Graduate Student Association

Gregory B. Hutchins, M.A. 

1. Title: Vice-President of External Affairs; Vice-Chair of the Graduate Student Council; Board Member of UCGPC
2. Vice-President of External Affairs (2025-2026) for GSA
3. UC Advocacy Officer (2024-2025), supporting systemwide graduate student advocacy
4. Active UAW 4811 union member and delegate to the Inland Empire Labor Council
5. Leadership role in Pick Group of Young Professionals, connecting graduate students with civic engagement in Riverside
6. Commissioner of the Riverside City Budget Engagement Commission, focusing on improving student quality of life.

Ramiro Rodriguez Sanchez, B.A.

1. Title: UC Advocacy Officer
2. Bio: Ramiro Rodriguez Sanchez serves as the UC Advocacy officer in the office of External Affairs for GSA for the 2025-2026 academic year. From 2022-2024 Ramiro served as a Mental Health Peer Advocate for undergraduate students at the Student Psychological Services in California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Pamela Romero B.A.

1. Title: Legislative Advocacy Officer
2. Bio: Pamela Romero serves as the Legislative Advocacy officer in the office of External Affairs for the Graduate Student Association. As well as the Counseling and Psychological Services Liaison for the Graduate Student Association.

At the UC Level, the External Affairs Office represents UCR Graduate and Professional students through the University of California Graduate and Professional Council (UCGPC) - the official systemwide body advocating for graduate students across all ten UC campuses. 

The VPEA serves as a Board Member of UCGPC, participating in quarterly meetings with the UC Office of the President (UCOP) and other UC leaders to ensure graduate student needs are addressed in systemwide decision-making. 

Our UC Advocacy Officer serves on UCGPC’s Basic Needs Committee, advancing initiatives that promote affordable housing, food security, and overall student well-being. Meanwhile, our Legislative Director collaborated with counterparts from other UC campuses to coordinate joint legislative advocacy and amplify graduate student voices across the state and nation. 

Through our partnership with UCGPC, we work collectively to shape UC policy, expand student resources, and strengthen the graduate experience across the University of California system.

At the state level, the External Affairs Office actively represents UCR Graduate and Professional Students before the California State Legislature and other State Agencies. Each year, our team participates in legislative visits in Sacramento, joining coalitions of student leaders from across the UC system to advocate for policies that protect and advance graduate education. 

During the 2024-2025 academic year, the External Affairs Office played a key role in statewide advocacy efforts, most notably helping to prevent an anticipated nearly 8% cut to the University of California Budget. Through collaboration with our coalitions patterns, that reduction was ultimately eliminated protecting vital student programs and research funding. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/DIzzPPkT3w1/ 

Our team also supported a range of bills designed to strengthen campus safety, student well-being, and access to resources. Many of these measures were successfully passed by the legislature and some enacted into law: 

• SB 98 (SAFE Act) – Signed into law. Requires every UC campus to establish emergency warning procedures to alert students, faculty, staff, and community members when federal immigration enforcement agents (ICE) seek access to campus property.
• SB 627 – Signed into law. Prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing masks while on duty, promoting accountability and transparency.
• SB 271 (Reyes) – Signed into law. Expands access to childcare services and resources for student parents.
• AB 79 (Arambula) – Signed into law. Establishes county liaisons to streamline student access to benefit enrollment programs.
• SB 323 (Perez) – Two-year bill. Would allow students to use the California DREAM Act Application in place of the FAFSA, protecting access to financial aid amid federal challenges.

Check back towards the end of Winter Quarter to see this year’s legislative priorities. 

(From Left: Gregory Hutchins, Tate LeBlanc, Katia Hatem, Jordan Steinhauser)

At the federal level, the External Affairs Office represents UCR graduate and professional students in national discussions on higher education, research, and equity. We work closely with UC Federal Government Relations to ensure that the voices of graduate students are included in conversations that shape national policy. 

Each year, members of our office participate in “Hill Day” in Washington, D.C., where graduate and professional students from across the University of California meet with members of Congress and their staff to discuss federal issues affecting our community. 

In this challenging time for higher education we are steadfast in our commitment to advocate for continued funding for graduate students and the research that drives innovation and discovery. We also actively advocate for the rights, safety, and inclusion of international student colleagues, recognizing their vital contributions to UC Riverside and to the broader community. 

Through our federal advocacy efforts, we strive to ensure that graduate education remains accessible, well-supported, and inclusive for all who choose to pursue it.