Beth Arnold, Melissa Mosko, Timothy Brunk, Christopher Miller and Nathan Johnson
We are writing to second the strong points made in the staff editorial "Abbotsford Needs Replacement" on Feb 1. Recent decisions by the university seem to reveal a lack of consideration for the distinct and unique needs of graduate students. The most recent of these was the unilateral decision to close Abbottsford, the only remaining graduate student housing on campus.
We understand the immediate need for undergraduate housing and recognize that the university had to take action. However, it was disappointing that this decision was made without any consultation with the affected students or the graduate student population at large. We also appreciate the forums held in the wake of this decision, but we're again disappointed in the timing of these forums during finals week, as this made graduate participation difficult. When other difficult decisions arise in the future, we encourage the university to engage in serious dialogue with possibly affected students and the graduate population at large.
The Marquette Graduate School has been supportive of the official Graduate Student Organization (GSO), whose purpose is to represent graduate student interests and foster a sense of intellectual community across the graduate population.
The GSO was constituted to improve the quality of life for graduate students, to help the university improve retention and degree completion rates as well as to assist Marquette in fulfilling its Jesuit ideals.
The university received these initiatives well. Yet the unilateral decision regarding the Abbotsford, other recent decisions made without graduate student input and the continuing lack of concern for graduate student health insurance leave us concerned that some levels of Marquette leadership and the Board of Trustees do not bear out this commitment to improving the quality of graduate life at Marquette.
GSO representatives met recently with university officials concerning graduate housing and the quality of communication between the university and its graduate students. These meetings were quite positive and we encourage the university to continue to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with the GSO. We offer our services, support and input to the university in addressing the housing needs of graduate students, in ensuring graduate student representation on university committees and in serving as the administration's liaison to graduate students regarding policies and decisions. We ask that all graduate students interested in participating in the GSO to contact us as a means of making all our voices heard as a graduate community. We can be contacted at: [email protected].
Beth Arnold, Melissa Mosko, Timothy Brunk, Christopher Miller and Nathan Johnson are graduate students.
This viewpoint appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Mar. 17 2005.