Rutgers University Graduate Student Association - New Brunswick
GSA Council Meeting # 5, AY 08-09 - March 8, 2009

  1. Determination of Quorum and Call to Order
    1. 10 Departmental Representatives
    2. 2 Elected Officers
    3. We have quorum!
  2. Approval of Minutes
    1. Approved
  3. Old Business
  4. New Business
    1. Visitors from Graduate Residence Life Office
      1. Seeking to build bridges of communication to grad students; coming as informal visitors to hear what some of the students have to say about graduate housing.
    2. RUBiotech (non-departmental)
      1. Biotech and pharma association; working to build place for grad students to learn about industry opportunities, consulting law, business, etc. and set up networking platform.  Many students in the sciences want to learn about oppotunities in industry, but don't have a place to learn about them.
      2. Q: Is this group different from BioInformatics group?  A: broader audience
        1. BioInformatics group has been inactive for at least three years
      3. Approved, 3 abstentions
    3. RATS (departmental)
      1. Joint grad program in toxicology; planning events in program; encouraging interaction between students and faculty, mentorship between older and younger students; exposure to the greater Rutgers community
      2. Approved, 1 abstention
    4. Amended budget
      1. 1st Spring Advance, RUBiotech allocation added
        • Non-departmental groups cannot receive recognition and allocation at same meeting. Their funding is contingent on recognition.
      2. Vote
        1. Approved, 3 abstentions
    5. e-gsa website
      • You can log on and see your allocations and comments!
      • please do so, some groups need to submit further information
      • http://gsa.rutgers.edu/e-gsa/
    6. University Senators
      1. Grad students get a voice in the University Senate--we need volunteers to serve in this position
      2. Q: How different from GSA?  A: Univ. senate is Univ.-wide, has faculty, etc.
  1. Reports
    1. GSA Executive Officers
      1. President (Ignacia Perugorría - president@gsa.rutgers.edu)
        1. Academic Integrity Policy Committee
          1. See our website for a questionnaire; return to president@gsa.rutgers.edu by March 20; will bear on the new academic integrity policy
        2. Search Committee - Dean of the Graduate School, New Brunswick
          1. 4 candidates coming to campus for interviews; interview process includes lunch with grad students and giving seminars.
          2. If you want to be involved on a lunch, March 11 11-12, March 13 1:15-2:15, and two more -- contact either pres@ or vicepres@gsa.rutgers.edu.  Seminars March 10, March 12, March 25, March 27.
      2. Vice-president (Rebecca Steele - vicepres@gsa.rutgers.edu)
        1. Next event: March 13 - band night
          1. Join the GSA facebook group for more information
      3. Treasurer (Sarah Murray - treasurer@gsa.rutgers.edu)
        1. L&P events must be widely publicized, including in the GSA calendar
          1. You can see how to do this on the GSA website
        2. Honorarium forms must be submitted at least 10 business days before the check is needed
          1. See the honorarium form for more info
        3. Be sure to itemize your funding requests
        4. Go on e-gsa for comments on your funding requests
        5. Sign up for the mailing list - events@gsa.rutgers.edu; see website for details
      4. Secretary (Aaron Braver - secretary@gsa.rutgers.edu)
    2. Internal Committees
      1. International Students Affairs (Chair: Gayatree Ganu - isac@gsa.rutgers.edu)
      2. Publications (Chair: Vacant - pubchair@gsa.rutgers.edu)
      3. Social and Cultural (Chair: Naomi Fleming - social@gsa.rutgers.edu)
      4. Student Affairs (Chair: Elric Kline - affairs@gsa.rutgers.edu)
      5. Sustainability (Chair: Carolyn Barber - sustainability@gsa.rutgers.edu)
        1. New dishwasher for kitchen: looking at particular brand now, very energy efficient, very quiet
        2. Sustainability Committee met, looking at doing networking for other sustainability groups on campus (perhaps mid-April)
        3. Q: Solar Panles being installed on Livingston?  A: details not known
      6. TA/GA Steering Committee (Chair: Joseph Dwyer - taga@gsa.rutgers.edu)
        1. Summer instructors want to be represented by Union.  March 27 begins first meeting with Admin for instructors being represented by Union - email Joseph if you are interested in participating
    3. Other Reports
      1. Administrative Assistant (Ben Pauli - help@gsa.rutgers.edu)
        1. Groups holding events with food in one of the Rutgers student centers must order food from an "officially approved vendor" - this list is available on the GSA website (under "events" heading)
      2. Events Coordinator (Andrew Spath - events@gsa.rutgers.edu)
      3. Publications Manager (Charlotte Whalen - puboffice@gsa.rutgers.edu)
      4. Webmaster (Audrey Devine-Eller - webmaster@gsa.rutgers)
  2. Question Time
    1. Get involved!  Officer positions for next year
    2. Publications Manager
      1. Paid position!  Job announcement coming out soon, but contact us if you know anybody who might be interested
    3. Event Assistants
      1. Paid position, help run parties, etc.  Contact Naomi - social@gsa.rutgers.edu
  3. Adjournment