GSG announces expanded retirement savings plan, approves grad student surveys

The Graduate Student Government (GSG) assembly met on Monday to hear presentations on a new graduate student retirement plan option and last year’s Inclusive Princeton Annual Report and to vote on upcoming surveys to the graduate student body.

GSG faced issues earlier this academic year with overspending on its annual budget. Treasurer Varun Sivashankar GS was not present at Monday’s meeting, but Vice President Zoe Gorman GS and Vice President of Internal Affairs Niv Kanrar GS noted that a special event celebrating the end of Prohibition had recently taken place. GSG had overshot its Special Events budget — which covers alcohol purchases, materials for events, and catering services — by $1,476.84 for the first half of the 2026 fiscal year.

Sivashankar did not respond to a request for comment about how funding for this event was obtained in time for publication.

Gorman and Kanrar opened the meeting with an update regarding how graduate student positions on the Council of the Princeton University Community committees will be determined.

“We want to try to move to having these elections be by popular vote, as opposed to by assembly vote,” Gorman said. This follows GSG President Jan Ertl GS’ opposition from GSG President Jan Ertl GS to CPUC elections occurring at the same time as the general GSG election in January. Ertl had noted a bylaw that states CPUC elections are to be held in April, according to a January email to the assembly obtained by the ‘Prince.’

Gorman then invited Hein A. Mante GS and Scott McGoldrick, a Graduate School dean for finance and administration, to present on graduate students’ inclusion in the University’s retirement savings plan. Historically, the plan has only been available to faculty and staff.

“I hope this is good news,” McGoldrick said, noting that the change was in response to an initiative led by graduate students, who have advocated through ongoing conversations with the graduate school since November 2024.

“For those that opt in[to the plan], you then can designate how much of your paycheck you’d like to go over to the plan, and it will be directly deducted from your pay and go into an account in [the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America-College Retirement Equities Fund],” McGoldrick continued.

He and Mante added that international students should be able to opt into the plan as long as they are earning W-2 wages as a research or teaching assistant. According to McGoldrick, “the majority of international students would be eligible because they do earn W-2 wages.”

Associate Provost for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion Shawn Maxam then highlighted the findings of last year’s Inclusive Princeton Annual Report from the University.

“This is our fifth year of the report,” Maxam began. “When we talk about inclusion and belonging, we want to create a welcoming community where all faculty, postdoctoral researchers, grad students, undergraduates, and staff can thrive and commit to our mission of research, teaching, and service.”

GSG Secretary Ameen Omar GS spoke on behalf of International Student Affairs Chair Viola Chen GS proposing an international student survey vote. The survey includes a question regarding how students would like to be protected from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Response options include “preparation,” “protection,” and “affordable attorney support in case of need.” The vote passed unanimously.

Gorman also proposed a feedback form on January programming, particularly in light of Wintersession’s discontinuation, as the program was a highly popular option for graduate students. The faculty meeting on Monday decided that winter break will be shortened to five weeks going forward. The form was produced by Ertl, and the vote for its publication also passed.

The meeting closed with committee breakout sessions, with the assembly splitting into groups focusing on social matters, sustainability, and DEI, among others.

The next GSG meeting will be held on May 4 in Robertson 100.

Haeon Lee is the associate News editor for the ‘Prince’ leading research coverage. She is from Brooklyn, N.Y. and often covers campus research and academic departments. She can be reached at hl1389[at]princeton.edu.

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