This spring, graduate students can add to their research and
teaching duties with the opportunity to serve their peers on
student government.
The Graduate Student Association will be holding the online
election for next year’s officers April 16-22.
Candidates must submit all election forms by Monday, April 7 to
the GSA office. A mandatory orientation meeting will take place the
next day to discuss procedures for election and campaigning.
GSA Director of Elections Melanie Ho said she hoped this year
all the opening offices will be contested. Last year, all
candidates ran uncontested. It has been difficult to get a lot of
candidates because many graduate students are busy with their
research, she said.
Ho said so far there has been a lot of interest, especially in
the vice presidential positions. Candidates can run for offices of
the president, vice presidents of internal and external affairs,
and vice president of academic affairs. Candidates should read the
job descriptions carefully and talk to current officers to get an
accurate picture of the positions they are applying for, she
said.
She added that graduate students tend to focus on their
departments, and that running for offices will be “a great
way to meet other graduate and professional students and learn
about their concerns.”
Candidates can begin campaigning after the orientation meeting
on April 8. Though this year’s GSA constitutional change
gives free rein to candidates for campaign spending, they are
required to submit a list of expenditures which will be made
available for the public.
Dorothy Kim, GSA internal vice president, encouraged students to
run for her position because of its potential for direct impact on
graduate student lives.
An important part of the job, she said, is in dealing with
central office and council budgets to “ensure sufficient
funding for graduate students in all aspects, from organizing
events to working with the Graduate Division to find fundraisers
for graduate fellowships.”
Kim added that next year’s officers should not only
concentrate on their specified duties but also work closely with
fellow officers on each of their issues.
Those who prefer to deal with graduate student issues such as
tax exemptions on a state or national level might consider applying
for the external affairs office.
An external vice president usually deals with external politics
and campaigns. Current officer Hanish Rathod, who is also required
to sit on the board of lobbying organization University of
California Student Association, said the position allows for great
flexibility.
“You don’t have to stay within the confines of your
job description,” he said.
The officer can take the initiative to work on projects and
create coalitions outside UCSA, he added.
Graduate students interested in working on academic affairs
issues such as academic incompletes or the possible switch to a
semester system can apply to become vice president of academic
affairs.
Dennis Tyler, running for a second term in office, said a
student representative is “needed to act as a liaison between
GSA and other administrative offices on all academic
concerns.”
All election forms are online at
http://gsa.asucla.ucla.edu/~elections/.