Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Minutes

Sage 131 March 3, 2003 5:30–6:30 p.m.

I. Call to Order J. Moriarty called the meeting to order at 5:45.

II. Open Forum R. Willer said that GPSAFC is discussing by-line funding with the Law School and Business School. They will have their own elected representative and internally administer funds so special request forms can stay in their school.

A. Schpak said that some people don’t like to go to WSH because they don’t know where it is.

R. Willer said that the GPSA works with the Treasurer already so it wouldn’t be hard to figure stuff out.

T. McConnochie said that it might be tricky to administer the correct amount.

R. Willer said he agreed and it would be difficult to proportion the funds correctly.

L. Mangiola asked if this included the vet school too?

R. Willer said yes.

III. Approval of Minutes The minutes were not able to be approved because there was no quorum.

IV. Business of the Day J. Moriarty said that they can vote online via email if necessary.

B. Preston asked how is that different from voting by proxy?

J. Moriarty said that there is nothing in the charter about a proxy vote.

B. Preston said it doesn’t appear consistent.

J. Moriarty said that we’ve discussed A before and the GPSA did vote online once 2 years ago because it had to be done. She apologized on behalf of the people who RSVP’d and didn’t show up.

A) Election resolution J. Moriarty said this was Gavin’s resolution, which would reform the way elections for GPSA officers are done. Right now 2/3 is needed for the President, VP, and Secretary and this usually takes many rounds. The resolution changes the 2/3 to a simple majority and makes things easier. The obvious counter argument is that we want leaders to be elected by more than a simple majority.

A. Schpak said he thinks this is a great idea because it allows people to get the vote across and he is in favor of amendment A.

R. Willer said that he is in support of A but would like to cut it to 4. There is some useful discussions after 1 ineffective round of voting but after 3, it becomes useless.

B. Holmes asked if amendment A would have 2/3 for 10 rounds for all 3 offices?

J. Moriarty said yes.

B. Holmes asked if there has ever been more than 2 candidates?

J. Moriarty said she can’t remember.

B. Holmes said it looks like they will have a majority after 10 rounds and if there are more than 2 candidates, they should take the top 2 and have them go against each other.

B. Preston said he wonders about 10 rounds and they should add language that echoes Brian’s point.

H. Wynder asked for clarification — are the other elected positions just a simple majority?

J. Moriarty said yes, only the 3 officers would require 2/3’s. She said she knows we don’t have a quorum but maybe we can get a set of what to lop off to expedite the next meeting.

T. McConnochie said he is for amendment A as is. He said they have no convention in regards to more than 2 candidates and it may not be necessary to codify if there are more than 2 candidates.

D. Schmale said that he in favor of simplicity, therefore he is for just a majority. If there is a deadlock, the majority will fall down anyway because it happened last year. We need to make things as easy as possible.

R. Willer said he echoes B. Preston’s sentiments and is for amendment B.

H. Wynder said said Joan had the majority the 1st time we voted, and never had 2/3 so we should just change to the majority. We should put that in the end of each round, the person with the lowest votes is dropped out. She said she wants the majority rule.

D. Dadoyan said that amendment A forces people to think and he feels the majority will have the tendency to make rash decisions.

L. Mangiola said she is in favor of the majority. The newly elected COR members should come to the COR meeting after the election and introduce themselves for the office positions.

J. Moriarty said the problem with that is most of them don’t know the operations.

D. Schmale said that if we prolong things, people will lose interest.

B. Preston said that he agrees they should make things as official as possible. The original COR meeting will be helpful if some kind of order is set up.

J. Moriarty said that maybe they could be more general.

R. Willer said that the last COR meeting of the year can help establish a forum to have the executives introduce their positions.

J. Moriarty said she would talk to the other executive officers.

H. Wynder asked if this would be a charter change.

J. Moriarty said no.

D. Schmale said he was frustrated last year because it wasn’t standardized.

B) Extension of meeting time

J. Moriarty said that they don’t need to require it to be 2 hours long.

A. Schpak said that he is concerned with meeting times interfering with 2 sets of classes.

J.Moriarty said that a lot of Monday/Wednesday classes start at 7:00pm.

L. Mangiola said that seminars end at 5 so it wouldn’t be feasible to start meetings at 5:00, she votes on 5:15.

B. Preston said that they shouldn’t be interfering with 2 classes.

B. Holmes asked how about moving meetings to Tuesdays?

J. Moriarty said that the Big Red Barn is not free on Tuesdays so it’s not an option. In addition, evening exams are on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

H. Wynder said that 5:15 will cut into seminars.

J. Moriarty said that another concern is staffing — we need to establish a certain time so we don’t lose our minute-taker.

R. Willer said that we should pass an extra half hour for this year and maybe establish a time the first time we meet next year.

H. Wynder said that we need to have a time set and advertised beforehand.

A. Schpak said he agrees with Heather because people need to make a choice between classes and GPSA.

B. Preston said that people need to know the time commitment before they sign up.

D. Schmale said that people should accept that they will have a conflict and keep it at 5:30 start because it has worked in the past and maybe extend the meeting time to 7:00.

J. Moriarty said she is concerned about people walking out.

B. Preston said that they will get diminishing returns after 90 minutes and having a time constraint sets priorities on the agenda.

H. Wynder said that she has a problem with resolutions being placed before her at last minute because she wants to be able to review it before the meeting.

N. Sharif said that they should have resolutions 3 or 4 days beforehand so they can poll constituents.

J. Moriarty asked if this would require a charter change?

N. Sharif said no.

H. Wynder said she wants to change the norm because right now the norm is having everything last minute.

N. Sharif said they should make it a culture on this committee.

T. Bishop said that the EA meets every Wednesday and she doesn’t accept anything past Friday. It’s not a charter change, it’s just the norm.

D. Schmale said we need to have something that doesn’t keep somebody from bringing the resolutions to meetings.

J. Moriarty said that’s why we have new business.

C) Events committee

J. Moriarty said this would make it a new standing committee and would require a charter change.

R. Willer said it might be better to go through the GPSAFC.

J. Moriarty said that they would like it to be line item by-line funded group and wants to give them some sort of autonomy and flexibility.

H. Wynder said she doesn’t want the resolution to create the committee because right now it has been successful and coming to the GPSA with ideas is giving it publicity early on.

J. Moriarty said it’s not that much different from a committee update.

R. Willer said that they shouldn’t set up different funding procedures for this committee and should fund it in a normal fashion.

T. McConnochie said maybe they should consider combining this committee with the existing communications committee.

D. Schmale said he thinks a social committee is a good idea and believes enthusiastic people should be on the committee.

J. Moriarty said she thinks it’s a good idea and maybe they should make it by-line in the future.

V. Adjournment

A motion was made to adjourn.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:20.

Respectfully Submitted, Tyng Tsuei

Office of the Assemblies