GPSA History & Resolutions

History

  • 1971 - GSA SEPARATES FROM ASWSU: Board of Regents approved that the Graduate Student Association be recognized as a separate entity from ASWSU

Resolutions

  • Senate Session 2019-2020: Joint Resolution of ASWSU and GPSA to Add “Citizenship and Immigration Status” to EP15

    Joint Resolution of ASWSU and GPSA to Add “Citizenship and Immigration Status” to EP15

    The Washington State University Graduate and Professional Student Association Resolution 2019.001

    Approved by GPSA Senate: October 7, 2020
    Approved by ASWSU Senate: October 23, 2020

    WHEREAS, Washington State University’s mission statement is “To apply knowledge through local and global engagement that will improve quality of life and enhance the economy of the state, nation, and world.”; and

    WHEREAS, WSU Pullman’s international student population comes from 106 different countries and is 7% of the total WSU population and 30% of the Graduate and Professional students population; and

    WHEREAS, Washington State University has over 500 undocumented students; and

    WHEREAS, the 47th senate of ASWSU passed Resolution 47-03 and  GPSA passed Resolution 2017.4, both to declare support of students irrespective of documented status; and

    WHEREAS, the WSU Student Affairs Initiatives includes a commitment that WSU is “an undocumented student-friendly institution, WSU has and will continue to provide a strong support system for all students in the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program.”; and

    WHEREAS, we firmly believe that all international and undocumented students deserve a redress of grievances to any discriminatory behvior and see it as a necesity that WSU policy reflects this; and

    WHEREAS, University of Washington Executive Order 31 includes “citizenship” in their prohibited discrimination; and

    WHEREAS, Engrossed Senate Bill 5165 in the WA State Legislature, “An ACT Relating to discrimination based on citizenship or immigration status”, passed a roll call vote in the WA State Senate and is being considered in the WA State House of Representatives; and

    WHEREAS, Washington State University’s Executive Policy 15 does not currently include 

    “citizenship and immigration status” as a protected class; and

    WHEREAS, Executive Policy 15 covers discrimination and protected class policy at Washington State University; and

    THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the student body of WSU (ASWSU and GPSA) urge the EP 15 committee to add “Citizenship and Immigration status” as a protected class to the EP 15 policy and urge administrators to encourage this change; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the WSU Student Body urges support of ESB 5165 from our student advocates, administrators, and elected officials; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, upon passage of this resolution shall be sent to the EP 15 committee, WSU President Kirk Schulz, Interim Provost Bryan Slinker, WSU Vice President of Student Affairs Mary Jo Gonzales, WSU Dean of the Graduate School Lisa Gloss, Vice President for External Affairs and Government Relations Colleen Kerr, State Senator Mark Schoesler, State Representatives Joe Schmick and Mary Dye, WSU Director of State Relations Chris Mulick, GPSA VPLA Matthew Sutherland, and ASWSU DoLA Josh Maasberg.

    Signed by:

    Ralph Chikhany, GPSA President
    Veneice Guillory-Lacy, GPSA Executive Vice President
    Matthew J. Sutherland, GPSA Vice President of Legislative Affairs
    Quinton Berkampous, ASWSU President
    Jhordin Prescott, ASWSU President

  • Senate Session 2019–2020: Resolution to Urge Local Prosecutor Denis Tracy to Retry Hargraves

    Resolution to Urge Local Prosecutor Denis Tracy to Retry Hargraves

    The Washington State University Graduate and Professional Student Association Resolution 2019.002

    Approved by GPSA Senate: October 7, 2020

    WHEREAS, Hargraves is accused of custodial sexual misconduct; and

    WHEREAS, Pullman Police Chief Gary Jenkins said the sergeant charged with custodial sexual misconduct engaged in “completely unacceptable behavior.”; and

    WHEREAS, the Washington State Patrol and internal investigation found the accuser’s claims credible; and

