Graduate and Professional Student Assembly
Council of Representatives
Monday, September 10, 2007
Memorial Room, Willard Straight Hall
5:30–7:00pm

I. Welcome and Introductions

M. Leinfelder called the meeting to order at 5:36pm.

All of the officers introduced themselves to the assembly and members had an opportunity to get to know each other.

II. Background of the GPSA and Council of Representatives

There was a brief summary of the GPSA�it is the graduate and professional student assembly. The assembly consists of 19 voting members.

The council of representatives consists of 1 or 2 representatives who act as liaisons between this group and their respective group, it is the best way to communicate w/other graduate students.

III. Introductions of the Office of Assemblies staff and other friends of the GPSA

A. O’Donnell introduced herself and the student clerk Y. Tsuei introduced herself.

M. Ye and K. Duch introduced themselves. K. Duch gave a brief summary of her main goals. She stressed that if people have questions to not hesitate to contact her. K. Duch said she wants input from the graduate community. M. Ye said he had several initiatives and he represents the GPSA for the student health insurance advisory committee. He said he is also trying to create awards for students.

B. Wickes, the new dean of student life also introduced herself.

IV. Open Forum

A. Knapp invited everyone for “light the night” on Thurs Dec 27 for leukemia & lymphoma. She said it is a 2 mile walk through stewart park to support the leukemia cause. A. Knapp said if you’re interested, contact her for details. She also said that the Johnson school is also having a program, Lingua. A. Knapp said the program is intended to teach Spanish, mandarin, etc to students in the Ithaca community. If somebody is interested on either side of program, contact A. Knapp.

P. Rentea announced that there is a grad night out w/a local bar. The first one coming up is Thurs Sept 20 from 8–1am at Felicia’s on State St. past the commons. There will be a drink special. The flyer will be sent out.

M. Walsh said he would like to get a GPSA intramural cross-country team together for a Sept. 20 race. He said if people want to run and be part of the team to let him know.

R. Salem the student assembly liaison for the GPSA introduced himself.

V. Executive Updates

Y. Yu gave out a handout “breaking bread.” She said the groups need to write proposals. The groups are going to have a joint dinner and discuss how the working group will work towards its goal. Y. Yu said the event is open up to grad and undergrad students.

M. Leinfelder said she is also part of the communications committee. She gave a summary of it�there will be a bi-monthy newsletter sent out to as many grad students on list, there are over 900 students right now. M. Leinfelder said she is trying to communicate w/others what’s going on with GPSA and other grad events.

A. Richter emphasized the importance of filling in open spots for committees. She said you don’t need to be a member of the GPSA to serve on the committee.

VI. Committee Report: Graduate Community Initiative (GCI) Working Group

M. Leinfelder gave a summary of the GCI. She said it is a document saying the visions of the graduate students to help enhance the community in Cornell. a. Susan Murphy, Vice President of Student and Academic Services S. Murphy said last year’s GPSA worked very hard in creating this grad community initiative. GCI was presented to the board of trustees and it was very well received since it was put in as a vision, a state of need. She said it is very comprehensive and they are trying to figure out which issues to cover first.

S. Murphy said they are trying to figure out how best to link w/the medical college.

Not all of the issues in GCI will be solved by the end of the semester. S. Murphy said they are trying to develop a road map about how to fit everything in and what to proceed with. She said they are trying to find ways to partner b/t the graduate school and all other units that support students.

A. Richter said the entire document is on the website in pdf form.

Y. Yu said updates and agendas will be put up on the GCI working group so if people have some ideas they can leave comment/write to them. Y. Yu said they are already working w/the Weil medical group. She said it is also part of our effort to make this a joint community and that it doesn’t have to be entirely administrative or university influenced.

VII. Election of 3 Assembly Seats

M. Leinfelder briefly discussed the seats that are open

a. 2 master’s degree seats

Nighthawk Evensen from natural resources gave a brief speech as to why he’s interested in an assembly seat.

Mario Guerrero from CIPA talked about his previous experiences.

Cristian Morales from ILR talked about his past experiences and was about career focus�working with people.

A. Cowan made a motion to close nominations. B. Forster seconded it.

Some questions were asked of the nominees.

M. Guerrero is the new master’s degree representative.

b. 1 at-large seat

S. Whitehouse was nominated but declined.

A. Cowan nominated people who didn’t get the masters seat to the at large seat.

A. O’Donnell nominated herself. M. Walsh seconded her nomination.

There was a motion to close nominations. R. Harbison seconded it.

A. O’Donnell gave a mini speech, she is from animal science.

C. Morales and N. Evensen accepted their nominations.

A. O’Donnell is the new at large representative.

VIII. Annual Reports from Activity Fee Byline-Funded Organizations

M. Leinfelder said the activity fee fund is going to be set now for the next 2 years and that the by-lined funded groups have asked to be present at the meetings.

a. Athletics: Alan Katz, Associate Director of Finance and Administration

A. Katz said usually they are given $6 and grads receive discounted hockey tickets and a free Big Red Sports pass for their support of Athletics. He said the GPSA and athletics relationship has been strong and hasn’t been a time where athletics wasn’t supported by grad students.

A. Katz said the big red sports pass was given for free to grad students. They gave out approx. 1100 fee sports passes last year to grad students.

b. Big Red Barn: Kris Corda, Director

K. Corda said the money goes to funding programs only and advertising at the big red barn. She said the salary is paid by other things.

K. Corda gave out a list of events that are done annually. She said unfortunately next summer the big red barn is going to be closed to repair the roof, right now they are doing minimal to keep the barn open. K. Corda said they haven’t been given an exact date, but it will definitely going to be closed by June 1. She said they need to find alternate location for the summer TGIF, therefore they might need to ask for a little bit more money. K. Corda went into a little more detail about events that are hosted.

K. Corda said they are trying to work on a spouse listserve, whether or not they have children. She said they are thinking of maybe having coffee hour or book club for those people.

K. Corda said any grad student that has an event in the barn can have free potato chips! She said any grad student can use the barn.

c. Graduate Student Orientation: Brenda Wickes Assistant Dean of Graduate Student Life

B. Wickes spoke about on activity funding for the graduate student orientation. She said they are asking 60 cents per student. This year they had box lunch dinner during orientation, as well as buses that helped people back to where they live at night after an event. B. Wickes said there was a trip to Treman gorge, an ice cream social at the barn with the GPSA, a trip to the farmer’s market. She said the events are meant to help build a social network.

Y. Yu asked if the spring orientation is also organized. B. Wickes replied that they were thinking of doing things jointly w/other professional schools and hoping maybe to open up orientation to other new students from the fall. She said the spring orientation will not as elaborate because there are not as many people in the spring as in fall.

IX. Overview of the University Assembly

a. Jim Glenn, Graduate Chair, University Assembly

J. Glenn gave a summary of the university assembly which is the main university governing body.

X. Adjournment

M. Leinfelder adjourned the meeting at 7:01pm.

Respectfully submitted,
YuhLi Tsuei
Office of the Assemblies