The Graduate Student Council (GSC) confirmed the Stanford Student Enterprises (SSE) Chief Executive Officer, Jelani Munroe ’16, for another year during the GSC’s weekly meeting Wednesday evening. The GSC also discussed an off-campus graduate housing event held earlier in the day, a joint resolution responding to President Donald Trump’s immigration executive order and updates from the core leadership of the Diversity Advocacy Committee (DAC).
Confirming the SSE CEO
During a closed session, the GSC took expedited action to renew the term of the current CEO of SSE and ASSU financial manager. An email leaked earlier in the day disclosed that the expedited action was requested so that Munroe would be able to secure a visa to continue working in the United States.
The GSC, in collaboration with Stanford’s Residential and Dining Enterprises (R&DE) and the ASSU Legal Counselling Office, hosted an info session called “How to Find Off-Campus Housing” on Wednesday at the Graduate Community Center for students leaving Stanford housing next year. Over 200 students were in attendance at the session, and there are plans to hold a similar event after lottery results are announced this spring.
Resolution on immigration ban
The GSC also discussed a joint ASSU Senate-GSC resolution in response to President Trump’s recent immigration order, which has banned citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.
Informal polls conducted at the Senate and the GSC both found unanimous support for the resolution. The GSC will take an official vote on the resolution next week.
Diversity
Core leadership from the DAC attended the meeting and gave a presentation on their mission statement and vision for the future. The DAC serves to promote diversity in the graduate student community and sees itself as a facilitator for other student groups.
DAC leaders said that they hope to branch out and get involved in outreach and mentorship programs for both graduate and undergraduate students, as well as increase communication with the GSC. New core members are meeting twice a month to plan and discuss events on campus.
One of the largest annual events planned by DAC is Diversity Month, which has activities that go beyond Stanford’s campus and involve the local community. Open brainstorming sessions for Diversity Month will be held this week with the date, time and location available on the GSC calendar.
The GSC also unanimously approved funding requests from the Stanford Material Research Society and Graduate Students in Applied Physics, the Armenian Student Association, the Orthodox Christian Fellowship, the Asian American Graduate Student Association and the Biomedical Students Association for the Interest for Minority Students.
Contact Travis Allen at tallen1 ‘at’ stanford.edu.