Graduate Student Organization

by Alessandra Waguespack

If you’re a graduate student, you’re an automatic member of the Graduate Student Organization (GSO). The GSO supports all graduate students, regardless of their department, through funding and advocacy. Travel, research, and thesis and dissertation costs are all possible funding opportunities for which graduate students may apply. Total funding amounts vary, depending on what the student is applying for and GSO’s remaining funds. It is imperative that students who wish to apply for funding apply as early as possible. Each department has their own GSO representative. This representative is your go-to for assistance in applying for funding. The GSO encourages students to apply for any representative vacancies, as departments lacking a representative cannot receive funding. While funding is a large part of what GSO provides, an extremely important aspect of the GSO is their advocacy. The GSO president has a seat on the University Graduate Council and the Graduate Appeals Committee, ensuring that the student perspective is upheld in both councils. When faced with payroll issues last semester, the GSO took a stand and created a task force to ensure that graduate students received compensation. If you’re interested in learning more about the Graduate Student Organization, you can check out their webpage and Facebook, attend GSO meetings, or check out their event Shut Up and Write.