Dear AGSU Members,

The AGSU Executive invites you to join our upcoming General Meeting, which will be held virtually on December 12 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

During this meeting, we’ll share important updates on our work and highlight key accomplishments. We’ll also present proposed Constitutional Amendments designed to improve clarity and better align our union’s structure and executive roles with current practices.

This is a great opportunity to stay informed about AGSU activities and to help shape the future direction of our union.

Please register for the meeting and review the agenda in advance.

If you have any questions or would like to propose additional items for discussion, feel free to reach out to the Executive at agsu@studentorg.utoronto.ca.

Graduate students at the Department of Anthropology are cordially invited to the AGSU’s Winter Wine and Cheese.

Join us for an evening of drinks, appetizers, and friendly conversation! All UofT anthropology graduate students, faculty, and administrative staff are welcome to attend. All attendees will receive one free drink ticket (for an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage) at the door.

Event will take place on November 29th, 2024 in the First Floor Lounge. For more information, please see the attached poster in this email.

Please fill out the Google form linked below to register for this event if you have not already. We encourage you to fill out the form earlier rather than later, as space is limited.

Please RSVP here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/14h5coCsz4ZRzeOY7WwLOh-VtT4129B3oplkUbKzNTPY/edit

Check in and unwind after a long semester with a gentle writing workshop designed to help you get in touch with your feelings and develop personalized strategies to support yourself through them. 

Through a series of (fun, we promise!) creative writing prompts, we'll explore new avenues and perspectives from which to view our lives and develop paths forward you may not have considered before.

Your work will be as private as you'd like. You will not be expected to share anything you produce, but there will be some time allotted at the end of the workshop for optional sharing. 

 Holiday-themed snacks and drinks provided throughout! 

 Thursday, November 28th, 2024 AP246, Department of Anthropology 

Hello All!

Rise and Shine with the AGSU for their Grad Breakfast happening on Monday, November 4th from 9-11AM in AP 246! This event is co-hosted between the AGSU and Chairs of the department. The department chairs are very interested in fostering good connections amongst students in each subfield and this would be a great opportunity to meet new people and enjoy a free breakfast.

Start your day with a smile and come on our for some delicious nutritious breakfast!

For more information, please reach out to Charlotte Parry (Charlotte.parry@mail.utoronto.ca)

JOIN THE AGSU FOR A FUN AFTERNOON OF FALL PAINTING!

ALL SUPPLIES ARE INCLUDED AND REFRESHMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE

THURSDAY OCTOBER 24TH

FROM 4:30 PM TO 7 PM IN

AP246 (LEE BOARDROOM)

Minutes to be posted after meeting.

Join us online or in-person on Friday September 20th, from 1-3pm

The Anthropology Town Hall is an opportunity for us to share ideas and explore collective governance.

The first of two mid-semester townhalls, this event is for staff, graduate students, faculty/lecturers and postdocs in Anthropology, and will not be open to the public.

To join the Town Hall, please register here.

 We look forward to seeing you there.

Learn about everything from how to use your

health insurance to tips for tracking your hours

at work!

Dear Anthropology Graduate Students' Union (AGSU) Members,

Nominations are now open for the AGSU 2024 Fall General Elections (see link for nomination form further down in this email), with nominations closing at 3:00 PM on Thursday, September 12th. The tentative timeline and instructions document for the elections can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yFCqSTZm5Axy0AmCovg-i9L9LflSWI_MvW3oVWm7gkE/ . Please note that all times are in ET.

All AGSU Members are encouraged to read this important document. Also below are some key points of information:

Running for Election

The following positions (and the number of each position available) are to be filled during these General Elections:

• Secretary (1)

• Treasurer (1)

• Communications Coordinator (1)

• Computer Coordinator (1)

• Mental Health Committee Coordinator (2)

• UTGSU Representative (1-2)

• Member-at-large (2-4)

• Medusa Coordinator (1-2)

• Diversity and Decolonization Committee Representatives (2)

The duties and responsibilities for each of these positions can be found in the AGSU constitution: https://www.utorontoagsu.com/constitution

All successful candidates will serve in these positions from September 26th, 2024 (tentative, pending confirmation of results) until the end of their 2024-2025 executive terms (April 30th, 2025).

The Nomination Period is open now, and will close on Thursday, September 12th at 3 PM. All candidates who wish to stand for election must be current AGSU Members and must also complete the following self-nomination form during this time period: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdO2eI5Umq11V9GdpmXTh5190WkZmJjjRpXrL5r3NxAI5EdJw/viewform

At the close of the nomination period, any candidates with uncontested nominations (i.e., there are not more candidates than positions available) will be elected by acclamation, with results being announced by email soon afterward.

