This was the first year that students were elected to be representatives for graduate students at the U of A. In May of 1992 the ASUA Senate held a meeting in violation of Arizona Open Meeting Law, and created a CGPS (Council of Graduate and Professional Students) to serve as an advisory body to the ASUA Senate. GPSC protested the 'secret' formation of CGPS as an attempt to undercut the GPSC claim to be the official elected representatives of graduate and professional students at the UA.

On May 20, 1992 ASUA president Danny Siciliano, and ASUA Senators Derek Lewis and Wendy Anderson approached GPSC with a proposal to give GPSC 2 seats on the ASUA Senate. GPSC decided that holding 25% of the seats in a unicameral government would not improve the likelihood of graduate student issues being addressed. GPSC unanimously voted in favor of independence, accepted the constitution drafted the previous year, created standing committees, and officially adopted their first advocacy issue (health insurance costs). The council of 1992-93 had a busy year and addressed several other issues.

Student Health Insurance:

In spring of 1992, the Student Health Insurance Advisory Committee to the Arizona Board of Regents had been trying to avoid the collapse of the student risk pool due to increases in premiums. There were no graduate students on this committee (SHIAC). SHIAC decided to split the risk pool and put students with dependents into their own risk pools. The result was a dramatic increase in health insurance premiums (ranging from 32- 48%) for students with dependents. Thirty percent of these student families were forced to drop health coverage that year. GPSC passed a five point resolution in opposition to the increases, and created a Health Insurance Delegation to investigate the situation and find a way to remedy the situation. The committee was successful in convincing the SHIAC to lower premiums for students with dependents when the new policy was presented for the following year. During the course of their investigations, the health committee learned that the University had cut the budget for the Student Health Center so drastically over the previous three to four years that student safety was gravely jeopardized; the Health Center was in danger of closing its doors. GPSC applied intense pressure on the UA administration and passed a joint resolution with the ASUA Senate in support of restoring funding the Student Health Center. In response to GPSC pressure, the administration formed an ad hoc task force (the Roberts Committee) to investigate the situation and make recommendations. The appointment of the GPSC Health Committee Chair to the Roberts Committee represents the first time a GPSC representative was appointed by administration to serve on a UA committee. The Roberts Committee documented the tenuous position of the Student Health Center, and recommended a multi-year restoration of funds. This effort was successful in saving the health center. The Health Committee also pointed out that the University had no data on the health needs or vulnerability of its student body, and convinced the administration to fund a study to gather this data. The study was conducted during the spring of 1993 and the fall of 1994.

Student Showcase:

During 1992-93 the University of Arizona was suffering its third year of budget cuts and mid-year rescissions from the Arizona Legislature. The negative public attitude towards higher education in general, and research and graduate education in specific, threatened the vitality of all graduate programs. In August of 1992, the GPSC Programs Committee proposed a project to the Interim GPSC Executive Committee for a graduate research symposium aimed at showcasing the benefits of graduate research to the State of Arizona. The Executive Committee overwhelmingly approved the project, and a proposal was sent to UA President Manuel Pacheco. President Pacheco expressed enthusiasm for the project, but offered no funds to carry it out. Under the direction of Programs Committee Chair, Cynthia Lunine (Agriculture) the planning for what eventually became the Student Showcase began.

Travel Grants:

Martha Gilliland, Graduate College Dean, wanted to establish a graduate student travel grant fund, and offered to let GPSC administer the funds if they came up with an acceptable proposal. Under the direction of GPSC Treasurer, Thomas Cooley(Engineering), a proposal for a competitive grant program was presented and accepted. The first Graduate and Professional Student Travel Grants were awarded in spring of 1993.

Merger with ASUA:

GPSC still had no budget, and the officers and representatives served without stipends. Dr. Michael Cusanovich, Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, and Dr. Saundra Taylor, the new Vice President for Student Affairs came to an agreement on transferring the graduate students' share of student government funds into an account for GPSC. In response, ASUA president Danny Siciliano asked Dr. Taylor to delay the transfer and sponsor negotiations between ASUA and GPSC to restructure ASUA in a way that would maintain a unified student government and leave student government monies within ASUA. GPSC had not yet been notified of the previous agreement worked out between the Vice Presidents (and did not learn of it until December of 1994). In October of 1992 an eight member team, four from GPSC and four from ASUA, began meeting. GPSC team members included GPSC President Steven LaFrance (Fine Arts); GPSC Treasurer Thomas Cooley (Engineering); GPSC Elections Officer Anupam Goyal (Engineering); and Health Committee Chair Mitzi Forbes (Nursing). ASUA Team members included ASUA President Danny Siciliano; ASUA Administrative Vice President Kristin Major; ASUA Senator Derek Lewis; and UBRC Chair Spencer Insolia.

The negotiation team met for three months, and came out with a proposal for a bicameral legislature. The ASUA Senate became the Undergraduate Senate, and GPSC became the second legislative body. The new structure reduced the power of the ASUA President, and shifted more power to the legislature. A central council was established to facilitate communication between the various units of ASUA, and settle any disputes which might arise between the legislative bodies. GPSC voted to approve the new structure in January of 1993 and the ASUA Senate unanimously accepted it in February of 1993. The new system of government became official with the inauguration of the 1993-94 ASUA.