Council Announcement!
We are very excited to welcome our 2022-2023 YGSE Council. Please read below to see our elected and acclaimed members, along with their blurbs and photos. We look forward to an excellent year of student governance and action. Thank you to all candidates for a robust and collegial election.
Please note that the following positions are still open for this year:
- Urban Indigenous Cohort Representative (1 position)
- Conference Coordinator (1 out of 2 positions available)
For those of you who may be interested in these positions, please contact the co-chairs at ygsechair@edu.yorku.ca. Lastly, the Dadaab Cohort Representative position is unavailable this year. We hope the program will begin again in the next school year.
Join us on Sept. 28 in the OverGrad Lounge (South Ross 167) for our in-person social! We will mix and mingle and celebrate the launch of our graduate student journal, YU-WRITE! Register here: https://ygse.apps01.yorku.ca/machform/view.php?id=26843
| Executive | |
| PhD Co-Chair
Marika Kunnas
|
Hello! My name is Marika Kunnas. I am a third-year Ph.D. candidate and a certified French, Drama, and Social Sciences secondary school teacher. My research interests lie within French, second/additional language acquisition, race, decolonization, and equity.
My goals for the YGSE are:
I plan to contribute to a collaborative community space through the YGSE events, meetings, and physical spaces. YGSE co-chairs have an important responsibility to represent the needs and desires of our members to faculty and administration. I will represent you all well and work toward meeting our needs as a student body. I recognize that I am always learning and growing. I invite constructive dialogue about how we can challenge and transform our council and university even as we operate within this colonial, oppressive space. |
| MEd Co-Chair
Nesha Charles
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My name is Nesha Charles, and I am currently the Anti-Black Racism Rep. on YGSE, and I am committed to creating an accessible, inclusive, equitable, and diverse space for all students. Our society is ever changing, and change occurs on the grassroot levels such as student organizations to ensure student voices are heard and represented. As a representative of YGSE, ABRC, and the Equity Committee I am prepared to be a co-chair that upholds the rules of the organization but also understands that some change is required, especially in the form of decolonization. |
| Secretary
Sheetal Prasad
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Hello! My name is Sheetal Prasad, and I am nominating myself for the Secretary position. From 2021-2022 I was the secretary for YGSE, thus I am well-aware and acquainted with all roles and responsibilities. My roles include updating the website to include the YGSE meeting minutes and additional resources that may help students. In addition, I ran all social media accounts, wrote detailed meeting minutes, created meetings, announced events through the listservs, and answered questions through the WhatsApp group chat. Previously, I was the curatorial assistant and collections manager at Grimsby Public Art Gallery. My roles and responsibilities include administration work (emails, calls, and proposal writing), archival work, and communication with the public. Both experiences make me more than capable of being the secretary for the 2022-2023 council year. |
| Treasurer
Lisa Johnston
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My name is Lisa Johnston and my pronouns are she/her. I was in the position of treasurer last year and found it to be both a challenging and rewarding position. I believe that it is important to have a trustworthy and ethical person in such a position and I believe I bring these qualities to the role. I also bring excellent communication skills, organization and some essential math skills to the role. Now if someone can teach me the basics of excel...(lol!) No seriously, I need a short tutorial on excel please 🙂 |
| Community and Professional Development Coordinator
Nana Adu-Poku
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I believe that I would be successful in this role as I have a tremendous amount of experience with community engagement in the Jane and Finch community through non-profit organizations such as Lay-Up Youth Basketball, Jays Care Foundation, 100 Strong Foundation and Success Beyond Limits. I was the Community Engagement Lead for the York Lions Marketing team from 2019-2020. I also have a strong interest in learning more about the development of effective professional development experiences. |
| Associates | |
| Graduate Lounge Manager
Chunlei Liu
|
I used to be a Lab Manager when I was doing my master's. I have all the experience. |
| Chief Returning Officer
Chunlei Liu |
I am a very organized and detailed person. |
| CUPE Stewards (2)
Ryan Collis |
I have been Faculty of Education CUPE 3903 Steward for two years and Writing Department CUPE 3903 Steward for one. I am also currently the OSSSTF D16 President of the Occasional Teachers Branch. I am well versed on our collective agreement and I have been able to help many people in the Faculty (including the GPD) with contract issues and grievances. |
| Alicja Frankowski | Hi I'm Alicja and I was the last co-chair of YGSE in the 21/22 year. I was inspired to run in order to better connect myself and others to the York community, to advocate for a voice for those of us who have never gotten to know York as a physical space and to create a cohesive union that makes room for diverse and multiple ways of getting to know education and leadership. In my role, I learned a lot about student concerns when it comes to TA-ships and discussions on what constitutes fair preparation for the role. I am committed to helping students through this, in partnership with the equity committee to advocate for fair conditions for TA's. |
| Equity and Communications Coordinators
Shannon Hyatali
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Hello everyone! My name is Shannon Hyatali and I am nominating myself for the position of Equity & Communications Coordinator. As a woman of colour living in an urban priority neighbourhood teaching students of diverse backgrounds with very personal needs often overlooked by the public school system, I know both first and second-hand what it feels like to be unheard. As a researcher passionate about equity and social justice, and as a student at York University for the past nine years experiencing my share of inequitable practice, I know that “good enough” is not in fact, good enough. Equity work informs every aspect of my life as a professional, but even more importantly, as this position would suggest, as a person.
