The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly made a rare amendment to its constitution, passing a non-discrimination policy at a meeting last month.
Drafted by first-year Law student and GAPSA Law School Representative Keola Whittaker, the policy is nearly identical to the University's non-discrimination statement.
"We wanted for the group to endorse [a non-discrimination policy] that mirrored the school's policy, mostly as a symbolic gesture to remind ourselves that what we do as a group should uphold the values of the school's non-discrimination policy," Whittaker said.
However, GAPSA's statement goes one step further than the University's in that it allows GAPSA to withhold funding from those who do not comply with the policy.
Currently, GAPSA assists about 12 to 15 groups with operational funding and supports 40 to 50 events throughout the year.
Whittaker was inspired to draft this amendment to the GAPSA constitution when he noticed that no such policy was explicitly stated in any GAPSA literature.
"It made sense that an organization that does things such as pass resolutions, make policy statements and fund groups should have their own non-discrimination policy," Whittaker said.
Group members generally supported the policy, but those in opposition were concerned that it was unnecessary.
"I guess my personal opinion is that it is a little bit redundant," said Amber Price, one of GAPSA's School of Engineering and Applied Science representatives and a third-year Engineering graduate student.
Noting that some schools and programs in the University have their own non-discrimination policies, GAPSA Treasurer and third-year Law student Todd Curry expressed his support for the new policy.
"It's good for individual entities within the University to reflect the knowledge that the University has a non-discrimination policy and that they also adhere to it," Curry said.
Whittaker also commented on the necessity of the amendment.
"I believe that there is a difference between actively affirming and just complying with the University non-discrimination policy," he said. "This is an active affirmation."
