The Graduate and Professional Student Council executive board covered election disputes, DACA support in its first meeting of the new year on Jan. 9.

All members of the executive board were in attendance except Jim Collins, who was unable to Skype into the meeting due to technical difficulties.

President Jude Udeozor welcomed the members of the board back to campus.

The board approved the consent agenda for the upcoming general council meeting and approved the minutes from the Dec. 5 meeting.

RELATED: GPSC Notebook Dec. 6: Collins dodges impeachment

Assembly Chair Daniel Kasper told the board he plans to invite Janis Gallego, Associated Students of the Univeristy of Arizona’s student legal services advisor, to a General Council meeting in order to discuss the steps GPSC must take in order to use the ASUA Supreme Court to resolve election disputes.

The GPSC strategic plan is a work in progress, Udeozor said. He hopes to present a copy for the executive board to review at their next meeting.

Due to the potential federal repeal of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Udeozor introduced a plan to write a letter in support of UA DACA students to send to congressional members.

Jasmine Sears, GPSC administrative vice president, advocated sending a letter to the Arizona Board of Regents asking them to adopt a state policy to protect DACA students if the federal government repeals but does not prohibit such protections.

As established in the GPSC constitution, it is a mission of GPSC to fight student discrimination and protect student rights, Kasper said. He supports sending a letter to the regents and state and federal representatives.

The executive board declined to consider applications to fill the Marketing and Communications Administrator position after the previous administrator resigned over break.

GPSC will save $1,500 and hopes to eliminate the position in the future. The responsibility of sending the weekly newsletter will now fall to the GPSC’s administrative assistant and the marketing chair will delegate social media posting and event photography.

The GPSC constitution requires the general council to approve the hiring of new individuals, but the executive board has authority to not actively seek applicants without official consultation.

RELATED: GPSC Notebook Nov. 28: Search for new faculty advisor, fund distribution

The board then voted to enter executive session in order to discuss stipends.

The board voted to approve two motions proposed by Sears.

First, in order for GPSC representatives to have an opportunity to recuperate any stipend deduction from the fall semester, they must fulfill all their requirements for the spring semester. Second, for representatives who failed to meet with their dean in the fall semester, they can meet with their dean twice this spring semester to recuperate stipend deductions.

If a concerted effort to meet with a dean is demonstrated, such as meeting with an associate dean, that will be sufficient to satisfy the requirement, Sears said.

Due to concerns over attendance and stipends, Sears clarified proxy votes do not count as meeting attendance. Kasper confirmed the GPSC constitution supports this interpretation because of its requirement to abide by Robert’s Rules, general guidelines for group conduct.

Each member may only cast two proxy votes per meeting and the executive board can have no more than six proxy votes total, Kasper said. Mariia Khorosheva, GPSC secretary, hopes to clarify these rules in the future with the general council.

The board approved a $30 gift bought from the UA Bookstore for the individual who repaired the GPSC offices at no charge.

The board approved a motion to surplus a malfunctioning office computer at the printing station.

Kasper informed the board he plans to present the general council with a letter he would like the GPSC to sign advocating for the incorporation of gender neutral pronouns in various industries.

Kasper encouraged the board to attend Cats at the Capitol on Jan. 18 to learn about legislative advocacy in Phoenix.

Sears asked members of the board to attend the student conducted interviews to find a new Executive Director of Residence Life the next two Fridays from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Sears suggested members ask the two candidates their position on the inability for children or spouses not in the UA graduate program to live in campus housing especially considering the GPSC offers a childcare grant to graduate students.

Danielle Blalock, GPSC executive vice president, informed the board of her plans to market grant sponsorships to local businesses as well as expand GPSC’s current fundraising capabilities.Follow Randall Eck on Twitter.