GSO Meeting Minutes August 31, 2009 Introductions from executive committee: Citlali Cortés (President, Forestry), Alex Perry (VP, Statistics), Shona Granillo (Secretary-Communication Sciences and Disorders). Jessica Gist (Communications Officer, Environmental Science and Policy) not in attendance. Updates from the Graduate College (Ramona Mellott) The Graduate College represents all grad students The NAU Graduate College has a Facebook page, please join Invitation to attend events that sponsored by the college–some for teaching assistants, sometimes national speakers; great training and learning opportunities Overview of GSO activities in the past year Housing listserv started and up and running, up to 200 people have posted President Haeger, VP for Research and Provost each attended a meeting Survey conducted to assess graduate student priorities by GSO and used to present graduate student priorities to the UGC (University Graduate Committee) University Graduate Committee Update (Shona Granillo) No updates We need a new UGC rep. Committee meets on Wednesday nights, curriculum changes, and also changes that affect curriculum for all students, Lindsey Passenger is interested. Strategic Planning Committee No update from Jean-G., he will continue to be representative Next meeting in 2 weeks Some of their objectives : o To set university-wide long term directions and priorities o To develop a budget that follows the set priorities Important to maintain representation Strategic Planning for GSO process that guides a group to help them set long term goals and processes to achieve them GSO needs this in order to have at least a 5 year plan The more people that are in attendance the better assurance there will be that all students’ and departments’ views are included GSO agreed to carry out a Strategic Planning meeting on November 6th, 12 to 5 Samantha Acevedo (MBA) student will facilitate GSO will try to obtain funding for food through ASNAU ASA Update Troy Campbell is the current representative-not in attendance He is our graduate voice at ABOR (Arizona Board of Regents) meetings ASNAU Joey Ruiz is in attendance He is our voice for graduate students on campus in ASNAU There are currently: 13 Senators- 12 undergrad, 1 grad, GSO budget has gone up to $5000 ASNAU funding can be obtained to fund all sorts of student initiatives such as workshops, speakers, etc.; his office hours are Mondays and Tuesdays, 9-11am in the ASNAU office (2nd floor of the Union), joey.ruiz@nau.edu ASNAU is currently undergoing discussions with the President’s office to establish a fee for all students, including graduate students. GSO needs to remain informed in order to lobby ASNAU and President’s office if and when fee is agreed upon in order to manage the money from graduate students. Ideas for this year’s GSO activities Future guest speakers to attend? Campus Sustainability Office An ABHOR Representative President Haegar Email suggestions to: gso@nau.edu Fundraising Granny’s Closet last spring $102 Bryan McLaren (Sustainable communities), Jessica Woods (Sociology), Sandra Flores (Music) and John Kester-(Sustainable Communities) agreed to form a fundraising committee Considerations for becoming an Independent Organization as Opposed to a Club Lack of funding (ASNAU has a budget assigned by President’s office) Poor communication with ASNAU and President’s Office (currently, GSO is under ASNAU, therefore graduate students don’t really have an independent representation with university officials) this issue is part of the strategic planning workshop and will be discussed then Most universities have two separate organizations, one for undergraduate students and one for graduate students We would lose ASNAU monies but potentially would be able to access other funding sources Ideas for Committees Distance Learning International Students Sustainability o Students from Sustainable Communities program are already working on sustainability issues on campus and will keep GSO informed of their activities o Some ideas for this committee are: bike and pedestrian paths, water bottles, city bus passes Decreasing Bureaucratic Difficulties-Streamlining administrative processes for graduate students o transferring prerequisites is difficult o charges through grants are also complicated o Tabitha Graves will head the committee and make recommendations about possible changes Travel Awards o Send out request for applications by the end of September o A committee was formed, including Alison Clough and Tabitha Graves o Some of the issues that the committee needs to work on: application process consider increasing amounts awarded –if this is done, application process needs to be revised Elaborate guidelines to form review and selection committee Award calendar is the same: July 1st – Dec 30th 2009, Jan 1st – June 30th, 2010 (awards can be retroactive) Help Wanted Webmaster o GSO webpage o Communication Department- talk to the professors about extra credit or project o Advertise on My Nau Community o we could perhaps have someone to redesign it and then have another person update it Housing Listserv o Need someone to monitor the list serve o make sure there is NO INAPPROPRIATE USAGE OF THE LIST o Stephanie Peterson is interested Good to Know Facebook Social Group o Sheena Kauppila is group administrator o looking for places that can help fundraise during a night out, suggestions??, let her know Meeting times o GSO by-laws officially changed to monthly instead of 4th week of each month Location of meetings o Different locations each month o Alternate between North/South Campus o Dept. representatives should make the locations accessible and well-known o Music Building next month-across from the union! o Please bring your own plate, silverware, and cups for future meetings o Potluck would be great in the future as well! WELCOME GSO BBQ: o September 19, 4-7pm Kiwanis Park (in front of SkyDome) o Varun Bongu (MBA) will help organize