Student Unions and Associations
A variety of Student Unions, Associations and Councils exist at the University of Toronto. At OISE, the Graduate Students' Association (GSA) represent graduate students and the Student Teachers' Union represents B.Ed. and diploma in technical education students.
OISE Student Unions | U of T Student Unions | CUPE Local 3907
OISE Unions and Associations
The OISE Graduate Students Association (GSA)
The OISE GSA is the largest autonomous student union of the GSU. It represents all the full-time and part-time graduate students at OISE and is responsible for sharing information about OISE with the student associations, making student concerns heard by the administration, and initiating action on behalf of the students. GSA newsletters are posted on news boards on every floor of 252 Bloor. The GSA lounge and office are located in Room 8-105. For more information contact the OISE GSA at 416-926-4724 or at gsa@oise.utoronto.ca.
The Student Teachers' Union
The Student Teachers' Union provides opportunities for professional development, works on a democratic basis to advance students' interests and rights, and provides a framework through which students can communicate and share experiences and skills. The STU brings students together to discuss and achieve important educational, administrative, and legislative change. The STU office is located beside the lounge area on the 5th floor and the STU Executive can be contacted at stu.oise@utoronto.ca.
The OISE International Students Association (OISE ISA)
The OISE ISA represents all the international students at OISE. It organizes and sponsors cultural activities, and looks into the specific needs of international students. ISA holds an election every year in the Winter term. Its office is located in Room 8-107, 252 Bloor Street West (inside the GSA suite), the telephone number is 416-926-4733, and the email address is isa@oise.utoronto.ca.
U of T Unions and Associations
The U of T Graduate Students Union (GSU)
Located at 16 Bancroft, on the western edge of the Earth Sciences Centre at the end of Bancroft Avenue, the GSU is the official graduate student government at the U of T. As a graduate student at the University, you automatically become a member of the GSU and are therefore entitled to access all its services and facilities. For further information, please refer to The GSU Survival Handbook, which is updated yearly, or contact them at 416-978-2391 or via email at info.gsu@utoronto.ca.
The University of Toronto Students' Union
The University of Toronto Students' Union represents the 40,000 full-time undergraduates at the University of Toronto. OISE B.Ed. students are represented on the Union through elected representatives.
The U of T International Student Association (ISA)
The UofT ISA is a group of international and Canadian students who get together for social events, such as cultural evenings, plays, poetry nights, pub nights, and weekly lunches. All University of Toronto students are welcome to join.
CUPE Local 3907
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3907
The Union is important to you if you are an OISE Graduate Assistant (GA). It represents all the GAs at OISE and provides a number of useful services to its members, which includes bargaining with the administration for salary and benefits improvement. The current benefits available for CUPE members include a vision care plan, maternity and parental leave, sick leave, reimbursement of the cost of visa student employment authorization, work-related conference expenses, and thesis/research paper production costs.
In each department, a steward is elected or appointed yearly in September from among the GAs. The steward acts as a link between the Union and the GAs in the department, and any problems you might encounter in your work throughout the year are the concern of the departmental steward. For further information about the Union, and your rights and benefits as a GA, read the publications, drop by the contact office in Room 8-104, 252 Bloor Street West, 416-926-4728, or send an e-mail to cupe3907@oise.utoronto.ca.