The Art History and Communication Studies Graduate Students Association (AHCS GSA) is comprised of all graduate students and postdoctoral fellows currently registered in the Department of Art History and Communication Studies.
The mission and goals of the AHCS GSA are to improve student and faculty interactions; to provide graduate students with a forum for discussion, including voicing concerns and addressing department issues; to facilitate graduate student involvement in McGill associations, committees, and unions; and to help create a presence within the Department of Art History and Communication Studies that will help shape and mold the department to the benefit of students.
The AHCS GSA constitution may be viewed here: ahcs_gsa_constitution.pdf.
Who We Are
Co-Presidents
Vaughan Balderston (AH) - kyle [dot] balderston [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca
Lotfi Gouigah (CS) - lotfi [dot] gouigah [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca
Vice-President & Events Co-ordinator
Alan Hui-Bon-Hoa - alan [dot] hui-bon-hoa [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca
Treasurer
Hannah McElgunn - hannah [dot] mcelgunn [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca
PGSS Councilors
Alexandra Turnbull (AH) -alexandra [dot] turnbull [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca
Gretchen King (CS) - gretchen [dot] king [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca
Mercelie Dionne-Petit (At-Large) - mercelie [dot] dionne-petit [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca
AGSEM Reps
Heather Francis (AH) - heather [dot] francis [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca
Chris Gutierrez (CS): christopher [dot] gutierrez [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca
Conference Rep
Sara Kowalski - sara [dot] kowalski [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca
What We Do
President
Duties including convening, conducting and chairing meetings of AHCS_GSA, acting as liaison officer in general and with Department faculty and as point figure for concerns, complaints, and/or issues. Speak to the president about anything you want. That is what they are there for.
VP
VP's are responsible, among other things, for notifying AHCS_GSA and other parties (including faculty when necessary) of upcoming meetings and to communicate GSA information (meetings, announcements, minutes, reports, events) via the program listservs. Speak to the VP should you have any issues you would like to see raised at a GSA meeting.
PGSS Councilors
Responsible for attending and voting at meetings of the Post Graduate Student Society, reporting back to the AHCS GSA on PGSS matters and representing AHCS student needs and concerns at the PGSS level. Speak to your PGSS reps if you want to know about how AHCS fits into the broader picture at McGill, or if you have major concerns that you want to see raised at the university level.
Treasurer
The treasurer's job is to maintain, coordinate, and communicate the status of the finances of the AHCS_GSA. S/he will be responsible for developing a budget and keeping records of expenditures throughout the year. The treasurer will act for the time being as an ad-hoc member of the Executive. This person is also responsible for helping to coordinate and/or catalyze GSA fundraising efforts.
Department Reps
Department reps sit in on Department faculty meetings and act as the liaisons between the faculty and the GSA. Specific departmental concerns (i.e. AH or CS) can be raised with the VP for that discipline.
Research/Academic Reps
Duties include advocacy and research for graduate research funding, coordinating and planning events, conferences, journal, speaker series, etc. Speak to your research/academic reps if you have a brilliant idea on any of the above, a suggestion for an initiative you'd like to see developed or if you want to help on any potential committees (i.e. conference, journal etc…)
AGSS Rep
The AGSS rep is responsible for representing the GSA at the Arts Graduate Student Society and for reporting back to the AHCS-GSA about the activities and decisions of the AGSS. Speak to your AGSS rep if you are interested in the activities of the newly created Arts Graduate Student Society, a society designed to give arts grads greater representation at the faculty level.
AGSEM Reps
The AGSEM rep will be the delegate from the TA union for AH or CS. Speak to your AGSEM reps if you have any TA related issues or concerns.
Survival Guide
Current and former graduate students in the department have put together an introductory guide to the city for incoming students new to Montreal: AHCS GSA Survival Guide