Elections

Expected Time Commitment: 30-40 hours per week

The President is responsible for the overall direction and oversight of the GSA. The President chairs the GSA’s Board of Directors and is the primary person responsible for the conduct and communication between the GSA and internal and external stakeholders. The President is expected to work on GSA related business 30-40 hours per week, but often only a portion of those hours are spent in the office. The actual time commitment varies over the course of the year and can change as situations arise.

Key aspects of the President’s portfolio include:
i) Providing the graduate student perspective as a member of the Board of Governors of the University;
ii) Providing the graduate student perspective as a member of the Board of the West Campus Development Trust;
iii) Potentially representing graduate students as a director, and possibly executive, of the Alberta Graduate Provincial Advocacy Council;
iv) Advocating on behalf of graduate students on all issues, including providing the graduate student viewpoint to the press;
v) Upholding the interests of graduate students on all issues;

vi) Actively participating on various University committees including:

a. General Faculties Council and its various sub-committees, including:
i. Academic Planning and Priorities Committee
ii. Faculty of Graduate Studies Council
iii. FGSC Executive Committee
iv. Working Groups including FGS ii' taa'poh'to'p Working Group

b. Board of Governors and its various sub-committees. Particular sub-committees may change from year to year, but typically include:
i. Budget Committee;
ii. Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability Committee;
iii. Finance and Property Committee; and
iv. Tuition and Fees Consultation Committee.

c. Faculty of Graduate Studies Council and its sub-committees, including Faculty of Graduate Studies Council – Executive Committee

vii) Overseeing the GSA’s Governance Committee;
viii) Actively participate on GSA’s Finance Standing Committee;
ix) Overseeing all activities and operations of the GSA through the Executive Board and Executive Director, including GSA Committees;
x) Acting as principal liaison and point of contact in dealings with the University, The University of Calgary Faculty Association, and the Students’ Union;
xi) Participating in candidate searches at the decanal level and above;
xii) Traveling to represent the GSA at provincial and national conferences;
xiii) Participating in the performance reviews and appointment renewals of senior faculty and staff at the decanal level and above at the University;
xiv) Supervising and evaluating the GSA’s Executive Director; and
xv) Carrying out special strategic projects as decided in the Spring planning session of the Board of Directors.

Expected Time Commitment: 20-30 hours per week

The VP Academic is responsible for all academic matters that affect graduate students at the University of Calgary. This includes sitting on a wide range of University committees, such as General Faculties Council and its various standing committees; addressing graduate student academic appeals; and overseeing GSA Awards. The VP Academic is a voting member of the GSA’s Board of Directors and helps enforce the by-laws of the organization. The VP Academic is expected to be in the GSA office 10-15 hours per week.

Key aspects of this portfolio include:
i) Advocating for the academic interests and concerns of graduate students;
ii) Representing graduate students on the development of University policies, academic services and activities;
iii) Upholding the interests of graduate students on issues of academic appeals and grievances;

iv) Actively participating on or overseeing graduate student participation on various University committees including:

a) General Faculties Council and its various sub-committees, including:
i. GFC Executive Committee;
ii. Research and Scholarship Committee;
iii. Graduate Academic Programs Subcommittee; and
iv. Teaching and Learning Committee.

b) Faculty Tenure and Promotion Committees;

c) Decanal Search committees as assigned by president; and

d) Faculty of Graduate Studies Council and various sub-committees, including:
i. FGS Awards Oversight Committee;
ii. FGS Research Committee; and
iii. FGS Appeals Committee;

v) Overseeing the GSA’s Academic Standing Committee (ASC) and Awards Committee (AC);
vi) Jointly overseeing the University’s Ombudsperson with the Students’ Union and the office of the Provost; and
vii) Carrying out special strategic projects as decided in the Spring planning session of the Board of Directors.

