I mean that GSS made noise when the interests of graduate students were threatened.
The Graduate Student Senate I remember when I was a department representative (School of Communication Studies, 2007) was a very active and loud organization. By loud I mean that GSS made noise when the interests of graduate students were threatened.
The actions and achievements of former GSS administrations have appeared numerous times in the pages of The Post. These articles describe unanimous resolutions calling for better security (April 15, 2008), successes in obtaining for a subsidy for graduate student health care (April 29, 2008), and fundraising efforts for the annual Good Works Walk for the Homeless (Jan. 17, 2008). In other words, the GSS I remember was a highly active organization.
The words and opinions of current GSS leadership have also appeared in the pages of The Post. In one article, current GSS leaders criticized former GSS Presidents for, horror of horrors, wearing shorts to meetings with administrators (Nov. 12, 2009). In an article on university restructuring, GSS leaders are described as being frustrated with the lack of available information (Jan. 7). A recent article on potential cuts to graduate student summer stipends quotes GSS President Tracy Kelly as saying, I'm not sure how many of our graduate students are aware of this.
I believe that it is the role of Graduate Student Senate to not only comment on a lack of information but to also address it, and to then propose and pursue a course of action. One helpful first step would be to announce that GSS meetings have moved from Mondays to Tuesdays and to then invite graduate students to attend the next GSS meeting at 7 p.m. April 20 in Walter Hall. I plan to attend this meeting. And I intend to ask how GSS can work to resist the proposed cuts to summer stipends. I invite others to join me.
Karen Greiner is a doctoral candidate in the School of Communication Studies and former GSS department representative in 2007-08.
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