As the holiday season approaches, we are filled with gratitude and warmth for the incredible support we've received from our generous donors. A heartfelt thank you goes out to all who contributed to making our holiday hampers a reality. 

Thank you to our generous donors—especially our amazing graduate students, G+PS, and Save on Foods Wesbrook! Your contributions have transformed our holiday hampers into bundles of joy. Your kindness and community spirit truly make a difference. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season!

Drop in for a quick snack and casual hangout!

DATE: December 22, 2023

TIME: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

LOCATION: 

GSS Loft

(Room #4202 AMS Student Nest)

Questions? Email Bill at eechair@gss.ubc.ca

Looking to meet other graduate students and relax? Join the GSS and GPS for a round or two of board games!

DATE: Dec 8th, 2024

TIME: 5PM - 7PM

LOCATION: 

GSS Loft

(Room #4202 AMS Student Nest)

RSVP your attendance to participate in a slew of board games at the GSS Loft or just show up and have fun!

Questions? Email events@gss.ubc.ca

Start off your journey to UBC right with a free brunch from the Graduate Student Society! Sleep in and join us between 10 am and 12 pm for some delicious pancakes cooked by executives and staff.

DATE: January 12, 2024

TIME: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

LOCATION: Thea’s Lounge

Please reserve your spot online as space in Thea’s Lounge is limited! If you have any dietary concerns please contact us at the email addresses below.

Questions? Email events@gss.ubc.ca and eventsassistant@gss.ubc.ca

Looking to meet other graduate students and relax? Join the GSS and GPS for a round or two of board games!

DATE: January 19, 2024

TIME: 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

LOCATION: 

GSS Loft

(Room #4202 AMS Student Nest)

RSVP your attendance to participate in a slew of board games at the GSS Loft or just show up and have fun!

Questions? Email events@gss.ubc.ca

🎄✨ Dive into the holiday spirit with us at the Vancouver Christmas Market! 🎟️ Limited student tickets available for just $10. Secure your spot now and get ready for a festive celebration! 🌟

For any queries, please contact eventsassistant@gss.ubc.ca.

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. 

Newly launched student page with over 100 links/resources spanning: 

Housing Aids

Food and Feeding Aids 

Research and Travel Aids 

Scholarships and Awards 

Health and Wellness Resources 

GSS Affiliated Organizations 

Gendered and Sexual Violence Resources

Check it out today!

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

Register your team to participate in a two-stage startup idea competition. In late January, the first stage will require each team to present a poster describing their startup concept. Following this, six teams will advance to the final stage, where they will have the opportunity to pitch their idea to a panel of judges, comprised of established entrepreneurs and educators. Get a chance to win up to 5000 CAD for your innovative idea!!
Register your team:

Join the Trainee Omics’ Group for their inaugural 3MT Data Conference which is all about distilling the essence of your research into a captivating 3-minute presentation with just a single slide! It's your chance to make your research shine for a non-specialist audience. There are many awards and door prizes to be won for the first 50 registrants.

DATE: Friday, December 15

TIME: 1:30 pm

LOCATION: 

Chan Centre Auditorium, BC Children Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver BC

📢 Registration: This event is open to both faculty, postdocs, staff and students. For the presenters, the deadline to submit your single presentation slide, name, and title to tog@bcchr.ca is December 8, 2023.​ 

Email tog@bcchr.ca for any questions!

WHY SHOULD YOU PARTICIPATE?

Participating in this research gives you an opportunity to have your voice heard, especially on a topic where survivors’ voices are often silenced, and have your experience contribute to suggestions about improving reporting processes. You will receive a $25 honorarium for your participation.

WHAT IS INVOLVED?

One interview of approximately one hour, at a location, day, and time, that is convenient to you. Interviews can be conducted in-person in Victoria, BC, or over Zoom, depending on your comfort and availability. I will be conducting open-ended interviews that will allow you to explore your experience of reporting sexual violence to an institution.

CONTACT INFORMATION

If you are interested in participating, please email me at nellperry@uvic.ca to set up an interview. If you have any questions regarding this research, you can contact me via email. You may also contact my supervisor at tamarahumphrey@uvic.ca with questions.

The census aims to enhance the collection of student demographic data and enable the university to better understand student experiences, support student inclusion and success, and assess progress of equity, diversity and inclusion priorities.

All students (certificate, undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate programs, both domestic and international students, as well as those currently enrolled on either a part-time or full-time basis) are encouraged to complete the Student Diversity Census. The census should take from 5 to 10 minutes to complete.

 If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact student.demographic@ubc.ca.

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

Launched in 2013, the NSPC is an annual competition organized by the Canada School of Public Service that aims to introduce innovative ideas and bright new thinkers to the Canadian public service and enhancing public service excellence and encouraging high performance. Winners have the oopportunity to network and share innovative ideas with the federal public service.

Application Period: From October 5, 2023 - December 15, 2023

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.