GRADUATE STUDENT SENATE
MEETING MINUTES
Date/Time: 9/14/2015, 4:30-6:00 P.M.
Location: Student Center Conference Room
Name
Position
Meeting Status
Trevor Mattos
President
present
Rich Aime
Vice President
present
Liz Janson
Treasurer
present
Jason Wright
Secretary
present
Dr. David Milstone
Advisor
present
Senator
College
Meeting Status
Katyanne Shoemaker
SMAST
Present
Mike Savaria
Education
Excused
Ally Blanck
Law
Excused
Jeanne M. Katz
Nursing
Present
Thinh Dinh Nguyen
CCB (Charlton College of Bus.)
Present
Lien Nguyen
CCB (Charlton College of Bus.)
Present
Calvin Nguyen
CCB (Charlton College of Bus.)
Present
Roni Hyam
Engineering
Present
Tiffany Ferreira
Engineering
Present
Alec H Andersen
CVPA
Excused
Meeting called to order by Trevor Mattos, GSS President at 4:39pm
Agenda Item
Discussion
Follow-Up/Person(s)
Responsible
Introduction
Leadership style (collaborative)
and broad goals; good year to
develop and grow; try to get
internal and external actors
involved; cultivate leadership
within GSS
Roberts Rules and
GSS is a forum of student opinion;
Senator role
e-mail if you cannot attend;
quorum = 51%; abstention if
conflict of interest, but otherwise
try not to; roll call vote if motioned,
otherwise show of hands;
President can allow discussion or
close it (you can ask for debate);
Point of Information: have
question for speaker; Point of
Procedure: you don’t think
procedure was followed properly;
Disposition Motions (e.g.,
withdraw, amend, extend debate,
refer back to committee; requires
second and vote); Main Motions
require motion and second, and
majority passes
Committee
Ad Hoc: Katy, Trevor Chair
Assignments
(floating)
Elections: Katy, Jeanne, Lien
Policy: Mike S., Jeanne
Finance: Tiffany, Dinh
Social: Tiffany, Roni, Calvin
Lien: Revamping diversity and
inclusion
Bowling: 19th from 6PM-8PM;
Trevor: Follow up about
Transportation: Star Store and
Chancellor schedule
Campus Center pickup, 5:30 and
5:45…8PM transportation back,
Jason: Share Conference
NB first; this is a “give back
EMIRGE narrative
event,” so bring a small item;
Dr. Milstone: pass contact info on
Status: All set, transportation
to Katy (SGA organizer of open
confirmed; Jeanne can attend part
forum)
of it, all others present can attend;
Dr. Milstone will send e-mail
tomorrow.
Conference (EMIRGE): Include
state colleges outside UMass? Liz
thinks yes, no decision made;
Theme: coincide with Transform
2020…Innovation, Impact,
Inclusion; State Sec of Ed as
speaker, also Ted Talks speaker;
When: 2 days, Friday and
Saturday in April, Tesfay Meressi
would like it to be during grad
research week (e.g., 3-min thesis
that week); Liz emailed Nancy
Robillard, need to reserve
Woodland Commons What:
Poster session, round table
discussions, symposiums,
individual papers (completed
research studies, less than 2000
words, we bundle into themes);
Next step: Call for proposals
would go out to schools
Include undergraduates? They
already have Honors conference,
maybe we include those doing
exceptional work; Trevor: what if
they approach us, also likes links
to SGA
Explore sponsorship
Open Forum: Trevor working to
get Chancellor there; When: Oct.
19th or 23rd, Katy has comps on
19th; Barney Frank on campus that
day. Try to move away from
Auditorium as a space (dark and
too large); Purpose: Trevor:
reminder GSS exists and its
mission (organize and advocate
for grad students); get feedback
from students; What: Katy: We
should solicit ideas before the
event...Set up link to receive
feedback; have introduction to
GSS has done, can have panel;
Dr. Milstone: if we get feedback
ahead of time, then we can bring
in Administrators (they like to hear
directly from students); Note:
Undergrads do similar thing
multiple times a year, we can have
a conversation with them
Trevor: bring up event ideas
Tiffany Cabinet
3 hour meeting; Chancellor talked
Meeting Update
about University performance in
surveys and how to improve it;
SGA and GSS represented.
Good reaction to Inter-UMASS
Conference (EMIRGE);
Chancellor mentioned reaching
out to UMD employers as
financiers, and there are other
contacts if we cannot get money
from them;
Also discussed revamping
diversity and inclusion council,
looking for student representation.
What will Council discuss?
Gender neutral bathrooms and
other related issues, making the
University more welcoming (theme
from survey); Dr. Milstone: subcommittees will be created and
staffed (e.g., Faculty diversity)
Trevor would like to see Senators
involved…reach out to Trevor to
express interest.
Logo
Logo was out of date. The EBoard commissioned a design
student, and they sent four
options.
People either liked the first or last;
Trevor thinks first is too large, and
perhaps we could expand the
University name in the last option;
Tiffany: add yellow (background),
although easier to print in
blue/white…We could get both
colors to work in multiple contexts;
Katy: perhaps add torch in top of
middle of last choice.
Guidelines are available for official
colors
Library
Dr. Milstone asked us to discuss
library concerns
Alex (visitor): Dr. Milstone noted
that library hours will be extended;
The reason for the cutback is loss
of professional staff, and they are
now training students.
Alex’s group is pushing for more
hours; Perhaps to 24 hours
Sunday through Thursday,
midnight on Fri and Sat; Why:
library is a valuable resource,
students need better places to
study and access to computers;
Send petition sheets to:
aglenn@umassd.edu
Working Meeting
Allow Committees to have time to
work during our regular meeting;
Group agreed with this (no vote
taken).
Administration and
Tiffany: division of administration
and finance…Facilities,
Finance Committee
conferences, etc. Student
perspective…2-3 students
Get in touch with E-Board if you
are interested
Contact Info and
Contact sheet was passed
Meeting Time
around for corrections; Doodle
pool for meeting time was not
filled out by everyone, so resolve
via e-mail
Meeting adjourned at 6PM
Respectfully submitted
Jason Wright
GSS Secretary