Student Government – The Stanford Daily https://stanforddaily.com Breaking news from the Farm since 1892 Fri, 15 Mar 2024 08:01:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://stanforddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/cropped-DailyIcon-CardinalRed.png?w=32 Student Government – The Stanford Daily https://stanforddaily.com 32 32 204779320 Graduate student activities fee to increase by almost 70% https://stanforddaily.com/2024/03/15/graduate-student-activities-fee-to-increase/ https://stanforddaily.com/2024/03/15/graduate-student-activities-fee-to-increase/#respond Fri, 15 Mar 2024 08:00:56 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1244885 During its Tuesday meeting, the Graduate Student Council unanimously approved next year’s budget, which saw a more than 72% increase. The bulk of the budget increase is driven by a sixfold increase in annual grants.

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Activity fees for graduate students may increase from $38 to over $64 next academic year, after the Graduate Student Council (GSC) approved a 72% budget increase driven largely by rising annual grants. 

At Tuesday’s meeting, GSC members unanimously approved the council’s budget for the 2024-2025 academic year, which increased from $1,048,611.38 this year to $1,805,113.13. The bulk of the growth comes from annual grants, which will increase more than sixfold.

More than 43% of the hike in next year’s annual grants total will go to restoring funding for joint student groups — groups with mixed undergraduate and graduate membership — that the council did not fund last year, according to GSC funding committee chair and fourth-year physics Ph.D. student Tom Liu. These groups include the Stanford Speakers Bureau and Black Family Gathering Committee.

Another 28.2% increase will go toward grants for joint groups already funded by the council, and an additional 17.3% will go to funds for new joint groups that were previously deemed undergraduate organizations, such as the Stanford Powwow and Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band.

Some GSC members raised the possibility of reducing the student activities fee by decreasing annual grant amounts. According to Liu, though, reductions in annual grant amounts will marginally affect the activities fee but be felt very strongly by voluntary student organizations (VSOs). A $3 reduction in each student’s activities fee would lead to a 10% reduction in the annual grant budget overall, he said.

Perry Nielsen Jr. M.S. ’24, ASSU executive director for graduate student affairs, said that while the substantial activities fee increase is “shocking,” it is not as significant compared to other living expenses at Stanford.

“If we do see a reaction from the student body, it could put more pressure on administration to really address affordability at scale,” Nielsen Jr. said of the activities fee increase. “I don’t think we should be suggesting cuts in social activities for graduate students when that’s already something that we are really trying to prioritize.”

Council members agreed that next year’s numbers will set a baseline for the GSC’s budget moving forward. GSC co-chair and fourth-year chemistry Ph.D. student Emmit Pert said this year’s budget amounts were “very anomalous,” since GSC did not “pay for a lot of things that we could have paid for.”

“The increases are pretty large, but they are not as large as they look on paper one year after the other,” Pert said.

“The GSC hasn’t been very active until recently, so there has been no baseline to compare against,” Liu said. He added that the council had only given “a handful of grants” prior to 2020.

In a humorous turn of the meeting, GSC at-large representative and civil and environmental engineering master’s student Leon de Souza proposed a “Bill to Improve Mental Health on Campus” as the last agenda item of the night.

“Uncharacteristic spells of rain have caused a shadow, both literally and metaphorically, on our campus,” de Souza said, followed by laughter from GSC members.

The bill calls on the University to implement a “comprehensive cloud ban” and decrees that “no puddles exceeding 500 milliliters in volume shall be permitted on university campus grounds.” Further, it proposes that excess water be directed into Lake Lagunita to facilitate the community’s enjoyment of water sports on the lake.

“Let’s vote in favor to safeguard our mental health, our academic productivity and the legacy of sunny Stanford,” de Souza said, bringing a smile to many faces.

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Graduate Student Council introduces exam proctoring pilot https://stanforddaily.com/2024/03/07/graduate-student-council-passes-free-speech-bill/ https://stanforddaily.com/2024/03/07/graduate-student-council-passes-free-speech-bill/#respond Thu, 07 Mar 2024 09:15:14 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1244198 The Graduate Student Council passed a resolution on free speech and reviewed a spring pilot program that will evaluate how proctoring affects exam results.

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The Graduate Student Council (GSC) unanimously passed a resolution developed with the Undergraduate Senate on first amendment protections. Councilors also debated a pilot exam proctoring program at the Tuesday meeting.

Free speech bill

Councilors unanimously passed the Joint Resolution on the State of First Amendment Protections, commonly referred to by student government representatives as the free speech bill. The bill’s co-author Perry Nielsen Jr., a master’s student in health policy, presented a few amendments prior to the vote.

In the resolution, the GSC and the Undergraduate Senate (UGS) “affirm and assert all University students’ right to the expression of free speech” and call on the University to clarify or update policies restricting student expression.

Amendments added more explicit protections for international students.

The GSC also added a clause on the captive audience framework, allowing for students to be viewed as workers within Stanford and arguably protecting them under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prevents an administration from restricting the free speech of its workers. 

Another amendment called for Stanford to update its Policy on Campus Disruptions. The policies went into effect in 1967 and made it a violation for faculty, staff and students to prevent or disrupt “the effective carrying out of a University function or approved activity.”

Revised policies should clearly outline consequences for disruptions based on the necessity of the event to “smooth University functioning,” per the resolution.

This amendment was added after 18 pro-Palestine student protestors were cited with misdemeanors during the University Feb. 24 welcome session for Family Weekend. The students interrupted panelists with chants and were eventually escorted out by security.      

The bill also calls for an end to designating places like White Plaza “free speech areas” in policies. They argued that the term implies that students cannot exercise free speech rights everywhere on campus. 

Nielsen said the this specific call was a high-level long-term change. “But it’s something we’re willing to work towards with the University.”

Exam proctoring pilot program

A new pilot program aims to measure the differences between exams administered with and without a proctor, explained Xavier Millan ’26, the undergraduate student co-chair on the Academic Integrity Working Group (AIWG).

It will measure differences based on proctors’ and students’ feedback on observed behavior during the exam, in addition to statistics on the number of honor code violations and overall performance. 

The pilot will start in spring quarter with around 10 classes selected based on faculty interest and continue into future quarters. It will only focus on in-classroom exam proctoring, with the potential to extend to online exams in the future, Millan said.

Some GSC members voiced concerns about the pilot placing burdens on students taking the exam. 

“Your first job is to be doing the exam, not asking ‘is X behavior happening less than Y behavior,’” said Kavya Sreedhar, a councilor and a fifth-year electrical engineering Ph.D. student.

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Administrator responds to graduate students’ free speech concerns https://stanforddaily.com/2024/02/29/graduate-students-free-speech-concerns/ https://stanforddaily.com/2024/02/29/graduate-students-free-speech-concerns/#respond Fri, 01 Mar 2024 07:47:24 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1243825 The Graduate Student Council heard from a Vice Provost on the University's free speech restrictions, including concerns raised by the council on policies in White Plaza.

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The Graduate Student Council (GSC) was joined by Samuel Santos, Vice Provost of Inclusion, Community and Integrative Learning, who provided an administrative perspective on a free speech resolution, during its Tuesday meeting.  

Santos shared the administration’s perspective on the proposed free speech policies. He emphasized the student gatherings with overnight displays or electricity, such as the recently removed sit-in, must seek permission in advance.

The resolution, developed in partnership with the Undergraduate Senate (UGS), calls for “clearer policies regulating the speech of University students,” in response to “increasing campus tensions and hate-based violence, Protected Identity Harm (PIH) Reports, and student protests.”

The council intends to vote on the resolution next week, following more detailed deliberation by the undergraduate and graduate student government representatives. According to Emmit Pert, GSC co-chair and third-year chemistry Ph.D. student, the deliberation includes the sit-in’s recent removal by the University, following negotiations between administrators and sit-in representatives.

Santos expressed optimism that the process would clarify confusion on policies and create more order and clarity as they “help support White Plaza.”

“We advocate for being as flexible with students as possible,” Santos said. 

However, Santos also emphasized boundaries around speech. The disruption by student protestors at a Family Weekend welcome session was not permitted, Santos said.

“We can’t have protests interrupting events just because we just disagree, regardless of what the viewpoint is,” Santos said. 

Councilor Leon de Souza, second-year sustainable design and construction Ph.D. student asked why the University changed policies around the sit-in a week before Family Weekend. “What was the reason?”

The University did not respond to comment requests about why overnight camping policies were enforced this quarter and not previously.

“Stanford is a top university with several awards, especially in intellectual freedom,” added Liz Park, GSC co-chair and fourth-year chemistry Ph.D. student.

As other universities take a cue from Stanford on free speech policies, “My only question is how Stanford is leading this discussion, especially if it becomes national?” Park asked.

GSC also unanimously extended Jas Espinosa ’18 M.A. ’19, Stanford Student Enterprises CEO and ASSU financial manager’s appointment through June 30, 2025. UGS unanimously passed the resolution during its Tuesday night meeting.

Whit Froehlich J.D. ’24 introduced his bylaw amendment, which aims to amend the joint UGS and GSC bylaws around elections. “I’ve been working on consolidating the elections article in the joint bylaws and the election’s policies,” Froehlich said. 

The amendment stated that the joint bylaws include both an article and an appendix section on elections rules, addressing processing confusion. Whitt clarified that his hope was not to change the goal behind the bylaws, but update the wording.

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ASSU bill tackles University restrictions on free speech https://stanforddaily.com/2024/02/22/free-speech-bill-university-ban/ https://stanforddaily.com/2024/02/22/free-speech-bill-university-ban/#respond Thu, 22 Feb 2024 09:38:02 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1243126 The bill, to be voted on in the coming weeks, will call on the University to clarify its policies and publicly commit to not penalizing students exercising free speech in designated areas.

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At its Tuesday meeting, the Graduate Student Council (GSC) refined the Free Speech Bill proposed last week. A vote on the bill could take place as early as next week.  

The draft bill, titled “Joint Resolution on the State of First Amendment Protections,” affirms students’ free speech rights and demands that the University “clarifies all policies and disciplinary consequences regarding the regulation of free speech.” It asks that the University formally recognize students’ right to free speech in all spaces unless legally justified. 

The bill was proposed in the wake of the University’s Feb. 12 mandate that student demonstrators vacate White Plaza between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., in compliance with the University’s no-camping policy. Last week, the University removed the physical set-up of the Sit-in to Stop Genocide, the longest student-run sit-in in Stanford history.

“I do feel that Stanford’s decision-making here has effectively stifled speech related to the current conflict on campus,” said Perry Nielsen Jr., a master’s student in health policy and ASSU executive director for graduate student affairs. Nielsen Jr. is one of three co-authors of the bill, along with Kay Barrett, a second-year English Ph.D. student and GSC’s diversity and advocacy chair, and Dawn Royster ’26, the Undergraduate Senate’s (UGS) sexual violence prevention chair.

The bill asks that the University overturn its ban on overnight displays and reaffirm protections on students’ free speech inside White Plaza, the only designated free speech area on campus. It asks that Stanford publicly commit to not pursuing disciplinary or legal action against students exercising their free speech rights in formally recognized free speech areas. 

“There is more action being taken against the peaceful protestors in White Plaza than action has been taken against those committing actual hate-based violence or harassment on campus,” Nielsen said.

“There’s a continual emphasis that Stanford is decentralized, specifically decentralized with a lot of their policies relating to free speech. But, because of this decentralized nature, some of these policies can become confusing, sometimes hypocritical for students,” Nielsen added.

Echoing Nielsen, GSC Co-Chair Emmit Pert said the issue of free speech requires “a very clear set of policies that any student can look at.”

The resolution, also introduced to the Undergraduate Senate on Tuesday, is currently undergoing feedback and edits from sponsors. It will be voted on as early as next week. Pert and Liz Park, GSC Co-Chair and a fourth-year chemistry Ph.D. student, told The Daily that they hope the bill will eventually reach the Faculty Senate.

The GSC also heard from a Stanford Land, Buildings & Real Estate (LBRE) representative about future improvements in the University’s mail distribution system. The representative, Erica Victorson, detailed challenges due to the lack of a streamlined center for all incoming mail. 

“We’re seeing an almost 30% year-over-year growth rate in package volume and we have nowhere to process them,” Victorson said.

By 2025, Victorson’s team hopes to create a centralized mail and package solution that is sustainable, automated and promotes safety.

The GSC also confirmed Amira Dehmani ’24 M.A. ’24, former UGS co-chair, as the next elections commissioner for the two ASSU student council bodies.

A previous version of this article misidentified a speaker. The Daily regrets this error.

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Stanford seeks data on sexual violence https://stanforddaily.com/2024/02/14/stanford-seeks-data-on-sexual-violence/ https://stanforddaily.com/2024/02/14/stanford-seeks-data-on-sexual-violence/#respond Thu, 15 Feb 2024 07:20:09 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1242671 This is the first survey of its kind since the 2019 Association of American Universities (AAU) Campus Climate Survey

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Content warning: This article contains references to sexual violence.

At its Tuesday meeting, the Undergraduate Senate (UGS) questioned University officials about the details of a new campus climate survey that will assess the attitudes and current climate around sexual harassment and violence.

It is the first time the University will send out a survey like this since the 2019 Association of American Universities (AAU) Campus Climate Survey.

The survey, which is now called the 2024 Higher Education and Sexual Misconduct and Awareness (HEMSA) Survey, will be sent out to undergraduate and graduate students, and collect responses from April 30 to May 30. Results will be released in the fall. Stanford is one of 10 universities participating in this survey, with other schools including Harvard and Yale University. The survey is designed, administered and reported by a third party to ensure impartiality. 

Stanford’s 2019 AAU Survey had a 62% response rate, the second highest of all 30 universities that participated in the 2019 study. 

“One of the things we’ve heard in all of these meetings we’ve been doing is [sexual violence prevention] does not have the same level of prominence on campus that maybe this issue had in 2019,” said Brian Cook ’01, senior director of assessment and evaluation at the University’s Institutional Research & Decision Support (IR&DS), at the meeting. “There’s a lot less understanding post-COVID about these types of rates.” 

While Cook could not speak to any tangible policy changes since the 2019 survey, he did note the cultural impact of the survey on campus. 

“There was a moment where, at least for a few months, everyone was looking at the numbers and realizing the extent and the severity of the problem at Stanford,” Cook said. 

A few weeks after the 2019 AAU Survey results were released, Stanford Title IX Office’s then-coordinator Jill Thomas resigned.

Cook also mentioned that the Title IX Office was reorganized into the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response & Education (SHARE) Title IX Office following the release of survey results. The changes were also made following new Title IX regulations by former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos in May 2020.

Campus discourse on sexual violence was also shaped by Chanel Miller’s memoir “Know My Name,” which was released shortly before survey results. The memoir chronicles Miller’s experiences navigating her sexual assault case against former Stanford student Brock Turner.

Following the release of her memoir, students and faculty urged the University to place a quote chosen by Chanel Miller on a plaque on campus. The University rejected the initial quote Miller chose. A club on campus was also started around the book and students sent petitions to include “Know My Name” in the frosh Three Books program. 

In light of the HEMSA survey starting this spring, UGS Co-Chair Diego Kagurabadza ’25 noted that the UGS rescinded their own survey soliciting feedback on the SHARE Title IX Office. 

“We are excited to have this kind of effort going on very soon, so we can have some information to look back to,” Kagurabadza said. 

Additionally, the senators passed a resolution on Tuesday evening to confirm the 2023-24 assistant elections commissioners. The bill initially included a nomination for the election commissioner, but the nominee withdrew his nomination.

The assistant election commissioners for the upcoming election cycle are Amira Dehmani ’24, Leon de Souza M.S. ’24 and Viswajeeth Karthikeyan ’27.

Senators also reviewed old bills, one on a joint resolution institutionalizing airport service shuttles and another to establish “standing ex-officio positions.” Votes on both were postponed.

The University “is for sure in support of institutionalizing the service, but it’s a matter of getting all three of us — ASSU, [Students for a Sustainable Stanford] and the Office [of Sustainability] — on the same page right now in terms of the bill,” said Senator Ivy Chen ’26. 

In her update, Chen also said she will meet with the Provost to discuss extending the hours at Green Library. 

“The way I like to think about this is that it’s like a marathon,” Chen said. “Last mile is just meeting the provost. Hopefully, this initiative will basically blossom into action after that meeting.”

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Graduate Student Council debates free speech policies https://stanforddaily.com/2024/02/14/to-camp-or-not-to-camp-gsc-councilors-propose-bill-to-protect-free-speech/ https://stanforddaily.com/2024/02/14/to-camp-or-not-to-camp-gsc-councilors-propose-bill-to-protect-free-speech/#respond Thu, 15 Feb 2024 07:12:22 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1242655 Two GSC members proposed a Free Speech Bill that would seek University clarification on policies surrounding student expression and endorse overnight camping in White Plaza.

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Two students proposed a bill to protect displays of free speech on campus during the Graduate Student Council’s (GSC) Tuesday meeting. The bill on free speech, to be voted on later this quarter, will challenge the University’s ban on overnight displays.

The Tuesday debate occurred following the University’s mandate last Thursday ordering three demonstrations to vacate White Plaza between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. because of physical safety concerns. The demonstrations were tied to campus discourse on the ongoing Israel-Gaza war.

“The bill calls for the Stanford administration to provide clarity and legislative justification for any restrictions that the Stanford administration places on students’ right to free speech,” wrote Perry Nielsen Jr., a master’s student in health policy, and Kay Barrett, a second-year English Ph.D. student. Nielsen Jr. and Barrett are co-proponents of the bill. 

The bill draws on California’s Leonard Law, which extends some First Amendment protections to students at private colleges.  

During the meeting, Nielsen Jr. and Barrett argued that overnight demonstrations in White Plaza were protected under the Leonard Law because the students attend classes during the day. Further, they pointed out the University designated White Plaza as a space for “student and other University programs, speeches, events, information tables, fairs, banners and posters.”

White Plaza is available for students to reserve, but all events and activities must follow University policies, which currently prohibit overnight camping.

Individual clauses of the bill will clarify ambiguities with the University’s free speech policies. These include where free speech can be exercised and rules surrounding camping and banners. 

The articles of the bill, while still under review, “aim to initiate more conversation and collaboration” among administrators, students and protestors “about the role and importance of protected speech,” Nielsen Jr. wrote. 

Nielsen Jr. said the GSC started working on the bill in November as a response to the Undergraduate Senate’s conversations with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and campus discourse around free speech boundaries. 

He hopes that the bill will be voted on this quarter. Nielsen Jr. and Barrett will meet with Bernadette Meyler, chair of the ad hoc committee on University speech, to solidify the details of the bill. 

GSC co-chair Emmit Pert said the University’s concerns about the White Plaza sit-ins posing a danger to public safety are synonymous with a “tree being blown and causing concerns on public safety.”

Additionally, members present at the Tuesday meeting discussed details of a pilot program that would open EVGR two-bedroom triples to graduate students and ways to increase student turnout at Residential & Dining Enterprises’s (R&DE) Food Pantry Pop-up program.

The council explored the possibilities of including bunk beds in two-bedroom triples to save space in the rooms and reduce the cost of living for graduate students. GSC will address cost comparisons of two-bedroom singles, doubles and triples in a later meeting.

The Food Pantry Pop-ups distribute grocery items at no cost to students and their affiliates who need additional food support. The last pop-up, which took place on Monday, saw extremely low attendance. Some 400 registered participants were not present.

GSC discussed modifying the pop-up’s time or registration system. R&DE plans to mention the low attendance issue on its website. 

A previous version of this article misidentified Perry Nielsen Jr. as a GSC councilor and included an error on the content of the Free Speech Bill. The Daily regrets these errors.

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GSC hears updates on upcoming campus sexual misconduct survey https://stanforddaily.com/2024/01/31/gsc-hears-updates-on-upcoming-campus-sexual-misconduct-survey/ https://stanforddaily.com/2024/01/31/gsc-hears-updates-on-upcoming-campus-sexual-misconduct-survey/#respond Wed, 31 Jan 2024 09:43:57 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1241471 The GSC also passed two resolutions — one seeking to improve academic accommodations for student athletes and another proposing expansions to Stanford’s airport shuttle services — at its Tuesday meeting.

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The Graduate Student Council (GSC) passed two resolutions — one recommending improved academic accommodations for student-athletes and another seeking to expand Stanford’s airport shuttle services — at its Tuesday meeting. The council also heard updates on an upcoming campus sexual misconduct survey. 

Campus sexual misconduct survey

Brian Cook, senior director of assessment and evaluation at Stanford Institutional Research & Decision Support (IR&DS), shared updates on the Higher Education Sexual Misconduct and Awareness (HESMA) survey, which will be administered by external research firm Westat. The survey will be open to undergraduate and graduate students from April 30 to May 30, with the final report released in October.

The University announced it would participate in the survey alongside nine other U.S. universities in a Stanford News report last fall. The results will be used to understand the current state of sexual misconduct on campus and inform future policies, according to the report.

