OFFICIAL MINUTESOHIO UNIVERSITY GSSOct. 22, 2012
I. Call To Order.
President Tynita White called the regular Graduate Student Senate Meeting of Monday, Oct. 22, 2012 to order at 7:15 p.m.
II. Roll Call.
Ashley Furrow, Vice President of Communications, called the roll.
ROLL CALL: Executives Present: / Commissioners Present:Tynita White, President
Ashley Furrow, VP of Communication
Molly Yanity, VP for Finance / Lacey Rogers, Women’s Affairs
Pronoy Rai, International
Leah Ward, Black Affairs
Tatiana Puscasu, Grad Student Life
Executives Absent: / Commissioners Absent:
Ed Gaither, VP of Legislative Affairs / Lance Poston, LGBT Affairs
Svetlana Bondereva, Minority
Senators Present:
Katie Mitchell, Arts & Science
Ben Weiner, Engineering
Rudy Nasir by proxy, Ctr for International Studies
David Foster by proxy, Education
Chet Miller, Fine Arts
Shawn Cuevas, Osteopathic Medicince
Jessica Furgerson, Communication
Natasha Aduloju, Health Sciences & Professions
Senators Absent:
None
*Press Jillian Bloomer
III. Approval of previous meeting’s minutes
Motion to approve Furgerson, Seconded byMolly Yanity. Approved unanimously.
IV. Student speak out.
None.
V. Presentations
Traveling Exhibit from the Holocaust Museum in DC: David Anderson presents on this traveling exhibit that the Women’s and Gender Studies department is trying to get to OU. Anderson saw exhibit at University of Louisville and thinks it’s a great benefit for graduate and undergraduate students for class and research purposes. He showed pictures of the exhibition, which walks you through the Holocaust. It would be at OU from April 20 (the day after the National Day of Silence) until June 13, 2012. The two main issues are space and financing. Currently, working with Baker event services to find a space, which would make it accessible to all classes, including the community. Have raised $3,700. Total Needed is $4,000-$4,500. The two major costs are renting the exhibit and shipping it to the next institution. Asking GSS for $300.
Opened floor to questions:
Megan Chapman: The exhibit would be at OU with only two weeks left of spring semester. Is there any way to get it sooner?
David Anderson: It is rented out by other institutions until then. There is a lot of energy and excitement about the possibility of having the exhibit. Teachers can use it as extra credit.Partners confident that there will be plenty of people coming in spring and summer as well as graduation week for visiting parents and families to see it.
Julia: Who would manage it? Is there a curator?
DA: The staff where we house it will manage the exhibit. However, it’s a secure exhibit and nothing to take from the exhibit so it will not require a lot of extra work from employees.
Kyle Churman: From the history department, there are advantages with the spring courses offered, which are the Holocaust (200 students; highest enrolled class) is being taught History of modern Germany, and Jewish history. Those courses would support it. Have you talked with Alden to house the exhibit?
DA: Have a lighting issue. Haven’t said no, but it’s not our safest pick
GA Pregnancy Policy at Ohio University: Lana Oweidat, a doctoral student in English,found out she was pregnant a few months ago. To her surprise, there are no policies for parents on leave at OU. It’s up to you and the head of your department or graduate director to figure out how to cover your classes. She, along with two English professors, are working on a proposal. Lana will be using technology to teach for 3 weeks (blackboard) during her leave. Some issues include: Some students can’t afford to take a semester off; waivers are dependant on being a full-time student; classes may only be offered once a year; insurance?
Furgerson: How does the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act fit in?Can we expand policy to cover other things like medical leave of absence?
Yanity: A further update: OU has 10 peer universities, and how many of those have policies for pregnant graduate students. Four of them have explicit, detailed, fair policies. OU is 1 of 2 that has no policy, and the other four have obscure policies. We propose to have exec do more research and get provost to implement a policy for next year.
