Suicide Prevention Week Initiatives

Buffalo Out of the Darkness Walk for Suicide Prevention

The UB Student Wellness Team (Counseling, Health and Wellness) has played a huge roll in planning and staffing the Buffalo Out of the Darkness Walk since its inception 10 years ago.  On September 9th, 2017, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Western New York Chapter (AFSP-WNY) will host its Tenth Annual Out of the Darkness Community Walk in Buffalo.  The walk will take place at Delaware Park, near the Buffalo Zoo. Funds raised from this event will facilitate suicide prevention research, educational programs, community outreach and survivor support. The walk will raise awareness about depression and mental illness, and the toll suicide takes on our community and on society. Suicide is a major national health concern that touches millions of people each year, taking an enormous toll on family, friends, co-workers, and the entire community.  Every year, nearly 1 million Americans attempt suicide, more than 40,000 die by suicide, and more than 20 million are affected by depression

Walk Video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wOD4dpv2oo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmjmr1pt3KE&feature=youtu.be

We need you! Please consider creating a team or join as an individual walker at: https://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=4482

Or join the UB Walkin’ Team at https://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.team&teamID=133892

If you have any questions you can contact me at the email address below.

Best,

Carissa

Carissa Uschold, LCSW-R, RYT
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Suicide Prevention Coordinator
Eating Disorder Treatment Team Coordinator
University at Buffalo Counseling Services
120 Richmond Quad
Buffalo, New York 14261
cuschold@buffalo.edu
office. 716.645-2720
fax.716.645-2175

Petition for TA Living Stipend

The English Department has begun an attempt to secure a living stipend for Teaching Assistants. We are beginning to reach out to other departments, as we feel this is an issue for many TAs that would garner widespread support from graduate students and faculty.

Our hope is that this increase for which we are advocating might eventually apply to TAs within the SUNY system, but we also want to create awareness and support on this campus. We are hoping to bring this issue to the GSEU, but we also understand that stipend levels are different at different universities, and that the floor for TA stipends is quite low generally. Additionally, our GSEU staff here is limited and overworked.

For more information, please view the Petition: https://goo.gl/forms/dotI66OCdXUnoA902

Summer Research Institute

The Department of Sociology at the University at Buffalo is hosting a series of two-day research methods workshops in May. The links below describe the Summer Research Institute and the five modules that will be offered.

For more information: http://www.cas.buffalo.edu/summer-research-institute

To register: https://www.ubevents.org/event/research2017

Summer Research Institute

Please feel free to contact us directly via email at soc-sri@buffalo.edu or at adelman4@buffalo.edu.

University Council Election ~ Vote Now!

Voting for the 2017 election for the University Council Representative is officially open and will close on Thursday, April 27 at 5:00pm. All University at Buffalo students are eligible to vote through UBLinked below.

https://buffalo.collegiatelink.net/election/start/127737

Responsibilities of the University Council Representative include:

• Sit on the University Council, which serves as the primary oversight and advisory body to the University at Buffalo and its president and senior officers.
• Represent the 30,000 students who attend the University at Buffalo.
• Chair of the Council of Advocacy and Leadership (COAL), a committee consisting of leadership from UB’s 7 student governments.
• Serve as an ex-officio member of the Faculty Staff Senate.

More information on the University at Buffalo Council can be found at http://www.buffalo.edu/ubcouncil.html.

GSA Election and Referendum Results

The GSA Election Committee is pleased to announce the results of the 2017-2018 GSA Officer Elections and Referendum vote:

President:

Tanja Aho: 478
(190 abstentions)

Vice President:

Amy Miu: 509
(159 abstentions)

Treasurer:

Anastasia Stepanova: 322
Tilottama Turkar: 263
(83 abstentions)

These elected candidates will officially take office as of June 1, 2017.

Referendum:

That the student activity fee be MANDATORY for all graduate students: 378
That the student activity fee be VOLUNTARY for all graduate students: 290

I support raising the student activity fee $4.00 from $64.00 to $68.00

No: 348
Yes: 320

Thank you to all of the graduate students who participated in these votes!

Sincerely,

GSA Election Committee

Alexandra Agostinelli (EC Chair)
Connor Walters (EC)
Tanvi Jain  (EC)
Roberto Azaretto (EC)
Shawn Rooney (EC)

 

Town Hall Meeting on the GSA Budget (RESCHEDULED)

RESCHEDULED

The GSA is in the process of preparing the budget for the 2017-2018 fiscal year.  In order to balance the budget we will need to make some adjustments to our current allocations.  In order to discuss these proposed adjustments in full detail with the student body, the E-board will be hosting a Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, March 15th from 2:00 – 3:00pm Monday, March 27th from 3:00 – 4:00pm in the GSA Conference Room (310 Student Union).  All graduate students are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Students are also welcome to voice their opinions at the GSA Finance Committee meeting on Wednesday, March 29th at 7:00pm where the final drafts of the budgets will be voted on for recommendation to the Senate.  Please note that due to the limited space available we ask all students planning to attend this meeting to RSVP to the GSA Treasurer (gsa-treasurer@buffalo.edu) by 4:30pm on Monday, March 27, 2017.