Post-Secondary students can now receive a $99 Student Metropass from the TTC. Students must first get a TTC Student Photo ID Card before purchasing the new Metropass.
For more information on how to get your TTC Student Photo ID Card go here
The TTC also has a helpful information on their website
For years, the University of Toronto had provided open, unhindered access to some of the most comprehensive collections in Canada. In September 2009, the University of Toronto started charging students, faculty, staff from other Canadian universities $200 a year for the ability to borrow books from the university's libraries. Cheryl Misak, the university's Provost, has confirmed that visitors will soon be charged a fee just to browse the stacks, let alone borrow books. Such moves undermine the cooperative spirit between Canadian university libraries and makes post-secondary education that much less accessible. Moreover, the decisions to implement these fees were made behind closed doors, without consultation.
Send an email to Provost Cheryl Misak and demand that the UofT reverse its decision to introduce library usage and access fees:
Dear members, below is the GSA's letter to the York University Ombudsperson speaking against his review of the YFS March election. For context, after the GSA's letter is President Shoukri's March 19th statement explaining his assignment of the review to the ombudsperson (http://www.yorku.ca/ylife/archive.asp?article=2848).
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Dear Mr. McCamus
On behalf of the executive of York University Graduate Students' Association (YUGSA), by the order of the representative Council of the YUGSA, and speaking for approximately six thousand (6000) full and part-time graduate students at York University represented by the Graduate Students' Association, I am writing to express our complete, and unmitigated, opposition to the York Administration's decision to interfere with the autonomous democratic elections of the York Federation of Students (YFS).
Not only does the attempt of the York Administration to intercede in the YFS election represent an attack on the principle of autonomy necessary for any healthy labour or student union, the manner in which this 'review' has been undertaken reflects poorly on the Administration, and by extension the broader York community. This interference also runs directly counter to principles affirmed by York's Senate Policies, and best practices across the province and country.
In addition to representing a dangerous attack on the YFS's democratic autonomy, there are five specific concerns we wish to raise with regards to this administrative interference:
1. Impetus for the 'review'
It has been suggested that this 'review' is being undertaken as a result of 'concerns' raised from within the York community, however, the number and precise context of these concerns remains unclear. Concerns about the democratic process of the YFS elections should have been brought to the duly appointed Chief Returning Officer, and Deputy Returning Officer, not the York Administration. Furthermore, in a community of over 60 000 students, the number of complaints received becomes an important question. Democracy is based on the will of the majority, not complete consensus. Dissent and challenge are necessary and healthy components of any democratic organization - the key is that they must be dealt with in an open and transparent manner, in accordance with each's democratically enacted constitution and governing policies. The identity, or at least position, of any complainant is also a matter of considerable importance. While some level of anonymity should be supported, the relationship of any complainant to the electoral process also needs to be made explicitly. Transparency demands that the community know from where key 'concerns' have been raised - for example, whether or not complaints originated solely with community members directly involved with, and unsuccessful in, the recent electoral process.
2. Democratic integrity
Besides the principle of autonomy, the GSA strongly supports the principle of democratic integrity in the YFS elections. The York Administration, not democratically appointed by students, has no business involving itself in the democratic processes of the YFS. Not only is the York University Ombudsman office not subject to democratic accountability, operating explicitly under the authority of the Office of the President, it is far from an impartial third party. Should the members of the YFS vote to reject a CRO's report, any legitimate review of the process or procedures needs to be driven by the members of the YFS, or a third party democratically decided upon by that membership.
3. Democratic Process
The YFS hold elections on an annual basis, and do so in accordance to elections policies democratically enacted by its membership. Not only do these policies serve as a solid framework for YFS elections, they are broadly in line with similar policies at numerous sister unions across the country, and even looked to as 'best practices.' Indeed, the Graduate Student's Association itself modelled its own election policies on existing YFS policies - finding it necessary to make only minor, context specific adjustments to comprehensive and well crafted guidelines. Far from serving democracy, York's interference with YFS election policies undermines democratically established procedures, fails the basic tests of both transparency and accountability, and attacks a set of policies which reflect the highest democratic principles and process.
