Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that the land on which we gather is the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee, the Métis, and most recently, the territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit River. The territory was the subject of the Dish With One Spoon: Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and the Ojibwe and allied nations to peacefully share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. This territory is also covered by the Upper Canada Treaties.

Today, the meeting place of Toronto (from the Haudenosaunee word Tkaronto) is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work in the community, on this territory.

YUGSA Executive Statement

To Our Fellow Graduate Students, Activists, and Scholars,

Whether it is your first semester at York University or your last, the York University Graduate Students’ Association (YUGSA) Executive Board wishes you a Warm Welcome to the 2022-2023 Academic Year! While the past couple of years have been nothing-short of an ‘adjustment’ to virtual learning, working-at-home, and surviving, living, and celebrating life from a distance — the Fall/Winter 2022-2023 is an opportunity to return to campus, each other, and the broader York Community. 

From 2020-2022, coming off the heels of the Supreme Court of Justice Divisional Court’s 2019 ruling that Premier Doug Ford’s Student Choice Initiative was unlawful,  YUGSA Execs stroves to ensure that the YorkU Graduate Experience under the spectre of COVID-19 was bearable. YUGSA pressured York University’s administration and the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) to accommodate COVID-related disruptions faced by graduate students, while establishing a Hardship Fund to financially support those impacted by COVID-19. 

As we return to campus in 2022-2023, we are returning to familiar problems mired by the uncertainty of yet another ‘wave’ of COVID-19. While we endeavour to continue the previous executive’s efforts to pressure York University and FGS to improve their support for Graduate Students, ensuring that financial support continues to be available to those impacted by the pandemic, we also intend to take this one-step further this year by tackling the single largest cost associated with attending York University — housing. 

In 2020, YUGSA Execs launched the annual ‘Graduate Student Housing Survey’ to better understand your housing needs and concerns, and to help York Housing improve their housing services. Graduate students like yourself highlighted issues around poor wi-fi connectivity at a time when most were working from home, pest issues, and a lack of community spaces amongst others. That year, YUGSA Execs presented a list of 13 recommendations for York Housing, ranging from notice-period accommodations to accessibility audits, many of which have faced resistance or have yet to be implemented. York Graduate Student Housing is not meeting the needs of Graduates like yourself, and where an alternative presents itself in new on-campus ‘luxury’ accommodations like the QUAD, this alternative simply is not affordable. 

York University has long been considered a ‘commuter’ campus because there simply is not enough affordable housing on-campus for students — students now pay more for housing than they do for tuition. That’s why we’re working with the graduate levy-funded Affordable Housing Committee at York University (YAHC) and the York Federation of Students (YFS) to pass an undergraduate referendum to study, promote, and develop affordable and community-owned/operated housing at York University. It’s a long-term goal that builds on YAHC successful graduate referendum in 2019, and we are doing everything we can to take matters into our own hands by creating housing by-and-for students. 

The return to campus also means a return to spaces where graduate students have reported experiences of overt and institutionalised racism, particularly anti-Black racism. York University Heights is one of the most racially diverse regions in Toronto — 69% of the population is racialized and 19% identify as Black. Despite the fact that 7.5% of Torontonians and 12% of York students from the Toronto District School Board identify as Black, “...Black faculty comprise only 2.3% of the faculty complement at York” (YUFA, 2020). From cops-on-campus over-policing of racialized students to the exclusion of Black faculty from high-level positions at York University, racism and anti-Black racism is both a seen and ‘hidden’ reality faced by students, staff, and faculty. Alongside YFS and CUPE 3903, we are working with the Vice-President’s Office of People Equity and Culture and the President’s Security Council to advance community-based solutions for addressing racism and anti-Black racism at York University. And our demands from the administration are clear:

1. York University must develop an independant and anonymous incident reporting mechanism to track and report trends regarding incidents racism and anti-black racism at York University;
   

2. York University must integrate a decolonizing praxis/approach to developing the ‘Framework for Addressing Anti-Black Racism” and the “Action Plan on Black Inclusion”;
   

3. York University must harmonise the ‘Framework’ and the ‘Action Plan’ with the proportional, measurable and achievable actions outlined in the Scarborough Charter.

These issues around housing, racism, and anti-Black racism at York University point towards much larger concerns around Governance at York University. Since the implementation of the Shared Accountability and Resource Planning (SHARP) budget model in 2017, graduate students have lost 53 of 80 seats in governance-related decision-making forums. Increasingly, graduate student representation and power in these forums is reduced to a performatory and/or co-opted form of representation that grants the administration near-full control over governance-related decisions. And we have witnessed the outcomes of this co-optation with the secretariat’s unilateral passing of the ‘new’ Presidential Regulation 4 (PR4), which strips student unions and groups of their autonomy and political capacities, despite YUGSA and YFS’ repeated protests against any changes to PR4. 