Around 62% of Stanford students participated in a previous version of the survey in 2019. Co-chair Emmit Pert, a fourth-year chemistry Ph.D. student, asked Cook during the meeting if the University made policy changes in response to the 2019 survey results.

Cook said that people in the Title IX office used the data “pretty extensively” and that Title IX underwent “big changes” following the survey. Cook said it is unclear how many of those changes were due to the survey, “but clearly it played a role.”

Stanford updated its Title IX policies and procedures in 2020, though the changes were intended to comply with federal regulations put forth by the U.S. Department of Education that May.

Cook said the 2019 survey did, however, spark substantial conversation about sexual misconduct on campus. Cook added that while the campus climate is different now, the upcoming survey may prompt similar conversations. 

“I think there are a lot of questions around what’s going on at Stanford now in the post-pandemic era,” Cook said.

Cook said IR&DS is eager to work with community groups to support a successful rollout of the survey. The HESMA survey “matters the most for our campus in this space, in terms of data collection effort,” Cook said. “We know just how high a proportion of students on our campus have experienced these issues.”

Academic accommodations for student-athletes

The GSC voted 9-1 to pass a resolution suggesting improved academic accommodations for student-athletes following a lengthy discussion during the meeting.

The resolution was introduced by Undergraduate Senate (UGS) co-chair Diego Kagurabadza ’25 at the Jan. 9 UGS meeting and debated across multiple subsequent student government meetings. It calls on the University to implement priority enrollment for student-athletes by class year in courses “necessary for degree completion,” excluding activity courses. Other clauses include calls for improved missed-class accommodations, such as alternative exam dates and recorded lectures.

Kagurabadza reiterated at Tuesday’s GSC meeting that the resolution is intended to support student-athletes through any academic disruptions, such as longer travel times, that result from Stanford’s move to the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Councilors expressed reservations regarding the resolution’s priority enrollment clause. Co-social chair Kavya Sreedhar, a fifth-year electrical engineering Ph.D. student, said she would like to see data supporting its necessity, adding that many students — not just athletes — face scheduling constraints.

First-year MBA student and Graduate School of Business representative Chris West questioned why the resolution did not restrict priority enrollment to courses that count toward the student-athlete’s major.

Kagurabadza responded that the students working on the resolution were “hoping to leave it as broad as possible, and then work out some of those finer details with faculty and administration.”

Co-chair Emmit Pert said “the most important thing is having uniform rules that are well-understood by everyone” when it comes to accommodations for athletes.

The UGS also voted to pass the resolution Tuesday evening.

Airport shuttle service expansion 

The GSC voted 9-0 to pass a resolution calling for expanded institutional airport shuttle services.

The resolution calls on the University to sponsor free shuttles to local airports during students’ peak travel seasons, like around school breaks. It cites affordability and sustainability as motivation for expanding the services. 

Students currently have the option of using ride-sharing services to get to the airport, but those services can be expensive, the resolution states. The Caltrain is a cheaper but potentially hard-to-navigate option for students unfamiliar with Bay Area public transit, according to the resolution.

The resolution noted that group shuttle rides would be more eco-friendly than ride-sharing, in line with the University’s stated commitment to reducing carbon emissions.

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Pilot plans to open up EVGR two-bedroom triples for graduate students https://stanforddaily.com/2024/01/29/pilot-opens-up-evgr-two-bedroom-triples-for-graduate-students/ https://stanforddaily.com/2024/01/29/pilot-opens-up-evgr-two-bedroom-triples-for-graduate-students/#respond Mon, 29 Jan 2024 10:45:38 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1241269 The initiative would convert some of the two-bedroom doubles in EVGR A to two-bedroom triples.

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The Graduate Student Council (GSC) heard updates on a pilot program to increase graduate student housing at its Tuesday meeting.

The initiative would convert some of the two-bedroom double apartments in Escondido Village Graduate Residences (EVGR) Building A to two-bedroom triples by adding an extra bed to one of the rooms. The program aims to create more affordable options for students in EVGR A, which is currently divided between undergraduate and graduate students. Housing and Affordability co-chair Leon de Souza spearheaded the program and hopes to bring student-driven updates to the graduate housing system.

Living in EVGR A gives students access to amenities like meeting rooms, game rooms and laundry facilities, de Souza said. Housing rates would fluctuate based on the double or single room, but rates for both would be lower than current EVGR housing rates. 

The proposal is still in the works — de Souza described the status as in the “feasibility stage.” While he hopes to establish the pilot program in the near future, exact plans are dependent on the potential rates for the rooms and student interest, which are yet to be determined.

The GSC also approved a bill to remove the term limit for the Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) Financial Manager. The same bill was approved in the Undergraduate Senate on Tuesday, allowing the financial manager to serve longer than the previously allotted two years assuming annual re-confirmation from the ASSU. The bill takes effect Feb. 1.

Councilors also heard updates about the University’s new partnership with Timely Care, a telecare service that offers students up to 12 counseling sessions per year. According to Perry Nielsen Jr., who serves as the ASSU’s student healthcare director, sessions are available 24/7 across state lines to “people who have clinical training and education.” The services, which are free to any enrolled student, seek to supplement Vaden Health Center’s more limited capacity and hours.

Upcoming graduate student social events include outings to see the San Francisco Broadway Musical “The Wiz” and Hasan Minhaj’s comedy special “Off with His Head” on Feb. 10. A networking social on Feb. 15 in EVGR B will also give graduate students a chance to socialize with their peers and councilors.

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UGS funds On Call Café https://stanforddaily.com/2023/12/04/ugs-funds-on-call-cafe/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/12/04/ugs-funds-on-call-cafe/#respond Mon, 04 Dec 2023 08:12:28 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1238855 The Undergraduate Senate approved a bill establishing On Call as an ASSU Service Organization at their Nov. 29 meeting, and considered potential accommodations for student-athletes amid increased travel.

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The Undergraduate Senate (UGS) unanimously approved a bill that established On Call as an ASSU Service Organization per Article VIII, Section 1 of the Joint By-Laws, granting the On Call Café privileges such as financial support to better serve the community. 

The student-run organization held its first pop-up on Nov. 6, providing free food and drinks from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Haas Center. The cafe received widespread student demand and served over 1,000 students at its pop-ups. The organization plans to re-open in Old Union this winter. 

“On Call Café is moving quickly to a for-profit model,” said UGS co-Chair Diego Kagurabadza ’25. “In the meantime, this designation offers potential financial support, among other things, should the student team need it.”

ASSU president Sophia Danielpour ’24 additionally discussed her meeting with interim President Richard Saller. Danielpour said they “discussed the successes of advocacy in the current year and requested administrative support for students as well as more student space in order to look for more student involvement in leadership searches.”

The meeting served as a pulse check on students and faculty, while alleviating tensions on campus by thinking about the community in a bigger sense, Danielpour said. Its goal was to find ways to provide students with the support they need while also providing them with spaces needed for community building. Overall, transparency and input from students is essential for the success of the community, she said. 

Representatives from 5-SURE, the student-run free car service, also discussed potential proposals for an automated dispatch system and additional vans.

“Instead of just calling 5-SURE manually, there could be a third party system that can implement data that can improve” the process, said Senator Ivy Chen ’26. 

The discussion later moved onto academic accommodations for student-athletes, as well as how to decrease the perception of preferential treatment for student-athletes over non-student-athletes. Kagurabadza shared insights from his meeting with Jeffrey Koseff, chair of the Committee on Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation.

“Some preliminary ideas include mandated excused-absence and late-work policies, priority course enrollment for student-athletes, alternative exam schedules and recorded lectures for students who are sick or off-campus,” Kagurabadza said. 

Representatives of the ASSU met with co-presidents of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee on Nov. 30 about these ideas, in hopes of eventually passing a joint resolution to the Vice President of Undergraduate Education or Faculty Senate in the future.

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Provost condemns hate speech in remarks to GSC https://stanforddaily.com/2023/11/09/provost-condemns-hate-speech-in-remarks-to-gsc/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/11/09/provost-condemns-hate-speech-in-remarks-to-gsc/#respond Thu, 09 Nov 2023 09:51:18 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1236332 Following a speech from Provost Jenny Martinez, the GSC voted on several funding requests and deliberated on income and spending reports, at its Tuesday meeting.

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Provost Jenny Martinez condemned hate speech and said that Stanford is “investigating threats connected to international events” at the Graduate Student Council’s (GSC) Tuesday meeting. 

Martinez highlighted several campus support resources, including mental health counseling, for Jewish and Muslim communities amid the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict. She said the University “is also spending money for additional community-building activities,” as well as for legal counsel because some students had expressed concerns about immigration issues.

When asked about the concrete steps that the University expects to take to combat hate speech and doxxing, Martinez explained University procedures when responding to Protected Identity Harm reports: the affected student is contacted within 24 hours and offered support and resources before the report is investigated further. If the speech is protected by the First Amendment, Stanford cannot punish the speaker and so will close the case by offering resources to the student, Martinez said. 

Stanford Law School will run “a pilot on doxxing in spring quarter,” Martinez said. 

Following Martinez’s remarks, Laurette Beeson from the Graduate Life Office (GLO) echoed Martinez’s sentiments. “There is no place for hate on this campus,” she said, adding that the GLO is doing its best to provide resources and serve as a liaison between administration and students.

“Our student body, our peers, the campus is experiencing an undue level of pain and discomfort from witnessing … what is happening geopolitically,” said Kristen Jackson, fourth-year PhD student, acknowledging the diversity of students facing hardship at this time. “It’s difficult for the ASSU to make a statement that doesn’t somehow exclude someone,” she said.

“We want to iterate a couple of points that we think collectively across the ASSU bodies are important,” Jackson added. “We know that students are hurting … hate has no place and should have no place on our campus or any campus,” they said.

The GSC also approved several funding requests and discussed its income and spending during its meeting. 

Stanford Hindu Students Council (SHSC) requested $1,500 for Diwali celebrations to be held later this week at White Plaza, in addition to the $12,719 they have already allocated for the event, because they underestimated the total cost of food when applying for the annual grant last year. The event is being planned jointly with the Stanford India Association.

The lack of supporting documentation from both organizations to substantiate the need for the extra funds raised concerns among council members about transparency and financial accountability. However, the council approved the request for funding on the condition that SHSC provides documentation for the extra funds within the 48 hours following the meeting. 

Rains community associates (CAs) requested $1,450 for the Rains Art and Music Festival taking place this week. Kavya Sreedhar, a fifth-year Ph.D. student in electrical engineering, raised concerns that the event “is the same day as EVGR Fall Fest, and it’s short notice,” therefore giving the GSC no time to review the budget. 

Third-year law student Jacob Benford and Sreedhar agreed that it could set a dangerous precedent for students to purchase food and drinks and ask the GSC to reimburse them, because some students might front a large amount of money without being reimbursed. The vote for funding the event was not passed.

This article has been updated to include additional comment from Jackson for context. 

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated Jackson’s class year. The Daily regrets this error.

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GSC symbolically rescinds Honor Code change approval, discusses Murdoch and Mercer relationship to Stanford https://stanforddaily.com/2023/06/07/gsc-symbolically-rescinds-honor-code-change-approval-discusses-murdoch-and-mercer-relationship-to-stanford/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/06/07/gsc-symbolically-rescinds-honor-code-change-approval-discusses-murdoch-and-mercer-relationship-to-stanford/#respond Thu, 08 Jun 2023 05:49:23 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1229946 In a show of solidarity with the Undergraduate Senate following the Faculty Senate’s bypassing of their vote on the Honor Code, the GSC unanimously voted to symbolically endorse the rescindment of SenD#831.

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In a symbolic show of support for the Undergraduate Senate (UGS) and shared governance, the Graduate Student Council (GSC) unanimously voted to endorse the rescindment of the Faculty Senate’s SenD#831 bill which had been set to allow exam proctoring and end a 102-year precedent by sidestepping a student vote.

The council also held an open discussion about the Faculty Senate Resolution on Rupert Murdoch and Rebekah Mercer. Murdoch and Mercer both sit on the Hoover Board of Overseers, but there have been questions as to whether or not Stanford should continue associating with them because of “dangerous, racist and antisemitic disinformation on platforms they own or control,” according to Lipsick and Jakovljević’s op-ed.

Re-Vote on Honor Code

The GSC voted unanimously to approve the rescindment of the Faculty Senate’s SenD#8313.

The decision comes after the Faculty Senate bypassed the UGS’s vote opposing the C-12 changes. Kristen Jackson, GSC co-chair and third-year Ph.D. student in education, wrote that “The resolution does not change anything about the honor code and administration of the honor code. The GSC still supports the changes to the honor code and judicial charter spelled out in C12.”

The move was to show solidarity with the UGS and support for collaboration between the University’s governing bodies. The motion to rescind SenD#8313 “removes from the record the Faculty Senate’s pre-emptive support of a bill that would supersede UGS approval and enact proctoring without the other body’s approval,” wrote Jackson. “We desire to be in partnership with all bodies, and wanted to ensure the UGS and undergraduate students writ large know that we respect their autonomy.”

Statement on Rupert Murdoch and Rebekah Mercer

The GSC also held an open discussion about a Stanford Daily op-ed written by professors Joseph Lipsick and Branislav Jakovljević last week. The op-ed covered the Faculty Senate’s proposed resolution calling for the termination of Stanford’s association with Rupert Murdoch and Rebekah Mercer.

“Although the Faculty Senate has no control over non-academic appointments and honors, members of the Stanford faculty do have an obligation to ensure that our University abides by its own code of conduct and other stated policies,” wrote Lipsick and Jakovljević in the op-ed.

In the op-ed, they argued that disinformation and hate speech on Murdoch and Mercer’s platforms have violated Stanford’s Code of Conduct.

“The previous ASSU representatives to the Faculty Senate had universally agreed that we were in support of the motion to denounce Rebekah Mercer and Rupert Murdoch, but now that we’ve transitioned over, that statement is no longer as punchy because we don’t actually represent students anymore,” said Lawrence Berg, fourth-year chemistry Ph.D. student, referencing the change in GSC representatives.

The new GSC then discussed what their position would be if they were officially approached for a statement. Emmit Pert, third-year Ph.D. student in chemistry and newly elected GSC councilmember, said he had no problem with the University or faculty asking questions about who Stanford chooses to honor or associate with.

“There should be more scrutiny of the kinds of people that are being appointed to boards of all institutions across the university,” Pert said.

Tom Liu, third-year Ph.D. student in physics and GSC councilmember, raised a question about the association between the Hoover Institution, of which Mercer and Murdoch sit on the Hoover Board of Overseers, and the University more widely.

“This bill is not asking for disassociation from the Hoover Institute,” Jackson said, “But I also think that’s fundamentally what’s at stake. To what extent should a body, a research lab, a center, be affiliated with Stanford with and to what level of oversight should exist?”

The GSC also unanimously voted to support a motion to denounce Murdoch and Mercer if asked for another statement.

“If during the Faculty Senate’s 6/15 meeting, Lawrence Berg or Yiqing Ding (acting [Faculty Senate] representatives from the GSC) are asked about Mercer and Murdoch, they will express support for the resolution from Professors Jakovljević and Lipsick and support greater scrutiny into and inquiry of centers on campus conducting ideological research,” Jackson wrote.

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UGS discusses physical wellness, neighborhood identity, health advocacy https://stanforddaily.com/2023/06/01/ugs-discusses-physical-wellness-neighborhood-identity-health-advocacy/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/06/01/ugs-discusses-physical-wellness-neighborhood-identity-health-advocacy/#respond Thu, 01 Jun 2023 07:11:17 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1229655 The 25th Undergraduate Senate had their fourth and last meeting of the 2022-2023 academic year on Tuesday. The senators discussed eliminating fees associated with physical wellness courses and reforming campus healthcare to better meet student needs.

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The 25th Undergraduate Senate discussed eliminating fees associated with physical wellness courses and reforming campus healthcare to better meet student needs at their fourth and final meeting of the 2022-2023 academic year on Tuesday.

As part of an ongoing discussion around course fees at Stanford, Alex Accetta BA ’92 MA ’93, Executive Director of Recreation & Wellness, Tia Lillie, Director of DAPER Academic Programs and PHYSWELL, and Sue Lowley, Director of Adventure Programs, were present at the meeting to discuss fees associated with enrolling in physical wellness courses.

The speakers came at the invitation of Co-Chair Diego Kagurabadza ’25 as part of the senator’s initiatives addressing fees associated with taking certain courses at Stanford, and how such fees might prohibit students from taking those courses.

Lillie said that on average, their physical wellness courses cost $35, which is not much more than 10 years ago when average costs were $25. 

Stanford Recreation and Wellness makes around $110,000 per year from course fees, out of a total programming budget of $8.1 million, according to Accetta. He said that over 1550 students are enrolled in these courses for credits.

In response to questions from multiple senators on why the course fees exist, Accetta said that fees are necessary to make sure that courses are able to maintain equipment or hold field trips.

Despite the important role that course fees play for physical wellness classes, Accetta agreed with the senators that lowering costs would be ideal for students.

“We’re essentially aligned, it’s just a matter of figuring out how to balance a budget, and how the University decides to fund different priorities,” he said. 

“It seems that faculty and students all want the same thing, it’s just a matter of budgeting,” Co-Chair Diego Kagurabadza ’25 said. “It might be students really engaging with the University’s budgeting process and asking them to invest more into the wellness programs.”

Accetta also said that Recreation and Wellness’ goals have been changing. Previously, Recreation and Wellness has been focused on “inspiring a healthier Stanford.”

“What we really want to do is create a culture of belonging and well-being,” he said, emphasizing the role he believes physical wellness can play in creating a stronger Stanford community.

As part of this mission, Stanford Recreation and Wellness is also working to help create a streamlined “Farm Games,” which would be friendly intramural neighborhood sports competitions.

“The idea is that these should be quirky, irreverent and fun,” he said. “To help create a sense of Stanford pride.”

Senator Ava Tiffany ’26, was particularly excited at the idea, and suggest that the events could be like “Hogwarts-style” competitions to help generate neighborhood identities.

The senators also discussed Vaden Healthcare reform at Tuesday’s meeting.

Nicolas Garcia ’23, an outgoing president for the Stanford Class of 2023, spoke on the importance of bringing student voices to Vaden’s healthcare operations and the need to establish a Healthcare Oversight Committee.

“We face some of the most expensive student insurance in the Bay Area, on top of one of the most expensive healthcare systems in the United States,” he said. Garcia also stated that Stanford Hospital specifically is one the most expensive healthcare systems in the country.

Ultimately, Garcia said that he hopes that some of the senators can dedicate themselves to establishing the proposed Healthcare Oversight Committee, which would aim to reform Vaden Healthcare by ensuring that student insight can be used to improve how Vaden operates.

“Students do not seem to trust or recommend Vaden at all,” he said, citing a survey the Healthcare Advocacy team conducted in April, which yielded under 250 student responses.

Additionally, he believes that a proposed Vaden Student Healthcare Advisory Council, which would bring student voice to the administration of Vaden Healthcare, would help improve the system for students.

“Our goal really is to create a representative body that can communicate with Vaden and provide essential feedback on the kind of care that we need,” he said. “There is not a lot of information sharing between student leaders and Vaden [right now.]”

Kyle Haslett ’25, ASSU Executive Vice President, said that the ASSU Executive Branch has confirmed their new cabinet members. A resolution to confirm Gabriela Holzer ’25 as the secretary of the 25th UGS was also approved.

The senate also discussed improvements to student life that they hope to make in the next academic year. Kagurabadza lauded the success of Flower Fridays, where ASSU gives students flowers in White Plaza, saying that 750 flowers were given out just last week.

As part of improving student life, Haslett noted that he is currently working with OSE and ResEd on establishing more open late-night spaces on campus in the next academic year. Senator Khandaker Aqib ’25 also said that he is working with R&DE to return a pre-COVID-19 tradition where sports games were televised in dining halls.

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Graduate Student Council prepares for upcoming union election https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/24/graduate-student-council-prepares-for-upcoming-union-election/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/24/graduate-student-council-prepares-for-upcoming-union-election/#respond Thu, 25 May 2023 05:54:51 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1228887 The 22-23 GSC finished the last of their business before swearing in the new 23-24 council members.

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In the last meeting of the 2022-23 Graduate Student Council (GSC), members of the GSC went over the council’s final funding requests before the new 2023-24 GSC was sworn in at Tuesday’s meeting.

Newly-elected Associated Students at Stanford University (ASSU) co-president Kyle Haslett ’25 facilitated the swearing-in ceremony of the new councilors. During the ceremony, the members repeated after Haslett their oath of office.