    WHEREAS, a forensic scientist at the WSP Crime Laboratory matched Hargraves’ DNA to semen found on the student’s sleeve; and

    WHEREAS, the WSU student body puts an immense amount of trust and faith in the Pullman and WSU Police departments and any breach of this faith is a danger to all students on our campus; and

    WHEREAS, WSU GPSA stands firmly with survivors and wants to support an environment where they feel empowered to come forward; and

    WHEREAS, WSU GPSA is committed to the safety and well-being of students on campus and that inaction in this case does not support that aim; and

    WHEREAS, the original trial of Mr. Hargraves was declared a mistrial from a hung jury; and

    WHEREAS, the Whitman County Prosecutor, Denis Tracy, is in charge of deciding to retry this case; and

    THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Graduate & Professional Student Association (GPSA) of Washington State University supports urges our elected prosecutor, Denis Tracy, to retry the case involving the accused police Sergeant Mr. Hargraves; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, stands in support of ASWSU’s published statement from September 30th, 2019 on the matter;

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, upon passage of this resolution shall be sent to Whitman County Prosecutor Denis Tracy, WSU President Kirk Schulz, Interim Provost Bryan Slinker, WSU Vice President of Student Affairs Mary Jo Gonzales, WSU Dean of the Graduate School Lisa Gloss, Vice President for External Affairs and Government Relations Colleen Kerr, WSU Chief of Police Bill Gardner, Pullman Police Chief Gary Jenkins

    Signed by:

    Ralph Chikhany, GPSA President
    Veneice Guillory-Lacy, GPSA Executive Vice President
    Matthew J. Sutherland, GPSA Vice President of Legislative Affairs

  • Senate Session 2018–2019: Resolution of Indigenous Peoples’ Day Proclamation

    Resolution of Indigenous Peoples’ Day Proclamation

    The Washington State University Graduate and Professional Student Association Resolution 2018.01

    Approved by GPSA Senate: 11/5/18

    WHEREAS, Indigenous Peoples’ Day was first proposed in 1977 by a delegation of Native Nations to the United Nations sponsored International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas; and

    WHEREAS, in 2011 the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, representing Tribes from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Northern California, Western Montana and some Alaskan Tribes, passed resolution #11-57: “Support to Change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day”; and

    WHEREAS, on September 28, 2018 Washington State University passed and signed a resolution to recognize and celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day; recognizing that the university campuses were built upon the homelands of the Indigenous communities of the Pacific Northwest who have occupied these lands since time immemorial; and

    WHEREAS, on October 2, 2018 the City of Pullman passed and signed resolution R-86-18 declaring the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Pullman; affirming Pullman’s unequivocal commitment to promote respect for, and understanding of, the region’s Indigenous communities, its long history, and the continuing contribution of its people to Pullman; and

    WHEREAS, the Graduate and Professional Student Association remembers the fact that the colonial takeovers of the Americas, starting with Columbus, led to the deaths of millions of Indigenous communities and the forced assimilation of survivors; and

    WHEREAS, the Graduate and Professional Student Association acknowledges that one of these genocidal policies occurred through the institution of schools, which the US government operated as many as 100 boarding schools for Indigenous communities beginning in the 1870s, both on and off reservations, where children were sometimes taken forcibly by armed military, while the United States was still at war with Indigenous people in order to “Kill the Indian, and Save the Man”; and

    WHEREAS, the Graduate and Professional Student Association acknowledges the findings from the United States federal government report of 1928: “The Problem of Indian Administration” also known as the “Meriam Report,” which found that Indigenous children at the United States federal boarding schools were malnourished, overworked, harshly punished and poorly educated; as well as acknowledging the many personal narratives from Indigenous communities whose first-hand accounts of these federal boarding schools have largely been ignored or silenced; and

    WHEREAS, the Graduate and Professional Student Association opposes racism toward Indigenous communities of any origin and promotes policies and practices that reflect the experiences of Indigenous communities, ensure greater access and opportunity, and honor our community’s Indigenous roots, history, and contributions; and

