Resolution 13. Consideration of Graduate and Professional Student Needs in the Ongoing Strategic Planning Process

Whereas the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GPSA) presented the Graduate Community Initiative (GCI) Vision Statement to the Board of Trustees in March 2007;

Whereas the President of Cornell University David Skorton designated Vice President of Cornell University Susan Murphy and the Dean of the Graduate School Sunny Power as co-chairs of a task force to formulate a response to the GCI Vision Statement;

Whereas the GCI Task Force membership consisted of representatives from a broad cross-section of the Cornell Community actively involved with Cornell University Graduate and Professional Students, including:

• Susan H. Murphy, Vice President, Student and Academic Services, Co-Chair
• Alison (Sunny) Power, Dean, Graduate School, Co-Chair
• Carolyn Ainslie, Vice President for Planning and Budget
• Joseph Burke, Director, Residential Programs
• Arnaub Chatterjee, Graduate School/CIPA
• Kris Corda, Director, Big Red Barn
• Cathy S. Dove, Assistant Dean, Johnson Graduate School of Management
• Edna Dugan, Assistant Vice President, Student and Academic Services
• Katherine M. Edmondson, Assistant Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine
• David P. Hajjar, Dean, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences
• Kent Hubbell, Dean of Students
• Michelle Leinfelder, Graduate Student/Horticulture
• Anne Luckingbeal, Associate Dean, Law School
• Brendan O’Brien, Director, International Students and Scholars Office
• Robert C. Richardson, Vice Provost, Research
• Cecelia Sander, Graduate Student/Law School
• Randi Silver, Associate Dean, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences
• Janet Vertesi, Graduate Student/Science and Technology Studies
• Ira Wasserman, Professor, Astronomy
• Brenda Wickes, Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Life
• Yu Yu, Graduate Student/Marketing

Whereas the GCI Task Force developed and charged four subcommittees to focus on improvements to Cornell University Graduate and Professional Student concerns relating to Career Services, Housing, Graduate and Professional Life and Programs, and Communication;

Whereas the January 23, 2008 “Status of the Graduate Community Initiative Task Force” Memo to President of Cornell University David Skorton from Vice President Susan Murphy and Dean of the Graduate School Sunny Power notes that “the work of the Task Force is preliminary and much work lies ahead”;

Whereas in consideration of how to best contribute to the Strategic Planning Process, the GPSA reviewed the GCI Vision Statement in a community forum on March 1, 2010;

Whereas the GPSA remains committed to the initiative of building a more cohesive graduate community;

Whereas the GPSA considers the work of the GCI Task Force to be a reflection of previous efforts by the University to realize the strategic benefits of prioritizing graduate community building;

Be it therefore resolved the GPSA expresses its appreciation of Cornell University’s commitment to supporting the development of a cohesive graduate community, as evidenced by the broad cross-section of stakeholders involved in the GCI Task Force;

Be it further resolved the attached letter entitled “Raising the Bar” represents a concise overview of aspects of the GCI and current Graduate and Professional Student needs across campus that we believe merit consideration in the ongoing strategic planning process;

Be it further resolved the GPSA encourages Cornell University Administration’s continued engagement and partnership of the Graduate and Professional Student Community in the design and implementation of strategic decisions;

Be it finally resolved the GPSA forwards this resolution and attached letter to Provost Kent Fuchs and Professor Ed Lawler, the Strategic Planning Advisory Council, Vice President Susan H. Murphy, and Dean of the Graduate School Sunny Power for their consideration of the strategic benefits of continued cross-university commitment to developing a cohesive graduate community.

Respectfully Submitted,

Cresten Mansfeldt
Student Advocacy Chair 2009–2010
GPSA Physical Sciences Voting Representative

Edward Strong
GPSA Biological Sciences Voting Representative

Ben Heavner
GPSA Physical Sciences Voting Representative

Billie Gould
Student Advocacy Committee Member

Krishna Iyengar
Student Advocacy Committee Member

Michael Walsh
Student Elected Graduate Student Trustee

Sarah Petraitis
GPSA Veterinarian School Voting Representative

Christoffer Heckman
GPSA At-Large Voting Representative

Brian Forster
GPSA Biological Sciences Voting Representative

GPSA Ad-Hoc Graduate Student Mental Health Committee

GPSA Student Advocacy Committee