The Graduate Student Senate operates and achieves much of its work and service through committees. Each Senator and Commissioner is required by the GSS Rules & Procedures) R&P to be an active member of at least two committees, and each Department Representative is required by the GSS R&P to be an active member of at least one committee. Each committee is led by a chairperson - sometimes more than one, depending on the size and reach of the committee. New committees form each year to accommodate graduate student needs.
Budget Committee
- Processes and approves budget requests that are made of GSS.
- The budget meeting discusses sponsoring other events currently occurring or planning to occur on campus to fund. The committee should seek these events based on their applicability to graduate students and the visibility provided to GSS.
- The Budget committee is responsible for the logistic implementation of the OWG and Travel grants every semester. Budget committee members do not need to serve as reviewers but should act as organizers of the grant review and act at the discretion of the Treasurer. The budget committee will work with the Treasurer, OWG reviewers, and the Graduate College to improve and clarify the guidelines of the OWG.
- The budget committee will constantly be searching for other funding sources that GSS and graduate students can benefit from. The budget committee is responsible for writing at least one End of Year Issue Summary regarding their actions and accomplishments as a committee (Chapter 15.09).
Governance Committee
- The committee shall be the official interpreters of the R&P and Constitution of GSS.
- The governance committee will assist in the writing and technicalities of all resolutions presented by body members to the Governance committee. This is meant to act as a review of potential resolutions.
- The governance committee will ensure that progress is being made on the implementation of Resolved points in the passed resolution. Explanations of changes will be sought from resolution sponsors if the implementation of the resolutions changes or progress is not made.
- The committee will constantly be seeking avenues by which to advance the legislative agenda of the GSS body in the interest of graduate students.
It is also responsible for writing at least one End of Year Issue Summary regarding its actions and accomplishments as a committee
GPSAW Committee
- Organize programming for the Graduate & Professional Student Appreciate Week
GSS Internal Awards Committee
- The committee shall have a Chair and a minimum of four additional members. All committee members must be current GSS members and not graduating that same spring semester.
- The committee makes recommendations for the Executive Emeritus, Senator Emeritus and Graduating Senator awards. The committee also determines the number of awards provided and the recipients of those awards.
- The committee shall issue applications for the awards no later than the tenth week of the spring semester. A minimum of two weeks from the date of availability or longer will be granted for application submission as deemed appropriate by the GSS Emeritus & Awards Committee. With the approval of the Executive Council, the committee will determine the date and manner of awarding the Executive Emeritus, Senator Emeritus, and Graduating Senator awards.
- Create the resolution for the awards in the next general body meeting.
Health Insurance Committee
- Work with the president to further GSS’s efforts to subsidize and lower the burden of the cost of student health insurance for graduate students.
Social Event Committee
- Create social events for graduate students. This can include activities such as entertainment, networking, seminars, and workshops. These events are intended to strengthen the graduate student community and provide professional development opportunities.