Weekly update – Mar 28, 2011
Dear IRSAMers,
For many veterans, these are the final weeks as IRSAMers; for others, their IRSAM career is only just starting. What we all have and will continue to have in common, even after graduation: we’re IRSAMers to the bone. With the nomination period for IRSAM Board Elections ending tomorrow evening (Monday, March 28th) at 18:00, you still have time to prove your IRSAM mettle. Speeches will be held this Tuesday at the weekly meeting, and elections will be held the subsequent Tuesday (April 5th), with details pending; if you are eligible to vote, you will be receiving a separate string of emails in the coming days. For more IRSAM, keep reading…
1.1 IRSAM Board of Directors, Election Speeches
2.1 Yearbook
3.1 United Nations Job Vacancies, Independent Compilation
4.1 Battle of the Profs
5.1 Red & White Graduation Ball
1.1 IRSAM Board of Directors, Election Speeches
This week, come to the breakout room at 18:30 PM for IRSAM Board Election speeches! This is your chance to hear what board candidates have to say about their vision for the club next year and ask questions over the aspects of IRSAM that matter to you. Elections will take place the following week on April 5th between 12:00 and 17:30 in the SSMU lobby; see next week’s listserv for more details on that!
2.1 Yearbook
There is still time to order a yearbook! Numbers are limited, so email internal@irsam.ca soon to reserve yourself a copy.
3.1 United Nations Job Vacancies, Independent Compilation
For those who are interested, you may search this week’s vacancies at http://unjoblist.org/results.php?org%5B%5D=All+organisation+on+UN+Job+List%3A&dts=&ics1=ICS-08&ics2=ICS-09&O2=yes&kw=&Job=Search. The listed vacancies are for P-2 positions, though you may customize your preferences and sign up with your email address by clicking on the “E-mail alerts” tab on the left of your screen.
4.1 Battle of the Profs, Economics Student Association
Come out on Monday, March 28th to this year’s edition of the annual “Battle of the Profs”, hosted by the Economics Student Association. The event will take place in Leacock 232 and will begin at 17:30. This year’s topic has been inspired by recent events in Wisconsin: Unions – Are they a necessary voice in democracy, or an outdated and harmful institution? Four professors across the Economics, Sociology, and History Departments will debate the issue, while there will also be free pizza at the end! For more information, please see the FB event (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=186582928052371).
5.1 Red & White Graduation Ball, Arts Undergraduate Society
RED AND WHITE IS HERE!
Once a year we leave behind the grunginess of Montreal club-and-bar-culture to hit the swanky halls of Le Windsor for canapés, gourmet dinner, open bar, and chandeliers. It has been a long, hard road to walk and we’ve certainly had our moments, but when the papers have been written, the exams sat, and we finally let loose, its the undergrad years that we look back on in fondness. On April 1st, we invite you to the Red and White Ball held at Le Windsor, the classiest event of the year. The registration site is now live and tickets are available for sale. Please visit us at mcgillredandwhite.com or email redandwhite.grad@gmail.com for more information on ticket prices, menus, venue, and registration.
For those of you interested in dinner, please keep in mind that registration closes on Monday, March 28th! Ticket distribution centres are in Burnside Hall outside of 1B21 until Friday, March 25th, and in Leacock Lobby from Monday, March 28th – Wednesday, March 30th.
Weekly update – Mar 23, 2011
Dear IRSAMers,
The purpose of this message is to inform you of the IRSAM Board’s decision to reinstate the position of Vice President, Operations on the Board of Directors for the academic year 2011-2012. In order to clarify the distinct role of the VP Operations and distinguish that from the role of the VP Internal, please see point 1.1 below. For more IRSAM, keep reading…
1.1 VP Operations
2.1 McMUN USG IT
3.1 Canadian Lawyers Abroad
1.1 VP Operations
The role of the VP Operations is a crucial one on the IRSAM Board of Directors (BoD), particularly due to the club’s vision for creative and sustainable growth. The duties of the VP Operations are succinctly summarized by the following :
- Administration of the office and all equipment: this means establishing “office rules” and maintaing the functionality of the office. Additionally, the VP Operations will be called upon to secure room bookings for all IRSAM meetings and events.
- Preserving the internet presence of IRSAM: this basically involves maintenance of the website, which can be done by appointing a Web Manager, as was done this year.
