R.8: Adoption of a Graduate & Professional Student Assembly Orientation Guidebook

Whereas, the Office of Assemblies each year prepares a GPSA Handbook which is distributed only to GPSA voting members;

Whereas, this handbook briefly discusses GPSA legislative authorities, responsibilities, support that the GPSA receives from the Office of Assemblies and lists email/websites for GPSA officers;

Whereas, this handbook is available online at http://assembly.cornell.edu/GPSAHandbook/Home, a link not found anywhere on the GPSA website; Whereas, it is the charge of the Counsel to the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GPSA) to ensure that institutional memory is preserved within the GPSA;

Whereas, during the November 1st, 2010 GPSA meeting, an informal survey showed some GPSA representatives were not familiar with the background of the GPSA and how it funds groups on campus;

Whereas, during the Spring 2011 semester, the Counsel to the GPSA prepared a GPSA orientation guide while the GPSA discussed changes to its governing documents;

Whereas, this new GPSA orientation guide was written to supplement the GPSA Handbook, targeting all graduate and professional students, especially GPSA members so they can learn more about campus government, the GPSA, its functions and how it funds student groups.

Be it therefore resolved that the GPSA approves the material written in the Orientation Guidebook and provides it to all its members for the 2011–2012 GPSA.

Be it further resolved that the GPSA charges the GPSA Operations & Staffing Committee to keep the Orientation Guide up to date for all GPSA members by adding the following text to the GPSA Bylaws:

Section 3.03 Operations and Staffing Committee
(vii) Prior to the election of voting members and officers in the Spring, the committee will review and edit the GPSA Orientation guide as needed. The updated guide will then be made available to the graduate/professional student community.

Be it further resolved that the GPSA requests that upon receipt of the Orientation Handbook and its website, the Office of Assemblies creates a new permanent section of documents under “Documents” (http://assembly.cornell.edu/GPSA/Documents) entitled Guidebooks such that the site will read as the following:

Governing Documents

Charter
The charter is the constitution of the GPSA.

Bylaws
The bylaws are additional operating rules of the GPSA.

GPSA Byline Funding Allocation Procedures
Rules governing how the assembly determines the amount and distribution of the Graduate and Professional Student Activity Fee.

GPSA Eligibility Criteria and Obligations for Byline Funded Organizations
These documents have important information for groups that receive byline funding from Graduate and Professional Student Activity Fee

Guidebooks
GPSA Orientation Guide (PDF)
Guidebook prepared for all new members of the GPSA to learn more about the GPSA.

Handbook
Handbook prepared by the Office of Assemblies for voting members of the GPSA.

Current Documents

Be it further resolved that the GPSA requests that the GPSA Communications Committee makes the GPSA Orientation Guide available on http://www.cornellgpsa.com.

Be it finally resolved that this resolution and a copy of the Orientation Guidebook be sent to the following individuals:

• Kent Hubbell, Dean of Students
• Peggy Beach and Ari Epstein, Office of Assemblies
• Barbara Knuth, Vice Provost & Graduate School Dean
• Brenda Wickes, Assistant Dean Graduate Student Life
• Stewart Schwab, Dean of the Law School
• Michael Kotlikoff, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine
• L. Joseph Thomas, Dean of the Johnson Graduate School of Management

Respectfully submitted,

Brian Forster
Counsel to the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly

Steven An
Physical Sciences Voting Member
Communications Committee Member

Nighthawk Evensen
Student-Elected Trustee

Nicole Baran
Social Sciences Voting Member
Graduate and Professional Student Programming Board Chair

Kyle Albert
Social Sciences Voting Member
GPSA Appropriations Chair