Expected Time Commitment: 20-30 hours per week

The VP Student Life is responsible for all matters that pertain to the GSA and internal organizations of the university that relate to non-academic matters of the student experience. The VP Student Life is a voting member of the GSA’s Board of Directors and helps enforce the by-laws of the organization. The VP Student Life is expected to be in the GSA office 10-15 hours per week. The months of August and September and January are an exceptionally busy time for the VP Student Life portfolio as they include the lead up to orientation and departmental orientations. December is also busy because of the Food Drive and community engagement activities. This role is specifically supported by the appropriate GSA’s Staff.

Key aspects of this portfolio include:

i) Being responsible for all issues relating to Departmental Graduate Student Associations (DGAs) and Graduate Student Groups (GSGs);
ii) Overseeing social activities and other events sponsored by the University for graduate students;
iii) Communicating with Graduate Representative Council (GRC) representatives;
iv) Overseeing the Student Experience and Events Committee (SEEC) and its chairs;
v) Overseeing the following GSA subcommittees and their chairs:

a. EDI Committee;
b. Events Subcommittee (ES);
c. Mental Health and Wellness Subcommittee (MHWS);
d. Newcomers and International Students Subcommittee (NISS);
e. Gender and Sexuality Alliance Subcommittee (GSA^2).

vi) Representing the GSA on Graduate Orientation planning committees.
vii) Overseeing, with the Executive Director, the Management of the GSA’s volunteers for important University events, such as Graduate Orientation.
viii) Giving final approval for the GSA’s e-newsletter and GRC Digest;
ix) Organizing and overseeing various GSA events including, but not limited to: GradFest, ticket sales, GSA Food Drive, and day trips;
x) Representing or overseeing the representatives of graduate students on numerous university committees such as, but not limited to:

a. Mental Health Advisory Committee;
b. Implementation Committee for the Prevention of Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment;
c. International Student Experience Advisory Committee;
d. FGS/GSA Images of Research Competition Planning Committee;
e. Substance Use working group;
f. International Student Support Network (ISSN);
g. Mental Health Strategy Implementation Advisory Committee;
h. Active Living and Athletics Committee (ALAC);

xi) Representing graduate students on university committees including:
xii) Faculty of Graduate Studies Council; and
xiii) General Faculties Council;
xiv) Carrying out special strategic projects as decided in the Spring planning session of the Board of Directors.
xv) Advocating for students’ mental health and wellness to UCalgary wellness center.

Expected Time Commitment: 20-30 hours per week

The VP External is responsible for activities related to student advocacy, government relations, community engagement and outreach, as well as, jointly with the President, media and communications. The VP External is a voting member of the GSA’s Board of Directors and helps enforce the by-laws of the organization. The VP External is expected to be in the GSA office 10-15 hours per week, and the time commitment per week varies depending on the time of year and the political landscape.

Key aspects of this portfolio include:

i) Advocating on behalf of graduate students at the University of Calgary to the municipal, provincial, and federal governments;
ii) Working with the Board of Directors to determine the municipal, provincial, and federal advocacy priorities, developing strategies to address these priorities, and implementing them;
iii) Acting as a Director, and potentially an Executive member, on the Board of Directors of the Alberta Graduate Provincial Advocacy Council (ab-GPAC);
iv) Participating in consultations with various stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Advanced Education;
v) Traveling to represent the GSA at provincial and national conferences;
vi) Overseeing the GSA’s External Relations Standing Committee;
vii) Developing relationships with key stakeholders in government and relevant ministries;
viii) Increasing graduate student engagement in advocacy;
ix) Sitting on key University governance bodies, such as General Faculties Council (GFC) (forthcoming) and Faculty of Graduate Studies Council (FGS);
x) Acting as the GSA Representative on the U of C Senate and participating in the Senate committees including the Executive Committee and all, or a selection of, the following:

a. Lecture of a Lifetime;
b. Honorary Degree;
c. Order of the University of Calgary;
d. Community Engagement Committee; and
e. Senate Development Committee;

xi) Attending all University of Calgary convocations as a Senator;
xii) Overseeing the development of official communications of the Association;
xiii) Reporting on relevant developments outside of the University that affect members of the GSA;
xiv) Communicating and collaborating with student leaders across the country;
xv) Providing oversight to the GSA’s Executive Director on the GSA’s Career & Mentorship program;
xvi) Representing the GSA at official University events and those in the broader Calgary community (Stampede etc.); and
xvii) Carrying out special strategic projects as decided in the Spring planning session of the Board of Directors.

