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The Rice Thresher
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by Susan Abramski Thresher staff
Miles Scotcher, a second-year biochemistry graduate student, was elected by the GSA department representatives as GSA president. Scotcher, Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Management student Aaron Brabson and applied physics graduate student Michael Casavant were nominated for president during the meeting and gave short speeches presenting their platforms. Scotcher, an international student from England, said he could relate to the one-third of the graduate student body composed of international students. "I know a lot of undergraduates, and I know graduates don't like to admit it, but this university is built on undergraduates," Scotcher said. "I think to be successful as president, you need to know that, and recognize that, and be able to work with it." Scotcher said that because he plays club rugby and helps coach the women's club rugby team, he understands how to integrate graduate students with undergraduates. "I am in touch with a lot of the undergraduates, and I think it does well if you try to integrate the graduates as well," Scotcher said. "A great joy for me would be to make available to graduate students opportunities to play sports here, to join societies, to join clubs, to get involved with people." Brabson said in his speech that he would like to see better career services available to all graduate students and advocated stronger spousal support programs and day-care options for graduate students. Casavant said he would like to address inequities in graduate student treatment and pay within departments. Casavant also highlighted the need to create a stronger graduate student identity on campus. "I would really like to define and enfranchise us as a group," he said. All three presidential candidates mentioned a need for a better social space for graduate students than Valhalla in its current condition. GSA members in attendance asked the presidential candidates how much time they had to commit to their office and their opinions on having a new graduate student master, comparable to the undergraduate college masters. The GSA also voiced concern about the relationship the president should build with the university's administration. All GSA offices require a simple majority vote, which Scotcher received in the first election. Scotcher said that the first thing he wants to do as president is to familiarize himself as much as possible with current GSA projects and to maintain the priorities that outgoing President Elle Marie Schollnberger has brought to it. "I want to do stuff from a highly informed standpoint," Scotcher said. "I want to know every argument and every angle on a subject before I make decisions." Trisha Buchanan, a philosophy graduate student, Lars Ericson, an applied physics graduate student, and Jeremy Blum, a bioengineering graduate student, were the candidates for internal vice president. In a run-off, Buchanan received the majority vote for the office. Buchanan said her goals for the GSA include improving graduate student teaching, particularly in the humanities. Jim Yager, a biochemistry and cell biology graduate student, was unopposed for the office of external vice president. Brabson was unopposed as treasurer, and Mikala Beig, a geology and geophysics graduate student, was unopposed as secretary. The newly elected officers will begin their terms March 1. The GSA also named David Connolly from history, David Ting from chemical engineering, Jeremy Blum from bioengineering and Patrick Lennon from chemical engineering as representatives to the University Court. Elaine Thompson from history, Sally Anne Schmidt from chemical engineering, Ricardo Vargas from electrical and computer engineering, and Andrew Lee were chosen as Honor Council representatives. Twenty-two department representatives were in attendance and eligible to vote, but all other GSA members present were invited to ask candidates questions and discuss their opinions.
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