Graduate-Professional Student Congress Sends Representative to Meet With Lawmakers in Washington

Courtesy of JD DiLoreto-Hill

JD DiLoreto-Hill, vice president of the Graduate-Professional Student Congress, and U.S. Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas following their meeting to discuss issues facing U of A graduate students.

University of Arkansas Graduate-Professional Student Congress vice president JD DiLoreto-Hill met with Arkansas representatives in Washington, D.C., last week. The meetings were part of the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students (NAGPS) semi-annual Legislative Action Days. Graduate students across the nation took part in the event.

DiLoreto-Hill met with Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton, and Congressman Steve Womack's staff. One of the key issues discussed with the lawmakers was the importance of on-campus housing for graduate students; food insecurity and mental health continue to present challenges for U of  A graduate students. Studies have shown that on-campus housing can help address both challenges. Additionally, the process of state-side renewal for F-1 and J-type visas was explored. Currently, international students must return to their home countries for visa renewals, which can create or exasperate bureaucratic and financial challenges. 

DiLoreto-Hill also talked with the representatives about the importance of reauthorizing the Higher Education Act, which expired in 2013. This would play a huge role in policies around student loan repayment, a key issue for the constituency of the Graduate-Professional Student Congress. These issues are at the heart of U of A graduate and professional students' concerns and are in line with policy objectives of the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students.

Sens. Boozman and Cotton and Rep. Womack's staff pledged to maintain an open dialog with the U of A Graduate-Professional Student Congress and U of A administrators as they work together toward tackling some of these policy issues.

The national association will host its annual conference at the U of A from Nov. 1-4. Abstracts for general and research sessions are still being accepted. All U of A graduate students are encouraged to submit an abstract showcasing their research.

• Submit abstracts for Graduate Lives and Advocacy Sessions.
• Submit abstracts for #GradsDo Sessions.

Abstracts will be accepted through October. They will be approved on a first-come first-serve basis. Please submit as soon as possible if you would like to present at the national conference.

Visit www.nagps.uark.edu for more information. The site is continuously updated with additional conference information.