Carleton University, Ontario, Canada

While the exact date of the Graduate Students’ Association’s formation is clouded in mystery, as almost no written records of the early days exist, the first clear record of the GSA dates are from the 1972-73 school year, when Mike’s Place, the grad pub, officially received its name.

Today, the GSA continues to serve grads at Carleton. Through the GSA, graduate students are represented on university committees and the organization has been front and centre in efforts to support a sexual assault support centre on campus, in making public transportation affordable for students, improving student services and space on campus, expanding academic opportunities, and fighting against skyrocketing tuition fees and the elimination of post-residency fees (and the struggle to bring them back), as well as other issues identified by graduate students.