Sunday, May 18, 1975

A Crucial Year

By Jeff Shelton, Chair GSA, Davis

This will be a crucial year for the University. For too long the University has waited for Regan to go away so that it could return to the golden days of the early sixties when state funding seemed to expand endlessly. Well, the new Governor is not willing--at least at this time--to be generous. But, if the University's future is not as bright financially as it was hoped it time can be a time for constructive change. Although my initial impression for the new President is not overly positive, we need to make a special effort to influence his attitudes favorably toward student participation in the University governance process. We also have the first Student Regent in the University's history. Carol Moch can be a symbol for the importance and the effectiveness of student participation. But we must not default on our responsibilities to represent student interests. She cannot and should not assume the burden of articulating student needs to the Regents by herself.

I personally urge you to become involved in statewide affairs though the UC Student Body Presidents Council. For those of you unfamiliar with the Council's operation you should know that the SBPC is the govening board for perhaps the most highly respected and influential state lobby in the country. The UC Student Lobby was ranked the 12th most effective lobby in California last year. Besides serving as the goberning board for the Lobby, the SBPC represents both undergraduate and graduate students to University Hall and the Regents. With a new President, a new Governor, and the first Student Regent we have a special opprotunity to shape decisions that will move the University for many years to come.

Saturday, May 17, 1975

What is the GA?

The Graduate Assembly is a representative body of graduate students, with one delegate and one alternate delegate for each 100 or fraction of 100 graduate students in a department. The delegates are either elected by a vote of the students of the department or are appointed by duly elected student officers of the departmental organization.

The purpose of the Graduate Assembly is to provide a clear and united voice for graduate students in their dealings with the administration. While the individual student may get nowhere fighting obsolete, impractical requirements or a recalcitrant faculty member or dean, a united graduate organization such as the Graduate Assembly may be able to effect worthwhile changes.

Meetings are held once a month and are primarily for the dissemination of information and the repoting back of committees. It is in the committees that work of the Assembly is done. All regular meetings of the Assembly and all committee meetings are open to the public, and, while only delegates may vote on the issues, all graduate students and others who are interested are welcome at either to observe or to help the work of the Assembly. If your department is unrepresented, contact the Graduate Assembly at phone 642-2175 and, we will make an effort to help in the election of delegates or in the creation of a departmental organization.

Despite its many problems relating to birth ans survival in its six years of existence, the Assembly has made some inroads into the problems related to graduate students. Among these problems are housing, financial aid, (quality, quantity, and dissemination of information), the proposed in-candidcy fee, the non-uniformity and antiquity of many requirements in doctoral programs, the special problems of women in graduate school, the legitimacy of ROTC on campus, extention of library hours, and minorities.

The structure of the GA is very simple. The assembly is organized into committees of representatives which deal with a particular item such as, financial aids, curriculum and requirements, third world, etc. The committee members do the necessary preliminary and background work and report to the full assembly. Any necessary action is taken by the entire assembly. After the assembly passes a resolution or endorses a particular viewpoint, implementation is usually accomplished by cooperation with Dean Elberg, California hall, University hall, or through the SBPC.

In the upcoming year the leadership of the GA under Michael Malachowski hopes to conscientiously address themselves to problems which graduate students are willing to support and provide input.