Voting

If there are more candidates for any of these positions than can be afforded by the constitution, an election will be called for the relevant positions. To vote in the election, all eligible voters must be current AGSU Members and must also register to vote. You will receive another email when voter registration opens, with voting instructions attached. There will be no in-person registration or voting; voting will be online.

Results

The results of the election will be made available through the AGSU email listserv, our members-only social media page, and announced at the Fall General Meeting.

Further details can be found in the linked 'timeline and instructions' document above. If you have any questions or concerns, please email anthro.cro@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

John Vandergugten (Chief Returning Officer)

Shelby Patrick (Deputy Returning Officer)

Dear Incoming Anthropology Graduate Students, 

Welcome to the University of Toronto anthropology community! The Anthropology Graduate Student Union (AGSU) would like to extend our sincere congratulations as you prepare to embark on your academic journey here. 

On August 29th and 30th, you are all invited to a departmental orientation for new students organized by our administration and faculty. This session is designed to offer you insights into the upcoming phases of your graduate studies and help you get acquainted with the department. 

At 4:30 pm, the AGSU Presidents will deliver a presentation that sheds light on the role and significance of being a member of the Anthropology Graduate Student Union. This presentation aims to provide you with a clear understanding of the support and resources available through this union. After this presentation, a guided tour of our facility is scheduled. Please note that master's students are not given an office in the department but will be given access to the master's student group workspace. 

After the tour, we invite you to join us for a mentorship meeting at 5:30 pm. This initiative allows incoming students to connect with experienced anthropology graduate students, facilitating the exchange of insights and experiences. To be paired with a mentor, please sign up using the mentee sign-up form. Pizza and refreshments will be provided during this meeting. If you have any dietary preferences or restrictions, kindly inform us via the sign-up form so we can make appropriate arrangements.

We encourage all anthropology graduate students to participate in a pub night at Prenup Pub (191 College St) at 6:45 pm. This casual setting provides an opportunity for networking and building relationships within the community. To claim your drink ticket, valid for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, please seek out Charlotte Parry (AGSU Social Coordinator) or Alyson Summers and Susannah Clinker (AGSU co-Presidents). Tickets will only be given out in person at the pub upon your arrival at the event and before 8:15 pm.

You are cordially invited to the AGSU’s annual Spring Wine and Cheese on April 26th at 4:30 pm. Join us for an evening of drinks, appetizers, and friendly conversation on the first floor of the UTSG Anthropology Department Building (19 Ursula Franklin). All UofT anthropology graduate students, faculty, and administrative staff are welcome to attend. All attendees will receive one free drink ticket (for an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage) at the door. While we look forward to meeting your friends and loved ones at future events, the AGSU Executive kindly requests that you do not bring +1s to this Wine and Cheese as space is limited. 

 Please RSVP for this event using this form: https://forms.gle/aFjr5Eopz2vgf7127

This teach in will cover the drug overdose crisis in Canada. In the early 2010's, drug users and health workers began noticing increasing of drug overdose in Canada caused by an increasingly toxic illicit drug supply. BC was the first province to declare a state of emergency in 2016, and since then the problem has only gotten worse. Tens of thousands of Canadians have died of drug overdose, a crisis that has largely affected the youngest and most marginalized members of our communities. Led by graduate students Louis Plottel and Marianna Reis, this teach-in will equip you with deeper knowledge about what has led to this public health crisis, government (in)action around it, and how to keep you and your communities safe. We will also be providing Naloxone kits and training for administering this potentially life-saving drug. This teach in will take place April 17th from 5:00 - 7:00pm in AP246. Register here. 

This teach-in will cover the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Just over a year ago, civil war broke out in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. As the leaders of these groups fight for power, civilians have been caught in the middle. Thousands have been killed, while millions more have been forced to flee their homes, all while the international community has remained silent. Join Prof Nisrin Elamin and Aayah Amir, founding members of the Sudan Solidarity Network, to learn about the conflict in Sudan, the contemporary history of Sudan from the 2018 revolution to today, and how to get involved in solidarity efforts from Toronto. This teach in will take place April 10th, from 3:00 - 5:00 pm in AP246. Register here. 

Moderator: Laura Carvalho Participants: Majeed Malhas, Louis Plottel, Marianna Reis, Este Orantes Migoya

Is South African Porridge “just right”?: an exploratory analysis of meal production technologies and adaptive strategies

Madeline Johnson

A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Man’s Best Friend: Insights from Casas Grandes and the North American Arctic

Ellen Pacheco & Shelby Patrick

For more information about the Medusa Conference Schedule or to register to attend virtually, please click here.

