Get Involved!

Participation in the GSA can be both personally and professionally rewarding! Whether you choose to run as an elected official, work as part of our staff, or simply attend events as a member of our community, getting involved with our association enriches the graduate experience and brings our members together.

Membership

To gain membership to the GSA is very simple: just be a graduate student at Concordia University!

GSA Members can get involved with their community in a number of ways without running for office or working for the GSA.

Below is a list of a few ways to get involved with the GSA as a member of our community!

The GSA holds a number of events throughout the academic year for our members. These events are typically free or budget-friendly so as to ensure equal access to all graduate students. Be sure to follow our social media to be the first to know about anything we have planned.

For the list of events that the GSA currently has planned, click here.

The General Assembly is an annual event which invites GSA members to participate in binding collective decision-making about the association. Moreover, a General Assembly allows room for discussion and debate, for students to consider new opinions and solutions, and to decide together what can be done collectively.

For more details about how the General Assembly works, click here.

The GSA works with a number of smaller, department-based fee-levy associations in order to positively contribute to graduate student life and wellbeing. From networking events to finding a community, our sub-associations strive to enrich the experience of all graduate students at Concordia University.

For a full list of all of our sub-associations and where to find them, click here. 

Elected Positions

There are a number of positions within the GSA that are determined in the annual GSA elections, such as the executive roles and council members. These positions can be professionally beneficial as this type of involvement gets recorded through Concordia’s Co-Curricular Record system and thus can be added to both professional and academic CVs.

The Executive Team

The Executive Team at the GSA is made up of the President and four Vice-President positions. This team is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day functions and services of  the GSA and are considered non-voting members of the Council of Directors as well as any committees they are assigned to.

To see our current executive team, click here.

The role of the President is to act as the chair of the executive committee and of general assemblies while simultaneously acting as the official spokesperson for the GSA. The president is further responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the GSA, which includes the overseeing of all managers as well as internal communications for the association.

Finally, the role of the president involves the direct implementation of council resolutions and is responsible for maintaining relations with other student communities, student governments, the university administration, and the general public

The role of the Vice-President Internal involves supervising the daily operations of internal managerial positions, working closely with the finance manager. Moreover, the VP Internal is responsible for overseeing the production of the student hand book and graduate student advocacy initiatives.

Lastly, the VP Internal plays an integral role in the recruiting, interviewing, and making recommendations to the Council for Graduate Student Representation on the University’s academic and administrative bodies.

The role of the Vice-President External involves being responsible for representing the GSA, through regular attendance to meetings of external bodies, including student and non-student organizations. Additionally, the VP External is expected to monitor socio-political and economic developments that could impact our graduate student community.

This position also involves acting as a liaison between the GSA (including its sub-associations), service providers, other fee levy associations, and the administration in order to locate new opportunities to better the lives of our graduate student community.

The role of Vice-President of Mobilization involves overseeing all mobilization work pertinent to the GSA, including but not limited to postering, flyering, recruiting volunteers, and coordinating classroom visits for all GSA activities and campaigns.

This position works closely with the VP External to supervise the work of the communications manager or any other hired outreach staff positions.

The role of Vice-President of Academics & Advocacy is expected to sit on the University Senate and both chair and be a voting member of an Appointments Committee.  Further, the VP Academic & Advocacy is responsible for coordinating an academic caucus composed of graduate students who sit on academic committees.

Additionally, this position involves keeping a close eye on student feedback on academic conditions in departments and faculties and ensuring that this feedback is received by the appropriate university body so that students’ rights are upheld.

The Council of Directors

The Council of Directors is the second highest governing and decision-making body of the GSA. The council is responsible for setting policy, approving budgets, and appointing student representatives to university bodies.

To meet our current council members, click here. 

Below is a full list of council-related positions and their responsibilities according to the current by-laws. 

The role of Director has three main functions which include enforcing the General-By Laws and Special By-Laws of the GSA, aiding Executives in the execution of their assigned duties, and maintaining the endeavour to improve the general condition of the GSA and of all Graduate Students at Concordia University.

The role of Senator focuses on representing the GSA and graduate students on Concordia University’s Senate. Furthermore, the senator participates in establishing academic standards, including standards for admission and evaluation standards of student performance at all levels of the university.

The role of Governor involves representing the GSA and graduate students on Concordia University’s Board of Governors. Moreover, responsibilities related to the position include the adoption of the University’s mission and strategic directions, the approval of the budget, the appointment of senior administrators, the establishment of policies, procedures and regulations in connection with the University’s governance, the adoption of tuition fees, and the conferment of honorary degrees.

The role of the Council Chair involves setting and calling meetings, and disseminating relevant documentation to council members. Additionally, the Council Chair is responsible for mediating the meetings of the Council of Directors according to the most recent version of Robert’s Rules of Order.

Employment & Volunteering

The GSA offers a number of resumé-building opportunities from in-house and external paid positions to occasions for volunteering. These opportunities aid students in supporting themselves financially throughout their studies as well as creating a stronger community through volunteering.

Please note that all postings for available employment or volunteering opportunities are available on our ‘Opportunities’ page.

GSA Staff

The GSA Staff aid the Executive Team in any implementing projects. Our staff also contributes to protecting the wellbeing of Concordia’s graduate student population by maintaining a well-organized environment for the elected officials.

To meet our current staff members, click here. 

Below is a full list of GSA Staff positions and their responsibilities according to the current by-laws. 

The Administrative Assistant is responsible for serving students, university administrators, and partners in-person, by phone or by email. Additionally, the administrative assistant is responsible for addressing all general inquiries and providing administrative support to the GSA Executive Team.

If you have any other questions regarding this position and its responsibilities, please contact [email protected].

The Office Manager is responsible for top-level administrative duties including ensuring the smooth management of the day to day functions of the GSA house. The Office Manager communicates with staff across various departments of the university about events, services, and resources provided to GSA members. This position coordinates and directs office services including providing/coordinating general training of newly hired staff members, supervising workflow between administrative assistants, and conducting research for consideration and presentation to the Executive team.

If you have any other questions regarding this position and its responsibilities, please contact [email protected].

The Services Manager is responsible for organizing social functions, trips and cultural events and coordinating such events with the Student Life Committee. This position is further responsible for all logistics concerned for student events, including shopping for needed items. Finally, the Services Manager is the primary booking agent for the GSA.

If you have any other questions regarding this position and its responsibilities, please contact [email protected].

The Communications Manager is responsible for both internal and external communications at the GSA.  This position involves the maintenance and updating of all GSA social media channels as well as the GSA website. Moreover, the Communications Manager is responsible for maintaining all communication channels between the GSA and its sub-associations.

If you have any other questions regarding this position and its responsibilities, please contact [email protected].

The Finance Manager has custody of all records, ledgers, receipts, or documents belonging to, or dealing with the GSA’s financial affairs. This position is responsible for the administration of funds as approved by the Council and the preparation of all monthly financial reports. The Finance Manager also acts as a signing officer on GSA accounts and is present to report on all GSA Budget Committee meetings.

If you have any other questions regarding this position and its responsibilities, please contact [email protected].

The Faculty Manager is responsible for overseeing the application of the GSA’s Allocation and Funding Policies. This position also acts as the primary contact person for all GSA sub-associations and departmental/faculty association executives and members.

If you have any other questions regarding this position and its responsibilities, please contact [email protected]

Volunteering

The GSA is often looking for volunteers to help us execute a variety of events or to be a GSA representative for number of committees within Concordia University. These volunteering opportunities not only help the members of our community connect with one another, but also provide important professional development opportunities.

Still have questions about how you can get involved with the GSA? Ask Us!