Have you heard about The Commerce Times?
In the last couple of months if you visited the SIAC front desk you'd notice a new campus newspaper entitled The Commerce Times. The monthly business paper has been well accepted into the intense campus media race with its first issue in November 2008 and is off to a great start. It has not really been well promoted. but recently the Times team increased distribution and improved the overall quality of the paper. For instance, it now looks more like a professional read and the articles are mainly focused on the business world outside of Ryerson.
The philosophy of The Commerce Times is to provide high integrity off-campus business news and views to students. It’s great because a lot of the 4th-year students are beginning to experience the effects of the market in their job search right now, so they might as well be informed of the issues affecting the economy. Past articles include "Financial crisis shakes EU: Head of financial reporting reform at the World Bank" and "Is the fitness industry recession proof?"
The Commerce Times welcomes student feedback with open arms and are always on the hunt for new talent and ideas. If you want to know more about the paper, please forward all your inquiries to commercetimes[at]ryerson.ca. Or you can drop the staff a line at their toll free number, 1-805-356-3155. But if you have time they suggest swinging by their office, which is located in the Victoria Building, room 307. Keep an eye out for The Commerce Times’ last issue of the school year this April.
–Wayne (VP Finance, The Commerce Times)
Student reading The Commerce Times by Wayne Ly.
Posted at 03:00PM Apr 06, 2009 by SIAC in SIAC |
Need to search for a job and don’t know where to start? The answer is CareerVault
As we mentioned in a previous entry, MyRyerson CareerVault has updates on Career Development and Employment Centre workshops. But it's much more–CareerVault is also a great aid for students that are looking for jobs in their field. Specifically, CareerVault can help you in four ways:
1. Access to off-campus job opportunities
When you sign up for CareerVault you fill out a questionnaire. What this does is that it filters jobs to find those to match your preferences outlined in your profile. Thus, every time a job advertisement is posted that matches your profile, it will be listed in your personalized job listings. Also, CareerVault will notify you of any upcoming career fairs by sending you an e-mail.
2. Book resume advising appointments
Through CareerVault you can book an appointment with one of the advisors at the Career Centre. Advisors can help you by editing your resume and cover letter and/or do a mock job interview with you.
3. Register for workshops
You can use CareerVault to register for any workshops that are of interest to you. It lists all the workshops and their times and locations, and will send you an e-mail to remind you about a registered workshop a day before. Workshops include
4. Discover career choices based on your program
"The program of study specific profiles found here contain information such as occupational and career options, work environments, salary ranges, necessary skill sets, and more to help you in your career decision making." (CareerVault homepage)
CareerVault is available for all Ryerson students, so why not use it?!
If you have questions or you want someone to sit down with you and explain how CareerVault works, you can visit us for help here at the Student Information and Advising Centre, located just inside the lobby of Jorgenson Hall.
–Fadwa & Jenelle
Image is a screencap of the CareerVault homepage.
Posted at 05:12PM Mar 24, 2009 by SIAC in SIAC |
FREE legal advice for full-time Ryerson undergrad and grad students?
Did you know that the Ryerson Student Union offers free legal services? According to its Legal Advocacy Services webpage, RSU’s lawyer William Reid can provide you with information regarding:
· Operating a business or incorporating a company
· Debt issues
· Landlord and tenant conflicts
· Real estate
· Intellectual property issues
· Immigration
· Problems with government agencies
About Bill Reid: “[He] holds both an MBA as well as a law degree. Mr. Reid has been practicing law for 14 years, and counselling students in particular for ten…. He is also available to explain legal procedures and documents to students using the services of another lawyer.” (RSU’s Legal Advocacy Services) Mr. Reid is often on campus and you can book an appointment with him via telephone at 416-979-5255 ext. 2315 or e-mail at legal@rsuonline.ca.
To find out more about other student services available through RSU, please visit the RSU Services section of its website.
–Philip
Photo by detsang used with permission under the Creative Commons license.
Posted at 02:00PM Mar 20, 2009 by SIAC in SIAC |
Sports and recreation referendum: a little more mula=a sexier workout space
Eat, sleep, and study. Eat, sleep, and study. Last time I checked, we’re not robots; somewhere in there we have to make time for ourselves, right? After all, doesn’t the health of one’s mind, body and soul matter? Okay, so you may remember similar words from the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series, but shouldn’t common sense tell you that good health is essential to surviving the intense demands of student life?
