The Student Government Association Senate passed a resolution supporting GW graduate student workers’ unionization efforts at a full senate meeting Monday night.
SGA Sen. Mehrshad Fahim Devin (SMHS-G), who sponsored the Graduate Worker Unionization Support Act, said the resolution demonstrates the SGA’s “solidarity” with GWU Graduate Student Workers United, a group of graduate workers who in October launched efforts to form a union after noticing issues with low and delayed pay. He said graduate students are the “backbone” of the University and act as teachers, researchers and students while operating on tight schedules and budgets.
“By supporting this resolution, we’re recognizing the values of their work and also promoting a more equitable, inclusive University environment,” Fahim Devin said.
Students from GWU2 held an event to publicly launch their effort to form a union in early October. Cameron Murdock, the media liaison for GWU2, said at the October even that the group has helped hundreds of graduate students sign union authorization cards to begin union representation with student’s employers, but has yet to hold an election.
The SGA Senate also voted to confirm three new senators to fill the body’s remaining three vacancies, finalizing the full SGA Senate for the 2024-2025 term.
SGA Senators voted to confirm Chenai Muswerakuenda to the vacant GW School of Business Graduate Senator seat. Muswerakuenda said she will share frequent updates on SGA projects with students and host panels for students to raise concerns about their campus experiences. She said she wants to hold meetings with the GW Center for Career Services to discuss expanding the amount of jobs available for international students on campus.
“I wish to help construct results oriented initiatives to answer questions like, ‘How best can the SGA outreach be done to reach each and every student within the community,’” Muswerakuenda said.
The SGA Senate also voted to confirm Jayda Carlton, a first-year graduate student studying public health, to fill the vacant Milken graduate senator seat. Carlton said her peers in the Milken school raised class scheduling concerns to her, citing problems with classes being scheduled when many graduate students have to work. As a senator, Carlton said she would also use her past leadership and service experience to advocate for the needs of Milken students by growing the amount of networking events the University offers.
“I understand the unique challenges of navigating a new environment as a graduate student, and I see the senator position as a valuable opportunity to both learn and serve,” Carlton said.
The SGA Senate also voted to confirm Olga Paduraru, a first-year GW Law student, for the final graduate-at-large senator seat.
Amy Cohen, the Executive Director of the Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service, said the center recently launched a series of microgrants which will provide up to $500 in funding to support GW students in community service initiatives in the D.C. area. She said the center received $10,000 for the fund from the Allstate foundation, and the center’s website will accept rolling applications.
“We’re going to be giving out anywhere from $100 to $500 for students to do these kinds of projects, but it’s got to make an impact off campus,” Cohen said.
Cohen also presented volunteer opportunities to the senate like GW Votes, a program that encourages campus civic engagement through get-out-the-vote initiatives, and Alternative Breaks, service-learning travel volunteer opportunities for GW students typically during the University’s fall, winter, and spring breaks.
