GSA Standing Committees

Composition & Current Membership

The work of the GSA is supported by the efforts of eight Standing Committees. Committee composition and mandate are provided below, with further information available in GSA Policy.

The eight Standing Committees are:

Get Involved

If you are interested in committee service, please watch for advertisements from the GSA Nominating Committee in the GSA newsletter, or directly to GSA Council.

You may also e-mail gsa.nomcomm@ualberta.ca for additional information.

GSA Appeals and Complaints Board (GSA ACB)

GSA ACB Mandate Summary:

The GSA ACB is responsible for hearing and deciding appeals of GSA Chief Returning Officer decisions and complaints about GSA Officers as allowed by Section 94(3) of the Post-Secondary Learning Act.


Click here to see the COMPOSITION and MANDATE of the GSA ACB (Section H: Performance, Conduct, Responsibilities, and Attendance, and the GSA Appeals and Complaints Board).

GSA ACB Hearing Committees, Sample Procedures for Hearings: FOR INFORMATION - NOT PART OF GSA POLICY

GSA ACB Hearing Summary Template Elements: FOR INFORMATION - NOT PART OF GSA POLICY

GSA ACB Membership:

Chair of the GSA ACB & GSA Councillor Nicholas Ruel (Pharmacology)
Vice-Chair of the GSA ACB & Member of the GSA Benjamin Decardi-Nelson (Chemical & Materials Engineering)
Member of the GSA Danielle Littlefair (Business - MBA)
Member of the GSA Alexandra Loverock (Public Health)
Member of the GSA Emmanuel Marfo (Nursing)
Member of the GSA Alexandra Ouellette Zuk (Neuroscience)
Member of the GSA Mariam Mohamed (Occupational Therapy)
Member of the GSA Janine Tine (Elementary Education)
Member of the GSA Christina Saed (Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences)
GSA Councillor Jessica Kennedy (Human Ecology)
GSA Councillor Kenzie Gordon (Media & Technology Studies)
GSA Councillor Laura Manerus (Biological Sciences)
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GSA Awards Selection Committee (GSA ASC)

GSA ASC Mandate Summary:

The GSA ASC selects the recipients of the GSA Council-approved GSA Recognition Awards and reviews Policy on GSA Recognition Awards annually and makes any recommendations to GSA Council.

Click here to see the COMPOSITION and MANDATE of the GSA ASC (Section O: GSA Recognition Awards).

GSA ASC Membership:

Vice-President External and Chair of the GSA ASC

Mohd Tahsin Bin Mostafa (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
Vice-President Student Services and Vice-Chair of the GSA ASC

Paresh Kumar (Engineering Management)
Member of the GSA Amber Ali (Pediatrics)
Member of the GSA Breanne Aylward (Public Health)
Member of the GSA Thomas Cam (Electrical Engineering)
Member of the GSA Donny Cheng (Electrical & Computer Engineering)
Member of the GSA Charan Jirra (Mechanical Engineering)
Member of the GSA Matthias Lottmann (Mechanical Engineering)
Member of the GSA Priscilla Luu (Educational Policy Studies)
Member of the GSA Mukt Patel (Surgery)
Member of the GSA -
Member of the GSA -
Member of the GSA -
Member of the GSA -
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GSA Board (GSAB)

GSAB Mandate Summary:

The GSAB is the senior administrative authority of the GSA and the discussion forum for the GSA Officers and Directors.

Click here to see the COMPOSITION and MANDATE of the GSAB (Section F: GSA Standing Committees).

