Tag Archives: GSA

Voting on Increasing the YUGSA Student Levy Happening RIGHT NOW

GSA news, , ,

This directly affects both the grad students of the Physics and Astronomy department in two ways: 1. your tutition, and 2, the amount and quality of beneficial programs/workshops/initiatives that are provided by the GSA directly to us. This INCLUDES our ability to run a ‘Monkey conference.’ If you would like to sign/vote on the issue please come to find Jesse in his office, or at the Pygmy Marmoset conference. All signatures needed by 4pm Friday October 25th, 2013.

Quote from the voting sheet:

Fellow Graduate Students,
Over the years, the York University Graduate Students’ Association (YUGSA) has undergone a few structural changes to better serve its membership. As those changes have resulted in increasing costs of running the YUGSA we are proposing the following referendum question to our membership. Some of the developments that have taken place over the past few years include: a) the size of our membership has increased therefore the costs of providing services has also increased (while the levy amount has remained the same over the years); b) annual increases to staff wages and benefits; c) there has been an increasing demand from graduate students to reopen the grad lounge since its closure last summer; d) ongoing deficit at the end of fiscal year resulting in cuts to services and bursaries. Our aim is to strengthen the YUGSA and reverse the weakening financial situation. We plan to restore the conference, international student, and dependent bursaries, donations and community outreach support funds, thesis and publication support funds, and gender, equity, social, and campaigns funds. And finally, we will aim to increase the Operating Grant Fund by at least 10% to departmental GSAs. Be it resolved that YUGSA will put forward the following referendum question to graduate students:

Do you support a one-time increase of $10 for Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) students, prorated for part-time students, to the annual YUGSA levy, indexed to the Consumer Price Index (CPI)?

Free Stuff from the GSA

departmental news, , , ,

The Physics and Astronomy Department ran its annual graduate student orientation and BBQ. It was a great bunch of fun, and thanks to all for coming out. For those that didn’t make it to the presentation portion at 11am, you missed out on some free stuff. The Graduate Student Association always donates tote bags and day planners to each grad department. If you didn’t get one and would like one, please send Jesse or George an email (see Exec page), or drop by our office PSE 328 (though we’re not always here).

The free stuff donated by the York University Graduate Student Association.
The free stuff donated by the York University Graduate Student Association.

 

 

Graduate Student Orientation, 2013

orientation, , ,

Each year PAGE and the department of Physics and Astronomy jointly host and coordinate the ‘Graduate Student Orientation.’ The orientation is away for new and old students alike to:
1. Meet other grad students in our department (including the brand new executive)
2. Provide a forum for the (old/new) grad students and faculty to meet, and get to know
3. Learn some important information moving into the new semester
This year’s graduate orientation is occurring on Wednesday, 4 September 2013, beginning at 11am in PSE 317. The agenda is below:

Agenda
11:00am – Intro to Physics and Astronomy Graduate Executive (PAGE)
11:15am – Dr. Wendy Taylor – Graduate Program Director
11:30am – Ms. Marlene Caplan – Graduate Program Administrative Assistant
11:45am – Graduate Student Assosciation (GSA) update and questions
12:00pm – John Dupuis, Science Librarian at Steacie
12:15pm – CUPE Rep
12:30pm – BBQ!!!

After all the talking is done, all graduate students, faculty, and staff of the Physics and Astronomy Department are invited to a department BBQ! The BBQ will take place at the Orange Snail pub and grill located underneath Stong College. There will be FREE food at the BBQ!

If you have any questions, please send a member of PAGE an email.

Graduate Student Orientation

departmental news, , , , ,

Each year the department of Physics and Astronomy coordinates a ‘Graduate Student Orientation’ designed to do two things:

1. Introduce new grad students in our department to the ‘rules of the road’
2. Provide a forum for the (old/new) grad students and faculty to meet, and get to know.

This year’s graduate orientation is occurring on Wednesday, 12 September 2012, beginning at 11am in PSE 317.

Agenda
11:00am – Intro to Physics and Astronomy Graduate Executive (PAGE)
11:15am – Dr. Wendy Taylor – Graduate Program Director,
11:30am – Ms. Marlene Caplan – Graduate Program Administrative Assistant
11:45am – CUPE (union) update and questions
12:00pm – Graduate Student Assosciation (GSA) update and questions
12:15pm – Paul Delaney – director of Natural Sciences
12:30pm – BBQ!!!

After all the talking is done, all graduate students, faculty, and staff of the Physics and Astronomy Department are invited to a department BBQ! The BBQ is catered by the Orange Snail pub and grill, and will be located in the courtyard between the Petrie Science & Engineering Bldg (17, on map) and the Chemistry Bldg (16, on map). [RAIN LOCATION: Orange Snail, located in the basement of Stong Residence (13, on map)]