We are working closely with YFS, CUPE3903, and other members of the Cross-Campus Alliance (CCA) to ensure that students retain and regain their collective power. Over Summer 2022, we stood in solidarity with the York University Staff Association (YUSA) and successfully challenged the administration’s push for monetary and non-monetary concessions that threatened the autonomy and well-being of York University staff. As the 2022-2023 academic year unfolds, we will be relying on students like yourself, alongside members of the CCA, to stand in solidarity with YUGSA as we address the issues around housing, racism and anti-Black racism, and governance at York University.

The 2022-2023 Academic Year is an opportunity to continue the ongoing work of the previous YUGSA Execs, while pushing for actions that tangibly improve the experiences of York University Graduate Students. As we seek to emerge from these unprecedented times in the face of adversity and uncertainty, our capacity to stand together and use our collective power to demand for ‘better’ from the administration is crucial. Your involvement in YUGSA Council and Committees will mark the difference between achieving ‘better’ outcomes for graduate students, and managing the adverse impact of decisions worsening these outcomes. 

And so, we urge graduate students, activists, and scholars to come together and organise to make York University a better, more inclusive, and accommodating space for all.

In the spirit of cooperation and solidarity,

Your YUGSA Executives.

Signed: Nathi M. Zamisa

YUGSA President

Graduate Student Map York University

YUGSA: Who we are

The York University Graduate Students’ Association (YUGSA) is a membership-driven organization representing over 6,000 graduate students at York University. We are comprised of the YUGSA Council, the Executives, Staff, and YOU - the graduate students. We represent YOUR interests by advocating on your behalf and providing services to improve your experience as a graduate student.

Our Mission

The YUGSA is dedicated to providing advocacy and support to all members across various graduate departments on its campuses.

We are Local 84 of the Canadian Federation of Students, which represents more than 500,000 students across Canada, committed to lobbying, research, and membership and community mobilization.

Alongside our sister student and trade unions, the YUGSA works to oppose the continued commercialization of Canadian universities and participate in the broad-based movement demanding accessible, public, fully funded, high quality post-secondary education.

Yugsa Constitution and Bylaws

YUGSA Staff

Student Services Coordinator | Bonnie Cormier
info@yugsa.ca

As the Student Services Coordinator, Bonnie is responsible for both the day-to-day operations of the YUGSA office and for providing student academic advocacy support. If you aren’t sure where to access support for any issue, whether it is for academic advocacy or not, please feel welcome to contact her. Bonnie is also tasked with administering the Emergency Loan Fund (ELF) and assisting with in-person, e-mail and telephone inquiries.

Finance and Health Plan Coordinator | Farhat Hasan
health@yugsa.ca or fc@yugsa.ca

Farhat is responsible for the YUGSA’s financial bookkeeping and the administration of the health plan for graduate students. As the Finance Coordinator, Farhat manages audits, budget and expense reports, payroll, processing and filing of funding requests, banking needs and more.  She is also your primary contact for the health plan for questions regarding benefits and claims, opting in of dependents and partners, or opting out for CUPE 3903 unit 1 and 3 members (TAs & GAs).

Resource Coordinator | Sam Nithiananthan
rc@yugsa.ca

Sam also coordinates day-to-day operations of the YUGSA office and provides assistance with YUGSA Council meetings, booking space requests, and YUGSA campaigns. He helps to develop strategies in conjunction with the YUGSA Executive to address pressing student issues on campus (e.g. graduate student representation, academic advocacy, budget cuts, etc.) and in response to the government policies (i.e. student debt, employment, funding and aid, etc.). In coordination with the YUGSA Executive, he also provides general assistance to all departmental graduate students’ associations.

YUGSA Executives

President - Nathi Zamisa
Social & Political Thought - Black Studies (Theories of Race & Racism) |president@yugsa.ca

As president of the YUGSA, my responsibility is to serve the York Graduate Community and act as their representative in York University’s academic, secretariat, and decision-making forums. I chair YUGSA Council meetings and sit on a wide number of committees at York, such as the Senate and FGS Council. One of my commitments as President is to enhance graduate student representation on faculty councils. Feel free to email me at president@yugsa.ca with your ideas, comments and suggestions!

Vice-President Campaigns – Amarachi Chukwu
Ph. D student at Gender, Feminist and Women’s Studies | campaigns@yugsa.ca

As VP of Campaigns, I am determined to develop campaigns that will help and support graduate students. In these times of uncertainty to students’ funding and jobs, it is important to mobilize campus allies and students to stand united in order to push back.

