DAGS' Board of Directors & Officers is currently made up of 7 Dalhousie graduate students. There is currently one unfilled position (Director of Health Professions). New Board Members are elected or appointed every winter term, and take office May 1st. For information on individual Board Members, please see their profiles below.
For a more detailed description of duties for each position, see our By-Laws.
Please note that Office Hours listed are not necessarily applicable on holidays or over scheduled academic breaks. Send an e-mail to president@dags.ca if you wish to check availability or set up a visit during any of those periods.
As well if you would like to talk or pick up a cheque but are unable to make any office hours, please e-mail president@dags.ca to set up a visit.
For a more detailed description of duties for each position, see our By-Laws.
Please note that Office Hours listed are not necessarily applicable on holidays or over scheduled academic breaks. Send an e-mail to president@dags.ca if you wish to check availability or set up a visit during any of those periods.
As well if you would like to talk or pick up a cheque but are unable to make any office hours, please e-mail president@dags.ca to set up a visit.
President: Ankit Bajaj
Program: Master of Electronic Commerce
Email: president@dags.ca
Description: The President represents DAGS to Dalhousie University administration and serves on the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) Council. They work with the Board as a team to implement decisions made by the Council and bring new initiatives to the Council. They chair the Board, Council, and Administration Committee; and serve on the Governance Committee of DAGS.
Email: president@dags.ca
Description: The President represents DAGS to Dalhousie University administration and serves on the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) Council. They work with the Board as a team to implement decisions made by the Council and bring new initiatives to the Council. They chair the Board, Council, and Administration Committee; and serve on the Governance Committee of DAGS.
Vice-President Academic Affairs: Michael Connolly
Program: MSc Faculty of Medicine
Email: vpacademic@dags.ca
Description: The Vice President Academic attends Dalhousie Senate and Faculty Council Meetings. They also chair the Academic and External Relations Committee. The VP Academic sits on the FGS Academic Planning and Curriculum Committee and Academic Appeals Committee. The main duty of the VP Academic is to support graduate students in navigating the academic policies and programs at Dalhousie.
Email: vpacademic@dags.ca
Description: The Vice President Academic attends Dalhousie Senate and Faculty Council Meetings. They also chair the Academic and External Relations Committee. The VP Academic sits on the FGS Academic Planning and Curriculum Committee and Academic Appeals Committee. The main duty of the VP Academic is to support graduate students in navigating the academic policies and programs at Dalhousie.
Vice-President External Advocacy: Asal Yans
Program: PhD Medical Neuroscience
Email: vpexternal@dags.ca
Description: The Vice-President External Advocacy serves on Dalhousie Student Union (DSU) Council and maintains a collaborative and working relationship with the DSU President and Vice-Presidents. They act as a representative of graduate students to organizations of which DAGS, the DSU, or Dalhousie University is a member and as a delegate at conferences of external organizations of interest to DAGS as directed by Council. They develop and formulate policy on external matters and ensure that Council is kept informed of and has opportunity to respond to initiatives of the DSU and external bodies that impact graduate students. They serve as co-chair of the Academic and External Relations Committee and chair of the Governance Committee.
Email: vpexternal@dags.ca
Description: The Vice-President External Advocacy serves on Dalhousie Student Union (DSU) Council and maintains a collaborative and working relationship with the DSU President and Vice-Presidents. They act as a representative of graduate students to organizations of which DAGS, the DSU, or Dalhousie University is a member and as a delegate at conferences of external organizations of interest to DAGS as directed by Council. They develop and formulate policy on external matters and ensure that Council is kept informed of and has opportunity to respond to initiatives of the DSU and external bodies that impact graduate students. They serve as co-chair of the Academic and External Relations Committee and chair of the Governance Committee.
Vice-president Finance and Operations: Soheil Latifi
Program: MSc Computer Science
Email: vpfo@dags.ca
Description: The Vice-President Finance and Operations oversees the operations of DAGS in cooperation with the Office Manager, and the Administration Committee. They work closely with the President to ensure collaboration between DAGS and member societies and act as the Chair of the Administration Committee and Governance Committee.
Email: vpfo@dags.ca
Description: The Vice-President Finance and Operations oversees the operations of DAGS in cooperation with the Office Manager, and the Administration Committee. They work closely with the President to ensure collaboration between DAGS and member societies and act as the Chair of the Administration Committee and Governance Committee.
