After accepting a position with the Greater Cleveland Council of the Boy Scouts of America, former Graduate Student Senate President Amy Van der Schrier is passing her senate responsibilities to Vice President Michael Hunter.

"I can resign in good conscience, as I know that I am leaving the presidency in the hands of the most qualified and capable graduate student at Ohio University," Van der Schrier said in her letter of resignation. "(Hunter has) invaluable experience to offer as well as an amazing ability to always work in the best interests of (his) fellow students."

Similarly, at the beginning of the 1996-97 senate term Todd Moore resigned his presidency because of a demanding class and research workload. Van der Schrier, then vice president, assumed the presidential responsibility.

Under the graduate senate constitution, the vice president automatically becomes the president in cases of resignation.

If approved by the senate at their Sept. 28 meeting, secretary Carrie Railing will become the vice president. Steve Petrovic will remain treasurer.

The executive officers will interview candidates for the secretary position and recommend one to the senate for approval.

Along with his responsibility as president, Hunter is earning his second master's degree and teaches a course for the Ohio Program of Intensive English Ñ a position he accepted before Van der Schrier resigned.

But he thinks he can handle the additional senate responsibilities, he said.

"I made a commitment and I will do my best to fulfill it," he said.

That commitment includes major projects planned for each quarter, including acquainting new members with how the senate operates during Fall Quarter and designating each senator a committee appointment.

Winter and Spring quarters' projects include looking into university services for graduate students and working on outstanding graduate student and faculty awards.

Senators will lobby for increases in graduate student aid and grants and examine the quality of graduate education.

Graduate Student Senate plans to broaden its focus beyond graduate students, working closely with Student Senate on projects with a more general appeal, Hunter said.

"We plan to have a closer working relationship with Graduate Student Senate," Student Senate President Chad Tanner said. "We have a lot of resources they can utilize."

Graduate senate members still must be chosen. The executive officers sent e-mail messages and letters to graduate department chairs and program chairmen to request departments or programs to chose a graduate representative by Sept. 15.

Graduate Student Senate will meet four times each quarter, with the first meeting Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. in Baker Center.