Concordia Philosophy Student Weekly Tabloid Vol. 10
We hope everyone had a good first day (or two) of the new term. And if you haven’t had a class yet, we hope your first day is as sweet as honey. I already had two classes this week, and have two more today.
You may have noticed this came out a day later than usual. Because of my Fall term schedule, I am going to shift on which day this newsletter is released. It will most likely be sent on Thursdays going forward.
Also, keep your ears open about information on our Annual General Assembly (GA), which will be sent in our next issue! The GA is a gathering of all our members (all philosophy students… yes that includes you!) We get to tell you about our plans for the year, and we vote on filling vacant executive positions (so please come out and support your student body). You can run for an executive position directly at our GA!
Here’s our 10th Volume of the Concordia Philosophy Student Weekly Tabloid! Bringing you all the hottest and best events and relevant philosophy news.
This week, we disseminate news about:
- Student feedback
- New student events and information sessions
- Graduate philosophy student thesis defence
- A work-integrated learning program
- Learning services workshops
- The FutureBound program
- SoPhiA’s new philosophy student guide
- Library research workshops
- SoPhiA’s library of books
- Free drug testing kits
Feedback on Philosophy Student Difficulties
We’re looking for your feedback on what type of (common) issues, difficulties, or confusions you have as a Concordia philosophy student. Problems with course books, grades, professors, classes, the program, degree requirements, registration, navigating the university, harassment, etc.. Anything related to being a philosophy student.
Feel free to leave a comment on this post.
Your responses are appreciated and will help us in crafting our upcoming philosophy student guide!
If you’d like to make an anonymous/confidential comment, you can email [community dot sophia at asfa dot ca]. We’ll keep your response confidential.
Workshops and Events for New Students
The Student Success Center and other student groups are hosting a range of activities to allow you to prepare you to START your semester off well.
Some of these events include:
- Q&A with academic advising and services staff (weekly on Wednesdays)
- Black Perspectives Office Student Orientation (Ongoing)
- Webster Library Tour (September 8 & 9)
- Concordia’s online tools explained (September 16)
Who: Student Success Center + International Students Office + Student Groups
What: Various group sessions, social activities, and tours
Where: Online and in person
When: Various dates throughout August and September
See the calendar of START events
Philosophy MA Defense
Graduate students Emmanuel Cuisinier, Zachary Lapointe, and Leah Edmonds are defending their MA Thesis this week. A graduate thesis oral defence is the final step for the completion of a Master’s degree.
Emmanuel Cuisinier defends on September 8th from 10am-12pm. Topic: Spontaneous Heroism and the Intersubjective Nature of Sacrificial Selflessness in Merleau-Ponty.
Zachary Lapointe defends on September 9th from 9-11am. Topic: Levinas, Euthanasia, and the Duality of the Moral Subject.
Leah Edmonds defends on September 9th from 12-2pm. Topic: Heidegger, Funerary Practices, and the Fourfold
What: MA Thesis defence
When: September 8 & 9
Where: S Annex room 201
Humanities+ Work-integrated Learning Experience
Are you looking for practical training on skills required for the workplace? Do you feel unprepared for the work world after your degree?
Humanities+ offers a program that provides extracurricular courses focused on skill development and personal and professional growth to give you the soft skills required to be a strong workplace asset. The program will take place over the winter term.
You will:
- Learn Digital skills
- Learn Professional skills
- Learn Placement skills
- Take part in a work-integrates learning experience
You must be enrolled in a humanities program (e.g., philosophy) and have at least 30 credits completed by January 2023. You must also commit several hours a week over the entire Winter semester to the program’s courses.
The applications open on September 6th and the final deadline to apply is Sunday, December 4th, 2023 at 11:59 p.m.
Who: Student Success Center
What: Humanities+ work-study program
When: Throughout the winter 2023 term
Where: Online
Learning Services Workshops
The Student Success Center is offering different learning workshops throughout the semester. Be sure to take advantage of them to improve you student skills!
