The Graduate Students Association wrapped up its last meeting of
the year and swore in its recently elected officers on Wednesday
night.
Outgoing GSA officers discussed the continued efforts to
validate the graduate student writing center referendum, which
would add $3 to quarterly graduate student fees to help fund a
center to assist students with writing and presentation skills.
Monica Sanchez Rivas, the newly installed GSA president, said
her immediate goals include getting Chancellor Albert Carnesale to
validate the graduate student writing center referendum and
planning graduate student orientation.
The referendum passed in the spring election, but the vote is
invalid because of a UC policy introduced one week before the
election requiring 20 percent voter turnout for a fee increase to
be implemented.
GSA has written letters to both Carnesale and UC President
Robert Dynes in hopes of obtaining the money for the writing
center, Sanchez said.
The chancellor of a university can, in special circumstances,
validate a referendum that would otherwise be invalid because of
voter turnout.
Voter turnout in GSA elections is historically low, and election
officials said 20 percent is not a realistic number to reach.
Sanchez is optimistic about the new GSA officers.
“I feel good. The work has already started; I really hit
the ground running,” Sanchez said. “I’ve been the
chair of the GSA appointments committee for the past few weeks, and
we got over 100 applicants, a substantial increase from last
year.”
Cindy Mosqueda, who was re-elected as external vice president,
said her main goal for next year is to expand her voter information
campaign.
“I want to inform undergraduates and especially graduates
about issues in higher education ““ both at the state and
federal level,” she said.
In the past GSA has focused mostly on state issues, but Mosqueda
wants to expand GSA’s non-partisan coverage of national
issues as well as increase voter registration among graduate
students, she said.
Mosqueda also wants to reform graduate student fees.
“We are (advocating for) a long-term fee policy that would
include gradual instead of unpredictable fee increases,” she
said.
GSA also adopted several bylaw changes, including the addition
of a code of ethics.
The code was adopted so GSA could have a means of holding its
elected and appointed officials accountable for their actions, said
Internal Vice President Mac Marston, who is returning to the
position for a second year.
Anthony Dunbar, GSA director of communication, had objections to
the language in parts of the code, which he said was vague or
repetitive and could allow for potential abuse of authority when
dismissing GSA officers.
After some debate among the GSA Forum and several changes, the
code was passed unanimously.
Outgoing GSA President Jared Fox said that while he will not
hold an elected position next year, he will still be an active
participant in GSA.
“It’s been a great two years, and I’m excited
about where we’ve been and the progress we’ve
made,” said Fox, who held the position for two years.
“I’m excited about where GSA will go, and I think we
have some great, dedicated officers.”