GSA Minutes March 3, 05

 

Attendance

Officers:  Kai Pommerenke (president); Allison Luengen (secretary); Ian Dobbs Dixon (external vice president); Marina Serran (CPB); Lisa Downward (IVP)

Department Reps:  Ignacio Solis (CE); Sina Farsiu (EE); Marla Holt (ocean sci); Dave Machledt (anthro); Kelly Holt (lit); Sara Bothwell (ENVS); Amy Dexter (psych); Sabrina Sanchez (hist); Brian Gerstenberger (chem); Scott Calvert (alternate hiscon)

Others:  Tatsuya Nijiwen (EE); Avik Chaudhuri (CS); Liam Welcher (College 9); John Colby (CS)

 

Minutes from February 17 and agenda were approved.

 

New Business

A.  John Colby <colby@soe.ucsc.edu> from the CS Department proposed a dissertation support group.  The purpose of the support group was to discuss 1) choosing a thesis topic; 2) choosing an advisor; 3) execution and writing of the thesis; 4) preparation for the defense; and 5) miscellaneous academic and personal issues.  John envisioned the group as an interdisciplinary group, run by its members.  He was thinking of it as about half logistical support on the actual mechanics of writing the dissertation and half emotional support.  Dave motioned to form a subcommittee to work on this, and the motion passed.  Dave would like to be on the committee.

 

B.  Yan Zhang <yzhang@soe.ucsc.edu> presented a funding request for an immigration seminar.  She requested $100 for snacks for the event.  We approved this amount without opposition.  The purpose of the seminar is to cover topics such as how to immigrate to the US, requirements, and categories of employment-based immigration.   

 

C.  Pay for GSRs (Kai).  Kai is collecting information from the department reps on the steps at which various departments pay their GSRs.  Kelly, Sara, Brian, Nacho, and Sina had this information for Kai.  There are seven different steps, and the pay varies considerably:

Step

Monthly

Hrly

1

$2,438

$14.01

2

$2627

$15.10

3

$2913

$16.74

4

$3147

$18.09

5

$3357

$19.29

6

$3512

$20.18

7

$3793

$21.80

 

D.  Survey of Grad Experience (Kai).  Kai brought a list of questions for the survey of graduate student experience, including academic, non-academic, and overall categories.  We have him some feedback, and agreed that a subcommittee would give additional feedback.

 

Committee and Officer Reports

A.  CPB (Marina).  Peggy Delaney is no longer the EVC.   David Kliger, dean of the Physical and Biological Sciences, will replace her.  He will be the 3rd interim EVC.

            The protests around the cuts to the language programs generated some discussion.

 

B.  Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC) (Marla).  SFAC is working on a survey of student services.  You can take the survey at https://survey.ucsc.edu/uccp.SFAC/.  If it doesn’t work, email Marla <iris@cats.ucsc.edu>, and she’ll put you in touch with Frankie, who will add you to the list.  Pass the word along to graduate students to that the voices of graduate students and what services they need will be heard.

 

C.  Internal Vice President (Lisa).  Six people still need committees.

 

D.  Trip to Washington DC (Gerardo and Lisa).  Gerardo and Lisa lobbied to make scholarships for room and board tax exempt and to decrease student loan taxes.

 

E.  UC Wide International Committee (Kelly).  The committee is looking for more opportunities for grads to study abroad.  Kelly has also asked the committee to incorporate GSR or TA in study abroad.

 

F.  Party (Nacho).  250 people attended the party, and about $1830 was spent.  Most of the stuff that they bought was consumed.  They gave out tickets for drinks, but there was still some concern from the Graduate Commons about semi-drunk people.  Dave proposed serving just beer.  Should we buy a karaoke machine?

 

G.  Transportation (Brian).  TAPS wants to ax the shopper shuttle.  They say it’s not used.

 

H.  Outdoor (Dave).  The outdoor committee held 3 trips this quarter.  The first was mushrooming.  The second trip, to Pinnacles, went smoothly and was attended by 10 men and 1 woman.  The wine tasting trip for Saturday is full.  The total cost to the GSA will be $385, which is under budget.

 

I.  Committee on Physiological Counseling (Marina).  The committee needs 1 more graduate student.

 

J.  Catalogue Rights (Kai).  The Grad Council agreed that grads should have catalogue rights and wondered why we don’t already.  Bruce Schumm is going to review departments and will draft some language.  It won’t be in time for next academic year, but for the following one.

 

K.  Liam.  Elections are coming up, and will include fee referenda.

 

Adjourn.