Comprised of students elected annually from across the GSD student body, the Student Forum works to improve student life at the GSD and serves as a link between the student body and the school administration. Members of Student Forum participate in the meetings of the Student Academic Affairs Committee and meet weekly with Student Services to help foster a continuous dialogue between students and administrators. Student Forum members also meet with the Dean and the Alumni Council to communicate students’ interests and concerns. Meetings open to the entire student body are scheduled every semester, including an open meeting with the Dean. Members of Student Forum represent the GSD on the university-wide Graduate Student Council and other ad-hoc administrative and student committees.

The Student Forum also has a great impact on students’ social lives, throwing the GSD’s biggest bashes and managing allocations to student groups and activities funded by the Student Activity Fee. Being part of Student Forum is a great way to feel connected and contribute your ideas—from how the plotters work, to how clean the bathrooms are, to fostering studio culture— Student Forum makes sure your voice is heard.

Student Forum manages budgets for various activities, events, and projects, as well as the funding for GSD student groups. Funding for Student Forum and student groups is drawn from the Student Activity Fee. Student Services staff work with Student Forum on budgeting and approve allocations.

Student Forum officers are elected by the GSD student body each spring. They serve for a full academic year, taking over from the outgoing leadership each May, and serving for the following fall and spring semesters. Student Forum elected chairs also have the option to appoint officers to help them carry out their work.

Student Forum, Academic Year 2019-2020:

President:
Danica Liongson

Academic Chair:
Charles Burke

Diversity and Inclusion Chair:
Aditi Agarwal

Student Groups Chair:
Sydney Pedigo

Professional Development Chair:
Maharshi Bhattacharya

Social Events Chair:
Esesua Ikpefan (Spring 2020)
(Viviana Wei held this role for Fall 2019)

Resources Chair:
Wilfred Guerron

Download a PDF of the Student Forum Leadership

To contact Student Forum, email studentforum@gsd.harvard.edu

Student Forum Elections

Students interested in serving on Student Forum should note the below important dates in the elections process. Note that in addition to simply declaring candidacy, each candidate will also be asked to submit a brief statement that will be circulated to the student body via Student Announce. This statement should be a paragraph or two and serve both to introduce the candidate, and express the candidate's reason for running and vision for how they will act in the role they seek to fill.

The next Student Forum election will take place in April 2020. Projected election timeline:

Week of April 6, 2020:
Info session for potential candidates
Deadline to declare candidacy

Week of April 13, 2020:
Deadline to submit brief statement of candidacy for schoolwide circulation
Candidate Forum
Elections open
Elections close, results announced (end of week)

Week of April 20, 2020:
Class Representative elections for returning students

All election dates are subject to change, and will be confirmed and announced in the spring.