Year: 2017

GSS Elections and Referendum VOTE – Ends TODAY @ 5PM

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Hi all,

As the GSS (Graduate Student Society) representative for Land and Food Systems, I wanted to pass this on to you and also encourage you all to vote in both the GSS and AMS elections currently, but specifically for the GSS election.

In addition to voting for the standard president and various vice-president roles, there is also a very important referendum question.

The GSS is currently in a financial deficit, and the proposed referendum is asking to increase the fees collected by the GSS by $12 per year, paid out to the GSS in 3 installments of $4 in January, May, and September tuition payments.

Whether or not you are aware, the GSS has been expanding the services it offers to its membership (ALL graduate students), but expanding these services, such as yoga @ the GSS, hikes, and academic workshops, all come at a cost. Several years ago (before my time), the GSS attempted to pass a fee increase of $15 which failed. Costs in general increase over time following the consumer price index (CPI), but the fees the GSS collects have not reflected this. As such, they are trying to do more with an ever decreasing amount of money.

Without this fee increase, the GSS may cease to exist as a society, and we will default to being under the umbrella of the AMS, which does not understand the needs of graduate students.

I would implore you all to visit the GSS’s elections website: Redefine your GSS

Positions to be elected:

  • President
  • VP University and Academic Affairs
  • VP External Relations
  • VP Students
  • Faculty of Graduate and Post Doctoral Studies Student Senator

As well as visit the website pertaining to the referendum question to find out more about what happens if the fee increase passes or fails: Referendum

 

For more information, please contact the Chief Electoral Officer (elections@gss.ubc.ca) or the current GSS President (president@gss.ubc.ca).

Cheers,

John—

Faculty of Land and Food Systems Graduate Student Council

lfsgrads@gmail.com

LFS Winners in the Multi-Disciplinary Three Minute Thesis Heat

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The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is an academic competition that assists current graduate students with fostering effective presentation and communication skills. Participants have just three minutes to explain the breadth and significance of their research project to a non-specialist audience. It is a great way to share your research. Its also a LOT of fun!

  • Congratulations to Manveen Kaur (Ronaldo Cerri’s group) for advancing to the Three Minute Thesis Semifinal
  • Congratulations to Anne-Marieke Smid (Nina Von Keyserlingk’s group) for winning the People’s Choice Award. Manveen and Anne-Marieke participated in the multi-disciplinary heat on Mar 3rd.
  • Congratulations to Laura Whalin (Nina von Keyserlingk’s group) for advancing to the Three Minute Thesis Semifinal. Laura also took the People’s Choice Award. Laura participated in the LFS heat that took place at the LFS Grad conference on Mar 9, 2017.

Please come out and cheer on your fellow LFS students Manveen Kaur and Laura Whalin at the 3MT semifinal heats on Tuesday Mar 14th in the Ballroom at Thea Koerner house. Manveen is in semifinal heat 1 at 1:00-2:30 and Laura is in semifinal heat 2 at 3:00-4:30.

Prius _ Emergency Brake

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Prius Emergency  Brake

There have been some occasions were users of the Prius have had difficulty unlocking the emergency brake.  This is a simple push down and release brake.  

There are “no” levers or buttons to release the emergency brake. One needs only to apply slight pressure on the emergency brake pedal and then lift off, the pedal should swing up to the unlocked position.  Pressing harder will only engage the brake more and make it seem as if it cannot be released.  

 The “P” button to the right of the steering column is for putting the car into “park”, it is not a brake release button.  Apparently someone had applied extreme pressure to this button breaking it in the process.  Therefore the Prius is now at the garage having to repair this damage.

Call for Applications #2 – UBC Sustainability Scholars (paid summer internships)

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The UBC Sustainability Initiative (USI) has added a number of applied research projects to our program intake this year. These projects provide graduate students opportunities to work in funded sustainability internship projects beginning early May. Current UBC graduate students from any academic discipline are eligible to apply.    

Further information on the available internship projects can be found on our Student Opportunities web page. Applications close at midnight Sunday March 26, 2017. 

I would greatly appreciate if you would please circulate the details provided below to your grad students.

If you have any questions about the program or projects, please don’t hesitate to contact me. 

Thank you for your help in notifying your graduate students about these opportunities! 

All the best, 

Karen Taylor  

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Call for Applications –UBC Sustainability Scholars (paid summer internships) 

The UBC Sustainability Initiative (USI) 

We are currently accepting applications for over 10 more UBC Sustainability Scholars projects that will commence May 1, 2017. Current UBC graduate students from any academic discipline are eligible to apply. 

Successful candidates will work under the guidance of a mentor, and are immersed in real world learning where they can apply their research skills and contribute to advancing organizational sustainability goals. Each Scholar receives $20 per hour to complete up to 250 hours of work. 

For more information on the available projects and to apply, visit our Student Opportunities page.  

Applications will be accepted until midnight Sunday February 26, 2017. 

We appreciate your help in circulating this notice to anyone in your grad student network who may be interested! 

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Karen Taylor 

Program Manager | UBC Sustainability Initiative

The University of British Columbia

Room 2346, 2260 West Mall Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z4

Phone 604 822-9362 | karen.taylor@ubc.ca | www.sustain.ubc.ca