GSS Governance
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 and Bylaws, which can only be amended by referenda or at a general meeting of the membership. GSS policy manual is here: GSS Policy Manual.
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?
Effective May 1, 2010 the GSS semester fee breakdown is:
Core membership fees: $46.01 **except coop students
Childcare fee: $1.02
Student Group Fee: $7.50
Total: $54.53
Society’s Core Members fee breakdown:
Operating Fund: $37.50
Capital Fund: $8.51
Childcare fee:
Childcare fee: $1.02
Student Group Fee breakdown:
VIPIRG $2.00
Ombudsperson $1.00
Anti-Violence Project $1.00
Clubs $0.50
Constituency Groups $1.00
WUSC $2.00
What happens to the money?
The dedicated fees, each of them passed by referendum, go to the specific groups. If you don’t like the work VIPIRG does, you can obtain a refund from them, subject to their tems and conditions. Grad students are welcome to join undergraduate clubs, create their own clubs and participate in advocacy groups (e.g. the Pride Collective and Women’s Centre) so it’s only fair to help fund them. WUSC (World University Service of Canada) fee funds the student refugee program. The Ombudsperson provides confidential, impartial and independent advice and assistance to students who feel treated unfairly within the University system.
The operating fund is the main ‘account’ and pays for everything from hydro and phone bills to travel and departmental grants to staff salaries and executive stipends. In addition to membership fees, the operating fund gets revenue from such sources as room bookings and handbook ad sales. This fund is meant to break even each year, with any surplus going into a rainy day/building addition fund. The capital fund pays for such things as renovations and equipment (capital assets) but not for building expansion. The childcare fee goes to fund a bursary through Student Awards & Financial Aid Services.
U-pass and Athletics fees
*While both t he UPASS fee and the Athletics and Recreation fee were founded by student society referenda, and are collected with tuition, the GSS does not administer these fees. Instead UVIC remits the funds directly to those services.
If a student is in coop only they are charged the coop fee and 1/2 the GSS fee plus their relevant tuition. If they are registered in courses (or project or thesis) as well as coop, they are charged the athletics and bus pass fee if they are registered as on campus.
Executive, Graduate Representative Council and AGM minutes are here.
