An offer to make an amendment to the Graduate Student Association’s Constitution was voted on and a bid to host the next National Association of Graduate-Professional Students National Conference was presented at the GSO meeting on Wednesday.

Can Aslan, vice president of internal affairs for the Graduate Student Association, led the meeting that started with a vote on the amendment to the GSO Constitution introduced at the last GSO meeting.

Rajesh Kumar, GSO president, presented a resolution to amend the GSO Constitution to the attendees. All the attendees had been sent a 12-page report on the amendments before the meeting.

The resolution, which aimed at making the functioning of the GSO Senate easier, was passed by a unanimous vote.

Kumar then presented his president’s report. He said there wasn’t enough information on off-campus housing and safety for graduate students, and that the GSO Student Life Committee has been meeting with university officials to come up with a solution.

Kumar added that GSO has been working on issues with career services for graduate students.

“They have been delaying this issue forever,” he said.

GSO demanded a review for career services that would be exclusive for graduate students, Kumar said.

“They will probably review career services department-wise and degree-wise as we all have different needs,” Kumar said.

After Kumar, Aslan gave the internal vice president’s report and commented on the university and GSO Senate committees.

“I am actually very proud of some of our committees that have been doing great work,” Aslan said.

He also said GSO had been working on improving resources and support for all registered student organizations.

GSO has been working with Information Technology Services to come up with some structures to help student organizations communicate and reach resources, he said.

Vice President of External Affairs for GSO Peta Long subsequently presented her report. Long started by mentioning the debate-watch parties that GSO has been holding at Inn Complete. Long said they have been well-received, and another one was held Wednesday night.

Long also presented a bid to hold the NAGPS National Conference at SU in 2017.

“We essentially want to showcase SU as a leading institution of social justice change,” Long said.

She added that the budget needs to be figured out and letters were sent to the chancellor, vice chancellor and the provost to support this bid.

“Middle States would also like to come in and talk to us,” she added.

She ended her remarks by saying the senate could discuss if they would like to have Middle States Commission on Higher Education come in to talk to them.

Published on October 20, 2016 at 12:41 am

Contact Deniz: dsahintu@syr.edu