program Professional Development Regardless of a student’s future aspirations, skills such as writing an effective cover letter or conducting oneself properly in an interview, are always useful. For seven years the GSA has offered free career counseling to our graduate students. The types of professional development the GSA offers include:
• Career exploration – help to identify your ideal job and the steps it takes to secure that position
• Cover letter, resume and CV creation • Responding effectively to a job posting • Negotiating a job offer and accepting a position • Informational interviewing This past year, 159 students received valuable career advice. In January, in an effort to reach out to students off the main campus, the GSA began to incorporate online meetings via Skype for our career services.
Workshops Another service provided by the Employer Liaison is professional development workshops. During the academic year, the GSA, in collaboration with My GradSkills (ucalgary.ca/mygradskills), hosts in depth workshops, each with a specific career enhancing topic. In 2014-2015 the following workshops were offered:
• Understanding Canadian Business Culture and Hiring Staff
• Using Social Media to Gain Employment Opportunities
• Informational Interviewing: A Strategic Tool for Job Searching
• Negotiating Your Dream Job
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The Employer Liaison conducted workshops on the main campus, Foothills campus, downtown campus, and tailored workshops at the request of specific departments.
Mentorship Program A supportive professional network is an important resource for a graduate student to have. Whether a student wishes to continue in academia or enter industry upon graduation, time spent with a mentor can be invaluable. The GSA Mentorship Program connects students with an individual in an area of their interest for guidance, information, and support to achieve their career goals. This Quality Money funded program is free to all University of Calgary graduate students. This past year, 20 students made a vital contact in the professional community through the Mentorship Program.
“I have found the mentorship program to be very helpful. The introductory handbook was very informative. My mentor has been a stalwart supporter of my research project and the potential research I would like to undertake in the future. She has been able to guide me through how to approach a recent job interview, and suggest other places I might want to explore.” – Cathy Ringham, mentorship program participant.
Social Entrepreneurship
The Vice President Academic working with the Trico Foundation on the social entreprenuership speaker panel
In March, the GSA partnered with the University’s VP Research office and the Trico Foundation, a leader in social entrepreneurship, to bring a speaker panel to the University’s graduate students and faculty and explore how they could apply social entrepreneurship to their field. The panel discussion, hosted in the Last Defence Lounge, featured community, academic, and industry professionals that showcased the interdisciplinary nature of social enterprise. Brittni Kerluke, manager of grant and programs at the Trico Foundation, describes social entrepreneurship as, “addressing social problems with market-based revenue generating solutions.” Students attending were able to discover the possibilities of incorporating social enterprise into their field.
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Student Experience This year the VP Student Life and the Student Experience Standing Committee (SESC) focused on providing a greater amount of fun and diverse activities for our graduate students. The committee successfully introduced a Graduate Student Gay-Straight Alliance group [GSA]2. The establishment of this group allows for LGBTQ graduate students to have a safe space where they can discuss their concerns and experiences. Another successful initiative of the SESC was the introduction of board game and trivia nights hosted at the Last Defence Lounge. Every Monday, the GSA opened the side rooms of the Lounge to graduate students for some fun, food, games, and friendly competition. One of the most popular services that the GSA provided for graduate students this year was discounted tickets to a wide range of events around Calgary. The following is a list of events that the GSA provided tickets for:
To find out about all the GSA sponsored events, visit gsa.ucalgary.ca/events or email gsasesc@ucalgary.ca The Board also recognized that, as the interests of the GSA grow over time, the Student Experience Standing Committee required both expansion and refocusing. Effective May 2015, the Student Experience Standing Committee will incorporate individual committees to address the following GSA concerns:
• Community Engagement • Events • International • Mental Health • Residence and Family Housing • Sustainability (under the purview of the VP Finance and Services)
These committees with their targeted foci will be better able to serve our members and introduce initiatives in those specific areas. The International Students Committee, which caters to the specific needs of international students and those who are new to Calgary, also ran several exciting events during the 2014-2015 academic year, including:
