A bi-election will be held for the following position:

• VP Indigenous Engagement

GSA Executives can build professional experience and expand their network by assuming a position on the Executive Committee. GSA Executives also serve on important University committees.

Executives receive a monthly honorarium. Information can be found on the GSA Website (Bylaws and Budget).

Note: GSA Bylaw 2 outlines Executive duties and responsibilities (https://gsa.usask.ca/documents/important-Documents/GSABylaws.pdf

TINA ALEXIS

Da hooja, sa boozi Tina Alexis, sa Uba ink’ez sa uma en Peter and Minnie Alexis, unjan nelh dune, chunalya nya dusni,  ink’z unjan keyoh e, treaty 6 inke’z Metis hubildzun, etwa da bai nelh chunalhiya. 
 
As per protocol, I introduced myself and “meaningfully and respectfully” acknowledge that I am on Treaty 6 territory and homelands of the Metis. I am the granddaughter of Peter and Minnie Alexis. Our homelands are 225 kilometres northwest of Williams Lake, in Central British Columbia. 
 
I am a second-year doctoral student in Indigenous studies, with a master’s degree in Education from the University of Saskatchewan and an Indigenous Studies degree from the University of British Columbia.
 
I have been nominated for the position of Vice President Indigenous Engagement, thus had to ask myself, “how can I contribute to this important body of work?”
 
After careful consideration, I conclude that I have the necessary skills, as well as an understanding and appreciation of the four R’s that is the core of Indigenous peoples. They are “Respect, Reciprocity, Relevance and Relationships.”
 
Further, my values lie in community. I understand the importance of relationships and the importance of relationality, thus my goal is to build strong, healthy and respectful relationships with everyone that I interact with. In stating this, I hereby accept the nomination and request your support in the upcoming GSA election for VP Indigenous Engagement. Thank you in advance for your vote! 
 
Chunalya and Awetz’eh.
 
  

NATHAN OAKES

Tansi, I am Nathan Oakes a treaty 4 status Indigenous Student from Piapot First Nation, Saskatchewan. I completed my Bachelor of Science at the U of S in 2018 and am currently continuing studies at the School of Public Health in the College of Grad. & Post. Doc. Studies (U of S).
 
I’ve worked as an Aboriginal Student  Ambassador, and Aboriginal Science  Outreach Programs, where there was a  heavy mix of on and off-of campus experience. I have volunteered as a role model teaching dance in various First Nation’s communities, giving young male youth inspiration to embrace education, culture, and art.  Currently, I continue working with and contributing to the Indigenous research community, where later I hope to instill meaningful public health policy recommendations for Indigenous health services. I am currently working as a graduate research assistant for an Indigenous community-based research group – Indigenous Wellness Research Group with Dr. Alexandra King. In the position, I work with a wide variety of Indigenous community members and a multi-cultural platform of research associates, where we collaborate on Indigenous community-based participatory action research projects. The most recent extracurricular group I was associated with was the School of Public Health Students Association (SPHSA) as the Member At Large; where my major contributions were organizing a fundraising event, public speaking at the SPH Annual Gala, and developing promotional material (tickets and posters). 
 
I look forward to the opportunity that this student leadership initiative has to offer both at the university and in the community. I expect to establish positive relationships with my fellow council members that will benefit my overall success as a graduate student at the University of Saskatchewan.

Nomination will be open on September 21, 2020 at 9:00 AM and will close on October 5, 2020 at 5:00 PM.

The nomination form is available HERE.

The deadline for complete nomination packages to be submitted to the GSA Office Manager is Monday, October 5, 2020 at 5:00 PM via Email : (gsa.admn@usask.ca). Please email your package as a SINGLE PDF file. 

Questions can be directed to the Chair at gsa.chair@usask.ca.

• Be an Indigenous graduate student;
• Be a Regular Member of the GSA;
• Be a registered student in the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Graduate and Post-Doctoral Studies for the academic year 2020/2021;
• Not be an election official;
• Not nominate another person for the same position they are seeking;
• Additionally, nominees must be:

1. over the age of 18,
2. not have been found to lack capacity by a Court of Law,
3. must not have the status of bankruptcy, and
4. must not to be charged for any misconduct at the University of Saskatchewan.

September 11th - 20th	Election announcement, call for nomination and promotion
September 21st - 9:00 AM	Nomination period opens
September 23rd – 5:00 PM	First orientation meeting
September 23rd – 6:15 PM	Second orientation meeting
September 30th – 5:00 PM	Third orientation meeting
September 30th – 6:15 PM	Mandatory procedures meeting for all nominees
October 5th – 5:00 PM	Nomination period closes
November 2nd - 1:00 PM	Election Committee meets to ratify the nominations
November 3rd – 11:59 pm	Submission of Candidates’ Video Message
November 4th – 8:00 AM	Campaigning begins
November 10th – 11:59 PM	Campaigning ends. All campaign materials must be removed by 11:59 p.m.
November 11th – 9:00 AM	Voting period begins
November 17th – 5:00 PM	Voting period ends
November 18th – 12:00 PM	Deadline for formal complaints must be emailed to the GSA Chair/CEO
November 20th	Election Committee meets to address any formal complaints and ratify the results

We invite Indigenous Graduate Students interested to attend a virtual information session to learn about the roles and responsibilities of this position. 

Mandatory Information sessions and a Procedures meeting will be held via WebEx on: 

• Wednesday, September 23 at 5:00-6:00 PM (Information session) 
• Wednesday, September 23 at 6:15-7:15 PM (Information session) 
• Wednesday, September 30 at 5:00-6:00 PM (Information session) - New Date
• Wednesday, September 30 at 6:15-7:15 PM (Procedures meeting)  - New Date

Interested students must attend both an Information session and the Procedures meeting to be an eligible candidate. 

Please find WebEx meeting details HERE.

The Elections Committee is a committee of GSA Council which is responsible for overseeing and managing the Elections and Referenda as required by the GSA. 

The 2021 Election Committee members are:

1.   Council Chair and Chief Electoral Officer - Paula Lopez 2.   Council Member-Aisha Sajid 3.   Council Member- Khaled Zoroufchi 4.   Regular/general member-Ehsan Moradi 5.   Regular/general member- Rosmary Martinez 6.   Regular/general member- Nicole Pasloski 7.   Regular/general member- Zoher Rafid-Hamed 8.   Regular/general member- Nwabuba Tochukwu Gregory 9.   Regular/general member- Oleksii Vasylevsky

Questions regarding Elections can be directed to the GSA Chair and Chief Electoral Officer at gsa.chair@usask.ca

Formal complaints must be emailed to gsa.chair@usask.ca no later than 12:00 PM on October 23, 2020.