Dear President Skorton,

Thank you for your thorough reply to GPSA Resolution 7. While I understand your reservations in endorsing this resolution due to the vague language, I still feel that there are aspects of this resolution which bare reconsideration. For our part, the GPSA will be preparing the formal memoranda described in this resolution when we feel it is called for. We would welcome any request from members of the administration for such a memorandum if they feel that such a document would aid in forming a policy or in providing a record of the student opinion received on an issue.

I do recognize our inability to staff all of our committee and working group appointments, and I feel very strongly that some of the most important work of the GPSA is accomplished by our representatives in these groups. We are working on ways to improve this, and to highlight the ways that such student representatives have had meaningful impacts on shaping Cornell. On this point I feel we are in complete agreement, it is hard to have a conversation when either side is not willing or able to participate.

There is one aspect of this response I find troubling, and that is the implication that the GPSA has no authority to comment on stipends or benefits of graduate students employed by the university. While this is not delineated in our charter, the GPSA has in the past commented on issues related to these and many meaningful discussions have been had. If the GPSA has no official authority in this area than there is no official representation for graduate students serving as employees of the university either as research assistants or teaching assistants. This seems to be a major short coming of the current embodiment of shared governance, and one that should be addressed soon. While we are in the end students and not employees, it must be acknowledged that in practice we often fill both of these roles during our time here.

I feel that shared governance at Cornell is unique in its level of engagement, and I do acknowledge the lengths to which the administration has tried to include us in such a wide array of discussions. We will not always fully agree with a new policy, and our proposed alternatives to policies may not always be workable in a practical way. It is our role to ensure that the graduate and professional student voice is heard when there is a conflict between our best interests, and the best interests of the university as a whole. It was the purpose of this resolution to facilitate our ability to serve in that capacity, and ensure the voice heard is truly representative of graduate and professional students across Cornell.

Respectfully,

Richard Walroth