Council Representatives
About Council Representatives
GSC Council Representatives are the direct link between the graduate student body and the GSC, and are divided into department representatives, residence representatives and members at-large. Council representatives are expected to attend GCM meetings and engage with their constituents.
Department/Program
1 seat per 100 students, per department/program. Max. 5.
Residence
1 seat per graduate residence.
2 seats for off-campus.
At-large
5 seats total.
Becoming a representative
Department and residence representatives are elected by their respective constituents through their own governing student organizations. If there is no identifiable governing student organization for a department or residence, the GSC may appoint a prospective member.
At-large representatives represent distinct constituencies separate from departments and housing. If interested, fill out an application and the council will vote to appoint you.
Please contact gsc-vp@mit.edu for more information on each pathway.
Current representatives
FAQs for Council Representatives
When are GCMs held?
Regular monthly GCMs are held on the first Wednesday of each month. Announcements will be posted in the #general Slack channel ahead of the meeting with information on location as well.
Where are GCMs held?
GCM locations vary. Stay up to date through the GSC #general Slack channel.
What if I can’t make it to a GCM?
If attendance is not possible, we urge that representatives assign a proxy to attend in their stead. The proxy may be any graduate student who is also a constituent of the representative they are standing in for. They only need to fill out the attendance form at the beginning of the meeting and list themselves as a proxy for you.
How do I submit a reimbursement for food for a GCM?
Food ordered before the scheduled end of the GCM can be reimbursed through an RFP. Please see the linked document for instructions.
How should I engage with my constituents?
Hosting GSC-funded coffee chats or socials for your constituents are great ways to keep a pulse on your community. The GSC allots $150 – $250, depending on engagement with the GSC, per representative to hold their own events. See our funding page for more details and guidelines on use.
What council representative positions can I apply for?
All graduate students are eligible for any position that represents the constituency you are from.
Example: An off-campus EECS masters student may run for EECS departmental representative, or off-campus representative.
How do I apply to be a council representative?
Check if your constituency has a graduate student association/government for your constituency. You can see a list of positions available for council representatives below (WIP, 5/28/24).
If the position is associated with a student association/government (e.g. departmental board), ask that organization for their procedure on electing/appointing GSC representatives. If you aren’t sure or are running for an at-large position, please contact the GSC Vice-President (gsc-vp@mit.edu).
Once you are chosen to be the new representative for your constituency, please email the GSC Vice-President.
How long is a representative’s term?
While the GSC does not impose term limits on council representatives, the representative’s student association/government may. Every October 15, the GSC vice-president will confirm each GSC representative’s position.
If a representative leaves their position, please notify the GSC vice-president (gsc-vp@mit.edu).