GPSG Assembly Board Meeting Minutes

December 6, 2016

University of Pittsburgh Posvar Hall 5406

Meeting Summary:

  • Budget Review
  • Programming Updates
  • Year of Diversity and Inclusion Updates

Attendance:

GPSG Executive Board Officers:

  • Justin Saver (President)
  • Aliyah Weinstein (VP Committees)
  • Rena Jiang (VP Communications)
  • Kathryn Bress (VP Events)
  • Salim Malakouti (VP Finance)
  • Molly Humphreys (GSA)

GPSG Assembly Board Members:

  • GOSECA
  • ANKUR
  • Persian Panthers
  • CSSA
  • TASA
  • Arts & Sciences 1
  • Arts & Sciences 2
  • Arts & Sciences 3
  • Biomedical
  • Dental Medicine
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • GSPIA
  • Health & Rehab Sciences
  • Information Science
  • Katz (Part-Time)
  • Katz (Full-Time)
  • Law
  • Medicine
  • Nursing (DNSO)
  • Nursing (GNSO)
  • Pharmacy (PharmD)
  • Pharmacy (PhD)
  • Social Work

Absent:

  • Public Health

1. Call to Order

President Saver called the meeting to order at 5:18 pm.

2. Approval of Minutes

Motion to approve Minutes. Minutes approved.

3. Old Business

No new business.

4. Reports

4a. President’s Report

  • Dialogue with the Vice Provosts is being planned for late-Jan or early-Feb
  • What is your preferred theme?
  • Graduate Student Diversity and Inclusion or Mental Health
  • Are there any faculty/staff in your school we should invite?
  • Pitt Day in Harrisburg
  • Tuesday, March 21st, 2017 – All Day
  • Graduate Student Research Symposium Being Planned
  • Any interesting projects in your school you would like to recommend?
  • In addition there will be legislative visits and tours
  • Climate Survey
  • Working on a climate survey over Winter Break to hopefully release via my.pitt.edu in late-Jan
  • Hope to have a copy for you to give feedback on at the January AB
  • Working to Launch Graduate Alumni in Residence Program
  • Kickoff planned in April
  • We are renewing our membership with National Association of Graduate and Professional Students (NAGPS)
  • Room 835 WPU
  • Updates
  • Improvements at Pitt
  • f there is anything you would like improved or brought attention to.
  • Update on Pitt Shuttles in Shadyside
  • Update on ULS
  • Noise-cancelling headphones
  • Senate Council Updates from November 2016 meeting
  • UCGS Updates from November 2016 meeting
  • Senate Council Meeting and UCGS will be held next week
  • Will have updates at the January AB meeting

4b. Committees’ Report

  • Portal for committee feedback
  • VP of Committees vacancy
  • Bylaws Review
  • Committee reports will be available on line by Friday, 12-9-16

4c. Communications’ Report

  • TEDx:
  • Sunday, March 26th
  • Please email organization/school events, updates, photos

4d. Finance’s Report

  • GPSG Financial Report

4e. Programming’s Report

  • Fall formal was a success, we sold about 400 tickets
  • No more events in fall
  • Made a partnership with Pitt Program Council; grad students should be able to participate in events now
  • Year of Diversity and Inclusion:
  • Fund matching proposals

4f. Administrative Assistant’s Report

  • No Report

4g. Assembly Board Member Reports

Arts and Sciences

  • Vote regarding Unionization
  • New A&S President: Amber Griffith

Biomedical

  • Bowling Night (Arsenal Bowling)
  • End of Year HH
  • Ice Skating Event (December)
  • Prep for Interview Season (January)
  • Planning for Research Symposium

Dental Medicine

  • No Report

Education

  • Fall Research & Travel Grants completed

Engineering

  • Game Night
  • Elections & Transitions

GSPIA

  • Ugly Sweater HH
  • FSI Groups (Funds for Student Initiatives) applications reviewed
  • New student cabinet elected

Katz Full-Time

  • Adopted special needs school as philanthropy

Katz Part-Time

  • Friendsgiving Event
  • November Town Hall held
  • Philanthropy Event: Educational Partnership & Cold-weather drive
  • End-of-Semester HH
  • Student Ambassador Information Sessions
  • Karaoke Event, January 14th
  • Spring Fling, March 25th

Law

  • Barrister’s Ball, Rivers Casino
  • Fundraiser at Alex & Ani
  • Open discussion regarding bar scores

Medicine

  • A Capella group fundraiser ($3000)
  • New E-board elected

Nursing DNSO

  • Looking to join DNSO & GNSO
  • Change in bylaws, electing new leadership
  • # of doctoral students shrinking

Nursing GNSO

  • Not Present

Pharmacy PharmD

  • Mannequin Challenge
  • Contract with Port Authority for advertising regarding diabetes
  • Elections upcoming

Pharmacy PhD

  • International Lunch, December 19th

Public Health

  • Not Present

School of Health & Rehabilitation Science

  • Guatemala Trip Fundraiser ($550)
  • Spring Open House, April 8th
  • Chipotle Night (Forbes Ave), Sunday December 10th (mention VCU Marquette)

Information sciences

  • Mixer Event with Biomedical, other schools

Social Work

  • End of Semester HH
  • New Eboard elected and transitioned

ANKUR

  • Not Present

CSSA

  • All-group meeting 12/1/16
  • Review of fall events, planning for spring events

GOSECA

  • Conference Preparation
  • Registration, Panel

Iranian Student Association:

  • Game Night, Movie Night, Karaoke Night

TASA

  • No Report

4. Committee Reports

  • See full reports on website (
  • Mental Health Task Force
  • Focus on counseling center changes
  • Concerns from grad students:
  • None voiced
  • Student focus group, 11/16, no graduate representation
  • Suicide prevention contest open to students
  • Presentation, poster, etc.
  • More details on website, flyer
  • Committees Portal
  • Live after Thanksgiving
  • Reports and questions will be available

5. New Business

  • Bylaws Amendments Voting: All in favor. Proposed amendments passed.

6. Announcements

  • GPSG statement regarding position on unionization
  • Student Affairs Events: (see GPSG facebook page for information)
  • Late-Night Breakfast with Provost in Market Central
  • Stress-Free Events for finals
  • WPU open until 3am, Hillman open 24hrs
  • Next Meeting: Wednesday, January 25th at 5:15pm in Posvar 5604

Adjourn: 6:01 pm