a. Co-Chairs, Eric Opiela and Joyce Banks
Joyce Banks reported on budget concerns. The state is requesting that funds be cut from this year's budget. The University has been asked to cut 12.5 percent. President Faulkner has asked deans to identify places to cut expenses for the next two years. The process is now moving to the departmental level. Eric Opiela said that graduate student workers' jobs are safe for now, but that the tuition deregulation issue is shaping up in the Legislature as an alternative to large budget cuts. We will not know until bills are filed how exactly this will play out. In the House, key leaders have endorsed tuition deregulation, but it will be harder to get it through the Senate. Joyce said that she had asked Chancellor Yudof if graduate student concerns were addressed in the UT System's proposals to the Legislature, specifically issues of importance to out of state students, who make up 60 percent of graduate students (excluding MBA students). The Chancellor referred her to former Dean of OGS Teresa Sullivan, now an official of the UT System. Dr. Sullivan said there were two factions in the Legislature attacking non-resident tuition waivers and defended deregulation because it would make it easier for her to present changes if she only had to make a case to the Regents rather than the Legislature. Discussion ensued about tuition deregulation. Eric said there was really nothing GSA could do until a bill is actually introduced, but Joyce advised reps to keep their colleagues informed. Joyce and Eric also discussed the Texas Compact, a proposal to allow Texas resident undergraduate students from families with incomes under the state median to attend any UT System School for free, and the financial repercussions of the proposal. Joyce reported on the first meeting of the selection committee for a new Graduate Dean, noting that the position has been elevated to Vice-Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies. She also reported on the ongoing search for a new head of the General Libraries which has moved into the candidate-visit stage.

(At this point, the Assembly was asked to leave MAI 212 to accommodate preparations for a dinner with President Faulkner. Since MAI 210 was empty, the Assembly reconvened there.)

b. Secretary, Marian Barber
Marian Barber reported that she had completed contacting all departments and programs with designated reps in preparation for certification of representatives. A few responses remain outstanding, but responses thus far showed that our records need significant updating. She asked any reps who had not been in communication with her by e-mail to see her after the meeting. The updated list of reps will be made available prior to the next meeting.

c. Treasurer, Greg Hammond
Publications Coordinator Ginger Gossman stated in Greg's absence that he had no report.

d. Special Events Coordinator, Audrey Trainor
Audrey Trainor reported that she is working on a tax-planning event with an IRS representative along with Marian Barber and Anna Pyeatt. She said she is also planning one more social event for the semester. It was requested by representatives that the next bagel event feature better bagels.

e. Publications Coordinator, Ginger Gossman
Ginger Gossman reported that a message seeking nominations for outstanding TA, AI, and RA would be sent out very soon, including a standard nomination form. She said the nominee of each department will receive a certificate of recognition. There will be one winner in each category who will receive a more significant award.

f. Electronic Resources Coordinator, Don Drumtra
Don Drumtra reminded all reps and others in attendance to please sign the sign-in form.

a. Library Committee
Eric Opiela reported that because of unforeseen family obligations, Taran Johnston has resigned from the Library Committee. He asked that those interested in replacing her contact him after the meeting. Don Drumtra reported that the Committee is meeting with director candidates.

b. Other committee reports: None.

a. Approval of GSA Membership List, Marian Barber
Marian Barber and Don Drumtra reported that certification will be held until the revised list can be presented to the Assembly at the next meeting.

b. Plus and Minus Grade Initiative, Joyce Banks
Joyce Banks reported that there is nothing firm to report on this initiative at present, but it continues to be a live issue. Don Drumtra noted that he has been in touch with Craig Carroll, who is developing a survey on the issue, but it has not yet been posted.

a. GSA Funds for New Graduate Student Organizations, Ginger Gossman
Ginger Gossman reported that the selection committee received 18 applications for the funds remaining in the appropriation for encouraging new graduate student organizations. Four groups received partial funding. (See Attachment 2.) Marian Barber asked that information on proposals not funded also be provided so that in the unlikely event that we receive these funds again next year, groups may benefit from seeing what cannot be funded. Ginger noted that groups that satisfied basic requirements but could not be funded were offered free photocopying for a limited number of copies. Such groups should contact Ginger to make an appointment to make their copies. Ginger asked approval of the committee's recommendations; they were approved unanimously.