- Publicity on the McGill campus: this duty is open to interpretation and can include diverse initiatives, from a newsletter publishing the weekly news on meetings/events/speakers series, etc. to blogging on the website. Additionally, this position will include publication of the Yearbook in future years.
NOTE: THIS POSITION IS DISTINCT FROM THAT OF THE VP INTERNAL. The role of the VP Internal is to organize the weekly meetings of the club, organize speakers series and other academic events through appointed coordinators, oversee the publication of the IRSAM journal by appointing an Editor-in-Chief, and recording the minutes of every meeting.
NOTE: THE BLURBS ON EACH OF THE NOMINATION FORMS ARE GUIDELINES FOR EACH PORTFOLIO. The purpose of separating the role of the VP Internal and the VP Operations into two distinct portfolios is due to our vision for sustainable growth in the club; as such, there is significant room for creativity and interpretation of each role.
NOTE: THE DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS REMAINS UNCHANGED. The nomination form for VP Operations is attached and due by Monday, March 28 by 18:00. All nominations may be submitted in person or dropped off in mailbox 101 on the fourth floor of the SSMU building. Additionally, please attach hard copies of your 300-word platform to your nomination form, and email a copy to president@irsam.ca by the aforementioned deadline.
For any questions, please contact Vassili Bazinas at president@irsam.ca.
The McGill Model United Nations Assembly 2012 is looking for a USG IT for its 22nd annual conference!
McMUN is the largest annual conference run at McGill University, and one of the largest MUN conferences in North America. With 1400 delegates coming from around the world, and over 300 staffers from McGill, it is the largest event on campus! It’s a great chance to meet hundreds of new people from every corner of the world, while gaining invaluable experience of organizing the logistics of running a demanding event. The experience is truly a varied and rewarding one.
The USG IT portfolio requires strong skills in web management (HTML, CSS, basic PHP), proficiency with design and imaging software (Adobe InDesign, Photoshop), knowledge of wireless and wired networking, strong interpersonal skills and the desire to innovate. If you think you meet these requirements, and are willing to put them to the test by taking on as challenging a project, then contact Nir Kumar, Secretary General at sg@mcmun.org.
3.1 Canadian Lawyers Abroad
Canadian Lawyers Abroad (Université de Montréal Chapter) is hosting a lecture by Dennis Edney, the lawyer for Omar Khadr, a Canadian child prisoner held at Guantanamo Bay. It will be held on March 24th at Université de Montréal in English.
Recipient of the Human Rights Medal in 2009, Attorney Edney will be discussing the case of Omar Khadr in relation to the rights of children and child soldiers, and he will also present his reaction to the Supreme Court’s decision.
Tickets (for $5) can be purchased from Faiz Lalani by contacting him at faiz.lalani@mail.mcgill.ca or in person at the March 22nd IRSAM meeting.
Seats are limited so reserve yours today! This is a talk not to be missed.
Weekly update – Mar 21, 2011
Dear IRSAMers,
To everything there is a season and inevitably it must turn. As we are planting the seeds for next year’s edition of IRSAM, we are looking for interested, passionate, and capable individuals to take over the reins for 2011-2012. Please find attached the nomination forms for each of the 5 available positions on the Board of Directors. Additionally, you will find an application for IRSim 2011 Coordinator, as the inaugural conference marches towards its second year of existence! Come to our Tuesday meeting this week (Breakout Room, 18:30) to hear what each one of the positions is responsible for, while also to hear from the delegation that attended the Commission on the Status of Women at UN Headquarters earlier this month. For more IRSAM, keep reading…
1.1 General Meeting
2.1 IRSim 2011 Coordinator Application
3.1 IRSAM Board of Directors 2011-2012
4.1 McMUN 2012 Secretariat
4.2 McMUN 2012 Deputy Applications extended
5.1 Delegations Trips
6.1 IRSAM Bake Sale
6.2 Yearbook
1.1 General Meeting
This Tuesday come to the breakout room at 6:30 for IRSAM’s General Meeting and CSW presentation! Learn about what IRSAM does as an NGO at the UN and what your exec members do all year!
2.1 IRSim 2011 Coordinator Application
The International Relations Simulation will be held again next year in October and IRSAM is looking for a coordinator to take charge of the project! The Coordinator will be responsible for organizing the 2-day conference, which saw an attendance of 100 people in its inaugural edition, while also appointing two directors for Logistics and Committees. Please fill out the attached application and send to our VP Delegations Robert Townley (delegations@irsam.ca) by Monday, March 28, no later than 18:00.
