When is the next election cycle?
Elections for the May 2023 – May 2024 GPSG Executive positions will occur during the April 18th General Assembly Meeting.
How are elections conducted? Can I vote?
In the period prior to the April 18th GA meeting, any Duke graduate or professional student can use this form to nominate themself or a peer for any of our executive branch positions.
On April 18th, any Duke graduate or professional student may attend the meeting to ask questions of the nominees or contribute to discussion. However, per our Bylaws, only individuals who have attended a minimum of three meetings including the April 18th session or those who are formally appointed representatives of their program, school, or department may vote. If you are unsure if you qualify to vote, or have questions about which representative(s) speak for your constituency, contact the Chief of Staff.
During the meeting, nominees for each position will be invited to speak briefly about their interest and qualifications. Any individual present may ask questions of the nominee within the allotted time. The nominees will be asked to briefly leave the meeting for discussion and formal voting, and will be invited back in for the next set of prepared remarks by candidates.
Voting for these elections is by instant run-off. Briefly, this means that each individual submits a ballot with all nominees ranked. If no top choice has a clear majority vote at that point, the candidate who is the top pick of the fewest voters is eliminated from the pool. The ballots are then re-tallied with the second choice for members whose top pick was eliminated. This process continues until a majority vote is established for a single candidate. Winners for each election will be declared before the meeting concludes.
How can I learn more about a particular position?
Beyond reading the relevant sections of the bylaws, the best way to learn about a position is by speaking to the individual who currently holds it! You can find a list of this year’s officers here. All of our officers are happy to be contacted directly with questions, and are more than happy to meet for extended discussion.
Who can run? What qualifications are required?
Any individual who plans to be actively enrolled as a graduate or professional student at Duke from May 15, 2023 to May 15, 2024 is eligible to serve on GPSG Executive Branch, as long as you’re willing to perform the duties outlined in the description for the position you qualify.
Note that all members of the executive committee are expected to attend General Assembly and Executive meetings, with a maximum of 3 unexcused absences per semester. If you cannot routinely attend the Tuesday night meetings (6:30-8:30 ET) please make this clear prior to elections. Failure to attend meetings may result in removal from office.
How do I run? Can I nominate someone else?
To nominate yourself of another individual, please use this form. You may nominate as many individuals you like, including yourself, for as many positions as you like until March 28th. If you have difficulty accessing the form or have any questions about using the form, please contact the Chief of Staff. If you are nominated for a position, a member of GPSG leadership will reach out to you in advance of the election to confirm your interest and communicate about any required materials prior to April 4th.
What positions are up for election?
The GPSG Executive Branch consists of 13 positions. Below are brief descriptions of the duties for the office as laid out in our Bylaws, as well as the financial resources provided to these individuals to offset the opportunity cost associated with these essential leadership positions.
President
The President is the chief spokesperson for the Government and the student body, and is the official liaison between the student body and the University at large. The President shall also serve as the official representative of the student body and the Government to all outside bodies. The President directly supervises the three Vice-Presidents. The President sets the broad organizational vision for the Government throughout their term, including advocacy and policy goals and major programming objectives. The President delivers GA resolutions to appropriate members of the University community and administration, creates and convenes select committees as necessary to carry out the work of GPSG, appoints student body members to University committees, establishes direct working relationships with administrators across campus, and develops select committees and strategy proposals to create solutions for issues relevant to graduate and professional students. They are also responsible for coordinating with the Speaker of the Assembly to ensure collaboration between the executive and legislative branches, as well as serving on certain committees convened by the University President and the Board of Trustees.
Vice President for Advocacy
The Vice-President for Advocacy is responsible for developing and advancing GPSG’s mission of advocacy within Duke University and in the broader local, state, and national community. The VP-A directly supervises the Director of Durham and Global Community Relations, the Director of Academic Affairs, the Director of External Advocacy, the Director of Diversity and Inclusion, and the Director of Environment and Sustainability. They develop the annual internal advocacy plan in conjunction with the President under the guidance of the GA, the annual external advocacy plan in conjunction with the President and the Director of External Advocacy including specific plans for local, state, and federal advocacy, and identify system-level opportunities for involvement of the Duke and Durham community in GPSG decision making and activities, especially those in historically marginalized communities.
Vice President for Student Affairs
The Vice-President for Student Affairs is responsible for supporting and developing student life on campus, including events programming and student organizations. The VP-SA also oversees the logistics and internal operations of the Government. The VP-SA directly supervises the Director of Finance, Director of Operations, Director of Student Organizations, and Directors of Events Programming. The VP-SA develops an annual slate of major GPSG events programming for each year and coordinates planning and execution of the events, promotes a vibrant ecosystem of graduate and professional student organizations on campus, maintains financial stewardship of GPSG and ensures accountability and transparency, coordinates logistics for the effective of operation of GPSG, and co-chairs the annual Campout.
Vice President for Communications
The Vice-President for Communications is responsible for maintaining effective external communication platforms for the Government, including overseeing the GPSG newsletter and website. The Vice-President may, upon authorization by the GA, hire a webmaster to run the website, but otherwise does not directly supervise any director. The VP-C reports directly to the President. The VP-C develops a comprehensive communications and marketing plan to elevate the profile of GPSG at Duke, send a memo of Executive Board activities to the Speaker and Clerk at least twice a month at least a day in advance of GA meetings, maintain strong contacts with local and state media outlets as well as the Chronicle to ensure G+P student voices are captured in the media, annually establish contacts with as many graduate and professional programs, departments, and groups as possible to orient incoming students, and promote close ties with the Duke Alumni Association.
