Aaron Kugler, a second-year law student who ran for GPSA president last year and lost to Lorena Olmos, has been elected as the leader for the Graduate and Professional Student Association next year.
"It's what I always wanted," Kugler said.
He added that name recognition caused by his previous campaign helped.
Kugler, who received his bachelor's degree with a double major in English and psychology from UNM, will be the association's president until the end of the spring semester 2004. He will graduate at the same time.
The professional student said he is looking forward to accomplishing several goals including increasing the association's visibility and working with the University's next president to make progress for the association.
While president, Kugler said he is looking forward to being the chairman of the Student Fee Review Board.
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The review board solicits applications from student organizations that want money from student funds that are allocated by the board.
Some of Kugler's goals include increasing the size of the GPSA staff to work more regular hours; developing a solid relationship with the UNM Board of Regents; and revising the association's constitution and law book to better suit the constituencies GPSA serves.
"It could stand to be revised to allow GPSA to run more effectively," he said.
Kugler also wants the GPSA offices in the new SUB to be a marker for students so they are more aware of the association and what it can do for them.
Some of Kugler's most important responsibilities will be staffing the association's next council; being a liaison between graduate and professional students and the Board of Regents; appointing graduate students to numerous committees; and overseeing actions performed by GPSA.
Additionally, Kugler said he wants more funding available for graduate students wanting to attend conferences and symposiums and increased financial support for teaching and graduate assistants.
"A lot of them feel they are underpaid and I'm sure they probably are," he said.
Last week, the Board of Regents voted to approve an averaged 3 percent increase for stipends paying teaching and graduate assistants.
"I think it's absolutely a good start," Kugler said. "Is it enough? Probably not."
Newly elected GPSA Council Chairman Sherlock Terry said he agrees.
Terry, a graduate student studying studio art with a concentration in painting and drawing, said he ran for the position because he wanted to be more involved with UNM on a level that reaches across departments.
As council chairman, Terry will oversee and record minutes for each month's GPSA Council meetings.
"I have experience with that," he said.
Terry said that graduate art students have not had a very important role in GPSA operations and that he would work to incorporate the knowledge and perspective of his background and training.
