GSGA General Assembly Meeting Spring

April 4th, 2018

●Nyketa Gaffney, Public Information Officer of SPCA Cincinnati

  • She thanked the general assembly for the funds raised during our Spring Ball to aid their charity.
  • Said that the money we raised will go to clinical treatment and food for the animals in their animal shelter.
  • Explained that there are opportunities for volunteering at SPCA. Anyone interested should send an e-mail to: .

●President:ArunkumarMuthusamy

  • Informed the general assembly that UC will be celebrating its Research and Innovation week on April 9th-13th. There will be many cool events and free food. It is FREE to attend but you need to register at:
  • Encouraged graduate students to attend the Bearcats Block Party, which will take place at April 6th, from 11am-1.30pm, at Nippert Stadium West Pavilion. There will be free food and the New GSGA Executive Board will swear-in their new positions. These are the names of the GSGA officers for 2018-2019:
  • In response to a question about Printing services, Arun informed that he would find out information about whether WEPA print’s one-year contract would be extended and if the cost for next year will stay the same.

President: JelenaVicic

Vice president: Abigail Richard

Treasurer: Siddharth Sridhar

Campus Ambassador: Vamshi Krishna Kore

●Vice president: JelenaVicic

  • The All-University Recognition Ceremony will take place on April 15, at 4pm at Tangeman University (TUC) Center Great Hall. The Excellence Awards winners and the Presidential Medal of Graduate Student Excellence (PMGSE) winners will be recognized at this ceremony. All graduate students are invited to come, bring friends, and cheer for our graduate fellows.
  • The next submission deadline for the Group Grant Awards is May 9th. The funds will need to be used by June 30.
  • Other deadlines for the academic year 17/18 can be found here:
  • Informed that a total of $2,806 were fundraised during our Spring Ball ceremony on March 24th. We would like to thank all of the people that made a donation. This money will go to the three local charities elected by the GSGA general assembly: SPCA Cincinnati, UC Epilepsy Center, and City Gospel Mission.
  • The links to the pictures of our Spring Ball have been posted on our Facebook group, and shared with all attendees via e-mail.

●Treasurer: Sid Sridhar

  • Informed the general assembly that the GSGA has spent a total of $332,557 (78.62%). The total amount remaining is $90.419 (21.38%).
  • Graduate students have spent approximately 77% of GSGA funds for conference travel.
  • Explained that the Student Advisory Committee for the University Budget (SACUB) has included in its End-of-the-year memorandum a recommendation to sustain GSGA conference travel awards with $11,741 from the general fee. The Provost Office will make a decision on whether to give those funds to the GSGA or not this summer.
  • The general assembly passed a motion to approve the proposed budget for 2018-2019 with 32 votes in favor. Nobody voted against it or abstained.
  • All GSA Committee representatives should send their reports and M numbers to the GSGA treasurer () by May 15th in order to get the $140 that come with the position.
  • The Research Fellowships processing has been delayed due to reasons that are alien to the GSGA. We apologize for that. Awardees should receive their funds very soon.

●Campus Ambassador: Mar Gámez

  • Informed that the next GSGA Grad Café will take place on Tuesday April 17th, 11am-1pm, at the GSGA Office (Steger Student Life Center 683). There will be a short presentation by the Ombuds Office at UC at 11:20-11:30 am.

Explained that the GSGA Soccer Tournament on April 1st was postponed due inclement weather. It will most probably take at the end of April or the first week of May. A total of 11 teams have signed up so far. Teams can have up to 7 members (coed teams encouraged), and can include faculty, family, and friends. To sign up for it:

  • Announced a new clothing drive. Grad students can bring their old clothes to the GSGA office (at Steger Student Life Center 683) by April 25th. The clothes will be donated to a Godwill center in the Cincinnati area.
  • Told the general assembly that the restaurant Caribe on Vine has considered the GSGA a “valued customer.” The owner of this restaurant is very thankful to the GSGA for supporting its business during this difficult cold winter.

●4 GSAs gave a short presentation about their GSAs during this meeting:

●1. Biology GSA

  • Their committee rep., Emily Jennings, explained that there are about 45 graduate students in this department.
  • They organize some fundraising events.
  • They also held an event on Darwin’s Day, a Pumpkin contest, an alternative career series, and a Stand Up Against Hate Speech event, among other events.
  • They normally have a social event per semester.
  • They sponsor weekly coffee breaks.

●2. Business GSA

  • Their campus representative, Jaswant Singh, explained that the Lindner College offers several graduate degrees: 8 specialized masters programs, 10 graduate certificates, 6 PhD programs, and the Lindner MBA.
  • Although this GSA represents a large college, the LGSA has only about 15 active members.
  • They hold a PhD Happy Hour and Info Session for undergraduate students. About 50 people attended their last info session.
  • They also teamed up with their college to organize an Immigration Workshop. They brought an immigration lawyer to campus to solve visa-related questions.
  • They raised money for Relay for Life during their March Madness event, and watched a Reds game this school year.
  • They host a monthly Friday morning breakfast, open to grad students and faculty.
  • They organize brown bag lunches in which MA and PhD students get feedback on their research.

●3. Nursing GSA

  • Their president, Sara Burke, explained that this GSA represents hundreds of students, but only 15-20 are active.
  • About 60% of their grad students are online students.
  • During her term as a president, Sara created a listserv for the graduate students in her department, and initiated monthly journal clubs. In those clubs the talked about topics such as inclusiveness and entrepreneurship in their field.
  • They hold about one social event per term.
  • Their goals for next school year are to increase graduate student participation, and to organize their first Health Policy Conference.

●4. Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies GSA

  • Their general assembly representative, Julie Marzec, explained that this program is one of the oldest in the country.
  • She said that the students in this department are normally at UC for a short term.
  • They offer a MA, a MA/JD joint degree program, MA/PhD double degree programs with English, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, and a MA/MSW double degree program with Social Work.
  • About half of their graduate students are international.
  • She explained that their graduates go on to pursue PhDs as well as careers in academia, non-profit, advocacy, and government.
  • They are located in Fourth Floor French Hall West.
  • This school year, they hosted a welcome dinner for new MA students, and WGSS research symposium for first year students.
  • Next school year they want to organize more events to support first year students, and to celebrate second year students.

●There will be no more GSGA general assembly meetings this school year.

●The GSGA Officer Orientation for the new GSA officers will take place on August 25th. We will keep you updated about its time and location.

●Meanwhile, we ask that each GSA elects their new officers for the school year 2017-2018.

●We will send you some information about GSA registration soon. Each GSA will need to register their GSA and GSA officers during the summer months in order to be part of the GSGA, and benefit from the GSGA funds and awards, next school year.

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