Sept 2013 MSVUSU Newsletter

1

HELLO THERE MYSTICS

Welcome back to another great year at

Mount Saint Vincent University. I’m excited

to come back for my second term as

Students’ Union President and continue

working for what YOU want to see happen

this year.

We’ve got a lot of great things planned

this year for you, starting with our Frosh

Week festivities! VP Student Life Tyler

Bechard and the rest of the Union have

been working hard to make sure that this year’s theme, “Mount

Games 2013” is as exciting and memorable as possible!

There are lots of opportunities for you Mystics to get involved this year,

whether you are first years or entering your final year! The President’s

Street Team is kicking off mid-September again, and we’re looking for

students to come out and promote our events, services and

campaigns! Email me if you want more information or like us on

Facebook at facebook.com/MSVUStreetTeam.

My hope this year is to make sure students are accessing our services

to the best of their abilities, and to tackle any issues, concerns, or

desires that students have to make this year go by as smoothly as

possible. My door is always open, and so is my mind, so feel free to

share!

Anyways! Look forward to meeting with you soon, and if you ever

want to grab a HOMEMADE ice cream sandwich from the Crow N’ Go, I’m down! I may even treat ya ;)

Sincerely,

Zach Gallant

President, MSVU Students’ Union

457-6434, [email protected]

@MSVUSU

September 2013 Mount Saint Vincent University Students’ Union Newsletter

Photo by Kiana Riego

President’s Message 1

Elections 3

Re-branding 4

Used Textbook Fair 5

6

Construction Update

19 Keep in Touch

Meet the Executives 2

Campus Updates 7

Tips for Students 17

2

Zach Gallant—President

The President has three main roles; to

provide leadership within the Union, to

act as the Union spokesperson,

campaigner and/or lobbyist and to

be a promoter of Union activities and

campaigns.

Tyler Bechard—VP Student Life

The Vice President of Student Life has

three main roles; to be the lead

student activities event coordinator

for the Union, to be the liaison and

lead person on Grad activities and to

be the lead student on University

committees dedicated to student

activities and student life.

Joey LeBlanc—VP Communications

The Vice President Communication's

main roles are to manage a number

of communications for the Union, be

liaison with the university Alumni Affairs

department and to be lead person for

the Union Constitution, policies and by

-laws.

MEET THE EXECUTIVES


3

ELECTIONS The campaign period will take place with nominations

beginning on September4, 2013 and closing September

13. September 16-17 are speeches with the 18-19 being

SRC voting.

We are looking for a dedicated student to join our

executive team as Vice President Student Advocacy.

The VP Advocacy has three main roles; to provide

leadership to the Union’s activities surrounding the

promotion of awareness and diversity, to act as a lead

student on University Committees dealing with

academic issues and to be an advocate for various

student rights.

Council Positions available:

Arts Rep

Education Rep

First Year Students Rep

Graduate Studies

International Student Rep

Off-campus Rep

Mature Students Rep

Science Rep

Positions Filled:

Board of Governors Rep (BOG) – Alissa Ali

Councilor at large – Caroline George

Professional Studies Rep – Nick Deal

Residence Rep – Alyssa Roy

Voting will take place on myMount this year. However,

we will still have a few voting stations on campus.

Photo by Caitlin Dumaresque


4

SU SERVICE REBRANDING

Photo by Sarah Williams

The MSVUSU has rebranded a lot of the services beginning the reclaiming Rosaria as the Students’ Union

Building (SUB). The SUB is the campus core for student service, interaction, experience and social activity.

Some of the other services that have gotten a facelift include:

The Crow’s Nest Café is now the Crow-n-Go Snack Bar. Open Monday to Friday, the

Crow-n-Go is the Mount’s one & only on-campus student owned and operated grab

and go convenience store. The Crow-n-Go offers a wide range of convenience items

as well as a wide variety of quick meals for students on the go. This includes baked

sweets, yogurt, wraps, coffee, smoothies, pizza, soups and more. This service will

continue to grow and evolve as renovations begin to take place this year. You can

also find Mount clothing here.

Open 7 days a week, the Crows Nest is the Mounts only 24hr student computer

lounge. Attached to the Crow ‘n Go, the Crows Nest has a lounge space and offers

students access to a number of computers, Wi-Fi, group meeting space, modular

furniture, a bookable meeting room, printing ability and a bookable meeting room.

The Crows Nest is monitored by campus security for any students and groups working

late nights. Lots of furniture changes were made last year and now it has a new logo.