Enter RAC—Ryerson’s Recreation and Athletics Centre—located in St. James Square, aka, the Quad, which is smack-dab in the middle of our campus. You can find it by entering one of the Kerr Hall arches off Gould Street and walking through the doors of the historic façade (the RAC’s general info page has a map of the exact location). This is a haven for self-proclaimed gym fanatics, sports fans and players, intramural sports members and of course, the students who are simply interested in expanding their exercise regimen from a walk up a flight of stairs twice a day and a walk to and from their bus stop. It boasts a supervised fitness centre, spacious cardio room, dance studio, squash courts, gymnasiums, large pool and saunas—isn’t that hot?
But the RAC could be so much more. Enter the sports and recreation referendum.This referendum was created in light of the proposal to establish a brand spanking new sports and rec facility (location undecided) in addition to the one Ryerson alreadyhas, one that would be even better than the RAC and would probably make us the envy of universities and colleges province wide.
Now, let’s talk fees. Did you know that you dish about 61 big ones to the RAC as a mandatory fee in your tuition each academic year? This fee only permits you to attend varsity games. You need to cough up an additional $64 if you opt to have a membership with the RAC to use its facilities. If you vote “Yes” to the referendum question, keep in mind that you are also agreeing to increasing the mandatory sports and rec fee by $126. This comes up to $187 (the average Ontario university fee).
So, the big question:
Do you agree to support the construction of a new sports and recreation facility through an increase of $126 in the mandatory fee (pro-rated for part-time students) that will be collected only when a new sports and recreation centre opens and after that adjusted annually for inflation?
You have until Thursday, March 19 (tomorrow!) at 4:30 p.m. to cast your referendum vote online. All full-time and part-time degree students can vote. Log in at my.ryerson.ca. Once logged in, you will notice the “Hot Links” section on the left side of the webpage. Simply click on “Sports and Recreation Referendum—Vote Here” and follow the provided instructions.
Perhaps what could become Ryerson’s hottest attraction will give you that extra push to get your workout on. Bottom line, make your vote count or you might just end up paying for it!
–Neda
Photo by Neda, SIAC peer advisor.
Posted at 11:00AM Mar 18, 2009 by SIAC in SIAC |
Accessibility at SIAC!
One’s access to a building or service should not be restricted because of his or her disability. A post-secondary institution should make sure that its campus is accessible. At Ryerson, RyeACCESS advocates for accessibility: "RyeACCESS is a community Service Group of the Ryerson Students' Union that works to address the non-academic needs of students with disabilities." (RyeACCESS)
RyeACCESS did an audit to find places that are accessible throughout the campus, and the Student Information and Advising Centre was recognized for being accessible. (The co-ordinators from RyeACCESS were even involved in planning the Centre to make sure that it is easily accessible.) The computer kiosks at SIAC are designed in a way so they are not barriers to students in wheelchairs. They're wide and low so that these students do not have a problem sitting comfortably at a computer. The dual computer monitors at eack kiosk is another feature that was found attractive by Frank, a RyeACCESS co-ordinator, while he was doing the study. Dual monitors are helpful not only for students with visual difficulties, but also for students who do not even have a disability. Dual screen makes it convenient for students to see what a Peer Advisor is showing them. Frank also commented on the fact that the staff at SIAC was very helpful and that we are trained to answer questions from all students, regardless of their ability.
SIAC was designed with accessibility in mind. We’re just to your left when you enter to lobby of Jorgenson Hall—come check it out.
–Ankit
Photo by by Daquella manera used with permission under the Creative Commons license.
Posted at 04:34PM Mar 16, 2009 by SIAC in SIAC |
Sexual health: information and support that's here for you
While you might think that the subject of sexual health is too personal for the SIAC blog, it is in fact quite the opposite. Sexual health information should be available to anyone who is curious about getting comprehensive and accurate information.
The university's Health Centre can provide this information. Besides being a clinic where you can get a regular check-up or medical treatment, it is also a great place that can provide you with a wide range of sexual health information and services. This includes HIV and other STD testing, counseling, and treatment, emergency contraception, reproductive health issues such as birth control, as well as routine examinations such as PAP smears or physicals. The Health Centre offers a non-judgmental positive space in which all questions and concerns can be answered or referred. For information about booking an appointment and contact info and hours, visit the Health Centre’s website.
The Health Centre is not the only place on campus where you can find out more about sexual health. Campus groups and organizations also do outreach. For example, Health Promotion is a service that is lead by students and volunteers who are dedicated to providing information about health related topics, and its Peer Health Promotion Program includes the Sexual Health & Responsible Party People Team. The service offers one-on-one education, referrals, workshops, and much more. Health Promotion is located in Kerr Hall West, room 389.