• A snowshoeing hike to see the ice sculptures at Lake Louise
• A viewing of a bull-riding competition • A curling 101 workshop • An end of semester meet-up at the Last Defence Lounge
To find out more about the International Students Committee, visit gsa.ucalgary.ca/internationalstudents or email int@gsa.ucalgary.ca
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Departmental Graduate Associations Departmental Graduate Associations (DGAs) are smaller graduate students’ associations that are run by students in specific programs. Currently, the GSA supports 48 registered DGAs and 3 consortiums (groups of 2 or more DGAs). Each DGA provides a multitude of opportunities and resources for their members. Activities run by the DGAs range from social BBQs, holiday parties, and networking events, to academic focused speaker series and symposiums. This past year, the GSA dedicated over $20,000 to DGA operational and event funding. DGAs are also entitled to special discounts at the Last Defence Lounge and access to their meeting space for DGA events. Each year the GSA runs a competition between the DGAs to collect the most donations for the Campus Food Bank. The Food Drive is a fun opportunity for the DGAs to work together to contribute to the campus community, and have a chance to win coupons to the Last Defence Lounge. This year the DGAs collectively raised over 3000 items and over $650. The top DGAs to contribute were:
• Philosophy Graduate
Students Association
• A Higher Clause (Linguistics) • Sociology Graduate Students’ Caucus
Departments and Programs With Active DGAs Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Biomedical Engineering Biomedical Technology Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Chemistry Civil Engineering Communication, Media and Film Community Health Sciences Computer Science Economics Electrical and Computer Engineering English Environmental Design French, Italian and Spanish Gastrointestinal Sciences Geography Geoscience Geomatics Engineering German Energy and Environmental Specialization Greek and Roman Studies Haskayne (PhD) History Immunology Kinesiology Law Linguistics Mathematics and Statistics Haskayne (MBA) Mechanical Engineering Medical Sciences Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Music Neuroscience Nursing Philosophy Physics and Astronomy Political Science Psychology Public Policy Religious Studies Sociology Strategic Studies Sustainable Energy Development (Haskayne) Veterinary Medicine
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Graduate Research Networks There are many collaborative groups of graduate students that do not fit the model of a DGA. These are interdisciplinary groups that share an interest in a similar research area that need recognition from the GSA in order to receiving funding and support. The GSA wanted to support these groups in their research and activities. The GSA established the program of Graduate Research Networks (GRNs) in June of 2014. By registering a research group with this program, students would be able to apply for funding and recognition from external sources that may not have been available otherwise. In March of 2015, the Board of Directors approved a Quality Money proposal to allocate funding for Graduate Research Networks, similar to the way the GSA funds DGAs. Now a GRN is eligible for the following funding opportunities:
• An initial start-up grant ($300) to allow GRNs to set up their network and encourage graduate student involvement in their initiative
• An event grant (up to $300) to allow GRNs to conduct a research event (i.e. Invited speaker or weekend colloquium)
• An operational grant ($200) to allow continued funding on a yearly basis GRNs are an important initiative by the GSA because they allow students to take an active role in their education and in the graduate school experience and interact with graduate students from other disciplines.
Last Defence Lounge The Last Defence Lounge in the MacEwan Student Centre is a full service restaurant, owned and operated by the GSA. The GSA Board of Directors oversees the operations of the lounge, and in collaboration with the Lounge staff, develops ways to ensure the Lounge is an enjoyable space for our graduate students. The primary function of the Lounge is to be a service for the University’s graduate students. The lounge serves the needs of graduate students by:
• Reserving meeting space and giving special food and drink discounts to Departmental Graduate Associations • Hosting Graduate Representative Council meetings and the Annual General Meeting • Hosting dedicated GSA events, such as trivia competitions and game nights In August of 2014, renovations to the kitchen and the front entrance of the Last Defence Lounge were finalized. The shift of the entrance created a more visible and inviting presence, and the expansion of the kitchen allowed for quicker, more efficient service of quality meals to our graduate students and the University community.
