From owner-grads@po.cwru.edu Fri Apr 13 17:20:26 2001 Return-Path: Received: from garnet.INS.cwru.edu (majord@garnet.INS.CWRU.Edu [129.22.8.233]) by fafnir.astr.cwru.edu (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id RAA09346 for ; Fri, 13 Apr 2001 17:20:26 -0400 Received: (majord@localhost) by garnet.INS.cwru.edu (8.11.2+cwru/CWRU-3.8) id f3DLJj921123; Fri, 13 Apr 2001 17:19:45 -0400 (EDT) (from owner-grads@po.cwru.edu for grads-out) X-Authentication-Warning: garnet.INS.cwru.edu: majord set sender to owner-grads@po.cwru.edu using -f Received: from ultrasound (b63388.STUDENT.CWRU.Edu [129.22.135.153]) by garnet.INS.cwru.edu with SMTP (8.11.2+cwru/CWRU-3.8) id f3DLJiR21119; Fri, 13 Apr 2001 17:19:44 -0400 (EDT) (from mtg4@po.cwru.edu for ) From: "Michael Grossner" To: Subject: Minutes from the April 11th Meeting of the GSS Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2001 17:21:30 -0400 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2911.0) X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 Importance: Normal Sender: owner-grads@po.cwru.edu Precedence: bulk Status: RO GSS Meeting – April 11, 2001 Minutes 1. Attendance 2. Events 3. Outgoing/Incoming GSS Leaders 4. Community Circular 5. English Course for International Students 6. Graduate Dean Discussion 7. Motions 1. Attendance Colleen Nardi Sathaporn Laksanacharoen Susan Tullai-McGuinness Carrie Coutts Pamela Maimer Cari Corrigan Emily Dakin Juilee Decker Jon Silva Gayathri Krishnamoorthy Maddalena Fanelli Ned Powley Michael Malone Alexandra Bohne Leslie Matuszewich David O'Malley Ben Heilman Narcisz Fejes Didier Alexandre Raja Ghanem Tom Hund Rich Charnigo John Martin Mike Grossner Tammy DelVallie Prof. Lynn Singer Provost Jim Wagner 2. Events A) GSS Dinner/Dance The big event is coming up next Saturday; let everyone know about it. At 7pm on April 21 in the Thwing Ballroom we'll have a night of great fun and delicious international food. Tickets are only $5! http://www.cwru.edu/orgs/gradsenate/niteout.html B) Colloquium on Career Issues in Science The new Post Doctoral Researchers Association is sponsoring a question and answer session for those looking for advice on what to do after graduation. The event will be held Monday, April 16, at 4pm in the BRB building, room 105. Contact Debbie Noureddine (drn2@po.cwru.edu, x3347) for more information. C) TA Awards Reception Congratulations to this year's TA award recipients: Carisa Armstrong Theater Arts Dian Driscoll Physics Chris Flask BME Karina Gobar Art History Michael Grossner ECHE James Laird Chemistry Mark Meckes Mathematics Beth Miller Macromolecular Science Judith Overcash-Rubin Music Bradley Ricca English Raymond Gary Wilson Mech & Aero Eng Francis Wolff EE & Comp Science Jinghua Xu Chemistry The GSS is sponsoring a wine and cheese reception for them at 3:30pm on Friday, April 20, in the Dampeer Room at Kelvin Smith Library. GSS representatives are encouraged to attend. FREE WINE AND CHEESE! 3. Outgoing/Incoming GSS Leaders The GSS thanks Pam Maimer and Sathaporn "Noom" Lksanacharoen for their service. (See Motion #2001.06). Pam has served as Vice President this academic year and was the chair of the Diekhoff Award Committee. Noom was the first chair of the International Buddies Committee. For next year, the following officers were instated/reinstated: Richard J. Charnigo President Raja N. Ghanem Vice President Chair of V-fund Appeal Committee John C. Martin Corresponding Secretary Chair of Allocations Committee Michael T. Grossner Recording Secretary Co-chair of Activities Committee Thomas J. Hund Treasurer Catherine M. Corrigan Co-chair of Activities Committee Juilee Decker Liaison to Postdoctoral Researchers Assoc. Carrie A. Coutts Chair of International Buddies Committee 4. Community Circular Motion #2001.04 is a statement showing support for improved transportation options from RTA in the University Circle area. It was passed unanimously. 5. English Course for International Students Another unanimous vote was for Motion #2001.05, which indicates that we see a need for an elective course that would help international graduate students communicate effectively in the English language—especially in writing. 6. Graduate Dean Discussion Provost Jim Wagner came to the meeting to discuss the situation concerning vacancies at the Office of Graduate Studies. A new professor of Pediatrics at CWRU, Lynn Singer, will be working with the Provost, along with faculty and students, to determine the best way to fill the needs of the Office while at the same time responding to the needs of the University community. Prof. Singer was also at the meeting and spoke to us about our concerns. The discussion was beneficial to all involved; many questions were addressed. Here's what's going to happen regarding the vacancies: Prof. Singer will gather information over the next few months concerning the Office of Graduate Studies. This includes looking at other models of operation at schools across the country, meeting with faculty, and discussing possibilities with graduate students. She will recommend a structure of the office and from that point the process of filling the positions begins. Prof. Singer (lxs5@po.cwru.edu) encourages students to contact her to give input regarding the issue. Motion #2001.07 officially restates the position of the GSS on the Graduate Dean issue (Motion #2001.02) and was passed unanimously. 