Graduate Student Senate plans to bring two new resolutions to the table and vote on two previously tabled resolutions at its last meeting of the semester Wednesday evening in Porter Hall.
GSS tabled two resolutions at the previous meeting because Ohio University President Roderick McDavis took up most of the time speaking. The first resolution, sponsored by President Ian Armstrong, was to create an official stance advocating for open forums with the final candidates for in the OU presidential search.
“We want to come out with a statement for all of the members of the search committee and say ‘we think this is an important part of the search,’ ” Armstrong said.
However, Board of Trustees Chair David Wolfort already posted an open letter earlier in the search process promising open forums would be held. Despite the letter, GSS plans to continue on with the resolution.
“It’s just reiterating that GSS thinks this is important,” Armstrong said. “We do appreciate the response we got from Chair Wolfort, but we are moving forward with that.”
The second tabled resolution the body will look at is a $300 budget request from the Department of History to host speakers.
GSS will also vote on a new resolution to appoint Jivanto van Hemert as the Board of Elections Chair for the spring semester. That role is responsible to conduct the elections of GSS Executive Officers and College Senators, interpret campaign rules, accept applications for candidacy and announce election results.
“GSS chooses a Board of Elections Chair to conduct the elections that takes place each spring to choose Executive Officers and College Senators for the following school year,” Angie Chapman, vice president of Legislative Affairs, said in an email.
Chapman said, according to GSS rules and procedures, the body must confirm the Executive Council’s selection by a two-thirds vote. She said it is important to have someone who is not a GSS member serve in the role.
“The Executive Council chose Jivanto because he is someone we all know and trust,” Chapman said. “He fits the requirements for Board of Elections Chair because he is not a member of GSS and he is graduating in the spring. The chair must also be unbiased, and we trust that Jivanto will be able to fulfill that aspect of the role.”
GSS also plans to hold a discussion regarding whether graduate students should be required to take a critical studies course in the Patton College of Education. The discussion was sparked by a conversation Edward Matovu, the educational studies representative for GSS, had with his department chair, Armstrong said.
Many of the GSS members hope to hold a formal discussion about the topic with the entire body, Armstrong said.
“It’s kind of mirroring the idea of cultural competency courses for undergrads,” he said. “There is a lot of discussion. It’s nice to see.”
