The Graduate and Professional Student Council took action against President Nan Keohane's decision to eliminate the University's of highest ranking official dealing with minority affairs at its meeting Monday night.
Keohane announced last week that she plans to dissolve the position of University vice president and vice provost, currently held by Leonard Beckum. The decision has elicited criticism from students and employees alike, who have said that the decision displaces minority concerns to middle management and that Keohane should have consulted with outside groups before making her decision.
GPSC will be forwarding a unanimously-passed resolution to Keohane calling "for the president to reconsider the decision to eliminate the position... with the inclusion of input from groups and individuals on whom it will have the greatest impact."
The resolution also "expresses [GPSC's] concern with the recent trend of presidential decision-making without the consultation of the University community," referring to Keohane's recent decisions regarding the future of residential life and student housing.
GPSC was asked by the Black Student Alliance and the Duke chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, which are working jointly to oppose Keohane's decision, to draft the resolution (see related story, p. 1).
"Our main beef is that [Keohane] did not ask for any input," said Trinity senior Miriam Moore, who spoke at the meeting on behalf of the BSA and the NAACP. "The elimination of this position is something that will affect the entire community. It's not just a minority issue."
Many GPSC members said they recognize the need for administrative streamlining, which Keohane has made a commitment to doing, but that the decision was not handled well.
"We have more vice presidents at this University than any other one around," said Seth Watkins, a third-year graduate student in mechanical engineering. "She is trying to downsize the administration, but this isn't the best way to handle a very sensitive issue."
GPSC chose to avoid addressing the issue of whether the post is an essential or beneficial one, as members said they did not feel informed enough about the position.
IN OTHER BUSINESS: GPSC members elected to maintain the current graduate student fee of $7 per student each semester for the 1995-96 year.
The University Union receives $4 of each student's payment, with the rest allocated to GPSC. Many GPSC members agreed that although the fee is low and the money well-spent, a fee increase should not be passed because GPSC's distribution of funds is not a solidified process.
Others said GPSC should try to better publicize the events and programs it funds before increasing the fee.
"We're funding all these groups and I don't see any measurable, quantifiable, seeable benefit," said Susan Timberlake, a second-year graduate student in biomedical engineering.
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