MIT’s Graduate Student Council (GSC) recently added national policy to its otherwise campus-based advocacy agenda, pushing for tax exemption of graduate student stipends, open access to federally funded published research, and higher caps on H1-B visas for advanced-degree holders to members of Congress earlier this fall.

The race for the APO Ugliest Man on Campus kicked off yesterday with the first three contestants: Roberto J. Melendez ’12, Chinua E. Shaw ’13, and Jeremy B. Dalcin ’13. Interestingly, all candidates are residents of Next House. However, there are rumors from APO’s Kelly A. Drinkwater ’11 that the Bexely-Minus-Fascists Sink will enter the competition soon. Students can vote for the ugly candidates by placing pennies or bills into their corresponding jars. One point is equal to one cent.