3.1 IRSAM Board of Directors 2011-2012
The positions available for next year’s Board of Directors are: VP Delegations, VP External, VP Internal, VP Finance, and President. Position descriptions and nomination forms are attached. These are due in the mailbox (B-101 Shatner 4th floor) on Monday, March 28, 2011 at 18:00. Please submit a hard copy of your platform (300 words), as well as the nomination form. Platforms must also be emailed to president@irsam.ca. All applicants must be paid members of IRSAM to run. For more information on each portfolio, please attend this Tuesday’s meeting. Speeches will be held on Tuesday, March 29 at the weekly meeting. For questions, please contact Vassili Bazinas at president@irsam.ca.
4.1 McMUN 2012 Secretariat
Congratulations to the McMUN 2012 Secretariat!
- Chargé d’Affaires: Mickaela Nixon
- USG Committee Affairs: Matias Cava
- USG Finance: Arjun Gogia
- USG Chief of Staff: Justin Roy
- USG Operations: Julien Celestino (aka: Dikembe)
- Director of Public Relations: Aditya Swarup
4.2 McMUN 2012 Deputy Applications extended
McMUN 2012 is looking for deputies! If you are hard-working, ambitious, and want to be a part of the 12-member team that organizes the continent’s largest and most professional conference for MUN, this is your chance! There are 4 positions available, 3 under the USG Committees portfolio and the other under the Public Relations portfolio. You will find more information in the attached application about the duties and responsibilities of each and can contact the Secretary General, Nir Kumar (contact info below), if you have any questions or concerns. The application is due no later than 10.00 PM on Tuesday, March 22nd via email to sg@mcmun.org. Don’t miss out!
5.1 Delegations Trips
IRSAM is looking into sending representatives to conferences on the weekend of April 1st through 3rd. The first, NYUMUNC, is a nascent conference put on by New York University, held in New York City on April 1st through 3rd (info available at http://www.nyumunc.org/) The second being West Point Security Conference, held at West Point Military Academy that same weekend (info available at http://www.dean.usma.edu/departments/sosh/Conferences/wpsc/WPSC/default.html) which is in West Point New York, and not NYC. The final, FCMUN, is held in rural Massachusetts at Mount Holyoke University. Information for this can be found at http://fcmun.org/ and this conference is also happening the same weekend (there’s a reason I’m picking these three for that weekend)
The entire cost of each of these conferences will have to be borne by delegates, with costs ranging from $140 to $320. For more information or to sign up, please contact our VP Delegations, Robert Townley, at delegations@irsam.ca.
6.1 IRSAM Bake Sale
This Wednesday IRSAM will be holding a bake sale in the leacock lobby! If you’d like to bake something, please let Ilana know (internal@irsam.ca) what you are bringing. Otherwise don’t forget to stop by the table for a tasty home-made treat!
6.2 Yearbook
Remember that time at SSUNS…? That IRSAM meeting when you met so-and-so for the first time? Want to remember these moments forever? Order your IRSAM yearbook and you can! Yearbooks will cost $5-8 dollars (exact price TBA), and if you order one now, you’ll get it before exams. Please place your order to Ilana (internal@irsam.ca) by Wednesday, March 23 to keep your IRSAM 2010-11 memories forever!
SO FAR THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ENOUGH YEARBOOK ORDERS FOR US TO PRINT ONE. If you want there to be a yearbook, ORDER YOURS TODAY!
On that note, if you have any pictures from conferences, delegations trips, external projects, or even just a regular meeting and you want to see your photos in the yearbook, please send them to internal@irsam.ca by March 23rd.
McMUN 2012 Deputy Application (DOCX)
President Nomination Form (DOC)
VP Delegations Nomination Form (DOC)
VP External Nomination Form (DOC)
Weekly update – Mar 13, 2011
Dear IRSAMers,
With the end of the year fast approaching there’s still plenty of IRSAM stuff to do. For more IRSAM, keep reading…
1.1 McMUN Deputy Applications
2.1 Tuesday Meeting (15 March 2011)
3.1 Delegations Trips
4.1 Order Your Yearbooks
4.2 Submit Photos For Yearbook
1.1 McMUN Deputy Applications
McMUN 2012 is looking for deputies! If you are hard-working, ambitious, and want to be a part of the 12-member team that organizes the continent’s largest and most professional conference for MUN, this is your chance! There are 4 positions available, 3 under the USG Committees portfolio and the other under the Public Relations portfolio. You will find more information in the attached application about the duties and responsibilities of each and can contact the Secretary General, Nir Kumar (contact info below), if you have any questions or concerns. The application is due no later by 10.00 PM on Friday, March 18th via email to sg@mcmun.org. Don’t miss out!
