Grad school, and

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Grad school, and?

• An introduction to your student union
• Graduate Students Union (GSU)
• University of Toronto
• Local 19, Canadian Federation of Students
• 16 Bancroft Avenue, University of
  TorontoToronto, Ontario M5S 1C1
• 416-978-2391
• www.gsu.utoronto.ca
• by Gina Trubiani, GSU Executive 2005-06

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The Tech, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT).
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• THE
• ACADEMIC
• FRONTIER

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A few tips!
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Get the most out of your relationship with your
supervisor

• Meet regularly
• Prepare for your meetings
• Email him/her a brief summary of EVERY meeting
• Show your advisor the results of your work as
  soon as possible
• Communicate clearly
• Take the initiative

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Making continual progress on your research

• Keep a journal of your ideas
• Keep a to do list
• Continually update your
• Problem statement
• Goals
• Approach (or a list of possible approaches)
• One-minute version of your research (aka the
  elevator ride summary)
• Five-minute version of your research (aka
  impressing the hot cashier at the local Dominion)
  

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Discuss your research with anyone who will listen

• use your fellow students, friends, family, etc.
  to practice discussing your research on various
  levels.
• They may have useful insights or you may find
  that verbalizing your ideas clarifies them for
  yourself.

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Avoid distractions

• it is easy to ignore your research in favor of
  more structured tasks such as taking classes,
  teaching classes, organizing student activities,
  creating presentations like this, etc. balance
  these kinds of activities or commitments.

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Confront your fears and weaknesses

• ? If you are afraid of public speaking,
  volunteer to give lots of talks.
• If you are afraid your ideas are stupid, discuss
  them with someone.
• If you are afraid of writing, write something
  about your research and have it reviewed by a
  colleague you are comfortable with.

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Other resources Books

• Getting What You Came For by Robert L.
  PetersThis book contains a lot of helpful advice
  on getting the most out of the MSc/PhD process.
  The sections on writing and giving presentations
  are particularly helpful.
• The Now Habit A Strategic Program for Overcoming
  Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play by
  Neil FioreSince one of the biggest problems in
  finishing a PhD is procrastination, this book
  should be helpful to those of you who actually
  get around to reading it.

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Procrastination
The Tech, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT).
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The Tech, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT).
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The Next FrontierLife Beyond the Lab/Library
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Understand your University

• You dictate the services that you pay for
• Know who makes the decisions and how they are
  made
• e.g. funding packages
• funded cohort
• IP

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(No Transcript)
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Know your Department

• Use your Course Union
• Get involved
• Ask questions and voice concerns

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Know your campus and available services for
students

• e.g.
• Check out countless clubs, use the athletic
  facilities, eat in the Arbor Room, and see
  spectacular shows at the theatre.
• www.harthouse.utoronto.ca

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Know your Graduate Students Union
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Know where it is and go there!
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GSU

• The Graduate Students' Union at University of
  Toronto represents over 12,000 students studying
  in over 70 departments. For many years this union
  has advocated for increased student
  representation, funding, and provided services
  such as health insurance, confidential advice,
  and a voice for the graduate student body on the
  various committees of the University.

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We are the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS)
Graduate Students Union (GSU)University of
Toronto local 19http//www.cfs-fcee.ca
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Canadian Federation of Students (CFS)

• The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) was
  formed in 1981 to provide students with an
  effective and united voice, provincially and
  nationally.
• Today, the Federation comprises more than 450,000
  students from 60 university and college students'
  unions across the country.
• Because universities and colleges are funded
  primarily by the federal government and
  administered exclusively by the provincial
  government, government policies and priorities
  determine the quality and accessibility of
  post-secondary education in Canada.
• Tuition fee levels, student financial assistance
  programs and funding for research are all set
  directly or indirectly by both levels of
  government.

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We are the National Graduate Caucus of the CFS

• The NGC consists of 32 students unions
  representing over 60,000 graduate students in
  Canada.
• The National Graduate Caucus has the following
  objectives advocating for the interests of
  graduate students nationally and internationally
  providing a forum for discussion of issues of
  concern to graduate students and representing
  the concerns of graduate students within the
  Canadian Federation of Students. Working together
  for these objectives has led to a record of
  success.

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NGC campaigns and graduate issues

• 1. Sticker Shock! A Comparative Analysis of
  the Full Cost of Graduate Education in Canada2.
  Whistleblower Campaign3. Crisis In Scholarly
  Publishing4. National Library of Canada - Theses
  Canada5. Advisory Committee on International
  Students and Immigration6. Study Permits and On
  Campus Work

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GSU services

• International Student Identity Card (ISIC)
• Student Saver Discount Card
• Supplementary Health Insurance
• Homes4students.ca
• GSU Pub/Café
• For more info go to www.gsu.utoronto.ca

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GSU services ctd.

• Workshops
• Common Handbook
• Gym (intramurals ect.)
• For more info go to www.gsu.utoronto.ca

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International Student Identity Card (ISIC)

• The ISIC provides access to discounts on domestic
  air travel purchased through Travel CUTS, a 35
  discount on VIA Rail travel, and discounts on
  major bus lines across Canada. In addition, the
  ISIC provides access to discounted cellular
  phones and phone plans through studentphonestore.c
  om, and to discounts available at
  studentsaver.ca.
• Please call and make an apt. first.

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Studentsaver Discount Card

• The Studentsaver Card is Canada's only student
  owned and operated national student discount
  program. With thousands of discounts across
  Canada, Studentsaver helps students save money on
  everyday purchases like books, clothing, food,
  and entertainment.
• Visit the studentsaver website herewww.studentsa
  ver.ca

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Supplementary HealthInsurance from Greenshield

• Full-time grads are covered. Benefits include
  80 refund on prescription
• drugs, eye exam and eyewear, orthotics, travel
  insurance and more. You can
• opt-out if you have equivalent insurance, or
  purchase family coverage or a
• 1-year extension upon graduation, until Friday
  Oct. 7/05.

