GSC Mission Statement

To improve the academic, professional, and social experience of graduate students at Caltech by engaging with campus offices, building a diverse and vibrant community, and advocating for a better quality of life.

Visit the About page to learn about the GSC and its various committees, the Representatives page for the list of our 2023-2024 Board of Directors, and the BoD Documents page for our bylaws and statutes.

Join our Slack Channel to tune into the most recent discussions on all issues: https://caltechgsc.slack.com/

Our Petitions & Town Halls page provides links to various student-organized petitions and town hall documents across campus.

To learn about the clubs at Caltech and how to register one, visit http://clubs.caltech.edu/.

All students are welcome to attend the regular monthly BoD meetings. The meeting schedule can be found on the GSC Events Calendar.

2023-2024 Initiatives

The list of priorities below were put together in our monthly BoD meetings and organized by committee. This is not a comprehensive list of all activities/issues that members of the GSC are working on, but a more specific supplement to the descriptions given under each committee’s page. We encourage anyone who is interested in working on these or additional initiatives to join the GSC Slack or contact gscsteer@caltech.edu.

Academics

1. Continue efforts on organizing yearly teaching awards and Everhart Lecture series
2. Organize various workshops for orientation in collaboration with the Caltech Library to assist incoming students
3. Organize and host the annual Student Faculty Colloquium (SFC)

Advocacy

1. Analyze survey results from previous years and present the results to the student body
2. Fast-track the distribution and analysis of this year’s GSC Quality of Life survey
3. Resume the Advocacy Office Hours program

Social

1. Organize and host social events, including orientation activities, term parties, and GSC Formal
2. Utilize better communication platforms for organizing social events, such as the #social Slack channel

Strategic Communications

1. Reinstate the GSC events calendar, which will be available on the GSC website through Google Calendar
2. Keep the GSC website up to date
3. Manage and moderate the gradstudents@caltech.edu and marketplace@caltech.edu mailing lists

Treasury

1. Streamline the reimbursement process for clubs and committees
2. Reorganize the PTA structure to more accurately reflect the GSC budget structure
3. Expedite the yearly budget building process

Sustainability

1. Continue working with Caltech Security to advocate for secure bike lockers on campus and in the Wilson parking garages
2. Continue work towards establishing an e-bike loaner program managed by the Caltech Library
3. Continue working with the Caltech Office of External Relations to advocate for protected bike lanes on Wilson Ave.
4. Continue working with Caltech Sustainability Office and Caltech Parking Services to add more ZipCars on campus
5. Advocate for elimination of single-use plastics in Caltech Dining
6. Start a pilot composting program in the Catalina apartments
7. Advocate for conversion of gas stoves to high quality electric stoves in Caltech-owned housing

Arts

1. Host monthly movie screening starting with “Movies in Pasadena” then move on the “World Cinema” 
2. Host special private movie screening events (funded by student affairs) with movie related to Caltech (such as Oppenheimer, Legally Blonde ….etc.) 
3. Plan and host the Caltech Community Art Exhibition in Spring 2024 with DEI, ORE, CDS, and PVA
4. Launch university-wide community art circulation program (“Art for All”)  which allows student/student body or department or offices to decorate with community art
5. Organize scientific illustration workshop with illustrators in residence