2.1 Tuesday Meeting (15 March 2011)
This Tuesday IRSAM will be teaming up with the McGill Trivia Club for trivia night! Come to Gert’s at 18:30 for a night of epic trivia!
3.1 Delegations Trips
IRSAM is looking into sending representatives to conferences on the weekend of April 1st through 3rd. The first, NYUMUNC, is a nascent conference put on by New York University, held in New York City on April 1st through 3rd (info available at http://www.nyumunc.org) The second being West Point Security Conference, held at West Point Military Academy that same weekend (info available at http://www.dean.usma.edu/departments/sosh/Conferences/wpsc/WPSC/default.html) which is in West Point New York, and not NYC. The final, FCMUN, is held in rural Massachusetts at Mount Holyoke University. Information for this can be found at http://fcmun.org/ and this conference is also happening the same weekend (there’s a reason I’m picking these three for that weekend)
The entire cost of each of these conferences will have to be borne by delegates, with costs ranging from $140 to $320. For more information or to sign up, please contact our VP Delegations, Robert Townley, at delegations@irsam.ca.
4.1 Order Your Yearbooks
Remember that time at SSUNS…? That IRSAM meeting when you met so-and-so for the first time? Want to remember these moments forever? Order your IRSAM yearbook and you can! Yearbooks will cost $5-8 dollars (exact price TBA), and if you order one now, you’ll get it before exams. Please place your order to Ilana (internal@irsam.ca) by Wednesday, March 23 to keep your IRSAM 2010-11 memories forever!
4.2 Submit Your Photos For Yearbook
On that note, if you have any pictures from conferences, delegations trips, external projects, or even just a regular meeting and you want to see your photos in the yearbook, please send them to internal@irsam.ca by March 20.
Weekly update – Mar 7, 2011
Dear IRSAMers,
Last week IRSAM welcomed former South African minister Jay Naidoo for what turned out to be a riveting talk. This week, the University is buzzing with SSMU election campaigns taking center stage. As always, IRSAM has plenty to offer in terms of events and opportunities, providing the drive you need to get through your week. For more IRSAM, keep reading…
1.1 IRSAM Meeting, Tuesday 19:30
2.1 SSUNS 2011 Call for Committee Staff
3.1 Benedicte Labre House, Community Volunteering
4.1 ASSA: Female Entrepreneurship and Empowerment in Africa
5.1 MonWHO
6.1 Message from SSMU Presidential Candidate, Cathal Rooney-Cespedes
6.2 Message from SSMU VP Internal Candidate, Todd Plummer
7.1 United Nations Job Vacancies, Independent Compilation
1.1 IRSAM Meeting, Tuesday 19:30
This IRSAM meeting is game night! Fancy a scrabble competition with your favourite IRSAMers? Think you’re the king of Monopoly? Come to room 302 at 19:30 on Tuesday!
2.1 SSUNS 2011 Call for Committee Staff
SSUNS 2011 is still recruiting dynamic and enthusiastic Chairs, Vice-Chairs, and Crisis Directors! You the staff are crucial to ensuring that we pull off another great conference and run exciting new committees for our delegates. Also, we are still seeking innovative suggestions for potential simulations, so feel free to get creative with your proposals! This year promises to be intense, refreshing, and of course a lot of FUN. If you’re interested in being part of what promises to be a truly unforgettable session of SSUNS, then we strongly encourage you to fill out the attached application. Applications are due on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 18:00 by email to committees@ssuns.org, to the IRSAM office or mailbox 101 in the Shatner Building. Should you have any questions, concerns, or queries please feel free to e-mail Rida Malik at committees@ssuns.org.
3.1 Benedicte Labre House, Community Volunteering
Interested in volunteering in the community? For the first time, IRSAM is working with the Benedict Labre House, an organization in downtown Montreal that provides the homeless with social services, a warm place to stay and a hot meal. Through the Meal Team Program, a group of IRSAM students will plan, prepare and serve a meal for approx. 150 people on March 27th. It will only take about 4 hours the day of so if you are interested, please contact Emily at external@irsam.ca.
