The GSC holds regular meetings on the first Thursday of every month of the academic year (September-December; February-April) at 6:00pm in the DUC Room #363, with free pizza and soft drinks. All students are invited to attend.

GSC Notes , September 2006

Present: Josh, Jenn, Astrid, Cliff, Martha, Anjali & Scott

1) Sign-in
2) Introduced 2006 officers
3) Announced mixer on Sept. 28th 7-10pm @ Brewhouse Pub
4) Discussed Young Physicists Charter

Formed in March 2005, provisional charter obtained in Oct. 2005, approximately 30 members. Wanted approval of a permanent charter. Activities include – Webpage, Journal Club, speaker 1/semester, recruitment & mentoring, social activities. Have previous funding agreement from last year – set aside $1000.00 already, total budget for this year is $1970.00, so looking for $970.00 from GSC discretionary funds. Motion to vote on granting a permanent charter. Vote passed

5) Introduced all Charter organizations, their reps, and what they do
o Pi Alpha
o BGSA
o GIN
o DSAC
o Psi Am?
o Chinese Student Union

6) Opened up floor for concerns
o Scott Gabowski (History) – e-dissertation/thesis committee – continuing to try and get policies in order and test software for electronic dissertations, looking for 3 dept. to test out software, 1 humanities, 1 social science, and 1 natural science

7) Discussed survey
o Will use survey monkey, looking for feedback on what and how to spend GSC money highlighting the following: Social events- suggested asking about food accessibility, which beers to order, other days for mixers, possibility of a grad Olympics type thing. Charter Organization Development. Ad Hoc Committees. Travel Grants – currently allowed $100/ year a max of 2 during you tenure at Emory, this budget is independent from the rest of our budget and totals $20,000.00. How to modify current policy

7) Discussed budget –
o $75,000.00 total
o $20,000.00 travel grants
o $21,700.00 chartered organizations
o $29,300.00 unspecified
o $4,000.00 to ticket resale

8) Introduced Dean Tedesco (Dean of GSAS)
o Spoke of aligning program policies and GSAS policies for internal consistency
o Talked about impact of the 10 year strategic plan and the role of the GSAS in the next 10 years. Highlighted…
a) Creating new cross discipline ventures and discussions
b) Increasing the role and services of the GSAS to bring all the disparate graduate programs together
c) Increasing a culture of research in the social sciences and humanities
d) Contributing to public scholarship and discourse, creating conversations
o Dean Tedesco asked for concerns and comments – issues raised were…

a) Cost of transcripts - $8 to pick up, $4 to mail and why/where money goes
b) Streamlining internal fellowship application process – e-filing, maybe submit on disk
c) Creation of a book club to create interdisciplinary discussion of topics
d) Training on how to work and talk across disciplines – leadership, management, and professional development
e) Create and increase orientation for incoming grad students- highlight challenges to grad life, choosing a mentor, myth busting, general support
f) Review of coursework – how to review graduate courses, standardizing across all dept. and programs

9) Adjourned

GSC Notes, October 2006

1) Updates – GSC now has a student only listserv. Josh is the only one with access to it, everything must go through him. The director of transportation will be here for the Nov. 2nd meeting to discuss parking, shuttle service etc. By October 27th all charter organizations are expected to send the GSC (Josh) a breakdown of how their money was spent last year, number & list of members (if possible) and their departmental/program affiliations. We had 4 new organizations (Math, Religion, S. Asia, & Psych) request temporary charters. They will be expected to present their charter to the GSC at our Nov. or Dec. meeting (preferably Dec.).

2) The psychology department announced its plans to expand one of its organizations GRITS to the rest of the graduate student body. Its main goal is to facilitate interdisciplinary talks and seminars about a given topic. They have been in existence for years, but inactive for the last 3. They are interested in expanding out to other departments. A sign up sheet was passed around for anyone interested in joining, or helping out.

3) SGA Announcements – The university is almost ready to launch i-pod U. It should be available in approximately a month. Notice was given that the SGA is looking to streamline the budget process and looking to redistribute funds for next year, as well as moving all student organizations to have a uniform election process and day in order to get increased participation in elections.

4) Committees- At next meeting will have an updated list of committees, what positions are open and will be requesting people to sign up as student reps for them.

