SOGS Update, the official monthly electronic newsletter from SOGS, keeps you up to date on issues and events affecting graduate students at The University of Western Ontario. If you are looking for previous issues of SOGS Update, please contact the office.
For updates on events, issues and discussion relevant to graduate students and Western between editions of the newsletter, consider the following:
- SOGS Facebook – main: https://www.facebook.com/Western.SOGS
- SOGS Facebook – social group: https://www.facebook.com/Western.SOGS.OSC/
- SOGS Facebook – international students:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Western.SOGS.IGSIC/ - SOGS Twitter: https://twitter.com/westernsogs
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.
In this month’s Update:
Scholarships, bursaries & programs
- Teaching Support Centre: Certificate in Teaching & Learning and Future Professor Workshops
- Weekly Thesis Writing [October 4, 13, 18, 27]
- Learning Skills Graduate Student Workshops [October 13, 18]
- Graduate study spaces
- Last chance to submit feedback for the Western Code of Conduct Review
- All SOGS Commissioner positions up for election
- Support your Union as a departmental Steward
- Graduate Mental Health Working Group [October 24]
- SGPS GRADitude [October 7]
- Board Game Night [October 19]
- Oktoberfest [October 20]
- Open Access Week [October 24-30]
- Graduate Peer Support weekly drop-in is back [every Wednesday]
- Pick up your ISIC card at the SOGS Office
- PSAC 610 and SOGS Zhaawanong Women and Children’s Shelter Donation Drive [November]
- Columbia discount for graduate students [through October 23]
Monthly giveaways: Photo contest & trivia
Scholarships, bursaries & programs
SOGS subsidies, bursaries, and opt-outs! Oh my!
- Summer term Subsidies were awarded: $3,000 in ChildCare and $21,075 in Travel. Congratulations to ALL the winners!
- Fall Bursary deadline was September 30, and the adjudication process is underway. Winners will be announced by mid-November. Your patience is appreciated.
- Health Plan Opt-outs have been processed, and the credits have been applied to student accounts.
Research & workshops
Looking for more workshops? You can consult the Western Events Calendar, Teaching Support Centre Graduate Student Events Calendar, or SGPS’ The Wire to learn more about what’s happening on campus.
Teaching Support Centre: Certificate in Teaching & Learning and Future Professor Workshops
The Certificate includes partaking in Future Professor Workshops. There are three being offered on October 17. Register for them here.
Weekly Thesis Writing
Weekly Thesis Writing time, co-run by SGPS and SOGS, will be starting up again this Fall term. Tentatively the dates and times are as follows:
- October 4th from 1-4
- October 13th from 9-12
- October 18th from 1-4
- October 27th 9-12
We are currently working towards formalizing this initiative. If you’re interested in helping make this program sustainable, please contact services@sogs.ca.
Learning Skills Graduate Student Workshops
Time Management for Graduate Students
October 13th – WSS 3134, 3:00PM – 4:30PM
Ahead of the Curve: Library Research Skills for Graduate Students
October 18th – WSS 3134, 1:30PM – 2:30PM
Be sure to subscribe to the Learning Skills GRADUpdATE e-newsletter, as it is a vital resource on how to succeed in graduate school. If interested in having each new edition of GRADUpdATE sent directly to your inbox, email gradupdate-request@uwo.ca with the subject line ‘subscribe’.
Graduate study spaces
A friendly reminder that the D.B. Weldon Library offers dedicated spaces for graduate and post-doc students:
- 20 daily research/study rooms for faculty, post-doc and graduate students
- Research study space assigned semi-annually by application
- 1 graduate group study room (439H); see staff for access code
For more information about these and other study spaces available through the library, please see online.
In the headlines
Do you know the Ombudsperson?
46 PhD and 32 Master’s students visited the Office of the Ombudsperson between August 1, 2015 and July 31, 2016. The Ombudsperson guided them through concerns such as supervisor conflicts and progression issues. Check out the Ombudsperson services here or visit the office in person: Western Student Services Building (WSSB) Rm. 3135 (Third floor).
Get involved
Last chance to submit feedback for the Western Code of Conduct Review
Western’s Code of Student Conduct defines the standard of conduct expected of students at Western and sets out the disciplinary procedures that the University will follow. The Code stipulates that it be reviewed by the Board of Governors every five years and the Board has established an ad hoc committee to conduct the current review. The committee, chaired by Iain Scott, Dean of Western’s Faculty of Law, invites written and oral submissions from interested individuals within and outside the University community regarding the content of the Code or its implementation. The committee’s report, including any recommended revisions to the Code, will be submitted to the Board in early 2017.
