2009 March Meeting
GRADUATE STUDENT COUNCIL MINUTES
March 12nd, 2009
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM, Featheringill Hall, Room 134
I. Welcome
II. Approval of March Agenda
III. Approval of Minutes from February Meeting
IV. Officer Reports
A. President-Elect: Jonathan Wellons
a. Meeting with Dean Bandas
1. Dean Bandas will work to increase our budget
- Wants to get us double what we have now to bring our budget in line with undergrad AcFee money
2. Graduate Student Space in Divinity
- Lots of unknowns (rent, would it be used, equipment) but looking into it
3. Spreading awareness of Graduate student opportunities to receive AcFee money
- Problem is that groups must be open to all students
4. More support from the Dean of Students
- Hoping to get a direct contact/someone to help us out
b. LibQUAL+ library survey
- Huge list of prizes for participating as well as a donation to Second Harvest Food Bank for every survey completed
- http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/libqual2009/survey.html
B. Vice President of Academic Affairs: Molly Brown
a. Graduate Student Research Symposium, March 30, 2009 in SLC
- Abstract booklet done, presentations from 9am to 4pm
- Talk by Susan Basalla at 4:10pm, book distributed to first 150 attendees, reception and book signing to follow
- Still need moderators for a few of the panels, see Molly if you’re interested, also need help with running registration table
- Please take a flier or two to post in your department
b. Gender Dynamics/Communication Seminar
1. Monday, April 6th, 4:30-6:00pm, Board of Trust, SLC
2. Refreshments will be served.
3. Informal discussion of gender dynamics, communication and sexual harassment including a Q&A session
4. Open to all graduate students and co-sponsored by The Women’s Center.
C. Vice Presidents of Social Affairs: Megan Johnson
a. Mar 13th – Joint Social (Law, Owen, & Peabody) in addition to GSC at the Blue Bar — join us for drink specials and some fun camaraderie to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!
b. Mar 18 – Jersey Boys @ TPAC (all tickets already sold)
c. Mar 21, 5PM – GSC Yazoo Brewery Tour (all spots taken)
d. April 16 – Tentative date for Spring Social
e. June 23 – 7:30PM Legally Blonde @ TPAC (Tickets $15/each)
- Megan has the tickets, see her if interested
f. Shade Tree Trot
1. Saturday – April 11th 2009 – 10AM. The first annual 5K run/walk and fundraising event to benefit The Shade Tree Family Clinic, supporting the uninsured and under-served population of East Nashville. Registration is $20
g. Life is Priceless Bone Marrow Drive/Blood Drive
1. April 20, 2009, 10am-6pm North Lobby of Light Hall
D. Vice President of Community Affairs: Kimberly Boelte
- Attempted to get group project for Humane Society but has stalled because they won’t accept groups on the weekends
- Attempting to get with other groups
- Email Kim or Steve Vilt if you have any suggestions
E. Treasurer: Samrat Chatterjee
a. AcFee Application
- Submitted, asked for considerably more money than we got this year but won’t know for a while how much we will actually get
F. Secretary: Laura Williams
- Campus-wide migration of email lists by ITS to a new listserv system
- Both of our lists have apparently been successfully moved, let Laura know if there are any problems
- Can check your subscriptions at list.vanderbilt.edu
G. Honor Council President: Jonathan Wellons
- “Thank your friends for not cheating. Or not getting caught.” – Jim
H. Webmaster: Alli McCoy
a. Website URL now changed
- changed from vanderbilt.edu/gsc to studentorgs.vanderbilt.edu/gsc
V. New Business
- Megan has a handout on Graduate Career Services she put together after talking to BRET office re: proposal to put together to give to the Provost
- Look it over and talk to Megan about your suggestions or comments
- Interested in putting together a committee on how to best meet grad student desires and needs
- Will require some effort to sell the idea to administration due to the money involved
- Committee volunteers: Laura, Nicholas Pate (EE), email Megan if you want to join in the fun
V. Committee reports
- Calendar committee: met recently to decide on calendar for 2011
- Student Health Insurance Advisory committee: met, Jon will have a report next month when all changes have been decided
- Center for Teaching Advisory committee: should have received an email about open grad student positions for next year
Old Business
- Still need one or two VP for Social Affairs – any takers?
- Should have help from the Dean of Students office for next year
- Steven Killingsworth is interested if someone will help him
VI. Call for Initial Concerns and Upcoming Events
- Grant Fellowship Workshop on 3/28 from 1-6pm through Center for Teaching
- Plenary session on how to get started on writing a grant
- Discipline-specific breakout sessions
- Info on specific grant-giving institutions and major grants awarded and multi-disciplinary funding opportunities
- Center for Teaching has an open position for a graduate student for next year of workshop coordinator, half-time job of 20 hours/week (position for advanced grad student past exams)
X. Call for Announcements:
XI. Adjournment
Next Meeting:
April, 9, 2009 @ 6:30 PM
Featheringill Hall 134
Please pass along the above information to other graduate students in your department
