The Graduate Students Association is the voice of graduate students on campus. The association meets for forum every three weeks and takes positions on current issues affecting graduate students. Forum meetings are at 5:30 p.m. in the Ackerman Viewpoint Lounge.
Agenda:
- GSA President Michael Skiles amended the agenda to swear in the new executive officers before the cabinet discussed officer reports.
- The cabinet unanimously voted to approve the new GSA appointments for the 2017-2018 academic year.
Officer Reports:
- Ioan Istrate, outgoing vice president of Internal Affairs, said he worked with administrators on the GSA’s transition process.
- Skiles said he is talking with the administration and Chancellor Gene Block to increase pay for summer teaching assistants. He said that although TAs have the same amount of workload during the summer as they do during regular quarters, they are only paid 55 percent of their usual wage.
- Parshan Khosravi, vice president of External Affairs, said in the next academic year he plans to provide written officer reports to cabinet members before they attend the meeting.
- Rebecca Katz, vice president of Academic Affairs, said she is working to make sure that graduate students’ inputs are being heard when the Graduate Division addresses the teacher assistant shortage.
- Katz said she is concerned that there are limited housing units for graduate students. She added that one of the buildings in the apartment complex planned to replace Warren Hall, has been allocated to undergraduates even though it was proposed for graduate students.
- Katz said she plans to create an orientation for new international graduate students.
- Skiles announced the appointments for various GSA cabinet positions. He added the rest of the positions that are open will be appointed in fall quarter.
- Anne Blackstock-Bernstein, the outgoing elections commissioner, said she hopes the new elections commissioner will release candidate applications in the fall. She added the election board is considering allowing graduate students to abstain in GSA elections.
- Vice President of Internal Affairs Alexander Fung said they will meet at the same time and location next year.