4.1 ASSA: Female Entrepreneurship and Empowerment in Africa
ASSA is proud to announce the event “Female Entrepreneurship and Empowerment in Africa: The Future Beckons,” featuring the Professor Gilles Cloutier and McGill Law student Siena Anstis. Come for a candid discussion on challenges and prospects facing the African continent, as well as a forum for forward-thinking ideas in social entrepreneurship, women empowerment, and innovative development in Africa. The night will be informative and stimulating, so come with an active mind!
Thursday, 10 March 2011
6:00 – 8:00 pm
Leacock 26
McGill University
5.1 MonWHO Maternal & Child Health – Achieving the Millennium Development Goals
Are you interested in learning about the WHO? Ever wanted to work with an international organization? Do you want to meet student leaders like yourself who want to make a difference in the world?
The Montréal World Health Organization Simulation is a real-time simulation of the WHO. The conference brings together students from a wide range of disciplines to discuss health issues of global concern as representatives of countries, NGOs or the media.
Some the key features of the Conference include:
- 3 days of intense debate on Maternal and Child Health
- Participate in drafting a resolution that will be sent to the WHO
- keynote speeches by Dr. Nicolas Steinmetz
- Opportunity to network with future global leaders
WHEN: Friday, March 11 to Sunday, March 13, 2011
WHERE: Hotel Gouverneur Place Dupuis Montréal
For additional information, please visit www.monwho.org.
6.1 Message from SSMU Presidential Candidate, Cathal Rooney-Cespedes
An award-winning Model UN debater, Cathal plans to use his experience in MUN as a means to fundamentally change the way politics of your Students’ Society are done, promoting the virtues of diplomacy and effectiveness of well-researched positions. The function of the Students’ Society is to provide excellence in service, representation, and leadership for undergraduate students, and that is exactly what Cathal plans to do. Student politics has been dominated by too frequent debates of us versus them, right versus wrong, and a combative mentality, that Cathal – having spent eight years in Model UN, four in IRSAM – will eliminate from your Students’ Society. As President, Cathal will perform his duties by coupling his passion for student life with real pragmatism, and by recognizing that as a community of students, we hold more than strength in numbers – we also have a wealth of knowledge. Let’s put it to work. Please vote at ovs.ssmu.mcgill.ca.
6.2 Message from SSMU VP Internal Candidate, Todd Plummer
Hey IRSAM. I’m running for SSMU VP Internal. I am a huge supporter of helping independent student groups and clubs flourish- I don’t want next year’s SSMU exec to be overbearing. IRSAM does its own thing, and it does it really well. Why should SSMU interfere?
Here are the highlights of my platform: I want to bring a permanent student art gallery to McGill, bring more compelling guest speakers throughout the year, and have more consultation with the administration on SSMU’s activities so they don’t hate us. For my complete platform, check out my website http://votetoddforssmu.wordpress.com/
Voting runs March 5-11, at http://ovs.ssmu.mcgill.ca. Don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions! todd.plummer@mail.mcgill.ca
7.1 United Nations Job Vacancies, Independent Compilation
For those who are interested, you may search this week’s vacancies at http://unjoblist.org/results.php?org%5B%5D=All+organisation+on+UN+Job+List%3A&dts=&ics1=ICS-08&ics2=ICS-09&O2=yes&kw=&Job=Search. The listed vacancies are for P-2 positions, though you may customize your preferences and sign up with your email address by clicking on the “E-mail alerts” tab on the left of your screen.
SSUNS 2011 Committees Staff Application (PDF)
Speaker Series with Former South African Minister Jay Naidoo
IRSAM and ASSA bring you Jay Naidoo, a leading anti-apartheid/human rights activist and Minister of Reconstruction and Development, as well as Minister of Post, Telecommunications and Broadcasting in President Nelson Mandela’s cabinet.
Among other things, he is a member of the advisory boards of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative; Jay also cofounded the J&J Group (management and investment company) and is also the non-executive chairperson of the Development Bank of Southern Africa.
Join us in Bronfman 151 at 20:00 on Thursday, March 3rd to hear from one of the main activists of the Anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa!
Entrance will be free, but there are limited seats.