In a meeting on Wednesday evening, the Graduate Student Council (GSC) elected officers for the new session, voted in a candidate for the Graduate School of Business’s seat and discussed a possible campus climate survey redo.

A candidate to fill a vacant GSC seat for the Graduate School of Business, was approved for the position unanimously. This appointment finally took the GSC up to its full 15 members. The full name of the newly appointed GSC member was not immediately available.

Cardinal Squares, a square-dancing group, requested and received funding for the caller for a dance. A caller is a person who provides guidance on how to dance during square dancing. The Stanford Materials Research Society requested and received funding for two events. The Intervarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship also requested and received funding for an event. GradQ received funding for two events as well. The Taiwanese Student Association requested and received funding for a farewell party. Representatives of Fire on Fire, a spring barbecue of different national associations contributing different kinds of food, requested and received funding. The different national associations will provide different kinds of food, like the German Students Association providing beer. The GSC also approved a bill to fund a Rains Block Party.

The GSC discussed financial support for the United Nations Association Film Festival, but did not vote this week on funding for the group.

The GSC discussed the event planning for the upcoming Grad Formal. As part of the discussion, the GSC received an update on the status of the alcohol license for the event and discussed whether the possibility of free masks for event attendees would be a helpful selling point for the event.

May is Diversity Month, according to the GSC, and over a dozen events are lined up to occur. The Diversity Advocacy Committee, part of the GSC, is playing a major part in the month.

The GSC also discussed their reaction to an allegedly “nasty” email received by the GSC relating to the issue of the Campus Climate Survey. The Faculty Senate will vote Thursday afternoon on the question of re-conducting the Campus Climate Survey next year and separately on changing the survey method. Members of the GSC pushed back against the perception that the GSC was not representative of the graduate student body. Several members of the GSC also delivered a rousing defense of the GSC’s action on the issue of sexual assault, in particular calling attention to the recent resolution the GSC passed on the issue of sexual assault.

The GSC also elected Terence Theisen and Pau Guinart ’18 as Co-Chairs of the GSC and held a discussion about improving the relationship between the GSC and the Undergraduate Senate.

Contact Caleb Smith at caleb17 ‘at’ stanford.edu.