Graduate Student Senate had its first meeting of the semester Friday, Sept. 15, and senators jumped right into discussion about the Sexual Assault Task Force, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and the GSS constitution.

​Recent sexual assaults this semester at the University impelled GSS to adopt a sexual assault resolution, in which it supported stronger Title IX regulations and supported the Sexual Assault Task Force.

​“It’s putting pressure on the administration and making sure that the promises they made last spring are followed through,” GSS Vice President Daniel Ricken said.

GSS President Scott Chappuis also said the resolution was “written and constructed as a response to the federal government” rolling back Title IX guidelines.

​As for DACA, GSS voted on a resolution that supported DACA recipients, particularly because the University has some DACA recipients as undergraduate students.

​However, since the University is bound by law to follow Congress’ decisions, all GSS can do is acknowledge DACA recipients and push for change.

​The GSS constitution was also discussed as it’s in a bit of a bind because it hasn’t been ratified since 2010, but it is scheduled to be ratified at the next Board of Trustees meeting.

​There is also an amendment to the constitution in the works about cutting student organizations out of GSS starting next year. Only senators from departments will be able to hold seats under the amendment.

​The amendment will promote “equal representation across the campus and therefore no doubling-up of representation,” Margaret Zoller-Booth, dean of the graduate college, said. “Social’s important, but there are other avenues on campus where that can happen. GSS is much more academically related.”

​Alex Solis, co-chair of the Sexual Assault Task Force and Garrett Gilmer, director of the Counseling Center, are set to speak at GSS’s next meeting on Sept. 29 from 3-5 p.m. in the McFall Gallery.