Gradlife

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Didn’t make it to our Gradlife Campus Tours last week? Not to worry, we’ve got you covered! For those of you new to campus, or who are returning to campus but want to know more about the resources available to grad students, read on. Below is a picture of the route we took, with some info about each of the places we stopped. If you have any questions, send us a message on facebook , or follow us on twitter (@UofTGradlife) to stay tuned with what’s coming to you from the Gradlife office.

Legend:

Grey Star – Start @ 65 St. George St., Schools of Graduate Studies (SGS)

Yellow Circle – Stop @ Cumberland House

Orange Circle – Stop @ Koffler Student Services

Pink Circle – Stop @ GSU, Multi-faith Centre, Bike Chain

Purple Circle – Stop @ Grad Room/Grad House, Athletic Centre

Black Circle – Stop @ 21 Sussex Ave.

Brown Circle – Stop @ Hart House

Red Star – End @ 65 St. George St., School of Graduate Studies (SGS)

School of Graduate Studies (SGS)

• Graduate Professional Skills Program (GPS)
  • runs the Leadership Skills for Grads workshops
• Counsellor dedicated to grad students
• Newly renovated student lounge – with coffee and cookies (for the tour times only)! Feel free to hang out, anytime
• September 5, Graduate Orientation “Making the Most of your Graduate Experience”
• Website: tips on living in Toronto if you’re new
• Collaborates with other departments like the CIE
  • Free movie nights
  • Intercultural communication workshops
  • Step-Up Orientation for International Grad Students (Aug 31)

Cumberland House

• Centre for International Experience – exchange and transition support
  • Orientation for International/Exchange Grad Students: Aug. 31^st
• Partners with the School of Graduate Studies (SGS)
  • English writing support, for native and non-native speakers (called the Graduate Centre for Academic Communication)
    • GCAC is located at 704 Spadina Ave.
  • Offers workshops on intercultural communication
• Gradlife Ambassador program
• Free movie nights (movies are screened at Innis College, just North of Robarts on St. George)

Koffler Student Services Building

• Bookstore
• Academic Success Centre
  • Learning strategists/workshops/graduate writing group/graduate centre for academic communication/
• Conflict Resolution Centre for grads only (book an appointment with G2G peers online to chat about problems with your thesis, your supervisor, etc.)
• Health & Wellness Centre (drop-in or appointment; first time appointment you make it by phone, and it’s very easy to do; suggest making an appointment so they don’t wait & so they get a spot, walk-in spaces fill up quickly)
• Family Care Office (for students with kids or other family responsibilities)
  • Orientation for students with family responsibilities is Sep. 16
• T-Card Office (to access gym, libraries, and to get your TTC student discount card)
• Housing Office
• Career Services
  • Flexible Futures series for grads (learn about diverse careers, explore your interests, plan your career, experiential and peer-to-peer learning, etc.)
• Second Cup
• Student life & AskMe (ask students there any questions about facilities, programs, resources, libraries, etc. on campus)

GSU (Grad Student’s Union)

• home of the Grad Student Union (dental, health insurance)
  • Welcome BBQ with grad-specific info fair on Sep. 6 (4-8pm)
• Harvest Noon Café
  • Local and organic food
  • Board games
  • Used by Gradlife for trivia nights
• GSU pub (365 days a year)
• Grad Minds (offers free healthy living and PD activities for students)
• UTGSU weekly digest office
  • Still hiring coordinator and photographer, check their website for details
• Free intramurals for all grad students,

Accessibility Services

• 455 Spadina, at the corner of Spadina & College

Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Office

• Located at 704 Spadina (street behind Koffler house)
• Referrals for counselling, workshops, connect students with medical care/legal counsel/housing, etc.

Bike Chain

• Free bicycle rental for U of T students (you have to go in person to book it)
• workshops on bicycle safety and repairs
• free “Do It Yourself” bicycle repairs (access to space & tools & mechanics to guide you)
• offer a women/trans/gender non-binary space of their own to work on bike repairs on Tuesdays from 6-9pm

Multifaith Centre

• Home of the Community Partnership Program (CPP), a great organization to join if you want to get involved in the Toronto community while you’re at U of T
• Location of the Transitioning to Gradlife orientation run by Gradlife on Sep. 11
• Has:
  • Fun Food & Friends drop-in Wednesdays at 4
  • Massage Thursdays from 2-4
  • Being Authentic workshop
  • Spirituality & Social Justice Film Series (interdepartmental initiative)
  • VEDA café (Halal food options)

First Nations House for Indigenous students

• On Spadina, around the corner from Koffler house
• Runs workshops and learning opportunities with Elders

Athletics Centre

• The largest recreational gym on campus
• Has: pool, running track, basketball courts, squash court, weight rooms, etc.
• Used a lot by varsity teams [be careful of scheduling for when you can use the equipment and the track, there are some days/hours reserved to varsity teams (info on this is on the Athletics Centre website)]
• Other gyms: Hart House & Goldring Centre
• All gym locker rooms are following an initiative called “The Change Room Project” (especially designed to make members of the LGBTQ+ community feel comfortable and safe in their persons, and in their school space)

Grad Room/Grad House

• Grad Room is the study & workshop space FOR GRADS
• Grad Room has peer advisors (ask questions about: life as a grad, including events/workshops/jobs/volunteering/writing support, and more)
• Grad Room has: Second Cup, Gradminds yoga sessions, visits from St. John’s puppies, professional development sessions, etc.
• Grad House is the graduate student residence on campus, there is also a family housing unit just off campus

21 Sussex

• office of the clubs on campus, including Graduate Life & Leadership for Grads & the CCR office
  • GradEscape: Games Social @ Hart House, September 21
  • GradTalks: Sharing & Publishing Your Research, September 19
  • Transitioning to Gradlife Orientation: Tips, Tricks & Making Connections, Sep. 11
• Sexual Gender & Diversity Office
  • Q21 Conversation Café: every Thursday, 3-4 (drop in)
  • Queer Orientation Sep. 25-30, check their website or FB for details
• Check out the CLN (career learning network) for opportunities to work with Student Life or Gradlife, they are still hiring for the 2017-2018 school term
• Campus police
• they have an open house in October with free candy and cool drop-in activities so you can learn about all of the clubs and programs offered

Robarts Library

• tours for the first few weeks of school so you can learn the ins/outs (ONLY UNTIL September 4)
  • Reference & Research: drop-in M-F, 1pm & 5pm
  • Robarts Library (general): drop-in M-F, 830am & 11am
• awesome librarians who run workshops on how to do research
• Can book consultations with librarians to get help/direction with your research; they’ll try to match you with someone who has experience in your specific area
• CTSI – Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation, run the Teaching Assistants Training Program
• Features: open 24/7 during exam season, cafeteria, ATM, Ask Me desk

Hart House

• Gym
• Hart House Theatre
• $5 lunch days, International cuisine café
• Library rooms for studying
• “Get Crafty” events & Board Games Café
• Family Sundays once/month
  • First: Bubble Fun, Sep. 17 (see front desk or website for registration)
• Open-house BBQ, “Explore Hart House” on Sept. 14, 12-2pm (where you can try out a bunch of their programs and get free BBQ in return)