Last week, the graduate student council announced this year’s representatives — 37 new members and six returning members. During these representatives’ tenure, a task force announced by College Provost Carolyn Dever will work on a report that details the structure of a new, more cohesive graduate school.
GSC president Erin O’Malley said the organization hopes to promote cooperation between the different graduate schools.
O’Malley acts as a liaison between the students and administrators, helping make graduate students and their needs more visible on campus.
The GSC — which includes representatives from the graduate school of arts and sciences, Thayer Engineering School and The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice — seeks to promote synergy among Dartmouth’s graduate students, programs and schools.
One way the council tries to foster bonds between graduate students is through social events, such as an Indian cooking night, wine and cheese tasting and Halloween dance.
Biochemistry representative Cassandra Burke said current initiatives include creating a meal plan for graduate students and developing a child care program for those with kids. Currently graduate students pay as they go when eating in dining halls.
Burke said she hopes that, through her position, she will be able to promote more volunteer opportunities with non-profits in the area and increase biochemistry department participation in events.
Department representatives must attend monthly meetings open to the public where they vote on funding and recognition of new student groups along with amendments to the constitution. Representatives are required to volunteer at least twice by helping plan events or sitting on a GSC committee.
Justin Richardson, a representative from the earth sciences department and vice president of the GSC from 2012-13, organized communication both within the Dartmouth graduate student population and among the Ivy League Plus, which comprises the Ivy League and MIT.
This year’s elections coincide with the start of task force that has been established to create a freestanding graduate program at Dartmouth. The task force, which is set to meet for the first time on today, aims to develop a plan to unify the graduate programs and change the reporting structure so that the graduate school of arts and sciences would report to the Provost rather than the Dean of Faculty.
Jonathan Epstein, a mathematics representative, said a freestanding graduate school would help Dartmouth promote itself and signify a graduate presence as well as an undergraduate one.
Burke said that having a distinct graduate school will create awareness and recognition for Dartmouth graduate programs. Burke added, however, that the College should not lose its identifying emphasis on undergraduate teaching.
O’Malley said that the graduate school will help both undergraduate and graduate students, as the research of faculty and graduate students will get more recognition. As a result of this, O’Malley speculates that more undergraduate students will have research opportunities.
Dominic Winski, a graduate student, said that he has enjoyed his graduate experience at Dartmouth, noting great opportunities for hands-on learning. This year he traveled to Alaska and then Australia and New Zealand.
Graduate student Justin Kim said that Dartmouth has great resources available to students, with advisors and faculty members who are very supportive of graduate students’ endeavors.