Director of Durham Relations
The Director of Durham Relations is responsible for developing programming to connect Duke graduate and professional students with the broader Durham community and for promoting meaningful engagement with local community organizations. The DDR serves as the student liaison to the Duke Office of Durham and Community Affairs, and develops an annual slate of events programming to connect the Durham community and Duke Community. The DDR is also responsible for maintaining the Duke Graduate and Professional Student Chapter of Durham CAN.
Director of Academic Affairs
The Director of Academic Affairs advocates for the academic well-being of all graduate and professional students and responds to student concerns about academic matters. The DAA liaises directly with the individual schools to help mediate disputes between students and administration on academic issues, promote development of academic support resources within GPSG or within Duke more broadly, and work with administrative bodies at Duke to enhance student educational experience, career development, and strengthen alumni connections. The DAA manages the Lawyer Assistance program and the alumni engagement fund.
Director of Logistics and Operations
The Director of Logistics and Operations oversees the physical infrastructure of the Government, and provides operational support to other Government members. The DLO oversees maintenance of physical properties or space owned or occupied by the government (such as the GPSG house), work with other Executive members to oversee execution of events requiring significant physical infrastructure, develop a utilization plan for physical government resources, identify opportunities for strategic investment in infrastructure or equipment for GPSG operations.
Director of Student Organizations
The Director of Student Organizations oversees the ecosystem of student groups across the University and promotes the development of a diverse set of student groups who effectively serve the Duke and Durham community.The DSO develops and maintains the process for student organizations recognition, with an eye to making recognition simple, straightforward, and student-centered, assists student organizations with developing their annual slate of events and programming, coordinates with DSG and DUU to promote effective collaboration between graduate and professional student groups and undergraduate student groups, and actively reach out to student groups in individual schools to encourage GPSG recognition and enrollment.
Director of Events Programming
The Director of Events Programming plans and executes GPSG’s campus-wide events programming, in conjunction with partner organizations such as DSG and DUU, and others. The DEP develops an annual calendar of major campus-wide events in conjunction with other campus partners, works with the basketball head ushers to plan Campout, tailgates, and other basketball related programming, and ensures effective execution of campus wide events programming.
Director of External Advocacy
The Director of External Advocacy organizes GPSG’s portfolio of advocacy efforts in local, state, and federal government, as well as promotes GPSG’s collaboration with other Graduate/Professional student advocacy organizations at other institutions. The DEA develops a slate of annual advocacy trips to state and federal legislators, promotes engagement between students and advocates across institutions of higher educations, develops a plan for frequent communication with state and federal legislators on matters of interest to the Duke and Durham community, and manages annual GPSG voter registration efforts.
Director of Diversity and Inclusion
The Director of Diversity and Inclusion organizes GPSG’s active efforts to promote diversity and inclusion on campus. The Director of Diversity and inclusion shall pay special attention to anti-racism, anti-sexism, and the needs of international students. The DDI works to create a healthy and vibrant ecosystem for a broad diversity of identity and affinity groups, establishes direct relationships with student leaders for identity and affinity groups, and serves as the liaison to all structural centers dedicated to the historically marginalized or underrepresented students on campus.
Director of Environment and Sustainability
The Director of Environment and Sustainability (DES) is responsible for organizing GPSG’s efforts to advocate for increased environmental protection and is responsible for holding Duke accountable for its commitment to environmental justice and sustainable business practices. The Director will sit ex officio on the Climate Crisis Committee and will report to the Vice President of Advocacy. The DES will develop and maintain a comprehensive database of sustainability initiatives and student groups within the Duke, Durham, and Triangle communities to facilitate communication and collaboration on any relevant events or campaigns. Traditionally, the DES has collaborated with the External Advocacy Committees to ensure climate policies are advanced in Duke’s external relations, advance environmental justice initiatives and policies in GPSG and in the Duke University community, and co-sponsor environmentally focused events for graduate and professional students, including but not limited to the annual Earth Day celebration. Finally, the DES will actively work with Sustainable Duke and all relevant university decision makers on the development and implementation of environmentally focused education, research, operations, and external engagement policies
Director of Community Pantry
The Director of Community Pantry is the is the chief spokesperson of the Pantry, and is the official liaison between the Pantry and all other bodies. Thus, the Director maintains the organization in good standing with Duke University via communications with Student Affairs and other University entities. The Director will make regular reports directly to the GPSG General Assembly and the staff advisor. The Director of CP will appoint all the Pantry Executive Board positions at the beginning of their term, and will ensure all necessary Pantry officers complete the Annual Student Organization Training. The Director is responsible for overseeing and ensuring all the Directors of the Pantry are carrying out their duties and responsibilities accordingly. The Director is responsible for overseeing the Pantry Budget, including working with the Finance Coordinator of the Pantry to fundraise for the annual budget. The Director is responsible for leading regular Pantry Executive Board meetings, at least once per month. The Director is responsible for working actively on improving Pantry programming and implementing the Duke Food Security Strategic Plan to alleviate food insecurity on campus. The Director is responsible for overseeing the upkeep of the Pantry physical location. The Director is responsible for maintaining good relationship, updates and correspondence with other GPSG officers and all partners, stakeholders and funders of the Pantry. The Director will remain current with initiatives regarding food insecurity and the Duke Food Security Strategic Plan on Duke’s Campus and in the broader community.