Positions

Join us!

Following is a list of the executive positions and their associated duties. Each Spring we hold elections for the upcoming year’s executive board, and any SLAIS student is eligible. Check out the descriptions below to see if you’d be interested in a leadership position.

MAS and MLIS Co-Presidents

The LASSA Co-presidents serve several important functions. They:

  • Act as a liaison with 2nd year students & joint students
  • Represent MAS/MLIS student concerns & issues to LASSA
  • Serve as joint official representative of LASSA
  • Preside at executive & general meetings on an alternating basis
  • Act as secondary signing officer for financial matters

In addition, the co-presidents will represent student concerns to the faculty & staff at SLAIS, as well as to UBC. This may take the form of official correspondence or email, as well as representation on or participation in committees or meetings.

The LASSA Co-presidents are also required to meet with the School Director. The frequency of meetings are determined by the co-presidents and the Director, and may vary depending upon issues raised during any particular term of office. In addition, the LASSA co-presidents serve as the student representatives on the School Leadership Team Committee.

Other activities the presidents oversee include:

  • Facilitating LASSA meetings & overseeing the other positions
  • Student pictures (one copy to the office, one on the wall)
  • Coordinating the new student orientation, in cooperation with the MLIS & MAS members at large
  • Student contact list
  • Answering any queries about the school’s programs (usually applicants)
  • Acting upon student initiatives & suggestions
  • As required, acting as student support in faculty-student disputes

The co-presidents may be invited to attend dinners, ceremonies or other events. These functions provide the presidents an opportunity to represent SLAIS students and programs.

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Secretary

Duties of the Secretary:

  • With the Co-Presidents, prepare the agenda for all LASSA meetings, including the AGM
  • Record the minutes of all LASSA meetings, including the AGM
  • Send out draft minutes of meetings to the LASSA executive within one week after the meeting for corrections/additions
  • With the Webmaster, post all meeting agendas, minutes and other important documents to the LASSA website

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Treasurer

Duties of the Treasurer:

  • Act as the principle financial signing officer for LASSA and all student chapters whose accounts are maintained through LASSA (currently BCLA/CLA, SLA, ASIS&T, CHLA/ASBC, LWB)
  • Coordinate with student chapter treasurers whose accounts are maintained through LASSA currently BCLA/CLA, SLA, ASIS&T, CHLA/ASBC, LWB)
  • Collect and disburse funds as directed by the LASSA executive
  • Maintain accurate and current records of LASSA finances
  • Responsible for processing all paperwork so members can be reimbursed
  • Submit the LASSA budget to the AMS
  • Check the LASSA Treasurer‘s folder at the AMS on a regular basis

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Events Coordinator

Duties of the Events Coordinators:

  • Plan and promote social and academic events for students
  • Coordinate and work with student chapters for planning events
  • Promote all LASSA and LASSA-sponsored events
  • Organize Orientation Lunch
  • Provide special treats (such as candy) for special occasions (Halloween, Christmas, Valentine‘s Day, Easter) and distribute these treats through the student, staff and faculty mailboxes.
  • Put forth new events that LASSA may want to hold.

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MLIS, MAS, Joint, MACL, and Phd Members at Large

The Member at Large for a given program acts principally as a vital link between students in the graduate program and the LASSA executive, who in turn provide a voice of authority when approaching SLAIS faculty and staff with areas of concern. As such, most duties for this position are ongoing and reactive as situations arise. Additionally, the Member-at-Large is responsible for co-organizing the photographing of new SLAIS students during the September and January orientations with his/her fellow Members at Large.

Duties of the Member at Large:

  • Make themselves available to all program students
  • Act as a contact between students and the larger LASSA membership
  • Bring concerns of students to LASSA Executive
  • During Orientations with the other Members at Large, take photos of the new students and post the photos on the boards in SLAIS.
  • Help recruit First Year Representatives for each program
  • With the other Members at Large, fill the LASSA print cards on a bi-weekly basis

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MLIS and MAS First Year Representatives

Duties of the MLIS and MAS First Year Representatives:

  • Represent the interests of first year student to LASSA
  • Bring concerns of first year students to LASSA
  • Build awareness of LASSA events, activities and operations among first year students

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Graduate Student Society (GSS) Representative

Duties of the GSS Representative:

  • Act as a link between LASSA and the GSS
  • Bring LASSA concerns and issues to the attention of the GSS
  • Attend monthly GSS meetings
  • Report on GSS meetings and activities to LASSA
  • Serve on GSS committees, especially those of specific relevance and interest to LASSA
  • Coordinate with Graduate Secretary to promote GSS events to the LASSA membership
  • Present on GSS activities, events and services at the Orientation
  • Obtain from the GSS office sufficient numbers of the GSS Student Handbook for the two Orientations held each year.
  • Prepare and submit the Departmental Committee Petition to the GSS annually

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Alma Mater Society (AMS) Representative

Duties of the AMS Representative:

  • Act as a link between LASSA and the AMS
  • Bring LASSA concerns and issues to the attention of the AMS
  • Attend bi-weekly AMS meetings
  • Report on AMS meetings and activities to LASSA
  • Serve on AMS committees, especially those of specific relevance and interest to
    LASSA
  • Promote relevant AMS events to the LASSA membership
  • Present on AMS activities, events and services at the Orientation

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Faculty of Arts Representative

Duties of the Faculty of Arts Representative:

  • Act as a link between LASSA and the Faculty of Arts
  • Bring LASSA concerns and issues to the attention of the Faculty of Arts
  • Attend Faculty of Arts meetings (approximately four per year)
  • Report on Faculty of Arts meetings and activities to LASSA
  • Serve on Faculty of Arts committees, especially those of specific relevance and interest to LASSA

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Webmaster/Content Manager

Duties of the Webmaster/Content Manager:

  • Maintain and update the LASSA website
  • Moderates the SLAIS wiki.
  • With Secretary post all LASSA meeting agendas, minutes and other important documents and records on the LASSA website
  • With the Co-Presidents, remove and archive out dated files from the LASSA website, wiki, and FTP space