A. PRESIDENT

1. Kevin Lahey

2. Jorge Vasquez

3. Junru Ruan

2. Jorge Vasquez

Jorge Vasquez, Jr. graduates with a degree in Africana studies. The New York City native has served as president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity andalso as a Student Association senator and as a resident assistant. Vasquez helped organize a variety of community service events including the annual Halloween Haunted House for children, a Black Solidarity Day march and vigil; and programs on HIV/AIDS awareness. He is also a recipient of a2005 President's Award for Leadership. The power, will and track record to make positive change.

3. Junru Ruan

I am Junru Ruan, a PhD student in the College of NanoScale Science and Engineering. I believe that leadership roots not only from the experience of the past, but also the vision for the future. For the past three years, I actively participated in GSO events as a RGSO leader, and I got familiar with every aspects of GSO. My passion to become the president of GSO comes from my appreciation of the community. With your support, I will devote my effort, energy and time for the organization, and make it more helpful to more graduate students.

In particular, I am interested in steering the organization towards the direction of more friendly and supportive, making its funding more accessible for the groups and individuals, and provides services including legal consultant and message board to the community. I will work together with the university senate and SUNY assembly, making the voice of graduate students heard by the administration, and the issues of students easier to be addressed with the collaborative efforts of GSO.

Vote for me, your support will be appreciated, and I will do a good job.

B. Vice President

1. Khalil Nobles

My name is Khalil Nobles and if given an opportunity in the GraduateStudent Organization, I could provide students with a diversified experience. I could also provide a sense of belonging, pride, and aid their transition into the corporate world.

2. Collin Gulczynski

My name is Collin Gulczynski, I am running for the position of Vice president for the up coming academic year. I will be in my second year in the MPA program where I am specializing in public finance and budgeting. My previous experience includes 3 years in the Albany Student Association, where I held the position of Assistant Educational Affairs Director and Director of Student Concerns. Currently I sit on the American Society for Public Administers Council for the Albany district. As the vice president of GSO I look to stream line the budget process, attend our GSO events, advocate for GSO groups at the E Board Level. Also I would like to increase communication between GSO groups and the executive committee. I have included a picture of myself.

3. Tianhua Yu

Tianhua Yu is currently enrolled in the Doctoral Program in the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at SUNY Albany. Also he works as the research assistant in the Energy and Environmental Technology Applications Center of CNSE. He holds a Master Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Chinese Academy of Sciences in China, which he received in 2004. In 2001, he received his Bachelor Degree at Tsinghua University in China.

Mr. Yu is currently the president of Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA), which is the biggest group in RGSO. His responsibilities include overall functioning of CSSA, spokesperson to the graduate students’ community, and coordinate over all CSSA events. Of particular note, he has successfully organized many events and activities with the help of GSO and MCAA, for example, Chinese New Year Party in Egg Theater, Chinese national day and mid-autumn day celebration party, and Ping Pong introduction Seminar and Contest. Besides working for CSSA, Tianhua is an important member of Chinese Community Center (CCC) in Albany.

In his spare time, Tianhua enjoys playing basketball and working on acoustic guitar and electronic piano. Also he is beginning to learn photography and fishing.

C. TREASURER

1. Xin Xin Chen

My name is Xinxin Chen and I am a second year Ph. D. student in the department of Economics.

I have been working in the GSO as an office manager for almost one year and I love this community! I want to do more for this organization and that is why I am running.

I got my bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting from the top university in China and now I am majoring in Economics. I strongly believe I can handle the treasurer's job.

However, my goal is not only to be a good treasurer within the existing system, but to make this system a much more efficient one.

My working experience as office manager gives me a good opportunity to find out where we can make improvements. For example, the voucher process now is working fine, but a little slow. Many of the students need to wait for the reimbursement checks for one month. I hope by working closely with the Office managers, E-board member, Student Life office and UAS, we can speed up the process.

I have already got the specific ideas of how we can improve the efficiency in the GSO financial system:

* redesign the voucher process to shorten the time needed;
* have office hours as a treasurer;
* prevent the late charge for the bill payment;
* allocate money in the budget more efficiently;
* give detailed and timely budget report to increase financial transparency.

Please vote for me and let these changes happen.
Thank you!

