The Graduate Student and Professional Student Senate is a student group that voices opinions on university policies that affect graduate and professional students.

The group had the first meeting of the year Monday, Aug. 26.

President Anna Prisacari presented student fee changes that occurred over the summer. Graduate and professional student activity fees are being asked to increase 4.99 percent to help cover a Government of Student Body deficit. An additional reason for the fee increase is because of student organizations beginning to pay for insurance to rent vehicles.

A $120 additional fee for all international students to cover orientation costs was discussed.

“According to the Office of International Students and Scholars, there is a [cultural] gap that is not being filled by orientations that they do,” Prisacari said. “So they would try to expand that orientation, and for that they are asking for this additional fee.”

Fee increases are planned to be voted on next week and, if approved, would begin in 2015.

Prior to the meeting, members of GSB met with GPSS to discuss how student fees are to be allocated. A committee may be in the works for the bodies of student governments to split the fees in half between GPSS and GSB.

“This conversation with GSB senators and GPSS senators [is] to come up with how the split should be from now on,” Prisacari said. “GSB gets part of student fees. Every student pays roughly $35 every semester. If you’re a graduate student, half of that goes to GSB and half goes to GPSS. If you’re an undergraduate student, 100 percent stays with GSB.”

The split has changed many times in the past, with times that the split gave 60 percent of the funds to GSB and 40 percent to GPSS and vice versa.

Prisacari said the goal is to create a more structured rule for future leaders.

An amendment to the GPSS constitution that would eliminate executive board member’s rights to create or vote on bills was approved by a 21-0 vote with two senators abstaining.

“That brings every responsibility to the senator. That’s a very good thing that every senator will be active now,” said Vivek Lawana, a senator who voted to approve the bill.

Goals for the GPSS include planning the graduate orientation for next week and coordinating the new Graduate and Professionals Research Committee.

“[The goal is] to bring every ISU graduate and professional student under one umbrella for more collaborative research across campus,” Lawana said.

The committee would coordinate a conference to occur in spring 2014, a first for Iowa State.

Twenty-three senators were present with five executive board members leading the meeting. Attendance was lower than normal due to the fact not all senators have been selected.

A further meeting will be at 5:10 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, in Carver Hall and discussed bills are said to be voted on next week.