Society of Graduate Students (SOGS)
Your Graduate Student Advocacy Organization and Government at Western University
Monthly newsletter.
SOGS Update, the official monthly electronic newsletter from SOGS, keeps you up to date on issues and events affecting graduate students at Western University.
Between editions of the newsletter, you’ll find updates on Facebook, Twitter, the IGSIC Facebook page and on our events calendar!
Links are underlined and active in PDF.
DOWNLOAD THE SOGS UPDATE FEBRUARY 2018 ISSUE
SOGS Update, the official monthly electronic newsletter from SOGS, keeps you up to date on issues and events affecting graduate students at Western University.
Between editions of the newsletter, you’ll find updates on Facebook, Twitter, the IGSIC Facebook page and on our events calendar!
Links are underlined and active in PDF.
DOWNLOAD THE SOGS UPDATE DECEMBER 2017 ISSUE
The following provides a brief summary of the recent Council meeting on November 30. The complete Council package, which includes the agenda and reports, can be accessed online. Full minutes of the November Council meeting will be available in the January 2018 Council package.
This summary is provided to increase transparency, and to support Councillors in completing their obligations under Bylaw 2.3.5; “shall regularly communicate with his or her constituents concerning the activities, programs, and decisions of the Society”.
If you have any questions, please contact our office or the Speaker.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The SOGS Western Research Forum will tentatively take place on Friday, March 16, 2018. Call for abstracts are due December 25 through http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/wrf/.
SOGS Council does not meet in December.
The next Council meeting will take place on January 25, 2017. Location TBD.
The SOGS Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place on Thursday, February 15 at 6:00pm. Location TBD.
The SOGS February Council will be held on Thursday, March 1 at 6:00pm.
ELECTIONS
Chief Returning Officer (CRO) (responsible for overseeing the SOGS Presidential Election): Stephanie Dennie.
UPDATE ON PSAC 610 BARGAINING
IMPORTANT DATES
November 21 – December 21: CRISIS SATELITTE (Middlesex Crisis) Drop-In: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays from 5-9pm in Health Services.
December 7 (7:30pm) @ the Grad Club. Purchase your tickets ($5) in the SOGS Office (UCC 260). The NOT ALL THE SAME campaign will formally launch at this event. Please encourage your friends and colleagues to attend:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1472319399547421/?ti=icl
December 22 – SOGS Subsidy Deadline is due December 22. Subsidy applications must be submitted in hard copy.
SOGS will send out an announcement when the new paper bus passes will be available for the winter term.
January 3 – Winter Orientation hosted by SGPS for incoming new graduate students.
IMPORTANT MOTIONS PASSED
Whereas SGPS has recently directed graduate chairs to communicate to year X graduate students threatening them with removal from the program if they have not completed by a certain date;
Whereas Year X students continue to pay full tuition to Western despite not making significant uses of university resources;
Whereas this time limit particularly disadvantages students with financial need or family or mental health barriers;
BIRT Council oppose this imposition of time limits on Year X students
BIFRT Council ask that the Executive strongly oppose this practice in meetings with SGPS.
COMMITTEE PROJECT UPDATES
IGSIC Committee: Will be sending out a general satisfaction survey to international graduate students within the month.
GSIC Committee: Will be sending out a one-question survey regarding the current issues facing graduate students at Western.
Health Plan Committee: looking for feedback on whether or not to remain in two-year contracts at a two-year rate guarantee or to potentially look into extending the contract.
Grad Club Committee: Stitch & Bitch second Monday of every month! The Grad Club Bar is rotting – we need to do something about it.
Option A: $15,000 for millwork + other plumbing/bar/electrical costs + 25% contingency fee = $150,000.
Option B: $25-35,000 + cabinets, finishing = $100,000. Plumbing + electrical: $50,000. Rebuild storage room: $12-15,000. Demo bar + build bulkhead = $7,500. Flooring: $5000. + %25 contingency fee = $225,000 – $250,000.
SOGS Update, the official monthly electronic newsletter from SOGS, keeps you up to date on issues and events affecting graduate students at Western University.
Between editions of the newsletter, you’ll find updates on Facebook, Twitter, the IGSIC Facebook page and on our events calendar!
DOWNLOAD THE SOGS UPDATE DEC 2017 ISSUE
Links are underlined and active in PDF, and a detailed index is below.
SOGS Update, the official monthly electronic newsletter from SOGS, keeps you up to date on issues and events affecting graduate students at Western University.
Between editions of the newsletter, you’ll find updates on Facebook, Twitter, the IGSIC Facebook page and on our events calendar!
Links are underlined and active in PDF, and a detailed index is below.
IN THE OCTOBER ISSUE OF SOGS UPDATE:
GRADUATE WELLNESS WEEK (Oct 2-6): Free events all week. Register for individual events to ensure a spot.
EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
GET INVOLVED
Elections will be held for the 4 commissioner positions at this month’s Council meeting on October 26. Interested candidates should send their nomination, as well as an optional 1 page candidate’s statement, to the SOGS Speaker (speaker@sogs.ca) on or before Tuesday, October 17th.
Email sogs.communications@sogs.ca for more information or to submit newsletter content.
SOGS Update, the official monthly electronic newsletter from SOGS, keeps you up to date on issues and events affecting graduate students at Western University.
Between editions of the newsletter, you’ll find updates on Facebook, Twitter, the IGSIC Facebook page and on our events calendar!
SOGS is trying out a new newsletter format, please let us know what you think. Links are underlined and active in PDF, and a detailed index is below.
IN THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF SOGS UPDATE:
ORIENTATION WEEK IS UPON US!
GET INVOLVED
Elections will be held for the following three Executive positions at this month’s Council meeting on September 28:
– VP Student Services (1-year term starting October 1)
– VP Advocacy (1-year term starting October 1)
– VP Finance (By-election, term ending April 30, 2018)
Interested candidates should send their nomination, as well as an optional 1 page candidate’s statement, to the SOGS Speaker (speaker@sogs.ca) on or before Tuesday, September 19th.
EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Health & Dental Plan Opt-in and Opt-out deadline is September 30
Opt-In forms can be found in the SOGS office (UCC, Room 260) or online
Opt-Outs must be completed online here.
Email advocacy@sogs.ca for more information or to submit newsletter content.
SOGS Update, the official monthly electronic newsletter from SOGS, keeps you up to date on issues and events affecting graduate students at Western University.
Between editions of the newsletter, you’ll find updates on Facebook, Twitter, the IGSIC Facebook page and on our events calendar!
SOGS is trying out a new newsletter format, please let us know what you think. Links are underlined and active in PDF, and a detailed index is below.
IN THE AUGUST ISSUE OF SOGS UPDATE:
International Students Household Items Donation drive
Drop off your items to the SOGS office until August 31st. The department with the most number of donations will win a night at the Grad Club!
GET INVOLVED
Interested candidates should send their nomination, as well as an optional 1 page candidate’s statement, to the SOGS Speaker (speaker@sogs.ca) on or before August 22 2017.
EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Summer Child Care, Travel & Professional Placement subsidy applications must be submitted to the SOGS office by the August 31.
Health & Dental Plan Opt-in and Opt-out deadline is September 30
Opt-In forms can be found in the SOGS office (UCC, Room 260) or online
Opt-Outs must be completed online here.
Email advocacy@sogs.ca for more information or to submit newsletter content.
SOGS Update, the official monthly electronic newsletter from SOGS, keeps you up to date on issues and events affecting graduate students at Western University.
Between editions of the newsletter, you’ll find updates through Facebook, Twitter, the IGSIC Facebook page and on our events calendar!
SOGS is trying out a new newsletter format, please let us know what you think. Links are underlined and active in PDF, and a detailed index is below.
IN THE JULY ISSUE OF SOGS UPDATE:
WESTERN PRIDE
GET INVOLVED
EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Summer Child Care, Travel & Professional Placement subsidy applications must be submitted to the SOGS office by the August 31.
NOTES FROM SOGS ADVOCACY: PETITIONS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
Email advocacy@sogs.ca for more information or to submit newsletter content.
SOGS Update, the official monthly electronic newsletter from SOGS, keeps you up to date on issues and events affecting graduate students at Western University.
For updates on events, issues and discussion relevant to graduate students and Western between editions of the newsletter, consider the following:
SOGS is trying out a new newsletter format, please let us know what you think. For a full preview of the contents, please view the detailed index below the image. Click on the image below to open the PDF of the entire newsletter in a separate window.
Email advocacy@sogs.ca for more information, to give us your feedback, or to submit newsletter content.
INDEX:
GET INVOLVED (pg. 2)
GRAD SOCIAL LIFE (pg. 3-4)
SOGS TRIVIA & CONTESTS (pg. 5)
@ THE GRAD CLUB (pg. 6)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (pg. 7)
2017 GRADUATE STUDENT TEACHING AWARD WINNERS (pg. 8)
STUDENT LIFE (P. 9)
MEET YOUR NEW EXECUTIVE (pg. 9)
SOGS Update, the official monthly electronic newsletter from SOGS, keeps you up to date on issues and events affecting graduate students at Western University.
For updates on events, issues and discussion relevant to graduate students and Western between editions of the newsletter, consider the following:
Do you have a news item or announcement you would like to have included in the next SOGS Update? Email advocacy@sogs.ca for more information.
Monthly giveaways: Photo contest & trivia