ASUC and GSA Collaboration Goes Beyond Welcoming New Students

Thursday, October 10, 2013

It was a beautiful day, even at Parnassus. When I arrived on campus, I was greeted by the sight of bright-eyed first-year students lounging on the sunny steps with Boudin bread bowls and Ghirardelli chocolates.

“Definitely a fun way to relax before that first exam!” said Ruth Yan, a first-year dental student on her way to a review session.

More than 100 students from the Schools of Nursing, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Medicine and the Graduate Division gathered in Saunders Court on Saturday afternoon for the “Taste of San Francisco” event, co-hosted by the Associated Students of UCSF (ASUC) and the Graduate Students Association (GSA).

“As ASUC and GSA are working together to merge the two student governments by the end of the academic year, the event demonstrates just the beginning of a fruitful collaboration,” said Austin Walker, ASUC President and second-year medical student. 

“The two student governments will co-host several events throughout the year in an effort to build networks across all programs as we work towards greater collaboration,” said GSA President and Nursing MEPN student Joseph Foy.

Walker and Foy were referring to a plan to combine ASUC, representing the professional students, and GSA, representing the graduate students, to form a United Student Government (USG) to represent all UCSF students. 

If Saturday’s event was any indication of the success of such an endeavor, a united front may be just what UCSF students need.