Welcome Back!!! The Graduate Student Assembly (GSA) is the voice of graduate students at UMass Boston. The GSA is dedicated to enhancing the academic and professional development of our graduate student community by supporting graduate research and skills development. Graduate students are invited to attend our meetings, which are held every other Thursday at 3:00 p.m. Visit our website at www.gsa.umb.edu for more information.
We’re looking for new faces! We have some exciting programs and events planned for the upcoming year and invite you to become involved. Have your voice heard!
Voter Registration DriveThe GSA is collaborating with the Undergraduate Student Senate to host a Voter Registration Drive on Thursday, September 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Campus Center. With the presidential election only a few months away, this is a great time to register to vote! Can’t make it on the 9th? Stop by our office to pick up a form!
GSA Open House – Thursday, September 16We want to get to know you! On Thursday, September 16, the GSA will be holding an informational Open House. Come meet current GSA members and learn more about our programs and events. The meeting will take place at 3:00 p.m. in the Student Life Conference Room on the 3rd floor of the Campus Center. We hope to see you there!
Recognized Professional Associations (RPAs)The Graduate Student Assembly sponsors Recognized Professional Associations (RPAs) to promote interaction and professional development among graduate students at UMass. A list of last year’s RPAs is available on our website. RPAs are open to all graduate students. If there is not currently an RPA to match your interests, consider organizing a new one! A potential new RPA must have at least 10 graduate student members (but no two RPAs may have more than a 20% membership crossover), a constitution outlining its purpose, structures, and procedures, and a faculty advisor.
RPAs must be re-activated yearly and activation materials may be found on our website. The deadline for RPA activation is Thursday, September 16 at 5:00 p.m. The president and treasurer of each RPA must attend Officer Training, which will be held between September 13 and 16. Please sign up for a training session at the Student Life Counter on the 3rd floor of the Campus Center.
Professional Development GrantsThe Professional Development Grant (PDG) program is one of the GSA’s most utilized resources. As graduate students, we know that conferences can be a great opportunity to network and learn, but travel costs and registration fees sometimes deter students from participating. The goal of the PDG program is to assist graduate students with this economic burden and encourage students to represent their programs and the University at academic conferences by providing grants to pay for some of the cost of attending professional meetings.
In order to serve as many graduate students as possible, the GSA has improved the PDG application. Please be sure to read the guidelines and application on our website. Note that all application materials must be submitted 30 days prior to travel to be eligible for review.
Looking for us?We are located on the 3rd floor of the Campus Center, in room 3404. For applications, forms, or more information on any of our programs, please visit our website at www.gsa.umb.edu.