VI. Officers reports
President White.Historian Marc Stein will deliver Ohio University's LGBT History Month Keynote Address on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012, at 7 p.m. in Baker Center Theater. Dr. Stein is a professor of history and women's and gender studies at York University and is the author of several books.
Graduate Research Series @ Alden applications due Friday, Oct. 26, by 5 p.m. in the GSS office.
Working with Grad College on two workshops. Presenting those to you at the end of the semester. Survey on the content of the workshops. One will be on applying to Ph.D./Masters programs.
Still looking into summer funding.
Vice President Gaither.No report.
Vice President Yanity. Current budget stands at just over$2,900.00 with the GradFest and Engineering money taken out. If you have events, let me know about them and we will try to get them funded.
Reporting for Vice President Furrow. Upcoming GRADFESTS.
Saturday, Nov. 3 – Theme to be determined in old business – 8 p.m. Brew side of Jackie O’s. Drink special to those wearing wristbands = $2 domestic beers
Saturday, Dec. 1 – Karaoke – 8 p.m. on Public side of Jackie O’s. Drink special to those wearing wristbands = $2 house drafts
Commissioner Ward, Black Affairs. Life after OU workshop series.Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. in Friend of the Library room. More updates/fliers later.
Commissioner Rai (proxy), International Affairs.Tinariwen. Kishi Bashi will open the show. This show is a partnership with Ohio University African Studies and OU Performing Arts Series. Starts at 8 p.m. Phone number is 740.753.1924; Transportation available through Center for International Studies.
Commissioner Rogers, Women’s Affairs. No report.
Tatiana Puscasu, Grad Student Life. No report.
VII. Old business.
Yanity: Update on the housing survey. Grad students concerned with no single place on campus to live specifically for grad students. Ed Gaither is coming up with ideas, suggestions, and moving forward with that quantification.
VIII. New business.
Discussion about the theme for November GradFest.
Furgerson:The owner of Sol is interested in hosting an event; Good drinks and good food in a low key environment.
Tania: Any ideas of events you would like to see. Please shoot an email to Ashley or Tania.
Chapman: Pre-election theme; U.S. history trivia.
Leah Ward: Get to know you game night. Mingling with other grad students outside of my department.
Chet Miller: Red, White and Blues. With jazz music.
Yanity: Exec will come up with mingling games with a pre-election theme.
IX. Resolutions.
Resolution 1213-09. A Resolution Calling for the One-Time Donation to
Help Fund the Traveling Holocaust Exhibit from D.C. Molly Yanity moves to waive reading; Jessica Furgerson seconds. Furgerson moves to adopt resolution;Miller seconds. Motion passes.
X. Announcements.
Hashim Pashtun: At GradFest, international students do not have IDs, only passport, which had to get from home. Do not have a driver’s license. Only identity is student ID. Need to go get a state ID. Need to ensure that info is given to international students during the orientation.
Shawn Cuevas: Had people apply for travel grants; No med students received funding because too narrow and focused. Are med students not eligible? Students were told that programs were not open to the entire university and too narrow and focused. Also, can we get parking services to send out one email a week?
Yanity: Let’s get Jennifer Kowalsky to speak about the travel grants, and to get the rules changed.
Comm Dev Program Celebrating 25th Year Anniversary: Baker Center Room 230 and 235 Baker Center on Friday, Oct. 26, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Kyle Churman: History department has the biggest speaker event with Dr. John Lewis Gaddis on Thursday,Oct. 25, at 7:30 in Walter HallRotunda. He founded the Contemporary History Institute and hasn’t been back to OU in a decade.
Julia: In need of tutor in a very specific area, and told can’t get tutor because she was a grad student. Denied statistics tutoring through the Academic Assistance Center University. Professor did not know anyone that could tutor me in Statistics.
Hashim: Mock elections Wed. 4-5 Walter Education center. Election process from Athens Commissioner.
XI. Adjournment. President White moves to adjourn at 8:06 p.m.; Furgerson seconds. Meeting adjourns.