The new members of the 23-24 GSC include:

  • Pranav Jain – Graduate School of Business (MBA) and School of Engineering (Masters in Computer Science)
  • Fatima Karim – Doerr School (first-year MS – Sustainability, Science & Practice)
  • Kristen Jackson – School of Education (third-year PhD – RILE)
  • Guillem Megias Homar – School of Engineering (third-year Ph.D. – Aero-Astro)
  • Kavya Sreedhar – School of Engineering (fourth-year Ph.D.- Electrical Engineering)
  • Kay Barrett – School of Humanities and Sciences, Humanities (first-year PhD – English)
  • Tom Liu – School of Humanities and Sciences, Natural Sciences (third-year PhD – Physics)
  • Jacob Randolph – Law School (second-year JD-MA – Education)
  • Kwamina Nyame – Medical School (third-year Ph.D. – Biochemistry)
  • Liz Park – at-large, School of Humanities and Sciences, Natural Sciences (third-year Ph.D. – Chemistry)
  • Leslie Luqueño – at-large, School of Education (third-year Ph.D. – Sociology of Education)
  • Habeeb Ayantayo – at large, School of Engineering (first-year MS – Electrical Engineering)
  • Emmit Pert – at-large, School of Humanities and Sciences, Natural Sciences (third-year Ph.D. – Chemistry)
  • Jacob Benford – at-large, Law School (second-year JD)

Emily Schell, outgoing co-chair of the 22-23 GSC and a fifth-year Ph.D. student in the Graduate School of Education, reflected on her time with the 22-23 GSC and gave advice to the incoming 23-24 GSC.

“Shared governance requires compromise and collaboration of every stakeholder involved,” Schell said. “You have more power in the body, and the biggest piece of power is our platform.”

Schell’s outgoing co-chair, Jason Anderson, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in electrical engineering, also shared advice on being a student advocate.

“I say take risks on what you plan to do. Like how we fought our way and we made sure every faculty Senator understood the affordability crisis we’re having,” Anderson said.

In the 2023-24 GSC’s first few orders of business, they voted to confirm Fatima Karim M.S. ’24 as a new council member to represent the graduate students of the Doerr School of Sustainability.

Elizabeth Park, third-year chemistry Ph.D. student, and Kristen Jackson, a third-year Ph.D. student in the School of Education, were elected chairs of the new council. Park previously served as the GSC secretary and Jackson as a council member.

In a statement to The Daily, Park and Jackson wrote that their goals for the 2023-24 year would include putting their constituents first, focusing on campus advocacy and institutional connections.

With the graduate worker union election scheduled to begin next week, determining whether graduate student workers will be represented by the Stanford Graduate Workers Union, Park and Jackson wrote that they would “support the union [and] students not in union writ large.”

Jackson and Park added that, to increase student representation and advocacy, they would engage in a “listening tour” at all of Stanford’s cultural centers to get feedback on “how we can better support the various groups they represent.”

The co-chairs’ additional stated areas of focus are sexual violence prevention, VSO funding, housing and dining, transportation, mental health provisions, FLI grad students, DisCo, international students and students with families.

This article has been corrected to reflect that Jain is also a member of the School of Engineering. The Daily regrets this error.

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Honor code proctoring pilot unanimously approved by Undergraduate Senate https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/24/honor-code-proctoring-pilot-unanimously-approved-by-undergraduate-senate/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/24/honor-code-proctoring-pilot-unanimously-approved-by-undergraduate-senate/#respond Wed, 24 May 2023 07:05:10 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1228821 After twice rejecting the C12’s proposed changes to the Honor Code, the Undergraduate Senate (UGS) voted in its Tuesday meeting to accept the changes and a small-scale proctoring study. Their approval is expected to supersede the Faculty Senate’s motion for full-scale proctoring.

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After the previous Undergraduate Senate (UGS) twice voted to reject the Committee of 12 (C12)’s proposed changes to the Honor Code, the newly inaugurated 25th UGS unanimously voted to approve their proposal, which includes changes to the text of the Honor Code and a study into exam proctoring, in its meeting on Tuesday.

The vote came after the Faculty Senate bypassed the UGS’s previous votes in order to unilaterally propose a motion on April 27 that would allow in-person proctoring for the first time since 1921, starting in September of the upcoming 2023–24 academic year.

The UGS’s approval of the proposed Honor Code changes supersedes the Faculty Senate’s historic April 27 motion. Instead, the C12 proctoring proposal allows proctoring only as part of a study for researching exam conduct.

Senator Khandaker Aqib ’25, the sole abstaining vote, said that the UGS’s vote was for “the lesser of two evils,” between a small study into proctoring, as proposed by the C12, and the full-scale ability to proctor, as implemented by the Faculty Senate motion.

“Our hands have been tied in many ways,” Aqib said. “We’ve been pushed into a corner.”

Since the Honor Code was written by Stanford students in 1921, it has been a mutual agreement between students and faculty. Members of the previous (24th) UGS had expressed opposition to the Faculty Senate’s vote to unilaterally permit proctoring in the upcoming academic year, citing breach of precedent and student trust.

Xavier Millan ’26, a student member of the C12, said that the new C12 proposals are preliminary and “the door is open” to incorporating more student feedback. He also said that the changes reduce “snitch culture,” which he said was the responsibility of students to report each other.

The C12, which is composed of five students, five faculty and two staff, researched academic integrity and discipline policies at Stanford for over one year before publishing its proposals and presenting them to Stanford’s governing bodies. The proposals include a pilot study into proctoring and a tiered judicial system.

UGS Parliamentarian Ivy Chen ’26 said that the vote would “kill two birds with one stone” by both restoring the UGS’s relationship with the Faculty Senate and by taking more student voices into account.

After Tuesday’s UGS vote, the C12’s proposals have been approved by four of the five necessary governing bodies: the Board on Judicial Affairs (BJA), the Faculty Senate, the UGS and the Graduate Student Council (GSC). The Faculty Senate’s bypassing motion specified that it would be superseded in the event that the C12’s proposals are approved by the governing bodies. Therefore, if University President Marc Tessier-Lavigne (whose office is the fifth governing body) provides his necessary approval, the Faculty Senate’s motion will be superseded by the C12’s revised Honor Code and associated proctoring study.

Some senators said that they looked forward to seeing the results of the proctoring study, which could help to inform future policies.

“There isn’t a lot of data and tangible understanding of the effects of proctoring,” senator Dilan Desir ’26 said. “I don’t think it’s about distrust of students or the culture on campus, and if it’s perceived that way, I think that’s a communication thing we need to think about.”

Nominations Committee appointments

Nominations Committee chair Matthew Jacquez ’23 said when considering nominations for University Committees, he wanted to “make sure… students actualize change,” are “engaged” and show confidence in leadership “even when challenged.”

The following students were unanimously approved by the UGS to be appointed to general University Committees for a term of one academic year.

The UGS also unanimously agreed to appoint the following students to the Judicial Panel Pool, which oversees honor code violations.

Other business

In the first legislation ever passed by the new Senate, the UGS unanimously approved a resolution authored by Kagurabadza to congratulate the outgoing ASSU executives, Darryl Thompson ’23 and Christian Sanchez ’24.

The UGS unanimously approved $80,000 of club funding for the past two weeks, proposed by UGS treasurer Ishaan Singh ’24.

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GSC passes election sanctions reform, receives updates on committee for healthcare affordability  https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/17/gsc-passes-election-sanctions-reform-receives-updates-on-committee-for-healthcare-affordability/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/17/gsc-passes-election-sanctions-reform-receives-updates-on-committee-for-healthcare-affordability/#respond Thu, 18 May 2023 06:35:08 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1228199 In their meeting Tuesday night, the GSC passed a bylaw change to allow for greater leeway on the application of election sanctions. Members of the GSC also received updates on a committee related to Cardinal Care affordability.

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In its first meeting with both outgoing and newly-elected council members, the Graduate Student Council (GSC) discussed funding approvals, updated new councilors on healthcare reform efforts and voted on several bylaw changes related to election standards on Tuesday night.

Funding requests and healthcare advocacy

The GSC voted on three funding requests, unanimously approving the Stanford Italian Society’s request for funding and tabling the other two. One of the tabled requests came from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, which requested $275 to host a student-faculty lunch.

Some council members expressed discontent with providing funding that would go toward paying for food eaten by faculty. “I’m not comfortable funding anything that then funds feeding faculty, because it’s taking from students,” said Kristen Jackson, a third-year Ph.D. student in education and the GSC’s Diversity and Advocacy Chair.

Fourth-year Ph.D. student in aeronautics and astronautics and GSC co-chair Jason Anderson argued that some departments receive less funding from other sources for events, forcing them to request funding from the GSC. Additionally, he pointed towards previous events of a similar nature funded by the GSC. “I’m going to vote yes, because I think that would be consistent with every other event we’ve doing, whether or not it’s right or wrong,” he said.

The GSC agreed to discuss the funding for the tabled requests at its next meeting after council members receive more information.

Anderson updated new council members on his advocacy piece related to student involvement in the design of Cardinal Care, the University-sponsored health insurance option that has faced student concerns about affordability and quality of care. Anderson said that he has been working to create a committee in response to these concerns and was finally able to do so this year.

“We had to fight tooth and nail to have that restarted,” Anderson said. “We’ve had struggles with this due to bad faith efforts from admin.” He added that, “now we have learned that they don’t want to have this committee because of the SGWU (Student Graduate Workers Union) effort.”

For years, graduate students have engaged in advocacy related to affordability issues, including high costs of housing and healthcare. After accumulating more than 3,600 signed authorization cards by Stanford graduate student workers interested in being represented by the union, the SGWU filed a petition in late April for a unionization vote.

Schell invited council members to join a planned meeting with Executive Director of Vaden Health Center James Jacob to discuss changes related to healthcare. “Healthcare is not within the purview of the union because it impacts all students, graduate or undergraduate, funded or unfunded,” Schell said. “And this committee represented currently the only opportunity to provide feedback [on Cardinal Care].”

Bylaw changes 

The GSC also voted on six proposed joint bylaws changes, approving four unanimously and failing to pass a joint bill to amend the executive election turnover timeline.

The first proposed bylaw change passed by the GSC was the Joint Bylaws Regarding Election Sanctions, which Lawrence Berg, a fourth-year chemistry Ph.D. student and the GSC’s Representative to the Faculty Senate, described as “not perfect, but a complete step in the right direction” in creating updated election reforms. The bill will allow the Election Commissioner “some leeway on what to sanctions to apply” in response to potential campaign violations.

The bylaw change comes on the heels of a recent case current Election Commissioner Whit Froehlich J.D. ’24 brought against Ivy Chen ’26 on allegations of campaign overspending. The case was eventually dropped.

According to Berg, under the role’s current rules, the election commissioner is mandated to call for sanctions related to election policies. However, the new bylaw changes propose alternative opportunities to enact less harsh sanctions, Berg said.

In addition to bylaw changes, the GSC unanimously passed bills regarding GSC elected members’ turnover dates, election procedure rules and closed sessions procedures. Council members also passed a bill about treasurer procedures in processing funding requests.

In a discussion marked by disagreement among members of the council, the Joint Bill To Amend the Executive Election Turnover Timeline failed to pass on a 4-5 vote. The bill, which unanimously passed the Undergraduate Senate (UGS), would end the term of the sitting ASSU executives two weeks after the certification of election results for the new administration.

Elizabeth Park, third-year chemistry Ph.D. student and GSC Secretary, voted no on the bill.

“Having exec turnover contingent on certification was what we had 20 years ago, and it was changed for a reason because UGS continually tried to not allow exec turnover,” she said.

Froehlich added that any possible investigations into campaign violations would lead to “some trouble” because “it’s likely that would take longer than 2 weeks to resolve.”

Before voting, Anderson, who helped create the co-sponsored bill, said, “this was the best I could do, and if it’s voted down, the next GSC does need to resolve this issue. I wish you all luck in doing that.”

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Newly inaugurated Undergraduate Senate debates C12 proposals ahead of third vote https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/17/newly-inaugurated-undergraduate-senate-debates-c12-proposals-ahead-of-third-vote/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/17/newly-inaugurated-undergraduate-senate-debates-c12-proposals-ahead-of-third-vote/#respond Thu, 18 May 2023 06:10:12 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1228201 The newly inaugurated 25th Undergraduate Senate (UGS), met on Tuesday, with a large debate over possible responses to the Faculty Senate’s historic bypass of the previous UGS vote on changes to the Honor Code proposed by the C12.

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The Undergraduate Senate (UGS), newly inaugurated as the 25th Senate, met on Tuesday with a large debate over possible responses to the Faculty Senate’s historic bypass of the previous UGS vote on changes to the Honor Code proposed by the C12. After the 24th Senate opted to leave this issue to the newest class of senators, the UGS is slated to vote on the C12 proposals for a third time next week.

Revisiting the C12 Honor Code proposal

In early April, the Committee of 12 (C12) proposed a number of changes to the Honor Code and Judicial Charter, including the creation of a tiered disciplinary system and the implementation of a study into the possibility of exam proctoring. These proposals were to be approved by several governing bodies, including the UGS, the Graduate Student Council and the Faculty Senate.

The Academic Integrity Working Group, as it is labeled in the C12’s proposal, would conduct a study on the effects of proctoring in the next two to four years. The study would allow teaching staff to proctor their in-person exams to understand the effects of proctoring on Honor Code violations and student grades.

After the proposed changes to the Honor Code were rejected twice by the UGS, the Faculty Senate —whose approval was required to pass the C12’s proposals — bypassed the student vote to change the Honor Code and allow exam proctoring in the upcoming academic year.

Undergraduate student outreach on proctoring showed that a little under half of respondents were opposed to in-person exam proctoring, with the rest split between “yes” and “maybe.”

Xavier Millan ’26, a student member of the C12, which put forth the proposal, said that students who were in favor of proctoring cited situations in which students’ cheating in curved classes hurt non-cheaters.

He added that students opposed to the proposals said that they “viewed [the lack of proctoring] as a contract of trust between faculty and students,” and expressed concerns over potential proctor biases and test-taking anxiety induced by proctors.

Since the 24th UGS rejected the C12 proposal and the Faculty Senate overrode this rejection, the UGS faces a choice before the end of the academic year: accept the C12 proposal for a small-scale study of proctoring, or default to the full-scale allowance of proctoring as approved by the Faculty Senate for the upcoming academic year.

“This has been a decade-long process of faculty trying to get us to agree to some academic integrity revisions,” Co-Chair Diego Kagurabadza ’25 said. “For as long as they can remember, it seems that the UGS has been the obstructing body, whereas the other stakeholders have agreed.”

Kagurabadza served as the chair of the 24th UGS’s Board on Judicial Affairs (BJA) and C12 committee.

Some senators described this set of options as an ultimatum and a further betrayal of trust between the UGS and the Faculty Senate.

“Has the Faculty Senate reconsidered their statement on lack of faith [in the UGS]?” asked Senator Khandaker Aqib ’25. “That’s one thing.”

“I hope you guys asked them, ‘why are you so freely willing to step on our toes and cross the lines of shared governance and expect us to have respect for it,’” Aqib added.

The C12 proposal states that any proposals found through the working group must be approved by all stakeholders, including the UGS, which some senators said they viewed as a safeguard.

“Next week, when we have the opportunity to vote on the C12 proposal, I encourage us to approve it,” Kagurabadza said. “This is a way to avoid the alternative and restore confidence with the Faculty Senate and reestablish ourselves as committed and equal stakeholders.”

Kagurabadza said that he believes passage of the C12 Proposal will restore trust between the UGS and Faculty Senate, as well as ensure that student opinion is respected in the further remodeling of the Honor Code.

Sophia Danielpour ’24, the new ASSU President, said that student input was necessary for decisions made by the University.

“Maybe this is a bigger opportunity to make a statement beyond the scope of the C12 and say, ‘these are all these decisions that have happened over the past couple of years without student input … for the sake of students, we’ll pass the C12, but on a larger scale, the [UGS] wants a conversation with faculty and admin on what it means to be a student here and what role we can play in governance,’” Danielpour said.

Over the course of the ASSU elections, Danielpour and other candidates voiced opposition to exam proctoring.

Kyle Hasslett ’25, ASSU Executive Vice President, raised concerns that student will may be eroded over the years-long course of the proctoring study, noting that, when the study is complete, the UGS will be populated by a new class of senators that will have less firsthand experience and knowledge of the proctoring debate.

“While I do agree that [passing the C12 proposal] is a better alternative than making any large statement … two years down the line, we’re going to have a completely new group of kids in this room,” he said.

“This is a common trend with student advocacy groups … the way we can combat that is to really insist on having institutional knowledge being passed down,” Co-Chair Ritwik Tati ’25 replied.

“We are involved in writing the charge of the study,” Kagurabadza said. “Having the confidence in us now that we are approving this, will encourage them not to override us in the future.”

The C12 Proposal will potentially be voted on by the UGS next week, for a third time.

Additional resolutions and discussions

As the ASSU’s new president, Danielpour discussed her interest in facilitating collaboration between the ASSU executive cabinet and the UGS on social life policies and reforms to the neighborhood system.

Kagurabadza, one of the four returning senators, said that he is focusing on addressing the costs associated with taking certain courses at Stanford. He said that he has scheduled meetings with representatives from the Spanish Language, Chemistry and Outdoor Education departments to discuss their respective course fees and how such fees affect students.

Senator Joy Molloy ’25, the Deputy UGS chair and another one of the four returning senators, said that she has begun working with the Healthcare Advocacy Committee and scheduled a meeting with the Executive Director of Vaden Health to discuss Cardinal Care reform.

Kagurabadza also put forward a resolution to congratulate the outgoing 2022-23 ASSU executives, Darryl Thompson ’23 and Christian Sanchez ’24, on their achievements during their terms. Two more bills were put forward to confirm the Spring 2023-24 nominees to University committees and the Judicial Panel Pool, which houses students who may be called to review violations of the Honor Code and Fundamental Standard.

The University committees, which require student nominations and confirmations to promote student representation, range from panels on animal use and care to advisory boards for financial aid.

A previous version of this article stated that Kagurabadza was on the C12 and the Board on Judicial Affairs committee of the 24th UGS. This article has been updated for clarity to reflect that Kagurabadza served as the chair of the 24th UGS’s Board on Judicial Affairs and C12 committee, distinct from the C12 and the BJA.

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UGS transitions power, postponing Honor Code action https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/10/ugs-transitions-power-postponing-honor-code-action/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/10/ugs-transitions-power-postponing-honor-code-action/#respond Thu, 11 May 2023 05:23:44 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1227440 At its final meeting as the 24th Undergraduate Senate, the UGS continued the transition of power to the next senate and postponed action on the Honor Code.

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In its final meeting as the 24th Undergraduate Senate (UGS), senators continued the transition of control to the 25th Senate. The UGS postponed action over senators’ concerns about the Faculty Senate’s recent precedent-breaking sidestep of the UGS Honor Code vote to the next senate.

Funding approvals

UGS Appropriations Committee Chair Mark Huerta ’24 initiated the 24th senate’s final appropriations budget approval request by emphasizing the importance of the committee, which faced student criticism this year after multiple clubs were denied annual grant funding.

“I hope for any new senators in the room right now that you will consider that the appropriations committee is very important in ensuring that every student program gets funded on this campus to its full extent,” Huerta said.

When asked to reflect on his experience leading the appropriations committee, Huerta said that he thinks students view the process as “excessively bureaucratic” and a “money pit” that they can get whatever they want out of.

The discussion comes just over a month after The Daily reported that, under current ASSU funding policies, 80 of the 214 volunteer student organizations (VSOs) that applied for annual grant funding were rejected for the upcoming year.

In response to students’ criticisms, Huerta told the next senators and the meeting’s listeners to consider the committee’s work “a balanced funding process” that funds the “breadth and depth of all student programming” at Stanford.

“This is ASSU putting things back in students’ pockets, putting things back in student leadership,” Huerta said.

In an opinion piece in The Daily in April, Huerta noted that the ASSU was funding a “record number” of student groups and argued that different funding tracks are designed to help student groups receive the level of funding they need.

The senate motioned to approve 23 quick, one standard and two reserve funding approvals and culminated the final budget request for the 2022-23 academic year.

Healthcare and campaign bylaws

The senate unanimously approved a resolution to create a UGS Healthcare Advocacy Committee and passed two linked bills to grant discretion in campaign spending audits and amend the joint bylaws.

The bill to abolish campaign spending limits was put forth before the UGS weeks after the ASSU elections commissioner sued a senator-elect who violated the $100 limit on campaign expenditures (the ASSU council ultimately dropped the case).

Regarding the bill, Senator Kyle Becerra ’24 said that “the spending limit is[n’t] perfect, but it serves as an imperfect safeguard to prevent Pandora’s box from being opened.”

Senator Donya Sarrafian ’23 expressed support for passing the bill, citing a variety of reasons including the current “lack of robust enforcement mechanisms to see how much everyone’s contributing.”

She added that there’s “no way to fully audit every single person who runs.” In response to constitutional issues, several senators expressed concern over the out-of-date policies and perspectives noted by the Constitutional Council.

In the motion to vote on the bill, approvals did not meet the required two-thirds of the senate.

The UGS motioned to pass the Senate Bill of Spring 2023, confirming Hannah Jeoung ’24, Kristen Jackson PhD. ’25, and Amira Dehmani ’23 as student representatives on the Board on Judicial Affairs and the latter two nominees on the Community Board on Public Safety, respectively.

