Association of Slavic Graduate Students (ASGS)

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ASGS statement on the Russian invasion of Ukraine

The ASGS unequivocally condemns Russia’s aggressive and unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. We recognize Ukraine as an independent sovereign state with rights to self-determination and self-governance and consider Vladimir Putin’s attack an attempt to destroy its people and culture. We stand with the countries, peoples, and communities, including those in Russia, who oppose this war and support Ukraine.

Resources

Our thanks to Professor Vassili Schedrin of Queen’s University, Kingston, and the Russian and Eastern European Studies Network (REES) at Queen’s University, for informing our statement and resources list.

The Association of Slavic Graduate Students (ASGS)

ASGS is a democratically-run non-profit organization that represents all graduate students in the Department of Slavic & East European Languages & Cultures. It operates under the umbrella of the University of Toronto’s Graduate Students’ Union (UTGSU) and links between the Union and the students of the department. It deals with graduate student matters and concerns across the department and serves as a liaison between the graduate student body and faculty.

The membership of the ASGS shall include all graduate students of the Department of Slavic & East European Languages & Cultures enrolled.

The goals of the ASGS are:

  • to represent, support, and advocate for graduate students,
  • to help incoming students become familiar with the activities in the department,
  • to secure and be responsible for the funding available to ASGS and budgeting,
  • to suggest ways of improving Graduate program offered by the department,
  • to voice student opinions in various committees,
  • to promote and be responsible for social and academic graduate activities.

The Executive Committee:

President: Braxton Boyer

The duties of the President are:

  1. The ASGS President is an elected position. The President is responsible for overseeing the activities of the ASGS and ensuring that all members are following the proscribed guidelines in this constitution.
  2. To be in touch with the Graduate Student Union of the University of Toronto and to appoint a representative for the meetings of the UTGSU .
  3. The President normally serves as chair of ASGS Executive and General meetings. The chair arranges the date, time and location of the ASGS monthly meetings and advises the secretary of this at least one week in advance. The chair prepares the agenda and chairs the monthly ASGS General Meeting. This individual also acts a liaison between the ASGS and faculty, ensures that all positions are filled and that duties are being carried out.
  4. To appoint other students to the Executive Committee as is necessary (i.e. if a post remains vacant and must be filled).
  5. To maintain the records and documentation of the ASGS and to transfer it from to the next elected President.

Vice-President: Sooyeon Lee

The duties of the Vice-President are:

  1. To be of assistance to the president.
  2. To fulfill the President’s duties when not available (e.g., serving as chair for meeting).
  3. It will be the VP responsibility to ensure that representatives attend their respective committee meetings or make accommodations in the case of absence (i.e., find another student to fill in, or personally fill in that role).
  4. To ensure that new graduate students are aware of the ASGS and its mission, and encourage grad students to participate in the ASGS.

Treasurer: Theodore Jefferies

The duties of the Treasurer are:

  1. To be responsible for coordinating any ASGS activity that involves the collection or disbursement of funds.
  2. To draft applications and securing funding for the ASGS in consultations with the members of the Executive Committee.
  3. Along with the President, the Vice-President has authority to approve disbursement of funds.
  4. To document and report any movement of funds.
  5. To be responsible for reporting the ASGS bank balance at each ASGS Meeting.

ASGS Constitution

The Constitution of the Association of Slavic Graduate Students

Articles

  1. The official name of the course union is the “Association of Slavic Graduate Students” hereafter referred to as the ASGS.
  2. Statement of purpose: ASGS will serve as a liaison between the Slavic & East European Languages & Cultures graduate student body and faculty.
  3. The goals of the ASGS are:
    • To represent, support, and advocate for graduate students,
    • To help incoming students become familiar with the activities in the department,
    • To secure and be responsible for the funding available to ASGS and budgeting.
    • To suggest ways of improving Graduate program offered by the department,
    • To voice student opinions in various committees,
    • To promote and be responsible for social and academic graduate activities.
  4. 4. The membership of the ASGS shall include all graduate students enrolled.

The Executive Committee

President

The duties of the President are:

  1. The ASGS President is an elected position. The President is responsible for overseeing the activities of the ASGS and ensuring that all members are following the proscribed guidelines in this constitution.
  2. To be in touch with the Graduate Student Union of the University of Toronto and to appoint a representative for the meetings of the UTGSU .
  3. The President normally serves as chair of ASGS Executive and General meetings. The chair arranges the date, time and location of the ASGS monthly meetings and advises the secretary of this at least one week in advance. The chair prepares the agenda and chairs the monthly ASGS General Meeting. This individual also acts a liaison between the ASGS and faculty, ensures that all positions are filled and that duties are being carried out.
  4. To appoint other students to the Executive Committee as is necessary (i.e. if a post remains vacant and must be filled).
  5. To maintain the records and documentation of the ASGS and to transfer it from to the next elected President.

Vice-President

The duties of the Vice-President are:

  1. To be of assistance to the president.
  2. To fulfill the President’s duties when not available (e.g., serving as chair for meeting).
  3. It will be the VP responsibility to ensure that representatives attend their respective committee meetings or make accommodations in the case of absence (i.e., find another student to fill in, or personally fill in that role).
  4. To ensure that new graduate students are aware of the ASGS and its mission, and encourage grad students to participate in the ASGS.

Treasurer

The duties of the Treasurer are:

  1. To be responsible for coordinating any ASGS activity that involves the collection or disbursement of funds.
  2. To draft applications and securing funding for the ASGS in consultations with the members of the Executive Committee.
  3. Along with the President, the Vice-President has authority to approve disbursement of funds.
  4. To document and report any movement of funds.
  5. To be responsible for reporting the ASGS bank balance at each ASGS Meeting.

Secretary

The duties of the Secretary are:

  1. The Secretary is responsible for collecting and collating Executive, Representative, and Coordinator reports.
  2. The President and VPs must provide reports to the Secretary to be placed in the ASGS’s official file, on a regular basis. This includes statements, correspondence, and other reports.
  3. To be of assistance to the Executive Committee in the preparation of documents and publicity for special events of the ASGS.

Ratified in assemble by members of the ASGS this 6 day of March, 2017.

Alex Averbuch
President

Barnabas Kirk
Vice-President

Marcin Cieszkiel
Treasurer

Elena Vasileva
Secretary