GSAB Membership:

President and Chair of the GSAB Anas Fassih (Political Science)
Vice-President Academic Kathy Haddadkar (Music)
Vice-President External Mohd Tahsin Bin Mostafa (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
Vice-President Labour Jessica Grenke (Biological Sciences)
Vice-President Student Services Paresh Kumar (Engineering Management)
GSA Councillor (non-voting) To be filled
GSA Councillor (non-voting) To be filled
GSA Councillor (non-voting) To be filled
Senator (non-voting) Peter Isesele (Agricultural, Food, & Nutritional Science)
Speaker (non-voting) Lauren Hill (Political Science)
Executive Director (non-voting) Courtney Thomas
Associate Director (non-voting) Erika Heiberg
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GSA Budget and Finance Committee (GSA BFC)

GSA BFC Mandate Summary:

The GSA BFC advises on the financial affairs of the GSA and on the provision of the long-term financial health of the GSA. Members are expected, by GSA Council, to rise above any local/departmental views or issues and to take into account the needs of the GSA as a whole.


Click here to see the COMPOSITION and MANDATE of the GSA BFC (Section K: Finances).

GSA Budget and Finance Committee Membership:

President and Chair of the GSA BFC Anas Fassih (Political Science)
Vice-President Labour and Vice-Chair of the GSA BFC Jessica Grenke (Biological Sciences)
GSA Councillor Omnath Ekambaram (Chemical & Materials Engineering)
Member of the GSA Maria Bartoli (Business)
Member of the GSA Solbee Seo (Mechanical Engineering)
Executive Director (non-voting) Courtney Thomas
Accountant (non-voting) Shirley Ball
Financial Manager (non-voting) Dorte Sheikh

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GSA Elections and Referenda Committee (GSA ERC)

GSA ERC Mandate Summary:

The GSA ERC advises the CRO on all matters pertaining to elections, referenda, and by-elections. The GSA ERC also reviews Elections and Referenda Bylaws and Policies and makes recommendations annually to GSA Council.

Click here to see the COMPOSITION and MANDATE of the GSA ERC (Section I: Elections).

GSA ERC Membership:

Chair of the GSA ERC & Member of the GSA Jennifer Bertrand (Kinesiology, Sports, and Recreation)
Vice-Chair of the GSA ERC Ramin Fathian (Mechanical Engineering)
Member of the GSA Shiyu Teng (Mechanical Engineering)
Member of the GSA Gangyi Li (Electrical & Computer Engineering)
Member of the GSA Elisabeth Kezia Widjaja (Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science)
GSA Councillor To be filled
Chief Returning Officer (non-voting) Muneeb Mohiuddin (Civil & Environmental Engineering)
Deputy Returning Officer (non-voting) Sophie Shi (Chemical & Materials Engineering)
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GSA Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee (GSA EDIC)

GSA EDIC Mandate Summary:

The GSA EDIC works to ensure that the GSA reflects the principles of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) for all its members in the interests of enhancing the graduate student experience and ensuring the existence of a welcoming environment and cohesive community for graduate students on campus.

Click here to see the COMPOSITION and MANDATE of the GSA EDIC (Section F: GSA Standing Committees, GSA Policy, GSA Standing Committees).

GSA EDIC Membership:

President and Chair of the GSA EDIC Anas Fassih (Political Science)
Vice-President Student Services and Vice-Chair of the GSA EDIC Paresh Kumar (Engineering Management)
Member of the GSA Claudia Althoen (Earth & Atmospheric Sciences)
Member of the GSA Mashal Shoukat (Nursing)
Member of the GSA Kallum McDonald (Agriculture, Food, & Nutritional Science)
Member of the GSA Shalea Nichols (Political Science) 
Member of the GSA Ana Perdomo (Business - MBA)
Member of the GSA Andrea Petryk (Business Administration - MBA)
Member of the GSA Varshini Prakash (Computing Science)
Member of the GSA Nicole Rodriguez (Pediatrics)
Member of the GSA Danni Xu (Nursing)
Member of the GSA Lisa Zhu (Business - MBA)
Executive Director (non-voting) Courtney Thomas 
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GSA Governance Committee (GSA GC)

GSA GC Mandate Summary:

The GSA GC advises GSA Council on GSA Bylaw and matters of GSA Policy not in the purview of any other Standing Committee and reports recommended changes to GSA Council. The GSA GC also makes any routine or editorial changes to the governance documents as deemed necessary by the Committee.