The Ryerson Students' Union has community service groups that also offer events and volunteer opportunities related to sexual well-being, such as the Women’s Centre and RyePRIDE. Don't forget to stop by their offices on the second floor of the Student Campus Centre to pick up related brochures and free condoms.
–Vanesa
Photo by photographi.esc [4:3] used with permission under the Creative Commons license.
Posted at 12:01PM Mar 02, 2009 by SIAC in SIAC |
RU Ryerson? 3 minute video competition
Did you know about this new contest on campus called RU Ryerson?? It's about making a 3 minute video about student life and the Ryerson community.
What's really attractive about the competition is that Ryerson President Sheldon Levy is sponsoring the prizes. First prize is $5,000, second prize is $2,500, and third prize is $1,000. That’s a nice chunk of money to be won for making a really cool 3 minute video!
You don’t have to be a Steven Spielberg to make this movie. You can use any digital means of video recording, even a cell phone camera or webcam. And of course, be creative! Creativity will definitely score you points.
The deadline to submit the video is Sunday, March 1, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. You can upload your finished film to the video gallery (sign in with your my.ryerson.ca username and password first) or drop off a DVD copy right here at the Student Information Advising Centre—we're in the lobby of Jorgenson Hall. Look at the FAQ section on the website to read up on all you need to know. E-mail ruryerson[at]ryerson.ca for further information.
Good luck!
–ShoaibPosted at 02:00PM Feb 18, 2009 by SIAC in SIAC |
'Tis the season to be active, so get on a RSU student group executive
Are you tired of studying? Want to find a group of friends you can relax with and just indulge in what really interests you? Well guess what? Executive board elections within each RSU student group are approaching! "What does this have to do with me?" you ask? Well, if you are already a member of an RSU student group, you can be on its executive! Yes, you! Elections must be held no later than March 27, so act fast in order to have time to run for office. To do this, ask your group's executive how they elect a new board, and tell them that you want to get involved. Another member may have to nominate you before you can begin your election campaign. Make sure you read the short RSU student group election guide.
Among the types of groups offered through RSU, there are faith-based, background-based, hobby-based, program-based, and many others to choose from. There are over 60 RSU student groups, and you can join as many as you so desire—and then run for an executive position!
–Yusuf
Photo by amanky used with permission under the Creative Commons license.
Posted at 09:00PM Feb 17, 2009 by SIAC in SIAC |
Tri-Mentoring Program: peer-to-peer support is your gateway to success!
It is easy as a first-year student to feel overwhelmed in a new academic environment, so adjusting and keeping up with the course load is crucial. This is where the Tri-Mentoring Program steps in and provides you with the tools to succeed.
The Tri-Mentoring Program (TMP) is a part of Student Services that allows students to meet others in the Ryerson community and help encourage growth of their academic, social and/or career development while at Ryerson.
First-year students who join TMP are mentored by upper-year students for the remainder of the year and can be mentors in the following next year. All active mentors are eligible to receive a TMP certificate at the end of the year which they can add to their portfolio. If you’re a mentor in 3rd or 4th year, you can apply to be a career mentee. You will be paired with an industry professional in the field you want to work in, who can provide guidance and assist in networking during your career search. To apply, you can fill out an application form online.
TMP also hosts activities, workshops, and events where students can mingle, develop networking or leadership skills, forge relationships, and seek all kinds of opportunities on and off campus. You are bound to have a good time! If you happen to be part of the first generation in your family to get a post-secondary education in Canada, then check out TMP's First Generation Project (FGP). FGP also offers its students the First Generation bursaries (valued up to $2,500).
"I can truly say that my experience has been great," says Neda about being a Tri-Mentoring mentor. "I was matched with an exceptionally bright, spunky and open-minded student. Little did I know that by walking into this position, I would have the opportunity to teach a fellow student some things I myself was once curious about."
TMP's last event was "The Art of Making Connections" yesterday, which explored the creative ways in which people can network and make connections with professionals, teachers, and even strangers. Coming up next is an orientation session on February 11, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. in JOR 06 for people interested in volunteering for the First Generation Project. All are welcome, and you can sign up to be a mentor for next year’s crop of new students in your program.
So come out and learn a thing or two!
For more information about the Tri-Mentoring Program and their upcoming events, visit their website or visit their office, POD 54.
–Rob
Photo by Patrick Daggitt, Tri-Mentoring employee.
Posted at 05:09PM Feb 04, 2009 by SIAC in SIAC |
Speak your mind about women's issues
Sexual harassment. Access to contraception. Marginalization of women of colour. Body image. Low-income struggles. Sexist language. Pre-defined gender roles. Wanna rant about it?