The HUB is the new name for the Students’ Union information desk which provides Mount

students with a large number of services. The HUB is every Mount students one stop shop

for: Printing (B/W, Color and large format printing), photocopying, faxing, clothing,

Mount gear, school supplies, International Student Identity Cards, ticket sales, stamps,

society mail, outgoing mail pick up and more! In addition the HUB also provides the SUB

lobby with wifi, music, vendors, events and a cell phone charging station.

[email protected]

The MSVUSU Wellness Centre is now a combination wellness and diversity centre

and Food Bank that provides Mount students with a variety of services,

information & resources. Physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual

wellness is an integral part of our university community and is embraced by the

Students’ Union. [email protected]


5

USED TEXTBOOK FAIR

Photo by Zoe Dixon

The MSVU Student’s Union Textbook Fair is a Union-run fair

that allows students to submit books to be sold for the

price they desire.

Come submit your old books to make some extra money

or come buy the textbooks you need at a price much

cheaper than you would find anywhere else!

Hours of operation:

Monday/Tuesday 9-5

Wednesday/Thursday 9-6

Friday 9-4

Important Dates:

September 4—6 Drop Off Only

September 9—13 Drop Off and Purchases

September 16 –20 Purchases Only

September 23—27 Book and Money pick-up at the Hub

Please pick up your remaining books or money by

September 27th!

If you require any more information, visit the Hub!


6

WE’RE MAKING BIG CHANGES Construction: The construction of the Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Teaching, Learning and Research

(McCain Centre) is well underway. This will be the only building on a Canadian campus dedicated to

celebrating and honouring women, and it is scheduled to open in December 2014.

Safety: As construction continues, be advised that the pedestrian access between Rosaria and the EMF is

limited. Please use the alternate pedestrian pathways. Safety barriers and fencing have been installed

around the construction site for your protection and must be respected.

Parking: There will be some changes to the parking areas on campus this coming year due to the ongoing

construction of the McCain Centre. We are doing our best to accommodate the parking requirements for

everyone on campus, and we are encouraging members of the Mount community to consider car sharing

or Metro Transit.

Information: For more information about construction of the McCain Centre, including frequently asked

questions, the updated campus map and live video feed, please visit msvu.ca/construction. For specific

questions, email [email protected]


http://www.msvu.ca/en/construction.aspx

mailto:[email protected]

7

CAMPUS UPDATES Students’ Union

Upcoming Events:

September 11th—Mount Mash Up

September 20th—Homecoming

September 25th— Union Day

September 30th—Opt-Out Deadline

Shinerama

Since 1999, Mount Saint Vincent University students have

participated in the largest university and college student

fundraiser in the country…SHINERAMA. Shinerama is one of the

most rewarding and fun events you will participate in during

orientation week.

You will be one of over 35,000 students from coast to coast raising

money for Cystic Fibrosis Canada, a non-profit organization that

funds Cystic Fibrosis (CF) research. CF is the most common fatal

genetic disease affecting young Canadians. In 2012, as a nation,

we raised approximately $1,035,000 towards finding a cure or

control for CF and continue to raise the bar.

In 1960, a child with CF rarely lived to attend kindergarten, let

alone university. Since Shinerama was introduced in 1964, the life

expectancy of CF patients has increased substantially. Today,

half of all Canadians with CF are expected to live into their 40s

and beyond. This year marks Mount Saint Vincent University’s 15th

anniversary being involved with Shinerama, raising approximately

$150,000 towards this extraordinary cause.

Join us on September7th, 2013 as Mount Saint Vincent University

students take the streets of Halifax to raise money for Cystic

Fibrosis research and care. The MSVU Shine team has set our 2013

goal at $15,000 to help reach our nation-wide goal of $1.16

million dollars.


8

Krista Hill Photography

CAMPUS UPDATES Vinnie’s Pub

Vinnie’s Pub has added some new items to their menu

including vegetarian Black Bean Sliders! Come down for

some evening pub fare with your friends. Also, you won’t

want to miss Wing Night on Thursdays.

Upcoming Events:

September 5th— "Welcome Back Pub" wet only

September 7th—"Toga Love Pub" 1st wet/dry

September 12th—PUB NIGHT “Open Mic”

September 13th—CLUB NIGHT "Stop Light Pub"

September 17th— "Trivia Night"

September 19th — PUB NIGHT "Karaoke"

September 20th—"Pep Rally"

September 20th—CLUB NIGHT

"Homecoming semi-formal"

September 24th—"Trivia Night"

September 26th—CLUB NIGHT/DJ

September 27th—PUB NIGHT

October 1st—"Trivia"

October 3rd— PUB NIGHT

"Alexander Keith's B-Day Party"

October 4th— CLUB NIGHT/DJ

Spiritual Life

Celebrating the 'heart and spirit' of everyone's journey.

