Graduate Student Council voice support for Bridge funding, concerns for DEI programs

Jan. 28, 2025, 11:20 p.m.

The Graduate Student Council (GSC) unanimously passed a joint resolution in support for increased stable funding for the Bridge Peer Counseling program following last week’s discussion of the Bridge Peer Counseling Center’s potential loss of University funding and location removal.

Bridge counselors Julia Donlon ’24 M.S. ’25 and Dante Danelian ’24 M.S. ’25 presented the case for a joint resolution to support the counseling center, emphasizing the Bridge’s unique position on campus as the only student-run and student-staffed counseling centers, where students can receive peer support at all hours of the day and night. According to Donlon, the center’s peak hours are between 8 p.m. and midnight, when other campus resources are closed. Donlon and Danelian are also currently live-in counselors, which means they live on site, allowing Bridge to uniquely offer 24/7 peer support.

The two counselors highlighted the growing instability in the center’s position since the pandemic when the University relocated Bridge from their previous location at the Rogers House into the more expensive Munger Graduate Residences. Live-in counselors previously paid nothing out of pocket for housing, but due to Munger’s rising high costs, the Bridge will have to find an additional $30,000 to support housing next year, which could greatly affect their ability to continue the live-in counseling program and offer 24/7 support, Donlon and Danelian said.

When asked about the impact of potentially losing live-in counselors by GSC councilor Chris West MBA ’25, Danelian pointed to a recently published Daily op-ed from a student who credits the Bridge with saving their life during a suicidal crisis. 

“We wouldn’t have had an overnight counselor to support that caller,” said Danelian.

The GSC also unanimously passed a resolution to establish a student staff position at the Bechtel International Center, following concerns about resource accessibility for international students. 

The resolution, presented by Undergraduate Senate (UGS) Senator María Fernanda León ’27, aims to improve student support services at the center. Council members shared personal experiences about difficulties accessing resources at Bechtel, emphasizing the need for more student-centered support.

The meeting concluded with an open discussion around concerns of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs at Stanford that might now be at risk of losing funding due to President Donald Trump’s recent executive order. Trump’s order authorizes investigations into any colleges that have DEI offices or promote DEI policies on campus. University President Jon Levin said that Stanford may need to modify certain programs following the order.

“I’m still quite concerned about what’s going on,” said GSC co-chair Emmit Pert, a fifth-year Ph.D. student in chemistry.

Pert tried to remain optimistic and noted that the GSC and Stanford’s administration are “broadly aligned” in their interest to maintain diversity. 

In lighter business, social chairs Leslie Luqueño, a fifth-year Ph.D student in education, and Lorena Aviles Trujillo, a third-year Ph.D student in sociology, reported success with their new lottery system for event tickets. The system, implemented for the recent Warriors game event, has reduced complaints about the ticket distribution process, which was previously first-come, first-served. 

“I’m getting a lot less angry emails!” Pert said. 

The social chairs also discussed upcoming events including Cupid’s Wonderland on Feb. 11 and the graduate formal, now scheduled for May 2 at the Alumni Center.

Councilor Brian Liu, a second-year ICME master’s student, also highlighted a constituent’s complaint that they found dairy cheese product included in what was advertised as a vegan offering. Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE) Executive Director Eric Montell assured the council they would investigate the issue.



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