If you have something on your mind, come talk about it at DIALOGUE, an ongoing discussion group series at the Ryerson Students' Union Women's Centre about all of the above mentioned women's issues and more. These informal chats over free tea and vegan treats are held about every two to three weeks, each time on a different topic chosen in advance. At the last discussion group, entitled "'Dirty Words'", participants shared their thoughts about derogatory words and phrases that have attachment to females and explored avenues to reclaim them. This afternoon is the next installment at DIALOGUE, "Being a Feminist in an Un-Feminist Friendly Environment", at 4 p.m. If that doesn’t seem like your thing, come by for "The Role of a Woman as Defined by Advertising" on Tuesday February 10 at 3 p.m.
DIALOGUE is not just a an opportunity to vent in a safe and accepting environment, but a chance to meet like-minded women, have your say, and be informed so you can take effective action. Dates, times, and topics are announced in Women's Centre e-newsletters throughout the year, so contact them to get on the mailing list. They are looking for an additional facilitator, so let them know if you are interested. All self-identified women are welcome.
–Jenelle (DIALOGUE founder and facilitator)
Photo by Jenelle, SIAC peer advisor
Posted at 11:00AM Jan 29, 2009 by SIAC in SIAC |
Your local food market on campus—didn't you know?
Want some food freebies? Looking for a place where you can buy inexpensive fruits and vegetables? Want volunteer experience? Well walk on over to the Student Campus Centre and on the second floor you’ll find the Ryerson Students' Union Community Food Room. With our busy lives and what may seem like never ending assignments and tests, finding time to shop at your local grocery store can be time consuming and costly. This is why the Food Room continues to offer the Ryerson community with the basic essentials of food that everyone needs. The Food Room is accessible to "any current Ryerson students (full-time and part-time) who are feeling the strains of high tuition and living costs." It has come a long way since its conception is 1992, as the need for it came from Ryerson students themselves—high tuition fees and living costs makes grocery shopping expensive. Keep those costs low by ordering a Good Food Box, an affordable box of fresh fruit and vegetables provided by FoodShare Toronto. On top of that, the Food Room offers rewarding volunteer opportunities through special events, such as food drives throughout the year. The next one is March 19-29. Check out their volunteer page and their events page for more details. Don't forget to visit their hours/contact page for all your inquiries.
–Vanesa
Photo by Chris, SIAC peer advisor.
Posted at 05:00PM Jan 27, 2009 by SIAC in SIAC |
The Career Development and Employment Centre offers workshops
Considering the state of the economy it’s not a great time to graduate and compete for positions in the labour market, especially since some companies are terminating employees. Some senior students at Ryerson are worried about finding employment once they graduate this year, including a few of us peer advisors here at SIAC. Fortunately the Career Employment and Development Centre offers various workshops for current students and recent grads, such as Is Your Resume Ready for the Summer Work Experience Fair?, a workshop which can ensure your resume encompasses desired ingredients sought by employers. Enroll through the MyRyerson CareerVault: “MyRyerson CareerVault is the online source for Ryerson students and recent graduates to discover available off-campus jobs, review labour market information, join career activities at Ryerson, and book one to one appointments with the Career Centre.”
To register in a workshop, first create a profile under the “Create/Update Account” section. Once logged in, click on “Workshops” in the sidebar to view the Workshops Calendar. If you like, some time this week would be appropriate to enroll online for the upcoming Your Career Planning Starts Now, Not When You Graduate session on January 26, or Preparing For Your Interview on January 27—remember a job interview where nothing went right? You arrived late, you provided incomplete answers, and even somehow managed to not answer some questions. This workshop can resolve some of those interview deficiencies.
To inquire about remaining workshops check the Workshop Calendar. Have fun, learn, and take advantage of these free workshops offered.
–Mehboob
Photo of Bunmi, Career Centre Personnel, by Shoaib, SIAC peer advisor.