Whether celebrating your defense or taking a break from the lab, the Last Defense Lounge is at your service
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Health & Dental In September 2014 the GSA completed the transition to a new Health and Dental extended insurance plan provider. StudentCare is a company started by university students over 19 years ago that understood the financial situations and health insurance needs of other students. They are now well established and represent 42 institutions across Canada. The GSA extended Health and Dental Plan provides students with a multitude of health benefits such as:
• 80% off of prescriptions drugs • 70% off basic dental services • Vision benefits
Students are also able to add their spouse and family to their extended health and dental plan for an affordable cost. Their families are then eligible to the identical coverage that the student receives. The GSA chose to make a change in Health and Dental providers to continuously improve these services for our students. The decision to change to Student Care came after extensive discussion with both the Board of Directors and GRC. The Board determined that StudentCare could best adapt to our future needs, provide substantially better technical support, and ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the plan for students.
• Chiropractics • Physiotherapy and much more
2473
September
Students Covered
+581
January
Students Covered
+249 May
Students Covered
Mental Health The GSA and a large number of other groups on campus have identified mental health as a significant, on-going concern for graduate students. Over the last year, various members of the GSA executive have participated in the development of a campus-wide Pill bottle icon by Jason Dilworth from Noun Project Tooth icon by Thomas Bruck from Noun Project Eye icon by John Caserta from Noun Project
mental health strategy, as well as acooperative effort with the Faculty of Graduate Studies to communicate mental health best practices to graduate students.
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Student Advocacy 2015 GU15 conference hosted by the University of Calgary GSA
Vice President External
ab-GPAC
The GSA Board of Directors (2013-2014) recognized the need for stronger and more consistent advocacy for graduate students. They made the decision to create an executive position at the GSA that would be dedicated to the advocacy and lobbying efforts of the organization. The VP External became responsible for:
This past year, the VP External focused on creating a student advocacy organization. In collaboration with the University of Alberta, the University of Lethbridge, and Athabasca University, the Alberta Graduate Provincial Advocacy Council (abGPAC) was created. In November 2014, the GSA held a referendum to join ab-GPAC and 97.2 percent of the 897 students that voted were in favour of creating this organization. ab-GPAC determines how to best represent the interests of the approximately 17 000 graduate students in the province. Collectively, they lobby the government on issues like tuition and institutional funding.
• Reporting on developments outside the University that affect graduate students
• Working in partnership with the President on advocacy activities
• Collaborating with the
President on government relations
• Chairing the External Relations Standing Committee
• Working with the President to participate in student advocacy organizations
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GU15 The VP External, along with a group of volunteers, planned and hosted the GU15 conference at the beginning of April 2015. The conference, now in its eighth year, brought together graduate student delegates from the top 15
research-intensive universities in Canada to exchange ideas about best practices, discuss the issues facing their members, and align advocacy priorities for the coming year. Sam Hossack, the GSA VP Finances and Services for the 2015-2016 year was a volunteer at the conference and had this to say about its outcome:
“I think the greatest benefit for our students is the information we are able to gain from other universities. Our elected officials can learn what other universities are doing and then adjust our advocacy accordingly. The result is that we can create the best possible environment for our students based on the best practices from across Canada’s top research universities.” - Sam Hossack, Vice President Finance & Services, 2015-2016
GRC The Graduate Representative Council (GRC) is the GSA’s policy-making body and is comprised of graduate student representatives from all departments with active DGAs. The council provides direction to the Board of Directors on the political, financial and operational matters of the GSA. The GRC meets monthly and the Board of Directors updates them on the activities and financial status of the organization. This year, the GSA added a new interactive component to the GRC meetings. During each meeting, the Board of Directors facilitates a breakout session with the members of the council to discuss and receive feedback on hot topics. The information collected in these sessions has been integral in helping the association define its direction and priorities. Topics discussed at the breakout sessions this year were:
• Tuition and fees • Mental health • The GSA’s 3 year strategic plan • Student Life Events A GSA Graduate Representative Council meeting
Graduate College & New Residence This year, as part of the current phase of the Eyes High strategy, a proposal was submitted and accepted by the University to pilot a Graduate Residential College on campus, similar to Massey Hall at the University of Toronto. As a result of the adoption of the proposal, and with an aim to make selections quickly, a steering committee was formed consisting of members from General Faculties Council, Faculty of Graduate Studies Council, the Graduate Students’ Association, and community members to determine the composition and purpose of the College. As a result, an initial cohort of 30 students was selected to pilot the College in the Fall of 2015. The Graduate College will be located in the new graduate residence building, Crowsnest Hall, set to open in Fall 2015.
