The Graduate Student Senate works to improve the lives of a large percentage of UT’s student population, though few students understand its role. This year, GSS president Amanda Sanford is working to change that.
“Our overarching goals for the year are…to ensure that graduate student opinions are adequately represented,” Sanford said. “We have several specific policy goals, but as a vision, we merely want to make sure that the 6,000 graduate, law, and veterinary medicine students on this campus know that we exist, and that we exist for them.”
Alexandra Brewer, vice president of GSS, stressed the importance of the senate’s visibility.
“We want graduate students to know that they are represented on campus,” Brewer said.
Senate members meet regularly with UT’s policymakers, making it easier to lobby for change.
“Our membership is in a unique position in that we have access to key university administrators, as well as an inside look into policies that directly affect the quality of graduate student life here,” Sanford said.
Sanford hopes to reinstate the senate’s membership in the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students, a small step that could bring a large pay-off.
“GSS simply needs to complete the registration forms and pay the organization’s annual dues,” Sanford said. “The fee is $500, and this once-yearly payment covers the membership cost for all 6,000 graduate and professional students at UT. GSS does not have a budget that is independent from the general budget of SGA, so ideally our registration fee will come from this fund. We simply need the signature of Student Body President Adam Roddy to collect the $500.”
Along with improved access to NEA and NSF research funding, this membership could improve the quality of student life.
“Students without health insurance waivers can receive discounts on health insurance…The benefits are often more extensive than many university-offered packages as well, including coverage for domestic partners as eligible dependents, guarantees of maternity coverage, and coverage for pre-existing conditions,” Sanford said.
The GSS is also responsible for allocating travel funding for graduate students who attend conferences and present research. This process has recently been streamlined, after Provost Susan Martin and Vice Provost Carolyn R. Hodges combined the various funds.
“Last year, between our normal budget and additional funds from Dr. Hodges, we were able to award $68,750 to graduate students to facilitate their travel needs,” Sanford said. “What our new budget — $240,000 per academic year — means is that we will be able to award more in one semester this year than we did in all of last year.”
These recent changes by administrators put more control in the hands of student leaders.
“It means that graduate students themselves will be making all travel award decisions, which gives us a degree of oversight and control with regard to our own research and career needs,” Sanford said.
This year’s GSS is also continuing an effort launched last year to introduce a graduate student leave policy, for students who work as university employees.
“Unfortunately, leave-of-absence policies that exist for other university employees do not generally apply to us,” Sanford said.
GSS has developed a strategy to tackle this issue.
Guaranteeing access to insurance during leave will be more difficult to negotiate.
“We can imagine that the Graduate School is going to be reluctant to guarantee the continuation of insurance benefits during leave, especially if funding is frozen during that time,” Sanford said. “Even though we might implement a guarantee of program re-entry, there is no guarantee that the student will, in fact, re-enter. This would amount to the Graduate School covering insurance premiums for a non-student, and entitling them to the benefits of a graduate assistant post without requiring them to perform the work. We fully understand the gravity of the issue for university administrators who would have to bear the cost of this policy, and are in no way suggesting graduate students be given a carte blanche with regard to leave.”
With important issues slated for discussion this year, Sanford encourages other graduate students to get involved.
“Graduate students who would like to get involved with GSS are welcome to contact me at [email protected],” Sanford said. “I have a variety of appointments left to make to university committees on which graduate students are entitled representation.”
Students are encouraged to participate in the programming as well.
“We welcome students’ support and participation in the Love Your Libraries 5k, which will take place on Mar. 2, 2013,” Brewer said.