Posted at 04:40PM Jan 20, 2009 by SIAC in SIAC |
Ryerson Commerce Society (RCS) student group of the month: SIFE Ryerson
The Ryerson Commerce Society is a sort of student union for the four schools of business at the Ted Rogers School of Management: Business Management, Information Technology Management, Hospitality and Tourism Management, and Retail Management. Each month we will showcase one (or two) of the 17 RCS groups until, well, we run out of groups to post about. SIFE Ryerson is an awesome group dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship at Ryerson. Want to gain valuable entrepreneurship skills? Want to put your creative business ideas to work? SIFE Ryerson is an excellent way to get involved with school! What is SIFE? "We aim to create new economic opportunity by giving students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience by creating and implementing innovative projects at Ryerson and within the surrounding community. SIFE Ryerson promotes entrepreneurship, encourages creative thinking, and connects like-minded students." (SIFE Facebook group) And what does SIFE stand for? It stands for Student Interest Fries Expedition. We’re just kidding! (Don’t kill us, SIFE.) It stands for Students in Free Enterprise. We’ve seen SIFE undertake new and exciting projects to enrich students as well as the university itself. They recently hosted the first ever Global Entrepreneurship Week. Throughout the week of November 17, 2008, there were many events including an interview session with Dragon Robert Herjavec from Dragon’s Den. Dragon’s Den is a hit TV show on CBC where entrepreneurs can pitch their ideas to Millionaires or “Dragons” and try to launch them. Other events included DECA’s Social Entrepreneurship and the Global South presentation and StartMeUp Ryerson’s RYEmarket. Global Entrepreneurship Week is one of the many cool things SIFE has been doing. They have tons of events coming up, such as the $25,000 Slaight Communications Business Plan Competition. If you are interested in getting involved, you can visit them at the Ted Rogers School of Management, room 3-143 or visit their Facebook page (their website is currently down). –Anil Photo by Coach O. used with permission under the Creative Commons license.
Posted at 04:00PM Jan 19, 2009 by SIAC in SIAC |
5 tips to avoid the "Freshman 15"
Freshman—15 sounds familiar, doesn't it? We're pretty sure you've heard this term floating around campus, but what does it mean? Well, according to its Wikipedia page, Freshman 15 is "a term used in the
Is the Freshman 15 at Ryerson? It's likely, and it gives us a reason to take the initiative to take care of our diets and health. We recommend a mere 5 tips below to maintain proper eating habits. Do we adhere to them? Um... we try to. If we can (usually) do it, we're pretty sure you can too.
1) Purchase a bulk of food items (including a lot of fruits and vegetables) on a weekly or biweekly basis. Produce such as carrots, broccoli, celery, and apples have long shelf lives, so they can last for a long time. Shopping in bulk can help save you time so that you don't have to worry about grocery shopping daily. If you shop in advance, you're less likely to grab a burger because you have enough ingredients to prepare fresh, healthy meals at home.
2) Purchase the Good Food Box at the Ryerson Students’ Union Community Food Room. It’s a box full of fresh fruits and vegetables at a student budget-friendly price.
3) Get enough sleep. Don't we all wish? Remember you want to maintain your level of leptin to ensure a reasonable appetite. Again, this is something that is possible; we just need to learn to manage our time well.
4) Cook a big batch of food on the weekend, then portion them into containers and freeze them for reheating later. This way, you don't have to worry about cooking for the rest of the week, especially if you're studying for exams. You don’t have to be an expert in cooking to be able to cook. You can get some recipes online, or call someone who knows how to cook so they can advise you.
5) Replace junk foods such as chips, chocolate bars, and pop with fruit, yogurt, granola bars, and nut and trail mixes. You can even take them to class and enjoy while listening to lectures (or during the break time). Even though we’re not sure how popular it is to eat fruit in class, but hey, we can start a new trend! Okay, we'll stop.
If you have any questions or concerns about maintaining your diet, you can visit the Community Food Room and obtain pamphlets that have the contact information of dietitians who can help you. If you just want to general information about diet and nutrition, you can visit the Health Promotion’s Eating Well resources webpage. However, note that it does not serve as a tool for clinical decision making; the purpose is to simply provide information.
–Amna
Photo by Karimian used with permission under the Creative Commons license.
Posted at 10:00AM Jan 13, 2009 by SIAC in SIAC |
We're back!
Bored of not staying up until 4 a.m. finishing an English essay? Sick of not studying for 12 hours straight in the library? Dreaming about your 8 a.m. Discrete Math lecture? Then lucky you, full-time undergrad Winter 2009 classes begin today and you can happily go back to the grind. (Graduate and Continuing Education classes commence January 12.) We SIAC bloggers will resume posting.
We have some cool features coming up this semester, including an exclusive and extensive series on study space on campus, which may include nooks you probably never considered, and the Peer Advisor Profiles, in which each will showcase a different peer advisor and how he/she can be helpful for you. Our Ryerson Commerce Society (RCS) student group of the month (or so) column will also continue. The blog just may get a redesign. (Yeah, we know it’s a mess.)
If you didn’t yet get a chance to check off everything on our handy to-do list (plus your own), come by during the Centre’s new hours, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and we can help you do so.
–Jenelle
Photo by Claudia Snell used with permission under the Creative Commons license.
Posted at 08:00AM Jan 07, 2009 by SIAC in SIAC |