Vice-President Community Relations - Ali Gholami
Ph.D. student at Lassonde School of Engineering | community@yugsa.ca

As VP of Community Relations, I will continue strengthening YUGSA relationship with associations, groups, and communities on and off York campus whose business relates to the equity affairs of York graduate students. The intention is to liaise with these groups/organizations to create coalitions of solidarity and cooperation that will tackle equity-based issues that are also impacting York graduate students.

Vice-President Equity - Immaculee Uwanyilig
Ph.D. Student in Social Work | equity@yugsa.ca

As VP Equity, I advocate on behalf of graduate students and develop equity-based campaigns on issues affecting them. I am also responsible for working with the wider membership, as well as with various advocacy groups, to raise awareness about important equity-related issues facing graduate students and rally them to resolve these issues.

Vice-President Finance - Ehsan Tabesh
Ph.D. student at Lassonde School of Engineering | finance@yugsa.ca

As VP of Finance and Services, I am responsible for the health of YUGSA’s budget. In the course of my term as VP Finance I will create a fiscal budget for the year, adjudicate funding and donation applications for students, and disperse operating grant funds (OGFs) to departmental graduate student associations (DGSAs).

Vice-President Internal – Arefeh Shamskhany
Ph.D. student at Lassonde School of Engineering |internal@yugsa.ca

As VP Internal, I am responsible for maintaining regular communication with departmental Graduate Students’ Associations, Council Members and Chief Councillors. In this position, I will act as a liaison between graduate student members and YUGSA.

YUGSA Council

The YUGSA Council is the highest decision-making authority of YUGSA. It is composed of student representatives from every graduate department, members of the Executive, and two graduate student senators.

The Council meets regularly to discuss and make decisions on issues important to our members. We encourage you to consider representing your department on this decision-making body! Meetings for the upcoming year are tentatively scheduled for the third week of each month. For updates on Council meeting dates and how to become a Councillor, please contact the YUGSA office at 416.736.5865 or info@yugsa.ca.

YUGSA acknowledges the existence of systemic barriers that allow for a disproportionate level of participation from different communities. To facilitate more equitable participation, and to address these systemic forms of discrimination, the YUGSA has designated up to twelve (12) Council seats for under-represented constituent groups.

Departmental Graduate Students’ Association (DGSA)

All graduate students registered through the Faculty of Graduate Studies are members of the YUGSA. Each Departmental Graduate Students’ Association (DGSA) elects representatives to YUGSA Council according to a proportional formula based on graduate enrolment. Important decisions including the strategic direction and campaigns work of the organization happens at YUGSA Council. 

If your department does not have an active graduate student association and would like to create one, please contact the YUGSA office at 416.736.5865 or info@yugsa.ca.

More about DGSAs

YUGSA Committees

Campaigns Committee: YUGSA creates its own campaigns to target issues to defend the rights of graduate students on our campus, and we participate in local, provincial, and national campaigns on issues ranging from showing solidarity with Indigenous peoples, to making public post-secondary education accessible. The V.P. Campaigns calls campaign meetings as need be and all YUGSA members are welcome to attend and participate. For more information, or to join the committee, contact our V.P. Campaigns at campaigns@yugsa.ca.

Finance Committee: The Finance Committee meets periodically to make important collective financial decisions for YUGSA. The YUGSA offers a variety of funding and support for graduate students, ranging from academic funds to bursaries. While these funds are not meant to be a primary source of graduate student funding, they do serve as a small additional aid, and it is important to have members on this committee so that these funds can be dispersed in a timely and equitable manner. Only members elected to the committee by the YUGSA Council may attend. For more information, contact our V.P. Finance at finance@yugsa.ca.

Canadian Federation
of Students

The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) is Canada’s largest student movement. The CFS provides a forum for students to communicate, exchange information, and share experiences, skills and ideas. The CFS also produces research reports for students from issues pertaining to free and accessible education, student debt, sexual violence on campuses, and more.

YUGSA is proud to be Local 84 of the CFS. All members of YUGSA are members of the CFS and are able to access a range of services such as the International Student Identity Card (ISIC), a national student health network, daily planners, and much more. Check out cfsontario.ca for more information 

The structure of the CFS allows for Local 84 to participate as members of both the Ontario and National Graduate Caucus where graduate students from across Canada can discuss, share experiences and strategize around issues pertinent to graduate students.The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) International Student Identity Card (ISIC)

Academic Services

It is important to familiarize yourself with The Faculty of Graduate Studies’ (FGS) regulations as well as your own program’s policies, procedures and guidelines. If you do not know where to obtain this information or need help understanding these documents please contact our Student Services Coordinator at info@yugsa.ca

Individual Advocacy

If you are facing any issues at York that you are not sure how to address, please feel welcome to drop by the YUGSA office to discuss your concerns with the Student Services Coordinator or the Vice President Equity. You can also email info@yugsa.ca or call 416.736.5865 to speak to the Student Services Coordinator.

