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
- Bargaining asks:
- Real wage increases
- Appointments
- Tuition rebate
- Benefits
- Hours of work/overtime
- Please keep up-to-date on bargaining updates on the PSAC 610 website (psac610.ca) and PSAC 610 social media (@PSAC610).
- If you have questions or concerns about bargaining, please contact gta.bt@psac610.ca.
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.