Academics, Time Prevent Graduate Congress Participation

Although this type of situation concerns some in student government, many graduate student leaders say it is difficult for their peers to become fully involved in Congress.

Speaker Tony Larson said that because of scheduling conflicts, intense course loads and other obligations in graduate and professional programs, few graduate students are willing to commit the time needed for Congress.

"The meetings are so long and on a regular basis," Larson said. "Because of this, graduate students find it hard to stay involved."

Branson Page, Graduate and Professional Student Federation president, said that although he is concerned with the lack of graduate student involvement, he does not attribute it to apathy.

Page said Congress is a big commitment, with meetings every other week that sometimes go on for hours. "That's a big demand to ask of graduate students."

"One of my priorities for GPSF is to make sure that there's good involvement at every level of student government," Page said. But he said that graduate students are focused on getting their degrees, which is very demanding.

Page also said he thinks Congress should promote itself to graduate students, especially because graduate students make up about 33 percent of the student body.

"Student Congress is the legislative body of student government -- the official voice of the student body," Page said.

John Surface, a graduate student in Russian and Eastern European studies, will be on today's ballot for the special elections.

"I'm surprised by how difficult it is for Student Congress to fill these positions," Surface said. "A lot of (graduate students) avoid excess commitment because they realize they will be very busy."

Surface cited family and private life, as well as living off campus as reasons graduate students are less likely to be involved in Congress. He said living off campus sometimes detaches students from the events of campus life.

Graduate student Dan Herman, GPSF vice president for internal affairs, is already involved with Student Congress. "There's a greater amount of external time commitment that graduate students have," Herman said. "Graduate work is more time-consuming than undergraduate work and is not as flexible."

Herman said that most graduate students try to be involved in career-oriented activities but that his research allows for greater flexibility than others.

Although Herman, like Surface, said graduate students have more responsibilities than undergraduate students, he said they still care about the issues.

"I think, as a whole, graduate students still recognize the need for (Student Congress)," Herman said. "It's just a question of fitting it into their schedules."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.