    WHEREAS, the Graduate and Professional Student Association acknowledges that Indigenous education dates back to a time when all children were identified as gifted and talented; that community members helped to identify and cultivate the skills and abilities of each child, which contributed to the overall health and vitality of the community; that elders were entrusted to oversee the sacred act of knowledge being shared;

    AND, WHEREAS, Indigenous Peoples’ Day offers an opportunity to reflect critically on the legacy of United States colonialism on Indigenous communities in order to work towards addressing the historical and contemporary issues identified by Indigenous communities; to celebrate the thriving culture and value that Indigenous communities add to Washington State University; and to recognize that Indigenous communities are the first inhabitants of the Americas, including the lands that Washington State University sits on, and urges Americans to rethink history;

    NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Graduate and Professional Student Association:

    Section 1. The second Monday in October will be remembered and celebrated as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, instead of Columbus Day, by the Graduate and Professional Student Association.

    Section 2. The Graduate and Professional Student Association will actively encourage the student population to remember the colonial legacy of the United States federal government’s policies and practices on Indigenous communities and seek to understand the strength and hope of Indigenous communities today.

    Section 3. The Graduate and Professional Student Association encourages the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students and the institutions affiliated in this organization to remember and celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

    Signed by:

    Amir Gilmore, GPSA President
    David Silva, GPSA Executive Vice President
    Josh Munroe, GPSA Vice President of Legislative Affairs

  • Senate Session 2017–2018: Resolution in Condemnation of White Supremacy and Neo-Nazism

    Resolution in Condemnation of White Supremacy and Neo-Nazism

    The Washington State University Graduate and Professional Student Association Resolution 2017.5

    Approved by GPSA Senate: 9/25/17

    WHEREAS, the Washington State University Graduate and Professional Student Association is the representative body for graduate and professional students at Washington State University as established under the authority of the Washington State University Board of Regents; and

    WHEREAS, the mission of Washington State University (WSU) is "to apply knowledge through local and global engagement that will improve quality of life and enhance the economy of the state, nation, and world"; and

    WHEREAS, according to the WSU values statement, "we are committed to ensuring trust and respect for all persons in an environment that cultivates individual and institutional integrity in all that we do"; and

    WHEREAS, a sub goal of the WSU values statement expresses that "we are committed to the land-grant ideals of access, engagement, leadership, and service to bring the practical benefits of education to the state, nation, and global community"; and

    WHEREAS, another sub goal of the WSU values statement expresses that "we embrace a worldview that recognizes and values the importance of domestic and global diversity, global interdependence, and sustainability"; and

    WHEREAS, the College Republicans at WSU sought to host alt-right agitator Milo Yiannopoulos on January 19th, 2017, only to have the event cancelled by inclement weather; and

    WHEREAS, fliers were found scattered around the WSU campus on February 14, 2017 that read, "a notice to all citizens of the United States of America, it is your civic duty to report any and all illegal aliens to U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement; they have broken the law"; and

    WHEREAS, a video with racist messaging circulated online in late April of 2017 that focused on an October 2016 political rally held on the WSU campus for then Presidential candidate Donald Trump; and

    WHEREAS, WSU gained negative local, statewide, and national attention in August of 2017 when the leader of the WSU College Republicans attended a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, an event which prominently featured white supremacists and Neo­ Nazis.

    THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Graduate & Professional Student Association (GPSA) of Washington State University supports students without regard to their race, ethnicity, cultural or religious background, national origin, immigration status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, GPSA opposes all expressions of white supremacy and Neo­ Nazism at WSU, as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contradictory to the values of the WSU community; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, GPSA urges the administrative personnel at WSU to unilaterally and publicly condemn any and all expressions of white supremacy and Neo-Nazism at WSU; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, GPSA also urges the administrative personnel at WSU to maintain a strong commitment to the safety of all students, consistent with state and federal laws; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, upon passage this resolution shall be sent to Governor Jay Inslee, Attorney General Bob Ferguson, WSU President Kirk Schulz, WSU Provost Dan Bernardo, WSU Vice President of Student Affairs Mary Jo Gonzales, WSU Interim Dean of Students Kathy MacKay, Vice President for External Affairs and Government Relations Colleen Kerr, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Mary Wack, U.S. Senators for the State of Washington Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, U.S. Representative for Washington's 5th District Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, State Senator for Washington's 9th Congressional District Mark Schoesler, State Representatives for Washington's 9th Congressional District Mary Dye and Joe Schmick, and GPSA President Shane R. Reynolds.

