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Now is your chance to make your voice heard in the the 2019 Graduate Student Association elections! The results impact not only your student government representatives, but also the future funding of campus services for graduate students. The elections will take place online from Monday, April 22, at 8am, through Thursday, April 25, at 4pm. Read on for more info!
The 2019 GSA Elections will take place online from Monday, April 22, at 8am, through Thursday, April 25, at 4pm. You will be able to vote online by using your UCSB net ID. Below is a list of Officer Candidates, along with a list of GSA Fee Reaffirmations on the 2019 ballot. For a list of officer duties, please visit the GSA documents page.
FEE REAFFIRMATIONS
Graduate Student Night and Weekend Parking (Reaffirmation)
Pro: The fee funds annual Nights & Weekend parking passes for all graduate students.
Con: Continue a quarterly fee of $5.00
Arts & Lectures Graduate Student Fee Initiative (Reaffirmation)
Pro: The fee ensures that UCSB graduate students have access to the same UCSB student ticket discounts as UCSB undergraduates. Without the fee, Arts & Lectures will be unable to offer graduate students discounted ticket prices.
Con: Continue a quarterly fee of $7.56.
Graduate Student Emergency Relief Grant Fund (Reaffirmation)
Pro: The fee maintains a relief fund for registered UCSB graduate students experiencing financial difficulty. The fund provides up to $1,000 per student per academic quarter, including summer. Students may receive a maximum of two awards during their academic tenure at UCSB.
Con: Continue a quarterly fee of $4.08.
Click here to learn more about the reaffirmations.
OFFICER CANDIDATES
PRESIDENT
Cierra Raine Sorin, Sociology
"Hello fellow grads! My name is Cierra Sorin. I am going into my fifth year as a Sociology PhD student, and I am running for a second term as your GSA president. I have a long history with the Graduate Student Association, serving as a departmental representative my first two years here, and then sitting on the executive board as your VP of Communications and Records last year. In my tenure this year, I have accomplished a lot, and there is further work I would like to do if re-elected..."
Click here to continue reading Cierra's statement.
VP OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Alex LeBrun, Philosophy
"I am running for the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA) to ensure that UCSB's distinctive excellence holds its course. UCSB is one of the top public universities in the world because of our focus on graduate student-led research. I will ensure that this vision and these results are not compromised..."
Click here to continue reading Alex's statement.
VP OF BUDGET AND FINANCE
Luke Rosedahl, Dynamical Neuroscience
"Luke here (your current VP of Budget and Finance). Over the last year I have been working hard to ensure the GSA uses its resources to optimally serve our graduate community! Whether by allocating funds to support the many events hosted by the GSA (such as Mosher Time!) or working to make the fund disbursal process as quick as possible, I have dedicated myself to finding the best way our resources can serve you and build our graduate student community..."
Click here to continue reading Luke's statement.
VP OF COMMITTEES AND PLANNING (2 candidates)
Amanda Rodriguez, Sociology
"Hey everyone! It's your favorite GSA exec, Amanda Rodriguez, asking you to re-elect me as your VP of Committees and Planning. Last year I ran on a platform of getting you out of your small, windowless offices, confronting that social anxiety head-on, and enjoying the company of your fellow grad students..."
Click here to continue reading Amanda's statement.
Tom Costigan, Philosophy
"Hello, my name is Tom, and I was nominated by my friend Sherri. She, along with others, think I am a well-organized person, who is good at planning and coordinating events. Previously I helped co-organize the UMSL Graduate Student Philosophy Conference, and I served as the Treasurer of our organization, the Philosophers' Forum. I would be honored to serve the UCSB graduate community in any capacity..."
Click here to continue reading Tom's statement.
VP OF COMMUNICATIONS AND RECORDS
Pedro Miguel Craveiro de Magalhães, Spanish and Portuguese
"Hey Gauchos! My name is Pedro Craveiro and I am an international graduate student in Hispanic Languages and Literatures in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. I am honored to be nominated for the position of Vice President of Communication and Records for the 2019-20 academic year and I would love to have the opportunity to work at a different level and commitment at the Graduate Student Association..."
Click here to continue reading Pedro's statement.
VP OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Emma Schuster, Feminist Studies
"Hello everyone, my name is Emma Schuster and I am a second year MA/PhD student in the Feminist Studies department here at UCSB. I am asking for your vote so I may have the privilege of serving as the GSA Vice President of External Affairs. In my short time here at UCSB I have served as a graduate representative for my department..."
Click here to continue reading Emma's statement.
VP OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS
Heather Prentice-Walz, Anthropology
"I am thrilled to have been re-nominated as Vice President of Internal Affairs, which is the position I currently hold in the GSA executive board. I would love to have the opportunity to continue working in this capacity in the 2019/2020 academic year. I am asking for your vote again this electoral season..."
Click here to continue reading Heather's statement.
VP OFâ STUDENT AFFAIRS
Jennifer Selvidge, âMaterials
"Hello! My name is Jenny Selvidge and I am running to serve as your GSA Vice President of Student Affairs for a second year. In the past year, I have been working hard to improve mental and physical health care access on campus for the graduate community. Studies have shown that up to 50% of graduate students will suffer from a mental health condition at some point during their education. Thus, my initial goal was to improve access to mental health care on campus. Fortunately, I have made some significant progress on increasing mental health resources on campus: successfully lobbying for the hiring of a new Psychologist specializing in the mental health needs of graduate students at Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) for the coming year and for an increase in the number of Licensed Clinical Social Workers at Student Health..."
Click here to continue reading Jennifer's statement.
WRITE-IN CANDIDATES
Write-in candidates are welcome for all offices. Write-in candidates may declare their candidacy on the Facebook UCSB GSA public group page, post flyers in the GSA Lounge, or advertise their candidacy through social media to their friends and classmates.
QUESTIONS
If you have any questions about the election or write-in candidates, please contact GSA President Cierra Sorin.