MA Representatives (2)

MA representatives: report GEA events and issues to MA students and represent their constituents to the GEA at general meetings; set up and maintain a network of students in their program to ensure communication between the students; organize or delegate the organization of a social event for the students in the MA programs (MA and MA in Creative Writing); serve as representatives to the GEC, EGM, and any other relevant committees; and, attend and, where necessary, assist at all GEA-sponsored social events.

MA Creative Writing Representative (1)

The MA CW representative: reports GEA events and issues to MA in Creative Writing students, and represents their constituents to the GEA at general meetings; sets up and maintains a network of students in their program to ensure communication between the students; organizes or delegates the organization of a social event for the students in the MA programs (MA and MA in Creative Writing); serves as a representative to the GEC, EGM, and any other relevant committees; and, attends and, where necessary, assists at all GEA-sponsored social events.

PhD Representatives (5)

PhD representatives: report GEA events and issues to PhD students in their cohort and represent their constituents to the GEA at general meetings; set up and maintain a network of students in their program or year to ensure communication between the students; organize or delegate the organization of a social event for the students in their year of the PhD program; serve as representatives to the GEC, EGM, and any other relevant committees.

International Students’ Rep (1)

The international students’ representative: acts as a contact for current and incoming foreign students on issues pertaining to international students; works with the Graduate English Department to help familiarize incoming international students, especially those with non-North American or non-European backgrounds, with the University of Toronto’s academic culture; writes a letter of welcome to incoming international students; represents the concerns of international students to the GEA at the general meetings; and, attends and, where necessary, assists at all GEA-sponsored social events.

Graduate English Council (GEC) (14)

Made up of all graduate faculty and elected student representatives, the GEC meets once per term. This is a major forum for the GEA to make student concerns known, as well as the place to find out what is going on in the department as a whole. At the GEC meetings, representatives are encouraged to comment on and participate in any discussion about departmental reports and may vote on all motions. Not only does being a member of the GEC allow one to have a say in departmental affairs, but it can also provide an inside look at how the administration functions, which can be useful for those considering a career in academia. The GEA representation to the GEC should include representatives from the different programmes (MA, MA in CW, and PhD) and from the different years of the PhD programme. International students and direct-entry students should also be represented.

Department of English General Meeting Reps (EGM) (9)

Representatives to the EGM traditionally attended an annual meeting that is largely informational in nature concerning the undergraduate and graduate programs across the three campuses. The precise focus of these meetings may change this year, as the department is looking at different structural possibilities that disambiguate the distinctions between campuses and program levels. For now, GEA representation to the EGM should include representatives from the different programs (MA, MA in CW, and PhD) and from the different years of the PhD program.

Graduate Students’ Union Reps (GSU) (3)

GSU representatives serve as liaisons between the GSU and the GEA, reporting to the GSU Council any issues within the GEA that may be of interest or concern to graduate students in general and, likewise, reporting the activities of the GSU to the GEA at general meetings. Representatives attend eight GSU meetings over the academic year. The 2018-19 meeting dates are as follows (all at 6:00 pm): Sep. 24, Oct. 23, Nov. 20, Dec. 4, Jan. 22, Feb. 26, Mar. 26 and Apr. 23. The GSU representatives for the GEA must attend at least three out of four GSU Council meetings in the fall, or the spring funding cheque will not be issued. GSU representatives are also responsible for distributing the electronic GSU newsletter to GEA members over the GEA listserv.

Program Committee (held by the GEA President and Vice-President)

GEA representatives to the Program Committee are responsible for soliciting or delegating the solicitation of student feedback about possible future course offerings and about other issues related to class sizes and offerings. Such information will guide the representatives’ input at Program Committee meetings and may even be drafted as a letter or a report, which may be submitted to the Chair of the Program Committee or to the entire faculty of the Graduate English Department.

Planning Committee (held by the GEA President and Vice-President)

Representatives to the planning committee serve in an advisory capacity to the Graduate Director and Department Chair and are responsible for soliciting or delegating the solicitation of student feedback about department programs as a whole. Last year, for instance, this committee helped develop the new mandatory courses for MAs and first-year PhDs.

