Student Elections: 2023-2024 School Year

The CUNY SPH and the Graduate Student Government Association are seeking nominations for student representatives to serve on the Graduate Student Government Association (GSGA), the CUNY SPH Governance Council (GC) (7 GC representatives and 2 alternates) the SPH Committee for Equity and Inclusion (2 CEI representatives) and the CUNY SPH Faculty-Student Disciplinary Committee (2 FSDC representatives) for the 2023-2024 academic year.  Student representation on the GSGA, GC, CEI and FSDC is critical to ensuring student priorities and needs are being met.

Eligibility

All matriculated students in good standing are eligible to be nominated and elected to serve for 1-year terms, renewal up to 3 years.  Students can be nominated and elected to serve on more than one body (GSGA, GC, FSDC) or Committee. All nominees should plan to be enrolled in both the fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters.  Students planning to graduate in fall 2023 are not eligible to be nominated.

Election Timeline

Online nominations will be open through Wednesday, April 26th at 11:59 PM EST.

While students cannot nominate another student, they can strongly encourage their peers to nominate themselves!

Online voting will take place from Monday, May 1 through Friday, May 12 at 12:00 PM EST (Noon). All candidates will be permitted to campaign throughout the entire voting period in accordance with University Rules and are invited to attend a GSGA sponsored Candidates’ Forum to be held the week of April 17. The exact date and details will be determined once the candidates are identified and certified.

Nominations Sought

School & University-wide I. We are seeking student nominations for the SPH Graduate Student Government Association (GSGA) as follows:

• President (1)*
• Vice President (1)
• Treasurer (1)
• Masters Senator (up to 4)
• Doctoral Senator (up to 2)
• Certificate Senator (up to 1)

Meetings: The GSGA meets weekly and the Executive Council (President, Vice President, Treasurer and Communications Officer) also meets at other times with the Associate Dean of Student Affairs & Business Office, as needed.
*The GSGA President also serves as an ex-officio voting member of the Governance Council.
As per their Constitution, all GSGA representatives receive a modest stipend each semester for their dedicated service to the SPH student body with funds provided by the student activity fees.

University Senate Service: The elected GSGA student representatives will also elect from among themselves their representatives on the University Student Senate (USS) as follows and no later than August 10:

• CUNY University Student Senate (USS) Delegate (1)
• CUNY University Student Senate (USS) Alternate (1)

For additional information about the GSGA and the responsibilities of student representatives, please visit the GSGA webpage.
For more information about the University Senate and the responsibilities of delegates and alternates, please review the CUNY BOT By-Laws, Article XV. CUNY-SPH Governance Council Student Representatives II. We are also seeking student nominations for representatives to serve on the SPH Governance Council (GC) as follows:

• GC Departmental Student Representatives (students in each department nominate their Department representatives):
  • CHSS Departmental Rep (1)
  • EOGHS Departmental Rep (1)
  • EPI/BIO Departmental Rep (1)
  • HPAM Departmental Rep (1)
• GC Degree Program Student Representatives (students in each program nominate their Degree Program representatives):
  • MPH/MS Program Rep (1)
  • PhD Program Rep (1)
• GC Student Alternates (from any Department or Program) represent and vote on behalf of any GC student representatives who cannot attend):
  • GC Student Alternates (2)

*The GSGA President also serves as an ex-officio voting member of the Governance Council.

Meetings: Governance Council meets at least three times per semester. Alternates are required to attend all meetings of the Council, but they will only be counted toward the quorum and vote when seated.
 
GC Committee Service: The six (6) elected Governance Council student representatives will also nominate from among themselves and present to the Dean the four (4) student representatives to serve on the following GC Committees:

• GC Assessment Committee Rep (1)
• GC Curriculum Committee Rep (1)
• GC Budget Committee Rep (1)
• GC Steering and Elections Committee Rep (1)

If you are an incumbent for any of these positions, please indicate in your nomination statement.
For additional information about the CUNY SPH Governance Council (GC), its Committees and the responsibilities of student representatives, please review the SPH Governance Plan.
 
III. We are also seeking nominations for two (2) students from any Department or Program to serve on the GC Committee for Equity and Inclusion (CEI).

• Committee for Equity and Inclusion Student Representatives (2)

The two (2) student representatives to the CEI will be elected by the entire student body.
 
For more information about the Committee for Equity and Inclusion (CEI) and the responsibilities of student representatives, please visit here.
If you are an incumbent for either of these positions, please indicate in your nomination statement.

IV. We are also seeking two (2) student nominations for the Faculty and Student Disciplinary Committee (FSDC) that reviews cases of student conduct:

• Faculty Student Disciplinary Committee (FSDC) Student Representatives (2)

The two (2) student representatives to the FSDC will be elected by the entire student body.
The Faculty Student Disciplinary Committee consists of faculty, staff and students from the college community who are charged with determining whether a student accused of violating the Henderson Rules, school code of conduct, CUNY rule or policy is responsible for the alleged misconduct.

Responsibilities of FSDC Student Representatives:

• Attend mandated training provided by SPH and/or CUNY on the policies and procedures related to the student conduct process.
• Listen to testimony and review evidence during a conduct hearing.
• Collaborate with other FSDC members in making a decision based on the evidence provided.
• Determine with other FSDC members a disciplinary sanction, if deemed appropriate by the Committee.

More information about the FSDC and student conduct policies and procedures is available in the CUNY Board of Trustees’ (BOT) By-Laws, Article XV, Section 15.4.
If you are an incumbent for either of these Committee positions, please indicate in your nomination statement.

V. Responsibilities of all GC Committee Student Representatives:

• Committee members are expected to attend and actively participate in each committee meeting and carry out assigned tasks in a timely fashion.
• Committee members are expected to request the committee chair to add items to the meeting agenda, if they have any, in advance of each meeting.
• Committee members are responsible for reporting on tasks that they are assigned as per the meeting agenda.
• Committee members are expected to act in a respectful and tolerant manner towards others before/during/and after committee meetings.
• Committee members are expected to maintain confidentiality of any sensitive information as directed by the Chair(s).
• Committee members are expected to notify the Committee chair/co-chairs immediately if they need to vacate their position prior to the end of their elected term or the academic year.

GC and Committee Meetings frequency for the 2023-2024 academic year

• Graduate Student Government Association: Meets weekly and Executive Council meets as needed, including with Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Business Office
• Governance Council: Meets at least three (3) times per semester
• GC Assessment Committee: Meets at least two (2) times per semester
• GC Budget Committee: Meets at least two (2) times per semester
• GC Curriculum Committee: Meets at least two (2) times per semester
• GC Equity and Inclusion Committee: Meets at least (2) times per semester
• GC Steering and Elections Committee: Meets at least three (3) times per semester
• Faculty and Student Disciplinary Committee: Hearings scheduled as needed. Must attend mandatory trainings.

Student Election Review Committee (SERC)

All student election procedures and results are reviewed and certified by the Student Election Review Committee (SERC) of CUNY SPH. Current SERC members include the following:

• Kristi Ladowski (student)
• Lea Dias (staff)
• Sean Haley (faculty)
• Zachary Shahn (faculty)
• Emma Tsui (faculty)

Please direct any questions or concerns regarding the 2023-2024 Student Elections to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs & Alumni Relations Lynn Roberts (Lynn.Roberts@sph.cuny.edu) or to the Student Life Coordinator James Warren (James.Warren@sph.cuny.edu).