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Faculty of Social Sciences
CUPE work action information and updates

Visit McMaster's Labour Updates website for information on the current work action by CUPE Local 3906, Unit 1

Campus Life

On Campus Recreation

The McMaster campus has many outstanding recreational facilities on campus including the David Braley Athletic Centre, and an outdoor fitness circuit.
 
Enjoy free access to swimming facilities, squash courts, and an indoor track. For a small fee, you can enroll in spin classes, yoga, dance, martial arts, and tai chi or use the weight room, stationary bikes, and indoor climbing wall.

Athletic Centre

Libraries

The McMaster University Library consists of Mill Memorial Library (Humanities and Social Sciences), Innis Library (Business), H.G. Thode Library of Science and Engineering, and the Health Sciences Library in the Heath Sciences Centre.  Specific collections located in the Mills Library include:

Libraries

McMaster Museum of Art

Officially opened to the public in June 1994, the Museum contains five exhibition galleries, a paper centre and an educational access gallery. The Museum offers year-round exhibitions, as well as artist talks , seminars, tours, workshops and concerts. In 2015, the permanent collection held by the museum of art consisted of 5,937 works of art valued at over $98 million.

Museum of Art

Hanging Out on Campus

The Graduate Student Association (GSA) plays an important role in grad student life. They manage The Phoenix, a bar and restaurant located in the historic Refectory building.
 
 The Phoenix staff are the keepers of the McMaster version of the Holy Grail, the Thallion. Only those that have successfully defended their thesis may drink from this mystical chalice.

The Phoenix

Graduate Student Groups

Graduate Student Association (GSA)

The Graduate Student Association (GSA) of McMaster University advocates for the needs of the collective, acts as a resource, and provides support and services that improve the graduate student experience.  

The mandate of the GSA is:

  1. To promote the welfare and interests of the members through facilities and opportunities for social, athletic and intellectual activities;
  2. To represent the members before the duly elected and appointed authorities of McMaster University, and
  3. To promote communication and participation in all matters of common interest between the members of the Association and the members of other student organizations, both at McMaster and in other educational institutions. 

Graduate Student Association

School of Graduate Studies

There are numerous supports and services on McMaster's campus tailored specifically to graduate students. The McMaster School of Graduate Studies aims to support the academic aspirations and social well-being of all graduate students and foster excellence in teaching and research.

School of Graduate Studies

Teaching Assistants

Teaching Assistant and Research Assistants at McMaster are represented by Local 3906 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). The Local (which also represents sessional instructors and post-doctoral fellows) negotiates a collective bargaining agreement on behalf of its members and represents their interests to the university on workplace matters such as equity and health and safety. CUPE members also enjoy separate dental and health benefits plan (in addition to the Graduate Student Association Plan) , a child care reimbursement, and a health spending account.

CUPE Local 3906

Supports from the School of Graduate Studies

McMaster's School of Graduate Studies offers graduate students and postdoctoral fellows support in the form of programs, in-person and online resources, workshops, and more.