University child care will be the top issue at tonight’s Graduate Student Senate meeting.

GSS President Brian Crabb said senators will be voting on a resolution to give the new Student University Childcare Advocacy Group $500 from special allocations.

“We’re working toward getting affordable and reasonable child-care options for students,” said Crabb, graduate student in psychology.

He said GSS will likely be continuing to work with the child-care advocacy group both this year and next year because there are many graduate students with dependent children.

“Work on child-care issues is one of the major goals for this year,” he said. “I think more and more, it’s going to be one of the top issues in the Graduate Student Senate.”

GSS will also be voting on a resolution to establish a committee to look into getting professional students a legislative body, said Rebecca Mack, parliamentarian.

“Right now, as far as we’re aware, only graduate students have a legislative body, and professional students don’t,” said Mack, graduate student in forestry.

She said this causes confusion for some departments and colleges, such as Veterinary Medicine. She said the committee will investigate the situation and propose a resolution to either add professional students to GSS or for professional students to form their own legislative body.

Mack said GSS will also be voting on a resolution to support the Preparing Future Faculty Program, which would give graduate students a chance to work on developing good teaching skills.

“We’re focusing on teaching students how to teach,” she said “You have to know how to be a good TA and eventually know how to be a good professor, if that’s your track.”

GSS will also be voting on executive council positions, Crabb said.

The group will be discussing the following bills and resolutions at the meeting at 7 p.m. in the Gallery Room of the Memorial Union:

Old Business

* A resolution for funding priorities.

New Business

* A resolution to support the Preparing Future Faculty Program.

* A bill to establish the Representation of Professional Students Committee.

* A bill to provide $500 in funding for the Student University Childcare Advocacy Group.