Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Meeting

Monday, February 9, 2026

• Term:
  2025-2026
• Assembly/Committee: Graduate and Professional Student Assembly
• Date & Time:
  Mon, Feb 9, 2026 - 5:00pm
  to
  6:30pm
• Location:
  401 Physical Sciences Building/Zoom
• Agenda:

  I. Call to Order

  II. Roll Call

  III. IV. Approval of the January 26th Meeting

  Reports of Officers and Committee Updates

  a. Executive Committee

  b. Operations and Staffing Committee

  c. Appropriations Committee

  d. Communications Committee

  e. Student Advocacy Committee (SAC)

  f. Programming Board

  g. Faculty Advising, Teaching, and Mentorship Award Committee (FATMAC)

  h. Graduate School

  V. Presentation I

  a. Cornell Health

  i. Julie Edwards, Assistant Vice President for Student Health & Well Being

  ii. Dr. Jada Hamilton, Senior Director of Clinical Operations

  iii. Dr. Wendy Miron, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services

  VI. Nominations & Appointments

  a. Finance Commission Chair

  b. Diversity & International Students Committee

  VII. Legislations

  a. Resolution 8: Implementing Special Grants Committee Funding Recommendations on

  Proposals Addressing Big Red Barn

  i. Sponsor: Nick Brennan, President

  b. Resolution 9: Implementing Special Grants Committee Funding Recommendations on

  Proposals Addressing Symposia

  i. Sponsor: Irene Gatimi, Student Advocacy Committee Chairperson

  c. Resolution 10: Implementing Special Grants Committee Funding Recommendations on

  Grants Addressing Community Building

  i. Sponsor: Zander Lynch, Vice President for Operations

  d. Resolution 11: Implementing Special Grants Committee Funding Recommendations on

  Proposals Addressing Novel Programming

  i. Sponsor: Jason Chobirko, Special Grants & FATMAC Chair

  e. Resolution 12: Implementing Special Grants Committee Funding Recommendations on

  Proposals Addressing Student Lounges

  i. Sponsors: Anafernanda Cardenas, Executive Vice President, Chobirko, Special Grants & FATMAC Chair

  Jason

  VIII. New Business

  IX. Open Forum

  X. Adjournment

  Prepared by AnaFernanda Cardenas, GPSA Executive Vice President

  GPSA Agenda_February 9th (1).pdf (318.76 KB)
• Meeting Packet:
• Audio Recording:
  GPSAMeetingRecordingFebruary92026.m4a (63.58 MB)
• Minutes:

  I. Call to Order 
       a. N. Brennan called the meeting to order at 5:04 PM. 
       b. Members Present: N. Brennan, P. Caruso, C. Chappel, J. Chobirko, A. Coogan, I. Di Tomassi, K. Ellis, D. Freeman, A. Garcia-Ortiz, I. Gatimi, E.R. Gallant, M. Hassler, C. King, Y. Khaled, A. Koyyada, Z. Liu, Z. Lynch, C. Meffert, T. Nguyen, M. Ortiz, R. Prude, K. Rohrbaugh, S. Sepp, I. Smith, Y. Wu 
       c. Members Absent: L. Alshameh, J. Alzayer, V. Baruah, B. Candelaria, A. Cardenas, M. James 
       d. Also Present: J. Edwards, Dr J. Hamilton, Dr W. Miron 
  
  II. Approval of the January 26th Meeting Minutes 
       a. I. Smith motioned to adopt the January 26th minutes. The motion passed by unanimous consent. 
  
  III. Reports of Officers and Committee Updates 
       a. Executive Committee 
            i. No report. 
       b. Operations and Staffing Committee 
            i. Z. Lynch mentioned that the committee is looking to fill the positions of Finance Commission Chair and Diversity & International Student Chair and remined new members to reach out about placement on committees. 
       c. Appropriations Committee 
            i. S. Sepp gave updates regarding Resolution 2 from last semester. 
       d. Communications Committee 
            i. No report. 
       e. Student Advocacy Committee (SAC)
            i. I. Gatimi reported that the committee Town Hall will be hosted at the barn, but the time is still to be decided.
       f. Programming Board
            i. P. Caruso updated that a flyer for the Gala went out to the communique and reminded the assembly that it is taking place in Barton Hall on April 19th at 7PM. Tickets will drop first in late February and then in mid-March.
       g. Faculty Advising, Teaching, and Mentorship Award Committee (FATMAC)
            i. No report.
       h. Graduate School
            i. The Graduate School highlighted their focus on the admissions and recruitment process.
  
  IV. Nominations & Appointments
       a. Finance Commission Chair
            i. A. Koyyada spoke on the duties of being a Finance Commission Chair, such as distributing funds to existing and new clubs and working with clubs regarding specific event funds.
            ii. N. Brennan added on that you don’t need to be a sitting GPSA member to run for this role.
            iii. A. Koyyada yielded questions regarding the duration of the position.
            iv. Z. Lynch motioned to open the floor for nominations. The motion was passed with unanimous consent.
                 1. P. Caruso nominated A. Coogan for this role. A. Coogan rejected the nomination.
            v. Z. Lynch motioned to close the floor. The motion was passed with unanimous consent.
       b. Diversity & International Students Committee Chair
            i. P. Caruso motioned to open the floor for nominations. The motion was passed with unanimous consent.
            ii. P. Caruso motioned to close the floor. The motion was passed with unanimous consent.
  
