Meeting Minutes- 01 February 2010

  • Meeting convened in the Newcomb Hall Board Room at 6 pm

Reports and Old Business

    Officers / Chairs / Special Representatives
      President
        * South Lawn: There will be a room to schedule meetings (not sure if there will be lockers). Dean Fatton has helped alot with this
        * Council of Councils: Representative from different graduate and professional schools, it will be a starting point to coordinate between programs, initial meetings with some, Dean Laushway is really behind this, official resolution is needed from our council so that we can move ahead (basically that grad council supports the idea and wishes to send a representative). Motion for this passed unanimously so for now Matt will be the representative. It will start this semester
        * UVA President Initiatives: Matt got an email asking for waht issues the new UVA President could focus on for graduate students. He listed topics last semester and hwat life committee is working on at the moment. Future updates will be from the life committee probably
        * Best April Meeting Date: Huskey is on teh same day so what alternate day woudl work? Email him with day that would be BAD (don't have to change it necessarily since the reception will probably not be that day)
      VPs
        * 1st VP: I'll just talk during the Life Committee stuff
        * 2nd VP: All the minutes are up on the website. Please please please let me know what else you all want out of the website and how it could be improved
      Life Commitee
        * Update on Topics: Child Care: Julie spoke with Dean Fatton about child care (he wanted an estimate on graduate student cost of living - wants feed back from us before responding)
        * Future projects - agreed to renew support for Wendy Perry in form of research backed support letter (she had research with packet -- have to still write another letter
        * Space for Graduate Students: Pavillion in Newcomb has small overflow room. We'd still have to share with dining during peak hours. Dean Laushway really wants to see us take advantage (test drive it for 2 years until it undergoes renovations). Increased traffic is key. In past, without specifics of use, etc., we've been booted so we need to keeep track of this. This is an opportune moment to seize it, so use it any way possible.
        * Maternity Leave: Dean Fatton - Maternity Leave has no written policy - Important issue; he was open to making it clearer (especially in relation to faculty); email came from him saying he'd brought it up and he's not sure it is going to get on teh agenda this year because budget is tough. Still, going to get info together on peer institutions. He's currently writing something about the cost of living. He sent out an email to members and he'd like to get other's feedback about this
        * Sexual Harrassment: The ?Univeristy specifically focuses on sexual harrassment as pertains to employment as grad students. Are they employees or students? EEO says needs to be told orally about policy. Jenny will research other peer institutions policies. There will be a orientation day for all next year and perhaps EEO can do somethign on that day to educate all students at once.
      Treasurer
        * Still looking good
      Social Committee
        * Happy Hours and St. Patrick's Day: HH at Trinity on February 26 (Wednesday); SPD at Trinity on March 20 from 5 - 9
        * Super Bowl Party / Haiti Relief: Super Bowl Party at Trinity at 7pm for all graduate and professional schools - costs nothing to us. Heather is in current discussions with other councils to set up a sort of Haiti Relief component
        * Med School 5k - March 21 (no money coming from us) - they want participants and there is always a competition between schools for fastest time
        * Upcoming Wine and Cheese Receptions - TJ'sBday, Huskey, etc: 3 Wine and Cheeses proposed for this semester; 1. in the coming weeks, 2. Huskey, 3. TJ Birthday in April in Garden or Pavillion (all three have been generously provided food and drink for by Aramark
      Research
        * April 5 - Huskey Exposition; Abstracts are due by March 5 so please alert your departments, the space is all reserved, hope to take pictures and produce an after pamphlet and website to promote all the of the good projects that graduate students are doing here at UVA
        ( Secured funding from all previous sources, secured Dean Woo as a speaker, putting an email togehter to solicit applications
         Doing things differently this year by streamlining the collecting of applications process, please take posters & post them in public places
        * George has started teh PR bit - email call for submissions, proposes to have a wine & cheese to piggyback event (produce after the fact pamphlet to highlight accomplishments)
        * More information coming, needs us involved with getting judges and advertising because its always tought to get judges (promote the free lunch aspect to them). Often get a better response if you go in person to request their participation
      Student Council Rep
        * Hoocrew is sponsoring their annual fan design shirt contest where you could win a trip to LA or an Ipod touch if your design is chosen. Deadline is Saturday.
        * Also, election season is coming up
      Honor Commmittee
        * On upcoming ballot there is an option to vote for that would require a press release to be produced for each case that goes before the committee, Please endorse this
        * Need people to fill positions next year from this council so please consider joining and / or encouraging your departments to get involved

New Business

    Funding Requests
      * Intramural Teams: Unanimously approved for $500
      * Chemistry Jefferson Lecture: Unanimously approved for $500
      * GSASC Wine Tour: Unanimously approved for $500
      * Huskey Research Expo: Unanimously approved for $3190
      * Classics Grad Student Colloquium: 2nd request, already gave them $500, Unanimously approved for $300
      * GBS Symposium: (Graduate Bioscience) Unanimously approved for $500
      * GSAS Happy Hour February: February 26, Unanimously approved for $400
      * Francophone Film Festival: (funds go towards distribution feeds for films) Unanimously approved for $500
      * German Grad Student Conference: (requested larger monies but in spirit of parity, they can come back if need more later) Unanimously for $500
      * English Grad Student Conference (Late Application): (they too can come back later if they need more funds) Unanimously approved for $500
Other Business
    Matt is putting together the connections email, so if you have anything for inclusion, email him with it.
    Health insurance meeting is tomorrow and Elizabeth will let us know what the new premium will be and other concerns
Meeting adjourned.