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Syracuse University’s Graduate Student Organization worked with the Office of the Provost to ensure graduate fellows are paid on time, GSO officials said at a virtual meeting Wednesday. 

The GSO Senate brought graduate students’ concerns about paychecks arriving later than expected to the provost after some said the delays interfered with their ability to pay for rent and other expenses, GSO President Mirjavad Hashemi said. 

“The fellows were running into trouble paying their bills, such as rent,” Hashemi said during the meeting. “They expected to be paid on the first of the month but were not getting paid until the fourth or the fifth.” 

The Senate also addressed concerns about technological issues that teaching assistants and other graduate workers have experienced this semester. The Senate worked with Information Technology Services to fix some technical problems TAs have encountered within the Graduate School and scheduled a meeting with ITS for Friday, Hashemi said.

GSO will also team up with the Black Graduate Student Association and the National Organization of Minority Architects Students to host a voter registration drive, said Jessica Montgomery, external vice president. The drive will take place on the Quad on Sept. 21 and 23, Montgomery said. 

The Senate also approved GSO’s annual mixer for graduate students. Normally a social event where students can enjoy free food and drinks and get to know GSO senators, the mixer is now for senators only and is taking place at The York on Sept. 25. The changes were implemented to comply with social distancing guidelines.

The GSO Senate also elected two new secretaries at Wednesday’s meeting. Cassaundra Victoria Caudillo was named financial secretary and Cornelia Stokes was elected recording secretary. 

“I’m excited to join the GSO in this capacity and to get to work with everyone,” Caudillo said. 

Published on September 17, 2020 at 12:04 am

Contact Dominick: dpfister@syr.edu