The Graduate Student Center Advisory Board

What is the Graduate Student Center Advisory Board?
The Graduate Student Center staff and student fellows rely on an Advisory Board made up of graduate and professional students from across the University to help shape the Center's programming and policies.

Graduate Student Center Advisory Board members come together during informal meetings to advise Grad Center staff and student fellows on a variety of policy issues such as use of the building, facility improvements, new services, etc. In addition, Board members recommend programs to organize, evaluate programs that have occurred, and suggest effective ways to promote our programs.

Read more about:
Board Structure
Board Role and Duties
Board Meetings
How to volunteer for the Advisory Board
Graduate Student Center's Mission and Vision Statements

Advisory Board guidelines -- including its structure, role and duties, meetings, and appointment process -- can be reviewed and amended by the Board. Current guidelines are described below.

Board Structure:

• The Graduate Student Center Advisory Board (the Board) should have an optimum number of 24 members with a maximum of 30 members.
• The Board is selected with the goals of representation from all 12 schools and of diversity.
• Several student leadership groups have seats on the Board, including GAPSA (2 seats). GAPSA reps assist with setting the agenda for each meeting.
• Board members have the option to step down at the end of each semester.
• The current and immediate past Chairs of GAPSA are ex-officio members of the Advisory Board and do not have voting privileges.
• Grad Center staff and student fellows attend meetings to receive feedback, but are not members of the Board and do not have voting privileges.

Board Members' Role:

• To respond to issues brought to the Board by Grad Center staff and student leadership.
• To identify unmet needs, raise concerns, and suggest programming for graduate and professional students to the Grad Center.
• To facilitate two-way communication between the Graduate Student Center and the school and other groups to which the member belongs.
• To contribute to an overall goal of optimizing the Graduate Student Center for all graduate and professional students .

Board Duties:

• Board members must attend a majority of the board meetings, and cannot miss more than two meetings in a row unexcused.
• Board members should facilitate two-way communication between their communities (school, student group, etc) and the Graduate Student Center. They also represent the Grad Center to their communities by promoting the Center and its activities.
• At meetings and during other opportunities, Board members advise Grad Center staff and student fellows on policy issues and program recommendations
• Board members should participate in and provide feedback on several Grad Center activities per year, as well as use the Grad Center on a periodic basis. It is recommended that Board members attend at least two activities each semester.
  • Board members can review and register to attend upcoming priority activities here.
  • Board members can provide feedback on recent activities here or simply send an email to gsc@pobox.upenn.edu with your comments.
• All Board members are encouraged to submit suggested agenda items or topics for discussion in advance of meetings to Grad Center staff and/or Board member student liaisons.
  • Staff Contacts: Assistant Director DeAnna Cheung and/or Director Anita Mastroieni
  • Board Member Contacts: Jessica Kim or Wenny Lin (GAPSA liaisons).
    

Board Meetings:

• Meetings are held at least twice a semester at the Graduate Student Center on rotating week days.
• Meeting agendas are set in advance by Grad Center staff and the GAPSA liaisons to the Board.
• Meeting agendas are developed with the invited input of all Board members as described above.
  

How to volunteer for the Advisory Board:

• Only current graduate students, professional students, and post-docs at the University of Pennsylvania may volunteer to serve on the Board.
• Recruitment of new board members is ongoing. To volunteer for the Graduate Student Center Advisory Board, students can send an email to gsc@pobox.upenn.edu including their name, school/program, expected date of graduation, and a few sentences about why they want to serve on the Board.
• Names of volunteers for the Advisory Board are forwarded to GAPSA's Vice Chair for Pluralism. Board members are appointed by GAPSA from among the volunteers at the beginning of each semester. Preference is given to students who do not serve in other GAPSA roles.