Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I become actively involved with the Graduate Student Association?

As a Penn State grad student, we know that you probably excel in academia and research. GSA can give you the opportunity to grow outside of that.

Many of the tasks involved in GSA can help you later in life. What is going to separate you from the next masters or doctorate candidate when you are looking for your next job? It’s the planning, teamwork, organizational skills, time management training, motivation, and ambition, that you learn in GSA.

How do I become a delegate?

All delegates are required to serve on one GSA committee. Students interested in being a delegate to the GSA Assembly should check with GSA. If no delegate has been chosen by September 1, students may elect themselves as a representative from their college the Assembly. Official delegates to the Assembly must complete an official delegate information form, available at the GSA office.

What does a delegate do?

A delegate represents their department and graduate students in general. A delegate remains aware of issues of concern in their department and is that department’s representative at GSA Assembly meetings.

Relaying information between the students in the department and at the Assembly is one the most important duties of a delegate. Many graduate students (lost in their work) can easily become unaware of issues arising in the university that can affect them.

In order to enrich the delegate’s experience further, the delegate also must serve on either an internal (GSA) committee or an external committee (representing GSA to other offices). The delegate may select which committee on which to serve based on their own personal interests.

How do I serve on a committee?

Once you have discovered on which committee you would enjoy serving, contact the GSA and someone will assist you.

What kind of committees are there to serve on?

The varieties of committees available are many. Some directly address graduate student life while others involve it only indirectly. Certain committees focus on broader, university-wide issues, whereas others might concern topics of interest only to a small segment of the graduate student population. If there is some aspect of university life that interests you, no doubt there is a committee eager for you to volunteer your services. You can view a list of current committees on our Committees page.

What do I do if I have a problem in my department?

As in any other business, you begin with the supervisors close to you. In an academic setting, this would be your professor(s) or your advisor. If you feel that the problem cannot be resolved on this level (if they are part of the problem or seem unsympathetic), consult their supervisor, your department head and then, if necessary, the dean of your college. If none of these individual scan resolve your problem, consult the GSA President or Vice-President (at the GSA office or via email). They can serve as your intermediaries and help you achieve a resolution.

How do I stay informed about events that affect me?

There are a variety of ways to remain aware of local events. The Daily Collegian and The Centre Daily Times are an obvious and easy beginning point. However, they do not routinely provide coverage of current issues affecting graduate student issues until the issue has come to some resolution. For more timely information, rely on the GSA: attend GSA Assembly meetings (every other Tuesday night at 6:00 pm in 102 Kern Building), sign up to be on our mailing list, check out the bulletin board, or visit our Web site.