Expected Time Commitment: 20-30 hours per week

The VP Finance and Services is responsible for overseeing the financial operations of the Graduate Students' Association (GSA) and the services it provides. The VP Finance and Services is a voting member of the GSA’s Board of Directors and helps enforce the bylaws of the organization.

September and January are particularly busy months for the VP Finance & Services as these are the months that lead up to the approval of fees and discussion of the budget for the following year (usually during the February Graduate Representative Council (GRC) meeting), and the approval of the budget at the March GRC meeting. These are also the months with the most Health and Dental questions/concerns as opt-outs are completed at the end of each of these months. As well, the beginning of each quarter is busy as Quality Money projects will be evaluated and the VP Finance & Services leads preliminary aspects of the application period.

Key aspects of this portfolio include:
i) Acting as the Treasurer for the Association on the Executive Board;
ii) Overseeing the Collective Agreement for the Graduate Labour Union;
iii) Working with the Executive Director and the Accounting Manager to develop fee and budget proposals for the upcoming academic year;
iv) Presenting financial statements for the Last Defence Lounge and GSA to the Executive Board each month;
v) Connecting the financial operations with the strategic goals of the GSA;
vi) Overseeing the GSA Health and Dental Plan and fielding questions from students relating to benefits, processes, etc.;
vii) Providing oversight for Last Defence Lounge;
viii) Coordinating and overseeing the fundraising and sponsorship efforts of the GSA;
ix) Planning financial education workshops for graduate students;
x) Representing or overseeing the representatives of graduate students in various internal and external committees, including but not limited to

a. My GradSkills Evaluation Committee;
b. Office of Sustainability Committees;
c. Internships Advisory Committee; and
d. Advisory Council on Entrepreneurship and Innovation;

xi) Representing graduate students on University committees including:

a. General Faculties Council;
b. Faculty of Graduate Studies Council; and
c. Faculty of Graduate Studies Policy Committee

xii) Overseeing the GSA’s Sustainability Standing Committee;
xiii) Overseeing Quality Money process and proposals;
xiv) Overseeing the chair and serving as vice-chair of the Finance Standing Committee; and
xv) Carrying out special strategic projects as decided in the Spring planning session of the Board of Directors.

Expected Time Commitment: 20 hours per week

As per Association Bylaw and the Committee’s Terms of Reference, the LRC Chair shall:

• Liaise with the GSA HR manager in order to maintain a record of current LRC membership; and maintain a record of current Academically Employed Graduate Students (AEGSs).
• Schedule all LRC meetings;
• Formulate meeting agendas;
• Act as the spokesperson for the Association on all matters pertaining to labour relations and be the official spokesperson of the committee;
• With the VP Finance and Services, be authorized to sign collective agreements;
• Oversee the collective bargaining process on behalf of the GSA and with the VP Finance and Services, report the status of the collective bargaining process to the LRC;
• Report monthly to the Board of Directors;
• Appoint one (1) faculty representative member from each of the faculties of UCalgary, which have at least ten (10) AEGS enrolled in a graduate program in that faculty;
• Communicate with AEGS regarding their rights and responsibilities as employees of the university;
• Support graduate students in the filing of grievances, as necessary;
• Respond promptly to student inquiries;
• Support graduate students in meetings with employers, as necessary; and
• File grievances for non-compliance of the Collective Agreement, as necessary.