Graduate Student Association

The GSA is currently hiring an MDRF Director for the 2021-2022 academic year.  A detailed description of the position is attached.  If you are interested, please email the required materials listed to the GSA Vice President, Emily Novak, at gsa-vicepresident@buffalo.edu by Friday, April 23rd in order to be considered.  Training for the position will begin in early May and run through June.  The position will begin on July 1^st, 2021 and will run through July 31^st, 2022.  Applicants must be currently enrolled graduate students and must be able to serve for the full term of the position.

The GSA Election Committee is pleased to announce the results of the 2021-2022 GSA Officer Elections:

President:
J Coley: 197
(32 abstentions)

Vice President:
Jennifer Schechter Powrie: 195
(34 abstentions)

Treasurer:
Joshua Joseph: 203
(26 abstentions)

These elected candidates will officially take office on June 1, 2021.

Thank you to all of the graduate students who participated in the vote!

Sincerely,

GSA Election Committee

Daniel Duran (EC Chair)
Tania Islam (EC)
Xingyu Chen (EC)
Mi Jin Jung (EC)
Gursimran Singh (EC)

GSA Officer Election voting polls are now open.  Graduate students may log on through the “CLICK HERE TO VOTE!” button on the GSA Election 2021 page to cast their vote.  Polls will remain open 24 hours a day until 11:59pm on Thursday, April 15th.  Results will be announced via the GSA listservs on Friday, April 16th.

As of April 1^st, Gena Zimmerman has officially retired from the Graduate Student Association.  We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Gena and thank her for her 46 years of dedicated service to the organization.  The help and guidance she has provided to graduate students over the course of her career has been invaluable.  We wish her all the best as she starts this new chapter in her life!

Until further notice, please send all GSA related correspondence to Stephanie George at slfrank@buffalo.edu, or to any of the GSA E-board members if you need assistance.  Thank you.

GSA Officer Elections will take place online April 12^th – 15^th, 2021 via a link on the GSA website (https://ubwp.buffalo.edu/gsa/election-2021/)

Your Candidates for 2021-2022 GSA E-Board are:

For President:

J Coley- J for UB GSA President: Providing Leadership, Experience, and Dedication in a time of Uncertainty

For Vice President:

Jennifer Schechter Powrie– A tested and excellent student leader with experience and passion for the job.

For Treasurer:

Joshua Joseph– Bank on me I’ll treasure your vote! Turning cents into dollars, it all adds up!

The official Candidate Q&A will take place during the Wednesday, April 7^th Board of Directors Meeting at 6:30pm, which will be live streamed via YouTube.

Due to the resignation of Connor Walters as Vice President, there is a vacancy in the Graduate Student Association’s Executive Committee.

Please note as stated in the GSA By Laws:

“In the case of removal or resignation of any officer, said officer shall be replaced by a vote of the Board from any willing graduate students in attendance who have attended and signed in at two Board meetings within the past twelve months during the meeting at which the replacement election is held.”

Effective immediately, there is a call for nominations to permanently fill this position through the end of the current term, which is May 31, 2021.

Please send all nominations to the GSA President, J Coley at gsa-president@buffalo.edu.

Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay!

As graduate workers, we at the Living Stipend Movement strongly believe that we should never be subjected to broad-based fees by our own employer. Join us in pledging to boycott graduate fees for the Spring 2021 semester, or sign in solidarity if you are unable to withhold fees and/or are willing to contribute to the forthcoming Boycott Protection Fund. Sign the pledge here!

For more information, see our FAQ page, or email us to get involved!

Call for Candidates

On April 12 – 15, 2021 the following offices will be filled through a general election of graduate students at UB:

PRESIDENT

VICE PRESIDENT

TREASURER

The stipends for each of these positions is currently $14,500, but this amount may be increased as part of the GSA Board of Directors’ approved budget for 2021-2022 (which will be voted on at the April 7^th Board of Directors meeting).  Elected officers must be present and available to serve in the duties of their office from June 1, 2021 until May 31, 2022.

Any student enrolled in a department that is currently represented by GSA, who is in good academic standing, and has attended one Board of Directors meeting in the past twelve months prior to becoming a candidate and attends the February 3^rd and March 3^rd Board meetings shall be eligible to run for office.

*Please note that international students holding an assistantship or any other employment will be restricted by federal work regulations and may not be eligible to run for office under United States Law.*

Petition packets for candidacy are now available by email request and are due back to the Election Committee Chair by Friday, February 26, 2021 at 4:30pm.  Absolutely NO late submissions will be accepted.

All prospective candidates must attend a mandatory meeting with members of the Election Committee where the Election Rules and Regulations will be handed out and reviewed.  Meetings will be arranged between prospective candidates and the Election Committee to occur between Thursday, March 4, 2021 and Thursday, March 11, 2021.

Please contact the Election Committee Chair, Daniel Duran (dduran@buffalo.edu) to request a petition packet, or to inquire about the details of the application procedure and formalities.

The GSA Winter Break Schedule will be as follows:

• GSA open remotely through Monday, December 14^th
• GSA closed Tuesday, December 15^th – Monday, January 4^th
• GSA on Summer Hours Monday, January 4^th – Friday, January 29^th
  • Open remotely Monday – Thursday 8:30am – 4:00pm, closed on Fridays
• GSA closed Monday, January 18^th for MLK Jr. Day (University Closed)
• Regular Business Hours resume Monday, February 1^st with the start of the Spring semester