News and Events!!
GESSA March Social Pics…
Thanks to all of you who came out for a great night. Join the GESSA Facebook group to view the pics.
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GESSA FES LIST-SERVE : Register yourself as a GESSA LIST-Serve User and post on the forum where students talk to students about GESSA, FES and making studying at YORK a better experience Register @ GESSA FES List-Serve
Posted on: August 20th, 2007
RTF APPLICATION GUIDELINES HAVE BEEN UPDATED PLEASE DOWNLOAD RTF APPLICATIONS WITH GUIDELINES HERE
GESSA Funding for Groups, Clubs, Organizations and Individual Students
POSTED : AUGUST 20th, 2007
Dear MES and PhD students at FES:
In preparation for the new academic year, GESSA’s Finance and Executive Committees have allocated funds for student groups, and individual student projects and events. To disburse these funds equitably and efficiently, GESSA’s Finance Committee has devised two types of funding categories. Both these funding categories are meant to increase student involvement and enhance the overall social, academic, political and environmental learning aspects of the graduate student experience at FES.
One category of funding is an Operating Grant for FES related groups and organizations that rely on GESSA funding to carry out their essential operations and activities throughout the year. This form is ‘blue in colour’ and only student groups, clubs and organizations can use this to apply for funding. This application is due once a year on the last Friday of November and is for grants of $600 and over. Once a Group, Club or Organization applies to this funding they cannot apply for any GESSA funding for the rest of the year.
The second category of funding is meant to finance single student initiatives and is meant for aiding the student body and organizations with staging single events or projects. This application form can be used by both organizations and individual students. This form, is ‘green in colour. This application category is open to all students that wish to stage a project or event that may cost anywhere from $120 to $599. For this category of funding there is no set deadline and is ongoing through the months of September to the end of April.
GESSA has placed both of these application forms at the Main FES Reception Desk (Room HNES109) for all students and student organizations alike to fill out for their activities, events and projects. Please visit RM HNES 109 to look over these applications and consider funding from GESSA!!!
If you have any questions, please contact us via email at finance@gessa.ca or for general inquiries at gessa@gessa.ca or via voice mail at extension 416 736 2100 XX 20629.
Yours Sincerely,
Noman Khalid-Khan: Treasurer/VP Finance (GESSA) 2007.
On behalf of GESSA’s Finance and Executive Committees 2007
Sent on Behalf of GESSA: Chief Returning Officer By-Elections May, 2007.
ELECTION RESULTS
Hello all,
The election results for the positions of Chair and Student Advocacy Officer for
the GESSA Bi-Election are in: Amit Lahiri has been acclaimed Chair and Tanya
Sheikh has been elected as Student Advocacy Officer.
Thanks to all the candidates for putting themselves forward and to all of you
who participated in the election process.
Emily Sinclair : Chief Returning Officer By-Elections May, 2007.
GESSA BY-ELECTIONS 2007 FOR CHAIR & STUDENT ADVOCACY
OFFICER
Hello all,
The Graduate Environmental Studies Student Association (GESSA) is seeking a
Chair and an Advocacy Officer for their executive board. A bi-election for these
2 positions is being held throughout the month of May. GESSA is seeking
energetic, dynamic people to fill these positions that help improve student and
academic life at FES. If you are interested in either of these positions, please
consider nominating yourself or someone you know to stand for election. For more
information on these positions, please see reading below
The election process is fairly straight forward – there are 3 distinct phases
that will each last 1 week:
·Nominations (May 7 – May 13) – You have 1 week to complete the attached form
and return it, by e-mail, to the Chief Returning Officer (esinc@yorku.ca). Once
received, you will be considered nominated for the position. If only 1
nomination is received, that person wins their position by acclamation.
·Campaigning (May 14 – May 20) – Once nominated, there is 1 week to campaign for
the position. You may put up posters in the FES building or communicate via the
FES_ALT listserve. For complete rules on campaigning, please see the
attachment.
·Voting (May 21 – May 27) – There will be one week for everyone to cast their
ballots electronically using Passport York. It is really important that you all
vote: this is a great way to ensure that your interests are represented in the
faculty.
Please consider running for either of these positions and make sure that you
VOTE come the last week in May. Participation in GESSA contributes to better
student life at FES and ensures that student’s ideas and concerns are
represented and respected in the faculty.
If you have any questions, please contact the Chief Returning Officer (Emily
Sinclair) at esinc@yorku.ca. I look forward to receiving the nominations and
encourage everyone to participate!
Hope you are enjoying the weather and your summers so far,
Emily
Position Descriptions
GESSA Chair and GESSA Student Advocacy Officer
Duties of Chair:
1.Upholds the Constitution
2.Is required to preside over all Association meetings to ensure order and decorum
3.Votes only in the event of a tie in all meetings
4.Assembles the proposed meeting agendas
5.Is a spokesperson for all decisions made by the Association
6. Writes a final report for the purpose of assisting the incoming Chair of the Association
Duties of Student Advocacy Officer:
1.Represent general student issues and administer surveys
2.Coordinate first and second year representatives
3.Assist GESSA Executive Committee initiatives
NOTE: Students elected to these positions by bi-election will serve until the end of December, 2007.
