GPSA Reports on Fall Activities

The Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA), with the support of the Office of Graduate Studies and Pew Student Services, is off to an exciting start this academic year. New Executive Board Members Mike Soltis (President), Kelly McDonell (Financial Officer), and Katie Wheat (Secretary) bring fresh perspectives and new objectives for our growing organization.

Our foremost objective is improving communication between individual academic programs and GPSA via Program Liaisons. Appointed Program Liaisons are: Courtney Lawler (MHA), Marcie Harris (MHA/MPA), Jamie Guigar (CSAL), Christina Torri (MBA), Andy Crosby and Rebecca Brinkley (MPA), and Jac Ridley (DPT). These Liaisons serve as integral components for GPSA by relaying information between their programs and the GPSA E-board.

Secondly, the GVSU Student Senators recently agreed to a graduate Ex-Officio seat on Student Senate. This is an important step in opening the lines of communication between graduate students and the GVSU community at large. The GPSA Ex-Officio representative will be present at each Student Senate meeting, and though this person will have no formal vote, graduate students will now have a much needed voice at the Senate table.

Finally, GPSA recently circulated a petition of student support for a Graduate Student Center to eventually be housed on the Pew Campus. With the future construction of the Seidman building for the Seidman College of Business, space in DeVos Center may become available for just such a facility for graduate students. Graduate students have voiced concerns over lack of designated space to accommodate the dichotomy of needs, interests, and lifestyles between undergraduate and graduate students. GPSA is strongly advocating and actively pursuing this worthy goal.

For information on how to become involved with GPSA, please contact President Mike Soltis at soltismi@gvsu.edu.

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