The Economics Graduate Student Committee (EGSC) was created in order to improve the communication between students and the faculty as part of the reforms that the Economics Ph.D. program initiated in 2003. The committee is composed of three graduate students elected in April of each year, with one of them serving as President and, as such, being primarily responsible for communication between the faculty and the other members of the committee. More broadly, this vehicle for student-faculty communication and interaction aims to foster a stronger research community within the Economics Department.

The primary mission of the EGSC is to communicate concerns, issues, requests, etc. from the graduate student body to key faculty members, such as the Chair and Director of Graduate Studies. In addition, the EGSC communicates items from the faculty to the graduate student body, as needed. The purpose of the EGSC is to be a channel of communication such that problems can be addressed and suggestions for improvements considered by the Department in a timely manner. As such, students are encouraged to voice their ideas to the committee members in person or by e-mail (please write to egsc@econ.duke.edu).

Other duties of the EGSC include office space allocation and the appointment of graduate student representatives to specific committees. The EGSC also joins forces with the Spengler Club in organizing social activities and other events involving graduate students and faculty members.

It cannot be stressed enough that the success of the EGSC depends on the active participation of all students in the department. Let us all make our journey here more enjoyable!