GAPSA discusses war in Gulf

In a sharply-divided vote, the Graduate and Professional Students Assembly narrowly passed a resolution voicing their concern over the Persian Gulf war and its effect at the University. The resolution, proposed by GAPSA Vice-Chairperson for Student Affairs Andrew Miller, was passed by a margin of nine to eight, with seven abstentions. The vote at yesterday's monthly GAPSA meeting was preceded by a heated debate about the effects the Gulf crisis will have on University students. One of the major disagreements with the original proposal, presented in Miller's absence, was a paragraph which asked the University to make financial aid available to those male students who did not register for the Selective Service. The paragraph was later stricken from the resolution by a vote. According to GAPSA Chairperson Susan Garfinkel, men who have not registered cannot receive government funds. "The federal government requires that those who have not registered are not eligible for federal grants," Garfinkel said. Some GAPSA representatives said they felt that their constituents would not agree with spending "their tuition money" on financial aid for those who did not register. But other participants at the meeting called the entire resolution devisive and would, by the nature of the issue, spark emotional outbreaks. "People who support the war, who have family and friends fighting, will find it controversial," said long-time graduate student leader Wayne Glasker. "I don't think it represents a consensus of constituents." Earlier in the evening, non-GAPSA members were shuffled outside for approximately 15 minutes while reports were given from the different graduate schools and constituency. The resolution to remove the non-members passed by a seven-vote margin, and the seven non-members left the room quietly. Other highlights in the meeting included a presentation by AIDS activist and Anthropology graduate student Michael Bazinet. Bazinet said that there were plans to make up activities lost by the cancellation of AIDS Awareness Week by Student Health in late January. Funded from a variety of sources, including the Graduate Student Associations Council, AIDS Awareness activities will now take place on February 16 in the University Museum, Bazinet said.

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