What the GPSA Does
The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GPSA) represents all graduate and professional students at Cornell University. It advocates for student interests, allocates activity fee funding, and connects students with university governance. Through its committees and executive leadership, the GPSA works to improve the academic and social experience of graduate life on campus.
How It Works
The GPSA operates through an elected Executive Committee and a set of standing committees that focus on specific areas — from advocacy and appropriations to communications and diversity. Regular meetings are open to the graduate community, and decisions are guided by the organization's governing documents.
- Executive Committee — President, Executive Vice President, Vice President for Operations, and other officers who set the agenda and represent graduate students to university administration.
- Standing Committees — Groups such as Advocacy, Appropriations, Communications, Diversity & International Students, Faculty Awards, Finance Commission, and the Programming Board carry out the GPSA's core work.
- General Assembly — Voting members from across graduate fields meet to debate and pass resolutions.
Members & Governing Documents
Membership in the GPSA is open to graduate and professional students across Cornell's colleges and schools. The assembly operates under a charter and bylaws that define its structure, election procedures, and responsibilities. A Charter Review process conducted in 2010–2011 refined these governing documents to better serve the graduate community.
Graduate & Professional Community Initiative (GPCI)
The GPCI is a long-running effort to assess and improve the quality of life for graduate and professional students at Cornell. It identifies key priorities — from housing and transportation to health services and professional development — and works with university partners to address them. The initiative has produced reports and recommendations that continue to shape campus policy.
Past iterations include the GPCI 2013 report and the original Graduate Community Initiative (GCI) of 2007, each building on the previous work to track progress and highlight emerging needs.