Following motions to vote on the joint bill to amend the Executive Election Turnover Timeline and the UGS Election Turnover Timeline, as well as the bill to re-confirm ASSU Financial Manager, Jas Espinosa, were approved unanimously.

C12 discussions and transitions

During open discussion, Senator Huerta called for discussion on addressing the Committee of 12 (C12) as a last decision for the 24th UGS. On April 27, the Faculty Senate unilaterally approved revisions to Stanford’s Honor Code, bypassing an earlier vote from the UGS rejecting the Committee of 12’s recommendations on changes to the Honor Code.

Co-Chair Aden Beyene ’24 urged the senate to leave the issue for incoming members of the 25th Senate to resolve.

“The Faculty Senate needs to be held accountable for the decisions that they make,” Beyene said. “If you bring this to a vote right now, you’re saying, ‘never mind.’”

Senator Diego Kagurabadza ’25 said that he was concerned about “the fact that faculty has no faith in the undergraduates.”

“What I’m asking for is for you to have faith in the next senate, in that we will try to restore that relationship,” he said.

The senate moved to oppose suspending rules of order to consider the C12 address for the meeting and ultimately opposed making a motion on the offer, pushing the issue to the next senate.

Transition to the 25th UGS

As the final meeting for the 24th Senate came to a close, senators reflected on their experiences in the senate. Senator Becerra offered words of advice for incoming senators. “I urge the next class of senators to really try to restore that faith in the Undergraduate Senate towards the undergraduate population … Stay true to yourselves. Try new things as senators. You never know what you’re going to become passionate about and want to fight for.”

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GSC certifies election results, joins UGS in funding SHPRC https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/10/gsc-certifies-election-results-joins-ugs-in-funding-shprc/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/10/gsc-certifies-election-results-joins-ugs-in-funding-shprc/#respond Wed, 10 May 2023 07:17:37 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1227395 The GSC passed two bills, certified the ASSU election results and discussed healthcare and affordability in their Tuesday meeting.

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The Graduate Student Council (GSC) certified its election results at its Tuesday meeting and passed a bill to designate the Sexual Health Resource Center (SHPRC) as a Joint Service Project of the Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU), with the GSC contributing 10% of the funding for the historically undergraduate-funded Center.

The GSC also voted to approve the Nominations Commission’s selected appointees for the Board on Judicial Affairs and the Community Board on Public Safety, as well as form a new committee for healthcare oversight.

Bills passed

The GSC unanimously passed a bill that would designate the Sexual Health Resource Center (SHPRC) as a Joint Service Project of the Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU). Under this bill, the financial manager of the ASSU will serve as the “principal oversight authority” over SHPRC, according to the bill. Additionally, while the bill notes that SHPRC has “historically only been funded by the undergraduate student body,” the proposed breakdown for cost for 2023-24 would be only 90% undergraduate funded, with the remaining 10% sourcing from graduate students’ fees.

In a separate bill that night, the GSC voted unanimously to approve Hannah Jeoung ’24, Kristen Jackson (third-year Ph.D. student in education) and Amira Dehmani ’24 for the Board on Judicial Affairs and the Community Board on Public Safety, respectively. All three students were nominated by the Nominations Commission (NomCom), which selects appointees for university committees who are then confirmed by the Undergraduate Senate (UGS) and the GSC.

The GSC voted to certify the 2023 ASSU Spring General Elections Results, but chose to suspend its voting on bylaws amendments to add specifications to the co-chair election procedure and closed session procedures. The decision to wait another week to vote on these measures came after a discussion about how much previous notice is needed by the council members before voting.

Fourth-year chemistry Ph.D. student Lawrence Berg said that he didn’t think members of the GSC were “given previous notice on this.”

After discussing previous approaches to notice policy, the GSC decided that a link to content to be voted on is needed at least 24 hours before the meeting. However, at that point, fourth-year Ph.D. student in electrical engineering Kavya Sreedhar pointed out that the meeting was running 30 minutes behind schedule. “The fact that we’re over on the agenda says that we need more discussion on [these bills,]” Sreedhar said. The GSC decided to table the conversation until the next meeting.

Healthcare and affordability

Other matters heard by the GSC included an in-progress letter written by fourth-year Ph.D. student in electrical engineering Jason Anderson to Stanford’s administration about graduate student taxes. According to Anderson, graduate students are paying an extra $2,000 of taxes. “Right now, Ph.D. students have their Cardinal Care subsidized. When people go to a tax accountant, it will tax that subsidy. It should not be taxed,” Anderson said.

Anderson said he won’t share the draft yet, but he hopes the letter will help the administration educate students about the issue. “It’ll help the affordability crisis we’re in right now,” he said.

The GSC passed a joint resolution to create the Healthcare Oversight Committee (HOC), which will aim to author surveys, make recommendations on the Cardinal Care plan design and maintain strong relationships with the UGS and the GSC. The bill calls for the “university [to] delegate greater governance to the students and oversight responsibility in the administration of their healthcare.”

The GSC also voted to confirm Jas Espinosa as the ASSU Financial Manager and CEO of Stanford Student Enterprises for another year and approved funding requested by the Sing Plus Plus group for their concert.

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GSC reaffirms support for Faculty Senate’s Honor Code revisions https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/03/gsc-reaffirms-support-for-faculty-senates-honor-code-revisions/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/03/gsc-reaffirms-support-for-faculty-senates-honor-code-revisions/#respond Wed, 03 May 2023 07:50:27 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1226957 The GSC discussed the last Faculty Senate meeting and heard updates from R&DE on events and on-campus food options.

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The Graduate Student Council (GSC) reaffirmed its support for the Faculty Senate’s recent unilaterally approved revisions to Stanford’s Honor Code during the Council’s Tuesday meeting. The motion approved by the Senate last Thursday explicitly permits exam proctoring in the upcoming school year, sidestepping a student vote and ending an over 100-year precedent of “shared governance” on academic integrity between Stanford faculty and students.

Honor Code discussion

The GSC is one of the five governing bodies whose approval was necessary for the University to enact the Committee of 12’s (C12) proposed Honor Code revisions. During its meeting last Tuesday, the GSC voted to approve these revisions, which include commissioning and implementing a multi-year study about “equitable proctoring practices.”

After both the GSC’s and the Board on Judicial Affairs’ (BJA) vote of approval, the proposals were heard by the Undergraduate Senate, where the proposed revisions failed to pass twice.

Last Thursday, after the BJA, GSC and UGS votes had taken place, the Faculty Senate unilaterally approved revisions to Stanford’s Honor Code that would permit exam proctoring starting in the 2023-24 school year, explicitly allowing proctoring explicitly for the first time in 102 years.

GSC member Lawrence Berg, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in chemistry, explained at the GSC’s Tuesday meeting that the current situation leaves the UGS with two options: accept proctoring starting in the fall of 2023 (the revision passed by the Faculty Senate)or adopt the C12 proposal to carry out a two-to-four year long study on proctoring. 

“[This] essentially puts the undergraduates between a rock and a hard place on either accepting proctoring immediately or going into this study,” Berg said.

GSC co-chairs Emily Schell, a fifth-year developmental and psychological sciences Ph.D. student, and Jason Anderson, a third-year aeronautics and astronautics Ph.D. student, had also pledged their endorsement of the C12 proposal alongside Berg at last Tuesday’s GSC meeting.

“We were very specific and tailored in our endorsement,” Berg said, emphasizing that the endorsement of C12 is only for the specific issue of proctoring, “with the caveat that [UGS] would be able to opt into the C12 recommendations.”

Schell said that the UGS was “unwilling to come to the table”, so the Faculty Senate took what Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education Sarah Church called the “nuclear option” in unilaterally implementing Honor Code revisions.

“It’s not like the Undergraduate Senate said, ‘Let’s not do a study, let’s do something else,’” Schell said. “They literally just said no. No compromise in three years.”

Amira Dehmani, co-chair of the UGS, said the comments of the GSC and Faculty Senate have mischaracterized the process. She disagreed with Schell’s characterization that the UGS was not offering other solutions related to academic integrity.

“The UGS has engaged for the last year with the C12 offering multiple opinions and ideas to academic integrity. We created an entire committee to dedicate time and effort to this issue — I would even argue we spent the most time engaging with them compared to the other stakeholders involved,” Dehmani wrote.

The UGS did not view proctoring as the solution to the problem, according to Dehmani, adding that “faculty should create better and more fair assignments that do not push students to cheat, increase access to TAs and CTL appointments, support mental health and well-being of students, increase on-ramp courses for students coming from schools that didn’t offer them, etc.”

Dehmani said that the Faculty Senate’s vote “lacks respect for shared governance and is not them asking us to return to the table to come to a compromise.” She added that the UGS “would love” to come to a compromise, and plans to engage with the Senate in the next week before voting again on the C12.

“The bottom line is their methods to compromise were ultimatums and disrespect — which I find deeply problematic and would hope the GSC would too,” Dehmani wrote.

R&DE updates

Representatives from R&DE were also present at the GSC meeting and provided updates on a Cinco de Mayo dinner event scheduled for this coming Sunday. The event will feature food made by James Beard award-winning chef Iliana de la Vega.

Eric Montell, Assistant Vice Provost for R&DE Stanford Dining, Hospitality and Auxiliaries, informed the GSC that the next food pantry will take place on Monday, May 8.

Berg asked Montell about EVGR Pub’s summer hours. According to Montell, R&DE is currently considering closing the Pub over the summer because it anticipates that there will be less activity on campus. “Some days, even currently, the Pub is not all that busy,” Montell said.

Montell added that R&DE is also considering the opinions of their vendor partner at Ray’s Grill in determining whether or not there will “be enough business for both EVGR Pub and Ray’s to be open.”

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Undergraduate Senate doubles down on opposition to Honor Code revision proposal, citing breach of precedent and student trust https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/03/undergraduate-senate-doubles-down-on-opposition-to-honor-code-revision-proposal-citing-breach-of-precedent-and-student-trust/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/03/undergraduate-senate-doubles-down-on-opposition-to-honor-code-revision-proposal-citing-breach-of-precedent-and-student-trust/#respond Wed, 03 May 2023 07:38:12 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1226960 At its Tuesday meeting, the Undergraduate Senate expressed opposition to the Faculty Senate’s decision to bypass its prior votes against proposed revisions to the Honor Code that would explicitly allow exam proctoring, ending a 102-year long precedent.

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At its Tuesday meeting, the Undergraduate Senate (UGS) expressed disapproval of a motion passed by the Faculty Senate last Thursday to unilaterally revise the Honor Code and explicitly permit exam proctoring in the upcoming school year. Senators also said that they will meet with administrators later this week to discuss the Senate’s motion.

The motion passed by the Faculty Senate last Thursday asserts that the Senate has the sole authority to give instructors “the right to engage in reasonable proctoring of in-person exams” and explicitly permits proctoring in the 2023-24 academic year. The Senate’s vote sidestepped the UGS’s decision to twice reject the Committee of 12’s (C12) recommended Honor Code language and Academic Integrity Working Group (AIWG) study into proctoring. 

The Faculty Senate’s vote — dubbed the “nuclear option” by Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education Sarah Church and others — sidestepped 102 years of precedent on “shared governance” between faculty and students on matters of academic integrity. UGS co-chair Amira Dehmani ’24 announced that she, along with fellow co-chair Aden Beyene ’24 and Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) Executive President Darryl Thompson ’23, will meet with Church and members of the Faculty Senate Thursday to discuss the motion passed by the Senate last Thursday.

Dehmani voiced opposition to the Faculty Senate’s breach of precedent and sidestep of the double rejection taken by the UGS. “I think they should retract this decision,” she said, adding that the Senate’s decision was “disrespectful” and “incredibly flawed.”

Senator Kyle Becerra ’24 added that, by sidestepping the UGS vote, the Faculty Senate was delegitimizing the voices of the undergraduate student body and overriding its elected representatives. “They don’t respect that we have a voice,” Becerra said. “They circumvented the democratic process. The problem is likely staring them in the face.”

The charge of the C12 required that its proposed changes be approved by the Board on Judicial Affairs (BJA), the UGS, the Graduate Student Council (GSC), the Faculty Senate and Stanford President before taking effect. This is mirrored by the process for approving the charge of the AIWG which says, according to the Honor Code proposal brought before the C12 approving bodies, that “the charge for the AIWG is to be set by the same university entities that set the charge for the [C12].”

The Faculty Senate’s motion bypasses the student vote to allow professors to proctor exams in the upcoming academic year, although the motion would be overridden by the C12’s proposals should the UGS opt to re-vote on and pass the C12’s proposed revisions.

The UGS has faced opposition from several professors and graduate students for its rejection of the C12’s proposed Honor Code revisions. However, UGS parliamentarian Diego Kagurabadza ’25 said that the rejection was an exercise of “an inherent right of negotiating parties, if they don’t agree with the terms of a contract, to go out.”

“This trust is completely broken,” Dehmani said regarding what further engagement with the Faculty Senate might look like.

Senator Mark Huerta ’24 said that the UGS cannot directly override the vote of the Faculty Senate and “the University is very likely to enact the Faculty Senate’s decision.” Huerta, who previously voted in favor of the Honor Code proposals when they were put before the UGS, said what he supported was “more data [and] more results” and a “much larger campus conversation about this issue.”

Beyene said that the UGS has received mixed feedback on proctoring and other aspects of academic integrity. Beyene cited concerns raised by students that proctoring could be stressful, distracting and burdensome towards disabled students. However, according to Beyene, there were “a lot of [responses] mentioning specific experiences of witnessing cheating within their classroom environment.”

The C12’s aggregation of student feedback reported that “undergraduate student outreach on in-person proctoring yielded slightly under half opposed to in-person proctoring during exams here, and the rest equally split between ‘yes’ and ‘maybe.’”

According to the C12 proposals and recommendations packet, the AIWG study into proctoring would last 2-4 years and allow limited instances of the practice. 

Beyene said that she opposed the AIWG in part due to what she characterized as a lack of specificity. “The reason which I voted no is because I do not like the idea that there cannot be more specification on what proctoring is going to look like in the study,” Beyene said.

UGS deputy chair Ritwik Tati ’25 said that his concern with proctoring “is that [it] addresses the smaller portion of [Honor Code] violations. That comes with the sacrifice of racial profiling and disability practices.”

Reporting on student feedback, the C12 wrote that most student-observed Honor Code violations taking place in settings other than an exam room was just one of the student arguments against its effectiveness.

“As of now, technically, anybody that witnesses an Honor Code violation and [does] not report it could be charged with an Honor Code violation,” C12 undergraduate member Xavier Milan ’26 said in reference to the kinds of situations that he says the revised Honor Code would do a better job of avoiding. Milan said that the proposals passed the Committee by a “broad consensus,” while characterizing the Faculty Senate’s vote as an “overstep.”

Certifying the 2023 UGS election results

The UGS unanimously voted to certify the 2023 UGS election results following the conclusion of the case of Election Commissioner v. Chen, in which UGS Senator-Elect Ivy Chen ’26 faced charges of violating ASSU campaign finance rules. The ASSU Constitutional Council issued a joint resolution on the case Monday evening, in which a settlement was reached between Chen and ASSU Election Commissioner Whit Froelich J.D. ’24, who dropped his initial complaint.

Chen, who received the most votes of any UGS candidate in the election, will take office and must pay back all the campaign reimbursements ($100) issued to her by the ASSU. The case, which was ongoing at the time of the previous UGS meeting, was why the results for the 25th UGS had not already been certified.

Constitutional Council Chair Sherwin Lai ’24 wrote an opinion separate from the joint resolution of the Council in which he referred to the settled case as “yet another reflection of the staggering and incessant disregard of longstanding precedents of the Constitutional Council that have been reaffirmed multiple times.”

The Council has heard two cases on campaign finance rules before — once in 2000 and again in 2003 — and in both instances the rules were stuck down. Lai wrote that he voted in favor of dismissing the case before the Council due to not wanting “to force the parties to argue a case that neither side seeks to continue.”

Granting Discretion over Campaign Spending Audits

The UGS tabled a revised bill — authored by Beyene and sponsored by Froehlich, Chen and Thompson — to give the ASSU Elections Commission discretion over cases of purported campaign finance rule violations. Under the bill, the ASSU Financial Manager would be tasked with auditing those running for ASSU elected offices. The bill then forwards evidence of purported irregularities from the Financial Manager to the Commission in addition to the ASSU President and those chairing the UGS and GSC.

Dehmani expressed concerns about the very involvement of the legislative bodies.

“I feel like that messes a little bit with separation of powers,” she said, expressing a preference to defer to the Constitutional Council questions on conflicts of interest.

Beyene said that involving the legislative bodies of the ASSU was meant in the spirit of collaboration.

Under the bill, the Commission has discretion over presenting evidence to the Council on purported campaign finance irregularities. Candidates wishing to contest sanctions levied against them by the Commission can appeal to the Council. The Commission does not have to present evidence to the Council if purported violations can be either “easily remedied” or “not impacting the election results, with this decision being agreed upon via a 2/3rd vote of both legislative bodies.”

Concerned about the discretion given to the Commission, Dehmani said she wanted a requirement that the Commission make candidates facing sanctions aware of those sanctions so they can contest them if desired.

Abolishing campaign spending limits

Also tabled, the UGS discussed a bill authored by Senator Donya Sarrafian ‘23 that removes all of the ASSU’s limits on campaign spending and donations. The bill cites the 1999 Constitutional Council case — Case 5 — that declared required limits on campaign spending to be unconstitutional and a “clear abridgment of free speech.”

The ASSU Constitution currently imposes fixed limits on the combined spending and donations of Executive, Class President and UGS/GSC campaigns at $500, $100 and $100 respectively.

Sarrafian said that a core focus of the bill is to foster a more equitable ASSU campaign system.

“A lot of it is based on maintaining equity between candidates,” Sarrafian said. The ASSU limits on campaign finances, as they currently stand, “give a disproportionate advantage to local students who can use their parents’ offices to print things [or] who can go home to print things.”

“Students who might have a printer in their room [and] students who already have a large social media presence might not need to advertise as much,” she said.

Thompson, a former member of the UGS himself, said that another problem was weighing the potential inequities of finance limits with the inequities that could result from having no limits at all.

“I am struggling with weighing the inequities clause with the potential of people pumping a lot of money into [elections] which others don’t have,” Thompson said. “Perhaps the reason we are not seeing exorbitant spending is because current constraints do not allow for that.”

Clarifications to the Annual Grant process

Tabled from its Apr. 25 meeting, the UGS passed a bill which revises aspects of the process by which Annual Grants are approved. The bill codifies and clarifies a number of normal, current UGS Appropriations Committee practices such as a Voluntary Service Organization (VSO) only being able to submit one Annual Grant per academic year.

The bill also explicitly states that “the Appropriations Committee must unanimously approve all requests from VSOs to modify an Annual Grant.” Modification may also be approved by a two-thirds vote of the UGS.

“As the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, I think this [bill] will clarify things a lot for groups going forward,” Huerta said in sponsoring the bill with its author Kagurabadza.

Appointment to the Community Board of Public Safety

Also tabled from its Apr. 25 meeting, the UGS voted to confirm Dehmani’s nomination to the Community Board of Public Safety (CBPS), the University committee tasked with “reimagining public safety on the Stanford campus.” The Board also prepares an annual report that is submitted to the Stanford President, Vice President and General Counsel and the Chief of Police.

Dehmani brought attention to issues of campus surveillance and policing in her statement, writing that she wants to “advocate for measures that actually support students, not continue to profile and discriminate against them.”

“I will ensure that equity is at the heart of these decisions, and that student concerns over the racist and ableist history of policing and surveillance on this campus are listened to,” Dehmani wrote.

Healthcare Advocacy Committee

The UGS tabled a resolution to create a Healthcare Advocacy Committee to address various issues related to healthcare on campus. Senator Priyanka Shrestha ’24 met with fourth-year aeronautics and astronautics Ph.D. and GSC co-chair Jason Anderson to incorporate GSC feedback to clarify details on the bill and said there is still data to be integrated into the bill. Further meetings with the GSC are being planned.

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UGS recap: Everything the Undergraduate Senate has passed in the past two months https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/01/everything-the-undergraduate-senate-has-passed-in-the-past-two-months/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/05/01/everything-the-undergraduate-senate-has-passed-in-the-past-two-months/#respond Tue, 02 May 2023 05:59:35 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1226641 Catch up all 16 resolutions the Undergraduate Senate has passed since February.

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Since February, the Undergraduate Senate (UGS) passed 16 resolutions, covering topics from earthquake relief to support for graduate student workers. Here’s a breakdown of each of the resolutions the governing body has passed in the past two months.

Resolution to Address Student Textbook Costs

In its Feb. 16 meeting, UGS unanimously passed a resolution introduced by Diego Kagurabadza ’25 and Gurmenjit Bahia ’24 to pledge up to $3,500 to purchase new books for the FLI Library in order to “support students most impacted by prohibitive textbook costs.”

