June 15, 2012 • Issue 107 • http://www.sgps.ca E-Newsletter SGPS Office: Summer Hours The SGPS Office is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. (closed noon until 1 for lunch) We are located in room 021 of the John Deutsch University Centre (JDUC) SGPS Old School Games Night Remember when playing board games meant sitting around a table with friends and not downloading an app? Well put down your smartphones, SGPS, we’re hosting a throw-back games night with actual boards and actual pieces. Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, Things in a Box, Scrabble Slam! We might even bring out a deck of cards for all you sharks. Come on out and have a night of good ol’ fashioned fun! (You can pick up your smartphones now). If you have any questions, email social@sgps.ca. Date: June 20th, 2012 Time: 7:00pm-9:30pm Location: SGPS Social Lounge (Room 237 JDUC) Did You Know ... 370%: the percentage tuition fees in Ontario have increased since 2006, compared to inflation. Attention Renters The SGPS strongly encourages you to take any leases you are going to sign to Joan Jones (613.533.6745). Joan is the Coordinator at Town-Gown Relations and has been dealing with landlords and leases in Kingston for a long time. SGPS Seeks To Hire Student Advisor The SGPS seeks to hire a Student Advisor. Pay is $12,000 per year for 10 hours per week. Complete details will be posted within the week and will be available at: http://www.sgps.ca/jobs/jobs.html SGPS Office: Summer Hours The SGPS Office will be closed Mondays and Fridays until mid-August. E-Newsletter A Message From The UACC The University Animal Care Committee The University Animal Care Committee (UACC) is seeking two conscientious graduate student representatives. The committee meets once a month for the review and approval of all research and teaching protocols proposing the use of animals, as well as other various times throughout the year to accomplish other duties. The UACC is mandated by the Animals for Research Act (OMAFRA), and the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) to ensure the welfare of animals in their procurement, care and use in researching, teaching, or testing at Queen’s University. The commitment involves a one-year term with a possibility for renewal. To participate in this valuable opportunity, interested candidates should contact the SGPS Assistant Executive Director at aed@sgps.ca. Please include about 2 to 3 sentences of why you are interested in this position and your previous experience with animal use.  Note: individuals with previous or current animal use experience are preferred. 
Your information will be forwarded on to the UACC Coordinator and you will be contacted accordingly. A message from the Faculty of Health Sciences Graduate Council Health Sciences Graduate Council The Health Sciences Graduate Council is looking for one Master's student representative from the following departments: Anatomy and Cell Biology Biochemistry Collaborative Program in Cancer Research Collaborative Program in Biostatistics Community Health and Epidemiology Combined MD/Master's Program Microbiology and Immunology Neuroscience Nursing Occupational Therapy Pathology and Molecular Medicine Pharmacology and Toxicology Physical Therapy Physiology Rehabilitation Science For more information on the structure and responsibilities of the Council, please visit: http://www.queensu.ca/sgs/facultystaff/governance/council/fhsgc.html If you are interested in being a representative, please contact the SGPS Assistant Executive Director at aed@sgps.ca. E-Newsletter Student Advisor Summer Office Hours The SGPS Student Advisor will hold the following office hours for the summer (until mid-August): Monday: 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Tuesday: 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. The Student Advisor program was started in 2001 in response to the need for advocacy and support services for graduate and professional students at Queen's University. These needs stem from the unique position of graduate and professional students, as they act as students, employees, teachers and mentors. The Student Advisors offer advice and advocacy services to graduate and professional students in issues concerning their well-being while here at Queen's. In addition, we act as an effective referral service for issues and needs that fall outside of our jurisdiction or expertise. The SGPS Student Advisors are familiar with policies and procedures at Queen's, and have received training in conflict resolution and active listening. We also receive harassment and discrimination training, positive space training, and training in university policies and procedures. Student Advisor services are totally confidential, and action is only taken with the explicit direction and consent of the student concerned. Students are encouraged to contact the Student Advisors with any questions or concerns. If we are not able to assist you directly, we will attempt to refer you to a service that can. The Student Advisor program encourages self-advocacy. We strive to assist students in developing a better understanding the policies and administrative bodies that may be relevant to their situation and offer strategic advice as to how to best resolve potential concerns or conflicts. We also offer some direct advocacy services; if appropriate, we may be able to assist you by attending a meeting with you, contacting another party on your behalf, or helping to present your case at an academic appeal hearing. Please feel free to contact the Student Advisors by email at advisors@sgps.ca or by phone at 533-3169. (Please note that we check our email much more frequently than our voice-mail.) The Advisor office is located in room 203 of the JDUC (upstairs in the JDUC Club Space). A Message From VRTUCAR The Future of Car-Sharing in Kingston After twelve years of successfully providing car sharing services in Ottawa, VRTUCAR is considering coming to Kingston!  