I am committed to equitable practice through challenging tradition and “the way things are”, making space for uncomfortable questions and difficult dialogue. Though I have much experience conducting equity-informed research and prioritizing equal opportunity in my practice, first and foremost, I am personable and approachable. I am someone you can talk to. I wholeheartedly believe in the notion of “nothing about us without us”, and that will guide my work in this role as I advocate for my fellow students. I plan to carefully and strategically make use of my time, to ensure that I am doing things with the seat I’d be given at the metaphorical table. I commit to using my experience to help make it a place of inclusion and equity where all can gather round and change can be thought of together. |
| Helen Liu
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As both a graduate student and previous YUGSA representative, I have come to recognize many of the ethical concerns and equity issues students face. I am committed to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment, and believe that my direct experiences and skills align with the responsibilities of this role. I have developed exceptional communication and collaboration skills with my past experiences working with the Graduate Association to represent and protect students rights and interests. My own research study aims and interests focused on identifying the gaps and vulnerabilities within secondary international education have allowed me to further understand the systemic issues engrained within our system. These experiences all contribute to my passion and devotion to challenge dominant privileged narratives about race and diversity within classrooms and our faculty of Education. |
| Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) Representative
Stephanie Cheung
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Hi everyone! I hope you're having a great start to the school year. My name is Stephanie Cheung and I am a policy analyst by day, and part-time M.Ed. student by night. In my spare time I enjoy learning about UX design, reading, thrifting, and various outdoor activities. I live in Toronto with my partner and two kitties. I completed my Honours B.A. in Criminology and Psychology at Ryerson University where I served as the President of the Criminology Course Union. I have also been actively involved with YGSE to date updating the Constitution. I am a firm believer that positions of leadership come with privileges and responsibilities. As the successful candidate, I will:
1. Fulfill my role with integrity and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion; 2. Make my best effort to attend all YGSE meetings; and 3. Be accessible to you (e.g., answer questions about the role, bring your concerns forward) If you'd like to learn more about my values, you can read my statement of interest here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fWrP5dGgPLZqa15kwI3jUcT6h4ecLzKz/view?usp=sharing If you'd like to learn more about the democratic deficit in student campus organizing, please visit my website: https://votebetter.app/. Looking forward to learning with you all this year! 🙂 |
| Conference Coordinator(s)
Ellie VanBerkel |
Hello my name is Ellie VanBerkel, and I am a third year PhD student. Last year I was the C&P rep, the Phd student representative, and had the opportunity to work with other members on the social and professional development committee as well as the equity committee. This year, I hope to continue working on student council in the role of conference coordinator. I’m excited to have the opportunity to help celebrate and showcase all the great work that is being done by students. |
| Dadaab Cohort Representative | Unavailable this year. |
| Urban Indigenous Cohort Representative | Unfilled. Please contact ygsechair@edu.yorku.ca if you are interested in running. |
| YUGSA Representatives (3)
Nana Adu-Poku
|
I believe that I would be successful in this role as I have experience in attending meetings and effectively relaying the information to other groups. I am also able to efficiently gather the concerns of my peers and concisely relay them back to councils to implement meaningful change. This is evident through my experience as the representative of the York Lions Varsity Basketball team on the Athletic Council from 2014-2018. |
| Alicja Frankowski | Hi I'm Alicja and I was the last co-chair of YGSE in the 21/22 year. I was inspired to run in order to better connect myself and others to the York community, to advocate for a voice for those of us who have never gotten to know York as a physical space and to create a cohesive union that makes room for diverse and multiple ways of getting to know education and leadership. In my role of co-chair, I worked closely with YUGSA and advocated for equity issues when it was greatly needed. We all have a voice in YUGSA and it has a major impact on what is possible in YGSE. I would like to have a chance to directly advocate for graduate students in education within YUGSA. |
| Helen Liu
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I have served as a York University Graduate Student Representative in previous years and have gained immense insight on several diversity or ethical issues. As both a student and teaching assistant and course director, I have been able to directly recognize the challenges and disconnect students encounter in their education at York University. Those perspective honed my skills and ability to represent students’ interests and continue to fight to protect and support their rights beyond school campuses. |