Resolution Addressing Police Violence

Following a January incident where a Stanford University Department of Public Safety (SUDPS) officer drew a gun on a Black man, the UGS passed a resolution 7-2-1 to address police violence on campus, authored by Ritwik Tati ’25, Josie Amoo ’25 and Bahia. The resolution called for action in alignment with recommendations by the June 2020 Community Board on Public Safety, as well as reallocation of SUDPS funding to mental health resources, community development, transportation and violence-prevention programs.

Bill to Confirm Jane Hernandez as Senator Kyle Becerra’s Proxy

Jane Hernandez ’24 was unanimously confirmed on Feb 16 to serve as the Proxy for Senator Kyle Becerra ’24 for the remainder of winter quarter.

Resolution to Address Earthquake in Turkey & Syria

Following deadly magnitude 7.8 and 7.5 earthquakes in Turkey and Syria in February, the UGS unanimously passed a resolution Feb 16 in support of Turkish and Syrian students. The resolution, co-sponsored by the Stanford Turkish Student Association, called for publicization of student organizations’ relief efforts and for the University to increase the availability of identity-specific mental health resources.

UGS Senate Bill Winter 2023

The UGS approved the positions of the following members of the Association as representatives of the Association on University committees for the 2022-2023 term: 

NameCommittee Nomination(s)
Sydney KaminskiCommittee for the Review of Undergraduate Majors
Allex DesronvilJudicial Panel Pool
John HumphriesJudicial Panel Pool
Dante DanelianJudicial Panel Pool
Claire RosenfieldJudicial Panel Pool
Catherine XiangUndergraduate Housing Advisory Committee (UHAC)
Mary LeeCommittee for the Review of Undergraduate Majors
Emma CuddyJudicial Panel Pool

Bill To Approve ASSU Librarian Appointment

The UGS unanimously approved Jackline Wambua ’25 as the ASSU Librarian on Feb. 28.

Resolution On Annual Grant Status For The Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band

The UGS passed a resolution on March 2 to address claims that the Band improperly used ASSU funding. The resolution, co-written by Marc Huerta ’24, Amira Dehmani ’24 and Diego Kagurabadza ’25, called for an audit of the Band to be completed no later than June 30 and required the Band to work with the Office of Student Engagement (OSE) to return to voluntary student organization (VSO) status before receiving funding in future fiscal years. The resolution stated that if the Band does not return to its VSO status, it must instead receive funding from the Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation (DAPER) or other University resources. 

The UGS also called for the Band to hold a democratic election open to its entire membership for the roles of managing the organization and its finances.

Bill To Amend The Declaration Of Intent Timeline For Spring General Elections

The UGS voted to move the deadline to declare candidacy for the spring ASSU General Elections to Friday, March 17 at 5 p.m. from March 10.

Resolution To Reduce Fees For Student Groups Renting Campus Spaces

In a resolution co-authored by Huerta, Ishaan Singh ’24 and Kevin Malaekeh ’25, the UGS unanimously called for the abolition of fees for student groups to rent outdoor venues including Old Union Courtyard or White Plaza. 

Bill to Establish Umbrella Recognition Process

The UGS unanimously passed a bill written by Kagurabadza on April 4 that addressed a lack of recognition for groups of multiple VSOs that received funding as a single “Umbrella Group.” The bill established that the application for Annual Grant funding by one organization within the Umbrella Group would suffice for the Group’s recognition in the next year.

Resolution to Adopt the Long Range Planning Committee Report (SURPAS)

On April 4, the UGS unanimously passed a resolution written by Dehmani to establish a formal way for the University to incorporate more feedback from postdocs. The resolution stated that unlike undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs have no way of raising a topic to the Faculty Senate. Thus, the UGS called for the Faculty Senate to support postdocs as outlined in the Long Range Planning Report.

Resolution to Condemn the Violence Against Sikhs and Violation of Rights in Punjab

In a resolution co-sponsored by the Sikh Student Association at Stanford (SSA) and written by Bahia, the UGS addressed on April 11 a recent rise in anti-Sikh hate crimes in the US. The UGS stated that they stand in support of Sikh students on campus and called for the University to support the SSA and other student organizations with members impacted and their advocacy efforts.

Resolution To Support Service Worker And Graduate Student Housing And Transportation Needs

The UGS passed a resolution on April 11 to address long commutes by service workers at Stanford, written by Mikayla Tillery ’25 and co-sponsored by Gabriel Frank-McPheter ’26 on behalf of the Just Transitions Policy Lab. The resolution called for the University to expand night and weekend Marguerite coverage, create a Marguerite line to East Palo Alto, support expansion of the vanpool program and create more affordable or subsidized housing for service workers.

Bill To Change The Structure Of The ASSU Nominations Commission

On April 18, the UGS unanimously approved a bill written by members of the ASSU Nominations Commission to establish more efficient and transparent representation of students on University committees. 

Bill to Certify the Results of the 2023 ASSU Spring General Election

On April 25, the UGS unanimously certified the results of the 2023 ASSU elections, except for this year’s UGS races because of the status of the case Election Commissioner v. Chen (2023), where Ivy Chen ‘26 faced charges of violating ASSU campaign finance rules. 

C12 Resolution: Judicial Charter

By a vote of 6-2-4, the UGS also voted in favor of the Stanford Judicial Charter of 2023 on April 25, which uses a “clear and convincing evidence” standard to charge a student of honor code violations, while seeking to consider both restorative justice and procedural efficiency. The vote came on the heels of declining to approve the updated Honor Code and proctoring proposal.

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Graduate Student Council passes judicial charter, honor code revisions https://stanforddaily.com/2023/04/27/graduate-student-council-passes-judicial-charter-honor-code-revisions/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/04/27/graduate-student-council-passes-judicial-charter-honor-code-revisions/#respond Thu, 27 Apr 2023 07:28:15 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1226259 The Graduate Student Council (GSC) voted to approve the revised Honor Code proposed by the Committee of 12 and passed the Nominations Commissions (NomCom) Bylaw Changes Bill to promote transparency in committee appointments.

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The GSC voted nearly unanimously to approve the Stanford Student Conduct Charter of 2023 and the revised Honor Code during their meeting Tuesday night. Proposed changes to aspects of academic integrity and discipline include restructuring the judicial process for students and researching the possibility of exam proctoring.

The Charter and proposed Honor Code changes were the result of efforts from the Committee of 12 (C-12), a group of students, faculty and staff who have spent the last two years making recommendations to update the Honor Code, Judicial Charter and Process and interpretations of the Fundamental Standard.

“I feel like we climbed a mountain or ten, and we’re coming down on the other side,” C-12 representative Jamie Fine said after both the charter and the honor code passed, with no questions for the representative. “Cross your fingers, we’re moving on to the next student group after this.” 

In a later vote on Tuesday night, the honor code failed to pass twice in the Undergraduate Senate (UGS). The Board of Judicial Affairs had previously unanimously voted to approve the new honor code. Despite the GSC’s support for the Honor Code updates, the UGS vote leaves the future of the proposed updates unclear.

The GSC also voted to pass a bill to change the structure of the NomCom (Nominations Committee), a body of the ASSU tasked with appointing students to committees, such as the Board of Trustees, the Office of the President & Provost, Academic Council and Student Affairs structure. The NomCom Bylaw Changes bill was created to improve the commission’s process by increasing transparency and collaboration within ASSU and to the student body, as well as to provide guidance on committee maintenance.

Regalia cost concerns

The GSC discussed concerns about high expenses for graduate student caps and gowns. According to members of the council, for commencement in June, outside suppliers are contracted for caps and gowns, with costs this year totaling $983 for students. Steve Gaeta, co-manager of the Stanford Bookstore, said the bookstore works with whichever distributor is contracted for that year’s graduation. He said last year’s contractor was Herff Jones.

Affordability has remained a priority for members of the GSC, with students calling for policies such as salary raises and the expansion of public transit options on campus.

Explaining the cost of graduation gear, Gaeta said, “There is a lot of process that goes into distribution and intricate washing.” According to Gaeta, the bookstore itself holds little control over the pricing process. “As far as overall pricing, it’s set by our corporate office,” he said.

GSC co-chair Jason Anderson said that he finds the bookstore prices unaffordable. “I refuse to buy any Stanford paraphernalia from the bookstore due to the high costs.”

Gaeta countered that the bookstore carries expensive brands with prices that are inflexible. “We try to be comparable to [other brands] … I can’t afford the pricing [at the bookstore] either,” he said.

Gaeta told the graduate student that if they believe the cost is too high, they are allowed to purchase or rent regalia from a non-official vendor. “You want to walk, you want to get in there with your class, do what you got to do,” he said.

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Honor code revision proposal fails Undergraduate Senate vote https://stanforddaily.com/2023/04/26/honor-code-revision-proposal-fails-undergraduate-senate-vote/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/04/26/honor-code-revision-proposal-fails-undergraduate-senate-vote/#respond Wed, 26 Apr 2023 08:01:41 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1226162 The vote come after a years-long process of developing the recommendations to Stanford’s academic integrity and discipline policies in consultation with dozens of student groups, elected student leaders, the deans of Stanford’s seven schools and research on other universities’ policies.

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At their Tuesday meeting, the Undergraduate Senate (UGS) voted on two separate proposals presented by the Committee of 12 (C12), voting in favor of the Stanford Judicial Charter of 2023 and twice declining to approve the updated Honor Code language coupled with a study into what proctoring could look like at Stanford.

For the proposals to the Honor Code be enacted by the University, they would need to be approved again by the Board on Judicial Affairs (BJA), Undergraduate Senate, Graduate Student Council (GSC), Faculty Senate and Stanford President.

The UGS’s negative vote on the Honor Code leaves the proposed revisions to the text effectively dead in the water. Senator Priyanka Shrestha ‘24 said that any improvements that the proposed Honor Code and proctoring changes would, in practice, have changed very little. “I don’t see it as an improvement to the status quo, currently,” she said.

Meanwhile, after successfully being approved by the UGS, the Stanford Judicial Charter of 2023 will be voted on by the Faculty Senate in its April 27 meeting and will require eventual approval by the Stanford President to be adopted by the University.

The vote came after a years-long process looking into academic integrity and discipline policies at Stanford which included meetings with student leaders, community office hours and a prior vote of unanimous approval by the BJA.

Jamie Fine, a sixth-year Ph.D. student studying modern thought and literature serving as the C12 student co-chair, said that the two proposals before the UGS came as “the culmination of years of work.” Fine noted the importance of the proposals as a compromise between matters such as restorative justice and procedural efficiency.

BJA student co-chair Glen Husman ‘23 said similarly that compromise was core to the changes before the UGS.

“I didn’t vote for these things because they’re perfect,” Husman said. Rather, the proposals represent “community responsibility and overall positive change.”

The UGS initially failed to reach a two-thirds majority to pass the proposed Judicial Charter. However, UGS Parliamentarian Diego Kagurabadza ‘25 called for the senate to reconsider the charter and after hearing arguments by Kagurabadza — who serves on the UGS’s BJA Committee — a reconsideration vote was held that resulted in the revised charter’s approval, with some senators who initially voted against the proposal then choosing to abstain.

UGS co-chair Amira Dehmani ‘24 voiced concerns that the proposed mid-tier of the Judicial Charter, which uses a “clear and convincing evidence” standard to successfully charge a student, focuses too much on efficiency in procedure rather than restorative justice matters for students.

Senator Joy Molloy ‘25 said that the balance of efficiency and justice that the C12 sought to strike was “a proper step in the right direction.”

Senator Gurmenjit Bahia ‘24 said “I think there’s still work to be done on this topic.”

Certifying the 2023 ASSU election results

The UGS also voted to certify an amended bill on the results of the 2023 ASSU Spring General Election, certifying all annual grant requests and election outcomes except for this year’s UGS races. 

The decision to not vote on the UGS races was based on the pending case before the ASSU Constitutional Council, Election Commissioner v. Chen (2023) in which Ivy Chen ‘26 faces charges of violating ASSU campaign finance rules. The Council voted to accept the case, which it is set to hear on May 1, prior to the UGS vote on the election results. 

Kagurabadza expressed an interest in filing his own amicus brief — an independent filing by someone who is not a party to a case and wishes to provide another perspective to arguments — on behalf of Ivy Chen.  

Healthcare advocacy committee

The UGS tabled a resolution to create a Healthcare Advocacy Committee (HAC) to address various issues related to healthcare on campus. 

Shrestha cited requests from the Graduate Student Council (GSC) for a more comprehensive bill on the issue on the matter of the resolution’s delay to next week’s UGS meeting.

Clarifications to the Annual Grant process

The UGS tabled for its meeting next week a bill which would revise aspects of the process by which Annual Grants are approved. The bill codifies current UGS Appropriations Committee practices and seeks to further clarify its procedures. The bill outlines that a Voluntary Service Organization (VSO) may only submit a single Annual Grant in an academic year, the normal practice. 

The bill, as per the ASSU Constitution empowering the Committee to “modify requests as it sees fit,” puts into writing procedures of Annual Grant revisions. Kagurabadza, the author of the bill and a member of the Committee, wrote to The Daily that “The Committee has allowed VSOs to give their input when making these revisions so that the process is more collaborative and transparent.”

The funds that a VSO presents to the student body in the form of a petition to contest the decisions of the Committee, as newly outlined by the bill, would have to “be identical to the one originally presented to the Appropriations Committee, meaning before modification or revision.”

Changes to the structure of the Nominations Commission 

The UGS discussed a bill that would modify aspects of the ASSU Nominations Commission, the body of students tasked with appointing students to numerous University committees including the Board of Trustees, the Board on Judicial Affairs and the Office of the President & Provost. 

The bill establishes a Maintenance Division for the Nominations Commission meant to support “the student committee representatives with their service on University committees.” The UGS passed the bill unanimously. 

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the UGS meeting was on a Monday and that Diego Kagurabadza is a student member of C12. The Daily regrets this error. 

This article has been updated to clarify information about the Annual Grants bill.

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ASSU Elections Commissioner sues senator-elect in “possibly landmark case” https://stanforddaily.com/2023/04/25/assu-elections-commissioner-sues-senator-elect-in-possibly-landmark-case/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/04/25/assu-elections-commissioner-sues-senator-elect-in-possibly-landmark-case/#respond Wed, 26 Apr 2023 05:00:55 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1226104 The ASSU Election Commissioner is suing recently elected ASSU senator Ivy Chen for violating campaign expenditure laws. The ASSU Constitutional Council will hear the case on May 1.

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The ASSU Constitutional Council voted unanimously to hear Elections Commissioner v. Chen in a meeting on Tuesday night. The hearing of the suit against the recently elected ASSU senator will be held on May 1 at 5 p.m.

Ivy Chen ’26 was one of fifteen students elected to the 25th Undergraduate Senate (UGS). She received the highest number of votes of all candidates with a total of 1096, 326 more than the following candidate.

On April 18, ASSU Election Commissioner Whit Froehlich J.D. ’24 submitted a petitioner’s complaint against Chen to the Chair of the Constitutional Council of the ASSU. The complaint listed two violations of the Joint Bylaws of the ASSU, which were last updated in 2014.

The first violation related to Chen’s late submission of her campaign expenditures. All candidates were required to file their receipts documenting campaign expenditures by 11:59 p.m. on April 16 through a Google Form sent by Froehlich. Chen submitted her receipts at 12:25 a.m. on April 17, 26 minutes after the deadline.

Chen said that she had no malicious intent or motivation behind submitting late. “I had all my receipts and all the information loaded onto the Google Form but then the WiFi didn’t work on my computer. It was all out of my control,” Chen said.

Chen said that she moved from her dorm, Florence Moore Hall, to Old Union to connect to better WiFi. She said she was able to find a stable network connection at The Axe & Palm where she submitted the Google Form late.

The second complaint alleged Chen’s violation of the $100 spending limit on campaign expenditures — Chen documented spending $122.75 on materials such as flyers and tape.

Chen said that the $100 limit was only mentioned in an optional candidate orientation held on March 25 and was not communicated in any of Froehlich’s emails to the candidates. “All he said was there was a $100 campaign limit… the way I interpreted it was that I could spend up to $100 and get reimbursed $100. Anything else beyond that I thought I could cover with my own money.”

Froehlich wrote in his complaint that the timeline for submission and campaign expenditure limits “were communicated to candidates on the ASSU website as well as at the Candidate Orientation held on March 25th, 2023, and made available as a recording for later viewing.”

According to Froehlich’s complaint, the role of the Elections Commissioner entails duties such as conducting the elections, maintaining the elections schedule, communicating with candidates and the student body, operating elections infrastructure, and tabulating results. The complaint continues that Froehlich “is implicitly tasked with detecting violation of campaign rules.”

ASSU Elections Commissioner sues senator-elect in “possibly landmark case”

Froehlich’s petitioner’s complaint includes a screenshot of Chen’s responses to the campaign expenditures form. (Screenshot: MARK ALLEN CU/STANFORD DAILY)

Acting Executive Director of the Stanford Constitutional Law Center Rebecca Talbott ’02, in her personal capacity, told The Daily that she hopes the dispute over Chen’s “minor” violations will be resolved in “a more understanding and less intimidating manner.”

Talbott said that she believes Chen finds the situation “overwhelming, unfair and breathtakingly disproportionate” as she believes Chen, a college frosh with no legal training, is being forced to “weigh in on highly legalistic questions that she would have no idea how to respond to.”

“My worry is that this experience will prove scary, intimidating, alienating, and spirit-crushing to her, and risk forever dampening the positive, school-spirited, and public-focused energy that prompted her to be a candidate for student senate in the first place,” Talbott said.

On April 3, Chen sent her original proposed budget of $640 to Froehlich. According to screenshots included in her response to the complaint, Froehlich did not correct or comment on her budget. “I should not be held to a rule by someone who, when given the exact opportunity to correct my misunderstanding, said nothing,” Chen wrote in her response.

In Froehlich’s complaint to the Constitutional Council, he wrote that Chen agreed to abide by the ASSU Constitution, Association By-Laws, and Election Code when she initiated her petition for candidacy. The campaign expenditure due date and $100 limit are included within these policies that Chen agreed to.

ASSU Elections Commissioner sues senator-elect in “possibly landmark case”

Chen sent her original proposed budget, which was $540 over the limit, on April 3. Whit did not comment on her budget before filing his petitioner’s complaint. (Screenshot: MARK ALLEN CU/STANFORD DAILY)

Prior to the hearing, ASSU Executive Vice-President Bikal Sharma ’24 wrote an amicus curiae brief in support of Chen, saying that the Constitutional Council should refuse to hear the case Elections Commissioner v. Chen on the grounds of Froehlich’s lack of standing, or an inability to show how the respondent injured or harmed the petitioner.

In his brief, Sharma wrote that he was “compelled” to express his opinion on the case because he said he believes its outcome will affect future ASSU elections. “What should have been an enforcement matter for the election commission turned into a possibly landmark case about fundamental powers of the Constitutional Council and student free speech,” Sharma wrote, referring to whether or not campaign expenditures constituted freedom of expression.

Lodewijk Gelauff, a Ph.D. candidate in management science and engineering and former member of the Constitutional Council, wrote in his amicus curiae brief that campaign expenditure restrictions enforce the “educational purposes of the University.” He argues that these limits ensure that all candidates have an equal opportunity “without sacrificing their educational career or exhaust their means of survival.”

Chen will be represented by Eli Tannenwald J.D. ’25 and Froehlich will be representing himself as Election Commissioner. The two parties will be presented before the ASSU Constitutional Council, a body of five undergraduate and graduate students led by Council Chair Sherwin Lai ‘24.

On Tuesday, the Council met to decide whether or not to accept the case. The council unanimously voted to hear the case and scheduled the hearing on Monday over Zoom.

According to Article V Section 4.C of the Joint Bylaws, if the court finds that a candidate is in violation of campaign regulations, the court will “enact an appropriate sanction.” One of the standard sanctions is disqualification.

“I feel like [Stanford] should be more active and passionate about having student voices in our administration. This is why I’m taking my campaign and this entire situation very seriously… I’m not dropping out of the race,” Chen said.

This article has been updated to clarify the Joint Bylaws on campaign regulations.

A previous version of this article misinterpreted Talbott’s statement and misspelled Froehlich’s name, and incorrectly identified the Constitutional Council as being only formed of undergraduates. The Daily regrets these errors.

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GSC calls for expanded grad meal plan options https://stanforddaily.com/2023/04/19/gsc-calls-for-expanded-grad-meal-plan-options/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/04/19/gsc-calls-for-expanded-grad-meal-plan-options/#respond Thu, 20 Apr 2023 06:54:11 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1225741 The GSC called for the addition of smaller meal plan blocks and expanding beyond the 25-meal plan available for graduate students at its Tuesday meeting.

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The Graduate Student Council (GSC) called for expansions to graduate student meal plan options and heard updates from Residential and Dining Enterprises (R&DE) about Stanford’s purchase of nearby apartments on Sand Hill Road during its Tuesday meeting.

