At its first meeting of the quarter last night, members of Ohio University's Graduate Student Senate encouraged graduate students to apply for positions and form committees.

About 20 senators attended last night's meeting. Only four of the senators previously have served on GSS.

GSS also lacks 24 committee members, and vice president Terri Tullock resigned last week. Treasurer Erik Roush is looking for a replacement, president Ann Charles Watts said. Despite the vacancies, GSS is not behind schedule, she said.

"Committees still need to be appointed and executive positions need to be replaced," she said.

Because responses to the 65-question survey issued last spring to all graduate students have not yet been compiled, Watts said the answers are key factors in making progress and knowing what the issues are.

Watts said she is in the process of forming a committee to compile the results.

The survey asked graduate students their opinions on several issues including living in Athens, financial assistance and campus diversity.

Watts said all senators should investigate, study and propose formal resolutions to problems graduate students experience.

"Each department should discuss concerns and what we talked about tonight for the meeting next week," said Nina Persi, alternate for the InterpersonalCommunication Department.

Watts also responded to questions concerning unanswered e-mail messages and the full GSS answering machine.

"The telephone problems need to be fixed by Communication Network Services," Watts said. "I didn't even know there was a problem with the e-mail."

The next GSS meeting will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 25 in Baker Center.