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