Graduate and Professional Student Council

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Last Updated: Jun 03, 2025, 04:52 PM

Concerned Graduate or Professional Student?

If you would like to be added to GPSC’s mailing list, which includes the agenda for the coming meeting and possible resolutions that will be considered in the near future, please email us at gpsc@siu.edu!

What is GPSC?

The Graduate and Professional Student Council is a body of graduate and professional student representatives from each graduate and professional degree and certificate program that solicits opinions from graduate and professional students at SIU in order to discuss and take positions on issues such as graduate assistantships, fee increases, grievance procedures, campus safety, and other matters of relevance to graduate students. The GPSC President and Executive Board communicate these concerns and priorities to the campus administration and the Board of Trustees through various councils, committees, and board meetings on which GPSC has representation. The Council also serves as a resource for graduate and professional students regarding various university services.

What does GPSC do for you?

  • Acts as an advocate for its constituents
  • Allows the opportunity to engage in shared governance and decision-making
  • Administers the portion of the Student Activity Fee paid by all graduate and professional students
  • Reimburses certain conference-related and professional development expenses
  • Reimburses specific event expenses

  • Academic Grievances

    As the Graduate Catalog states, "Graduate students at SIU have the right to appeal for redress of grievance through established channels...Access to these channels is restricted to complaints by graduate students alleging that some member of the university community has caused the student to suffer some specific harm related to a matter within the authority of the dean of the Graduate School (i.e. matters pertaining to academic progress of a student). Grievances which have been brought to a hearing under another campus grievance procedure shall not be brought to a hearing under this procedure."

    Graduate Catalog Academic Grievance Policy

    GPSC is glad to help students through every stage in the process of deciding to submit an academic grievance, submitting the necessary paperwork, and navigating the procedures that follow. If you would like to speak with someone about a potential academic grievance or if you have questions of any kind related to academic grievances, please feel free to contact the Vice President for Graduate Student Affairs at gpsc.grievance@siu.edu.

  • Employment Grievances

    Graduate students employed as student workers are covered by a student worker grievance procedure, which is administered by the Financial Aid Office.

    Grievances by Graduate Assistants (Teaching, Research, and Administrative) are coordinated through the union for GAs, Graduate Assistants United (GAU). For more information about the procedure to address Employment Grievances, contact gau.siuc@gmail.com.

    Graduate Assistants United

    Graduate Assistants United is the union for Graduate Assistants at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. GA United represents all graduate assistants at SIUC--including research, teaching, administrative (non-academic), and graduate employees with assistantships of any other title.

    GAU negotiates with the university to create GA students' Collective Bargaining agreement (the GA employee contract). The Union advocates for and represents Graduate Assistants' rights and interests regarding the terms of the GA contract.

    For more information, visit the GAU site or email gau.siuc@gmail.com using a personal (non-SIU) email.