Few know about Graduate Student Senate

by Ben Roode
For The Post

Graduate Student Senate is the voice of graduate students at Ohio University, but many graduate students say they have never heard of the group.

"Some departments don't even know about GSS," said GSS Vice President Vivek Shinde Patil. "We need to make it more well known."

Fewer than 30 of the 2,344 graduate students enrolled last spring voted in the GSS election, according to a May 26, 2000 Post article.

OU graduate student George Caia said he is unfamiliar with GSS.

"I've heard something regarding health insurance," Caia said. "But I don't know what they do."

Patil said he attributes this lack of knowledge to GSS's lack of action.

GSS stressed attendance as its main issue during Winter Quarter, GSS President Larisa Zelenskaya said in a Jan. 16 Post article.

Since then, attendance has improved, but not to some senators' satisfaction.

"There are 50 departments with graduate students and only 19 representatives on Graduate Student Senate," Patil said.

GSS's attendance and representation problems have hampered the body's actions, Patil said.

Derek Bleyle, who took over as GSS treasurer April 1 after Galina Williams resigned, attributes the low participation to the busy schedule of most graduate students.

"With limited manpower, it's hard to accomplish objectives," Bleyle said. "It's a little bit frustrating."

Patil said he will take over presidential duties at the next meeting. Zelenskaya, who has not attended the past two meetings, was unreachable for comment.

GSS is comprised of three committees: Social and Cultural, Houk and Outstanding Graduate Faculty and Student Awards, Patil said.

The Social and Cultural Committee organizes socials for graduate students and faculty members. The Houk committee awards graduate research grants to students. The Outstanding Graduate Faculty and Student Awards Committee gives a yearly award to one graduate student, one doctoral student and one graduate faculty member to recognize outstanding work or service, Patil said.

No GSS members receive tuition waivers or other perks, he said.

GSS also planned to focus on improving graduate student health care and housing during Winter Quarter, Zelenskaya said in the Jan. 16 Post article. But GSS has made little progress.

"We plan to attack (health care) after we get the procedure (constructing resolutions) down," Bleyle said.

Senators still are in the health care fact-gathering stage, he said.

GSS also has taken a stand on the Ohio Program of Intensive English instruction, calling for a more convenient schedule of classes, Patil said. OPIE is a sequence-oriented program; the schedule offered does not fit well with some graduate student class schedules.

Patil said GSS also is considering adopting a resolution to urge the Russ College of Engineering and Technology to rescind a $100-per-quarter student technology fee that is already in place.

GSS meetings are at 7 p.m. in 332 Baker University Center every other Sunday of the quarter. This week's meeting has been postponed because of Easter and will take place April 22.