Peace Room (Evaristus, 3rd Floor, Rm C410) - A quiet space

to pray, meditate, read, reflect, and just be.

Looking for the right church, mosque, or meditation centre

for you? Interested in spiritual diversity? Need someone to

talk to? Want to cultivate a ‘Compassionate University’?

Contact the Spiritual Life Coordinator,

[email protected], 457-6446, msvu.ca/slc


9

CAMPUS UPDATES Parking Information

Parking passes for 2013-2014 will be available to purchase beginning

Monday August 19, 2013. Staff at Assisi Desk are available 24 hours a

day, and are happy to answer questions or help you calculate the

best option. In keeping with our sustainability efforts and to reduce our

paper usage, an electronic application form on myMount will be used

this year. The forms will be processed by Security and you can

arrange for payment and pass pick up 24 hours after you’ve

submitted your form. You can drop by or call 457-6412 for more info.

Career Planning Services (CPS) Workshops

Sept 6—Earn While You Learn: (How to find a part time job!)

10:00 AM, Seton Aud C or Sept 11: 12:00 PM, Seton Aud D

Sept 9—Winning Resumes

1:00 PM, Seton Aud C

Sept 12—Get Hired! (Find a Job BEFORE you Graduate!)

12:00 PM, Seton Aud A

Sept 16—Career and Academic Planning

3:00 PM, Seton 529

Sept 17—Networking at the Halifax Career Fair


Sept 18—CPS Road Show

11:00 AM—12:00 PM, Rosaria Terrace

Sept 20—Interview Preparation


Sept 24—HALIFAX CAREER FAIR: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, CUNARD CENTER

Oct 1—VOLUNTEER FAIR : 1:00 AM - 1:00 PM, RBC SETON LINK



10 Photo by Alfred Yao

CAMPUS UPDATES Counselling Services

Study Skills Workshops

Sept 24—Time Management and Procrastination

1:15 – 2:30 pm Evaristus 108

Sept 26—Reading Text/Lecture Note-Taking

2:00 – 3:30 pm Evaristus 108

Sept 27—Exam Preparation/Multiple Choice Test-Taking

2:00 – 3:30 pm Evaristus 108

Sept 30—Writing a University Paper

7:00 – 8:30 pm Evaristus 108

Oct 1—Reading Text/Lecture Note-Taking

2:00 – 3:30 pm Evaristus 108

Oct 3—Exam Preparation/Multiple Choice Test-Taking

1:15 – 2:30 pm Evaristus 108

Registrar’s Office

Students! Please remember that the add/drop deadline for

registering for courses is September 11th

myMount now provides quick access for students to do a

program evaluation and check their progress as they complete

courses towards their degree – in the ‘I want to.. Choose Task

bar’ select “Review my degree requirements” from the drop

down menu. If students have questions about the evaluation

they can contact the Registrar’s Office at [email protected].

As well, students should always seek academic advising within

their department or through the Deans’ Office at

[email protected]!


11

Bookstore

For your convenience, the Book Store will be offering extended

hours. Come in and pick up your textbooks, school supplies, and

Mount gear!

The first 500 people to purchase their textbooks and spend over

$300 will receive a free reusable MSVU cloth bag!

Sunday, Sept 1 – 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Monday, Sept 2 – 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Tuesday, Sept 3 – 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Wednesday, Sept 4 – 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

Thursday, Sept 5 – 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

Friday, Sept 6 – 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Monday, Sept 9 – 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

Tuesday, Sept 10 – 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

Wednesday, Sept 11 – 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

Thursday, Sept 12 - Back to regular hours

(9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday)

Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up

to date on what’s happening in the Book Store.

Mount Recruitment

The 2013-2014 Student Ambassadors have been confirmed for

this year!

You can meet the team and learn more about them online at

www.msvu.ca/studentambassadors.

If you see our ambassadors giving a campus tour, or at an on-

campus event, be sure to stop and say hello!