Click here to see the COMPOSITION and MANDATE of the GSA GC (Section F: GSA Standing Committees).

GSA GC Membership:

President and Chair of the GSA GC Anas Fassih (Political Science)
Vice-President Labour and Vice-Chair of the GSA GC Jessica Grenke (Biological Sciences)
GSA Councillor Hope Eze (English & Film Studies)
GSA Councillor To be filled
GSA Councillor To be filled
Speaker (non-voting) Lauren Hill (Political Science)
Executive Director (non-voting) Courtney Thomas
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GSA Labour Relations Committee (GSA LRC)

GSA LRC Mandate Summary:

The GSA LRC discusses issues of concern regarding academically-employed graduate students and the Collective Agreement.

Click here to see the COMPOSITION and MANDATE of the GSA LRC (Section Q: Collective Bargaining).

GSA LRC Membership:

Vice-President Labour and Chair of the GSA LRC Jessica Grenke (Biological Sciences)
Vice-Chair of the GSA LRC Nayiar Shahid (Pharmacology)
Member of the GSA and Academically-Employed Graduate Student Alex Bunten-Walberg (English & Film Studies)
Member of the GSA and Academically-Employed Graduate Student Aminreza Khandan (Mechanical Engineering)
Member of the GSA and Academically-Employed Graduate Student Molly Swain (Native Studies)
Member of the GSA and Academically-Employed Graduate Student Md Mizanur Rahman (Electrical & Computer Engineering)
Member of the GSA and Academically-Employed Graduate Student Maryam Adesunkanmi (Obstetrics & Gynecology)
Member of the GSA and Academically-Employed Graduate Student Josephine Bolaji (Human Ecology)
Member of the GSA and Academically-Employed Graduate Student Yucong Dayton Chen (Chemical & Materials Engineering)
Faculty Steward (Agricultural, Life & Environmental Science) (non-voting) To be filled
Faculty Steward (Arts) (non-voting) To be filled
Faculty Steward (Business) (non-voting) To be filled
Faculty Steward (Campus St. Jean) (non-voting) To be filled
Faculty Steward (Education) (non-voting) To be filled
Faculty Steward (Engineering) (non-voting) MD Habibur Rahaman
Faculty Steward (Kinesiology, Sport & Recreation) (non-voting) To be filled
Faculty Steward (Law) (non-voting) To be filled
Faculty Steward (Medicine & Dentistry) (non-voting) Kevin Joannou
Faculty Steward (Native Studies) (non-voting) Molly Swain
Faculty Steward (Nursing) (non-voting) To be filled
Faculty Steward (Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences) (non-voting) Mohammed Abdel Wahd Elkhatib
Faculty Steward (Public Health) (non-voting) To be filled
Faculty Steward (Rehabilitation Medicine) (non-voting) To be filled
Faculty Steward (Science) (non-voting) Brette Harris
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GSA Nominating Committee (GSA NoC)

GSA NoC Mandate Summary:

The GSA NoC selects and replenishes graduate student representatives to Councils, committees, and bodies requiring such representation other than ex-officio representation by the President, Vice-Presidents, or Directly-Elected Officers.

Click here to see the COMPOSITION and MANDATE of the GSA NoC (Section E: Nominating).

GSA NoC Membership:

Member of the GSA and Chair of the GSA NoC Kenzie Gordon (Media & Technology Studies)
Member of the GSA and Vice-Chair of the GSA NoC Qiuyu Sun (Pediatrics)
Member of the GSA Elisabeth Kezia Widjaja (Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science)
Member of GSA Council To be filled
Member of GSA Council To be filled
President (non-voting) Anas Fassih (Political Science)
Executive Director (non-voting) Courtney Thomas
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