Legislative Branch
The GPSG Senate is the legislative branch of the government. The Senate contains members representing each graduate and professional schools.
Senators
The Senators serves to drive the agenda of the legislature and ensure effective, open debate and dialogue that advances the interests of Duke Graduate/Professional Students. The Senators is composed of 32 members as follows:
- Three members representing graduate students in the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, one for each domain of knowledge (humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences)
- Three members representing students (Graduate and Professional) in the Fuqua School of Business
- Three members representing students (Graduate and Professional) in the Pratt School of Engineering
- Two members representing non-clinical (PhD or Master’s) students in the School of Medicine
- One member representing clinical (e.g. MD, PA, DPT) students in the School of Medicine
- Two members representing students (Graduate and Professional) in the School of Nursing
- One member representing students (Graduate and Professional) in the Sanford School of Public Policy
- One member representing students (Graduate and Professional) in the Nicholas School of the Environment
- One member representing students (Graduate and Professional) in the School of Law
- One member representing students (Graduate and Professional) in the Divinity School
Of the 18 members, one member each is elected as the speaker and the clerk. The remaining 16 members serve as the chairs/co-chairs of the standing committees.
2026-2027 Senators
| Speaker | Jacob Ellis |
| Clerk | |
| Trinity College of Arts and Sciences representatives | |
| Fuqua School of Business representatives | |
| Pratt School of Engineering representatives | |
| School of Medicine non-clinical program representatives | |
| School of Nursing representatives | |
| Sanford School of Public Policy representative | |
| Nicolas School of the Environment representative | |
| Divinity School representative | |
| School of Law representative |
To learn more about the Senators, click here!
Program/Department Representatives
Each program or department has the right to formally designate a student or students from within their department to represent the program or department formally. Every program or department is entitled to one representative; for every 100 students in a program or department thereafter, the program or department is permitted to seat an additional member. One representative may cast more than one vote if duly authorized to do so by their program or department. Dual-degree students may represent either of the programs/departments they are enrolled in, but not both.
Public Members
Any duly enrolled Graduate or Professional student at the University who is not a member of the Executive branch, the Legislative branch, or Program/Department member may attend any meeting of the Senate and shall be entitled to equal participation and voting privileges.
