GSGA March Newsletter

March 14, 2024

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Dear CUNY SPH community,

Happy March! We hope this message finds you in good health and high spirits as we step into the spring season. As the semester continues, we hope you’re embracing the challenges and successes that come your way. For those of you who have midterms, good luck, you got this!

We hope your March is filled with warmth, growth, and enjoyable experiences. Here’s to a month of new beginnings and exciting possibilities!

Sincerely,

Your 2023-2024 GSGA

GSGA President: Zaire S. Ali

GSGA Vice President: Shari Jardine

GSGA Treasurer: Antionette Latrice Wearing

GSGA Communications Officer: Pankti Patel

GSGA Doctoral Senator: Amena El-Harakeh

GSGA Masters Senators: Nimra Rahman & Valerie Michailovich

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Call for Nominations for GSGA and Governance Council Student Elections!

The CUNY SPH and the Graduate Student Government Association are seeking nominations for student representatives to serve on the Graduate Student Government Association (GSGA), the CUNY SPH Governance Council (GC) the SPH Committee for Equity and Inclusion and the CUNY SPH Faculty-Student Disciplinary Committee for the 2024-2025 academic year. Student representation on the GSGA, GC, CEI and FSDC is critical to ensuring student priorities and needs are being met.

Eligibility

All matriculated students in good standing are eligible to be nominated and elected to serve for 1-year terms, renewal up to 3 years. Students can be nominated and elected to serve on more than one body (GSGA, GC, FSDC) or Committee. All nominees should plan to be enrolled in both the fall 2024 and spring 2025 semesters. Students planning to graduate in fall 2024 are not eligible to be nominated.

Election Timeline

Online nominations will be open beginning Monday, March 11 at 12:00am EST through Friday, March 29 at 11:59 PM EST. To self-nominate, please use this nomination form link. While students cannot nominate another student, they can strongly encourage their peers to nominate themselves!

Online voting will take place from Monday, April 8 at 12:00am through Friday, April 26 at 11:59 PM EST.

All candidates will be permitted to campaign throughout the entire voting period in accordance with University Rules and are invited to attend a GSGA sponsored Candidates’ Forum to be held the week of April 8, 2024. The exact date and details will be determined once the candidates are identified and certified.

For more information about the Committee for Equity and Inclusion (CEI) and the responsibilities of student representatives, please visit here.

Please check your student email for more information regarding the student nominations.

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SIPH Virtual Public Health Event

RSVP

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CUNY SPH Anti-Hate Initiative Workshops

CUNY SPH has been awarded a grant from the Chancellor’s Office to implement CUNY’s Anti‐Hate Initiative, a virtual education series provided by Right To Be (formerly called Hollaback!). Right To Be is a social justice organization whose evidence-based training equips learners with a memorable and accessible toolkit on what to do in the face of negative behavior.

The CUNY SPH Anti-Hate Initiative series of workshops are open to all CUNY SPH students, faculty, and staff. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. We look forward to your participation!

The next session, Bystander Intervention to Support the LGBTQIA+ Community will be on March 20 at 12pm.

March 20 | 12pm – 1pm | Virtual | RSVP

This one-hour, interactive training will teach you Right To Be’s 5Ds of bystander intervention methodology. We’ll start by discussing the types of disrespect that LGBTQIA+ folks are facing right now — from microaggressions to violence — using a tool we call the “spectrum of disrespect.” You’ll learn what to look for, and bystander intervention positively impacts individuals and communities. We’ll talk through five strategies for intervention: distract, delegate, document, delay, and direct, and how to prioritize your safety while intervening. We’ll have time in the end for practice, and you’ll leave feeling more confident intervening the next time you see anti-LGBTQIA+ harassment.

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CUNY LGBTQI+ Conference (3rd Annual)

Register using this link

Join the CUNY LGBTQI+ Council for their Third Annual Student Conference at the College of Staten Island on Friday, March 22, 2024, from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM EST. This year’s conference, themed “Queer, There, and Everywhere!” promises an inspiring day of empowerment, education, and community building.

Featuring workshops, discussions, and networking opportunities, the event aims to explore the nuances of leadership for social change and envision an inclusive future for CUNY and beyond. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni are all invited to participate in this dynamic gathering of Queer & Trans individuals and allies.

Highlighting the day’s program is a keynote address by Blair Imani, a renowned historian, author, and advocate. Imani’s groundbreaking work spans intersectionality, gender studies, race, and LGBTQ rights, inspiring audiences worldwide.

The first 200 attendees will receive a complimentary copy of her latest book, “Read This to Get Smarter,” a testament to her commitment to education and empowerment. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with Blair Imani and join the movement for positive change.

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Parenting While Earning a Degree: Joys, Challenges, Strategies, and Community

Date: Monday, March 25, 2024 |10:00 AM – 11:30 AM EST

Location: Hybrid (Zoom or In-Person at The CUNY Graduate Center)

RSVP using this link

Join the Futures Initiative for a University Worth Fighting For (UWFF) public event. Being a parent and a scholar can feel nearly impossible, yet there are many parents across CUNY’s 25 campuses earning degrees, who find new possibilities where we least expect them. Join us on Monday, March 25, 2024, for a hybrid event (in-person and zoom) on Parenting While Earning a Degree. We welcome parent-scholars, CUNY students of all levels, people considering becoming parents, and faculty and staff who want to learn how they can better support students who are parents. The event will feature a panel of experts, parents, and students, including speakers from the CUNY School of Public Health and the CUNY Graduate Center’s Wellness Center, who will share resources and present research about earning a degree while parenting. Join us to learn, join us to share your own experiences and strategies, and join us to expand your community of parent-scholars! Light refreshments will be served for those attending in-person at the CUNY Graduate Center.

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Public Health Everywhere: Nontraditional Career Paths

Tuesday, March 26 | 10:00am – 3:30pm ET | CUNY SPH Auditorium (Rm 708) | Register Here

CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy is proud to present Public Health Everywhere: Nontraditional Career Paths, an exciting symposium showcasing the creativity, ingenuity, and spirit of public health across professional sectors. This is the perfect opportunity to discover diverse career paths in public health and law, the arts, media, the environment, advocacy, and entrepreneurship. Are you ready to meet incredible industry leaders through keynote panels, interactive breakout sessions, and networking? Visit the event website for in-person and Zoom registration details, speaker bios, the agenda, and more.

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CUNY Food Justice Leadership Fellowship

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February Highlights

Join us in celebrating the success of two remarkable events hosted by the GSGA – the Back-To-School Social and Movie Night!

The Back-To-School Social on February 27th and the Movie Night, “Hitting Home,” on February 29th were a hit, bringing students together for fun, networking, and positive discussions. Thanks to all who joined and contributed. More events coming soon to enhance your graduate student experience!

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NYS Open Meetings Law

Pursuant to the New York State Open Meetings Law, SPH students and members of the public have the right to attend meetings of the Graduate Student Government Association without voice. We will be holding our next meeting on March 21, 2024.

Should you like to attend this meeting and observe, you may do so. Our meetings are currently being held virtually, so if you would like to sit in on one of these meetings send an email to gsga@sphmail.cuny.edu at least 24 hours before the time of the meeting and we will send the Zoom link.

A full list of SPH events can be accessed here.

Keep an eye out for updates as more events are added – you can also view up-and-coming events and public health news on our Twitter and Instagram pages, and join our private student group on Facebook.