About GASPS
GASPS is the Graduate Association of Students in Political Science. Its role is to represent graduate students at the departmental level and at the faculty level through the Graduate Student’s Union (GSU).
GASPS's main objectives are to enhance the democratic participation of graduate students, create a safe and supportive community, and to provide resources and supports to all graduate students in the department. The executive and the board are democratically elected once a year and are responsible to the students in the department. Its funding is provided by the GSU.
Involvement
GASPS helps to ensure we, as students, have a voice in departmental affairs and a vehicle through which we can express our concerns and opinions regarding departmental policies and procedures. GASPS endeavors to represent graduate students’ concerns and provide information on such decisions as student funding, evaluation procedures, hiring of teaching and research assistants, course offerings, curriculum changes, hiring of new faculty members processes, etc. As such, becoming involved in GASPS is important to learn about such issues, to pass on any concerns or problems you may be experiencing, and to contribute to the departmental community.
GASPS has representatives in most departmental committees, including Priorities and Planning, Graduate Affairs, and Area Groups, and at the Graduate Students’ Union General Council. It also collaborates and consults with departmental leadership on a regular basis in order to improve our students’ working environment and conditions.
Strengthening Community
GASPS also aims to foster intellectual exchanges and social life among graduate students in order to build a strong community. Social events include the orientation week information sessions and picnic, GASPS parties, area group dinners, and other social gatherings that help to provide opportunities for students to socialize and get to know each other in a relaxed setting. We strongly encourage participation in these social events as well.”
Board Executive Committee 2025-26 (Elected in the Spring)
• Chairs: Piper Sterling and Marte Vroom
• Treasurer: Ozan Bozkaya
• Secretary: Sihan Ren
• Social Convenor: Natalie Playford and Alexandra Shkandrij
Board Members 2025-26 (Elected in the Fall)
Area Group Representatives:
- Canadian: Jérémie Drouin and Bradley Wood-MacLean
- Comparative: Danielle Bohonos and Mani Nouri
- Development: Sureya Ali
- International Relations: Destiny Kassa and Tasfia Zeba
- Political Theory: William Gregson and Vaishnavi Panchanadam
- Public Policy: Marte Vroom
Room Managers: vacant
Master's Student Representatives: Gabrielle Mann and Isabella Alaimo
International Student Representatives: Tasfia Zeba
Equity and Diversity Representatives: A.T. Craig and Destiny Kassa
Women’s Caucus Representatives: Tina Young and MaeMae Richardson
Union Representatives (CUPE Reps): Callum Shepard, Vaishnavi Panchanadam, and Avia Amon
External Representatives (GSU reps): Alexandra Shkandrij, Destiny Kassa, and Avia Amon
For more information about GASPS, contact Piper Sterling and/or Marte Vroom