Conference Committee (# Open)

The conference committee is responsible for organizing and running the annual English Graduate Conference at U. of T. It typically organizes with its own president, vice-president, and treasurer to oversee the committee’s work, which ranges from setting a date and theme for the conference through creating and circulating a call for papers, vetting abstracts and assembling panels, fundraising as necessary, and running the various social and academic events of the conference itself.

Equity and Diversity Committee (# Open)

The Equity and Diversity Committee (EDC) is responsible for addressing any concerns or issues the GEA membership may have pertaining to race, gender, sexuality, mental health, disability, and any other groups or identities considered to be vulnerable, minoritized, and/or marginalized. The EDC shall work to communicate these concerns to the Department of English faculty and administration. The EDC shall also be tasked with organizing workshops or events that promote inclusivity and diversity and also allow the wider GEA membership to develop an understanding of these issues. Moreover, the EDC shall, in various ways that may differ from year to year, support GEA members who identify as belonging to the aforementioned groups listed. Some forms this support can take is collaborating with other campus organizations (including but not limited to GradMinds, Health and Wellness, the Anti-Racism & Cultural Diversity Office, and the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office) and/or directing GEA members to relevant campus resources.

Social Committee (# Open)

The Social Committee: helps support existing GEA run social events, such as the Brown Bag Lunches, coffee hour, pub nights, Cook the Books, and Academics Read Things They Wrote as Kids; plans the Holiday Party and the End of Year Party; devises and organizes additional social events throughout the year, including those that demonstrate a commitment to giving back to the community, such as the Out of the Cold program with Massey College; puts together a Pub Night committee and Coffee Hour committee to take charge of those monthly and weekly events.

Welcoming Committee (# Open)

Headed by the Vice-President of the GEA, the Welcome Committee provides support and helps plan Visitor’s Day and the Orientation activities for the new incoming students in September, such as the lunch after the Orientation sessions, the Sibling Meet and Greet, and the campus tours.

CUPE Stewards (3)

CUPE stewards serve the interests of all members of the bargaining unit within the department. The term of office for each steward shall be from the day of election until September 30 of the following calendar year. Stewards report to the Stewards’ Council on behalf of the members in the department; likewise, they represent the Local 3902 to the employees in their departments and report the activities of the Local 3902 to the GEA at general meetings. (Stewards’ Council traditionally meets once a month, or eight times during the academic term.) Additionally, stewards may need to advise the members of their departments with regard to matters involving the Collective Agreement, and where appropriate, process the grievances of the members in their department.

Equity Representative

The GEA Equity Representative: will act as an advocate and liaison between GEA members and the GEA executive on equity issues. The Equity Rep will facilitate the consideration of equity issues, such as race and ethnicity, disability, the status of women and LGBTQ identified individuals, and parental status, while also respecting matters that are confidential or sensitive. This representative may either work on an equity committee or caucus and/or through collaboration with CUPE 3902 union stewards (if it is an equity issue directly related to employment), UTGSU’s equity representatives, and the GEA GSU representatives.

Association of Canadian College of University Teachers of English (ACCUTE) Representative (1)

The ACCUTE representative serves as a liaison between ACCUTE (through its Graduate School Caucus, or GSC) and the GEA, reporting on ACCUTE to the GEA at general meetings and by forwarding news and emails of interest to the GEA listserv, and representing the GEA to ACCUTE. Representing the GEA includes completing the GSC’s annual survey of graduate student life. (The survey normally takes place sometime between November and February, and the final report is published in ACCUTE’s June newsletter.)

GEA Webmaster (1)

The webmaster manages the GEA website, interfacing with the staff of CHASS (Computing in the Humanities and Social Sciences), who host the site when necessary, to ensure the site is up and operating. The webmaster also grants access for those who post information to the GEA site. The webmaster also undertakes design and implementation of new site infrastructure, features, and look and feel as necessary. Experience or ability to learn the WordPress software that powers the site is necessary. The webmaster is not responsible for posting new information to the website; that responsibility belongs to the GEA officers, representatives, reading group leaders, etc.