September General Body Meeting

September 06, 2021 6:00-7:30 PM
Newcomb Hall Commonwealth Room

  1. Welcome (10 minutes)

    1. Why the Council Exists

      1. The Council “seeks to facilitate interactions of graduate students across departments and schools, administer the GSAS activity fee, and represent the interests of graduate students at the University of Virginia” (from constitution)

      2. Role of grad council – we have a fair amount of authority and can make things happen, so do ask questions, be engaged, and think big

    2. What the Council Does

      1. GSAS Activities Fee and supplementary funding from administration funds budget of 4 current committees that serve the needs of UVA graduate students with focuses on expanding research possibilities through grants and Huskey exhibition, education and TA advocacy to the administration, and social/networking opportunities with fellow GSAS and graduate/professional students

      2. GSAS Council collaborates with UVA Student Council, the Graduate & Professional Council, and individual schools’ councils on mutually beneficial events and opportunities

    3. How the Council Works for and with Departments

      1. GSASC relies upon representatives from the 28 departments/programs to provide a voice for their peers and carry out committee goals

      2. Representatives should feel free to actively participate in general body and committee meetings, bringing to the floor pertinent information and issues from their departments and personal experiences

      3. Representatives are expected to share news and service info with their departments

  2. Committee / Representative Descriptions and Updates (18 minutes)

    1. Finance Committee: allocate funds and field requests for funds – collect data and reports on approved events and make sure the funds are used appropriately and well; long-term projects: overhaul funding codes

    2. Research Committee: oversee the grant money that they allocate to grad students who apply for academic grants; Husky grants; grad dept reps should get the word out to their departments

    3. Social Committee: have events large and small- Halloween party and smaller things like the Tailgate, etc; first event this year was the PhD happy hour; want to collaborate with UPC to spread funds (as our funds will likely run out by Winter formal)

    4. Graduate Education Committee: advisory committee for the Dean- trying to rethink and reimagine what grad ed looks like at UVA; taking a more hands-on approach and sending surveys to departments to see what direction they’d like to see us go in

    5. Honor Committee: procedures of honor; big Q is whether or not they can move away from single sanction; as school reps, they have money they can hand out – and grants that can go out toward social events

    6. Student Council: pass legislation (bills and resolutions)

    7. University Judiciary Committee: serious offences

  3. Finance Request Approvals (10 minutes)

    1. Chemistry Department - voice vote, unanimous

    2. Social Committee Tailgate - voice vote unanimous

  4. Officer and Representative Voting (10 minutes)

    1. VP Administration: Lucie Alden

    2. VP Communications: Hannah Maupin

    3. UJC Representative

    4. Student Council Representative

      1. Karl (Chemistry) nominated by Aaron and approved

  5. For the Good of the Order (20 minutes)

    1. Creating more intellectual exchange (Lucie Alden)

      1. Maybe each department sponsors a month

      2. Something geared more towards first years/masters?

      3. Social committee and Honor committee team-up

    2. Concern about University Transit System's inadequate system this semester (Achintya)

      1. Bus commute times are much longer than pre-COVID bc bus lines are sparse; buses are overcrowded and unsafe

      2. Read out SC petition and called a vote with 17 in favor and 0 abstentions

      3. Agreed to draft a statement that Aaron will sign and then submit to the Cav Daily

    3. Honor funding for department and social events (Achintya)

      1. Covered in report

    4. MJ raised the new PhD student booklet and asked what the next steps for planning should be → this will be a point of business next meeting

  6. Committee Work (10+ minutes)