Written submissions should be addressed to Dean Iain Scott, Code of Student Conduct Review Committee, University Secretariat, Room 4101 Stevenson Hall, or to iain.scott@uwo.ca. The deadline for receipt of written submissions is Friday, October 7, 2016. Individuals wishing to meet with the committee should indicate this in their written submissions.
The Code may be viewed at: www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/board/code.pdf
All Commissioner positions up for election
SOGS has four Commissioners which serve specific constituency groups on campus: Accessibility Commissioner, Pride Commissioner, Aboriginal/Indigenous Commissioner, and Women’s Concerns Commissioner. If you’re interested in serving in this role, please submit your nomination to speaker@sogs.ca by 5pm on Oct 25. The election will take place at Council on Nov 3 (6pm in UCC 37).
If you have any questions about the Commissioner roles, please consult our Commissioners page or contact the Speaker (speaker@sogs.ca).
Support your Union as a departmental Steward
We’re still looking for departmental stewards for the 2016–17 school year. Becoming a steward is easy, fun, and a great way to get involved with your union Local. Stewards have the opportunity to develop their network in the department by liaising with members in their departments. They also arrange and host solidarity events financially provided by the union. Beside the small amount of bursary they get (about $33 per semester), it can strengthen their resume as a representative of the union in the department. Interested ones can easily download and fill out the steward nomination form from the Union website.
Submit the form to our office (Somerville House 1313) and be our Steward!
Graduate Mental Health Working Group
October 24, 2:00pm – 3:30pm; location TBD
Want to get involved in advocating on behalf of graduate students on mental health and wellness? Attend our working group meeting which is chaired by SGPS and SOGS. This committee meets monthly. It is open to everyone.
Grad Life at Western
Looking for more to do? You can consult the Western Events Calendar, London Tourism’s Events Calendar, or SGPS’ The Wire to learn more about what’s happening on campus and in your community.
SGPS GRADitude
Join SGPS and fellow graduate students October 7 at 11:30am in the IGAB Atrium for apple cider, hot chocolate, and other refreshments. There are also free slices of pie while supplies last. The movies Toy Story and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory will be played during the event. RSVP here; or, stop by with your lunch.
Board Game Night
Wednesday, October 19 at 7pm in the Grad Club
Oktoberfest
October 20 from 7pm-9pm in the Grad Club.
Tickets are NOW ON SALE for $5 at the SOGS Office (UCC 260). Price includes:
- Choice of: Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich, Oktoberfest sausage, Veggie sausage
- PLUS: salad, fries, soft pretzel
- FREE BEER SAMPLING! Invited companies: Toboggan, Forked River, Wellington and Mill Street.
Open Access Week
October 24 – 30
With Open Access Week just around the corner, what better time to explore all that Western’s open access institutional repository, Scholarship@Western, has to offer? Scholarship@Western provides unhindered access to over 16,000 papers that span more than 1,000 disciplines. Sharing your work through open access institutional repositories like Scholarship@Western broadens your global reach and scholarly impact. For those applying for Tri-Agency grants, be sure to review the Tri-Agency Open Access Policyrequirements and consider adding a line to your expenses to cover the cost of open access publishing fees. Publishing an author accepted manuscript in Scholarship@Western is another (free) option! For more information on how you can take advantage of open access publishing opportunities, visit Western Libraries’ Scholarly Publishing webpage, contact your librarian, or email scholarship@uwo.ca.
Graduate Peer Support weekly drop-in is back
As of Oct 5, the Graduate Peer Support program is back and wants to invite you to join us any Wednesday from 10:30am – 12:30pm in the Wellness Education Center (basement of UCC, between the bookstore and the grocery store). Drop-in for conversation, coffee, and to meet with graduate students from across campus.
Each week has a different theme intended to complement the GPS program and support grads:
1st week (Oct 5) : Games and puzzles
2nd week (Oct 12) : Themed discussion on Grant writing season
Trade tales of SSHRC, NSERC, or whatever else you’re applying to. We’ll come together to share strategies, concerns, and gripes about the process.
3rd week (Oct 19) : Crafts and knitting; bring your own or enjoy the ones that are provided. Kids welcome.
4th week (Oct 26) : Quiet study; bring your readings, write your thesis, or even stretch or nap on the yoga mats.
We’re looking to expand our programming to include evening meetings. Our webpage and Facebook page are in development. Which is to say, there’s a lot of exciting updates coming soon.