Rules and Regulations for GESSA Bi-Election
1. Nomination
a) Call for nominations sent out by the Chief Returning Officer (CRO) on the official FES listserve, detailing:
the term of the position (until December 31, 2007)
the responsibilities for the position
b) Nominations must be e-mailed to the CRO no later than the date prescribed.
c) In the event only 1 person is nominated for a position, that position is acclaimed.
d) In the event 2 or more people are nominated, the CRO will:
Contact nominees and clearly explain the election process
Forward required information to the Centre for Student Community & Leadership Development (SC&LD) for processing to produce e-vote setup.
2. Campaign
a) Nominees will campaign only during the prescribed period. Any campaigning before or after the official dates may result in disqualification.
b) Postering is allowed within FES building only as only FES students are eligible to vote.
c) Nominees are encouraged to send at least 1 e-mail introducing themselves and their platforms on the MES_ALT listeserve. Excessive e-mailing through the listserve for the purpose of campaigning is not allowed. All campaign literature must be respectful and purposeful attacks on character is not permitted.
d) Nominees can set up posters in the FES building only if they choose and are permitted to campaign through their own websites and networks.
3. Voting
a) There will be a 5 day on-line voting period administered by the Centre for Student Community & Leadership Development (http://www.yorku.ca/scld/).
b) CRO will send an e-mail on the official FES listeserve officially opening and closing the voting period.
c) Only currently registered MES students are eligible to vote.
d) Results will be tabulated by SC&LD and sent to the CRO.
e) CRO will contact GESSA executive and candidates and inform them of the results.
f) If there are no concerns, CRO will announce the results to the student body.
4. General
a) Any concerns should be addressed to the CRO.
b) Violation of these rules could result in the candidate being disqualified from the election.
Article 9: Elections and Referenda
From the GESSA Constitution (http://gessa.wordpress.com/constitution/)
1. The elections shall be administered according to the following regulations:
a) An election to determine the Officers for GESSA shall be held during the
month of November each year.
b) The election will be conducted by the Returning Officer, who is elected by the
GM but may not run for office.
c) The Returning Officer shall solicit nominations for the Officers of GESSA.
d) The Returning Officer shall call for nominations at least 2 weeks prior to the
first day of the election.
e) Nominations shall close a week prior to the first day of the election.
f) No candidate may accept nomination for more than one office in any one
election.
g) If only one person is nominated for a particular position that person shall be
elected by acclamation.
h) Any other necessary regulations and the polling procedure shall be determined by
the GM.
i) By-elections for vacant positions will be held at the discretion of the GM.
Research & Travel Fund – Next Deadline September 15th, 2007
Attention all MESers! The next Research & Travel Fund cycle deadline will be on September 15th which covers the period from mid-April to early September. Please note that students must retain ALL receipts and proof of attendance from the conference, seminar, etc relevant with your plan of study or course for audit – i.e. travel/boarding pass, accommodation, registration stub. For more information about RTF requirements and to download the application form, click on the Research and Travel Fund tab.
GESSA Mid-Winter Socials
An Outstanding turnout!
GESSA would like to give a warm thank you to all graduate students who were able to join us at the first social of the New Year at the Madison Pub on February 2nd. Extended thanks go to Joe for organizing this really successful social event.
Cross-Country Skiing at Albion Hills
Hey there FES-ers! We’re would like to announce that the Cross-country skiing day at Albion Hills has been rescheduled to Saturday, March 3rd, 2007. Fortunately, there is enough interest to get a group to go there and we would like to confirm how many people are interested to join us.
Albion Hills is a traffic free 40min drive from York U, where with at least a group of 20 people we can do ski rental and day pass for $17.50.
http://www.trca.on.ca/parks_and_culture/activities/winter/
Cross Country skiing is easy to learn, and will give you a new love of winter as you swish through snow filled trails, evergreen trees and bubbling brooks. After skiing, the hot chocolate, apple cider or stop at the pub will certainly be deserved. Anyone interested? Email GESSA chair Andreas Link andreasl@yorku.ca a.s.ap. for more info or to confirm your interest. Cheers!
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13th annual Eco-Art & Media Festival
Roots and Shoots – Feb 28th – March 4th, 2007
The 13th Annual Eco Art & Media Festival is just around the corner and we hope that you can make it! The 5 day Festival welcomes all forms of creative expression: performance and visual art, photography, music, film and video, new media, workshops and more. Organized by a small committee and a fantastic team of volunteers, the Festival aims to create an environment to embrace in creativity, share ideas and learn from one another. This year’s theme was inspired by reflecting on where we come from, and where we are going. What grounds us, and what pushes us forward. In a climate of cultural, environmental, political and personal changes, there is no better time to acknowledge, understand and celebrate our experiences with the past and dreams for the future – our “Roots and Shoots”.
Please go to http://www.yorku.ca/ecoart to find out more and we will see you there!
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TTC Metropass for YorkU students Update!
Want a discount on your next TTC metropass? Need information for the transit pass tax credit? Now $87.75 at the William Small Parking Services. For more details please visit online at http://www.yorku.ca/transportation/ttc-metropass.htm
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Your Summer Story – We would love to hear about what you did, where you went, who you met; with enough interest we’ll even put together a symposium for you to share your amazing adventures — a great way to inspire future work!
