5.0 GRADUATE STUDENT UNION <back>
The Graduate Student Union is the representative body of the graduate students at the University of Notre Dame. All graduate students (with the exception of the MBA program and the Law School) at the University of Notre Dame are automatically a member of the GSU. The GSU office is located in 219 LaFortune. The phone number is 631-6963, and the e-mail address is gsu.1@nd.edu. The office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 am to 3 pm.

Graduate students are billed a total of $40.00 on their first Student Accounts Statement at the beginning of each academic year. There is a $30.00 SA fee and a $10.00 GA fee. The SA fee provides the general operating budget of the GSU which includes funding social activities, lectures, orientation, budgets for the various committees and salary for the GSU secretary. The GA fee is used exclusively for the funding of the Robert E. Gordon Travel Grant Program. The GA fee is optional and those students who do not wish to pay the membership fee may contact student accounts prior to November 1 in order to obtain a "financial hardship" waiver.

The structural organization of GSU consists of its elected officers, departmental representatives, committee chairs and representatives on various university committees. GSU meetings are open to everyone, but only the officers and the departmental representatives have voting privileges. The Department of Civil Engineering and Geological Sciences may be represented by up to two graduate students. If you are interested in getting involved with the GSU either as the CE/GEOS representative, doing committee work, or one of the many other ways in which the GSU always needs help, please contact the GSU office. Departmental representatives attend monthly GSU council meetings, receive and distribute the newsletter to their department and keep the department informed of issues and events of the GSU. More information on various GSU committees and activities are available in the document The GSU Guide to Graduate Student Life at The University of Notre Dame. This guide also includes helpful information on various academic and recreational facilities on the campus, as well as information on the Greater South Bend/Mishawaka area, including restaurants, transportation, community assistance, parks and recreation. Extra copies are always available in the GSU office.