    Signed by:

    Shane R. Reynolds, GPSA President
    Amir Gilmore, GPSA Executive Vice President
    Joshua Munroe, GPSA Vice President of Legislative Affairs

    *For the official signed version, please visit Resolution in Condemnation of White Supremacy and Neo-Nazism. 

  • Senate Session 2016–2017: Resolution in Support of Undocumented and Non-Citizen WSU Students

    Resolution in Support of Undocumented and Non-Citizen WSU Students

    The Washington State University Graduate and Professional Student Association

    Resolution 2017.4

    Approved by the GPSA Senate on April 17, 2017

    WHEREAS, the mission of Washington State University (WSU) is “to apply knowledge through local and global engagement that will improve quality of life and enhance the economy of the state, nation, and world”; and

    WHEREAS, according to the WSU values statement, “we are committed to ensuring trust and respect for all persons in an environment that cultivates individual and institutional integrity in all that we do”; and

    WHEREAS, the WSU values statement on “Stewardship and Accountability” states “we are committed to serving as ethical and responsible stewards of University resources;” and

    WHEREAS, a sub goal of the WSU values statement expresses that “we are committed to the land-grant ideals of access, engagement, leadership, and service to bring the practical benefits of education to the state, nation, and global community”; and

    WHEREAS, another sub goal of the WSU values statement expresses that “we embrace a worldview that recognizes and values the importance of domestic and global diversity, global interdependence, and sustainability”; and

    WHEREAS, on February 10, 2017 a man who was brought to the U.S. illegally as a child but was protected from deportation by the Obama administration has been taken into custody in Seattle by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency; and

    WHEREAS, fliers were found scattered around the WSU campus on February 14, 2017 that read, “a notice to all citizens of the United States of America, it is your civic duty to report any and all illegal aliens to U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement; they have broken the law”; and

    WHEREAS, in accordance with federal law, the enforcement of immigration law rests with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection; and

    WHEREAS, in a message reaffirming support for undocumented students at WSU, President Kirk Schulz wrote, “at WSU we want an environment that is welcoming for everyone and we continue to remain very supportive of our undocumented students”.

    THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Graduate & Professional Student Association (GPSA) of Washington State University supports students without regard to their immigration status; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, GPSA urges WSU to maintain a strong commitment to the privacy of student records for all students, consistent with state and federal laws; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, GPSA further urges WSU to not provide information on immigration status to anyone except when required by law; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, GPSA further urges WSU Campus police to not partner with federal, state, or other local law enforcement agencies to enforce federal immigration law except when required to do so by law, in order to facilitate a welcoming and supportive campus for all students; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, upon passage this resolution shall be sent to Governor Jay Inslee, Attorney General Bob Ferguson, WSU President Kirk Schulz, WSU Provost Dan Bernardo, WSU Vice President of Student Affairs Mary Jo Gonzales, WSU Dean of Students Melynda Huskey, Vice President for External Affairs and Government Relations Colleen Kerr, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Mary Wack, WSU Chief of Police Bill Gardner, and GPSA President Melanie Thornton.

    Signed by:

    Melanie Thornton, GPSA President
    Brittany Wood, GPSA Executive Vice President
    Kathryn Harris, GPSA Vice President of Legislative Affairs

    *For the official signed version, please visit Resolution in Support of Undocumented and Non-Citizen WSU Students.