Pick up your ISIC card at the SOGS Office
Visit the SOGS Office (UCC 260) to pick up your FREE International Student Identity Card (ISIC). As a full-time student, you receive the card as a member of the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS). The card will allow you to receive a number of discounts across Canada and the world. Check out the discounts here.
PSAC 610 and SOGS Zhaawanong Women and Children’s Shelter Donation Drive
PSAC 610 and SOGS will be collecting items through the month of November to donate to the Zhaawanong Women and Children’s Shelter. Items they need include but are not limited to toiletries, bus tickets, baby supplies, and feminine hygiene products. There will be a prize of $200 at the Grad Club for the department that donates the most items!
Columbia discount for graduate students
Columbia would like to invite you to shop our Employee Store! This invite is valid for store entry starting September 19 – October 23. The Columbia store has more than just Columbia products – visit these websites to see what is available: Columbia Sportswear, Mountain Hardwear, Sorel, and Prana.
Details on our store and your invite are listed below:
WHAT’S THERE AND WHAT ARE MY SAVINGS?
- Employee store pricing! Most products are a minimum of 40% off MSRP. (Some exceptions may apply)
- Includes all brands in the Columbia Sportswear family of brands: Columbia Sportswear, SOREL, Mountain Hardwear and prAna.
- 14,000 sq. feet of each brand’s newest and most popular styles.
INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
- Show a printed copy of the invite letter at the reception desk upon entry.
- Show your school ID (options listed on invite).
- This invite is non-transferrable but you are welcome to bring your family and friends with you (up to 4 guests per person).
- You are welcome to visit us multiple times during your invite period.
LOCATION & HOURS:
Columbia Sportswear Employee Store
1425 Max Brose Dr.
London Ontario, N6N 0A2
Hours: M-F: 10-7pm / Sat: 10-6pm / Sun: 11-5pm.
If you are travelling by bus, here is the route from the University to the Columbia Employee Store.
At the Grad Club
Dinner & Movie
Purchase one of our dinner special and you can purchase a Western Film movie for $3.50. Voucher is good for any movie.
Entertainment
Trivia Tuesday: 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM
Come early to get a good seat
Every Thursday: Come and enjoy the music of Rick McGhie – 7:00 PM start
Every third Wednesday of the Month the OSC is hosting Boardgame night starting at 6:00PM. You can purchase a bottle of Bud Light, Shock Top or Goose Island IPA for $3.50.
Winter Hours of Operation
Monday to Friday – 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Saturday – closed
Sunday – closed.
The Grad Club will open on weekends for events or conferences
Call 519-661-2111 ext 86386 or e-mail mlalond2@uwo.ca to set up your event.
Free parking after 7:30 PM.
Get Your VanHoutte Coffee Card
Buy ten coffees and get one free.
Lunch Specials
Tuesday – 11:30am – 1:30PM
Pad Thai or Buffalo Chicken Wrap – vegetarian options available
Wednesday – 11:30am – 1:30PM – $10.25 one trip
Indian Buffet (South Asian Cuisine)
Thursday – 11:30am – 1:30pm – $8.50
Create your own Pasta; gluten free pasta available
Friday – 11:30AM – 1:30PM
Themed buffet; Grad Club BBQ
You can find all of our lunch and dinner specials on the Grad Club website http://gradclub.sogs.ca/
Book the Goblet
To reserve The Goblet of Knowledge for your upcoming defense party, call Marc 519-661-2111 ext 86386.
Monthly giveaways
Winners can pick up their Grad Club certificates in the SOGS office during regular office hours, and their names will be posted in next month’s newsletter.
Photo contest
September’s theme was: back to school. Congratulations to winner, Isabela Reiniati, with this picture of a lineup for undergrad bus passes and a special costume appearance on the part of the Cronyn Observatory.
October’s theme is: all things pumpkin. Pumpkin latte foam art? Picking the perfect pumpkin from the pumpkin patch? Your pet chihuahua dressed as a pumpkin? Yup, it all counts. Send your photo into sogs.contest@uwo.ca; the winner will be randomly selected, and their photo will be featured in next month’s Update newsletter.
Trivia
Each month, SOGS hosts a trivia contest featuring information from our newsletter or our website. Correct answers are entered into a draw and four students will win a certificate to the Grad Club! Please email your response to sogs.contest@uwo.ca by October 31.
October question
- Where will you find the Sign Up link to create an account with Western’s open access institutional repository, Scholarship@Western?
September winners
Congratulations to our September winners:
- Eleonore Shaffer
- Anna Matthews
- Victoria Wong
- Lindsay Debono