GSA recap – Jan. 21

The Graduate Students Association is the voice of graduate students on campus. The association meets for forum every three weeks and takes positions on current issues affecting graduate students. Forum meetings are at 5:30 p.m. in the Ackerman Viewpoint Lounge.

Agenda

• GSA forum members voted unanimously to pass a resolution calling for the University of California Board of Regents to seek alternative funding to meet its budget requirement without depending on student tuition increases. The resolution expressed their belief that the University and the state are responsible for further funding, and that the tuition increase could adversely impact students of low-income backgrounds.
• GSA members discussed the potential implications of the College of Letters and Science’s diversity requirement on graduate students. Professor Christina Palmer, chair of the College Undergraduate Education Initiatives Faculty Executive Committee, said that teaching assistants will likely have to take diversity training to teach diversity requirement classes.

Officer reports

• Mike Hirshman, GSA president, said he has contacted the city governments of Santa Monica and Culver City about changing bus routes to better serve graduate student housing. He said that although Big Blue Bus’ Route 12 is being moved farther east, Route 6’s frequency will be increased to serve graduate students more often.
• Ivy Onyeador, GSA vice president of academic affairs, said students will be able to meet candidates for the position of vice chancellor of equity, diversity and inclusion in an upcoming town hall meeting.
• Andrés Schneider, GSA vice president of external affairs, said that he went to the Santa Monica City Council to discuss changing Big Blue Bus lines. The city has plans to introduce a new bus line, 17, to run along Sawtelle Boulevard.

Appointments

• Although GSA did not appoint any new positions, it discussed the soon-to-be-vacant position of co-director of Melnitz Movies. Nathaniel Boyd will vacate the position, so a new co-director will be needed for spring quarter.

Compiled by Alexander Levine, Bruin contributor.