When should you come to seek support?

You should definitely come to see us if you are experiencing any of the issues listed above. Some graduate students try to resolve these issues by themselves or ignore them altogether causing the situation to escalate. By speaking with your graduate student advocate, you might be able to address problems early on and avoid/resolve conflicts and stressful situations. If you aren’t sure where to access support for any issue, whether it is academic or not, please feel welcome to come to the YUGSA to talk to an advocate.

What can YUGSA do? 

• Listen to your concerns carefully and take them seriously.

• Ask questions to clarify and assess the situation based on the information provided.

• Direct you to information regarding University regulations, policies, and procedures.

• Explore how to address the situation and discuss possible solutions/outcomes.

• Offer to make inquiries to obtain information when appropriate.

• Offer to intervene by setting up meetings with University administration, faculty, and staff when appropriate.

• At your request, a representative from the YUGSA can attend meetings with you as a support person.

• Keep your case records confidential.

• Refer you to other appropriate and relevant services and supports as required.

What can’t YUGSA do?

• Fill out forms on students’ behalf

• Provide legal advice or services

• Resolve employment issues with York (we would refer you to CUPE 3903)

Confidentiality

All information you provide to the Student Services Coordinator will be kept confidential. Information will only be shared with third parties with your consent.

How to prepare your case

Guidelines for Filling Petitions and Appeals

• Follow the guidelines for the petition or appeal process. If you are not sure where to obtain this information, please contact the YUGSA

• Pay attention to deadlines specific to petition/appeal committees for your submission. Follow the program, departmental, Faculty of Graduate Studies and petition/appeal committee policies; failure to do so may adversely affect the outcome of your case

• Present evidence to support your case

• Develop an argument that is coherent and focused

• Keep detailed documentation of all aspects of your case

Funding and Bursaries

Donation Request

On the basis of budgetary allowances, funds or materials may be available to student groups to help with expenses of events, projects, or activities related to the well being of graduate students and community members. Examples of funded projects include: conferences, film screenings, and lectures. Direct expenses are defined as the cost of supplies, materials, and services expended on the project. All events, projects or activities must uphold the equity mandate of the YUGSA. 

Requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis at YUGSA Council and applicants may be requested to attend a Council meeting to speak to their donation request. 

Please submit forms ahead of council dates using our online application form: Donation Request Form

Emergency
Loan Fund (ELF)

DUE TO COVID-19 THIS SERVICE IS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED WHILE THE OFFICE IS PHYSICALLY CLOSED. If you are in need of financial assistance resources please contact our Student Services Coordinator: info@yugsa.ca

The Emergency Loan Fund (ELF) is an interest-free loan of up to $350.00 and is designed to help offset members’ immediate financial barriers. All full YUGSA members are eligible to apply for a loan, provided that they do not have any outstanding amounts owing to the YUGSA.

To apply please visit the YUGSA office during our regular hours of operation and please bring with you:

International
Students’ Bursary

This fund provides some additional financial support to international graduate students who face higher tuition fees and are not able to access many of the resources that domestic students can access for support. Eligible students may apply once per year using our online application form available at yugsa.ca/services/funding by the April 1st deadline. Up to $300.00 is available, although the final amount is determined by the total number of successful applicants.

International Student Bursary Application Form

Academic Funds

These funds provide limited funding (determined by the number of successful applicants) to graduate students following proof of expenditures and are designed to assist graduate students in their academic endeavors. Our funding deadlines are August 1, December 1, and April 1 every year. There are three funds available:

Conference Support to help offset the costs of presenting a paper or poster at a conference; Conference Support Funding Application

Thesis Support to help offset the costs involved in producing Master’s and Ph.D. theses or major papers; Thesis Support Funding Application

Skills Development Support to help offset the costs related to endeavours which help students develop overall skills in relation to their program of study, such as voluntary internships, language training and professional development opportunities. Skills Development Funding Application.

*Please note, YUGSA members are limited to only one successful application from YUGSA’s Academic Funds (Conference, Thesis or Skills Development Fund) per funding period (May-April).

Operating
Grant Fund (OGF)

A portion of the YUGSA budget is allotted for program-level departmental graduate student associations (DGSAs). A base amount of $100.00 is allotted to each completed application, with the remaining funds being distributed across associations based on the number of full-time and part-time students enrolled in that program in the preceding fall semester. The operating grant application as well as the accompanying DGSA’s constitution submission deadline is November 21, 2022.

In order to be eligible, departmental representatives are required to attend Council meetings and an anti-oppression training session in the Fall. The funds are typically distributed in two installments – usually in December and March. For more information please contact our V.P. Finance at finance@yugsa.ca