GPSC set to begin its first year as independent body

Kristy Mangos Arizona Daily Wildcat The recently elected Graduate and Professional Student Council officers, from left: Laurin Eskridge, executive vice president, David Bowersox, treasurer, Kathleen Fernicola, president, and Lisa Rashotte, administrative vice president. GPSC split from the Associated Students of the University of Arizona in October and is now an independent student government body.

After four years as a body within the Associated Students, GPSC became an independent student government this year for about 7,000 graduate students at the University of Arizona.

GPSC split from ASUA in October because representatives of both organizations could no longer cooperate to serve their independent constituencies.

GPSC felt the needs of graduate students were not being adequately represented by ASUA, said Alex Sugiyama, GPSC's 1996-97 president.

After the split, GPSC received a budget of $62,500 from ASUA - nearly three times its allocation under ASUA.

Sugiyama said the increased funding was necessary for GPSC to operate independently because after the split all clubs composed primarily of graduate and professional students were funded through GPSC instead of ASUA.

The mid-year separation caused problems with ASUA's constitution because GPSC was given voting seats in the legislative branch, but had not attended Senate meetings since the summer of 1996. ASUA finally eliminated GPSC from its legislative process with passage of a new constitution in February that became effective May 1.

GPSC, however, did not finalize its own constitution until late March because the representatives agreed they could operate temporarily under ASUA's bylaws, said Alix Rogstad, GPSC's 1996-97 vice president.

GPSC drastically restructured its elected offices when it adopted its new constitution in March, which became effective May 1.

The constitution eliminated the positions of elections officer, communications officer and secretary. The vice presidential position was also divided into separate executive and administrative positions.

Six new director positions, including events, clubs, Web and Student Showcase, were created in place of the elections and communications officers.

Incoming GPSC President Kathleen Fernicola, elected May 1, said she is looking forward to strengthening GPSC's independence as a representative body for graduate students.

"We are going to show that our needs and interests are diverse from those of undergraduates," Fernicola said.

Despite her desire for greater independence, Fernicola said she is interested in improving relations between GPSC and ASUA.

"I think we have to learn to complement each other," she said. "I hope to meet on a regular basis with the ASUA president so we can talk about several issues."

ASUA President Gilbert Davidson said he would be receptive to that idea, however he is concerned about the way GPSC allocates funds.

"I am a little worried that the money they spend is not just for a certain group of people. They should be for events that benefit all graduate students," he said.

Fernicola said she is willing to prove that GPSC benefits all graduate and professional students and that its budget is spent accordingly.

"We want to show them that the money we have is put to good use," she said.

Throughout the year, GPSC organizes activities for graduate and professional students.

In the fall it holds its annual Student Showcase to display student research.

In the spring, it sponsors the Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation week.