October General Body Meeting

October 4, 2021 6:00-7:30 PM
Newcomb Hall Commonwealth Room | Zoom

  1. Call to Order and Welcome 

  2. Conversation with P&T (20 minutes) 

    1. Representing UVA P&T:
      Rebecca White, Director & Allison Day, UTS Operations manager

      1. Transit is behind held back mostly by staffing shortages, and there are payment incentives (pay, retention & hiring bonuses increased and implemented) and accelerated training plans (3-4 months training transformed into J-term course) to address those as soon as possible 

        1. Apply yourself or share with those interested: https://parking.virginia.edu/student-driver-application 

      2. Spring is looking more optimistic, but things may not be better immediately at the beginning of the term while new drivers from J-term begin to complete their training

      3. Charlottesville and Grounds need more, safer bike lanes for cyclists to reduce burden on parking and transit services

        1. More info about City of Charlottesville cycling initiatives: https://www.charlottesville.gov/1100/Bicycle-Pedestrian-Advisory-Committee 

  3. Committee Reports (30-40 minutes) 

    1. Graduate Education Committee (10 minutes) 

      1. Summary of restructuring and department feedback 

        1. Grad School is undertaking changes to doctoral programs based on feedback from department heads, DGSes, and grad students 

        2. Restructuring will involve cohort size, wages, time to completion, curriculum policies, faculty appointments, diversity equity & inclusion, interdisciplinary efforts, and other aspects of doctoral training 

      2. How can we involve and represent GSAS students in the conversations? 

    2. Research Committee (5-10 minutes) 

      1. Finalize group - all finalized with enough people 

      2. Fall Research Grant timetable, other info 6

        1. CFP will be going out next week, it should be spread to departments and all other GSAS students as widely as possible 

        2. Deadline is before Thanksgiving and decisions will be announced after the holiday before the end of the term 

    3. Social Committee (5-10 minutes) 

      1. Upcoming events

        1. Recently had tailgate which was not well attended likely due to time, will have another for Notre Dame game (Nov 13) at later time 

        2. Halloween party will be Oct 30 with more information to come in the funding discussion 

    4. Finance Committee (10 minutes)

      1. Funding request from Social Committee 

        1. Halloween Party will be held in cooperation with Education, GBS, and Engineering Schools at FIREFLY on Sat October 30 from 8 to 11 PM 

        2. Included is full rental of their facilities, 200 drink tickets, appetizers, and $100 worth of quarters for arcade games 

        3. There will also be a costume contest, a high score contest, and perhaps other competitions sponsored by local businesses 

        4. Total budget is $2769.50, asking GSAS for $1330 

        5. Voice vote: approved without opposition

  4. Old Business (20 minutes) 

    1. New student booklet (MJ, 10 minutes) 

      1. Booklet would be for new students, especially international students, to provide information 

      2. Lots of students already don’t read information sent around to them 

      3. French department has a designated senior graduate student to provide resources for new students, perhaps the Graduate School could do something similar 

    2. Updates on PIE (promoting intellectual exchange) project (Lucie/Aaron, 5 minutes) 

      1. Lucie is working on the first of a trial round of talks: Humanities in November and Social and Natural Sciences in the early spring 

        1. Let her know if your department is interested in hosting one of the future events to promote inter-departmental grad student discussions 

    3. Updates on UVA Safety Committee (Aaron, 5 minutes) 

      1. Aaron will be going on the Security & Safety Committee night walk in mid-October to survey Grounds for unsafe areas, due to low lighting, physical obstructions, or other reasons 

  5. For the Good of the Order (5+ minutes) 

    1. Grad housing (Heather) 

      1. Looking for ongoing initiatives or interested parties to potentially help advocate for cheaper grad housing 

      2. Grad housing availability has declined since before the pandemic, and UVA Res Life does not have any known plans to rectify the situation