GSA election results
For the fourth consecutive year, Rocci Luppicini has been elected president of the Graduate Student Association.
When he was elected the first time in 1999, the GSA had a debt of $80,000 that was increasing by $10,000 a year. “If this were a company, we’d have been bankrupt,” he recalled.
Similarly, when he took over as president, only two faculties were members in good standing. Now all four are back in the fold, and the GSA “is whole again.”
Luppicini founded a magazine, The Graduate, and a resource centre where students can develop and improve their academic writing. He also secured funds to re-equip the computer lab.
Other members elected to the GSA executive are Amr Talaat Abdel-Hamid (VP Services), Houman Kousha (VP Finance), Kamal Fox (VP External), Heather Fassell (VP Advocacy) and Carolyn Shaffer (Arts and Science).
A substantial majority voted to continue health and dental benefits, with a potential increase or decrease in premiums of up to 15 per cent a year.
A majority voted in favour of paying fees to the Canadian Federation of Students. However, resolutions to join the Conseil Nationale des cycles supérieurs (CNCS) and the Canadian Federation of Students, Quebec branch (CFSQ) were defeated.
This year’s elections, conducted by mail, drew 411 voters out of 5,585 eligible graduate students.
Front page and table of contents