In the uncontested race for Graduate Student Government Association (GSGA) president, the Wheel’s Editorial Board endorses Cody Long (20L). Long’s prior experience in student government at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, coupled with his concrete proposals to improve GSGA’s accessibility, make him a qualified candidate for the job. If elected, Long should follow through with his plans to improve engagement and communication within GSGA.

Long’s years of experience serving in student government organizations would greatly supplement his abilities as GSGA president. As an undergraduate at North Carolina State University, Long served as president of the Student Senate, and he currently serves as vice president of academic affairs for the Emory Law School Student Bar Association (SBA). Long is a strong student advocate, and says that if students are not involved in administrative conversations, they’re vulnerable to decisions they oppose.

Long also presents beneficial and achievable proposals to improve both GSGA’s outreach and internal cohesion. If elected, he promises to meet regularly with the deans and presidents of each graduate school for direct suggestions and feedback. He has thorough knowledge of GSGA’s governing documents and structure, as indicated by his proposal to prevent the GSGA chief of staff — traditionally an executive position — from serving as the organization’s legislative leader. Long also promises to swiftly update GSGA’s outdated OrgSync page.

If elected, Long should to reach out to other graduate divisions, so that he is adequately prepared to represent students from every division. Long’s experience serving as a College fraternity house director demonstrates his involvement in the greater Emory community. But the Editorial Board advises Long to more closely study issues which affect other graduate divisions. Specifically, Long should consult with Laney Graduate School students on the controversial issue of unionization, and he should work with the voluntary graduate student union EmoryUnite to ensure fair pay and working conditions for students who also work for the University. Additionally, Long should examine whether more GSGA funds can be directed toward research grants and funding for conference travel, both of which are frequent requests from graduate students.

Long’s experience and proposals make him a strong choice for GSGA president. If Long follows through on his proposals to communicate with every graduate division and examine issues affecting other schools, graduate students would be well-served by electing him as their president.

The Editorial Board is composed of Zach Ball, Jacob Busch, Ryan Fan, Andrew Kliewer, Madeline Lutwyche, Boris Niyonzima, Omar Obregon-Cuebas, Shreya Pabbaraju, Madison Stephens and Kimia Tabatabaei.

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The Editorial Board is the official voice of the Emory Wheel and is editorially separate from the Wheel's board of editors.