"Have I told you lately that I love you?"

GPSC is really standing strong in the face of overwhelming budget cuts in the coming years, and many of the officers currently serving in GPSC are not running for reelection. They are doing this for the good of the school and for the protection of graduate students!

Here is their statement in response to the projected fee increases. For more information, visit http://www.gpsc.arizona.edu/ or e-mail gpsc@email.arizona.edu

"Fee Policy Statement
Considering the rise of new fees in light of the economic crisis our State and University face,
The Graduate & Professional Student Council propose the following provisions attach to new fees and fee increases:

1) A Sunset Clause: given that the current fee requests are induced by the present economic downturn of the State economy, and that economic recovery is expected within the next two years, we request that fees be re-approved after two years (i.e., in FY 2011). This length of time is based on economic forecasts published by the Joint Legislative Budget Committee1.

2) A “Minimum Enrollment Requirement:” students should not be subject to fees if they do not meet minimum enrollment requirement for financial aid (e.g., this currently stands at six credit hours).

3) A “Distance Learning Exemption:” distance learning students should be exempt from paying fees that fund on-campus services only (such as the Rec Center fee).

4) Fee Remission: since fee amounts are becoming very significant, we believe GAs should receive full fee remission. Failure to do so endangers competitiveness of our graduate programs, since it equates to incomplete tuition remission and a pay cut for students providing key services to the University, whether as teaching or research assistants.

5) Commensurate Financial Aid Eligibility: All students who pay fees should receive an equal opportunity to the financial aid derived from those fees. This includes all graduate and professional students, including non-degree-seeking and international students. We ask that the University continue and strengthen its commitment to financial aid for the graduate and professional student population."

If you get a chance, thank your GPSC rep. They're working their butts off for us!