Tensions run high at GPSF meeting

The Graduate and Professional Student Federation’s Senate meeting Tuesday night was not business as usual.

By Tuesday night, GPSF was about 500 signatures away from getting a resolution to separate from Student Congress on the ballot as a referendum in the spring election.

GPSF was supposed to collect just over 2,900 signatures — 10 percent of the student body — by 5 p.m. Tuesday, but it received a 24-hour extension until Wednesday at 5 p.m.

“I know we are all ready for this to be behind us, so we can move forward and we can keep working towards our goal,” GPSF President Dylan Russell said.

Taylor Livingston, vice president of internal affairs, expressed concerns about issues that she thought might come up at Tuesday’s Student Congress meeting, just after the GPSF meeting.

“What we think one of those (issues) is, is the separation document that (GPSF) endorsed last time at the emergency meeting,” Livingston said. “The second would be the co-optation plan, which was authored primarily by leadership in Student Congress.”

“Then the third item is basically a constitutional amendment that would dissolve GPSF entirely.”

Russell said GPSF was never made aware of the dissolution bill until 36 hours before the town hall meeting about separation or co-optation on Jan. 25, although GPSF had met with the executive branch of student government and Student Congress many times before.

He said this lack of communication with GPSF is an example of why GPSF wanted to break away initially.

“That is not good governance. That is governance done in the shadows. We are all better than that,” Russell said.

“I was beyond frustrated.”

In addition to the updates on the future of GPSF, the Senate approved the appointment of Anel Jaramillo as vice president of external affairs and Kyle Reeves as secretary — positions that have been empty since GPSF had several resignations at the end of the fall semester.

GPSF also voted to deny funding to the Minority Student Caucus in accordance with GPSF treasury policy.

“Whenever an event is canceled, the funds that we recommend have to be returned and that was not done. Since the funds were not returned, that group is on funding freeze until fall 2016,” said Seth Barrett, chairperson of the appropriations committee.

Autumn McClellan, treasurer of GPSF, said these consequences were communicated to the group, but GPSF received no response.

“In situations like this, it is really unfortunate that that group is not allowed to receive money through GPSF for a whole year because of the mistakes made by last year’s folks,” McClellan said.

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