Looking for a leadership role that will also help pay the bills? Check out the GSS executive positions on the link below! This is your chance to make meaningful changes to grad lives while also getting paid for your efforts.
Nominations close on February 16, at 5pm.

Get to know the candidates running for this year's GSS Elections and their plans for improve UBC grad life!

DATE: Friday February 16th

TIME: 6:00 pm

LOCATION:

Graduate Life Centre

6371 Crescent Rd, Vancouver

Questions? Ask eventsassistant@gss.ubc.ca !

Will You Be Our Valentine? 💘

Join us for a heartwarming celebration of Cupid's Day at GSS! We're painting the town red with love and joy. This event is not just about romance but about making connections and friendships with fellow graduate students. It's a welcoming space for everyone to mingle and create lasting memories.

Get ready for an evening filled with sparkling champagne 🥂, a delectable sweet treats buffet 🍫, a fun bracelet-making station🎨, and much more!

Please Note: This is a 19+ event.

DATE: Tuesday February 13th

TIME: 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

LOCATION:

Thea's Lounge

(2nd floor of Thea Koerner House, #310)

6371 Crescent Rd, Vancouver

Questions? Ask eventsassistant@gss.ubc.ca.

This winter, the GSS is encouraging graduate students to enjoy the snow on beautiful Cypress Mountain! Our Winter Mountain subsidy scheme allows UBC graduate students to get discounts on lift tickets. You can get a 50% discount on a day pass to Cypress Mountains from now until March 31st. 
Go out and enjoy the snow and fresh air on the slopes, and share your visit with the rest of the grad student community on social media using the hashtag #GSSWinterFun. 

Details:- Offer available to UBC Vancouver graduate students only- 50% discount for the price of a 1-day pass- One order per student

To receive the discount you must:

Be a current graduate student at UBC's Vancouver campus

Submit your information through the link below to receive a discount code

Enter your coupon code at this link: https://shop.cypressmountain.c... (NOTE: This code is only valid through the above link. It is not valid through the main site.)

Join us on February 15th at 3:30pm in the GSS Loft for an exclusive event that nourishes both the body and the mind!
✨
Hear from two distinguished health and fitness coaches. Discover how to set sustainable health goals, explore what resources are available on campus, and unlock practical tips on incorporating wellness into your hectic student schedule!
✨
Win door prizes and snacks, and light refreshments will be provided

Learning about Black History and Black Futures is a year-round affair, and for those of us living and making it, community goes a long way. With that in mind, join us for an evening of inspiration, connection, and empowerment at our Black Futures Social!

Connect with Black UBC alumni from academia and various industries including engineering, top consulting firms, government, and the non-profit sector. Gain useful insights into navigating your academic and professional journey!

This will be a great opportunity to expand your network, gain valuable insights, and celebrate the richness of Black excellence over good food and raffle prizes!

DATE: Friday, February 16th

TIME: 5:00pm - 7:00 pm

LOCATION: UBC Black Student Space

Come and learn French with GSS! This class is intended for beginners. 

DATE: Tuesday and Thursdays, February 27th to March 28th (10 sessions)

TIME: 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

LOCATION: Zoom

For more information, contact eventsassistant@gss.ubc.ca

Climate Emergency week at UBC seeks to convene and energize communities of climate action at UBC. Join our events, workshops and activities, and take collective action for justice, people, and our planet.

The UBC Graduate Student Society joins 9 other student unions in demanding that banks:

1. Drop Coastal Gaslink and TMX
2. Divest from fossil fuels
3. Respect Indigenous peoples Free, Prior and Informed Consent

Stop funding fossil fuels & respect Indigenous sovereignty!

Sincerely,

10 Student Unions

GSS' newest published webpage offers resources for graduate students interested in entrepreneurship. The entrepreneurial path can be daunting, so our resource aims to simplify it by organizing resources into three stages, addressing common questions like starting points, finding help, and securing funding.

