University of
Texas at Austin
GRADUATE STUDENT ASSEMBLY
Executive Committee
Report of Meeting
2003 November 24
In addition to the agenda for the GSA general meeting
Erik has posted, here's a quick summary of the other items
we discussed this afternoon, and our conclusions.
Ginger agreed to contact Pedro Reyes at UT System
about GSA's history with the System and the Board of
Regents.
Marian agreed to talk with Dean Rodriguez about creation
of a committee to include students that would look
holistically at tuition, financial aid, fellowships,
work awards, etc., as they affect graduate students.
We approved GSA sponsored graduate student nominations.
After hearing the qualifications of all candidates,
we voted for Eric Vogelstein of Philosophy for the
Graduate Assembly Academic Committee position and Oliver
Chatelain of French and Italian for the TA/AI position.
The Excom also previously approved via email nominations
of Amy Risley for the OGS Outstanding Teaching Award
Committee and Greg Hammond for the UT Bicycle Committee
Don agreed to verify that Oliver has an AI-ship for
the spring, to notify all candidates of our decision,
and to forward our nominations to the appropriate persons.
.
Don and Marian reported on their meeting with the
Co-Directors of the student organization of the School
of Information. They requested that the creation of
several ad hoc committees be placed on the agenda for
Monday's meeting under New Business. Committees will
include: Financial Aid, TA/AI, Concerns of International
Students, and Concerns of Master's Degree Students.
Don also reported on his conversation with one of the
School of Information's reps to GSA who told him her
concerns have largely been met by going to open-ended
meetings.
Things we need to get going on for next spring and
fall:
Ginger has begun work on both Graduate and
Professional Student Week and the Outstanding
TA, RA, and AI awards and will be seeking assistance
from the membership. We will also be checking
into the relationship between our TA, RA, and
AI awards and those given by the Texas Exes.
Melissa is working on the Fall 2004 BBQ with
the Texas Exes and she will also be talking with
Char Dison and Reed Smith of OGS about combining
the Graduate Information Forum with the BBQ.
We need to be thinking about how to accommodate
others wishing to have booths. Though there are
some downsides to using the Alumni Center, upsides,
including eliminating special arrangements for
rain, outweigh them. Melissa confirmed that we
will still be able to use Fuschak's as the caterer,
but Erik pointed out that she will need to get
bids because of the size of the contract.
Budget for 2005-2006. Dan is getting started
on this now so that the budget development process
can take place during the spring in time to easily
meet summer and early fall deadlines. We discussed
difficulties with getting the $7,000 in student
development funds for 2003-2004 turned over
to us in time to actually have them available
for use by GSOs. Dan reported that Lynn Davis
is requiring him to present evidence that the
funds allocated in 2002-2003 actually benefited
students. Ginger said that groups should be prepared
to provide this information to Dan since they
were told before they received their money that
they would have to report on its use. Marian
questioned whether this money is worth all the
trouble it takes to get it actually granted and
distributed. It was agreed that Marian would
e-mail Sly Majid, chair of the Student Services
Fee Committee, to request that we be given a
firm commitment of these funds by January 1,
2004. We agreed that the program would be dropped
for this year if the funds were not approved
and provided by January 1.
Erik Malmberg asked if the executive committee would
consider proposing that UT host the regional meeting
of NAGPS for next year. Erik pointed out that this
would save us considerable money, since we would not
have to pay to send our members to another location.
He agreed to find out more about how much it would
cost to hold the meeting here. He also discussed the
possibility of our making a bid to host the national
convention the next time our region is eligible to
do so. There was concern that such an effort would
take many volunteers and that we would need to be sure
there was sufficient interest among the GSA members
that they would support it.
Trickle brainstorming: the group agreed to add an
item to the agenda calling for graduate student participation
in all faculty and administrative search committees.
This is not intended to be voted on at this meeting,
but can be voted on at the next meeting without a special
motion. The group agreed to begin thinking about grad
student intramural clubs and/or leagues and gym buddy
programs.
Where we meet: at Marian's request, Melissa agreed
to check with Becky Carreon about the possibility of
moving next spring's GSA meetings to the Glenn Maloney
Room in the Student Services Building. This room, which
is used by SG and the SCC, is set up for large meetings,
with tables and audiovisual equipment.
Retreat: After much discussion, it was decided that
a late spring retreat involving the current Excom and
the newly elected officers will be held in March after
the election and before installation of the new officers.
Melissa agreed to determine an appropriate date and
location.
Motion implementation procedures: After much discussion
it was decided that:
Formal resolutions should be conveyed to the
appropriate parties in person by the Co-Chairs,
via e-mail by the Co-Chairs, and via paper copy
to be created and sent by the secretary, except
for this year, when this will be handled by the
electronic resources coordinator and the public
relations coordinator. (A vote was taken on this
matter: the vote was 6-1 in favor of promulgating
resolutions in person, by e-mail, and by paper
copy.)
It shall be the responsibility of the authors
and sponsors of a resolution to make sure that
the secretary has a written copy of the resolution
prior to the meeting. It shall be the responsibility
of the person proposing an amendment to make
sure that the presiding officer and the secretary
have a written copies of the amendment prior
to the vote on the amendment. The presiding officer
or secretary will read the amendment to the assembly
prior to the vote. It shall be the responsibility
of the secretary to create a final version of
any resolution passed by the Assembly, including
all amendments, except that this year, this responsibility
will be fulfilled by the Co-Chairs of the Assembly,
if the secretary so desires. It shall be the
responsibility of the secretary to make and distribute
copies of this final version to all persons named
in the resolution, except that this year this
responsibility will be fulfilled by the public
relations coordinator and the electronic resources
coordinator if the secretary so desires.
During each meeting remaining in 2003-2004,
the special events coordinator agreed to make
available to the secretary a printed copy of
each resolution as it is brought up for consideration
if the secretary so desires.
A limited number of copies of all materials
to be considered during an Assembly meeting,
including the agenda, minutes, reports of officers
and committee reps, resolutions, and any supporting
materials, shall be created and made available
to reps at the beginning of each Assembly meeting
by the secretary, except that this year this
responsibility will be shared by the public relations
coordinator, the electronic resources coordinator,
and the Co-Chairs if the secretary so desires.
The above provisions for alternative coverage
of duties normally to be performed by the secretary
were agreed to in recognition that the current
secretary, Joyce Banks, did not know that these
duties would be required when she agreed to serve
and was elected. It is the recommendation of
a majority of members of the executive committee
that these additions to or clarifications of
the duties of the secretary be recommended to
the ad hoc committee on revising the GSA Constitution
and Bylaws.