As part of the week’s R&DE updates, Director of Student Housing Assignments Justin Akers clarified the ramifications of Stanford’s purchase of Oak Creek Apartments, a 759-unit multifamily residential complex on Sand Hill Road. The University announced its purchase of Oak Creek in September 2020 with the intention of increasing housing accessibility and availability for Stanford affiliates, namely postdoctoral students.

Housing has been a contentious issue among the graduate student community as affordability concerns in the Bay Area have risen over the years. The GSC’s recently-passed Bill on Affordability addressed graduate housing concerns, with testimonials from students discussing rising costs of living on and off-campus but fixed stipends from Stanford. The Stanford Graduate Workers Union (SGWU), which launched its campaign for the unionization of graduate student workers earlier this month and has garnered more than 2,500 signed cards since its formal launch, has prioritized affordable housing as a key concern in its platform.

Akers said that, as R&DE leased certain properties within Oak Creek already, Stanford’s purchase would not affect the state of these leases in the near future. These properties would still be available as part of the housing lottery process for at least the next year. The graduate housing lottery application is currently open, and the deadline to apply is May 3. Results from the lottery will be announced on May 27. 

Meal Plan options

GSC Co-Chair Emily Schell, a fifth-year Ph.D. student in developmental and psychological sciences, expressed concern about the impact of the current meal plan block options, which she argued disproportionately hurts students who live off campus. The meal plan option offered to grad students and their spouses is currently a block of 25 meals, which Schell argued causes off-campus students to have to pay for more meal swipes than they typically use.

Benefits and Affordability Chair Guillem Megias Homar, a second-year masters student in aerospace, aeronautical and astronautical/space engineering, echoed this concern, adding that meal plan blocks of 10 meals would be helpful to students living off campus, as the 25- and 50-meal plan blocks require a minimum commitment of $200. “These options do not represent the diversity of graduate students,” Homar said.

Assistant Vice Provost of Stanford Dining, Hospitality & Auxiliaries Eric Montell ‘89 said that the students’ feedback will be considered during the planning process for the next academic year. Montell said that the current meal plan block options exist in order for meal swipes to be charged to student bills, adding that small meal plan blocks would likely be costlier as R&DE would have to offset the infrequency of students’ dining with higher costs per meal. Referring to the current minimum meal plan block, Montell stated that 25 was by far the most popular meal plan block.

“With the way they’re purchased in blocks, it goes on the student bill. It’s cheaper than buying at the door with cash, and the grad student plan is also cheaper than the undergrad. The five- and 10-meal cost plans are higher,” Montell said.

The GSC concluded by discussing plans to document their achievements from this academic year and goals for the 2023-2024 school year. Homar and Schell said that the time commitments of roles, any possible issues the GSC faced, the cadence of their work and any outstanding work should be outlined to keep a record of the GSC’s work to expedite the transition process for students stepping into new roles and maintain a log for future meetings.

“The bureaucracy itself also needs to know what the GSC does and what the GSC is,” Schell said.

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GSC debates changes to Honor Code, calls for transportation support for campus workers https://stanforddaily.com/2023/04/11/gsc-debates-changes-to-honor-code-calls-for-transportation-support-for-campus-workers/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/04/11/gsc-debates-changes-to-honor-code-calls-for-transportation-support-for-campus-workers/#respond Wed, 12 Apr 2023 06:17:18 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1225258 The Graduate Student Council (GSC) debated the Committee of 12’s (C12) Honor Code proposals, including the restructuring of the judicial process, and offered support for expanding transportation options for campus workers.

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The Graduate Student Council (GSC) met with members of the Committee of 12 (C12) to debate the committee’s recently unveiled Honor Code proposals, including the restructuring of the judicial process and further research into exam proctoring, during the council’s Tuesday meeting. Members of the GSC also called for increased support from the University administration regarding the transportation needs expressed by campus service workers, graduate students and scholar populations.

Honor Code proposals

The C12 was charged with proposing changes to the Honor Code, Judicial Charter and Process and interpretations of the Fundamental Standard in 2022. A student stakeholder meeting was held with members from both the Undergraduate Senate (UGS) and Graduate Student Council (GSC) last week following the release of the committee’s proposals, which include restructuring the judicial process and conducting research into the possibility of proctoring examinations.

C12 student co-chair Jamie Fine, a sixth-year Ph.D. student in modern thought and literature, presented the committee’s recommendations to the group at the meeting last week. Fine discussed student concerns and provided clarifications to the proposals during the GSC meeting.

The committee’s recommendations include the establishment of a tiered process for determining penalties associated with Honor Code and Fundamental Standard violations. The levels of review include Alternative Review, which would lead to an Alternate Resolution process (ARP), Mid-Level Review and High-Level Review — for the least to most serious violations, respectively.

Lawrence Berg, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in chemistry and GSC Representative to the Faculty Senate who attended the C12 student stakeholder meeting last week, said that he was concerned about whether the proposal’s ARP would encourage a student accused of violating the Honor Code or Fundamental Standard to “[justify] cheating on an assignment” by claiming that it is “necessary for their own survival.”

Fine, however, said that the idea of implementing a process with tiered penalties was to avoid “scaring the bejesus out of the 18-year-old” frosh.

“I think that there has to be a little bit of grace, to some extent, for learning,” Fine said.

Previous reporting from The Daily revealed that, among the undergraduate population, some students support the potential introduction of proctoring examinations while others oppose it. Regardless of their stance on proctoring, however, many students said that the University should provide support to help students learn from their mistakes.

GSC co-chair and third-year aeronautics and astronautics Ph.D. student Jason Anderson encouraged GSC Councilors to support the C12’s recommendations, saying that passing the recommendations would be more beneficial than keeping the current Honor Code and Judicial Process. The Honor Code and Judicial Charter and Process were both last updated before the year 2000. However, according to Anderson, the numerous technological advancements that have occurred in the past couple of decades, for instance, the dissemination of generative AI technology, calls for changes to such documents in order to reflect the needs and realities of present-day students.

Transportation needs 

The GSC also debated a resolution supporting more public transit on and beyond campus. Transportation has been a frequent area of advocacy and discussion for the GSC. According to Berg, the resolution reflects the needs of campus workers, in addition to the previously-discussed transportation needs of graduate students. After continued student advocacy led by GSC representatives, the University has announced the temporary and partial return of the Marguerite Shopping Express, which connects Stanford’s campus with nearby shopping centers.

Undergraduate members of the Stanford Just Transitions Policy Lab conducted a survey to gauge the needs of Stanford service workers, finding that workers are in significant need of improved transportation to and from campus. Potential improvements would include expanding the vanpool routes offered to service workers in addition to instating a new Marguerite line to reach East Palo Alto. The expanded transit would reach service workers and graduate students currently housed in areas farther from campus.

Several councilors said that they hope University administration will address the need for expanded transit, as advocated for by workers, graduate and undergraduate populations.

“In these conversations, we’ve realized that there was quite a bit of overlap between the things that the SEIU workers wanted and what graduate students have been wanting,” Berg said. Berg added that the survey results revealed that “service workers receive even less support than we do as graduate students.”

Stanford service workers are represented by the local chapter of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU 2007). Meanwhile, last week, graduate student-workers at Stanford formally launched a unionization campaign for the Stanford Graduate Workers Union (SGWU), yielding more than 2500 signed cards.

The GSC also voiced their support for postdoc advocacy by unanimously passing a resolution written by the Stanford University Postdoctoral Association (SURPAS) outlining steps to amplify postdocs’ advocacy audience and efforts.

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Undergraduate Senate launches audit into Band’s finances https://stanforddaily.com/2023/03/09/undergraduate-senate-launches-audit-into-bands-finances/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/03/09/undergraduate-senate-launches-audit-into-bands-finances/#respond Fri, 10 Mar 2023 07:24:08 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1223837 At its Thursday meeting, the Senate revised a resolution related to the funding of the Leland Stanford Junior Marching Band’s funding, rejected reconsideration of club sports funding and discussed inequities in Cardinal Care.

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At its Thursday meeting, the Undergraduate Senate (UGS) submitted a revised resolution with regards to the Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band’s (LSJUMB) funding and discussed a motion to improve healthcare provisions for students relying on Cardinal Care.

LSJUMB funding

UGS Appropriations Committee Chair Mark Huerta ’24 presented an updated resolution, co-authored with Co-Chair Amira Dehmani ’24 and Parliamentarian Diego Kagurabadza ’25, on the 2023-24 Annual Grant status of LSJUMB funding as a Volunteer Student Organization (VSO). The resolution mandates an audit by the Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) of the LSJUMB by June 30, 2023 to ascertain the state and purpose of band finances in the previous fiscal year.

According to the resolution, results of the audit should demonstrate that band funds are under the complete control of the student treasurer “without undue pressure or influence from any University administrators.”

Provided the audit produces no discrepancies, the ASSU may fund the band through an annual grant this year. The resolution will require the LSJUMB to re-conform itself to VSO status in order to receive funding in later years. In order to comply with this, the band must hold a democratic election open to all members of the organization. Otherwise, it must seek funding from the Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation (DAPER) or elsewhere.

These revised stipulations were included to make funding in particular more student-controlled as well as largely allow the group to focus on “reforming the band to empower students in the process,” Huerta said.

Students in UGS listen and discuss resolutions.
Discussion of a revised LSJUMB Annual Grant resolution included comments from former and current band members. (Photo: ANANYA NAVALE/The Stanford Daily)

According to a tip email read during the meeting that Huerta says he received Wednesday, the modifications were created in response to LSJUMB Director Russ Gavin reportedly “considered[ing] his spending an exception to [the rule that the treasurer has ultimate authority]… encourag[ing] students to spend money that will be reimbursed… without the treasurer’s consent.”

The email stated that the treasurer reached a point where they were “unable to budget ASSU funds, due to the unknown extent of Russ’s expenses file.” In reply, Gavin — who attended the meeting virtually — called the charges “offensive [and] grossly inaccurate,” referring to the band affiliates present in person at the meeting as former members “who just want to hurt the organization and its students.”

Former band members in attendance at the meeting presented personal insights and experiences to help inform Senators’ decision on the resolution. Arjan Walia ’22 M.S. ‘23, former treasurer of LSJUMB, voiced support for the new resolution to avoid possible encroachment on the role of the treasurer by any University employee.

Cardinal care consequences

Senior class Co-President Nicolas Garcia ’23 presented the matter of taking steps to improve Stanford-provided healthcare for students who rely on Cardinal Care. Garcia, who shared his own recent experience with the Vaden Healthcare System and Stanford Hospital, said that “Stanford Healthcare is not working and students are suffering the consequences.”

Nicholas Garcia '23 speaks to UGS.
Nicolas Garcia ’23 describes personal experiences with Cardinal Care and Stanford health services in discussion to take steps to better health care provisions for Cardinal Care and first-generation, low-income (FLI) students. (Photo: ANANYA NAVALE/The Stanford Daily)

Comparing the school’s medical provisions with those across the Bay at University of California, Berkeley, Garcia offered statistics, noting that “not only is their copay less expensive for in network, but they at least cover 50% of places outside of that network,” whereas students in Cardinal Care are left to “choose between waiting at Stanford or what could be unaffordable.”

To address the disproportionate detrimental effects on first-generation, low-income (FLI) students, Garcia suggested finding a better health insurance provider or providing a forum for student feedback for campus medical establishments.

Funding approvals

The senate motioned to approve 15 quick, 4 standard and 5 reserve funding approvals. In addition, the Senate unanimously decided not to change the Stanford Club Sports annual grant.

Police violence, ASSU librarian position and spring general elections

A resolution addressing police violence on campus was revised to remove a statement that created nominations to the public safety committee. The resolution also included a motion to involve Students for the Liberation of All People (SLAP), and encourage reallocation of funds towards mental health resources and other campus student services.

The UGS also moved to approve Jackline Wambua ‘25 as ASSU librarian and push the declaration of intent timeline for Spring General Elections forward to Friday, March 17. Resolutions concerning reducing fees for student groups renting campus spaces and umbrella groups were also introduced.

Correction: A previous version of this article was unclear on whether the annual grant for Stanford Club Sports had been changed. The Daily regrets this error.

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GSC calls for housing rate updates, explores healthcare accessibility https://stanforddaily.com/2023/03/09/gsc-calls-for-housing-rate-updates-explores-healthcare-accessibility/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/03/09/gsc-calls-for-housing-rate-updates-explores-healthcare-accessibility/#respond Thu, 09 Mar 2023 08:45:17 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1223675 The GSC called for information about increases in graduate housing rates and heard an undergraduate presenter’s experiences with student healthcare.

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The Graduate Student Council (GSC) called on the University at their Tuesday meeting to provide information regarding the pricing of graduate housing amidst increases in housing rates. Members of the GSC also heard an undergraduate presenter about healthcare accessibility on campus and received updates from Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE) about the return of the Teaching Kitchen.

Housing and healthcare 

Both graduate and undergraduate attendees at the GSC meeting discussed issues of pricing and affordability surrounding housing and healthcare for students on campus.

Graduate students that live on campus are charged a rate to live in graduate-specific housing. According to R&DE, graduate housing charges are meant to be lower than local area rents and include amenities such as laundry, water, heat, electricity, garbage and sewer.

Lawrence Berg, a fourth-year chemistry Ph.D. student and member of the GSC, asked when announcements regarding the graduate housing rate will be made. “We still have not seen the new housing rate updates for this upcoming year, though … Provost Drell was able to cite an approximate 4% increase while [giving a] presentation to the Faculty Senate,” Berg said.

Imogen Hinds, Assistant Vice Provost for R&DE Student Housing Operations and Stanford Conferences, responded to Berg, saying, “We’re planning on having the rates like we had last year and previous years for all the different areas when the lottery opens.”

Incorporating an undergraduate perspective at the GSC meeting, Nicolas Garcia ’23, the senior class president, spoke about his experiences with Stanford’s student health insurance system, Cardinal Care.

In his presentation, Garcia noted that, for the 2022-23 academic year, the annual premium for Cardinal Care was about $6,768, a 9.3% premium increase from the previous year. He compared this increase to California’s average premium increase of 6%.

Garcia shared his own experience receiving treatment through Stanford’s healthcare system. He said that after receiving a concussion from playing rugby, he was taken to the emergency room where a doctor referred him to a neurologist due to the risk of a brain hemorrhage. From there, Garcia said that it took almost three weeks before he was able to see a neurologist, who cleared him of hemorrhage risk.

Garcia said that he considers himself lucky because he was able to go to another medical center for help, and his parents lived nearby, but that he wonders what the process would have been like for a first-generation and/or low-income (FLI) student or those using Tier 1 Cardinal Care.

According to Vaden’s website, Tier 1 Cardinal Care only allows students to go to Stanford University Medical Center or Menlo Medical Clinic with a reference from Vaden. Within Tier 1, students pay between $25-35 copayment for most office visits and outpatient services. For inpatient services, there is 100% coverage after a $100 annual deductible and a $500 copay per admission.

Cardinal Care also offers a Tier 2 plan of medical care, which allows students to receive care from any Health Net “preferred provider.”

“For someone who’s in Cardinal Care, in Tier 1 Cardinal Care, who are only allowed to go to Stanford Hospital, they will still be stuck with this [system]. And I don’t think that’s fair. I think that needs to change,” said Garcia.

Garcia said that he is planning to advocate for more affordable and more expansive healthcare options for students, including by presenting to the Undergraduate Senate (UGS) later on this year. He said he will also work on a survey to send out to Stanford students about their experiences with healthcare. Members of the GSC, like Emily Schell, GSC co-chair and fifth-year developmental and psychological sciences Ph.D. student, offered their support to Garcia.

“I really want you to be circumspect in your precious time and energy that you’re investing in this. Because I really don’t want to see you invest time only for it not to be taken seriously by the University,” said Schell. She cited the challenges that she said the GSC has experienced in its own efforts to advocate for graduate student affordability.

Schell referenced surveys the GSC had conducted in the past and the most recent Change.org petition with over 2500 signatures that graduate students published to request affordability support from the University. The petition lists the GSC’s demands from the University, such as raising the graduate student 2023-24 salaries, publicly reporting information and calculations used to determine the minimum salary adjustment, reinstating the Marguerite Lines N and O and shopping express and creating permanent graduate student advisory positions to work on affordability issues.

“The University still has not done anything. They have said they are not in a position to move on initiatives as basic as publishing the data sources they use to get the minimum salary for us,” Schell said regarding the University response to the petition.

In a statement to The Daily regarding graduate student affordability demands for a Feb. 26 article about a GSC meeting, where the petition was discussed, University spokesperson Stett Holbrook wrote in an email that “We absolutely recognize that some students may encounter additional financial needs beyond those of the average student over the course of the year and to assist we offer several grant programs including graduate family grants, emergency grants and grants for health care.”

Student support: Cooking lessons, tax preparation

Christina Betondo, senior associate director of student culinary excellence provided the GSC updates on behalf of R&DE about dining for the rest of the quarter. She announced that midnight breakfast is returning on March 13 and that grad students are specifically encouraged to go to EVGR or Munger. She also said that Teaching Kitchen, a program meant to teach graduate students to cook, will return next quarter for weekly sessions.

Betondo informed the GSC that, during Spring Break, most dining halls will close on Friday March 24 after dinner and reopen on Saturday April 1 for brunch. Arrillaga and Lakeside will be the only dining halls open throughout break for students staying on campus.

Jack Mao ’25 presented on another topic of student support: TaxFellows, a student-led initiative that provides free tax preparation services. TaxFellows is partnered with the IRS and Stanford’s Haas Center for Public Service.

Mao explained the goals of the organization and said that he hopes to grow a stronger relationship with the administration in order to gather more assistance, with members of the GSC offering their advice and support.

“I applaud your efforts here … I’m not sure that this is exactly within our [the GSC’s] purview, but it is something that I think the administration can support you more and help put you in contact with the right people,” Berg said.

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Numerous clubs receive funding cuts, UGS hears new technology proposal for FLI students https://stanforddaily.com/2023/03/02/numerous-clubs-receive-funding-cuts-ugs-hears-new-technology-proposal-for-fli-students/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/03/02/numerous-clubs-receive-funding-cuts-ugs-hears-new-technology-proposal-for-fli-students/#respond Fri, 03 Mar 2023 07:55:55 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1223063 Of the 200 VSOs who applied for annual grant funding, only 29 VSOs are getting the full monetary amount they requested. Groups that received significant funding cuts include the Kappa Sigma fraternity, Stanford Lion Dance, Stanford Transfers Network, and the Stanford India Economic and Policy Club. 

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On Thursday afternoon, the 24th Undergraduate Senate (UGS) unanimously approved annual grants for around 135 of the 200 Voluntary Student Organizations (VSOs) that applied for funding. Of the VSOs that were approved for funding, only 29 organizations received the full monetary amount they requested. 

The UGS received a record number of applications for annual grants this year, with the sum across all grant requests totaling $6.8 million. Of the total requested amount, the UGS approved around $3.3 million. Groups that received significantly less funding than they requested include the Kappa Sigma fraternity, Stanford Lion Dance, Stanford Transfers Network and the Stanford India Economic and Policy Club. Some organizations, such as the Society of Latinx Engineers (SOLE), have circulated petitions regarding their funding cuts. 

Natalie Hilderbrand ’23, Financial Officer of Stanford Club Sports, said that she was concerned that the funding levels that had been proposed for her organization were much lower than requested. “Your funding is not sufficient to cover remotely close to all the undergrads we are trying to support,” Hilderbrand said at the meeting.

As a VSO, Stanford Club Sports oversees over 40 teams. The organization submitted a request for over $440,000 in funding and is instead receiving around $280,000. Stanford Club Sports has both undergraduate and graduate students as members, which means that both the UGS and the Graduate Student Council (GSC) could grant funding to the organization. However, the laws that govern GSC annual grant approvals are different from UGS, which affected the outcome of Stanford Club Sports’ funding. 

According to Hilderbrand, the funding calculations conducted by the UGS and GSC were different both from one another and from the calculations conducted by Club Sports. When the UGS allocated funding for Club Sports, they took “the percentage of overall club sports members that are undergrads and applied that percentage to our overall budget request,” Hilderbrand said. The GSC, however, conducted the calculations for funding allocations on a sport-by-sport basis. 

Currently, 58% of Club Sports members are undergraduates. According to the undergraduate senators, UGS provides funding to cover the proportion of undergraduates in the organization. However, the number of undergraduates in the most expensive club sports are disproportionate to the number of graduate students, meaning that not all of the sports are receiving equal funding. 

“I feel like we can’t fund you more than this,” Senator Amira Dehmani ’24 told Hilderbrand. “You need to go to the GSC.” Hilderbrand disagreed with Dehmani and argued that the funding cuts were the fault of UGS, not the GSC. 

After hearing these concerns, the UGS decided to table the vote on Stanford Club Sports’ funding approval for next week.

The UGS also reviewed a resolution to permit the Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band (LSJUMB) to receive ASSU annual grants. In recent years, LSJUMB has become part of the athletics department and ceased to operate as a VSO, technically forbidding it from receiving annual grants from the ASSU. Despite this technicality, the ASSU has continued to fund the LSJUMB with grants used for instrument repair and travel fare. This proposed resolution would allow the funding to continue.

