Ohio University Graduate Student Senate unanimously passed six resolutions at its Tuesday night meeting.
The body also passed a resolution supporting House Bill 160, which GSS President Maria Modayil said OU President Duane Nellis is writing a letter in support of. That bill introduces the Ohio Fairness Act, which changes the state’s anti-discrimination laws to include sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as protected classes, according to the Ohio ACLU
The body discussed two resolutions related to its budget, including the allocation of funds for the Women in Grad School Day conference and the Appalachia Rising Service Trip.
OU GSS will allocate $724.44 out of its $9,376.74 budget toward the Women in Grad School Day conference, which Modayil said they have been “heavily involved,” according to a previous Post report.
“The Women’s Center is funding most of this event,” Alec Koondel, GSS vice president for finance, said. “The money and expenses (go) toward keynote speakers, refreshments and food for the day-long event.”
Additionally, the body will allocate $500 of its budget to the Appalachia Rising Service Trip, which is a “civic engagement program for students to increase their knowledge of issues surrounding Southeast Ohio,” according to that resolution.
OU GSS recognized Graduate & Professional Student Appreciation Week as the second week of April. That week will highlight different events geared toward graduate students and could recognize graduate and undergraduate students who won awards at the Student Research and Creative Activity Expo, Modayil said in a previous Post report.
Members also passed a resolution to approve the application questions for the 2018 GSS election. The resolution corrects the date of the deadline to March 23.
The body viewed a presentation from Student Trustee Faith Voinovich, which highlighted events at the last Board of Trustees meeting that affected graduate students, including paid parental leave and planned growth for graduate student enrollment.
