- Meeting convened in the Newcomb Hall Back Room at 6 pm
Guest Speaker: Mary Stegmaier, Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies
* Reminder to register for the Spring semester, preferably before December 1st. 12 credits for full-time status. This is important in determining fees, funding, and student loan information.
* Encouraging grad students to use the back room.
Question and Answer
* Q: Status of Wendy Perry's replacement? Negotiations between Dean Fatton's office and Vice President of Research still on going. There will be a meeting in late Nov to work on this. Funding seems to have been secured, again for 1 person who would be half-time for graduate students, half for postdocs. Earliest timeframe for interviews would be January.
* Q: What resources can be used for career advice until the above position is filled? University Career Services has appointements and workshops. Also talk to graduate directors and your advisors.
* Q: Is there an update on GSAS restructuring? No update, the final touches are being put on the document, which should be distributed to dept heads within 2 weeks. Deans will then meet with department chairs and grad directors individually for each department to get feedback. The goal of the restructuring is to attract better students with improved funding packages, and also to address concerns about bringing too many people into PhD programs when job prospects aren't great.
* Q: Is the University attempting to restructure at levels other than acadmic to adjust to market forces? Is there interaction with other offices and organizations within the University regarding restructuring? Can't speak to longer term plans, but new budget and tuition models are being investigated. GSAS is studying the issue to see how changes might affect. Also, there is a lot of change occuring (mostly personnel leaving), which will affect things. GSAS is the largest grad school, and so would be included in any discussions. Data is being collected from departments to help analyze effects of any changes.
* Q: Will the above mentioned data be made available to grad students? Dean Stegmaier said she would look into options for releasing some data (e.g. time to degree). Other data may not be released.
New Business
Funding Requests
* GSASC and Women in Math and Science Happy hour: $300. passes unanimously
* GSASC Brewery Tour: $328.50 with attendence requiremnts to proceed. Passes unanimously.
* 15th Annual Classics Graduate Student Symposium: $500. passes unanimously
* Graduate student yoga. Discussion and concerns about the breakdown of costs, motion to table, unanimously approved.
Reports and Old Business
Officers / Chairs / Special Representatives
President
Life Commitee / 1st VP
* There were many responses to the career development survey. Initial skim of results indicates responses were mostly negative.
* Based on Wendy Perry's notes, a grad school of our size needs ~2.5 full time career development people. Life Committee is doing more research on peer institutions regarding this.
* There will be a future survey on summer fees.
2nd VP
* Minutes from October meeting are on the website. Please send me any info for website. Will send an email requesting info for updates to Representatives list. Also, reminded GSASC about the @gradcouncil twitter account.
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
* Halloween party was a success. Pictures will be posted to the Social Committee Facebook page.
* There was low attendance at the homecoming tailgate.
* Upcoming events:
- Nov 12: Happy hour, with fundraiser for WIMS program to encourage girls to pursue math and science.
- Nov 18: Wine and Cheese with Non-traditional students. No GSASC funding needed.
- Nov 20: Brewery Tour
* You are encouraged to submit ideas for events to the Lauren Klos and the social committee. For example, there was an idea of a Prohibition themed dance.
Research
* Huskey planning activities are currently long term. Shawn has requested rooms for the event, tentatively schedueld for March 28. Still ironing out final room reservations.
Student Council Rep
* Studo is working on a "light it up" campaign to add lighting to dark areas to improve safety.
* Track your trash program is happening, where students carry a trash bag for a week to see how much waste they generate.
* There is work on making SafeRide more efficient. This includes more late night buses to ease demand, plus two additional phone lines.
* Money is available to official UVa organizations. This can be done by appropriations training.
Honor Commmittee
* Many items discussed (listed below). Some require votes by the student body, some can simply be amended in the by-laws.
* The idea of putting 2 committee members on each honor trial jury was tabled and brought back.
* There is discussion of adding jury facilitators to help with deliberations. These would not be voting jurors.
* There is also talk of improving discussion of the be-laws in honor trials. What intent means in different contexts.
* Related to the above note, there is also talk of moving from a general verdict to a specific verdit pertaining to the case. For example instead of "are they guilty?", perhaps: "did they willfully commit X offense?"
* Possibility of moving to a system where negative conviction doesn't result in an immediate acquittal.
* There will be mock trials next week.
* Students are encouraged to come to honor committee meetings (every Sunday evening) to voice concerns. Information is also disseminated in the Cavailier Daily.
Other Business
* Elizabeth is putting together the connections email, so if you have anything for inclusion, email her with it.
Meeting adjourned.
