Committees of Council

This Committee shall be convened and be responsible for the drafting of the Operating Budget for the preceding Fiscal Year, to be approved by Council subject to the requisite Bylaws and/or Constitutional regulations. This Committee shall also be charged with discussing broad financial policies and goals for the Association and may report them to the Council, the Membership, and/or any other Committees of Council that this committee sees fit. This Committee shall meet a minimum of bi-monthly with additional meetings scheduled as necessary during budgeting periods.

1. Lindsay Carlson - VP Finance and Operations as Chair
2. Nickson Joseph - Vice-President Academic and Student Affairs
3. Vincent Maranda - Health Sciences
4. Meherun Nahar - Department of CommunityHealth and Epidemiology
5. Jessica Sharpe - Western College of Veterinary Medicine
6. Sara S Dalkilic - Council Member
7. Mary-fidelma
8. Chioma Ndupu – Council Member
9. Portia Mohrbutter-Council Member

This Committee shall be convened to administer the collection, evaluation and disbursement of GSA Need-Based Bursaries in accordance with the Bursary Policy. This Committee shall meet three times per year to rank and evaluate all Bursary applications according to the established rubrics with any approved or necessary modifications to such a ranking system in accordance with the Bursary Policy.

1. Devopriya Tirtho - Council Chair & Chief Electoral Officer
2. Shamsuddeen Yusuf Ma'aruf - Vaccinology and Immunotherapeutics
3. Yesu ramya Kandregula - Biological Engineering Department
4. Arash Amanlou - College of Pharmacy & Nutrition
5. Jeisson A. Vanegas Carranza - Council Member

The Elections Committee is a committee of Council responsible for overseeing and managing Elections and Referenda as required by the GSA. The terms of reference of this committee are outlined in the relevant Bylaws section of the GSA pertaining to elections and referenda.

1. David Ohene-Amoako – President as Chair
2. Nickson Joseph - Vice-President Academic and Student Affairs
3. Devopriya Tirtho - Council Chair
4. Donaldson Magloire - Veterinary Microbiology
5. Kimia Khavaninzadeh - Department of Music
6. Ogory Roseline - Department of Animal and Poultry Science
7. Adrielle Souza Lira - Council Member

The Governance committee is required to ensure the Association retains the correct documentation (Policies, Bylaws, and Constitution) to fulfill its mandate. The primary activities of this committee include: (i) revising existing documents; (ii) creating required policies and/or bylaws absent in the existing documents; (iii) authoring recommendations and bringing forth motions for Policy, Bylaw or Constitution amendments, accordingly

1. Devopriya Tirtho - Council Chair & Chief Electoral Officer
2. Meaghan Boily - Department of Sociology
3. Suvasish Das - School of Environment and Sustainability
4. Anita Adefuye - School of Public Policy
5. Emily Tang - Public Health
6. Haonan Yang - Department of English
7. Luke Dojack - Council Member

The Code of Ethics and Discipline Committee shall be convened to review any complaints received against any Executive member, Council member, or any other individual acting on behalf of the GSA. It shall also serve as an appeal committee for decisions of the Election and Referenda Committee, as described in the Association’s Bylaws. The Council Chair shall serve as chair of the committee, except in cases where a real or perceived conflict of interest exists, in which case an acting chair shall be elected by and from the other members of the committee. In all of its deliberations, recommendations, and actions, the committee shall be bound by the Bylaws and Constitution of the Association. No member shall disclose any information, which comes to their knowledge as a result of their membership on the Committee, with the exception of the Committee chair in their formal recommendations to Council, or as required by law or University policy.

1. Reza Golpayegani - VP External Affairs as Chair
2. David Ohene-Amoako - President
3. Shabnam Abdi - Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences
4. Stella Aluko - College of Nursing
5. Adam Luchkanych - Biomedical Sciences, WCVM
6. Zohreh Sadati - Master of Economics
7. Kiegan Llyod - Council Member

The Awards Selection Committee is responsible for the selection of the Graduate Students’ Association Annual Award Winners, under the guidance of the Vice-President External Affairs. Individuals selected for these awards will be honored at the Annual Awards Gala held at the end of each Fiscal Year. The committee is responsible for, in alignment with the Annual Awards Policy;

• Determining the criteria and guideline to award selection.
• Assessing each nomination package according to the selection criteria.
• By consensus, determining the recipient of each award.
• Serving as volunteers at the Awards Gala.

1. Jennifer Amarualik-Yaremko - VP Indigenous Engagement as Chair
2. Reza Golpayegani - VP External Affairs
3. Liying Chen - Master of Sustainability
4. Pravini Navarathne - Master of Regenerative Sustainability
5. Lauren Aubrey - School of Public Health
6. Parsa Salehipour - School of Arts and Sciences
7. Chelsea Ohenewaa Nyarko - Council Member

The purpose of the Sustainability Committee is to: 

• Promote environmental, social, economic and well-being sustainability issues related to
  graduate students.
• Assume responsibility to guide sustainability initiatives and the application of
  sustainable practices at the GSA.
• Collaborate and build partnerships with other units to address sustainability.
• Advise Council on matters related to sustainability.
• Host at least one initiative or event, whether it be the Sustainability Slam or otherwise,
  during the Fiscal Year.

1. Nickson Joseph - Vice-President Academic and Student Affairs
2. Jennifer Amarualik-Yaremko - VP Indigenous Engagement
3. Saba Kamran - College of Educational Psychology & Special Education
4. Jessica Lam - Department of Geography and Planning
5. Stephanie Braithwaite - Master of Nursing
6. Eunice Essah - Public Administration
7. Meaghan Boily - Council Member

The Diversity Committee will primarily focus on graduate students with disabilities, graduate
students of diverse sexual orientations, and/or any minority group fostering inclusion,
acceptance, understanding, support, and education. This committee will act as a body to:

• Make recommendations to the Executive to ensure the GSA is inclusive to all its
  members, so as to provide a better graduate student experience and create a welcoming
  environment and cohesive community for graduate students on campus.
• Liaise with Council to ensure the GSA services/initiatives are inclusive.
• Organize events/initiatives in collaboration with the Executive and other committees.