GSS Weekly Newsletter!
Dear Graduate Students,
It’s a beautiful four day week in Vancouver (= beautiful²); the sun is shining, the air is warm, and next week is Reading Week! This week a lot of the news comes from our Advocacy desk, but there’s also some fun stuff coming up in the coming weeks so don’t miss the heads up!
GSS Advocacy:
– The Canadian government’s Federal Skilled Worker Program has an eligibility stream that is open to international students who are pursuing or who have completed doctoral (PhD) studies at Canadian institutions. The GSS would like to hear about your experience with the program in order to advocate for the changes needed to help the program work efficiently. Please help us by filling out this super quick survey! https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XRNDL3D
Please contact vpexternal@gss.ubc.ca with any follow up questions or issues you may have.
– The National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) is conducting an important online survey examining the experiences of, and barriers faced by graduate students with disabilities. Please take the time to fill it if it applies to you. http://fluidsurveys.com/s/NEADSGrad/
– We are pleased to note that the federal government has revised the VISA application system. All international student applications will now be automatically considered applications for multiple-entry visas, rather than the previous situation which required individuals to apply for either a single or multiple entry VISA. This change streamlines the application process, an issue for which we have been advocating this year through the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA). The new VISA application system eliminates confusion for international students and results in more students receiving multiple-entry visas.
GSS Social & Recreational:
– Save the Date! Salsa Night is coming to the GSS on March 7th! Whether you’ve never stepped foot on a dance floor in your life, or are fluent in the language of dance, this event has something for you! We’ll give you a free salsa lesson, give you a chance to strut your stuff salsa style, and then let the evening’s inspiration, good vibes (and cheap drinks!) suggest the rest of the moves! Tickets go on sale next week at just $5 for everyone! (Grad and non-Grad!)
– St. Patrick’s Day comes to GSS on March 14th, and we’re planning the best night ever soSave the Date & Line up something Clover Green! Tickets go on sale next week at $5 for Grads and $7 for Non-Grads, drinks will be cheap or, if you have the luck of the Irish, maybe even free!
PS: You might want to check out the Graduate Research In A Day program schedule. It’s being organized by the Research Commons. We’re told they’re throwing in a pizza lunch in addition to all their great programing. Sun is shining people, in all kinds of ways.
warmest,
Ngwatilo