GSA update

Below is important information from the latest GSA meeting:

Spring & Summer U-Pass Information

The Spring and Summer 2011 U-Pass for Graduate students will be available for pick up starting Monday April 18th at the InfoLink main office in the Lower Level of SUB.

Graduate students convocating in June 2011 who do NOT pick up their Spring and Summer U-Pass will receive a refund for this fee. Convocating students who DO pick up their Spring and Summer U-Pass will NOT receive a refund. The Spring and Summer 2011 U-Pass is valid starting May 1st and expires on August 31st, 2011.

For more information about the Spring/Summer UPass for graduate students, see:

http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/u-pass/nav01.cfm?nav01=100869&

GSA Collective Agreement

The Negotiation Team reached a two year settlement with the Governors of the University of Alberta. The term of the collective agreement is for two years, this settlement will cover the employment of academically employed graduate students for the period of September 1, 2011 to August 31, 2013. Graduate students will see an increase in their salary of 0.5% in the first year, and 2% in the second year. Allocations were also made to the AEGS Bursary Program and the AEGS Child Care Subsidy. For more information about the collective agreement, see: http://www.gsa.ualberta.ca/downloads/Council-20110314-Item8-b-v-MemorandumOfSettlement.pdf

GSA Annual General Meeting

The Graduate Students’ Association Annual General Meeting will be held Monday March 28^th at 6pm in 2-1 University Chambers. All graduate students are welcome to attend. For more information, see: http://www.gsa.ualberta.ca/index.php/governance/content/category/annual_general_meeting/

Pizza Friday

Just a friendly reminder that Pizza Friday is this Friday April 1st and we need your RSVP by tomorrow!

Please email me if you will be there and I'll  make sure your name is on list. This is a great forum for faculty, staff, and students to take some time and have lunch together, chat, and catch up instead of eating and running.

Also, we will also be donating all the proceeds of the pizza lunch and any other donations you’d like to make, to the Canadian Red Cross for its relief efforts in Japan and other places in the world where people are suffering. Please dig deep.

See you on Friday April 1, 12pm-1pm in the Faculty Lounge!

Pizza is $5 and includes two slices of Pizza and a drink.

PERGSS clothing drive

What do conference clothes, teaching clothes, meeting clothes and office clothes all have in common?

We would like to have them!

PERGSS is running another clothes drive, this time for women’s formal clothing. ‘Suit Yourself’ is an Edmonton-based charitable organization which collects and distributes quality clothing and accessories, free of charge, to low-income women who are seeking employment or making a transition in the workforce.

Physical education males, this does not exclude you. We also accept the clothing of wives, sisters, girlfriends and female significant others.

The donation bin will be set up in the Faculty lounge from Tuesday, March 29th.

Thank you to those who generously donated to the last clothes drive.

PERGSS elections!

It's election time! Four PERGSS executive positions need to be filled and we're looking for nominees!

The positions elected in the spring include: Secretary, Treasurer, Communications, and the International Student Representative which is a new position this year. PERGSS has a fantastic energetic executive right now and we're looking for more talented students to join us! It's a great way to get involved and it also looks pretty good on a cv ;-)

Descriptions of the positions can be found under Article II in the bylaws, attached to this email. If interested, please forward your name to me (or nominate someone) by next Monday April 4 by 4pm.

If you would like more information or have general questions, please feel free to contact me(Marianne) via email (mclark1@ualberta.ca).

Curling!

It's that time of year again! Papers are almost done, exams are almost marked, and spring flowers will soon poke through those massive snow banks..

How do you want to celebrate???.. well the PERGSS Annual Curling Bonspiel of course!! Whether you are a curling superstar or a total newbie, we want you to come out and join in the fun Friday April 15, 2-4pm!!!

Here is how the day will look...

Do you know what a a bumper is?? No.. well we've got you covered with a curling tutorial from 2 - 2:30 pm. Once you're a curling master it's time for the big game 2:30 - 3:30 pm. Then time for a little bit of end of term merriment 3:30 - 4:30 pm. Food is provided!

It's all taking place at the Saville Sports Centre, an easy trip on the LRT from campus. The bonspiel is open to all graduate students, faculty and staff.. you never know who may have been a star skip in a previous life so ask around!!

Sign-up for this event now! Please reply to this email and indicate what category you fall into (see below). Feel free to sign up in teams and get creative with the names (and costumes!)

Skill Level:

Level 1: I play or have played competitively and can make most of the shots, most of the time.

Level 2: I play/have played in a recreational league. I can make some shots but don't consider myself a competitive curler.

Level 3: I play/have played occasionally and would say my shot making ability is inconsistent at best.

Level 4: I've never curled or have tried it once. Have no clue what my shot making ability is like.

Speaker Series March 18th

Friday, March 18^th, 2011 at 3:00 PM Room E-121, Van Vliet Centre

“Reflections on the Past, Implications for the Future: Play Around the World”

Mary Ann Rintoul, Instructor and Manager, Play Around the World

                                  With, Jane Vallentyne & Son Truong

 Abstract

The academic program, Play Around the World (PAW) is in its 11^th year in the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation. This session will provide an overview of the evolution of PAW highlighting international service learning, cross-cultural partnerships, and research possibilities.

April 7th Nutrition Symposium

Feed the Fight: The Role of Nutrition in Cancer

Each year, Nutrition 400/401 and Nutrition Food Science 304 students present a diverse mix of research that focuses on nutrition and health. A speaker series focusing on a hot topic in nutrition also accompanies the event. This year’s 6^th annual symposium will focus on the role of nutrition and cancer.

Date: April 7^th

Cost: Free!

Nutrition 401/Nutrition 304 Poster Presentations (9am-Noon)

Students will be showcasing a diverse mix of research studies focusing on nutrition and health. This will include studies done within the community, clinical setting, and in a lab. Complimentary refreshments will be available.

Location: Dinwoodie Lounge

Speaker Presentation (1pm-4:30pm)

Nutrition 401 Students welcome four nutrition and cancer experts speaking on the topic of nutrition’s role in cancer. Speakers include Dr.David Ma from the University of Guelph, Dr. Cindy Davis from the National Cancer Institute and U.S. National Institutes of Health, Dr. Neal Mcdonald, and the University of Alberta’s own Dr. Vicki Baracos. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to hear the most current information in nutrition and cancer by leading cancer researchers. Complimentary refreshments will be available.

Location: Myer Horowitz Theatre

3rd Annual Pancake Breakfast

Do you like eating pancakes? Do you love supporting awesome student organizations like  PERGSS?? Here's your chance to do both!! On Tuesday, March 8th from 9:00 to 11:00 am, PERGSS will be hosting it's 3rd annual Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser! This year we were even organized enough to have it on Shrove Tuesday! Please come out to the Faculty Lounge where $5 will get you a delicious breakfast of pancakes, coffee and fruit. Bring your lab mates, hall mates, students, advisors... everyone's welcome! Hope to see you there!