5) Association of Women in Math asked for a temporary charter and discussed their goals, membership etc. Their purpose is to promote females in math, but membership is open to all people on campus regardless of sex. Hold speakers, social events, and hope to launch a mentor program & kick-off event. Looking for funding from both the Math dept. and GSC. It was suggested that since this would involve undergrads too they seek funding and support from the college council in addition to GSC. Voting on granting a charter was held until ESSA had also presented their temporary charter.

6) ESSA present their charter. Their main goal is to help incoming grad student from S. Asian countries with their adjustment to life in Atlanta and grad school in the states. Similar organizations exist at comparable universities. They have received support from the South Asian studies program and they have also said they would help fund this organization. A similar organization exists for undergrads, but they do not provide the same services this group would.

7) Voted on granting temporary charters to AWM and ESSA on the basis that all the required parts are contained in their charter, since there had not been sufficient time to check the charters. It there is a problem, both orgs. agreed to correct any deficiencies or risk losing their charter. Vote carried and both charters were approved.

GSC Notes, November 2006

In attendance: Josh, Jen, Astrid, Katie, Martha, Scott, & Cliff

Notes…

1) Temporary Charters: Presentations will now be presented to the officers only for their approval, instead of approval of by whole GSC. This will only apply to the charters for this semester. Additionally a $500.00 request for funds for a speaker was approved.
2) Family Friendly Space Petition: Interested in getting a space on campus that is child and family friendly, so that work can be done with children present, without disturbing other students. Petition passed around to gauge interest in such a space, given to program reps to take back to their own students, before approaching the university.
3) Transportation Issue discussion w/ Adele Clements Asst. Director of Transportation, if you have ideas, or comments please email her at adele.clements@emory.edu. Highlighted issues…
a. Executive Park shuttle route closed due to low ridership and budgetary constraints considering small number of students it serves
b. Shuttle routes & parking fee increase – if a student gives up parking to take shuttles and the shuttle route they use is closed what is the contingency – can get a parking pass whenever route closes, if a problem with parking services, contact Adele
c. Average ridership per shuttle route – lowest on Executive Park route. Some less used routes are supported by specific schools and interest groups, such as the medical school or the SGA
d. Why don’t students get the same perks as employees for carpooling, MARTA cards, etc? Lack of incentives discourages students from using alternative transportation
e. Possibility of Briarcliff campus as a park and ride site, however employees pay to park there already
f. Differential Parking rates depending on distance you commute
g. Possible grant for parking for employees making under $30,000. Would this apply to grad. Students
h. Yerkes shuttle hours, stops early. Shuttle services stop to early for some students especially those in science who work odd hours
i. Johnson Rd bus parking. Possibility of putting stops between their and Emory
j. Cost of running a shuttle - $50.00/hr
k. Possibility of running Executive Park shuttle route only at peak hours in the morning and evening
l. Desmond Rd shuttle route – difficult because of shuttling on residential neighborhood roads
m. 2 CCTMA shuttles, why not run one through neighborhoods between Emory and Decatur as opposed to running them both along Clairmont & N. Decatur
n. Summer parking pass so some routes would only have to be run during fall and spring semesters
o. Increase number of shuttles to GA Tech – already tried, but very low ridership
p. Possibility of routes to Carter center, Inman Park, Highlands, Little 5 Points areas
q. Congestion on Houston Mill Rd.
r. Increase bus shells on Clifton for bad weather
s. MARTA discount for Emory students compared to GSU students
t. Why can’t grad students pay for parking permit monthly like employees
u. Charging for parking by semester as opposed to for a whole year
v. Marketing shuttle services better to apartment complexes