If the resolution is passed, then it would “legitimize the fact that the University has taken over the band” and has removed the organization’s student autonomy, Senator Mark Huerta ’24 said. He questioned the “capacity” to which the UGS could support the band. 

“I don’t think we should make any big budgetary decisions about cutting them without fully understanding the band’s financial situation,” Senator Diego Kagurabadza ’25 said. 

The UGS motioned to postpone the bill. 

Senators also heard a presentation on tech equity at Stanford from Jacob Neidig ’23, who presented on behalf of several groups including Apple and Graduate Student Studies. 

According to Neidig, FLI students at Stanford don’t always have access to the same types of technology as their wealthier peers, making it more difficult for them to succeed in school. Neidig recounted one example where a student struggled in CS106A because his computer didn’t support the programming software the class was working on. The student was afraid to go to office hours for help due to fear of not having a computer that supported the program. 

To help level the playing field, Neidig presented a program that would allow FLI students to receive technology like computers and iPads for the duration of their time at Stanford. Any student who is eligible for the Opportunity Fund would be eligible for this program. 

Neidig encouraged the UGS to support this proposal. Following the presentation, senators asked Neidig about how the program differs from the current technology loan program at Lathrop Tech Services and whether Neidig had any data regarding how many students face technology disparities.

The UGS also heard a resolution addressing police violence on campus and a bill to designate an ASSU librarian. Both of these measures were tabled. 

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GSC pushes for reinstatement of Marguerite lines https://stanforddaily.com/2023/03/02/gsc-pushes-for-reinstatement-of-marguerite-lines/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/03/02/gsc-pushes-for-reinstatement-of-marguerite-lines/#respond Thu, 02 Mar 2023 08:38:33 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1222976 The GSC advocated for the reinstatement of discontinued Marguerite lines, explored accommodations for academic calendar conflicts with religious holidays and weighed options to reduce travel-associated greenhouse gas emissions.

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The GSC called for the reinstatement of discontinued Marguerite lines and explored accommodations for academic calendar conflicts with religious holidays during its meeting on Tuesday. Members of the council also weighed options to reduce travel-associated greenhouse gas emissions and voted on two resolutions and annual grants.

Accommodations for religious holidays

Kavya Sreedhar, a fourth-year electrical engineering Ph.D. student, updated the GSC about her January meeting with the Committee on Graduate Studies (CGS). The CGS decided during the meeting that it would work to resolve conflicts between the first day of fall quarter and the Jewish holidays, as the start of the 2022 fall quarter coincided with Rosh Hashanah. Sreedhar noted that the Stanford Office for Religious and Spiritual Life (ORSL) is engaging in broader conversations about religious accommodation policies.

She said that other universities have policies that allow professors to accommodate students who want to celebrate a religious holiday. No such policies exist at Stanford, which the ORSL is working to change.

Sreedhar informed the GSC of an upcoming meeting with a joint Undergraduate Senate (UGS) and CGS committee focusing on other important religious and cultural holidays.

“There were some concerns from both the GSC as well as the undergrads about how it’s not just Jewish holidays that are overlapping with important school days,” Sreedhar said, “but also things like Lunar New Year and Diwali or during exam periods, and there’s no really uniform rule for accommodations.”

Cutting travel emissions

The GSC also discussed another topic from the January CGS meeting: travel-related greenhouse gas emissions.

Last August, Stanford made a commitment to reach at least net-zero emissions from its operations by 2050. Air travel is one of the biggest contributors to Stanford’s emissions, Sreedhar said, putting the conversation around reducing travel-related emissions front-and-center.

From 2019 to 2021, Stanford conducted yearly surveys on student travel patterns. Sreedhar said that the University proposed three options in order to reduce emissions, focusing primarily on policies during the period of time from Thanksgiving to winter break.

Focusing on that period “seems like a low-effort way to reduce” 12% to 16% of total emissions, according to University estimates, which Sreedhar called “a pretty non-trivial percentage.”

The three options are: first, shifting fall quarter to begin earlier so that Thanksgiving break and winter break are merged; second, moving weeks 9, 10 and finals week online; or, third, shortening Thanksgiving break to four days. According to Sreedhar, student opinion is largely split between the first two options, but the university has yet to make a final decision.

Members of the GSC said that expanding the Marguerite shuttle system could help reduce emissions.

Transportation and event funding

Emily Schell, GSC co-chair and fifth-year developmental and psychological sciences Ph.D. student, suggested a reinstatement of full transit options, including the discontinued N and O Marguerite lines and the Shopping Express. The N and O lines transport students to and from the Palo Alto CalTrain platform at night and on the weekends, while the Shopping Express transports students on weekdays to nearby stores like Target and Walmart.

Schell said that the Marguerite carries over 92,000 students a year on average and that reinstating lines like the Shopping Express will improve sustainability. A petition published in February by the Undergraduate Senate advocating for the reinstatement of the N and O Marguerite lines and the Shopping Express has since received more than 1,600 signatures.

GSC co-chair and third-year aeronautics and astronautics Ph.D. student Jason Anderson added that the people who utilize the Marguerite buses include students, postdocs, families and faculty.

The GSC passed two resolutions, one granting the Escondido Village Families status as a Voluntary Student Organization (VSO) eligible to receive annual grants and another providing funding to support a Community Love and Care event on Mar. 1 hosted by Queer Student Resources (QSR). The event coincides with a visit to campus from Matt Walsh, a right-wing political commentator who was invited by the Stanford College Republicans to talk about his recent film, “What is a Woman?” The UGS approved the funding for the SCR event back in December.

The GSC also reviewed and approved eight annual grant recommendations for various student organizations.

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Undergraduate Senate addresses police violence and unaffordability https://stanforddaily.com/2023/02/09/undergraduate-senate-addresses-police-violence-and-unaffordability/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/02/09/undergraduate-senate-addresses-police-violence-and-unaffordability/#respond Fri, 10 Feb 2023 06:43:30 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1221016 At its meeting on Thursday, the Undergraduate Senate addressed a recent incident involving police on campus and shared survey results surrounding the resurrection of a Stanford tradition.

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The Undergraduate Senate (UGS) criticized the incident of a police officer pointing a gun at a Black man on campus on Jan. 28 and rebuked the University’s increase in undergraduate charges at its meeting on Thursday. Senators also reported positive student feedback to reinstating Full Moon on the Quad.

Policing and Crisis Response

Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) Vice President Christian Sanchez ’24 said that he spoke with Vice Provost for Institutional Equity, Access and Community Patrick Dunkley about the Jan. 28 incident where a Stanford University Department of Public Safety (SUDPS) officer pointed a gun at a Black man. Sanchez said that not only was the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department conducting a review of the incident, but the University hired an external review organization called Rising Group to review the incident faster. 

UGS co-chair Amira Dehmani ’24 presented a resolution on reforming campus crisis response and 5150 policy, referring to when an adult can be involuntarily detained by police in situations of mental health crisis, or pay fees to be transported in an ambulance if not covered by Cardinal Care. Her resolution proposed a crisis response partnership between Stanford police and a psychiatric mental health team in Palo Alto. She acknowledged that the proposal was not finished, but “anything is better than what we currently have.”

Dehmani said there were reports of Black and Latinx vehicle operators being stopped at disproportionate rates by SUDPS.

“SUDPS is not cleared from American police violence,” Dehmani said. “They are just as culpable.”

UGS Deputy Chair Ritwik Tati ’25 proposed a resolution with Mental Health Committee Chair Josie Amoo ’25 to address SUDPS “not following through” on past commitments to improving surveillance and tracking procedures. Tati is a former news staffer for The Daily. 

Full Moon on the Quad

The UGS is considering planning an official Full Moon on the Quad event after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19 and an unofficial FMOTQ on Sunday night. From a survey sent to students on Sunday night, Kevin Malaekeh ’25 reported that 93 percent of the 710 respondents supported the reinstatement of FMOTQ.

“We want to explore ways to bring back Full Moon on the Quad,” co-chair Aden Beyene ’24 said. “But safely, and with a partner organization.”

Sanchez noted that the Sexual Health Peer Resource Center (SHPRC) did not want to co-organize FMOTQ because it “did not align with the values and mission of the organization.” The Junior Class Council, which traditionally organized the event, also did not take the role.

Increase in Undergraduate Charges

The Senate criticized Stanford’s Feb. 9 announcement of a 7% increase in undergraduate charges. Without financial aid, the total annual cost for an undergraduate will be $82,406 in 2023-24, including $61,731 for tuition, $19,922 for standard room and board and $753 for the mandatory health fee.

“I just find it ridiculous,” Dehmani said. “I don’t see how they can justify this, like where’s the payoff for us? Where is the technology that we need? Where is the bus transportation that we need? Why do we have food insecurity on this campus?”

Diego Kagurabadza ’25 proposed a resolution to make the statement that the Senate is opposed to financial barriers to education, and will pledge up to $3500 for textbooks. The resolution was proposed after a Nov. 2022 UGS survey found that the average cost of textbooks per quarter was $191, and 76.8% of respondents said this was unaffordable. 

Student Initiatives

Senators heard from Zahra Fazal, first-year master’s student in epidemiology, on the topic of food availability. Fazal, who said she has faced food insecurity herself, waiting in “very long lines for almost an hour” at the EVGR food pantry, advocated for a Community Fridge Initiative to provide free food on campus.

The Senate also unanimously approved all funding requests for student organizations, though Appropriations Chair Mark Huerta ’24 acknowledged that the budget was “very tight” this year. Huerta said that there were over $6 million worth of annual grant applications for 2023-24 while last year UGS and the Graduate Student Council approved $3.5 million in grants. 

Other updates from senators included plans for a pilot project to distribute laptops to undergraduate students from Dehmani and development of the Multi-Racial Community Center initiative from co-chair Beyene. Kagurabadza announced the continuation of Flower Fridays in partnership with Mental Health Week.

Correction: A previous version of this article misattributed a quote from Aden Beyene to Amira Dehmani. The Daily regrets this error.

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GSC mourns the loss of Tyre Nichols, develops plans to boost enrollment in Stanford’s Teaching Kitchen https://stanforddaily.com/2023/02/01/gsc-mourns-the-loss-of-tyre-nichols-develops-plans-to-boost-enrollment-in-stanfords-teaching-kitchen/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/02/01/gsc-mourns-the-loss-of-tyre-nichols-develops-plans-to-boost-enrollment-in-stanfords-teaching-kitchen/#respond Wed, 01 Feb 2023 09:20:57 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1220230 The Graduate Student Council observed a moment of silence to honor the late Tyre Nichols and met with Chef Terry Braggs to brainstorm strategies for boosting enrollment in Stanford’s Teaching Kitchen classes during its Tuesday meeting.

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The Graduate Student Council (GSC) honored the memory of the late Tyre Nichols and discussed strategies to boost graduate student engagement with Stanford’s Teaching Kitchen classes during its Tuesday meeting.

Emily Schell, GSC co-chair and fifth-year developmental and psychological sciences Ph.D. student, opened the meeting by observing a moment of silence for the passing of Tyre Nichols, who was killed by Memphis police officers on Jan. 10.

The GSC also acknowledged a recent incident in which a white police officer drew a gun on a Black man near the Escondido Village Graduate Residences (EVGR), with Schell calling attention to how Stanford risks being a “complicit institution” in structural racism.

“GSC is committed to standing against anti-Blackness on campus,” Schell said. She called for future conversations on how councilmembers “can use our platform around affordability and mental health to think about the ways BIPOC communities on campus are particularly marginalized.”

Chef Terry Braggs was also in attendance at the meeting to raise concerns about low student enrollment in the Residential & Dining Enterprises (RD&E) Teaching Kitchen program. The Teaching Kitchen offers hands-on cooking classes with a professional chef twice a week to graduate students at EVGR Building C. Braggs asked for the GSC’s “constructive criticism and feedback” on how to increase student engagement.

Kavya Sreedhar, a fourth-year electrical engineering Ph.D. student, shared that she has heard “a lot of interest and excitement” in the Teaching Kitchen from other graduate students. However, she brought up the issue of dietary restrictions preventing some students from participating, as well as the cost of each class, which is $65, being a barrier. To reduce costs, Sreedhar suggested making the Teaching Kitchen classes university-enrolled courses, similar to Stanford’s recreational and wellness-based classes.

Another issue discussed was that of visibility. Braggs noted that when trying to obtain feedback from graduate students about the Teaching Kitchen, he found that many times “people don’t know what or where the Teaching Kitchen is.” Braggs called for more marketing to increase awareness among students about the cooking classes.

“There’s so much potential for the Teaching Kitchen, you know, not just to be teaching these grad classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but also like you said, like team building exercises,” Braggs said.

Another potential solution proposed by Jason Anderson, GSC co-chair and third-year aeronautics and astronautics Ph.D. student, was to include undergraduate students in Teaching Kitchen classes. RD&E representatives announced last week that there were plans to open Teaching Kitchen classes to undergraduates to raise enrollment.

“The Graduate Student Council wants to have the opportunity for graduate students to take ‘Teaching’ classes,” Anderson said. “Whether it’s once a week or twice a week or with undergrads, we just want that opportunity there so students have an option.”

The GSC also voted on adjustments to their grant policies for funding voluntary student organizations. They unanimously approved a 7% increase to their annual grant budget to adjust for inflation.

The GSC plans to work with the Undergraduate Senate to participate in Stanford’s budget allocations for next year. Among the GSC’s top priorities for the University budget are affordability, public transportation, sexual assault prevention and mental health resources.

The Associated Students of Stanford University executive president and vice president both plan on meeting with the Vice Provost for Student Affairs on Feb. 14 to present these preferences before the University’s budget is finalized in March or April.

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GSC tackles affordability issues and potential expansion of 5-SURE https://stanforddaily.com/2023/01/26/gsc-tackles-affordability-issues-and-potential-expansion-of-5-sure/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/01/26/gsc-tackles-affordability-issues-and-potential-expansion-of-5-sure/#respond Fri, 27 Jan 2023 06:19:17 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1218097 The Graduate Student Council considered a potential expansion of 5-SURE to increase safety on campus and were reassured to hear about a potential increase in graduate student stipends.

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The Graduate Student Council (GSC) was optimistic about a potential increase in the graduate student stipend and explored options to expand 5-SURE during its Tuesday meeting.

Emily Schell, GSC co-chair and fifth-year Ph.D. student in developmental and psychological sciences, opened the meeting by sharing updates from her meeting with University Provost Persis Drell.

Schell said there was a promising development regarding an increase in the graduate student stipend. “It was very reassuring to hear [her] acknowledge that affordability is a big concern,” Schell said. Stanford Solidarity Network and Bioscience Affordability Group members will be attending next week’s GSC meeting for a more in-depth discussion of affordability issues.

The GSC discussed a pilot 5-SURE program that expands the existing one and offers services between the Palo Alto Caltrain station and Stanford. “I’ve delegated this to the Undergraduate Senate because…undergraduates have recently been concerned that there is no way to get around safely [at night], and that makes it difficult to have a social life,” Schell said.

Councilors said last Saturday’s CluedUp Alice in Wonderland Scavenger Hunt in San Jose was a success. According to Leslie Luaueno, social co-chair and third-year Ph.D. student in education, a total of 40 people attended the event and gave generally positive feedback.

Kavya Sreedhar, social co-chair and fourth-year Ph.D. student in electrical engineering, announced the Nominations Commission Student Rep Mixer will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. at Green Library this Friday. Sreedhar described the event as a “good opportunity” for “getting to know graduate student representatives.”

Schell said the goal for the mixer is “to try and give feedback to specific communities and see what different committees are doing, and to see… how the Nominations Commission is working, [and] how we can improve [it].”

Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE) representatives shared updates with the council. Due to lower attendance at the graduate student teaching kitchens, they said there were plans to open the classes to undergraduates.

Councilor and seventh-year mechanical engineering Ph.D. student Yiqing Ding asked whether there would be increased protection at public R&DE events following a series of mass shootings in California. R&DE representatives said they have no knowledge of any plans for increased protection and that related inquiries or suggestions could be directed to the Department of Public Safety.

Councilors explored the possibility of altering the policy around annual grant reapplication. In response to inflation in 2022, the Appropriations Committee sought the GSC’s input on allowing students reapplying for a grant to increase their funding by 7% from the original funding (rather than the current policy of 5%). The GSC plans to investigate whether there is a correlation between annual grant funding and student activity fees before voting on the proposition in their next meeting.

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Undergraduate Senate hears updates on campus safety app, passes resolution to support queer students https://stanforddaily.com/2023/01/10/undergraduate-senate-hears-updates-on-campus-safety-app-passes-resolution-to-support-queer-students/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/01/10/undergraduate-senate-hears-updates-on-campus-safety-app-passes-resolution-to-support-queer-students/#respond Wed, 11 Jan 2023 06:28:35 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1217050 In addition to passing the resolutions, Senators appointed a new elections commissioner and discussed 5150 response situations.

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During their November and December meetings last quarter, the Undergraduate Senate (UGS) passed a flurry of resolutions, including two pertaining to supporting queer students and combating anti-semitism amid recent campus incidents. Senate meetings will resume this week.

During the Nov. 17 meeting, the Stanford University Department of Public Safety (SUDPS) Coordinator Vince Bergado and IT Facilities Infrastructure & Resilience Senior Director Matthew Ricks presented the CriticalArc’s SafeZone Mobile Safety App that they are currently developing.

The app gives students the ability to reach 911 and share their current location with DPS and nearby responders. The app also has map and flashlight features. DPS has been testing this app on the responder side and plans to release it publicly in the near future.

In the same meeting, Corey Lamb ’22, Office of Substance Use Programs Education & Resources Collegiate Recovery Coordinator, discussed collegiate addiction and substance recovery. He requested support from the Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) in establishing institutional commitment to supporting the program and encouraging student allyship.

Senator Kyle Becerra ’24 also met with representatives from the Haas Center about a potential public service fellowship with Cardinal Recovery, the student-led substance and addiction recovery program. Co-chair Amira Dehmani ’24 met with Dr. M. Windy McNerney, affiliated clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and Dr. Michael Ostacher, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, to discuss the integration of a Cardinal Commitment course that focuses on collegiate addiction recovery.

During the Dec. 1 meeting, the UGS approved funding for the Stanford College Republicans to host an event with right-wing speaker Matt Walsh in March. In that same meeting, they passed a resolution in support of queer students in response to the transphobic implications of Walsh’s new film.

Co-authored by all the Senators and unanimously passed, the resolution detailed efforts the Senators took in support of trans students on Trans Day of Remembrance, including using $1,000 discretionary funds towards supporting programming. It also included commitments to use additional discretionary funding to support the Queer Student Resources and Women’s Community Center.

Following that resolution, the Senate passed a resolution to execute prior resolutions countering anti-semitism. The Senate unanimously passed a resolution in 2019 to recognize and develop plans to oppose anti-semitism on campus. However, no action was taken since then.

The newly adopted resolution states that the Senate will establish a “committee comprised of 3 current Senators and 5 other community representatives, chosen by the Nomination Committee, to investigate current and historical anti-Semitism within the ASSU.” The committee will provide a report no later than May 5, 2023.

During the Dec. 8 meeting, Whit Froelich JD ’24 was appointed as the Election Commissioner for the 2022-2023 term. As the Election Commissioner, Froelich will oversee ASSU elections in the USG and Graduate Student Council (GSC). Froelich previously served on the GSC, though he will step down from that position to serve in his new position. Froelich will work to improve voter turnout and improve communication within the ASSU.

As a part of individual projects, senators Josie Amoo ’25 and Dehmani are currently researching and drafting a resolution on 5150, a statewide law code that allows individuals who present a harm to themselves and others to be temporarily detained for 72 hours in a psychiatric institution. They have met with Karen Cooper, Associate Dean and Director of Financial Aid, and professionals from Vaden Health to discuss financial aid for ambulance fees and mental health legislation.

Senators Diego Kagurabadza ’25 and Gurmenjit Bahia ’24 shared updates from their work providing in-demand textbooks for the First-Gen and/or Low-Income office (FLI) to distribute to students. Recent data from a survey on the most in-demand textbooks found that chemistry and world language textbooks were the most needed by students. With this data, they are currently working on collaborating with the FLI office and FLI Library to put in the necessary orders to make more textbooks available to FLI students.

Nicole Benalcazar, Miguel Tejeda, Rebecca Jattan and Aliana Arzola contributed to reporting.

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SUDPS shares new student safety application at Undergraduate Senate meeting https://stanforddaily.com/2022/11/29/sudps-shares-new-student-safety-application-at-undergraduate-senate-meeting/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/11/29/sudps-shares-new-student-safety-application-at-undergraduate-senate-meeting/#respond Wed, 30 Nov 2022 06:23:17 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1215063 At their most recent meeting, the Undergraduate Senate heard a presentation about a new safety app and Cardinal Recovery.