| Faculty of Education Committee Representatives | |
| Anti-Black Racism Representative
Shayna Brissett-Foster
|
I have been Faculty of Education CUPE 3903 Steward for two years and Writing Department CUPE 3903 Steward for one. I am also currently the OSSSTF D16 President of the Occasional Teachers Branch. I am well versed on our collective agreement and I have been able to help many people in the Faculty (including the GPD) with contract issues and grievances. |
| Committee for Faculty Research, Awards, and Grants (CFRAG) Representative
Helen Liu
|
Hi I'm Alicja and I was the last co-chair of YGSE in the 21/22 year. I was inspired to run in order to better connect myself and others to the York community, to advocate for a voice for those of us who have never gotten to know York as a physical space and to create a cohesive union that makes room for diverse and multiple ways of getting to know education and leadership. In my role, I learned a lot about student concerns when it comes to TA-ships and discussions on what constitutes fair preparation for the role. I am committed to helping students through this, in partnership with the equity committee to advocate for fair conditions for TA's. |
| Coordinating and Planning Committee Representative
Lisa Smith
|
Hi, I’m Lisa Smith. I would like to be considered for the role of Coordinating & Planning Representative for the coming year. I’ve been in Canada since 2019 and worked with high school students, including people who have applied to York. Now I’m a fairly new York University student myself, in the first year of the MEd course and I’m keen to be part of the student voice involved in shaping the future direction. We can make a difference with informed contributions to next Five-Year Strategic Plan and I’d like to help make it happen. |
| Faculty Council Representative
Zahra Mawani
|
Hello Everyone! My name is Zahra and I am excited to be running to be the Faculty Council Representative! As a YorkU alumni, I am proud to share that I was awarded the Robert J. Tiffin Award as well as the Silver Jubilee Alumni Award recognizing my passion for contributing to the vitality of York University. Supporting students in meeting their personal, academic, and career aspirations gives me great joy.
Previously, I was the Faculty of Education Students’ Association (FESA) Primary/ Junior Representative for the Keele Campus for 2 consecutive years. I actively connected with students through online course meetings and various social media platforms. I regularly informed students regarding deadlines, tuition, application procedures to the Ontario College of Teachers, as well as promoted events including the Year-End Formal. In doing so, this built a sense of community, belonging, and inclusion. I go above and beyond to ensure I do everything I can to support students. In addition to this involvement, I was also part of the Student Advisory Committee where I provided feedback and guidance to the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) on various current and prototype access points for students. I very much enjoy supporting students. Based on my own personal experiences, having someone that is reliable and willing to go the extra mile makes all the difference. I hope to continue serving and supporting York University students as the Faculty Council Representative! |
| Admissions Committee Representative
Sonia Martin
|
This past academic year, I demonstrated my commitment to the Faculty of Education through my volunteer work as a member of the social and professional development committee, the conference committee, and the YGSE journal committee. On the conference committee, I participated in adjudicating conference proposals. I collaborated with other adjudicators to determine which proposals met the submission criteria and to maintain integrity in the adjudication process. Similarly, on the journal committee, I participated in the peer-review process, working with partners to rate papers according to the journal’s submission criteria and to ensure we completed each round of reviews on schedule. In my professional life, I have been responsible for reviewing job applications, interviewing candidates, and making equitable hiring decisions. I also volunteered with TESL Ontario, a professional association, as a conference submission peer-reviewer. Now, having successfully completed my first year as a PhD student, I understand what is required to participate in such a rigorous program, and I am happy to dedicate my skills and time to supporting the admissions committee. |
| Tenure & Promotions Committee Representative
Jenna D’Andrea |
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| Hiring Committee Representative
Alicja Frankowski |
Hi I'm Alicja and I was the last co-chair of YGSE in the 21/22 year. I was inspired to run in order to better connect myself and others to the York community, to advocate for a voice for those of us who have never gotten to know York as a physical space and to create a cohesive union that makes room for diverse and multiple ways of getting to know education and leadership. This year I am hoping to learn more about York's hiring process, and to advocate for student interests within the faculty. |