Vice President Student Life and Communications: Jaykumar Patel
Program: MSc Mechanical Engineering
Email: vpsl@dags.ca
Description: The Vice President of Student Life and Communications is a new position for the 2019-20 year! This position is responsible for overseeing DAGS communications (website, social media, etc.), as well as planning events (ex. Orientation events) and programming for graduate students. They Chair the Student Life committee and work closely with member societies to put on events for graduate students.
Email: vpsl@dags.ca
Description: The Vice President of Student Life and Communications is a new position for the 2019-20 year! This position is responsible for overseeing DAGS communications (website, social media, etc.), as well as planning events (ex. Orientation events) and programming for graduate students. They Chair the Student Life committee and work closely with member societies to put on events for graduate students.
Director of Engineering, Architecture and Planning: Sri Krishna Chaitanya Avala
Program: MASc Civil Engineering
Email: director1@dags.ca
Description: Directors work to serve the faculties and programs they represent through a variety of Councils and committees throughout the University.
Email: director1@dags.ca
Description: Directors work to serve the faculties and programs they represent through a variety of Councils and committees throughout the University.
Director of Science and Computer Science: Fatemeh Rahimi
Program: MSc Computer Science
Email: director3@dags.ca
Description: Directors work to serve the faculties and programs they represent through a variety of Councils and committees throughout the University.
Email: director3@dags.ca
Description: Directors work to serve the faculties and programs they represent through a variety of Councils and committees throughout the University.
Director of Health and Medical Sciences: Pooyan Moradi
Program: PhD student, Friedman lab, Dep. of Medical Neuroscience
Email: director4@dags.ca
Description: Directors work to serve the faculties and programs they represent through a variety of Councils and committees throughout the University.
Email: director4@dags.ca
Description: Directors work to serve the faculties and programs they represent through a variety of Councils and committees throughout the University.
Director of Arts, Social Sciences, Law and Management: Vacant
Program: N/A
Email: director2@dags.ca
Description: Directors work to serve the faculties and programs they represent through a variety of Councils and committees throughout the University.
Email: director2@dags.ca
Description: Directors work to serve the faculties and programs they represent through a variety of Councils and committees throughout the University.
Community Representatives
There are currently no Community Representatives under the current DAGS constitution. A motion to update the constitution such that this is included is currently being drafted.
Community Representatives are responsible for ensuring that the interests particular to their community members are represented at Council, while keeping in mind the general welfare of the Dalhousie Association of Graduate Students as stated in our Bylaws. Please see the currently adopted Bylaws for community rep positions and/or contact us at dags@dal.ca for further inquiries.
Community Representatives are responsible for ensuring that the interests particular to their community members are represented at Council, while keeping in mind the general welfare of the Dalhousie Association of Graduate Students as stated in our Bylaws. Please see the currently adopted Bylaws for community rep positions and/or contact us at dags@dal.ca for further inquiries.
Department Representatives/Councillors
Department Representatives/Councillors are responsible for ensuring that interests particular to their society are represented at Council, while keeping in mind the general welfare of the Dalhousie Association of Graduate Students, as stated in our Bylaws.
If your society does not currently have elected/appointed DAGS reps, filling/instating this position(s) would ensure representation & input on decisions made by DAGS. Please contact dags@dal.ca for more information!
If your society does not currently have elected/appointed DAGS reps, filling/instating this position(s) would ensure representation & input on decisions made by DAGS. Please contact dags@dal.ca for more information!
Key Duties:
a. Carry out duties as determined by their respective departmental society;
b. Relay departmental issues to their Director and/or to Council for general discussion and potential DAGS action;
c. Convey information from their Director and DAGS to Members of their departmental societies;
d. Liaise with Members of their departmental societies;
e. Sit on committees of DAGS as required and when possible; and
f. Attend meetings of DAGS Council, or send a voting proxy in their stead.
b. Relay departmental issues to their Director and/or to Council for general discussion and potential DAGS action;
c. Convey information from their Director and DAGS to Members of their departmental societies;
d. Liaise with Members of their departmental societies;
e. Sit on committees of DAGS as required and when possible; and
f. Attend meetings of DAGS Council, or send a voting proxy in their stead.