DATE: Sunday, February 11th

TIME: 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm

LOCATION: 601 Smithe Street

PROMO CODES: 

"VMOGSS" and "GSSFAMILY"

Get limited $5 tickets with the code "VMOGSS" while they last; if these tickets are sold out use code "GSSFAMILY" for significantly marked down $20 tickets

The GSS is planning to create a series of tailored networking events with industry professionals from across the Lower Mainland. In order to best serve the interests of graduate students, we are asking you to fill out this brief survey to indicate what career fields, specific companies, or talent recruiters, you would like to have the opportunity to meet. We plan to host several events; however, we will only be able to do so if we receive your input on the specific people and companies that you would like to meet with.

The GSS has set up the Graduate Student Financial Aid (GSFA), a fund to support graduate students experiencing unforeseen circumstances. This may include, but is not limited to: living expenses, prescription medications not covered by MSP, Pharmacare, and the AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan, and the UBC Leave of Absence fee. GSFA will not cover tuition and other school fees. 

Dealing with difficult situations as a graduate student at UBC can be challenging and exhausting. Whether a student is facing financial, housing, academic or supervisory issues, knowing what to do, seeking support, and where can be very confusing. If you are in this situation, there is no need to fret. The GSS is right here to support you.

Our Advocates are uniquely positioned to help you navigate these challenges and many more by providing answers to your questions through peer support, external advocacy and resource referrals. Our team is also actively working on new policy recommendations and proposing amendments to existing UBC policies that would benefit the graduate student community of UBC.

Our advocacy coordinators are here to help you. Contact us at:  advocacy@gss.ubc.ca

The Housing Security Aid (HSA), is a newly approved fund provided by the GSS specifically to cover housing-related challenges. The purpose of the HSA is to provide housing related support to graduate students who are facing housing insecurity or challenges.

Funding examples:

• Rent/Security deposit assistance (including rent increases by landlord)
• Moving-related expenses
• Assistance with temporary accommodations
• Assistance with replacement of damaged items in the student’s units which could necessitate fines by landlord

Questions? Email gsfa@gss.ubc.ca

We invite you to register below for the Draft Sexualized Violence Action Plan validation sessions and focus groups, hosted in partnership with Naqsmist, on behalf of the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills (PSFS). This Action Plan is informed by the voices and ideas of students, faculty, staff, and additional post-secondary community partners. The early advice and recommendations from consultations with post-secondary communities and partners in 2022 shaped the draft of this plan. Your participation in the validation sessions is an opportunity to provide feedback to validate the draft actions to prevent and respond to sexualized violence at B.C. post-secondary institutions.

The Action Plan requires students and post-secondary sector partner feedback and validation. If you are willing to participate in the student focus groups, please fill out the following questions. A $50 honoraria is available for all students who attend, and will be distributed after each session.

A separate stream of validation sessions is being conducted with First Nations and Inuit people. For further information, please contact admin@mahihkan.ca. A separate stream of validation sessions is being conducted with Métis people. For further information, please contact Shyla Elgie at selgie@mnbc.ca or Josh Diemert at jdiemert@mnbc.ca.

Having thoughts of suicide? Experiencing a mental health crisis? Help is available. Call or text 9-8-8, Canada's Suicide Crisis Helpline.

With Here2Talk, students have immediate access to counselling and community referral services across phone, online chat, and mobile app. All Here2Talk services are free to students and available 24/7, in multiple languages. It is accessible to all UBC students, including domestic and international students, graduate or undergraduate. No matter where they are in the world, UBC students can access Here2Talk anytime and as frequently as they require.

The Fostering Science mentorship program for youth in foster care and refugees needs undergrads/grad students/postdocs to help high school students work towards a science fair project. You would attend an orientation session and would need to commit to Zoom meetings for 1 hour every 2 weeks with one student from now until the end of May 2024. 

If you are interested or have questions, check out the Fostering Science website or email fostering.science@ubc.ca

The waitlist for the free counselling services is now open and are accepting referrals. Clients are seen by appointment only, there are no walk in services, and we do not offer crisis services. Counsellors are Counselling Psychology masters and doctoral graduate students supervised by experienced clinicians. Clients are 18+ years old from UBC community (students, staff, faculty, alumni) or anyone in the Greater Vancouver Area.

We are located at 1100-2125 Main Mall- Neville Scarfe Education Building (UBC Vancouver Campus) and are offering in-person appointments. Interested folks should call 604-822-1364 to talk with an administrator about wait-list availability and booking an initial screening intake appointment.