The Graduate Student Council (GSC) voted unanimously this Monday to establish a new coffee shop as a service organization, pending agreement by the Undergraduate Senate (UGS). GSC also confirmed members of the 2026-27 elections commission as well as two nominees filling vacancies in the Constitutional Council.
EVGR.n, pronounced “evergreen,” will be located in the Escondido Valley Graduate Residences (EVGR) if approved by UGS. The coffee shop is an attempt to connect the largely separate graduate and undergraduate communities at Stanford, according to founder Reed Marthers ’27 who presented the organization to GSC.
Marthers said that while there are currently around 10,000 graduate students and 7,000 undergraduate students attending Stanford, the two populations are “socially and geographically isolated.”
“There is not a lot of blending socially,” he said.
The social dining options at EVGR are also limited, Marthers said. According to the joint bill, “the closure of EVGR Dining and the EVGR Pub’s limited hours underscore the need for a convenient, affordable, and sustainable café and informal gathering space within the EVGR residential community.”
Hoping to address this gap, Marthers plans to locate EVGR.n on the first floor of EVGR-C near the EVGR pub. He is optimistic about the location, saying that it is close to regions frequented by both undergraduate and graduate students.
The cafe’s goals are “bridging the social-geographic gap between undergrads and grads, and also creating a culture of hospitality and education where kids can get work opportunities,” Marthers said.
The organization is currently looking for graduate student board members, and seeks to create job opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students.
“I think everybody could benefit from a retail experience,” Marthers said, “before these people become CEOs of startups, maybe they should work in a coffee shop.”
While the bill establishing EVGR.n as an Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) service organization was initially presented as prior notice, GSC voted to waive prior notice and vote immediately. The joint bill was then deliberated on and passed unanimously. However, EVGR.n’s bill still requires confirmation by a two-thirds vote in the Undergraduate Senate.
GSC also voted unanimously to confirm two students to the ASSU Constitutional Council, which adjudicates actions by ASSU groups and members that are alleged to be unconstitutional.
One confirmed member was Matthew Coughlin, a 2nd-year Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering. Coughlin had significant experience in student government during his undergraduate experience at Northeastern University, he said.
“I really do believe in the importance of student governance inside universities and helping to shape the university experience for everyone who is here,” Coughlin said.
Sonia Dholakia ’29 was also confirmed. Dholakia has an interest in studying law and has competed in mock trial at the international level, skills which she said will help her be an effective member of the Constitutional Council.
“I was looking for ways to serve Stanford, give back to the community in some ways, be part of the student life experience in a way that’s bigger than myself,” Dholakia said.
Another unanimous vote passed the joint bill confirming students to the 2026-27 Elections Commission, which is set to be chaired by Charlie Schumer J.D. ’28. The ASSU Elections Commission is responsible for the administration of student government elections, alongside ensuring that elections “are conducted fairly, transparently, and in accordance with ASSU governing documents.”