Resolution 2 — Creation and Funding of an Ad-Hoc Survey Committee (as of Sun, Nov 14 at 6:00pm)

WHEREAS, A principal responsibility of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GPSA) is to set and allocate Graduate and Professional Student Activity Fee (GPSAF); and

WHEREAS, The GPSAF is a required payment made by all current graduate and professional students; and

WHEREAS, Section III.4.h of the GPSA Bylaws states that the GPSA has an “ethical responsibility” to ensure that the GPSAF is “well spent”; and

WHEREAS, The 2009–2010 GPSA expressed its support for the “creation of a scientific survey” to obtain “sound data” on graduate and professional student consumption of services and activities that receive byline funding through the GPSAF; and

WHEREAS, The survey can assist the GPSA in allocating funds in accordance with the wishes of students; and

WHEREAS, The GPSA passed Resolution 18, recognizing such value, on April 19, 2010 by a vote of 12–1−2 to recommend the allocation of funds toward such a survey; and

WHEREAS, The GPSA conducted a survey of the graduate and professional student population in 2005 and used this data to advocate on their behalf; and

WHEREAS, The 2010–2011 GPSA discussed funding a survey from its budget surplus at its September 13, 2010 business meeting; and

WHEREAS, The 2010–2011 GPSA currently has a total surplus of $6,605, the total combined amount of the FY2010 surplus of $5,605 and the FY2011 surplus of $1,000; and

WHEREAS, The GPSA Appropriations Committee has requested that the GPSA form an ad-hoc committee to prepare a survey implementation plan; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the GPSA form an ad hoc Survey Committee charged with completing the following tasks by the end of the academic year (May 7, 2011):

• a) Study all feasible sampling options before choosing the most appropriate;
• b) Develop a survey questionnaire which will take a modest amount of time to answer, reporting this back to the entire GPSA;
• c) Implement this survey by the middle of March 2011;
• d) Analyze the resulting data in a report to be provided to the GPSA;
• e) Develop a plan to conduct such a survey at least every four years, in non-activity-fee-setting years.

RESOLVED, That the survey collect data on at least the following:

• a) Information about how graduate and professional students currently use activity fee by-line funded services;
• b) Pay and benefits information, including, but not limited to, stipend, insurance, child care and housing.

RESOLVED, That the GPSA allocate $3,000 (less than 1% of the total activity fee, or roughly $0.44 per student, leaving a FY2011 surplus of $3,605) from its FY2011 budget surplus to fund participation incentives, hosting and development costs in accordance with the attached budget.

RESOLVED, That the ad hoc committee spend no more than this amount, and take into consideration cost effectiveness at all stages of its work.

RESOLVED, That this resolution be sent to Peggy Beach, Director of the Office of Assemblies; Kent Hubbell, Dean of Students; and Barbara Knuth, Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School.

Respectfully submitted,

Evan Cortens
GPSA Humanities Representative/Appropriations Member

Chris Clarke
GPSA Social Sciences Representative/Finance Commission Member

Steven An
GPSA Physical Sciences Representative/Appropriations and Communications Member

Kyle Albert
GPSA Social Science Representative/Appropriations Chair

Robert Hartshorn
GPSA JGSM Representative/Finance Commission Chair

Michael Genkin
Chair of the GPSA Data Collection and Analysis Ad Hoc Committee (2009–2010)