WHEREAS, the GPSA in 2006–2007 created the Graduate Community Initiative (2007 GCI) to elevate the discussion around graduate and professional students on campus; and

WHEREAS, the GPSA in 2012–2013 passed Resolution 1 calling for the creation of an Ad Hoc Committee to review and update the 2007 GCI; and

WHEREAS, the Ad Hoc Committee has evaluated the 2007 GCI, reviewed the progress made since 2007, identified eight major topic areas to focus on, and drafted a full document entitled “Graduate and Professional Community Initiative: A Strategic Plan for the Graduate and Professional Student Community”; and

WHEREAS, in order to understand the needs of graduate and professional students, the Ad Hoc Committee reached out to the graduate and professional student community by organizing a series of focus groups, participating in various meetings with university administrators and community stakeholders, working with student organizations, and engaging in extensive discussions during GPSA meetings throughout the year; and

WHEREAS, the GPSA Student Advocacy Committee organized two major events to solicit input on the Graduate and Professional Community Initiative topic areas: the Fall Town Hall on November 15, 2012 and the spring Dine & Discuss on February 27, 2013; and

WHEREAS, having a strategic plan for the graduate and professional student community that is developed collaboratively and comprehensively addresses issues will help the GPSA better advocate for the needs of our community; and

WHEREAS, the university administration and community stakeholders can use this document to better understand the needs of all graduate and professional students and to adopt the recommendations in collaboration with GPSA for a better campus community; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the GPSA adopts the attached Graduate and Professional Community Initiative as the five-year strategic plan for GPSA and the graduate and professional community; and

RESOLVED, that the GCI Ad Hoc Committee will write an Executive Summary and supplementary appendix to be included in the final document; and

RESOLVED, that the GCI Ad Hoc Committee will design a professional final product for printing and online distribution; and

RESOLVED, that this Resolution and the Graduate and Professional Community Initiative be sent to David Skorton, President; Robert Harrison, Chair of Board of Trustees; Kent Hubbell, Dean of Students; Susan H. Murphy, Vice President for Student and Academic Services; Kent Fuchs, Provost; Barbara Knuth, Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School; Jan Allen, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs; Janna Lamey, Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Life; Sheri Notaro, Associate Dean for Inclusion and Professional Development; Tilman Baumstark, Assistant Dean for Professional Development; Anne Poduska, Graduate and International Career Advisor; Kris Corda, Director of the Big Red Barn; Julie Paige, Assistant Dean of Students; Peggy Beach, Director of the Office of Assemblies; Stewart J. Schwab, the Allan R. Tessler Dean, Cornell Law School; Michael Kotlikoff, Austin O. Hooey Dean of Veterinary Medicine; Soumitra Dutta, Anne and Elmer Lindseth Dean of the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management; Joseph Burns, Dean of Faculty; Kathryn Boor, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Science; Kent Kleinman, Dean of the College of Architecture, Art and Planning; G. Peter Lepage, The Harold Tanner Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Lance Collins, Dean of the College of Engineering; Michael Johnson, Dean of the School of Hotel Administration; Alan Mathios, Dean of the College of Human Ecology; Harry Katz, Dean of the School of Industrial and Labor Relations; Brendan O’Brien, Director of ISSO; Janet Corson-Rikert, Executive Director of Gannett Health Services; Greg Eells, Associate Director of Gannett and Director of Counseling and Psychological Services; Marty Rauker, Assistance Vice President for Student and Academic Services; Robert Burhman, Senior Vice Provost for Research; Stephen Johnson, Vice President for Government and Community Relations; KyuJung Whang, Vice President for Facilities Services; A.T. Miller, Associate Vice Provost for Academic Diversity Initiatives; Joe Turcotte, General Manager of TCAT; Svante Myrick, Mayor of Ithaca; all DGS’s; and staff in each listed office.

Respectfully submitted,

Mitch Paine
GPSA President

Nicole Baran
GPSA Executive Vice President

Evan Cortens
Counsel to the GPSA

Matt Holden
GPSA Physical Sciences Voting Member

Yevgeniy Izrayelit
GPSA Student Advocacy Committee Chair

Monet Dumas
GPSA Johnson School of Graduate Management Voting Member

Darrick T.N. Evensen
Graduate Student-Elected Trustee

Maximillian Chen
Member, GCI Ad Hoc Committee, President of the Society for Asian American Graduate Affairs (SAAGA)

Chelsea Morris
GPSA Biological and Environmental Engineering Field Representative