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Vice President - Sarah Reyneveld

Sarah Reyneveld is a second-year law student focusing on environmental law.  She is a 2008 Graduate of the Evans School of Public Affairs, where she served as GPSS Vice President, earned an Environmental Management (EM) certificate, and was a member of Phi Alpha Alpha. Sarah received her undergraduate degree from Smith College in 2003 where she graduated cum laude and received high honors from the government department.

After her 1L year, Sarah clerked at the Attorney General’s Ecology division in Olympia. During her graduate studies, Sarah worked at the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) Natural Resources and Environment division in Washington, D.C. Prior to entering graduate school, Sarah worked as a Research Assistant for Governor Chris Gregoire’s comprehensive education study, Washington Learns, and as a Legislative Assistant for the Washington State Senate in Olympia.

Sarah is extremely excited to be returning to GPSS to serve as the Vice President. As former Vice President (2007-2008), and Policy Analyst (2006-2007), Sarah worked to ensure that childcare and mental health care for graduate and professional students was affordable and accessible. In conjunction with the 2007-2008 GPSS President, she organized the first annual GPSS Summit, examining increasing investment in high demand degrees. During the 2009-2010 school year, Sarah will work with the graduate and professional student community and elected officials in Olympia to advocate for quality, affordable, and accessible graduate education. Sarah enjoys the Seattle arts scene, including dancing ballet, sports, camping and traveling.

 

Vice President's Duties

  • Assumes the duties of the President in the President's absence, and assumes the duties of the President in the event that the President vacates office
  • Oversees graduate student representation on University committees
  • Represents the GPSS to the Washington State Legislature, including but not limited to:
    • Spending 2-5 days a week in Olympia during the legislative session during the Winter quarter and as other duties and time allow during the Spring quarter (it is highly recommended that the Vice President attend school part time during winter quarter), attending pertinent committee hearings and preparing and giving testimony when relevant, meeting with legislators and staff regarding the GPSS Legislative Agenda, the Washington Student Lobby (WSL) Agenda and other relevant higher education issues
    • Working collaboratively with other WSL designated school liaisons on top WSL priorities
    • Researching and writing briefs on legislative and/or other issues as specified by the President, GPSS Executive Committee, and/or the GPSS
    • Keeping the GPSS, the Executive Committee, the GPSS officers, and individual graduate and professional students informed of issues before the Legislature and other bodies
  • Initiates the process of enacting a GPSS Legislative Agenda including but not limited to:
    • Seeking input and bringing forth an initial draft Legislative Agenda (the VP has the discretion on whether or not to call a legislative steering advisory committee)
    • Bringing forth a draft Legislative Agenda to the GPSS Executive Committee in order to seek input
    • Presenting a draft Legislative Agenda to the Senate and shepherd the passing of a GPSS Legislative Agenda
  • Serves on several committees such as GPSS Executive Committee, ASUW Legislative Steering Committee, Washington Student Lobby (WSL) State Board, and GSSA Committee
  • Serves as the GPSS representative to the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students (NAGPS) and other groups addressing legislative issues
  • Makes every effort to obtain official positions from the GPSS and/or the Executive Committee on issues being considered by other groups. If no position is available, the Vice President should use discretion in either putting forth his or her own opinion, or not commenting until a position is obtained. In these cases, consultation with other GPSS officers is desirable
  • Recommends GPSS representatives to external committees, councils, and other groups
  • Informs GPSS external committee representatives of GPSS resolutions, positions, and policies and maintain files of GPSS representatives' reports
  • Directly supervises the Legislative Assistant and Policy Analyst