GSA Weekly News

March 2, 2017

Welcome to the Graduate Students Association Weekly E-mail! The content of the e-mail is to update you on various social/academic/services provided by the GSA. Our social media is constantly being updated, so don’t forget to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter!

The nominations are reopened and will close on March 14th at 6:00 pm for the following positions:

ELECTION – IMPORTANT DATES

HAVE YOUR SAY IN WHO REPRESENTS YOU AT THE GSA! 
Election for FRC and Executive: Wednesday, March 15, 10 am – Friday, March 17, 6 pm.
Campaigning Period: Monday, March 6, 10 am – Tuesday, March 14, 6 pm (please contact the CRO at gsacro@mcmaster.ca for more information on being a candidate and the campaign regulations).

 

Referendum_email_banner_2017_2018

The GSA is asking you to vote on the following two (2) questions regarding access to mental health services for graduate students starting in September 2017. The vote will determine if graduate students opt for access to mental health services at McMasters Student Wellness Centre (SWC), and\or through the Student Assistance Plan (SAP) provided by the Graduate Students Association (GSA) Health and Dental provider.

Question 1
Do you want to pay an additional $23.86* per term ($71.58 per annum [1] (part-time students will pay an additional $11.93 per term ($35.79 per annum)) to access in-person mental health services at the McMaster University Student Wellness Centre?

[Yes or No]

Question 2 
Do you want to pay an additional fee of up to $10 per annum [2] for a Student Assistance Plan provided through the GSA Health and Dental provider, which provides remote (phone call, online) mental health services?

[Yes or No]

The services accessible at the McMaster University Student Wellness Centre (SWC) are:

  • Access to Psychologist, Counsellors, Mental Health Nurses and wellness education experts in person (along with OHIP billed Psychiatrist and Physicians)
  • Offering a broad range of services including mental health, academic issue and personal issue counselling.
  • Offering in person workshops on a magnitude of issues
  • Offering Graduate-only group counselling sessions [3]
The services accessible from the Student Assistance Plan are:
  • Access to Clinical Counsellors and Registered Social Workers
  • Counselling service available 24-hour/7 day-a-week by phone and or online
  • Offering a broad range of Mental Health Services within the scope of Clinical Counsellors and Registered Social Workers
  • Offering several types of self-evaluation tools available anytime online and relevant time-sensitive content (i.e. tip sheets, messages on stress management) available anytime online
*Further information regarding the referendum questions will be available on the GSA Website shortly.

[1] Currently, graduate students pay $10.09 per term ($30.27$ per annum) to the SWC fees.
[2] Currently, graduate students have coverage for $100 per appointment up to a maximum of $400 per annum for counselling services through the Health Plan. Graduate students pay a total fee of $186 per annum for the GSA Health Plan
[3] Sessions will be available if the minimum number of students required is reached to warrant pulling a counsellor from their one-on-one work.
yesno

Campaign committees

Only one campaign committee for YES and one for NO is permitted to participate in campaigning. To obtain official status, please register with the CRO at gsacro@mcmaster.ca (first come first serve basis) starting Monday, March 13, 10 am.

Important Dates
Applications for Campaign side submission begins Monday, March 13, 10 am
Campaigning period: Thursday, March 16, 10 am – Friday, March 31, 6 pm

Voting Online
Saturday, April 1, 10 am- Monday, April 3, 6 pm

Annual General Meeting

Date: Thursday, March 23, 5 pm
Location: TBDAll documentation pertaining to the AGM will be available on our website.

 

Posted in GSA, Uncategorized.