Written by: Youeal Abera, Staff Writer
The GSS partners with the SVSPO
Graduate student Council speaker Nathan Lodewyk announced that the Graduate Student Society (GSS) will partner with SFU’s Sexual Violence Support and Prevention Office (SVSPO) for Sexual Assault Awareness Month in January 2019.
The GSS and the SVSPO will be working together to create and run events directed towards teaching about what sexual violence looks like, as well as what resources are available for SFU faculty, staff, and students who have experienced it.
Lodewyk also noted that this collaboration between the GSS and the SVSPO may lead to a graduate research colloquium geared towards the distribution and presentation of research on sexual violence and its consequent effects.
GSS Open Access Award 2018 discussed
Anointing Momoh, GSS director of graduate services, announced that the number of GSS Open Access Awards (OAA) available this year has risen from ten to 35, worth $100 each, for 2018.
OOA is an annual prize presented by SFU to graduate students who have had work published in an open access journal. The award aims to give these publications more visibility and commend SFU graduate students’ contributions.
The deadline for this year’s OOA submissions is November 30.
SEI seeks graduate students’ feedback
GSS director of university relations Chantal Turpin reported that SFU’s Student Experience Initiative (SEI) is looking to hear from graduate students on how the graduate experience at SFU can be enhanced.
The SEI is a multi-year collaboration among the SFU community which aims to improve student experience at SFU in eight key areas, such as creating a healthier campus environment and improving communication with students. All SFU students are encouraged to share their perspective on how the project can improve student life at SFU.
SFU Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Advisory Group discussed
Turpin reported that the SFU Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Group had their most recent gathering in September. The group aims to respect, celebrate, and include all cultures and demographics within SFU’s community and ensure equal accessibility of resources and services.
According to Turpin, concerns were raised during the group meeting regarding what first steps must be taken in order for the group to make substantial changes. The group meeting also identified one of its priorities to be ensuring collaboration among itself and other SFU groups such as the Aboriginal Reconciliation Council and the Student Experience Initiative.
Turpin noted that the EDI group will continue to work together in ascertaining how these concerns can be addressed.