“Agrarian Archaeology in the Central Andes of Peru: Understanding the Past for a Sustainable Future” Patricia Aparicio Martinez

Revealing the True Colors of the Past: Hemp Fabric Production and Textile Dyeing in Early Dynastic China

Anne-Julie Robitale & Megan Hoang

Harping Since 2300 BCE: Reconstructing Shimao’s Soundscape and Understanding the Morpho-Stylistic Diversity and Dispersal of the World’s First Mouth Harps

Anne-Julie Robitale

For more information about the Medusa Conference Schedule or to register to attend virtually, please click here.

For more information about the Medusa Conference Schedule or to register to attend virtually, please click here.

Between The Wak’a and the Neak Ta: The Resilience of Indigenous Peruvian and Cambodian Spirit Worship in Response to "World Religions" Christopher Wai

Autism and Sleep; Can improved sleep hygiene increase overall wellbeing for neurodiverse autistic individuals? Dominick Roussel

Excavation and Education: Lessons Learned as Teaching Assistants in the Schreiber Wood Project Field School Susannah Clinker

In Process: The Development of an Automatic Deep- Learning Phytolith Analysis Workflow Melanie Pugliese & Lachlan Kyle Robinson

The Politics of Belonging among Chinese Peruvians: Explorations of Exclusion and Integration through Commemoration of the Dead Stefanie Wai

For more information about the Medusa Conference Schedule or to register to attend virtually, please click here.

From Macro to Micro: Multi-scalar Geoarchaeological

Investigations at the Kathu Pan Site

Selina Amaral
The Methodology of Dental Topography for Inferring Fossil
Ape Diet
Thalia Burden
Trading in whiteness: Russian immigrants seeking
privilege in Japan

Igor Solokov
Middle Horizon (ca. 600-1000 CE) Residence and

Production at Huaca Colorada, Coastal Peru

Kyle Shaw Meuller
The Poetics of Narcotics Anonymous, Or: How to do

Things with Prayer

Louis Plottel

Pushing the Limits of Labour: Care and Affective Labour
Within Shelter Spaces
Maisha Mustanzir

For more information about the Medusa Conference Schedule or to register to attend virtually, please click here.

For more information about the Medusa Conference Schedule or to register to attend virtually, please click here.

The AGSU Executive cordially invites all our members to the upcoming Annual General Meeting, scheduled virtually on Wednesday, March 13th at 6 pm. This event holds significant importance as it provides a platform for crucial reports on the state of your union, its finances, and its accomplishments throughout the year. Additionally, we will be presenting proposed Constitutional Amendments aimed at enhancing clarity and alignment with current procedures in both Executive roles and union structure. Your attendance and participation are highly valued as we collectively shape the future direction of our union. Please register to attend this meeting and review the agenda. Feel free to message the Executive at agsu@studentorg.utoronto.ca with any additions or other matters to do with the meeting or the AGSU in general!

Join us for AGSU's Glass Painting Night on March 12th, 4:30-7:30 PM, in the Anthropology Department's second-floor boardroom (AP246). Relax and get creative as we paint thrifted glassware—wine glasses, bowls, and more—with glass paint. Take home your unique creation and enjoy snacks and refreshments. It's the perfect way to unwind and embrace your artistic side during the busy semester. If you are interested in attending this event, please register here so the Social Coordinators can ensure enough glassware and refreshments for all attendees!

GRADUATE STUDENTS ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT ABSTRACTS FOR THE UPCOMING MEDUSA CONFERENCE FROM MARCH 20-22, 2024. TO SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT, PLEASE USE THE submission form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8KA5EzA9T8rJaOO4rt_Yb15RosyMDZZNu9WoGgAHoE4JSYQ/viewform

THERE IS NO REGISTRATION FEE AND PARTICIPANTS ARE WELCOME TO PRESENT IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY!

Dear Anthropology Graduate Students, Get ready to get your game on for Thursday February 1st starting at 8:30 in AP 246. The AGSU will be hosting a board game night. Make sure to bring your friends and your favourite games. Light refreshments will be provided. All are welcome, and we hope to see you there!

Student volunteers contribute to the Medusa Conference’s success. Volunteering is a fantastic way to gain conference experience and support your peers! Volunteers will assist with set up and clean up for talks, greeting attendees, etc.

Open to all anthropology graduate and undergraduate students. To apply, please complete the Google Form below by January 15, 2023.

The AGSU Mental Health Coordinators (Adrianna and Eman) would like to invite all current Anthropology Graduate students to fill out our survey on graduate student mental health. This survey is for informational purposes to help us inform how we create mental health and wellness initiatives in the coming semester.  You will not be asked to provide your name, email, or other identifying information beyond your approximate year and program. All questions will have a prefer not to answer option. This survey will be open for responses from Tuesday, November 28th until Tuesday, January 15th. Thank you for taking the time to fill out our survey so we can best serve our graduate student community! Complete the survey using this link:

https://forms.gle/v8fhuP5YpzUJZpEs9