GSO passes resolution to remove recommendation letter requirement in PAC applications

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Syracuse University’s Graduate Student Organization Senate passed a resolution to strike the requirement for recommendation letters for student government organizations, which they referred to as PACs, at its Wednesday meeting.

Certain PACs on campus — including the GSO and Student Association — require a grant faculty recommendation letter when a student applies to be a part of the organization. GSO Recording Secretary Abiodun Adeoye said many students find it difficult to get these letters in on time due to a lack of responsiveness from professors. He also said some letters are not helpful toward the application.

“As a person who chairs (GSO’s PAC committee), I often have to answer so many emails of professors submitting letters late or telling me they’re about to be late,” Adeoye said. “Then sometimes when letters come in, they’re very weak and they actually bring down the applicant’s overall application.”

GSO’s Vice President of External Affairs Michael Ammoury proposed two alternate options to the resolution: adding a checkbox to make the recommendation letter optional and forwarding a copy of the application to the applicant’s advisor. Both proposals failed to pass.

GSO Senator Michelle Tynan said she opposed the alternate proposals because she doesn’t believe the relationship between a professor and a student reflects the student’s abilities, and therefore, it shouldn’t apply to students’ applications.

“I disagree with this addition and all additions that involve faculty or advisors in this process,” Tynan said. “Our place is to determine the merit of the application on the student’s words alone.”

The PAC resolution passed unanimously.

Other Business:

• GSO passed a resolution to revise its fiscal policy to make it clearer and easier to navigate.
• GSO also passed a resolution to prioritize graduate student wellness through communication with the Barnes Center at The Arch.
• GSO passed a motion to support the SUNY ESF Research Assistant’s Unionization Campaign and agreed to take further action to support the campaign by posting on their social media accounts.
• GSO voted to approve $300 in funding for the Defense Comptrollership Program to go toward a picnic the program is hosting.
• GSO passed a resolution to ban the purchasing and catering of shrimp due to the stress that shrimp harvesting causes to the environment.
• GSO also considered including the ban of meat and cheese due to their harmful effects on the environment as well, but the senate passed it on to the Climate Action Committee in order to draft a new resolution.