Advocacy in Action
Current initiatives:
- Grad Students Work
- Legislation
October 2016 - Resolution F2016-1
- Working with Transportation Services to address student parking concerns - view the Transportation Services FAQ here
- Travel Funding - President Smatresk announces improved travel funding for graduate students on 10/18/2016 - view the guidelines for new travel funding here
Past initiatives GSC has worked on in the past 5 years include:
- Working with the UNT Libraries on the issue of ILL fee (2012) and cut funding to the libraries in the fall of 2013 Serving on the selection committee for the current Graduate Dean of Toulouse Graduate School (2012), ultimately choosing Dr. Mark Wardell
- Working with Toulouse Graduate School, Office of UNT Provost and UNT President on waiving graduate tuition for funded graduate students (2013 – 2015)
- Serving on the UNT’s Presidential selection committee to make sure that the new UNT President was a strong advocate for graduate education, ultimately selecting Dr. Neal Smatresk (2013)
- Working with Dr. Elizabeth With and Office of Student Affairs on gaining official representation on the Student Service Fee committee that makes decisions about $12 million of student service fee money (2012-2015)
- Working on the issue of graduate student parents. Seeking a university wide policy to help new parents that are graduate students at UNT (2014 – 2015)
- Participating in UNT budget hearings (2011-2014)
- Working with Dr. Joseph Oppong to fund the Graduate Student Writing lab (2013)
- Negotiating with UNT Office of Research and Toulouse Graduate school to increase funding for Toulouse Travel Grants (2013-2014). GSC is the single largest contributor to the grant.
- Sponsoring New Graduate Student Orientation (2010-Present) and Graduate Exhibition (2013 – Present)
- Representing and showcasing graduate students at UNT nationally and internationally by serving on the board of National Association of Graduate-Professional Students (NAGPS) in 2011-2015.
- GSC was recognized as the NAGPS Regional Member of the Year in 2014
- Hosted NAGPS South-Central Regional conference in 2011
- Hosted the first in-person board meeting for NAGPS 2 years in a row (2014 & 2015); currently in process of signing Memorandum of Understanding that would make UNT the institutional home of NAGPS for the next three years
- Building a GSC fund that sponsors events that are put on by graduate organizations on campus in 2014.
- Serving on numerous university committees to ensure graduate student interests are represented (2014-PRESENT)
- Starting the first ever Legislative Action Days (LAD) grassroots initiative in Texas in spring 2014 and providing advocacy training to graduate students in Texas
- Identifying issues pertaining to graduate education in Texas and providing solutions and support for the Texas Legislation bills that help keep Texas a national leader