New Graduate Student Advisory Board Moves Forward on Initiatives

To form a more cohesive graduate community and give graduate students a voice in decisions that affect them, the Graduate College formed the Graduate Student Advisory Board (GSAB)

The purpose of the GSAB is to help better understand what graduate students need from UNI. GSAB members work with graduate students from across campus and make recommendations on policies and contribute ideas on how to build a graduate student community.

In only one semester, the GSAB was created and is working on many new initiatives.

-- The Graduate Student Social Network was formed and is starting to plan social events for graduate students campus-wide (see related article on front page).

-- A Graduate Student Ambassador program is being created to welcome new and prospective graduate students to UNI. In addition, a graduate student orientation booklet is being created.

-- Class availability and selection concerns are being discussed and a task force has been developed to propose solutions to these concerns.

-- An educational event on networking skills was co-sponsored with Career Services.

-- A Graduation Party for December graduates was held at Cottonwood Canyon in Cedar Falls.

-- To help recognize other graduate students on campus and at university events, a long sleeve t-shirt was designed and is available at University Book & Supply.

Watch The Graffito and your e-mails for more news from the GSAB. If you have any comments or concerns for the GSAB, talk to a GSAB member in your department or e-mail kkuker@uni.edu.

Graduate Student Advisory Board Members

• Kelsey Baker, School Psychology
• Christine Bennett, Psychology - Social
• Jenny Rokes Connolly, Postsecondary Education - Student Affairs
• Christine Dale, English
• Katie Erickson, Postsecondary Education - Student Affairs
• Christian Espinosa, Sociology
• Olga Fomina, Sociology
• Catherine Fruehling-Wall, Sociology
• William Griffin, Physics - PSM Applied
• Oksana Grybovych, Leisure, Youth, and Human Services
• Kelsey Harr, Communication Studies
• Germaine Jackson, Leisure, Youth, and Human Services
• DeShauna Jones, Community Health Education
• Kim Jorgensen, Psychology - Clinical
• Bola King, English
• Andrew Krumm, Performance and Training Technology
• Katie Kuker, Psychology - Industrial/Organizational
• Lindsay Marx, Speech Pathology
• Aaron McNally, English
• Elena Nefedova, Business Administration
• Morgen Edwards Nichols, Speech Pathology
• Kate Niman, Women's and Gender Studies
• Holly Overturf, English
• Kara Park, Postsecondary Education - Student Affairs
• Patrick Parker, History
• Jonell Pedeschleaux, Leisure, Youth, and Human Services
• Kim Poppe, Speech Pathology
• Jean Carlos Quinones, Communication Studies
• Rachel Ruff, Spanish
• Janet Sauer, Special Education
• Emily Schlitz, Athletic Training
• Keshab Simkhada, Environmental Science
• Dallas Vit, Business Administration
• Sharra Wagner, Music - Clarinet