  V. Presentation on Cornell Health from Julie Edwards, Assistant Vice President for Student Health & Well Being, Dr. Jada Hamilton, Senior Director of Clinical Operations, and Dr. Wendy Miron, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services
       i. The speakers presented on Cornell Health’s mission and health services and took questions from the assembly.
  
  VI. Legislation
       a. Resolution 8: Implementing Special Grants Committee Funding Recommendations on Proposals Addressing Big Red Barn
            i. Sponsor N. Brennan reiterated the goals of proposals #22 and #29 addressed in Resolution 8. The sponsor mentioned the significance of the Big Red Barn and the need to replace select furniture and lighting within the barn to accommodate numerous events. There were also 2 additional points that are included in the Box version of the Resolution, they state that thegraduate school must include graduate and professional students’ input and maintain the aesthetic of the barn.
            ii. Sponsor J. Chobirko reinforced the idea that graduate and professional students will have the opportunity to serve on committees to give input.
            iii. N. Brennan highlighted that all grants funded through the GPSA FC reserve, including the bills being discussed, should feature the GPSA seal in all promotional materials printed and digital. A budget for planned activities must be reviewed by the GPSA Appropriations Committee before disbursement. At the end of each funding year, a report shall be compiled for the Appropriations Committee detailing the use of the funding.
            iv. Z. Lynch moved on to a questions and comments period.
            v. P. Caurso moved to the previous question. The motion to pass Resolution 8passed by a vote of 24-0-0. (Yeas: P. Caruso, C. Chappel, J. Chobirko, A.Coogan, I. Di Tomassi, K. Ellis, D. Freeman, E.R. Gallant, A. Garcia-Ortiz,I. Gatimi, M. Hassler, Y. Khaled, C. King, A. Koyyada, Z. Liu, Z. Lynch, C. Meffert, T. Nguyen, M. Ortiz, R. Prude, K. Rohrbaugh, S. Sepp, I. Smith, Y.Wu)
       b. Resolution 9: Implementing Special Grants Committee Funding Recommendations on Proposals Addressing Symposia
            i. Sponsor J. Chobirko spoke on the importance of symposia for graduate and professional students to build networks, engage in academic discussions, and develop a sense of intellectual community at Cornell. Grants #51, funding a Planning Palooza event for consecutive years, and #32, funding for food at the Climate Advocacy Symposium were highlighted.
            ii. N. Brennan moved into a questions and comments period.
            iii. P. Cauro motioned to move into pro-con debate for 1 cycle. The motion passed with unanimous consent.
                 1. N. Brennan closed the floor due to no debate and moved back into the questions period.
            iv. P. Caurso moved to the previous question. The motion to pass Resolution 9 passed by a vote of 22-0-1. (Yeas: P. Caruso, C. Chappel, J. Chobirko, A.Coogan, I. Di Tomassi, D. Freeman, E.R. Gallant, A. Garcia-Ortiz, I.Gatimi, M. Hassler, C. King, A. Koyyada, Z. Liu, Z. Lynch, C. Meffert, T.Nguyen, M. Ortiz, R. Prude, K. Rohrbaugh, S. Sepp, I. Smith, Y. Wu)(Abstentions: N. Brennan)
       c. Resolution 10: Implementing Special Grants Committee Funding Recommendations on Grants Addressing Community Building
            i. P. Caruso motioned to extend the meeting until 7 PM.
                 1. Z. Lynch objected the motion and amended the motion to extend the meeting until 6:45 PM instead. The motion passed with unanimous consent.
            ii. Sponsor A. Koyyada stated the resolution’s purpose in creating community spaces for student events and distinguished this from student lounge spaces.
            iii. N. Brennan moved into a questions and comments period.
            iv. P. Caruso motioned to strike May 2026 - May 2027 from lines 72 to 73. The motion passed with unanimous consent.
            v. P. Caruso moved to the previous question. The motion to pass Resolution 10 passed by a vote of 21-0-0. (Yeas: P. Caruso, C. Chappel, J. Chobirko, A.Coogan, I. Di Tomassi, D. Freeman, E.R. Gallant, A. Garcia-Ortiz, M.Hassler, Y. Khaled, A. Koyyada, Z. Liu, Z. Lynch, C. Meffert, T. Nguyen, R.Prude, K. Rohrbaugh, S. Sepp, I. Smith, Y. Wu, N. Brennan)
       d. Z. Lynch motioned to table Resolution 11 and 12 until the next meeting. The motion passed with unanimous consent.
       e. J. Chobirko motioned to extend the meeting by 5 minutes. The motion passed with unanimous consent.
  
  VII. New Business
       a. None.
  
  VIII. Open Forum
       a. J. Chobiko reminded the assembly members that President Kotlikoff is visiting next week.
  
  IX. Adjournment
       a. Z. Lynch motioned to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed with unanimous consent. 

   

  Feb 9 GPSA Meeting Minutes.pdf (156.49 KB)