7. Motions ===================== Motion #2001.04 Title: Support for Community Circulator proposal Sponsor: Richard J. Charnigo Whereas: there is a recognized need for and interest in more convenient transportation options for members of the campus community who live, work, and pursue leisure activities in University Circle and in close-by neighborhoods; University Circle and RTA leadership are considering the employment of a Community Circulator, a small RTA bus whose routes would be designed with the convenience of the members of the campus community in mind; institution of the Community Circulator would not require the simultaneous implementation of a U-Pass system, but neither would it preclude the implementation of a U-Pass system at some later date. Let it be resolved that the Graduate Student Senate supports the idea of the Community Circulator and urges the leadership of University Circle and RTA to act upon this proposal. Motion #2001.05 Title: Support for an elective English Course for international graduate students Sponsor: Richard J. Charnigo Whereas: there is a recognized need for and interest in an elective English course that would help international graduate students improve their command of the language and, in particular, their ability to communicate effectively in writing; to be able to express oneself well in writing, either in an academic or a professional setting, is a skill that every student who earns a graduate degree from this University should have. Let it be resolved that the Graduate Student Senate supports the idea of an elective English course being made available for international graduate students who wish to improve their command of the language and their ability to communicate effectively in writing. The Graduate Student Senate asks the appropriate members of the faculty and administration to work together to make the idea of an elective English course for international graduate students a reality. Motion #2001.06 Title: Appreciation to Outgoing GSS Leaders Sponsor: Richard J. Charnigo Whereas: Pamela Maimer has served as the Vice President of the Graduate Student Senate for the 2000-2001 academic year and, in particular, taken on the responsibility of chairing the committee that administers the Diekhoff Award for Distinguished Graduate Teaching; And, Whereas: Sathaporn "Noom" Laksanacharoen motivated the Graduate Student Senate to consider the international students' perspective and became the first chair of the GSS International Buddies Committee. Let it be resolved that the Graduate Student Senate expresses appreciation to Pam and Noom for their efforts and wishes them continued success in their endeavors. Motion #2001.07 Title: Restatement of GSS Sentiment on the Graduate Dean Sponsor: John Martin Whereas: Motion #2001.01 (which actually was the second motion of the year) was largely based on second hand knowledge and subsequent conversations have more concretely established the facts of the issue. & Whereas: The Senate desires for the official record to correctly represent the facts at hand and our evolving position. Let it be resolved that the Sense of the Senate is: -That there is agreement between the Provost and the Graduate Student body that the Graduate School should not be de-centralized. -That the fact is that the Assistant Dean position has always been staff and not an administrator. However, since the position fulfills a role important to Graduate Studies and since Graduate Studies, lacking any budgetary authority, is dependent on the influence that its leaders exercise; the Senate feels that it is important for this critical staff position to maintain a title that conveys its influence and importance. -That the Senate understands there is currently not enough of a job description to justify a full-time administrative Dean of Graduate Studies. However the Senate wishes to work with the Provost to develop a job description that warrants the employment of a full-time administrator in this position rather than a faculty member holding a half time appointment. -The Senate appreciates that the Provost understands our concern with a faculty member exercising the ombudsman role for Graduate Students. -The Senate wishes to thank the graduate student body, post-docs, and undergraduate student body for the support they have lent to the Senate on this issue. --- Have a great summer everyone! --- Michael Grossner CWRU Chemical Engineering Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7217 (216)368-4425