2. Mithun Aswathappa

I am a Graduate Student from Computer Science Department. I am from country India which diverse in culture. I am a very interactive and easy going person.I am running for Treasure Position of GSO. It is prestigious position in any University. Being a graduate student I would like to contribute to the University and GSO by becoming Treasure. I have little experience in managing accounts and maintaining the records in my past business in India.

 

D. MCAA CHAIR

1. Miciah Yehudah

My name is Miciah Yehudah. I am currently a Master’s candidate in the Africana Studies graduate program. I am currently seeking the position as MCAA Chair for the Graduate Student Organization in the upcoming 2007-2008 school year. It is my desire to follow the lead as set by my colleague Amirah Cousins in keeping the graduate community up to date with the cultural affairs affecting us as students and us as a collection of people representing so many cultures. For the 2006-2007 school years I served as the Programming Chair for the graduate student organization. During my stint I implemented such programs as trips to New York City and Boston Massachusetts, shopping trips to Woodbury Commons, and implemented such programs as a Tai Chi, Kung Fu, and African Dance workshops, and last but certainly not least, one of the staple of our programs, the Graduate Social at such venues as Noche, Skyline, Jillian’s, and Pearls. If elected by you as MCAA Chair for the 2007-2008 school year you would elect a proven candidate with over 4 years experience of managerial skills, budget handling capabilities, and experience within the University at Albany’s student programming affairs. I served as a member of the E-Board of Nefer Rohu (RGSO group) and in the 2006-2007 year I served as Programming Chair of the Graduate Student Organization. In 2007-2008 I would like to serve the graduate students in the role of MCAA chair. As my experience has proven, I am one that understands the needs of students from a student perspective, an RGSO perspective, and a GSO organizational perspective. Help me to assist the Graduate Student Organization as MCAA Chair in providing the best services to the graduate student population and making your life on campus much more enjoyable. Thank you for your time and consideration.

All the best, Miciah Yehudah

2. Fathima Farheen

"Lets have Unity in Diversity".
My name is Fathima and I am a student of the School of Public Health which is situated at the East Campus in Rensselaer and usually unheard of at the other campuses! I am pursuing my Master's in Social Behavior and Community Health which I find very interesting.

I have the motivation and dedication to do a good job as the MCAA. I have served as the Editor on the School Board, and have also planned, hosted and managed many events in my undergraduate years. I am an Indian and I speak over six different languages! I am an ardent admirer of culture and tradition. Students at our school hail from all over the globe and I look forward to utilizing this opportunity to achieve a platform to promote better understanding and respect for various cultures. So, expect to watch and discuss international movies, learn to cook and eat food from different countries, learn to wear different clothes and accessories, and to enjoy dance and music from all over the globe.

 

E. SUNY STUDENT ASSEMBLY REPRESENTATIVE

1. Brian Fessler

I'm currently in Rockefeller College's MPA program with a concentration in Public Security while working as a Graduate Assistant for the Office of Undergraduate Education. I also earned my BA in Political Science and History from UAlbany in 2006. I have extensive experience with the Student Assembly, having served as President, Vice President, and Director of Student Government Relations at various points during the past three years and would be pleased to represent the University again.

 

2.Glenn Pichardo

Glenn is a first year Ph.D. student studying Higher Education Administration. He was previously elected as the Graduate Student Representative on the Student Assembly and has been a voting delegate at the Student Assembly conferences.

F. LEAD SENATOR

1. Man Kit Tse
My name is Man Kit Tse. I am a second year Ph. D. student in the department of Physics.
I have been studying at University at Albany for six years and received my bachelor’s degree in Physics and Mathematics. I consider all graduate students my friends. Now I would like to contribute to the university community and all graduate students. That’s why I am running for the position of Lead Senator.

Since I was a graduate student, I received a lot of concerns from other graduate students about the university community. If I become the Lead senator, I will bring the most important concerns to the University Senate, for example: the effect of cancelling graduate on-campus housing, the policy change about the assistantship for PhD student.

Please vote for me.

G. UNIVERSITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE

1. Glenn Pichardo

Glenn is a first year Ph.D. student studying Higher Education Administration. He currently serves the GSO as the Graduate Student Delegate on the University Council and looks forward to continuing his work representing graduate students.