b. Outstanding TA, AI, RA Awards, Ginger Gossman
Ginger Gossman announced that the winners of this competition will be honored in a brief ceremony at the next GSA meeting as part of Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week. Winners and their nominating professors will be invited to attend. Audrey Trainor noted that the group Grad Resources might separately sponsor a reception at which these individuals might be honored.

c. Resolution on Discrimination Policy, first reading, Jonathan Lee
Jonathan Lee, the liaison between GSA and the Senate of College Councils, presented a revised resolution to support the University's proposed racial harassment/discrimination policy change. Marian Barber sponsored the resolution, which received a first reading and will be voted on at the April Assembly meeting. (Attachment 3)

d. 1.5 Hour Courses, Robyn Honig
Robyn Honig of Psychology sponsored a resolution to create reduced hour courses, which received a first reading and will be voted on at the April Assembly meeting. (Attachment 4) She explained that if a graduate student's courseload falls below 4.5 hours, student loan repayment kicks in. She is researching the possibility of creating 1.5 hour courses or other methods of dealing with this problem.

e. Change of Venue, Marian Barber
Secretary Marian Barber asked that the Assembly consider changing its meeting place from MAI 212 because of problems with our reservations being pre-empted by various events. She said she would secure an alternative site that would be central and would accommodate the Assembly membership.

a. Graduate Student Participation in Student Government Elections
Paul Navratil, graduate student member of the UT Student Government, reported that graduate student participation in this year's SG elections was an increase of over 1500% over the previous year, with a total of some 400 graduate students voting. He thanked GSA for publicizing the elections.

b. Other announcements. None.

10. Adjourn
Co-chairs Joyce Banks and Eric Opiela adjourned the meeting at 4:55 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Marian J. Barber
Secretary

Attachment 1

University of Texas at Austin
GRADUATE STUDENT ASSEMBLY
General Meeting
4-5:30 PM; Monday, March 3, 2003
Room 212, 210, Main

Attendance

1. Officers Present

Joyce Banks, Art History, Co-Chair
Eric Opiela, Law, Co- Chair
Marian Barber, History, Secretary
Audrey Trainor, Special Events Coordinator
Ginger Gossman, Sociology, Publications Coordinator
Don Drumtra, Information School, Electronic Resources Coordinator (Webmaster)

2. Program Representatives Present

a. School of Architecture: None.

b. Red McCombs School of Business: None.

c. College of Communications

Communications Studies, Kristen Hoerl
Jorunalism, Kate Harrington

d. College of Education

Special Education, Paula Hartman, Shawn Saladin

e. College of Engineering

Civil Engineering, Bridget Wadzuk
Material Science and Engineering, Carolyn Fastre Merrill

f. College of Fine Arts

Art History, Lynn Boland

g. School of Information

Information Philosophy, Mac Mcguire
Information Studies, Victoria Naipavel-Heiduschke, Prentiss Lee

h. School of Law: None.

i. College of Liberal Arts

Anthropology, Dan Gilman
Economics, Lori Stuntz
English and Creative Writing, Sylvia Gale, Melanie Ulrich
Government, Howard Donnell
History, Karl Brown
Linguistics, Makiko Irie
Philosophy, Markus Glodek
Psychology, Robyn Honig

j. College of Natural Sciences

Computational and Applied Mathematics, Joel Tropp
Mathematics, Michael Lamar

k. School of Nursing

Nursing. Dorothy Darby

l. College of Pharmacy: None.

m. LBJ School of Public Affairs: None.

3. Organization Representatives Present:

a. Senate of College Councils, Jonathan C. Lee
b. Student Government, Paul Navrital

4. Guests Present: None.

Attachment 2

Attachment 3 (Paper copy only)

Attachment 4