YuLin Zhen, Photography Editor
The University’s Graduate and Professional Student Senate, or GPSS, aims to steer Yale toward improving resources for graduate students and fostering greater connectivity across the graduate and professional schools.
The newest cohort of GPSS senators began their term on Sept. 19 and recently met with University President Maurie McInnis to discuss the GPSS’ agenda.
“My biggest takeaway [from the meeting] was that both President McInnis and GPSS share hopes to foster more connectivity among students across the graduate and professional schools,” said Alex Rich GRD ’27, GPSS president. “In line with this, I expressed a need to address the decentralized nature of resources and support for the G&P community. I also shared our priorities for the year with her, and she seemed open to understanding the student perspective and collaborating on these issues.”
During the discussion with McInnis, the senate highlighted their main priorities of securing an Ombuds Office, ensuring greater food security for graduate and professional students and providing affordable and accessible transportation options.
According to Rich, Yale is the only Ivy League institution without a university-wide ombuds office, which is a designated impartial conflict-resolution space to resolve frictions between students, faculty and administrators. In 2023, the GPSS passed a resolution in support of the establishment of this office.
Though the new cohort of GPSS senators has been in office for only a month, Rich noted the great strides they have taken in realizing their goals.
“[The] GSA and GPSS compiled a report last year replicating across four large surveys that approximately 30 percent of Yale G&P students are food insecure, a rate over twice that of the national average. The report also made recommendations — the implementation of which we have been discussing with the Office of the Secretary and Vice President for University Life and Yale Hospitality over the past few months,” Rich said.
Rich stated that GPSS discussions with the University administration have led to the creation of a new Yale Hospitality plan: Grad Plus.
The Grad Plus dining plan includes two total meals per week at Commons or The Bow Wow and 125 dining points per year, according to Yale Hospitality’s website.
A model of the new Grad Plus plan has been piloted in the Medical School.
“While this plan improves dining options for food-secure students, a plan that feeds students throughout the week and could be subsidized would be better suited to address food insecurity,” said Rich.
Rich told the News that the GPSS board is working with the Office of the Secretary and Vice President for University Life and each graduate and professional school to determine the meal plan needs of food-insecure students in each of Yale’s graduate programs.
In addition to food insecurity, the GPSS is also seeking to improve graduate student access to public transportation.
“[The] GPSS has been collaborating with GSA to get subsidized public transportation in the form of bus passes for graduate and professional students,” said Rich. “We are preparing a proposal for the administration to enroll in CTPass … [and] have launched a survey, which we will use to inform this proposal.”
Saman Haddad LAW ’26, the vice president of GPSS, also highlighted that the senate has been actively engaging with the Yale Corporation to encourage more direct involvement with students. He believes that increasing the Board’s engagement with the student body will foster greater transparency and alignment between student needs and institutional policies.
Haddad also told the News that the GPSS is continuing its lobbying efforts to support the ban of legacy preference admissions in Connecticut — a vital issue the GPSS hopes will promote fairness in the admissions process.
The GPSS has also taken strides in implementing exciting new initiatives aimed at enhancing student life.
“We are organizing a series of events to foster cross-school community engagement, improve student well-being and strengthen professional development opportunities,” wrote Haddad. “We also plan to expand our outreach through Gryphon’s Pub events and social programming … emphasizing inclusivity and accessibility in all our programming.”
As part of the GPSS’ programming, Rich added that the board has increased non-alcohol-centric events to achieve more inclusive engagement among the graduate student population.
Alejandro Sánchez Flores JGA ’25, a Jackson School of Global Affairs senator, believes that strengthening connections across Yale’s graduate community while ensuring that traditionally underrepresented voices are heard and supported is another top priority for the GPSS.
“I chose to run for [senator] because I believe in being a strong advocate for all students, ensuring everyone has access to the resources and support they need to thrive at Yale,” said Sánchez Flores. “As a queer international student, I understand the unique challenges many of us face, from navigating cultural transitions to accessing academic resources … My goal is to create an environment where every student feels empowered to succeed, regardless of their background or identity.”
There are 5,344 graduate and professional students at Yale.