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Undergraduate Senators heard updates about a new safety app, SafeZone Mobile, and programming from Cardinal Recovery, the University’s recovery program for those struggling with addiction during their Nov. 17 meeting.

SafeZone Mobile was created by CriticalArc, a company that develops solutions “to strengthen and streamline their [an organization’s] response to threats and incidents,” according to their website. Stanford’s Department for Public Safety (SUDPS) is introducing the service after the Senate passed a resolution calling for more sexual violence reduction measures.

Vince Bergado, a SUDPS advisor, said they hope to launch the application by the end of this quarter. He described the app as “a blue tower you carry in your pocket,” which can be used in emergency situations to call for medical, fire or police assistance.

The main characteristic of the app is a 911 button that students can click to share their location with SUDPS. If people are in extreme danger, and are unable to speak when they press the 911 button, responders can still see the location and provide assistance.

Users’ location information is not always active, Bergado said. According to Bergado, the only instance when SUDPS can view a user’s location is when a call through 911 is activated. Once location is activated, responders receive a detailed view of the caller’s location. If wifi is not available to the caller, they are still able to reach the responders via cellular data.

Senators heard updates from Corey Lamb ’22, who works with Cardinal Recovery, Stanford’s recovery program for those struggling with addictions. Lamb said Cardinal Recovery provides a safe space for undergraduate students, graduate students and alumni to talk about addiction, recovery, therapy and mental health five days a week in the Well House.

“We have a lot of overlap between mental health and recovery in our meetings,” Lamb said.

According to Lamb, around fifty people attend a meeting every week. Cardinal Recovery also hosts substance free events, including hiking, bowling and recently, a sober tailgate.

Lamb told UGS that the program is in need of more funding to keep dedicated, full-time staff members. He asked for support from the ASSU. “We have to have dedicated staff… As far as collegiate recovery programs go, we are small,” Lamb said.

Lamb also said that due to Stanford’s distance from a city environment, students may lack access to other resources nearby for help in the recovery process. Students may struggle to secure substance-free housing due to limited capacity beyond the Well House. Lamb called for increased funding for recovery spaces, including potentially adding a trailer behind the Well House.

The University provided Cardinal Recovery with two years of funding, and they are in the last year of that funding, Lamb said. To implement sanctuaries for recovery and recruit new staff members, the program needs more funding, Lamb said.

Senators expressed their support for the Cardinal Recovery program and said that they will explore their ability to implement additional space.

Aden Beyene ’24 and Amira Dehmani ’24,  Senate co-chairs, and Darryl Thompson ’23, ASSU Executive President, also shared that the 2023-2024 school year will begin on a Tuesday instead of a Monday next year, in order to allow students to observe Jewish holidays. The start of the autumn quarter coincided with Rosh Hashanah this year.

This article has been updated to reflect the accurate description of the support and staffing Cardinal Recovery provides.

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GSC raises concerns about alcohol policy and graduate social life https://stanforddaily.com/2022/11/16/gsc-raises-concerns-about-alcohol-policy-and-graduate-social-life/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/11/16/gsc-raises-concerns-about-alcohol-policy-and-graduate-social-life/#respond Thu, 17 Nov 2022 07:48:52 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1214421 The council also discussed academic calendar modifications for religious holidays and international student advocacy.

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The Graduate Student Council (GSC) explored possible solutions to concerns among graduate students about the impacts of the University’s alcohol and gathering policies on social life during its Tuesday meeting.

GSC co-chair Jason Anderson, a third-year Ph.D. student in aeronautics and astronautics, read a related statement from Escondido Village Graduate Residences Building D (EVGR-D) Head Community Associate (HCA) Delaney Miller M.S. ’20, who is a fifth-year Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering. Miller expressed confusion about why graduate students have the same sober monitoring rules as undergraduates, referring to the expected ratio of one sober monitor per 25 expected guests at parties.

The statement argued that graduate students are at a different stage of life than undergraduates and that these policies limit their ability to host larger events. “Stanford graduate students face a crisis of isolation, not intoxication,” Miller wrote.

Rains HCA Matthew Hunter M.S. ’20, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in aeronautics and astronautics, agreed with Miller. Hunter said that the policies have made it more difficult to bring back pre-pandemic social culture.

Joe Kaczorowski, the assistant director of Substance User Programs, Education & Resources (SUPER), said that the party planning guidelines are not “hard-and-fast” rules, aside from the ones that are “directly informed by the alcohol policy,” such as the prohibition on serving alcohol to minors.

Kaczorowski said that achieving the 25-to-one ratio may be difficult for large events, but that SUPER is willing to try to find ways to “supplement that” — for example, by hiring bartenders or security.

However, Rains HCA Alessandra Napoli, a third-year Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering, said that it was unclear that the party planning guidelines were not strict requirements.

GSC co-chair Emily Schell M.A. ’18, a fifth-year Ph.D. student in developmental and psychological sciences, said that she hopes they can find a middle ground. “We all have a common goal of bringing back social life and doing so safely,” Schell said.

The GSC also discussed academic calendar modifications for religious holidays.

The first day of this academic year coincided with Rosh Hashanah. Co-social chair and member of the Committee on Graduate Studies (C-GS) Kavya Sreedhar, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in electrical engineering, said that the C-GS voted to start autumn quarter one day later next year in order to avoid another religious holiday conflict.

According to Sreedhar, there is a proposal for C-GS and the Committee on Undergraduate Standards and Policy (C-USP) to have a joint subcommittee that will determine how to address future conflicts. Given the ongoing nature of the issue, Sreedhar also solicited input from meeting attendees.

Benefits and affordability chair Guillem Megías Homar M.S. ’22, a first-year Ph.D. student in aeronautics and astronautics, provided an update on international student advocacy. Homar is working on a resolution to reimburse visa and SEVIS fees for international students, which Homar said can reach around $600 or $800 total depending on the country a student is from.

Schell said many of the graduate academic workers at Stanford are international students. “Reducing barriers to international student access is really critical to the functioning of this university,” she said.

Anderson shared the plans for a party, which took place today and provided students with a dedicated space to eat and fill out the Student Expenses Survey. The survey, launched last week by Stanford Institutional Research & Decision Support (IR&DS), will close on Nov. 28, and its results will be used to help inform student financial aid.

Co-social chair Leslie Luqueño M.A. ’22, a third-year Ph.D. student in education, said that the GSC’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever social event received positive feedback from students. Sreedhar also shared that they are working with the Disability Community Space (DisCo) to organize an event around finals week, where warm drinks and pastries will be served.

The GSC voted in a new councilor: Pranav Jain M.S. ’24 MBA ’24, a computer science masters student and MBA student, who will serve as a representative for the Graduate School of Business (GSB). Jain will replace Harshit Kohli MBA ’23, who stepped down due to scheduling conflicts.

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Package center break-in, roof collapse, spark worries in the GSC https://stanforddaily.com/2022/11/09/package-center-break-in-roof-collapse-spark-worries-in-the-gsc/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/11/09/package-center-break-in-roof-collapse-spark-worries-in-the-gsc/#respond Thu, 10 Nov 2022 04:16:17 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1213473 The Graduate Student Council (GSC) communicated with R&DE about issues concerning the UG2 break in and a service animal exercise area and updates about emergency preparedness.

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On Nov. 1, an IT custodian fell through a graduate student’s roof. Three days later, someone broke into the Graduate Package Center and took students’ packages. At the Graduate Student Council’s Tuesday meeting, councilors shared their concern about the incidents and asked representatives of Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE) leadership for answers.

Imogen Hinds, Assistant Vice Provost for Housing Operations and Stanford Conferences, and Jocelyn Breeland, Chief Officer for Strategic Communications and Marketing for R&DE, addressed questions about the Nov. 4 break-in. Jason Anderson, co-chair and a third-year Ph.D. student in aeronautics and astronautics, asked about the response of UG2 and methods being taken to prevent something like this incident from happening again. 

Hinds said that “Students whose packages were taken were contacted by the UG2 by email letting them know of the break and sent a reimbursement form that they could fill out. UG2 is taking responsibility to reimburse for any lost articles.”

Emily Schell, a GSC co-chair and fourth-year Ph.D. student in developmental and psychological sciences, also share concerns over how the roof collapse was handled, pointing out that “it seemed like the response really changed,” following pushback about the incident from students on social media. 

The graduate student initially wrote on Twitter that while they received support, their roommate was not given the same accommodations and support. However, R&DE later stated that both students received the same support and accommodations.

Schell also asked how R&DE is taking steps to ensure that these structural issues won’t happen again and how they will make students feel like their homes are structurally safe and supported. 

Hinds reassured the GSC that proper investigations are being conducted and any necessary follow-ups will be quickly performed.

Anderson asked if further investigations were being conducted to ensure the structural integrity of other buildings. At this time, Hinds said, there have been no other reports of any concerns beyond the roof collapsing in the graduate student housing but that the University will follow up on the situation if needed. 

The GSC also discussed emergency preparedness in response to the June power outages — specifically, access to dining halls, communication and what went wrong in previous power outages. Kristen Jackson, the Diversity and Advocacy Chair and a second year Ph.D. student studying Race, Inequality, Language and Inclusion, updated the GSC on their discussions with R&DE on food security and preparedness during emergencies.

According to Jackson, R&DE has determined what went wrong in previous power outages, and they are exploring policies that could be implemented to protect and support graduate students and their families during power outages. They are also moving forward in creating more universal and streamlined communication systems, Jackson said. The GSC and R&DE are also in talks to ensure food security in emergency situations by increasing access to dining halls.

Hinds and Breeland spoke with the GSC about a support and service dog exercise area that is being opened for graduate students. They are currently running into issues with card access to the area, Hinds said.

“Card access is one of the issues and trying to get that set up,” Hinds said. “We did finalize the signage that will be going up and the rules that will be in place.” 

There are currently no set dates for the area being opened up yet.

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GSC makes suggestions for the Disability Community Space, raises transportation concerns https://stanforddaily.com/2022/11/02/gsc-makes-suggestions-for-the-disability-community-space-raises-transportation-concerns/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/11/02/gsc-makes-suggestions-for-the-disability-community-space-raises-transportation-concerns/#respond Wed, 02 Nov 2022 07:32:39 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1212379 The GSC discussed partnering with the Disability Community Space to engage graduate students and affordability issues related to transportation and healthcare that many graduate students continue to face.

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The Graduate Student Council (GSC) recommended the Disability Community Space (DisCo Space) host workshops and speaker panels to raise visibility about the experience of disability at Stanford. They also called for a University response to affordability issues for graduate students regarding food, health and transportation during their Tuesday meeting.

Livia Umeda, the program coordinator for Stanford’s DisCo Space, spoke with the GSC about integrating more support for graduate students with disabilities and opened up a discussion on ways the DisCo Space could support and engage graduate students.

“The real point of the DisCo Space is really to have a physical location for undergraduate students and graduate students to get together and build community, that is our biggest thing, and then really, serve as a point where other people can work with advocacy,” Umeda said.

GSC co-chair Emily Schell, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in developmental and psychological sciences, suggested more workshops and speaker panels that DisCo could set up to spread awareness about what it’s like to “navigate this space that is Stanford with a disability” and how important visibility is for students with disabilities.

Another issue that the GSC focused on was affordability for graduate students, specifically when it comes to healthcare, transportation and food security. On Oct. 4, the GSC unanimously approved the Bill on Affordability, which was meant to help administration recognize the financial difficulties graduate students have been facing, especially after the effects of COVID-19. The GSC said there were many areas in which the University has failed to support their graduate students.

According to councilor Lawrence Berg, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in chemistry, the Marguerite Shuttle program is not meeting the needs of graduate students. Stanford discontinued the Marguerite Shuttle program during the beginning of the pandemic but has since brought it back. However, Berg said graduate and undergraduate students haven’t been granted the same type of return to normal with campus transportation.

The N and O lines of the Marguerite Shuttle and late night lines that ran down Campus Drive and to and from the Caltrain Stations, have yet to return, Berg said. Berg also pushed for more accessibility to the Shopping Express, a line that allowed students, especially graduate students, to receive rides to grocery and shopping stores without having to buy a bike or a car.

Berg said transportation was also important from a safety perspective, “with the increase in tension that the university students are feeling with the repeated sexual assaults and now this intruder that’s been found on our campus.”

In terms of healthcare, last year’s GSC won complete subsidization for Cardinal Care insurance for graduate students who are funded through their Ph.D research.

However, Berg said, “we continue to pay up to $1000 a year in student fees at Vaden just to have access to data and that’s not including a per visit basis or anything like that.”

Berg called for changes to the healthcare system, as “students that typically are young and healthy and relatively don’t see a lot of data are paying $1,000 a year as a non-negotiable fee that they’re not getting to make use of and that’s on top of students who have historically had issues with service aid and particularly around their mental health.”

Councilors shared that the largest upcoming event is the GSC’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever private viewing on Nov. 11 at the Redwood City Cinemark on Nov. 11 for graduate students.

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Undergraduate Senate criticizes increased security presence and calls for review of Title IX procedure https://stanforddaily.com/2022/10/28/undergraduate-senate-criticizes-increased-security-presence-and-calls-for-review-of-title-ix-procedure/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/10/28/undergraduate-senate-criticizes-increased-security-presence-and-calls-for-review-of-title-ix-procedure/#respond Fri, 28 Oct 2022 08:45:22 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1211687 Undergraduate Senate condemns University inaction, and Faculty Senate convenes to discuss sexual assault on campus.

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This story contains references to sexual assault and harassment.

The Undergraduate Senate (UGS) unanimously passed a resolution on Oct. 13 to address sexual violence on campus as a part of broader efforts to advocate for survivors. The resolution called for improved blue light and public transportation systems, condemned the increased security presence on campus and urged a review of the Title IX procedures. 

UGS Co-Chair Amira Dehmani ’24 said the University’s failure to adequately respond to cases of sexual violence prompted the Senate to write the resolution. 

Sexual Violence Free Stanford (SVFree), which works to combat sexual violence on campus recently organized a protest, urging the University to expel all students who have committed sexual assault and dismiss all faculty and staff who have violated Title IX. “As a Senate, we decided a statement was needed to support the community and the efforts of SVFree,” Dehmani said. 

UGS Deputy Chair and former Daily staffer Ritwik Tati ’25 said the resolution was motivated by recent security alerts concerning sexual violence and the University’s decision to increase police presence. There were 2 alerts in the past 3 months

“The Senate wanted to state its case by saying that increasing these measures wasn’t going to further protect these victims,” Tati said.

In a Faculty Senate meeting on Oct. 20, Patrick Dunkley, the vice provost for institutional equity, access, and community, said that increased patrols are a temporary response to community concerns.

According to Provost Persis Drell, the University is exploring other measures to address sexual assaults on campus, including evaluating the need for more exterior lighting and tasking a committee with exploring the development of a safety app that would allow the Stanford community to receive security alerts on their phones or smartwatches.

250 cameras will be installed per year over the course of the next four years under a $2.5 million plan, Dunkley said.

Drell said the University is working to expand resources for individuals affected by sexual assault, including potentially expanding the Confidential Support Team.  

According to Drell, the SHARE Education team is also working on programming and training materials. “[They] work full time developing additional programming and continue to improve the programs we have,” Drell said. “Sexual harrassment training is required for all faculty and employees every two years.”

Advocates at the protest earlier this month also called for identity-focused counselors and trauma-informed training. 

Echoing advocates, Tati said the Title IX process is “deeply flawed, especially for faculty” who face allegations of sexual harrassment or assault.  

According to Tati, “We’ve seen in the past that the Title IX process for faculty is really on a case by case basis. So there’s no real official policy for it.” 

The University declined to comment on calls for the termination of faculty members who have allegations of sexual or domestic violence against them, as well as criticism surrounding the increased security presence on campus. A University spokesperson pointed towards Stanford News’ coverage of the Faculty Senate meeting.  

The UGS previously passed a Survivor’s Bill of Rights in Feb. 2022 and a resolution in 2019, both of which called for more resources for survivors, among other things. The resolution was signed by every fraternity and sorority during the 2019-2020 school year. 

The lack of improvement since led the Senate to draft the new resolution, Tati said.

Tati said the UGS Executive Committee, which includes the Senate chairs and deputy chairs, will meet every quarter with Title IX coordinator Stephen Chen to advise improvements in the University and Title IX office’s response to sexual violence. 

Senators are collaborating on a joint resolution with the Graduate Student Council, which they hope to send to the Faculty Senate next month. “Our goal is to have this go up to the Faculty Senate where they can vote on this, and they can go on to admin where that is finally addressed,” Tati said.

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Graduate Student Council works to improve housing and student participation during summer meetings https://stanforddaily.com/2022/08/10/graduate-student-council-works-to-improve-housing-and-student-participation-during-summer-meetings/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/08/10/graduate-student-council-works-to-improve-housing-and-student-participation-during-summer-meetings/#respond Thu, 11 Aug 2022 04:02:00 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1206237 Over the summer, the Graduate Student Council discussed solutions to UG2’s mail delivery issues, housing assignment protocol and graduate housing shortage. The Council is also considering supporting a student-led initiative advocating Stanford’s disaffiliation from firearm manufacturing.

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The Graduate Student Council (GSC) undertook initiatives to address UG2’s mail delivery issues, housing assignment protocol and graduate housing shortage during summer meetings on Jul. 14 and Aug. 4. Councilors also considered supporting a student-led initiative advocating for Stanford’s disaffiliation from firearm manufacturing.

Following a meeting with the Executive Director of R&DE Student Housing Operations Imogen Hinds on ongoing complaints with Stanford’s mail provider UG2, GSC co-chair and third-year Aeronautics and Astronautics Ph.D. student Jason Anderson said UG2 lacked data critical to mail delivery, such as student addresses, due to Stanford’s policies regarding contractors and private student data.

Anderson said UG2 should be an exception to Stanford’s standard policies on private information. According to Anderson, graduate students would likely consent to the distribution of their private addresses to UG2.

Associate Director of Graduate Housing Rebecca Benaderet said R&DE was working to find a solution to the mail delivery issues without violating the University’s data safety policies. “While there is a promising possible solution, at this point there’s no timetable for the implementation,” Benaderet said.

According to USPS data, mail volume remained steady over the summer. The GSC agreed this was an improvement from the spring when volatile mail volume resulted in many students not receiving their mail.

Graduate Student Council works to improve housing and student participation during summer meetings
The Graduate Student council hosted its second summer meeting on August 4. (Screenshot: TANISH ARORA/The Stanford Daily)

Furthermore, the GSC is considering collaborating with a predoctoral empirical research fellow at Stanford Law School Sam Cai and Jens-Erik Lund Snee Ph.D. ’20. They are planning to submit a “Responsible Investing to Reduce Gun Deaths” initiative to Stanford. 

According to Cai during the July 14th meeting, the proposal is targeting Stanford’s investment practices “to ensure that they’re in line with their values and reduce gun deaths by decreasing Stanford’s investment in firearm manufacturers and related companies.” The proposal frames gun violence not as a political issue but as a public health one, highlighting “the pure harm and deaths that guns can cause,” Cai said. 

The initiative would also present a set of actions for Stanford to take in relation to companies affiliated with firearm manufacturing for private individuals (excluding weapons made for war weapons or the police). Disinvestment from firearm companies would be the final resort after a series of steps to mitigate the public health consequences of guns, starting with “exercising Stanford’s proxy voting power as a shareholder,” Lund Snee said. 

Cai and Snee intend to distribute a petition through the GSC to garner student support. “We are not going after guns entirely. We are going after the deaths, which in some ways include the guns, their availability or their irresponsible distribution and marketing,” Lund Snee said.

Attendee Betty Xiong M.S. ’23 also raised concerns as an international student about the housing assignment priority protocol, which “places fourth- and fifth-year Ph.D. students with more priority than second-year master’s students.” As a result, the latter are frequently placed in off-campus housing, Xiong said. Since it is her first time in the United States to study, Xiong said she was especially concerned about her housing location and her university experience in the upcoming year.

Third-year Ph.D. student in electrical engineering and GSC representative Kavya Sreedhar said Xiong’s housing situation “is not a one-off, but something that is really happening,” and that fellow international students have had similar problems about being placed off-campus, with some not even being placed in the housing system. But the solution, she said, should not be a “trade-off” that prioritizes master’s students over Ph.D. students either.

According to Director for Housing Assignments Justin Akers, graduate housing has increased in demand to pre-COVID numbers. 

Anderson said EVGR-A, which was originally meant to house graduate students, was also allocated to undergraduates to accommodate a planned undergraduate enrollment increase. 

“Efforts need to be made to make graduate education more affordable first before increasing enrollment by 25% without providing any additional housing construction,” Anderson said.

The GSC heard about positive feedback from students on the EVGR Pub and Beer Garden, which is an active place for Stanford students to socialize and relax. According to one of the Pub’s managers Bob McClenaghan, the Pub saw a boost in popularity among students after obtaining its alcohol license. Councilor Lawrence Berg, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in chemistry said the alcohol license improved the Pub’s perception among graduate students on campus. “It’s a fun atmosphere,” Berg said.

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