Ombuds The Ombuds Office of the University of Calgary offers students a confidential resource to discuss academic and non-academic concerns, and receive referrals to other potentially helpful University resources. The Ombuds Office is a free service to undergraduate and graduate students. In collaboration with university administration and the Students’ Union, the GSA completed the negotiation of the Ombuds Office Terms of Reference and Letter of Understanding. These documents explained the roles and responsibilities of the Ombudsperson and determined the funding responsibilities of each group. The current Ombudsperson is Kevin Wiens and can be contacted at ombuds@ucalgary.ca For more information about the Ombuds Office, visit www.ucalgary.ca/provost/students/ombuds
Elections Each year at the beginning of February, the GSA puts out a call for nominations for the five executive positions on the Board of Directors. This year, the following nominees took Board of Director positions for the 2015-2016 year:
• President - Mike Webster • VP Academic – Blake Lewis • VP External – Erica McLachlan • VP Student Life – Danica MacDonald • VP Finance & Services – Sam Hossack The position for president was contested. Arman Hemmati, a PhD candidate in the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and Mike Webster, a PhD candidate in English Literature and the current VP Finance and Services, were both nominated. In an exciting race, Mike Webster won the election by 21 votes.
Arman Hemmati and Mike Webster
President Sarah Akierman and Vice President Finance and Services, Mike Webster, celebrating Webster’s electoral win as President for the 2015-2016 year
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plans for the future
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President • Mike Webster What an exciting time to be a graduate student at the University of Calgary! My major task this year is to prepare the GSA to take advantage of all of the opportunities coming our way. Beginning in September, we will launch our threeyear strategic plan and open Crowsnest Hall, the new Graduate Residence. The strategic plan will outline the steps needed over the next three years to strengthen the Association and provide excellent quality and sustainable services to graduate students well into the future. We must complete certain governance and financial components of the plan this year in order to position the GSA for opportunities in the coming months and years. The opening of Crowsnest Hall will significantly alter the culture of campus. The ability to have so many graduate students living and working in such close proximity to one another, along with the new possibilities for programming in the new space, will give the GSA the chance to positively impact the graduate student experience. Plans will unfold over the course of this year to tightly connect what is happening at Crowsnest with the rest of the campus community to ensure that all graduate students benefit from this new relationship. Graduate students at the University of Calgary and the GSA will benefit from a number of unique events over the next few years: the formation of a new government, the ability to help shape the successor to the University’s Eyes High strategy, celebrations for the University’s 50th anniversary in 2016 and Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017. Beyond the 50th anniversary celebrations, the GSA has an opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to the success of the Congress of the Humanities taking place in May 2016. 8000 academics from across the country will descend upon the University, representing a huge opportunity for the GSA to highlight the work of graduate students and the GSA on a national stage. I eagerly anticipate the events of 2015-16, and I am honoured to serve as your President this year. Together, we can make this year a testament to what the collaboration of graduate students can achieve. | 21
VP Academic • Blake Lewis The main goals for the VP Academic consist of three parts, representation, funding, and maximizing student interaction and engagement. The first part involves representing graduate students. I intend to ensure that graduate student’s needs and opinions are well represented at the various councils and committees that I attend. This means acting as a bridge between graduate students (via GRC) and the councils and committees at the faculty and university level. I will also be representing all graduate students in the Collective Agreement negotiations. This consists of understanding the needs and desires of graduate students with regards to Graduate Assistant Teaching and Non-Teaching positions. I intend to get feedback from graduate students via discussions at GRC, with GSA Board of Directors, as well as through focus groups, which will be facilitated by the Academic Standing Committee. The second part involves securing funding for graduate students. In conjunction with the GSA Awards Chairs, I intend to try to increase both the number of awards offered and also the quantity of individual awards. I also would like to set the criteria and open up new awards. Additionally, I plan to revamp the procedures and policies for each award offered by the GSA, including the way the awards are evaluated. The third goal involves working with individual student’s needs, and directing them to the right people or resources for their needs and increasing their engagement. Additionally, I intend to provide new opportunities for students to present their research. Further, I plan to start a forum to assist students in preparation for their thesis defenses, via workshops, seminars, and practice run-throughs.
