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Join the GSS Council

To become a councillor, follow the steps below and if you are the only candidate for the position, you can take your seat immediately. In cases where there is more than one candidate to represent a department, the department must organize an election to select a single candidate.

  • Contact your graduate student advisor (prospective dept. representatives only)
  • Fill in and submit the application form below
  • Complete an orientation training session for new councillors with the GSS president. This can be arranged to suit your schedule.

Learn more about how our GSS Council functions by visiting our Council page.

Application for Council

Declaration of Election Form

Please complete the form and drop it off at the GSS Office or email aa@gss.ubc.ca.

Join GSS Committees

GSS Committees are a meaningful way for graduate students to shape the work of the Graduate Student Society and contribute to areas such as finance, human resources, governance, policy, and program or event planning. The time commitment for an Ordinary Member varies, but is generally between 4–8 hours per month. By serving on a committee, you will have the opportunity to:

Explore all GSS Committees and learn more about their mandates on our Committees page.

How to Join a GSS Committee

Any current UBC graduate student is eligible to become an Ordinary Member of a committee.
Step 1: Contact the Committee Chair

If you are interested in joining a committee, email the Committee Chair (or contact info@gss.ubc.ca if you are unsure whom to contact). The Chair will invite you to attend a meeting and provide an overview of the committee’s work and expectations.

Step 2: Attend a Meeting

You are welcome to attend any committee meeting as a non-voting guest. This is a great way to learn more about the committee and determine whether it aligns with your interests. Most committee meetings are held online, though some may also take place in person.

Step 3: Confirmation of Interest
If you decide to join as an Ordinary Member, the Chair will forward your name and email to the Administrative Assistant so the appointment can be added to the Council meeting agenda.
Step 4: Council Appointment
As outlined in the GSS Committee and Caucus Policy (Section 3.3: Appointment of Committee Members), all committee members are appointed by ordinary resolution of Council. Once Council approves your seating, you officially become an Ordinary Member of the committee.
 
Step 5: Onboarding
After approval, you will receive a welcome email from the Administrative Assistant outlining the next steps, including signing the required Confidentiality and Protection of Personal Information Agreement, as per GSS policy. You will also receive an honorarium for each committee meeting you attend.
 
If There Are No Current Openings
Even when a committee has no vacancies, graduate students are always welcome to:
 
All GSS committee meetings are open to current UBC graduate students.

Jobs & Other Opportunities

Joining a committee can give you the opportunity to impact a specific area of interest, and gain experience in a specific type of work from finance to human resources, code and policy, and planning programs and events. In addition to these skills, you will also have the opportunity to:

  • Develop demonstrable leadership and teamwork skills
  • Improve administrative skills
  • Expand your network by coordinating with students and organizations across campus

See all GSS Committees and explore their work by visiting our Committees page.

Application for Committees

The GSS offers a variety of employment opportunities that support our work for graduate students, from policy advising to administration, events coordination, communications, and more. Become a part of our full-time or part-time staff, volunteer, become a Peer Support Specialist, or join us for temporary work in a specific field such as survey data analysis.

The GSS office is a friendly, supportive place to work, and as a small society, you will likely have the opportunity to gain exposure to all aspects of our work.

Check back often to see our current opportunities here on our website, social media and in our newsletter. For Work-Learn positions, visit CareersOnline.

Apply or Renew an Affiliated Organizations (AO) Status

AO Application & Renewal Form

Note: Four (4) supporting signatures are required to support the process of becoming affiliated.

  1. Download and fill out the AO Application & Renewal form completely
  2. Email the completed form to aa@gss.ubc.ca

We will confirm when we receive your application and include it in the next upcoming Council meeting for approval of your affiliation.

Apply for Project/Event Funding

Before Project/Event
AO Event Fund Application Form
AO Waiver
Sample Budget Template
After Project/Event
AO Event Fund Follow-Up Report
  1. Download and fill out both the Event Fund Application form and the Budget Spreadsheet, and the AO Waiver form.
  2. Email the documents to vpstudents@gss.ubc.ca
  3. VP Students will contact you to confirm the approved amount of funding
  4. Hold your event/project (Remember to collect receipts and attendance sheets)
  5. Fill out the Post-Event Report – Update Budget, compile receipts, attendance sheets, and marketing materials
  6. Email all documents to vpstudents@gss.ubc.ca within 2 weeks of the end of your project/event to receive your reimbursement