Philosophy Graduate Student Association

Purposes & Responsibilities

  • To give philosophy graduate students a forum through which they may express their needs and their opinions.

  • Serve as an advocate for philosophy graduate students on issues and concerns affecting the life of philosophy graduate students in the University of Western Ontario’s Philosophy Department.

  • Serve as representatives of philosophy graduate students to the department.

  • Organize events and activities for philosophy graduate students.
PGSA Constitution, Ratified 6-12-2019

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PGSA Constitution

Download .pdf

Elected Roles

 

Role Responsibilities Elected Representatives 2022-23
Co-Presidents
  • Serve as treasurer for the PGSA.
  • Serve as a representative to the Graduate Philosophy Affairs Committee (GPAC):
    • Attend GPAC meetings.
    • Voice concerns of graduate students to the department/faculty representatives.
  • Attend departmental meetings as a student representative.
  • Organize PGSA elections for subsequent year.
  • Call and chair PGSA meetings.

Lindsay Hachey
lhachey3@uwo.ca 

Madhavi Mohan
mmohan9@uwo.ca

Secretary
  • Attend all PGSA meetings and take minutes.
  • Submit minutes to the President(s) for approval and distribution.
  • In the event of both Presidents being unable to fulfill their duties, the Secretary is responsible for organizing a new election.
  • Alternative Secretary to perform the duties of the Secretary should he or she be unable to attend a meeting.

 

SOGS Councillors
  • Must attend Society of Graduate Students monthly meetings from October until September.
    • PGSA receives money per councillor for each meeting attended.
  • Serve as liaisons to inform our department about events and changes in SOGS.
  • Once nominated at the September PGSA meeting, Co-Presidents and Councillors must fill out Councillor Nomination form and give to SOGS: https://sogs.ca/council/
    • SOGS council meeting information is posted here: https://sogs.ca/events/
    • If a councillor cannot attend a meeting, they must find a replacement. This replacement must take a completed Councillor Alternate form to the meeting: https://sogs.ca/council/

Nicholas Michieli
nmichiel@uwo.ca

Yusheng Xia
yxia335@uwo.ca

PSAC Local 610
Department Steward
  • Attend Stewards and General Membership meetings- PSAC communicates this information by email.
  • Serve as the representative of the union local to the PGSA
  • Serve as first point of contact for grievances and other labour issues
  • Fill out the Department Steward form and return to PSAC office: https://www.psac610.ca/index.php/stewards-committees

Varun Ravikumar (vraviku@uwo.ca)  

 

Colloquium Organizers
  • Planning and advertising weekly graduate student talks over the fall and winter terms.
  • Organizing a “Congress Practice Session” early in the summer term (before the annual “Congress of the Humanities and the Social Sciences”).
  • Organizing a works in progress series to run throughout the summer term.
    • All colloquium organizers must read the abstract for each paper prior to its distribution to the members of the PGSA and the faculty.
  • Organize Works In Progress Series (WiPS) in the summer term.

 

Mailing List Manager
  • Update phil-gsa mailing list with new students’ emails, and removing graduated students’ emails.
Webmaster
  • Create and maintain PGSA website

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Committees

 

Committee Responsibilities Elected Representatives

Committee for Inclusivity in
Philosophy (CIP)
/ Be on Climate Committee

  • Organize professional development activities targeted at issues relevant to the climate for underrepresented or marginalized groups in philosophy.
  • May work with faculty members to organize department-wide development activities.
Social and Wellness Committee
  • Having diverse social and wellness events for increased accessibility and inclusiveness.
  • Communicating with the graduate community to ensure that their needs and wants are well-reflected in the organized events.
  • Promoting wellness awareness by the dissemination of mental health resources. 
  • For wellness initiatives, you may apply for SOGS’ Graduate Student Wellness Fund.

 

Welcoming Committee
  • Serve as the first point of contact for new students.
  • Solicit graduate student volunteers for hosting new students.
  • Introduce prospective students to hosts via email.
  • Being present and available at the Open House in the Winter Term as student representatives.
  • Acquiring a list of incoming students from the Graduate Chair and sending an introductory email.
  • Introducing new students to the department at the beginning of the fall term.
  • Running the Mentor Program:
    • Soliciting graduate student volunteers for mentorship.
    • Assigning mentors to new graduate students.
    • Introducing new graduate students to their mentors

 

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