“I’ve tried to fulfill my promises to the board and stay engaged with you and the university,” Fletcher said.

Along with Fletcher, College of Natural Sciences Representative Patrick True was elected as vice president for internal affairs, and medical school liaison Suzy Borkowski was elected as vice president for external affairs.

“It’s a position about building bridges and building relationships with MSU programs,”
Borkowski said.

Doctoral student Jennifer Wray was elected as recording secretary and doctoral student Chris Harvey was elected as treasurer.

Despite being from the biochemistry department, Harvey said he believes he can do a good job because of his extensive work with numbers.

Along with the elections, COGS also gave an update on a new Michigan law that prevents research assistants from unionizing.

Fletcher said being a research assistant is a gray area, as most graduate student assistants on campus are teaching assistants.

He added it’s unclear how the law might affect MSU, if at all.

The Graduate Employees Union represents the teaching assistants on campus.

Julius Jackson, associate dean of the MSU Graduate School, said research and teaching assistants also are paid differently, as research assistants generally are paid through grants, and teaching assistants are paid through university funds.

One of the items also discussed at the meeting was an upcoming 5k run/walk to raise awareness of proposed renovations of MSU’s vacant Chittenden Hall.

The event will take place on March 25 and would help purpose funding and renovation for the hall as a graduate/professional student center, vice president for external affairs LeighAnn Jordan said.