Help us determine if there is demand for a car sharing service in Kingston by filling out our short survey at http://www.vrtucar.com/kingston.php Car sharing is an economical, convenient, and environmentally-friendly way to access a car for short periods of time.  You’ll have 24/7 access to a fleet of well-maintained vehicles that can be reserved for as little as an hour, up to seven days in a row.  VRTUCAR pays for the gas, insurance, snow tires, maintenance and repairs - members pay for the hours and kilometers they use, plus a modest monthly membership fee.  Why own a car if you don't have to? Use one of ours! For more information about VRTUCAR, click on  www.vrtucar.com E-Newsletter Access Copyright Feedback On May 14, 2012, Queen's University sent a letter of intent to accept the model licence agreed on by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and Access Copyright. This non-binding letter, due by May 15, 2012, gives the university until June 30th to determine whether or not to sign the final agreement.  The Copyright Working Group will be meeting on July 12 in order to discuss the proposed model licence.  It should be noted that the purpose of this group is to provide "input and feedback on copyright issues". This group will not be responsible for making a final decision on the proposed licence. If you are a student, faculty member or staff member, please submit your feedback below. This survey is designed to be anonymous. If you would like your identity known, please include your name and email address in your comments. To submit your comments or to read more, please see: http://library.queensu.ca/research/queens-only/access-copyright-feedback A Message From The Kingston African Caribbean Collective A Taste of Africa and the Caribbean What: A sampling/ taste of African and Caribbean cuisine, When: June 19th from 6 – 9 pm Where: At St. Andrew by The Lake United on 1 Redden Street, Kingston Why: Charity donations towards 2 Scholarships at Queens University and St Lawrence Collage meet new people and enjoy Kingston’s diversity Who: Afro-Carib foundation of Kingston and District, Kingston African And Caribbean Collective (KACC) and Diversity Advisory Group Kingston. We look forward to seeing you there !! A message from The Canadian Federation of Students: ISIC gives Discounts for SPSS Programs Many of you may know that the International Student Identity Card (ISIC) gives students a 90% discount on Microsoft products. In case folks didn't know, the ISIC also has discounts for several 12-month SPSS programs. The discounts are featured on the main page of http://myisic.ca.  SPSS is a powerful program used for statistical analysis, survey authoring and deployment, data mining and text analytics that is among the most widely used programs for statistical analysis in academia and research. Some of you may be already using SPSS or you may know many graduate students and professors who are using it for their research. While SPSS programs often cost thousands of dollars (literally!), the SPSS discounts through the ISIC are pretty huge. I hope folks are able to take advantage of it! E-Newsletter Your Queen's netID and Password Please remember that Queen's will never ask you for your netID password or other confidential details about your Queen's e-mail. You may receive e-mails from time-to-time that ask for such information. Please be advised that they are not legitimate e-mails. If, for any reason, you send your Queen's password to a third party, you should immediately change your password. Info on changing your password can be found at: http://www.queensu.ca/its/email/tutorials/emailaccount/netid.html SGPS Bursaries The SGPS administers the following bursaries: Emergency Student Aid Dental Bursary Grants Program Sustainability Action Fund Sports Fund Club Fund For more information: http://www.sgps.ca/services/awards.html Completing Your Degree Congratulations!  You are in the final stages of completing your graduate degree. Before you begin the next phase of your life, take the time to ensure that your plans to complete your degree are well in hand. Please review each stage carefully. For complete details: http://www.queensu.ca/sgs/forstudents/completion.html Follow the SGPS on twitter and facebook The SGPS is now using Twitter and Facebook to keep you updated. We will be posting things like upcoming social events, deadlines (registration, optional fee opt-outs, health and dental) and lots of other important information for our members. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2310661892 http://twitter.com/QueensSGPS Health and Dental Insurance Claims Need help filing an insurance claim through your SGPS insurance? Stop by the SGPS Office for help getting your claim in the mail. We will help with the paperwork and pay the postage! E-Newsletter Queen's Ban on Water Bottles starts Sept 2012 If you encounter any water fountains on campus that need to be fixed, here's what you can do: call the Fixit at the Physical Plant Services at (613) 533-2000, extension 77301 email Fixit fixit@queensu.ca go on the Physical Plant Services website, select "Service Request" button, and from the pop down menu select "Work Order Request" http://www.queensu.ca/pps/requests/fixit/fixit.php Recycle At The SGPS Office Drop off your used batteries, ink cartridges and old cell phones at the SGPS office and we will recycle them. Free International Student Identity Card All SGPS members get a free ISIC card. Come to our office with your student card to get your free card any day of the year that we are open.