If you want to learn more about becoming a student

ambassador or joining our volunteer group, contact Nicole

LeBlanc in the Recruitment Office at [email protected]

CAMPUS UPDATES


12

CAMPUS UPDATES


Chartwells

We are very excited to be your food service

provider. We can assist you with many meal option

for Lunch, Breakfast and catering events! Join us for

coffee and muffins at Seton Cafe, our retail

provider, or at Rosaria Dining Hall for an “all you

care to eat” experience. There are numerous meal

plans that will fit your needs. Visit our website at

dineoncampus.ca/msvu to find the best plan that

will suit you!!! There is an amazing deal in the

Rosaria Cafeteria advertised in this newsletter,

check it out and join us!

Varsity Athletics

2013-2014 Mount Mystics Varsity Tryouts

Women’s Soccer

Tuesday, September 3rd

8:00pm-10:00pm at Mainland Field

Meet at Gym at 7:30pm

Wednesday, September 4th



Thursday, September 5th



13

CAMPUS UPDATES


Varsity Athletics Continued...

Men’s Soccer

Tuesday, September 3rd









Women’s Basketball


6:00pm-8:00pm

A. Garnet Brown Gymnasium

Friday, September 13th

2:00pm-4:00pm


Saturday, September 14th

1:00pm-3:00pm


Men’s Basketball


8:00pm-10:00pm


Friday, September 13th

4:00pm-6:00pm


Saturday, September 14th

11:00am-1:00pm


Women’s Volleyball


4:00pm-6:00pm



5:00pm-7:00pm


Sunday, September 15th

3:30pm-5:30pm


New to the Mount?

Complete the online recruiting form at msvu.ca/athletics

Unable to attend?

If you are unable to attend

one of the tryouts, contact June Lumsden, Director of Athletics at:

[email protected], (902) 457-6370, Rosaria SUB Room 127

14

CAMPUS UPDATES


Library

The Library warmly welcomes all new and returning

students! Drop by and see us in the E. Margaret Fulton

(EMF) Communications Centre to begin your path to

academic excellence!

Explore hundreds of thousands of print and digital

journals, books and ebooks on campus or off, and

access material from other universities easily and free

of charge from the Library’s homepage on or off-

campus.

Get help with all your paper and assignment research

needs with the Mount Library’s services. Check out

the Library homepage (http://www.msvu.ca/library)

and library guides by program (http://

libguides.msvu.ca/) for a great starting point.

Library Fall Hours

Fall hours begin on September 3rd. Check out

building, circulation, and research assistance hours at

http://www.msvu.ca/library, click on Hours to stay up

to date.

ID Cards

Get your ID card any time the Library is open! HRM U-

Passes will also be available in the Library until

September 6th (and then from Financial Services in

Evaristus Hall).


http://www.msvu.ca/library


http://libguides.msvu.ca/




15

CAMPUS UPDATES


Library Continued...

Workshops

Register for one or more of the online workshops offered

by the Mount Library. For Business and Tourism students,

these count

toward your Learning Passport Program.

Topics include:

Sept 16: Effective journal article searching, 6:00-7:00

p.m.

Sept 23: Using RefWorks for bibliographies, 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Sept 30: Using Google Scholar and finding quality

resources from the Internet, 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Oct 7: Finding and using eBooks at the Mount Library,

6:00-7:00

Oct 21: Finding and using images and other media for

your presentations, 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Oct 28: Research to go: Accessing Mount Library

resources on your mobile device, 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Although sessions are designed for distance and off-

campus students, all are welcome. Each will be held

via BlackBoard Collaborate. If the date or time does

not fit your schedule, please contact

[email protected] to set up an individual

appointment with your Liaison Librarian.

Read the Same Book, Share the Same Story

The Mount Library is pleased to once again be hosting a

One Book Nova Scotia author reading on October 3,

2013 @ 1:00pm in the MacDonald Reading Room,

Mount Library. Which book will it be this year? Check

out The One Book Nova Scotia site (http://1bns.ca/) for

the unraveling details. The Mount Library, and libraries

all across Nova Scotia, will have multiple copies of the

winning book available for loan as soon as the book is

unveiled.

mailto:[email protected]

http://1bns.ca/

http://1bns.ca/

16

CAMPUS UPDATES


Library Continued...

Chat with a Librarian

Let a librarian be your guide! Set up a library orientation

or request assistance with your program research from

any of our Liaison Librarians. Go to the Library

homepage (http://www.msvu.ca/library), click on

Contact Us and then Liaison Librarians. Can’t make it in

to the Library in person? Call, email or chat with a

librarian! Find the LiveHelp chat widget on the Library

homepage and ask your question, we are ready to

assist.

iPads for loan

A reminder to students that the Library has iPads for

loan, check one out today and try out some new

research apps. There are 24 hour and 3 day loans

currently available. We also have laptops for loan, too.

