2025-2026 SEC Officer and Representative Positions

Do you want to make a difference? Do you want to be a leader? As the Graduate Student Senate (GSS), we prioritize and value your dedication to the collective well-being of the entire graduate student community. We recognize your diverse interests and affiliations and know that your presence strengthens GSS. We are excited that you are interested in joining GSS and would love to have you as an officer of the SEC.

Elected Positions

• President
• Vice President
• Academic Affairs Representative
• Student Engagement and Success Represntative
• Treasurer
• Secretary
• Representative-at-Large
• Professional and Outreach Development Officer
• International Graduate Student Representative
• Environmental Affairs Representative
• Online Graduate Student Representative

Graduate Student Senate understands that you are a student. First and foremost, we operate as a collaborative community. Please know that we are seriously dedicated to working with you within your capacity and that all estimations of time are flexible.

Member Expectations

All SEC members are expected

• to attend (or send proxies to) all SEC and GA meetings (Fridays 3-5PM)
• to report on their activities
• to faithfully fulfill their duties through the entirety of their term
• to act with the highest level of responsibility, respect, and care
• to communicate with their respective incoming officers and ensure proper orientation and transitions of the new members
• to attend the SEC transition meeting (Generally a Friday in April 3-5PM)
• to assist in fulfilling the operational and representational needs of the GSS.

Officers elected to an SEC position are not permitted to serve as senators for the duration of the term to which they were elected. Additionally, in order to serve as an SEC officer, you must maintain good standing with the university.

President

The president is the leader of the GSS and is responsible for its governance and organization; all its service, engagement, and representational activities; each of its members; and its values, vision, and mission. This position requires the activation of leadership, administration, and management.

Anyone holding this position must serve and value both the interests of the graduate student body and the GSS. The GSS president must foster and maintain individual and organizational advocacy, stewardship, trust, effectiveness, and efficiency. Further, applicants should feel confident in their ability to serve through the full duration of their term.

The president serves as the chair of the SEC; holds primary discretionary authority over matters involving the SEC and GSS as an organization; serves on or represents GSS and/or graduate students on approximately 8 external groups, manages directly and indirectly roughly 5 internal committees, coordinates representation for approximately 20 other external groups, and meets with university leaders.

Applicants should expect an average engagement of around 2-6 hours per week during the initial summer semester and 12-20 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters. Further applicants should expect a term of president elect lasting roughly 6 weeks, president lasting roughly 12 months, and a term of immediate past president if possible.

Vice President

The vice president is both an executive leader of GSS and the first support for the president with essentially equivalent responsibilities and levels of engagement. In the event the president is unable to continue, the vice president automatically ascends to the position of acting president with all the responsibilities and authorities of the president. The vice president serves as the chair of the GA and holds primary discretionary authority over matters involving the GA and senators. The vice president also directly and indirectly manages the internal GSS committees.

Applicants should expect an average engagement of around 2-6 hours per week during the initial summer semester and 12-20 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters, and a transition lasting roughly 6 weeks leading into a term lasting roughly 12 months.

Treasurer

The treasurer serves primarily the operational needs of GSS and is responsible for the budgeting, funding, and allocation concerns.  The treasurer would be a chair of the Finance and Allocations Committee and serve on about 1-3 other internal committees. The treasurer represents the GSS 1-3 external groups including the Student Organization Allocation Board (SOAB). The treasurer is responsible for GSS awards including allocation, award and decline letters, compiling all information and applications, and handling award applications. Experience with committee work, budgeting, computer software are helpful.

Applicants should expect about 15-30 hours of engagement during the initial summer semester and about 4-8 hours per week during the fall and spring, but engagement varies significantly with an increase in workload some weeks and a decrease in others. The term for treasurer is the full 12 months.

Secretary

The secretary serves primarily the operational needs of GSS and is responsible for creating, managing, and distributing agendas and minutes; handling, managing, and preserving internal records including officer reports; recording attendance for meetings; and assisting with communications. Experience taking and synthesizing detailed and impartial notes, an understanding of Robert's Rules of Order, taking minutes, and facility with compiling reports is helpful. The secretary will serve both the GA and SEC.

Applicants should expect an average engagement of around 3-7 hours per week during the fall and spring semester.

Academic Affairs Representative

The student experience and academic affairs representative serves as a leader, representative, and advocate for graduate student issues dealing with student experience, academic and non-academic, university administration, curriculum, faculty, teaching and learning, or research. The academic affairs representative serves on around 2-3 internal committees, 5-7 external groups (including Faculty Senate and Graduate Council), and meets with faculty, faculty-administrators, and administrators across campus.

Applicants should expect an average engagement of around 5-10 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters with a small number of engagements starting after election.

Student Engagement and Success Representative

The student affairs representative serves as a leader, representative, and advocate for graduate students primarily dealing with student experience, needs, or other non-academic issues. The student affairs representative serves on around 1-3 internal committees, 4-6 external groups, and meets with a significant number of university personnel across campus.

Applicants should expect an average engagement of around 4-9 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters with a small number of engagements starting after election.

Representative-at-Large

The representative-at-large is the primary liaison between SEC and the GA and is a central leader within GSS. Additionally, the representative-at-large serves as vice chair of GA with voting rights. This position has a flexibility of duties and supports both senators and SEC officers. The representative-at-large balances both representational and operational needs. Representation on internal committees and external groups is likely.

Applicants should expect an average engagement of around 5-10 hours per week during the fall and spring semester.

Professional and Outreach Development Officer

The professional and outreach development officer serves primarily as an operational officer and is responsible for external communications; the planning and implementation of advertising, promotion, publicity, and public relations; and the planning, programing, and coordinating of Professional Development Day; and assisting with the planning, programing, and coordinating of the Charles E. Shanklin Colloquium and GSS Awards. Strong communication and leadership skills are helpful.

Applicants should expect an average engagement of around 3-6 hours per month during the summer, and 5-10 hours per week during the fall and spring semester.

Skills: communication, events programming, planning, creativity, detail oriented, coordinating.

International Graduate Student Representative

The international graduate student affairs representative serves as a leader, representative, and advocate for international graduate students. This would include meeting with both students and university leaders (especially International Programs & Partnerships). Representation on between 3-6 external groups.

Applicants should expect a minimum engagement of around 2-6 hours per week during the fall and spring semester and additional 10 hours engagement for the international student orientations events that precede those semesters.

Environmental Affairs Representative

The environmental affairs representative serves as leader, representative, and advocate for sustainability and environmental concerns. This would include advocacy and representation on the Student Green Initiatives Fund and other suitable external groups committees. This representative would also be expected propose at least one initiative.

Applicants should expect a minimum engagement of around 2-6 hours per week during the fall and spring semester.

Online Graduate Student Representative

The online graduate student affairs representative serves as a leader, representative, and advocate for students in online or hybrid programs. Additionally, this position deals with information and technology concerns. Representation on external groups is likely.

Applicants should expect a minimum engagement of around 2-5 hours per week during the fall and spring semester.

Appointed Positions

Appointed positions are generally selected during the fall semester and are created at the discretion of the GSS president and vice president. Please share the availability of appointed positions with your graduate student colleagues. If you have any questions or wish for any appointed positions to be considered, reach out to your senator. Here is a list of common appointed positions:

• First-Year PhD Student Officer (filled during 2023-2024)
• First-Year Master's Student Officer (filled during 2023-2024)
• Part-Time Student Officer
• Executive Program Student Officer
• Student-Parent Officer (filled during 2023-2024)
• Alumni Relations Officer
• Data and Research Officer (filled during 2023-2024)