On February 26th, the GPSA Assembly Meeting opened with a special presentation from Damon Sims, the VP for Student Affairs. Mr. Sims spoke to the assembly about the organizational structure behind student Affairs at Penn State. He emphasized that the student voice at Penn State is crucial to helping the university operate efficiently, and that graduate students have access to the full range of services offered by Student Affairs.
In Executive Office Reports, President Claire Kelling invited the assembly to a forum on issues effecting graduate students at President Barron’s home. The event will take place on March 23rd, and everyone is encouraged to attend! An RSVP form will be sent out soon. Claire also spoke about the upcoming GPSA elections. The intent to run form is now open and can be found on the website. An update on the borough liaison position was also provided, and it is likely that the current undergraduate student representative will be transformed to represent all students. Vice President Charles Tierney spoke about some of the upcoming speakers for the remainder of the year.
In Unfinished Business, the Constitutional Amendment regarding Ranked Choice Voting passed by a vote of 27-0. In New Business, the bill regarding holding an election information session passed unanimously. Two additional bills, Addition of Professional Student Affairs Committee and Support for striking Graduate Student Workers, passed as well.
In reports, the assembly heard updates from various committees. The Professional Development Committee announced that plans for Grad Cup are well underway.