Mount Library Photo Contest

Calling all photographers! Show us your favourite

space to read or study. Tell us why you like it, and how

you would make it better. All current students are

invited to participate. Win gift cards, print credits, and

research gadgets! Vote for your favourite photo! More

details to follow. #msvulibpix

Follow the Library on Twitter, like us on Facebook

Keep up with library resources, events and services

throughout the year by liking us on Facebook (http://

www.facebook.com/MountLibrary) or following us on

Twitter (http://twitter.com/MountLibrary).

From all the Library staff, best of luck this term!





http://facebook.com/MountLibrary

http://www.facebook.com/MountLibrary

http://twitter.com/MountLibrary

http://twitter.com/MountLibrary

17

TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL YEAR By: Joanne Mills, Psychologist Coordinator, Student Counselling Services

Set your intentions for the term / Plan:

Starting out with a goal and structure will help you stay on course. A helpful strategy for time management

and goal setting is the general rule of planning to spend two hours of independent study for every hour

you are in class. For a student who is taking 5 courses (standard full course load), that would be

approximately 15 hours in lectures each week, so if we double that, that would be 30 hours of homework a

week. Many students, especially those coming straight from high school, do not spend the time that is

required. It seems like a lot, but if you treat being a student like your full time job, the 45 hours a week

doesn’t seem so overwhelming.

Limit outside paid work:

If your full time job is being a full time university student, we recommend that you limit outside paid work to

10 to 12 hours a week. Remember, your “full time job” is a busy 45 hrs/wk, and you also need time to relax

and have fun. Anymore than 10 to 12 hrs/wk may interfere with either school work or social life or self care

– and all are important. If you must work more than 12 hrs/wk, consider lowering your course load.

Study environment - be honest:

Do an honest “audit” of your work environment, including the time of day you study. How many

distractions are around (eg., roommates, TV, facebook on your task bar opened). How focused do you

“really” feel at 11:00pm? Set yourself up for success by providing the right environment for study: turn off

the TV, tell your roommates that you are unavailable for a set time frame, if you must have background

music on be sure it does not have distracting lyrics that draw you in, log off of facebook/twitter and close

your email so if you are on your laptop you aren’t tempted “just to check quickly”. If you turn your phone

off you can always get your texts after you have finished your reading, your emails will wait and if you

continue to remind your roommates/family that school is important and you must work hard this year, they

will respect your intentions.

Continued...

Photo by Ryan Kennedy


18

TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL YEAR Use a planner

It is hard to hold all your work assignments and tasks in your head, and when things get busy, you are

bound to forget and/or get stressed trying to juggle everything in your memory. Have you ever had trouble

at night trying to get to sleep because you have a to do list running through your mind? Then empty it out

– jot it down on a note pad or day planner, or use your cell phone for your calendar and to do list. This also

helps to avoid procrastination. If you use a planner – either old fashion pen and paper or electronic – it

allows you to set specific goals for the day and week. You will be more apt to go to the library and read

pages 22 to 30 in Psychology if it is down in your calendar. It is a good idea to set aside a time each week

– I like Sunday evenings, to review what you have on your plate for that week, and then set daily “to do”

items to make sure they get done.

Break your readings down into manageable “chunks”.

University courses often move at a faster pace than high school, and there tends to be much more

reading. Breaking up your reading assignments into to smaller, more manageable chunks, it a helpful

strategy. You will be less likely to procrastinate and more apt to do it if it isn’t so daunting. To do this work

backwards: for example, if you have a midterm in Psychology in 6 weeks time on 3 chapters (300 pages),

then you will need to read 50 pages a week to make sure it all gets read in time. Even better, break the 50

pages a week into a smaller chunks, say 10 pages at a time, and plan 5 times in the week to read your

psychology textbook. It is much easier to sit down to read 10 pages than 50!! This strategy also helps with

concentration and focus.


19

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR SU

Like us on Facebook to stay up to date with our events,

contests, and more. facebook.com/MSVUSU

Follow us on twitter to stay informed with what’s going on

campus and how you can win prizes. @MSVUSU

Find out more about upcoming events, societies, services

for students, & current contests all in one place on our

website. mountstudents.ca

If you have any questions, you can just text 1-902-809-MSVU

(6788)

You are always welcome to bring your questions or

concerns directly to Students’ Union. Rosaria Student

Centre, 118


Sept 2013 MSVUSU Newsletter

Documents

Transcript of Sept 2013 MSVUSU Newsletter