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The National Student Health Network

• Through negotiations with Canada's only
  non-profit insurance provider, Greenshield, the
  CFS offers the most comprehensive set of benefits
  available through a campus health plan

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Homes4students.ca

• Homes4students.ca is a national online housing
  database owned and operated by the CFS. With
  vacancy rates in many Canadian cities and towns
  being at an all-time low, it is difficult for
  many students to find affordable accommodation.
  By bringing listings for many regions together in
  one place, homes4students.ca enables students to
  search for housing anywhere in the country
  quickly and efficiently.

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GSU services
Cafe
AND
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Common handbook project

• The CFS handbook project was initiated primarily
  to reduce the cost of producing high-quality
  handbooks. Students' unions of all sizes soon
  benefited from the project.
• ITS FREE, you can pick it up at you department

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GSU GYM

• Our gym at 16 Bancroft is available for
  booking 1 hour/week on a monthly basis. Suitable
  for badminton, volleyball and basketball.
• Call us to book 416-978-2391

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Workshops

• Workshops
• Academic Careers for Women
• Financial Survival for Student Families
• Income Tax

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GSU services

• Each event is "hosted' by a student or staff
  member and includes some pre- or post-show chit
  chat.  We'll try to keep the price below 20
  where possible!

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GSU services

• This program is specifically designed by Student
  Services to offer workshops, social events, and
  other resources to enhance the graduate students
  experience.

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GSU committees

• Academics FundingChair Nancy
  DaweOutreachChair Daphne SniekersSocial
  JusticeChair Gina Trubiani
• For a full listing visit us at www.gsu.utoronto.ca

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Campaigns

• Find out what campaigns are being adopted
• Choose what you like and contribute
• e.g. volunteer on a committee

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NOV 2005 Plebiscite Referendum

• Questions will be posed on how students feel
  about decreasing their fees or at least extending
  the Tuition Fee Freeze until the next election.
• Watch out for voting dates in Nov 2005.

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Tuition Fee Freeze campaign
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Where does your money go?

• 450-millionaire U of T Chancellor (1997-2003)
  Hal Jackman counting his money during a Governing
  Council meeting where tuition fee increases were
  approved

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Tuition Fee Freeze

• Via tireless efforts of students, administrators,
  staff and faculty a tuition fee freeze was won in
  2003

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The Rae Review

• THE RAE COMMISSION ONTARIO'S REVIEW OF THE
  DESIGN AND FUNDING OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION
• In the May 2004 Ontario Budget, former Premier
  Bob Rae was appointed to lead a comprehensive
  review of the Design and Funding of
  Post-Secondary Education in Ontario.
• Mr. Rae, released a discussion paper in the fall
  of 2004.
• Following that, consultations with students,
  university administrators, faculty, staff and
  members of the private sector were conducted.
• Premier Dalton McGuinty, and the Minister of
  Training, Colleges and Universities, Mary Anne
  Chambers will be considering this report before
  implementing changes to address problems facing
  our post-secondary system.

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• Students from across the province had a very
  strong presence at all the meetings and town
  halls. BUT
• Members of the panel have been quoted stating
  they had every intention of recommending an end
  to the freeze.
• In addition, under the heading "go now, pay
  later", the discussion around a regressive system
  of "Income contingent loan repayment schemes"
  was reintroduced. THIS PROGRAM OF STUDENT LOANS
  AND REPAYMENT HAS BEEN FOLLOWED BY SKYROCKETING
  TUTION FEES WHEREVER IT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED

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Day of Action, Feb 3 2005
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GSU, Local 19Other Current CampaignsCorporation
s on Campus
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Corporations on campus

• As tuition fees increase, as colleges and
  universities make new and often secret
  arrangements with the private sector, and as
  courses and research go up "for sale," Canada's
  universities and colleges are losing sight of the
  public interest.

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The Corporate Campus

• By James Turk
• Articles on commercialization of post-secondary
  education
• Authors include Ursula Franklin, Nancy Olivieri,
  Bill Graham, Paul Axelrod, David Noble, Bill
  Bruneau,

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Dr. Nancy Olivieri

• The dispute began after researcher Dr Nancy
  Olivieri decided to break a confidentiality
  agreement with Apotex, a Toronto based
  pharmaceutical company that was sponsoring her
  research. She published results critical of the
  drug deferiprone, which she was testing in young
  patients with thalassaemia, in the New England
  Journal of Medicine (1998339417-23).

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Whats the point?

• Graduate School is like anything else in life!
• You get as much out of it as you put in
• Do not be happy with what you know, but always
  strive for the unknown

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Welcome to GRAD school! stop by and visit us at
the GSU anytime

• Your Executive for 2005-06

Gina Trubiani Zoologyvpexternal.gsu_at_ utoronto.ca

Claire Hurtig Art History secretary.gsu_at_utoronto
.ca
David Bateman Medical Biophysics
treasurer.gsu_at_ utoronto.ca
Anthony Kola-Olusanya Curriculum, Teaching and
Learning president.gsu _at_utoronto.ca
Nancy Dawe Musicvpinternal. gsu_at_utoronto.ca
Daphne SniekersMechanical Industrial
Engineeringsniekers_at_ mie.utoronto.ca
Deanna Wasyliuk Architecture deanna.wasyliuk_at_
utoronto.ca
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• Graduate Students' UnionUniversity of Toronto
• 16 Bancroft Avenue, University of
  TorontoToronto, Ontario M5S 1C1
• 416-978-2391
• www.gsu.utoronto.ca