GPSA recruits committee members

The Graduate and Professional Students Association is recruiting members for standing and executive ad-hoc committees.

Members of the standing committees manage the operations of GPSA grants, elections, finance and lobbying efforts. Those on ad-hoc committees serve to accomplish specific tasks as needed, and ad-hoc committees dissolve at the end of the president's or chair's term, according to the GPSA Web site.

GPSA President Lissa Knudsen said graduate and professional students would benefit from joining one of the committees.

"Because we represent 6,000 graduate students, we have a really powerful voice," Knudsen said. "So, it's a great opportunity for students to get involved and advocate for issues they care about and see real results for their efforts."

According to the GPSA Web site, representatives from GPSA sit on more than two dozen University Boards and Committees. Knudsen said these committees also have a large impact on the Albuquerque community as a whole.

"GPSA is uniquely positioned to advocate to administration here on campus, but also to the larger

community like the local city council, or the county commission, or the state legislature or the governor," she said.

Former GPSA member Richard Wooton said serving on committees provides its members with a greater understanding of political processes within the University and otherwise.

"It looks good on a resume and it also gives you good experience in politics," he said. "It gives you a good idea of how things work in a political infrastructure."

Wooton said serving on a GPSA committee could also provide real-world political experience.

"I know one of the committees is a lobby committee," he said. "If someday you want to become a politician and get things going for a company that you work for, then the lobby committee teaches you how to lobby at the local level."

Knudsen said GPSA is looking forward to including more students from as many departments as possible.

"We really want to encourage people who've thought about it, but for whatever reason have hesitated in the past to come out," she said. "We're looking forward to meeting new people and helping graduate and professional students get involved."

FACT BOX:

There are 13 different Standing and Ad-Hoc Committees a student can join:

Finance Committee

Projects Committee

Grants Committee

Research Committee

Elections Committee

Lobby Committee

Programs and Service Committee

Ad-Hoc Assistantships and Benefits

Ad-Hoc Computer Allocations Committee

Ad-Hoc Equity and Inclusion Committee

Ad-Hoc International Graduate Student Caucus

Ad-Hoc Women Graduate Student Caucus

Court of Review Associate Justices

GPSA office hours are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Information about each committee can also be found on the GPSA Web site. If interested, visit the office or e-mail unmgpsa@gmail.com.