Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

Syracuse University’s Graduate Student Organization kicked off their semester with their first town hall meeting on Wednesday.

President Yousr Dhaouadi, along with the GSO executive board, discussed plans to lower student health care costs so that students have an affordable option when it comes to dental and vision plans.

The meeting had a turnout of about 30 graduate students, and the GSO e-board invited attendees to get involved and voice their concerns through the senate.

For now, GSO will have in-person meetings due to difficulties with voting online, said Internal Vice President Daniel Kimmel, but the GSO Senate is open to hybrid meeting options.

External Vice President Brittnee Johnson said she is looking forward to increasing the social aspect of the organization. During the pandemic, there weren’t as many events as GSO would have liked, Johnson said. This year, the organization is looking forward to hosting events such as the weekly trivia night, a senator mixer and GSO Night Under The Stars, she said.

The GSO is also looking for students to staff a few paid positions such as a weekly Trivia Night host as well as employees at the Inn Complete, where many of the GSO’s events will be hosted, Dhaouadi said. 

Additionally, Comptroller Joy Burton spoke about the GSO’s travel grant program and encouraged students to take advantage of it. The travel grant program provides funds to graduate students to defray the costs of attending academic professional conferences, Burton said. The grants are normally capped at around $500 and awarded based on merit, she said.

Senate and secretary elections for the GSO Senate will be held next Wednesday, Sept. 15 in Maxwell Auditorium at 5:30 p.m. All graduate students are welcome to show up and make a case for themselves to the executive board as to why they want and deserve to be secretary or a member of the senate, Dhaouadi said.

Dhouadi also encouraged students to come to meetings to meet people even if they don’t intend on being in the senate.

Published on September 9, 2021 at 12:34 am

Contact Ambre:
awinfrey@syr.edu