Francisco Valdovinos, a student and graduate instructional assistant in the Department of Political Science, was recently appointed to be the Leader of the Graduate House of Representatives. Valdovinos noted that “as the Graduate House leader, my role, along with the support of other Graduate House Representatives, encompasses a wide range of responsibilities aimed at enhancing the graduate student experience on campus. We are committed to efforts in university committees, supporting graduate students, and organizing events. In addition to these activities, we will be focusing on supporting and listening to graduate students’ thoughts and concerns about their experience. Our future efforts will also concentrate on strengthening relations with other branches of student government and elevating the visibility and reputation of the grad house.”
The Graduate House of Representatives is a body of student government that represents the graduate students at Texas State, consisting of two representatives from each academic college. Representatives are nominated by the deans of their college, and they strive “to serve as the primary student government advocate for all graduate students at Texas State University by listening and acting transparently as a liaison between the students, the university, and surrounding communities.” Initiatives spurred by Grad House representatives have ranged from increasing lighting on parts of campus to passing Title IX legislation. Moreover, representatives take on leadership roles in a variety of recurring initiatives, including Graduate Student Appreciation Week and the annual Lunch With the Deans.
More information on the Graduate House of Representatives can be viewed here.
