At its last general meeting of the academic year on Tuesday, Graduate Student Senate will bring at least two more resolutions to the floor.
The body has seen 63 resolutions during the academic year. That number is an increase from previous years in which the amount of resolutions brought to the floor has been about 20. GSS President Ian Armstrong said he thinks the general body was able to increase the number of resolutions because they doubled the number of meetings they had this academic year.
“I think the reason we have that much more is because we’ve had twice as many opportunities,” he said.
Other GSS members are proud of what they have accomplished this academic year.
“I think this particular Graduate Student Senate has been solution-oriented. And I'm really proud of the practical, even if small, changes my work with GSS has helped put in place,” Spencer Smith, vice president for communication, said in an email.
Mitchell Smith, GSS chief of staff, said at the previous general body meeting that GSS members should congratulate themselves on their work this year.
“I think this is the most engaged I’ve seen GSS in the five years I’ve been here,” Smith said. “I think it’s done a lot to revamp GSS’ image just in this year alone. …This is probably the most excited I’ve seen people about GSS in a long time.”
At its meeting Tuesday, the general body will vote on two resolutions. One resolution is a budget resolution to help pay for pizza and tables at an event following the March for Science that will take place Saturday.
Additionally, GSS will vote on a Rules and Procedures resolution that would allow for more defined rules for debate at general body meetings.
“It really just codifies what we do now,” Armstrong said. “It just reaffirms that members should speak up if they’re not being recognized.”
In addition to voting on those resolutions, Armstrong said GSS will hear a presentation from Joe Lalley, senior associate vice president of Information Technologies and Administration Services, about the Comprehensive Master Plan.
GSS hopes to move forward to next academic year at the meeting as well. Angie Chapman, vice president for legislative affairs, said the last meeting is an opportunity for outgoing executive officers to make final remarks and welcome the newly elected officers.
“The meeting will largely be focused on the transition from this academic year to the next,” she said in an email.