4. Rational for Involvement
York has suggested that it has some 'stake' or 'responsibility' to interfere with the autonomous electoral procedures of the YFS due to its role in collecting student union levies. The GSA completely rejects this rational. The collection of democratically decided student levies by the university is purely administrative. That is to say that they are collected because the university has the appropriate infrastructure to easily do so, and should not be implied to produce some sort of amorphous 'duty' to involve itself in a union's inner workings. Though Presidential Regulation Number Four (4), a regulation which represents part B of the York University Secretariat Policies, Procedures and Regulations concerning Student Governments, is cited in the rational for this interference, little reference is made to section A of that same set of policies. Section A1 of the York University Secretariat Policies, Procedures and Regulations clearly states that York University believes in independent Student Governments. Your office's 'review' of YFS elections clearly violates this affirmation of student union autonomy. Furthermore, section A7 of the same policy clearly states that: "The internal structure of each central government will be determined by students, in accordance with constitutional procedures."This includes selection of a CRO and DRO by Student Governments to run an election, and one would hope implies a respect for the decisions they make. Again, your office's 'review' into the details of the York Federation of Students elections is a violation of York University policy. The Office of the President, under whose purview the York University Ombudsman office falls, has no place in student government.
5. Perceived Political Agenda
York's decision to interfere in the democratic elections of the YFS may be construed as a politically motivated attack on the undergraduate student union at York. In other university contexts, Freedom of Information Requests have uncovered evidence linking University staff as well as provincial and federal politicians to efforts to influence the outcome of student elections. These Universities have suffered greatly in a public relations context; the political agendas of a few individuals reflecting adversely on the institution as a whole. By attempting to interfere in the YFS election, contrary both to YFS and York Senate policies, the York Administration's ostensibly noble intentions may well be misconstrued by outside observers as politically motivated.
The GSA asserts that the York University Administration has no role in autonomous democratic processes of any union, student or labour, on its campus, and strongly encourage York's Administration to withdraw its plan to interfere with the YFS electoral process.
Phil Steiner(sen)
President and Chair
Graduate Student's Association
York University, Toronto, On
Canada
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President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri on Friday issued the following terms of reference for a review by the University ombudsperson of the recent York Federation of Students election:
Terms of Reference for YFS Election Review
The University administration has received a significant number of complaints from York students regarding the conduct of the recent York Federation of Students (YFS) elections. These complaints centre on the fact that a significant number of the 21 candidates from the “New York” slate of candidates were disqualified for various infractions, including distributing copies of the Excalibur newspaper without prior approval of the chief returning officer (CRO). Complaints were also raised regarding allegations of conflict of interest, the appointment and independence of the chief returning officer, alleged breaches of security, deviations from defined election protocol, irregularities at polling stations, and the process for the assignment of demerit points by the CRO.
Presidential Regulation 4 (Regulation 4) delegates to student governments and organizations the primary responsibility for the organization and conduct of elections. However, Regulation 4 notes that the president retains residual responsibility to ensure the democratic, orderly and responsible conduct of elections. The president and the administration also stand in a fiduciary relationship to York students by virtue of the significant fees that are collected by the University from all York students for the purposes of funding student government.
Transparency, fairness and integrity in the election process, as well as the possibility of orderly and democratic change, must be ensured for the benefit of all of our students. The election process must not only be fair, but must be seen to be fair. Otherwise the confidence of the community in the legitimacy of the process and the outcome may be undermined.
There is an internal appeal mechanism within YFS for the consideration of appeals which has apparently resulted in overturning the suspensions imposed by the CRO. Nevertheless the complaints that we have received raise broader issues regarding the manner in which elections are organized and managed. I believe that it is in the best interest of all students as well as the community generally that these matters be reviewed by an independent and impartial individual. I have therefore asked the University ombuds, former Osgoode dean John McCamus, to review the experience with the 2010 YFS elections and, in light of that experience, report on whether there are changes in the election procedures, processes or practices that should be implemented in future elections in order to ensure transparency, fairness and the avoidance of conflicts.
Members of the community wishing to make written submissions to Professor McCamus regarding the matters identified above may do so via e-mail at ombuds@yorku.ca.
I am asking Professor McCamus to submit his report, which will be made public, by no later than July 30, 2010.
Mamdouh Shoukri
President & Vice-Chancellor
March 19, 2010
Dear Members,
Two reports have come out addressing racism, both overt and systemic, in Ontario's post-secondary education system.
