• The Paul Robeson Cultural Center’s first in-person event will be held in February and called “Securing the Bag” and is a personal finance/budget focused workshop.
• Student Engagement Expo is looking for graduate and professional students for a panel for an event.
• There are a few liaison positions open and people can reach out to President Alex Zhao for more information
• The Assembly discussed ideas on how they can strengthen the response to the resolutions by Advocacy and Diversity from senior leadership at Penn State
• In New Business, Ali Watts was confirmed as a Graduate Council Student Caucus delegate and resigned her seat as a College of Education delegate, while John Luc Lgerand was confirmed as a Law School delegate
• Bill 70-14 Virtual Pottery Painting was passed continuing the popular at-home pottery nights for students  in conjunction with the State College business 2000 Degrees
• Bill 70-15 Grad Cup 2021 was also passed which also continues a popular GPSA event that allows graduate and professional students the opportunity to socialize in a friendly competition featuring different virtual and wellness events.
• Bill 70-16 Virtual Coffee Hour was passed. GPSA will give $5 gift cards to select local coffee shops coupled with a virtual zoom event (virtual 45 minute coffee hour event).
• Resolution 70-19 Response to Events on 1/6 at the Capitol was passed which discusses responses to news that allegedly Penn State community members were at the insurrection and local legislators that refused to seat a Democratic candidate in the legislature
• Resolution 70-20 Safety first: Racist and Homophobic Acts of Vandalism at Penn State was passed which responds to both the vandalism of a Bellefonte Pride Flag mural and the planting of stickers with white supremacist messages by a hate group in downtown State College

The Assembly kicked off with a special presentation from Carlos Wiley, Director of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center. The Center helps students develop social responsibility and consciousness. They host programs like keynote speakers, workshops, open forums, and conversations for students. Although they don’t have focus specifically on graduate and professional students, they aim to help all types of students feel welcome and encourage graduate and professional students to come to the center for services. Their first in-person event will be held in February called “Securing the Bag” and is a personal finance/budget focused workshop.

In Executive Reports, it was announced how there are a few liaison positions open and people can reach out to President Alex Zhao for more information. Student Engagement Expo is looking for graduate and professional students for a panel for an event. The Assembly discussed ideas on how they can strengthen the response to the resolutions by Advocacy and Diversity from senior leadership at Penn State.

The COVID case dashboard will be updated Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays now as opposed to twice a week last semester. There will probably be alternative grading exceptions but no blanket alternative grading for all students this semester.

In New Business, Ali Watts was confirmed as a Graduate Council Student Caucus delegate and resigned her seat as a College of Education delegate, while John Luc Lgerand was confirmed as a Law School delegate.

Bill 70-14 Virtual Pottery Painting was passed continues the popular at-home pottery nights for students in conjunction with the State College business 2000 Degrees. The Programming Committee will host a virtual painting night each month to allow graduate and professional students to meet and interact with one another while painting their pottery.

Bill 70-15 Grad Cup 2021 was also passed which also continues a popular GPSA event that allows graduate and professional students the opportunity to socialize in a friendly competition featuring different virtual and wellness events. They want to continue their wellness challenges that were a hit and the top three teams will get gift cards. Everyone in the Grad Cup will also receive a free sweatshirt. Grad Cup is tentatively scheduled to begin Monday, March 1, 2021 through Monday, March 29, 2021.

Bill 70-16 Virtual Coffee Hour was passed. GPSA will give $5 gift cards to select local coffee shops coupled with a virtual zoom event (virtual 45 minute coffee hour event). These coffee hours will happen once a month during 6 the months of February, March, and April.

Bill 70-17 Bangladesh Night 2021 Cosponsorship was tabled to vote on in the next Assembly Meeting in two weeks.

Resolution 70-19 Response to Events on 1/6 at the Capitol was passed which discusses responses to news that allegedly Penn State community members were at the insurrection and local legislators that refused to seat a Democratic candidate in the legislature. They are calling for action items such as seeing the university leverage it’s institutional power and for an investigation to be launched into any Penn State faculty, staff, and student who might have been involved in the insurrection and see accountability. They are specifically asking Penn State to provide a detailed accounting of any or past relationships with elected officials involved in the dis-information campaign.

Resolution 70-20 Safety first: Racist and Homophobic Acts of Vandalism at Penn State was passed which responds to both the vandalism of a Bellefonte Pride Flag mural and the planting of stickers with white supremacist messages by a hate group in downtown State College. About 50 stickers with the name and website of the far-right white-nationalist group Patriot Front were found. They are calling for Penn State to take action and address these issues.

In committee updates, the Advocacy and Diversity Committee is working on legislation to address the Black Caucus Zoom bombing racist and harassment incident. The Internal Development Committee is working on resignation procedures for all GPSA members and working on various ByLaws as well.

• Some of the current initiatives of the Student Disability Resources include:
  • Recognize social integration in addition to academic integration as a core responsibility
  • Promote campus climate evolution
  • Serve as an adviser to faculty
• Those returning to state college to go on campus or within 20 miles of campus should request the arrival testing from Penn State.
• In New Delegate Confirmation, Bristol Gunderson from the Smeal College of Business was confirmed.
• Bill 70-12: Virtual Cook-Along with a Professional Chef was passed and would consist of an event cooking alongside Greg Franklin, a Creole inspired Louisiana based Chef for three cooking events.
• Bill 70-13 Professional Headshots was passed which will help provide graduate and professional students with headshots during a COVID-19 era while maintaining COVID-19 guidelines during the photoshoots that will happen three times this semester.

The meeting kicked off with a special presentation from Leah Zimmerman, Executive Director if Student Disability Resources at Penn State. She discussed the resources that the office offers specifically graduate and professional students and what accommodations they can provide. You can follow them at instagram @psudisabilityresources. Some include:

• Qualifying and Comprehensive Exams:
  • Extended time on exam
  • Notes (oral proposal or thesis defense)
  • Record discussions
• Flexibility on
  • attendance policies
  • deadline extensions
  • exam rescheduling
• Adjustments on
  • teaching responsibilities/work hours
  • comprehensive exam location

Some of their current initiatives include

• Recognize social integration in addition to academic integration as a core responsibility
• Promote campus climate evolution
• Serve as an adviser to faculty

In Executive Officer Reports, President of GPSA, Alex Zhao, discussed that those returning to state college to go on campus or within 20 miles of campus should request the arrival testing from Penn State. Vice President, Julia, said no change was made to the February 9 wellness day despite it being during the covid remote period. Those who did a walk-up test need to do the mail-in arrival testing as of right now, but no penalties have been discussed for not doing the mail-in test.

In New Delegate Confirmation, Bristol Gunderson from the Smeal College of Business was confirmed.