19 April 2000


Attendance:
R. Charnigo
J. Martin
D. Rafferty
T. Hund
R. Ghanem
G. Cormode
A. Majewski
G. Bromley
D. Kerr
K. Leonhardy
J. Jentoft, Dean of Graduate Studies


Reports:

The search for an Assistant Dean continues.  The three individuals who were 
interviewed were found unsuitable for the job, so new candidates will be 
considered.

The Faculty Senate has drafted a vision for CWRU in the next decade which 
addresses the financial concerns of graduate students (compensation and 
taxation).  Adam Majewski shared preliminary University budget information 
and enrollment statistics.

The Diekhoff Committee is interviewing the finalists for the award next week; 
the winning professors will be announced at the end of next week.

Upcoming activities include Spring Fest (Saturday 29 April), open to everyone 
in the University community, and the Grad Night Out (Saturday 6 May), a 
dinner/dance that is somewhere intermediate between casual and formal; for 
the latter, please contact John Martin  (jcm2)  for ticket information by 
Friday 28 April.

An extensive discussion with Dean Jentoft about the electronic dissertation 
followed.  Dean Jentoft expressed her views that the dissertation is a public 
document whose online posting would be consistent with the University's goal 
to disseminate research discoveries; the electronic posting of dissertations 
should, in her view, increase the circulation of research discoveries and 
(eventually) the quality of their presentation, through multimedia capacities 
that are presently unavailable.  On the other hand, several members of GSS, 
while supportive of the basic idea of the electronic dissertation, expressed 
concern about mandatory posting of dissertations.  A resolution was passed, 9 
- 0  (1 abstention), indicating the  GSS  stance that online posting of 
dissertations should be facilitated by CWRU only with the author's written 
consent.

Rich Charnigo (President), John Martin (Corresponding Secretary), and Tom 
Hund (Treasurer) were elected to the indicated GSS positions for next year 
without opposition; the positions of Vice President and Recording Secretary 
are to be filled in the Fall.  

Without opposition, GSS passed a resolution to recognize and thank the 
outstanding contributions made by Senators and their alternates this year, 
especially Karen Tucker, Dan Kerr, Gail Bromley, Graham Cormode, and outgoing 
President Adam Majewski.

The meeting concluded with a discussion of some ideas for next year.  Since I 
will be the President of GSS next year, I welcome your suggestions.  I will 
be giving serious thought over the next several weeks to the ideas presented 
today and to any others I may receive.  

The GSS has been a powerful advocate for graduate students' concerns this 
year, especially with regard to financial issues and the electronic 
dissertation.  Senators have participated on several GSS and University 
Faculty Senate committees, helped to organize both recreational and civic 
activities, and stayed in touch with national counterparts.  My principal 
goals for next year are to increase the size of GSS and to make us more 
visible to the campus community, especially to our constituents --- the 
graduate students of CWRU.  

I will keep in touch.


Rich Charnigo