Some of the workshops offered include:
- Time management
- Academic reading
- Effective note-taking
- Attention
- University success for non-native English speakers
- Academic writing
- Exam preparation
For more information see the Student Success Center Learning Services Workshops page.
FutureBound Skill Workshops
The Student Success Center offers a line of skill workshops in their FutureBound program. The FutureBound workshops offer a chance for students to pick up soft skills outside the classroom that can transfer to the workplace.
The workshops are grouped into five categories:
- Career development
- Communications & Digital Capabilities
- Innovation & Entrepreneurship
- Leadership and Collaboration
- Growth & Balance
If you complete four workshops from any one specific category, you get a certificate stating that you have completed training in that category.
I’ve attended many of these workshops in my years at Concordia and can say that they offer new soft skills that apply to any part of your life. A few of the skills I’ve picked up include:
- Working more effectively in groups
- Being a better public speaker and presenter
- Working more effectively with Excel
- Designing workshops and presentations
- Networking with others
Who: Student Success Center
What: Futurebound workshops
When: Various dates throughout the year
New Philosophy Student Guide
Just in time for the new semester is the Students of Philosophy Association’s new philosophy student guide! We’ve worked over the summer to put this together for philosophy students.
This guide is to help students new to philosophy become oriented to philosophy, navigate the university, as well as offer advice in reading, writing, discussing, and thinking about philosophy. It can also benefit intermediate students. We’re still refining and adding to it, but feel free to peruse our first edition!
We’re always looking for senior students who would also like to contribute to the guide. Feel free to get in touch with us if you’d like to help craft this guide or would like to see some information added to the guide.
Who: Students of Philosophy Association
What: Philosophy Student Guide
Where: On our website!
Library Research Workshops
Concordia’s library offers several sessions on citing and researching in the library. If you’re new to research and writing academic essays, then these workshops could be of value to you. It can even benefit students who just want to use the library more effectively.
In the research workshop, you might learn about the Library’s Sofia system, how to use search terms effectively, locating sources, and good research practices.
In the citation workshops, you’ll learn about the basics of citing in a specific citation style (APA or Chicago). This workshop is useful because philosophy students need to cite sources from as early as their first philosophy course!
Register for a workshop while there’s still space and take advantage of essential skills you will use throughout your degree and academic career!
Who: Concordia Webster Library
What: Research and citation workshops
When:
Research workshops
- September 20th, 10:15-11:45am (in person at LB 322)
- September 28th, 2:30-4pm (online)
Citation workshops
- APA (American Psychological Association style):
- October 13th, 10:15-11:45am (Online)
- November 16th, 2:30-4pm (LB 205)
- Chicago Manual of Style:
- November 10th, 2:30-4pm (online)
SoPhiA Book Library
If you didn’t know, SoPhiA has a library of over 650 books! We have books from different domains of philosophy and some outside philosophy (psychology, business, political science, and even novels). We even have textbooks for some of your courses! (e.g., PHIL-210, 235, 260, 266, and more)
What’s better is it’s completely free! What’s better than free texbooks?
You can borrow a book for an hour, or even the whole semester. Just drop by our office or send us an email.
You can see our complete library of books online on our Librarika virtual library.
What: Books!
Where: The SoPhiA library (in our office space)
Drug Test Kits
On behalf of the Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy (CssDP Concordia), every Friday from 12-4pm the Frigo Vert is offering free take-home drug testing kits.
- Kits available to take home
- Confidential & anonymous
- Non-judgmental
- Wheelchair accessible
- Fentanyl strips available
- Private gender-neutral bathroom
What: Free drug test kits
When: Every Friday from 12-4pm
Where: Le Frigo Vert (1440 Mackay St.)
Stay safe and responsible with drug use.
Do you know of any cool philosophy-related events in Montreal or the Concordia Community? Please let us know and we will advertise them here!
**Pictures are for representative effect only and aren’t actual photos of the events, products, or services we report on.
Students of Philosophy Association 