Please go here, to find the report of the Task Force on Campus Racism, which had visited 14 Ontario campuses with 17 hearings collecting experiences: http://www.noracism.ca
Please visit here to read the Canadian Federation of Students - Ontario's findings on the disproportionate impact of tuition fees on racialised students: http://www.cfsontario.ca/english/
The Executive Summary is attached below.
April 5, 2010
Honorable Chuck Strahl, M.P.
Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Dear Minister Strahl,
I am writing on behalf of over 6,000 graduate students at York University to express concern over the lack of funding available to Aboriginal students for post-secondary studies.
Since the early 1990s there have been astronomical increases in tuition fees at post-secondary institutions across Canada. With each passing year it has become increasingly difficult for students and their families to afford the cost of obtaining a post-secondary education at Canada’s colleges and universities. This situation is even more precarious for Aboriginal young people who want to pursue higher education.
First Nations and Inuit students are provided with financial assistance to pursue a post-secondary education through the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP). Increases in funding for the PSSSP program have been capped by the Federal Government at 2% annually since 1996. This creates a difficult situation for Aboriginal students.
Since 1996, tuition fees have skyrocketed while the average annual inflation rate has exceeded 2%. This has caused the cost of living to increase at a faster rate than funding increases. Furthermore, the number of Aboriginal students who are eligible for funding through the PSSSP program has grown significantly since 1996. As a result, funding has not kept pace with the increased costs of attending a post-secondary institution in Canada.
These circumstances result in over 13,000 eligible Aboriginal students being denied access to post-secondary education due to a lack of funding. Access to education for First Nations peoples is a treaty right. The solution to this problem is to eliminate the annual cap to funding growth for the Post-Secondary Student Support Program. Making a sufficient amount of funding available would mean that every eligible Aboriginal student who wants to attend a post-secondary institution will have the opportunity to do so.
The York University Graduate Students’ Association (YUGSA) and its members call upon the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development to eliminate the 2% annual spending cap on the Post-Secondary Student Support Program. Moreover, the YUGSA insists that a retroactive increase in funding for the PSSSP be implemented to make up for the increasing funding gap that has occurred since 1996. The YUGSA has collected 96 signatures calling for an end to the spending cap.
Sincerely,
Richard Sunichura
Vice-President Equity & Community Relations
York University Graduate Students’ Association
Local 84, Canadian Federation of Students
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For more information:
First Nations and Inuit Students are provided assistance to pursue a post-secondary education through the Department of Indian Affairs Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP). However, the Federal government has capped the growth of this fund at 2% annually. This practice has become problematic for two reasons. First, there have been prodigious increases in tuition fees over the years. Second, the number of Aboriginal students eligible for funding through the PSSSP has grown dramatically over the same period of time. As a result, more than 13,000 Aboriginal students have been denied access to a post-secondary education due to lack of funding. Education for Aboriginal peoples is a treaty right and is enshrined in the Canadian Constitution Act of 1982. If you support an increase in funding for post-secondary education, visit the GSA office at 325 student centre to sign the petition!
Please find below a CFS press release in response to the MacDonald-Laurier Institute's report advocating a new approach to funding Aboriginal post-secondary education.
Nominations are now being accepted for positions on the Executive Committee of the York University Graduate Students’ Association for the 2010-2011 term.
Nominations open at 10:00 a.m. Monday, March 1, 2010 and close on Friday, March 5, 2010 at 4:00 p.m.
Nomination packages are available for pick-up from the Graduate Students’ Association office, Room 325, Student Centre, or on-line in the Election section of our website
The following positions are open for nomination:
President
Vice-President Equity
Vice-President Campaigns
Vice-President Finance and Services
Vice-President Internal
Vice-President Gender
Management Board Chair
Student Senator
For further information, check out the Election section of the website or contact cro@yugsa.ca.
As of April 1, 2010, the York University Graduate Students' Association will be closing Room 430 of the Student Centre. It will be closed indefinitely for renovation and reappraisal.
All standing bookings will be honoured until April 1st but no new bookings will be accepted at this time.
If you have a standing deposit with us please come by our office in Room 325 of the Student Centre to pick it up.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us.
