External Advocacy

GPSG External Advocacy

The GPSG External Advocacy Committee is a standing Committee of the GPSG Senate and is led by the Director of External Advocacy. The External Advocacy Committee is charged with leading all relationships with external organizations, including:

State and Federal elected representatives, to ensure that graduate and professional students have representation.
External Graduate Organizations, to foster communication between organizations.
Other state/national institutions, to develop broader relationships.

The External Advocacy Committee accomplishes their charge in several ways, including holding discussions with elected officials in Washington D.C. through the Duke in DC program and bringing state representatives to Duke campus. The External Advocacy Committee also promotes voting through partnerships with Duke Votes, ultimately leading to an all-day voting drive for Democracy Day.

For more information on how to get involved with the GPSG External Advocacy Committee, contact the Director (Gabriel Kennedy) at gpsg.externaladvocacy@duke.edu

2024 – 2025 Goals:

Director Priorities:

Contact and build relationships with other institutions such as Duke Votes, Duke Off-Campus Housing, etc.
Remain in contact and plan events with both the VP of Advocacy at NC State and UNC.
Manage possible relationships with possible national organizations: 1) the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students, and 2) Student Advocates for Graduate Education.
Provide various means for Duke Graduate Students to complete their taxes more easily.
Announce policy statements on behalf of the Duke student body for national issues.

Programs:

1. Voting Advocacy for Students during the US General Election:

Run annual Democracy Day event for the General Election.
Aid voting efforts at Duke through advertisements and involvement with various voting groups on campus.

2. NC State General Assembly Meetings:

Run 3-4 meetings where a State congressperson is invited to speak with students at Duke about 1 specific issue.
Develop recommendations for the congress for delivery if they should be willing to accept.

3. Student Tax Aid: Build a plan to distribute tax information to students and potentially provide aid through access to codes for tax software.

4. EAC DC Trip: Bring 4-12 students to DC to advocate on behalf of Graduate student issues.

2023 – 2024 Accomplishments:

Brought ~10 GPSG Senators in 2023 to speak with NC Senator and Representative staffers to discuss and advocate for science funding policy and DEI policy
Brought a series of NC State elected officials to Duke University for intimate conversations with graduate and professional students concerning abortion rights & maternal care, PFAS, and gun control policies
Submitted a policy memo to NC State representative with recommendations concerning PFAS in NC waters
Supported voting efforts on campus by working with Duke and local organizations
Provided a letter to NC Rep. Foushee’s office in support of a national gun violence research bill that proposes to provide millions of funding towards research into root causes and possible prevention mechanisms of gun violence

GPSG DC Trip Testimonials

As a graduate student it's exciting to participate in a Hill day and speak to our federal representatives and senators about issues we find valuable and important. We have the ability to have our voices heard and offices that represent us consider our voices and opinions!

The most impactful part of the trip was interacting with the various staffers on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in medical schools. It was nice to hear how our North Carolina representatives prioritize DEI as it's currently a contentious issue in our society. I also enjoyed getting to know other Duke graduate students.

I had the privilege of meeting with the North Carolina senators and house representative staffers alongside GPSG's student leaders. My team's discussions revolved around healthcare policy, mental health, and the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. It was an incredible experience to engage directly with policymakers and advocate for changes crucial to the community's health and well-being. I was heartened by the commitment of our leaders to hear our lived experiences and engage in important dialogues. Overall, this trip was an educational and unique opportunity to make a difference in addressing these critical issues at the legislative level.

One of the best things to see on the trip was how we as students adjusted to the conversations with congressional offices. We started unsure, but by the end of the day, we had all gotten a pep in our step as the discussions really clicked for us.

In The News & Related Topics

Reps. Foushee, Frost, Beyer Introduce Legislation to Establish National Gun Violence Research Program – Valerie Foushee (house.gov)