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VP External • Erica McLachlan Last year’s Board of Directors made great strides in successfully incorporating the Alberta Graduate Provincial Advocacy Council (ab-GPAC) in March of 2015, and this year we will be focusing on laying strong foundations for the organization and building its reputation with the provincial government as well as other external stakeholders. This past spring, two of our GSA executives were elected as executives to the Board of ab-GPAC: our VP External, Erica McLachlan, was elected as Chair and our President, Mike Webster, was elected as Treasurer for the 2015-2016 academic year. The change in the provincial government provides graduate students across the province with an unprecedented opportunity to influence the future funding model for Post Secondary Education in Alberta. From student consultation, the GSA has found that the majority of our most pressing advocacy priorities are at the provincial level, so working to establish ab-GPAC as an organization of consequence in the coming year will be integral to the long-term success of our GSA. This year will also be an important year for our GSA to build relationships with external stakeholders, particularly municipal and provincial elected officials and student leaders within Calgary. Another focus for the year will be on increasing graduate student engagement in advocacy issues by working to keep our members informed as to what is happening municipally, provincially and federally and giving them opportunities to voice their concerns. At the national level, the University of Calgary’s GSA will continue to be actively engaged in GU-15 by sending representatives to each of the conferences in order to support collaboration between graduate students across Canada.
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VP Student Life • Danica MacDonald Part of my goal this year is to establish a stronger graduate student community at the University of Calgary. Over the summer, my Student Experience Standing Committee has been working to obtain an app (MeetU) where all graduate student activities (or any activity of interest to graduate students) are listed. This will be an exciting, new way of engaging graduate students in GSA events and activities. Additionally, I would like to offer more events where students participate as a group. Some of the larger scale events that we have planned for this year are GradFest, GSA participation in Calgary Pride Parade, and rafting on the Bow. Be sure to check out our new app and our weekly newsletter for more information about upcoming events. Another focus for this year is to establish a few new committees. One of which is a Mental Health Committee. Working with the Wellness Centre, I would like to see a series of programs implemented that focus on the mental health concerns and needs of graduate students at the University of Calgary. Another new committee, the Community Engagement Committee, will focus on providing graduate students with off-campus volunteer opportunities, which will enrich their graduate program. Finally, with the opening of the new graduate residence, we have formally established a Residence and Family Housing committee, which will address concerns of graduate students living in on campus housing. Finally, working with our International Committee and the Faculty of Graduate Studies I would like to establish better guidelines for funding for International Students so that incoming International Students are more aware of the costs associated with living in Canada and studying in Calgary. If you would like to join our team working on improving student experience at the University of Calgary, please contact me at vpsl@gsa.ucalgary.ca and I can work with you to help you find volunteer opportunities with the GSA.
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VP Finance & Services • Sam Hossack For the 2015-2016 Academic Year, I intend to focus on five primary objectives: Policy and Best Practices, Mentorship, Workshops and Seminars, Health and Dental, and Budget Development. In each of these areas I have a number of secondary objectives, as discussed below.
Policy and Best Practices My first objective for this year is to evaluate the policies and best practices of the GSA and the LDL to ensure that, as an organization, we are following the best practices within the not-for-profit industry and aligning our policies with our mission and objects as well as our Strategic Plan.
Mentorship One of my projects for this year will be to improve the communication and promotions surrounding the Mentorship Program, including the development of a Mentorship Ambassador for the program - someone who can speak to the program from experience and generate new interest amongst our student population.
Workshops and Seminars I want to ensure that we are providing the best services to students by offering quality learning opportunities through workshops and seminars. I hope to institute new seminars this year, primarily around financial management.
Health and Dental It is time for a review of the extended Health and Dental plan and what it provides for students. As part of this review, I will be helping StudentCare develop and implement a survey of students, as well as developing a Health and Dental Ad Hoc Working Group to discuss the merits and drawbacks of the plan.
