R.7: Regarding the Representation of Graduate Students at the Geneva Experimental Station to the Cornell Graduate & Professional Student Assembly (GPSA)

Whereas, the GPSA represents all graduate and professional students, both in Ithaca and at the Geneva Experimental Station;

Whereas, the graduate students stationed in Geneva established The Student Association of the Geneva Experimental Station (SAGES) in 1994;

Whereas The GPSA was invited up to Geneva by SAGES in August, 2008 as a way for bridging the gap between the two campuses;

Whereas, representatives from the SAGES have been attending GPSA Council of Representatives / GPSA Advisory Board meetings for at least the past two years to ensure that GPSA and SAGES continue to work together to represent all graduate and professional students;

Be it therefore resolved to ensure continued collaboration between the GPSA and SAGES in the future, the following addition (indicated in bold) be made to Article IV, Section 4.02 of the GPSA Charter

Article IV, Section 4.02: GPSA Members

• (a) The composition of the GPSA non-voting body of members shall be:
  • (i) One representative elected in the fall from each individual graduate field (two from fields with over 100 students), plus three elected by each professional school.
  • (ii) The students in each individual field/professional school may prescribe their own election procedures. If not filled through election, a representative may be appointed by the field’s Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) or Dean of a professional school, subject to the approval of the students. For fields without a DGS, the graduate field representative (GFR) will serve in place of a DGS.
  • (iii) One seat on the Advisory Body of the GPSA will be reserved for a student from the Geneva Experimental Station, selected by the students of the experimental station (regardless if their field is already represented on the non-voting body).

Be it further resolved that the Office of Assemblies post the revised GPSA Charter on the website for public access and download;

Be it finally resolved that this resolution be sent to David Skorton, President of Cornell University; Peggy Beach, Director of the Office of Assemblies; Masa Seto, President of the Student Association of the Geneva Experimental Station, Randy Worobo, SAGES Faculty Advisor; Kent Hubbell, Dean of Students; and Alison Power, Dean of the Graduate School.

Respectfully submitted,
Brian Michael Forster
Graduate & Professional Student Assembly Biological Sciences Representative
Vice President for Operations / Operations & Staffing Committee Chair

Meera Iyer
Student Association of the Geneva Experimental Station (SAGES) GPSA Co-Representative