Grad Council

Department reps are elected in September and each department has its own election process. Typically an election is held by the department grad association, or an election coordinated by the grad secretary. In some cases there is a faculty wide association that manages the elections, such as the Association of Graduate Education Students. Ask your graduate secretary or department grad association about your department’s process.

Departments should make efforts to select the representative before the first meeting of the Council in September.

* represent the interests of fellow grad students in your department through the GSS to UVic

* report back to your home department on discussions and decisions made during grad council meetings

* participate in a GSS committee (communications, events, finance, policy, student affairs)

* allow their academic unit to access the GSS Department Grant fund to organize an academic/social event or activity

* meet with grad students in your program to discuss common issues of concern and bring concerns and issues raised back to grad council

* participate in major governance decisions about the GSS

* attend the monthly grad rep council meetings (8-10 per year), and the Annual General Meeting and Semi-annual General Meeting

* sit on university committees and participate in major decisions regarding GSS positions on university policy

Grad Council meetings are open to all members of the Society. However, each academic unit has only one vote.  Several academic units have had success in designating one representative AND one alternate, when the rep and alternate have a good collaborative working relationship.  These reps/alternates can coordinate to ensure the academic unit has representation at every meeting, and if both attend the meeting, they can come to consensus on how to use their one voting card.  Electing a rep and alternate at the outset of the year if there is willingness to share the work and closely communicate, can be a great strategy.