GSG election sees record-sized pool

A record number of candidates for the Graduate Student Government (GSG)’s seven executive committee positions spoke to a group comprising nearly entirely fellow contenders at an election forum last night in McCormick Hall. Almost all of the 18 candidates attended the meeting and made up most of the 24 audience members.

Each prospective officeholder made a speech and answered questions from the crowd of fellow contenders. The positions up for election are chair, parliamentary secretary, corresponding secretary, press secretary, recording secretary, treasurer and social chair.

The race for GSG chair pits student government veteran Silvia Bulow GS against newcomer Christina Hultholm GS.

“I’ve really gotten to understand not only how the executive committee works but also the University as a whole,” said Bulow, who currently serves as parliamentary secretary.

Several audience members questioned Hultholm’s lack of experience, and she admitted to not having attended a GSG meeting in two years.

“I didn’t want to participate and have it be a half-hearted effort,” she said. “Finally, I found myself in a position ... that I have the time to dedicate to it,” she explained.

One of her top priorities is to improve communication between the GSG and the graduate student body, Hultholm said.

“The information [on GSG activities] is there if you want it, but as graduate students we live our lives buried in a basement office under our research,” she said. “We don’t want to look through a website ... We want someone to talk to.”

Hultholm said she wants to maintain an open dialogue with the administration on graduate student housing and improve interaction between students in different departments.

Bulow cited advocating new birth-control subsidies, improving childcare for graduate students’ children and expanding webmail account storage quotas as GSG achievements over the last year.

“My biggest goal this year is to get increased travel funds for graduate students,” she said. “The University is willing to consider it and is even in support of it,” she explained, adding that funding is currently “restricted to fourth and fifth years and people who are not in the sciences.”

Outgoing GSG chair Shin-Yi Lin GS said she is thrilled with the large number of candidates this year.

“We’ve tried to make sure the student body knows about the GSG, knows what we do and gets involved,” Lin said. “That’s why I’m so excited that so many new people are getting involved.”

After serving three years as chair, Lin felt it was time for fresh leadership. “I always think it’s good to get new blood into the system,” she said, but added that experience is also important for preserving institutional memory.

Members of the GSG’s executive committee receive both special on-campus parking privileges and priority in the graduate student housing draw, which election committee chair Daniel Raburn GS said are strong motivations for running.

Raburn said he expects around 400 to 500 of the University’s 2,000 graduate students to vote. Online voting will take place from 12:01 a.m. March 1 to 11:59 p.m. March 7.

In the last USG election, by contrast, 2,500 of 4,800 undergraduates voted.

Stephanie Budijono GS, one of six candidates running for press secretary, said the GSG should work to improve the image of University graduate students.

“We are portrayed as a bunch of sketchy people who are dorks and do research in basements,” she said. “I would like to portray a new side of us. We don’t get the word out. Let’s try to get the word out.”