Grad students ask for pub on Walk

The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly passed a unanimous resolution last night asking for the empty Theta Xi house to be converted into a pub or coffee house for graduate students. But many GAPSA members said that while they would prefer the house be transformed into a graduate student center, their main concern is that the house be used for an activity space that could be used "by members of the community other than a fraternity." "We don't want a place to sit unused when in fact it could be helping to diversify Locust Walk," said second-year Law student Bob Tintner. Second-year history graduate student Brian Huck, who wrote the resolution, said if the house were turned into a graduate student center, students would be willing to share the center with the Women on the Walk group "or other groups not currently represented on Locust Walk " that also want use of the house. But Huck said the house shold be turned into a meeting place mainly for graduate students, because "graduate students are relegated to more peripheral locations of campus," and Houston Hall space allocation "favors undergraduates." In other GAPSA business, many representatives declined nomination for GAPSA board positions, leaving many positions uncontested. The main contested vote was for the graduate student who, besides new GAPSA Chair Patricia Khuly, will be a member of University Council's Steering Committee. Outgoing GAPSA chair Allen Orsi and outgoing Graduate Student Associations Council chair Michele Grimm will be considered by faculty to sit on the steering committee. The only other contested election was for the position of vice chairperson for policy. Outgoing Vice Chair for Policy Cheryl Patterson beat Huck for that position. Tinter became vice chairperson for student affairs and Nursing graduate student Cheryl Frankson captured the first vice chair position. Veterinary School student Steven Suter was elected vice chairperson for nominations.