Budget Development One of the most important jobs of the VP Finance and Services is to develop the yearly budget for the GSA. However, I want to be able to develop not only a budget for my successor, but also a budget process in which the year-to-year budget aligns with the Strategic Plan. | 25
financials
Graduate Students’ Association Annual Report | 26
Graduate Students’ Association of the University of Calgary Statement of Financial Position
Assets Current
2015
2014
$ 2,242,564
$ 1,110,662
$ 574,189
$1,760,648
Accounts receivable
$ 24,265
$ 16, 819
Inventory
$ 16,645
$ 18,384
$ 177,122
$ 112,932
$ 3,034,785
$ 3,019,405
$ 1,050,637
$ 1,079,505
Cash and cash equivalents Short-term investments
Prepaid expenses and deposits
Property and Equipment
$ 4,085,422
$ 4,098,910
2015
2014
Accounts payable and accured liabilities
$ 802,185
$ 1,275,361
Deferred revenue (health and dental premiums)
$ 748,059
$ 768,571
$ 1,550,244
$ 2,043,932
2015
2014
$ 721,137
$ 657,361
$ 1,814,041
$ 1,397,617
$ 2,535,178
$ 2,054,978
$4,085,422
$ 4,098,910
Liabilities Current
Net Assets Internally restricted Unrestricted
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Graduate Students’ Association of the University of Calgary Statement of Operations For the year ended March 31
Revenue 2015
2014
Graduate Students’ Centre Lounge
$ 1,021,608
$ 794,856
Graduate Students’ Association
$ 3,144,147
$ 2,995,940
TOTAL REVENUE
$ 4,165,755
$ 3,790,796
$ 374,754
$ 285,443
Cost of Sales Graduate Students’ Centre Lounge
Professional Development Awards Levy Graduate Students’ Association
$ 37,596
$ 31,875
$ 825,366
$ 719,669
Graduate Students’ Association
$ 2,447,839
$ 2,218,446
TOTAL GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
$ 3,273,205
$ 2,938,115
$ 480,200
$ 535,363
General and Administrative Expenses Graduate Students’ Centre Lounge
EXCESS OF RENENUE OVER EXPENSES
Graduate Students’ Association Annual Report | 28
Graduate Students’ Association of the University of Calgary Statement of Changes in Net Assests For the year ended March 31
Unrestricted
2015
2014
$ 657,361
$1,397,617
$ 2,054,978
$ 1,519,615
$ 63,776
$ 416,424
$ 480,200
$ 535,363
$ 721,137
$ 1,814,041
$ 2,535,178
$ 2,054,978
Internally Restricted
Balance, beginning of the year Excess of revenue over expenses Balance, end of year
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Graduate Students’ Association of the University of Calgary Statement of Cash Flows For the year ended March 31
Cash Flows From Operating Activities 2015
2014
Excess of revenue over expenses
$ 480,200
$ 535,363
Adjustments for amortization
$ 126,739
$ 146,093
$ 606,939
$ 681,456
($ 7,446)
$ 492,013
($ 64,190)
($ 77,602)
$ 1,739
$ 443
($ 473,175)
$ 61,705
($ 20,512)
$9,950
$ 43,355
$1,167,965
Purchase of property and equipment
($ 97,872)
($ 616,026)
Purchase of short-term investments
($ 574,189)
($ 1,760,648)
$ 1,760,648
$ 1,882,200
-
$ 1,325
$ 1,088,587
($ 493,149)
Change in non-cash working capital items Accounts receivable Prepaid expences and deposits Inventory Accounts payable and accrued liabilities Deferred revenue (health and dental premiums)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities
Proceeds from maturity of short-term investments
Proceeds on sale of property and equipment
Graduate Students’ Association Annual Report | 30
Graduate Students’ Association of the University of Calgary Statement of Cash Flows (continued) For the year ended March 31
2015
2014
Increase in cash equivalents
$ 1,131,942
$ 674,816
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year
$ 1,110,622
$ 435,806
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year
$ 2,242,564
$1,110,622
$2,242,564
$ 754,260
-
$ 356,362
$ 2,242,564
$ 1,110,622
Cash and cash equivalents consist of: Cash Money market funds TOTAL CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
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Thank You! The GSA would like to express our sincere gratitude for taking the time to review our successes of the 2014-2015 year. To all of our invaluable volunteers: your ideas, commitment and collaboration are what has enabled us to accomplish what we have. The new year brings new challenges and milestones and we look forward to sharing them with you. - The GSA Board of Directors
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