A Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a UMGPS Councillor

So you want to become a UMGPS Councillor. Way to go! Becoming a councillor is an excellent way to get involved with student government and make sure that you have your say about graduate student life at the University of Manitoba. This guide is designed to walk you through the necessary steps to make sure that your department is represented on our Council. Let’s get started!

Why Become a UMGPS Councillor?

  • Get credit for your Experience Record.
  • Contribute to the decision-making process of the UMGPS, and help direct the organization.
  • Represent the interests of the students in your department.
  • Work with the UMGPS Executive to gain experience and knowledge of student politics, budgeting, event organizing, governance of post-secondary education and more.

1. Find Out if Your Department is Represented on Council

First, check our handy list to see whether there is already a councillor representing your department. If there is, get in touch with them to see whether you might be able to share duties, take on a UMGPS committee, or get involved your department’s student government.

If more than one person wants to run for a UMGPS Councillor position, an election must be held within your department.

How to hold an election:

  1. Contact your departmental secretary or grad student association and have them notify all of the graduate students in your department of the election and UMGPS Councillor candidates for the upcoming term.
  2. Hold an election by secret ballot or another method that ensures fairness and equal opportunity for all candidates.
  3. The results of the election must be validated by the departmental secretary with a signature on the election form and delivered to the UMGPS office.
  4. Or, if your department has a grad student departmental association, the minutes of an executive meeting must be provided to the UMGPS office ratifying the results of the election.

If your department isn’t represented on UMGPS Council, proceed to step two:

2. Complete the Council Nomination Form

If there’s no councillor representing your department, and you’re interested in representing your department on the UMGPS Council, then you need to complete a Council Nomination Form. You’ll need 10 signatures from fellow graduate students in your department to endorse you, OR you need to prove that you’ve been elected by your department’s graduate student association (see step one).  You’ll also need your departmental secretary to sign the form. Once you’ve completed the form please email to UMGPS, proceed to step three:

3. Get to Know Our Policies

If you’re going to sit on the UMGPS Council, you should read up on how our organization works in order to be the most effective councillor possible. Our Governance and Operations Policy has lots of information about the UMGPS, but as a Councillor you’ll want to pay particular attention to the following sections:

  • Council – page 5
  • Committees – page 12
  • Executive – page 9
  • Finance – page 23
  • If you’re interested in running for an Executive position, or want to know more about how UMGPS elections work, take a look at our Election and Referendum.
  • Our Clubs Policy and Procedure describes how you can get your student club recognized by the UMGPS.

4. Read the Code of Conduct and Sign the Declaration

In order to become a councillor, you have to read the Code of Conduct. If you agree to it, sign the Code of Conduct Declaration. Then, email to UMGPS. You’re almost there, just one more step!

5. Choose a Committee

As a councillor you have to complete two main requirements: you (or another graduate student from your department) must regularly attend UMGPS Council meetings and sit on a UMGPS Internal Committee. These committees are each described in full detail in the Governance & Operations Policy, but here is a list of each committee and a brief description of their responsibilities:

  • The Academic Affairs Committee processes applications for, and selects the recipients of, UMGPS awards.
  • The Events & Clubs Committee plans social events to improve graduate student life throughout the year.
  • The External Affairs Committee establishes and maintains relationships with external and University relations.
  • The Equity & Inclusion Committee focuses on addressing and advancing the principles of equity, inclusion, anti-oppression, anti-racism, anti-ableism, and countering homophobia/transphobia. 
  • The Governance & Strategy Committee develops and maintains all legislative documents for UMGPS.
  • The Election and Referendum Committee oversees the annual UMGPS Executive election as well as any referendums.

6. Sexual Violence Awareness Training

This training is required of all UMGPS Board members, Council members, Executives and Staff. Training must be completed during your term and proof of completion must be submitted to governance@umgps.org.

Options:

  1. Take UM’s Sexual Violence Prevention course, available through UM Learn.
  2. Attend a Healthy Relationships workshop hosted by the Sexual Violence Resource Centre. Workshop dates coming soon! Contact: healthy.relationships@umanitoba.ca.

Once you’ve picked the committee that you’re interested in joining, email UMGPS and we will add you to the list. That’s it – now you’re officially a councillor. Welcome to the UMGPS Council!

Questions can be directed to governance@umgps.org.