2024-2025 Elections

Elections are OPEN until March 25th! Joining the PSA is a great way to strengthen your letter of intent when applying to the honours program, and even grad school! Candidate night is on March 27th, 2024 and is mandatory for all applicants (whether coming in person, on zoom, or submitting a video recording of your platform). Please complete all parts of the application form to be eligible.

The PSA elections have a brand new process to go with our recently re-written constitution! Our board is made up of 6 executive positions and 8 general positions. The students in these positions work to make sure that the PSA is serving our mission and values, and collaborates with committees and our general membership to create the best possible campus community for those in Psychology, and beyond.

Executive Positions

President: Leadership, Accountability, Vision

Vice President: Community-minded, Approachable, Action-oriented

• The ability to relate and understand where someone is coming from is key. This position can require up to 5 – 10 hours a week.
• Helps guide and oversee the Outreach Coordinators and Outreach Committee plan and structure events for students.
• Makes decisions regarding the Peer-to-Peer Mentoring program and assists the P2P Committee in organizing their program.
• Signing authority on the bank account, chairs meetings if the President is not available, and is generally the second in command.
• Connected to the students and the community to bring concerns, ideas, and suggestions to the board and foster relationship building between the PSA and those we serve.
• Requires a passionate, thoughtful person with great interpersonal skills and a love for connecting with and supporting others.

Chief Financial Officer – Details-oriented, Proactive, Organized

• Strategy and resources-focused. Searching out opportunities and attention to detail are key. This position can require up to 5 hours a week.
• Bank account signing authority.
• In charge of maintaining the budget, reimbursing board members, and presenting the balance sheet at meetings when needed.
• Researches and applies for grants and funding for the PSA to utilize for training, support, and programming.
• Requires a proactive, creative, and detailed person. An interest in research or grant application processes is a bonus!

Executive Administrator – Planning, Documentation, Analysis

• Organization skills are critical. This position can require up to 10 hours a week.
• Point of contact for all board members: The person who knows who is doing what, when, where and why.
• Maintains schedules of the board to facilitate meetings and so that someone is aware of the board’s general commitment level to ensure that everyone’s workload is manageable throughout the year.
  • Schedules internal meetings for the board to ensure that times and dates are accessible. Determines dates for public events in conjunction with the board.
  • Sets a schedule of Psych Lounge dates and works with Outreach to find appropriate dates for events.
• Monitors the email addresses and flows communications to the appropriate spots in a timely manner. Is the primary initial contact for much of the communication of the PSA.
• Requires keen ability to anticipate problems, think long-term, multitask, and keep a group of very busy people moving in the same direction.
• PGSA (Psychology Graduate Students Association) Representative

Director of Communications – Creative, Responsive, Teamwork-focused

• Strong written skills are a must. This position can require 5 – 10 hours a week. This role works closely in conjunction with the President and the Executive Administrator to ensure that communications are appropriate and scheduled adequately.
• Focuses on communicating the PSA’s mission, values, and programming to the community. Oversees the social media accounts.
  • Helps guide and oversee the Communications Coordinators and Communications Committee develop, design, and schedule campaigns and content for the semester.
  • Should be looking at our presence and interactions online and in the community with a critical eye for appropriateness, tone, style and with the perception of the public.
• Works with the Communications Coordinators and the Communications Committee on website development and maintenance.
• Oversees the development of the semester newsletter with the Communications Coordinators and the Communications Committee. Requires knowledge of social media platforms. Skills in written communications, editing, design, or marketing are a bonus.

Director of Outreach – Resourceful, Social, Solutions-focused

• Fostering connections within the University is a focus. This position can require 5 – 10 hours a week. This role works closely in conjunction with the Vice President and the Executive Administrator to ensure that student needs are being addressed appropriately and events and programming are scheduled adequately.
• Focuses on building the community that the PSA represents with the help of the Outreach Coordinators and the Outreach Committee.
• Helps guide and oversee the Outreach Coordinators and Outreach Committee in planning, promoting, and developing events and programming for students and the campus at large.
• Maintains the Psychology Students Lounge which works to support students academically, socially, and in the community.
• Should be listening to student issues and be bringing these concerns and ideas to the board. Should be in contact with and supporting other student societies and groups.
• Requires an outgoing, social, fun-loving person who is not easily daunted by big ideas. Event planning experience or a love of helping to build an effective team to pull something off is a bonus!

Board Positions

Academic Coordinator – Supportive, Knowledgeable, Resourceful

• Knowledge for students. This position can require 5 hours a week. Works with Outreach Coordinators to reach out to psychology classes to communicate with students in junior classes as to what programming, supports, and events will be happening.
• Keeps up-to-date information on the psychology programs at the U of R and psychology programs in Canada in general. Reaches out to local high schools to build relationships with future students.
• Connects with other faculty societies, clubs, and organizations to build a stronger campus community.
• Works with the Outreach Coordinators and Outreach Committee to develop skills-building programming and offer useful training opportunities.
• Works to develop and establish relationships with other Psychology Students’ Associations and Universities in Canada and beyond!

Outreach Coordinator (2) – Connecting, Events-Focused, Community-Minded

• Connects with students. This position is under 5 hours a week, depending on the time of year and the projects in process. These board members work directly with the Vice President, Outreach Coordinators, and the Outreach Committee.
• Collaborates to develop, plan, and host PSA events and programming throughout the semester. Oversees engagement for student programming and support.
• Monitors the Psych Lounge, participates in peer mentoring, talks to classes about PSA programming or opportunities, and shares content on social media.
• Requires a person who loves to talk with others and share the values of the PSA with students!

Communications Coordinator (2) – Creative, Flexible, Perpetually Online

• Develop social media content. This position is under 5 hours a week. These board members work directly with the President, Communications Coordinators, and the Communications Committee.
• Creates campaigns, content and designs for the PSA social media accounts.
• Writes articles and content for the blog and for the newsletter.
• Works with the Director of Communications to analyze views, traffic, what is working, and what is not.
• Requires a love of trying new ideas, social media literacy, and a knack for making stuff look and sound great!

Junior Representative (2) – Passionate, Jack-of-all-Trades, Eager to Learn

• Learn everything you could want! This position can be between 5 – 10 hours a week. The junior positions offer an opportunity for students who want to be involved with the PSA but don’t know what they might excel at.
• This position works with all of the other board positions, learning skills as they go! Duties can include things from Communications, Outreach, the Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Program, anything! Find what you care about the most and work with a passionate board that wants to help you succeed.
• Requires nothing but passion for the PSA values of growth, opportunity, and support. Get a crash course in the entire organization!
• 60 credit hours or less required

Peer Coordinator – Innovative, Collaborative, Welcoming

• Works with the Vice President, Director of Outreach, and Outreach Coordinators to develop and maintain the PSA Peer-to-Peer Mentorship program
• Co-ordinates and organizes the execution of the mentoring relationships for each semester the program is active.
• Collects feedback from participants to improve and evolve the program.

Committees

Committee positions are for those students who want to be involved and work with the PSA on projects or initiatives, gain skills, and learn from fellow students without needing to be elected to a board position. Great for students who want to learn more about marketing and communications, holding events, advocacy, or leadership! These committee options for general members will be advertised after the election. 🙂

Committee Applications are OPEN! If you’re interested in joining our Communications or Outreach Committees click below to join! Those who apply before September 2nd will be given preference. If you apply after September 2nd, we will reach out when we have availability!