About
The Graduate Students’ Society (GSS) is an autonomous, not-for-profit society that strives to promote the interests and represent the views of graduate students at the University of Victoria. The society is democratically organized with members having a say through elections, referenda, general meetings and the Graduate Representative Council. The Society is governed by its Constitution & Bylaws; which can only be amended by referenda or at a general meeting of the membership.
The Society operates the George and Ida Halpern Centre for Graduate Students and offers a range of services to graduate students including the Grad House Restaurant, Extended Health and Dental Plans, free room bookings and travel grants, to name a few. The best way to find out what the Society offers is to read the GSS Members’ Handbook and Daily Planner, available each year to members at the Grad Centre, and sign up to the GSS Electronic Bulletin at gsscomm[at]uvic.ca.
Wondering where your GSS fee goes?
See fee breakdown here.
What does the GSS do for you?
Advocacy, Funding, Social events, Services and more…
Advocacy
We are your personal advocate on campus. The Director of Student Affairs is the person to contact if you have problems you cannot resolve with UVic’s bureaucracy, your department, or your advisor. Difficulties related to your employment as a teaching or research assistant are handled by the CUPE Local 4163 (cupe4163[at]uvic.ca).
Advocacy pays:
- increased representation on Senate from one to three seats (2009)
- representation on UVic committees (2009)
- won the right for all grad students to pay tuition in monthly installments through automated payments without late fees –the result of the GSS’s three year campaign on UVic Fellowship and Bursary payments issues (2008)
- creation of a thesis completion group for students using English as an additional language (2008)
- reducing fee unit requirements for one year programs (2008)
- the GSS worked with graduate students at SFU, UBC and UNBC for three years advocating for–and winning–a BC Graduate Student Scholarship program (2007)
- establishment of procedures to assist international students in appeal processes
- improvement of supervisory relationship protocols
- A history of the GSS’s recent (and successful) campaign to leave the CFS is here(pdf).
… and the campaigns continue
- The GSS is challenging a $350 fee increase for students in educational counselling as we believe it violates the Tuition Limit Policy
- grad student office space! ! The GSS is petitioning with CUPE 4163 for improved grad student office space
- The GSS is part of the UVIC Childcare Action Group campaign to expand the quality childcare at UVIC. We are part of the campaign for improving childcare access for students
- stopping increases to athletics fees
- rights of international students
- creation of emergency funds for graduate students
Funding
- Travel Grants help grad students attend conferences
- Departmental Grants fund academic and social activities in your department
- Child Care bursaries for graduate students help cover the costs for students who are parents
Social Events
2009 Halloween Party
.
Social Events like wine club, open mic nights, parties, casino night, ice skating, board games night, trivia night, international students’ breakfast and trip to Goldstream Park to see the salmon run are ongoing throughout the year. Join the GSS bulletin to keep informed about upcoming events.
and more!