GSC Notes, December 2006

In attendance: Josh, Astrid, Katie, Martha, Scott, & Cliff

Notes…

1) Survey – will be sending out a survey to the student body to solicit feedback on funds and how to allocate/spend them. Participation would be greatly appreciated
2) Electronic dissertation committee – soon will be submitting electronically using PDFs. 4 departments are going to try things this spring, including chemistry and anthropology. Sometime in spring there will be an informational session about e-dissertation submission for entire student body.
3) List-serv – GSC listserv is reserved only for GSC events. If other groups want to get the word out to the student body they can email Cliff (ccmicha@emory.edu), the secretary and he can post it on the website.
4) SGA – Group determines the GSC’s funding, and we have 5 representative positions on it. We are in need of reps if we want to have a say on our funding etc. If interested email Josh.
5) Funding Requests
a. English Dept. (Sara Peterson) – asked for $400.00 to fund a reception for Tedra Osell, who is coming to Emory to speak about blogging. They had already secured funding from other sources and were asking for additional funding for food, advertising etc. Seminar is on January 23rd, at 4pm in Kemp Hall. Motion to fund passed.
b. Association for Women in Mathematics – Holding a kickoff event on December 13th during lunch, and requested $500.00 for food, copying etc. Also have secured funding from their dept. Motion to fund was approved.
c. GRITS – received temporary charter at last meeting. Now requesting $250.00 for their first 2 events, part a seminar series entitled “Conceptions on a changing world” to come in spring. Psychology dept. is already supporting the venture with funds, and additional funds will help cover the cost of food and advertising. Motion to fund passed.
6) Temporary Charters
a. Graduate Division of Religion Student Organization – requested a charter. Purpose is to bring together students from all of the differing disciplines within the Religion dept., with the main event being a symposium. Already have an advisor and would like next to get a charter and secure funding for such an event. Motion to approve temporary charter approved.
7) Representation in GSC – new #s for divisional representatives vary by enrollment, new calculations for voting slots should be available now. GSC is looking into it.
8) Start soliciting for people to run for GSC office. SGA is synchronizing all student elections to Feb/March starting in 2007, so need to start getting people interested now. No officers = no money for 2007/2008 academic year.

January 2007 Graduate Student Council Meeting

In attendance: Josh, Astrid, Katie, Martha, Anjali, Jen, & Cliff

Notes…
1) The Executive VP of the SGA Andrew Lugerner (andrewlugerner@learnlink.emory.edu) stopped by to discuss issues with the GSC
a. Asked for a one-time $200 donation to the nighttime shuttle program from GSC, which was approved
b. Announced an important SGA meeting on Feb. 12th @ 7pm in the faculty dining room, asked for grad students to attend.
c. Discussed the reorganization and upcoming SGA election. There will no longer be a permanent seat on the SGA board for a grad student.
2) Funding requests
a. BCDB Program graduate symposium asked for $500 to pay for printing, food, speaker expenses for a symposium. Had already secured funding from dept. and a training grant. Request was approved.
b. Movie screening with director – Asked for $500 for a screening of “Iron Pussy” with the director on Feb. 21st. Had already sought and secured funding from various organizations and depts. to cover travel, food, etc. expenses. Request was approved.
c. Point was made that requests for funding should also be made available to GSC reps prior to the meeting. They will now be posted on learnlink, along with a copy of the GSC budget.
3) Survey Responses
a. Next years budget should be approximately $100,300.00
b. Mixers – people complained that it is always the same people who attend these events and it does not serve people who don’t like to go out to bars, can’t make it because of family obligations etc.
i. Started a GSC learnlink page where students can organize events online should they choose too be proactive (i.e. dinner w/ 12 strangers idea), possibility we may help subsidize these in the future
ii. GSAS will host a family networking dinner sometime this spring
iii. Suggested having some mixers on campus to make them easier for more people to attend. Anjali mentioned she and Scott were working on a picnic somewhere on campus for the spring
c. Students were interested in increasing funding to travel grant program as well as the discount ticket program
4) Charter Organizations – GSC board realized we can not continue chartering new organiztions as we have been all year, or we will soon be having budget issues.
a. Proposed a moratorium on new charter orgs. for the rest of the year, this was approved.
b. Will create a committee to review the policies for new and existing charter organizations and their funding.
i. Looking to increase participation of multiple groups on campus and foster mixing across disciplines, and increase the possibility of obtaining funding from other sources
ii. Perhaps a tiered funding structure depending on number of members - Dept. orgs one level, Interdisciplinary another
c. Increase advertising to all GSAS students
i. Create a listserv for everyone or a learnlink page everyone could post to
ii. Calendar on website/newsletter
5) V. Shardon discussed the GSAS increasing their emphasis on graduate career services