Graduate Student Group Award

The purpose of this award is to recognize the important role of GSA Graduate Student Groups in graduate student life. Only the activities of the GSA-registered Graduate Student Groups for the last twelve (12) months at the University of Alberta will be considered.

One award valued at $500 may be conferred annually. This award is funded by the Graduate Student Support Fund (GSSF).

The nomination period for the 2024 GSA Recognition Awards will open soon!

Submit your nominations from December 1, 2023 to January 15, 2024.

Winners will be notified in mid-February and asked to attend the GSA Awards Ceremony in March.


Eligibility

Any graduate student group currently registered as a GSA group with Student Group Services is eligible for this award.

Nomination Packages

Nominees must submit 1 copy of the completed nomination package for each Recognition Award for which they are submitting a nonination. All components of the nomination package must be received together by the GSA office in order for a nomination package to be considered complete. All materials must be submitted as a completed nomination package in the form of one PDF via e-mail to gsaad@ualberta.ca.

A completed nomination package must include ONLY the following components and no others:

  1. Completed Nomination Information Form for Graduate Student Groups.
  2. Two letters of support outlining how the nominated Group meets the criteria stated under Adjudication: Criteria.
    • Letters must be signed; electronic signatures are acceptable.
    • Letters must be submitted as part of the complete nomination package; letters sent separately will not be accepted.
  3. A description of the Group that includes an outline of the Group's activities during the last twelve months.
    • Supporting documents, such as conference programs or symposium posters (maximum four pages).
Late or Incomplete Nomination Packages
  • Incomplete packages will not be accepted or adjudicated.
  • Nomination packages received that are time-stamped after the nomination deadline will be considered late and will not be accepted or adjudicated.
  • Nomination packages will be considered incomplete without any of the components listed above and will not be accepted or adjudicated. Letters will not be accepted separately.
    • Advise your letter writers that letters submitted after the nomination deadline will not be accepted. Based on our past experiences with late letters of support, we encourage nominees to obtain letters of support well in advance of the deadline to ensure the nomination package is complete. We also strongly advise that nominees inform letter writers of the deadline information.
Adjudication

Criteria

The GSA Graduate Student Group Award will be adjudicated on the basis of two (2) criteria:

  1. Advocacy on behalf of graduate student members; and
  2. Promotion of graduate student engagement through academic activities.

Each criterion will be ranked on a scale of 1-5 (5 being high) and then added to determine the total rank for the nominee.

Policy and Procedure
  1. Nominations will be reviewed by the GSA staff for eligibility and completeness (see Eligibility Criteria and Nomination Information above).
  2. According to its mandate, the GSA Awards Selection Committee (GSA ASC) "is responsible for selecting the recipients of the Council-approved GSA Recognition Awards" and "the GSA ASC may decide not to give out an award in a particular category if a qualified candidate is not identified" (Section O: GSA Recognition Awards, GSA Policy, GSA Standing Committees, GSA Awards and Selection Committee, Sections O.POL.5.1 and O.POL.5.2).
  3. Results of the adjudication will be sent to nominees via email.