How Are We Organized?

The Graduate Leadership Council (GLC) represents ALL graduate students at American University. In this capacity, the GLC is the ultimate authority for all graduate student advocacy matters. Additionally, the GLC holds and disburses graduate student activity fee dollars.

However, the GLC is also an umbrella organization under which can be found five sub-units: one for each graduate school at American University. These Graduate Student Councils (GSCs) advocate for the specific needs of each school’s graduate students. All funds expended by a GSC must first be requested from the GLC.

Side Note: Due to the business nature of the Kogod School of Business, their GSC is called the Graduate Business Association (GBA).

Who’s on the GLC?

When it comes to the GLC, there are two major components:
1. The Executive Board
2. The GSC Presidents
It’s important to delineate between the two components as the Executive Board (all positions with blue boxes and white text) is composed of appointed officials who are “hired” by the voting members of the GLC (marked with a * on the chart above).
GSC Presidents (all positions with white boxes and blue text) are elected through majority vote by the graduate students of their respective schools in the Spring Semester.

The Executive Board

Regarding the hierarchy of the Executive Board, the President is the ultimate authority followed closely behind by the Vice President of Management.

The President serves as the ultimate administrator and authority of the Executive Board and GLC as a whole. From communicating with the campus president to executing strategic plans, the President serves as the champion of the American University’s graduate students.

The Vice President of Management is the authority within the Executive Board and greater GLC. This person handles much of the internal coordination and communication necessary to keep the GLC running effectively and efficiently. They are also in charge of meetings and Summer and Winter Retreats.

Located at the level below these two positions are the various vice presidents and directors who make up the rest of the Executive Board.

“Finance” is the Vice President of Finance who handles all monetary matters of the GLC. This can include, but is not limited to, allocations to the GSCs, the Travel Grants program, and direct purchases for GLC purposes.

“Comms.” is the Director of Communications who is in charge of all communications put out by the GLC on social media, the website, email, etc.

“Clubs” is the Director of Clubs and Campus Relations who is charged with helping to coordinate and promote graduate clubs and organizations at American University. Additionally, beneath the Director are several Liaisons who help facilitate outreach to and communications with under-served graduate student populations.

“Programs.” is the Director of Programming who is in charge of organizing, planning, and executing all events put on by the GLC. Underneath this position is the “Events Dir.“, or Events Director who coordinates with the Vice President of Programming on all events.

The GSC Presidents

GSC Presidents from each of American University’s five graduate schools serve primarily in the roles of voting members on the GLC. These are the members who make the final decisions on important matters that come before the GLC such as approving the prior meeting’s minutes or approving monetary allocations to other GSCs.

GSC Presidents are also tasked with advocating on behalf of their school at the GLC level while also serving the greater graduate student community.