GSA recap – May 6

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 members unanimously approved the election results, which were presented by Elections Commissioner Patrick Adler. Forum members also discussed parts of the election they thought were problematic and suggested changes for next year’s election.

• Candidates who want to run for GSA in the future will have to obtain 50 signatures from GSA members before running, as noted in the GSA constitution. This year the threshold was lowered, though it went against the constitution.

Officer reports:

• GSA President Mike Hirshman said he visited the University of California Office of the President on Monday to discuss the tuition hike proposal. Hirshman said UC President Janet Napolitano said she is optimistic that she will be able to obtain more funding from the state, following negotiations with Gov. Jerry Brown.

• Vice President of Academic Affairs Ivy Onyeador said she has received support in her proposal to award faculty who go beyond in mentoring students. She said she wants to secure funding for the potential award.

• Vice President of External Affairs Andres Schneider said the Graduate Student Housing Initiative is working to assess the affordability of housing for graduate students throughout the UC. They plan to survey graduate students to learn more about the topic.

• A proxy for Vice President of Internal Affairs Milan Chatterjee said Chatterjee is working with a consultant to improve the GSA website.

Special presentations:

• Brett Thomas, a graduate student in the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, presented research related to graduate student use of the Big Blue Bus. Thomas said survey results showed that about 75 percent of graduate students take the bus to campus four or more times per week. Thomas recommended that GSA conduct further studies and that Big Blue Bus terminal locations stay the same.

• Lance Bocarsly, a lecturer at the UCLA School of Law, presented on housing costs in the university area. He said he thinks that housing costs have not changed significantly in the last 32 years after adjusting for inflation.

Compiled by Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, Bruin reporter.