- Meeting convened in the Newcomb Hall Back Room at 6 pm
Guest Speaker: Dean Laushway, Associate Dean of Students.
* There is the suggestion of a week long celebration of graduate student live on grounds. It would take place in the Spring semester, preferably before the Inaguration of the new University President (which will occur 13-16 April). The event would highlight research, graduate student social events, and assist with graduate student recruiting. The week would culminate in a social event in University Hall. Dean Laushway would like to hear comments and suggestions about this event.
* Information about "Life on the Range" will be sent out via GSASC.
New Business
Funding Requests
* Lighting of the Lawn contribution: $100. passes unanimously
* GSASC Lighting of the Lawn Reception: $300. passes unanimously
* Graduate Thesis Performance: recommendation to not fund. passes unanimously
Funding for events where Alcohol is served
* Grad council by-laws are what actually sets the alcohol rules. This has made reimbursments difficult for some events where alcohol is served.
* There was discussion on whether or not we should investigate changing the by-laws (which might require negotations with the administration).
* Motion to investigate making this change seconded and passed unanimously.
Reports and Old Business
Officers / Chairs / Special Representatives
President
* Graduate connections email will go out tomorrow. Please submit discussion items.
Life Commitee / 1st VP
2nd VP
Treasurer
* Have allocated roughly half the budget for the year, so are on target. Some of the allocation will not be used (i.e. Halloween Party) so we are actually under half for the year.
Social Committee
* WIMS happy hour was a success, they were able to raise some money for their organization.
* Brewery tour did not occur due to lack of interest.
* Lighting of the Lawn occurs Thursday 02 December. Set up will be at 6pm in Dean Woo's Pavilion. The event starts at 7 with the actual lighting of the Lawn occurring around 9:00 or 9:30pm.
Research
* There will be a meeting soon for Huskey planning.
Student Council Rep
* speakupUVa is now online. Post ways to improve life on Grounds. Ideas are voted on and the highest ranked items are addressed by student council.
* Spring elections for Student Council are coming up (usually the week before Spring Break). It would be good to have more participation in voting from graduate students.
* "Airbus" system is running between UVa and the Richmond Airport this Christmas break. www.uvastudentcouncil.com for more info.
* Leonard Sandage spoke to StudCo about safety. Extended bus hours, increased lighting, and increased police presence are in place or being worked on. He also noted that in his time at UVa, only 1 assault has occurred to someone who was with at least 1 other person. He recommended not going out alone.
Honor Commmittee
* A survey regarding Honor will be sent to graduate students in the future. This will hopefully pave the way for meetings with groups of graduate studnets to raise awareness of Honor.
* There have been lots of ideas for changes to Honor, but most have been voted down. Two which survived are:
- System of special interrogatories
- Renaming "intent" to "knowledge"
* The first batch of public summaries of cases have been released on the UVa Honor website
Student Health Insurance
* There will likely be an increase in premiums next year. The health insurance committee is looking at modifications of (dependents / prescription) benefits to offset the premium increase.
Departmental Concerns
* The GSAS reorganization has been communicated to departments. Some departments have already communicated changes to their students. The general trend appears to be a planned decrease in the number of students with a corresponding increase in amount and/or duration of support through stipends. Departments were also ranked within GSAS as part of the assessment.
Meeting adjourned.
