WHEREAS, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GPSA) presented the “Vision Statement for a Graduate Community Initiative” (GCI) to the Board of Trustees in March 2007; and

WHEREAS, the goal of the GCI was to initiate discussions that would enable Cornell to “direct, support, and protect undertakings that nurture a cohesive graduate and professional student community, with an emphasis on improving graduate students’ quality of life at Cornell”; and

WHEREAS, the GCI made a number of recommendations for improving the support for and services provided to graduate and professional students, including proposals for an expanded Graduate Student Center, improved career resources for graduate students, and better integrating the graduate and professional student experience; and

WHEREAS, the President of Cornell University David Skorton designated Vice President of Cornell University Susan Murphy and the then Dean of the Graduate School Sunny Power as co-chairs of a working group assembled from a broad group of stakeholders from across the university to engage with the Graduate and Professional Community and formulate a response to the GCI; and

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”; and

WHEREAS, the GCI was referenced in Cornell University’s 2010 Strategic Plan “The GCI document warrants continued discussion and consideration by the university, with appropriate weighing of the financial trade-offs”; and

WHEREAS, the Spring 2010 GPSA Resolution R13: “Consideration of Graduate and Professional Student Needs in the Ongoing Strategic Planning Process” and the attached letter “Raising the Bar” continued the on-going dialogue offering a “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”; and

WHEREAS, the current Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School Barbara Knuth presented a report on the substantial progress on the GCI to the GPSA on September 26th, 2011; and

WHEREAS, the GPSA wishes to continue the engaging and collaborative partnership between the graduate and professional student community and the Cornell University administration in the design and implementation of decisions impacting graduate and professional student life; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the GPSA form an ad hoc Committee to Assess the Progress On and Update the Recommendations of the Graduate Community Initiative charged with completing the following tasks prior to the meeting of the Cornell Board of Trustees in Ithaca in March 2013:

a) Identify the specific progress toward the vision for the graduate and professional student community articulated in the GCI;

b) Assess the progress on implementing solutions related to the three main requests outlined in the GCI;

c) Examine and consider issues on campus not addressed adequately in the GCI that warrant further discussion;

d) Examine and consider issues off campus to be explored for external engagement;

e) Organize systematic input from the graduate and professional student community;

f) Draft an updated document that articulates the progress that has been made towards reaching the vision outlined in the GCI, as well as brings forward new ideas, goals, and strategies;

g) Present the document to the Cornell Board of Trustees in March 2013.

RESOLVED, That this resolution be sent to David Skorton, President; Peggy Beach, Director of the Office of Assemblies; Kent Hubbell, Dean of Students; Susan H. Murphy, Vice President for Student and Academic Services; Barbara Knuth, Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School; Jan Allen, Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs; Sarah Hale Wicker, Associate Dean for Student Services; Sheri Notaro, Associate Dean for Inclusion and Professional Development; and Tilman Baumstark, Assistant Dean for Professional Development.

Respectfully submitted,

Nicole M. Baran
GPSA Social Sciences Voting Member, Executive Vice President

Mitchell Paine
GPSA Social Sciences Voting Member, President

Evan Cortens
Counsel to the GPSA