Senator Welcome August 28 th, 2008 General Assembly February 5 th, 2009

Senator WelcomeAugust 28th, 2008General AssemblyFebruary 5th, 2009

General AssemblyFebruary 5th, 2009

IntroductionsOfficers:•Jimmy Harris, President•Chris Roberts, Vice-President•Danny Anderson, Corresponding Secretary•Olivier Arnoult, Treasurer•Jeremy Marvel, Recording Secretary

Executive Board:•Scott Adams, Social Sciences•Chris Ryan, Math & Natural Sciences•Lucas ODonnell, Engineering•Patrick Warren, Arts and Humanities•Maritza Rosales, At-Large•Craig Rudick, At-Large•Sreenath Narayan, At-Large•Quentin Jamieson, Medical Sciences•UNFILLED <Your name here>, Professional Programs

Deans:•Dr. Chuck Rozek•Dr. Denise Douglas


Meeting Agenda• Introductions• CMA Viva and Gala Around Town • The Cleveland Museum of Art• Health Care Committee• Relay for Life - American Cancer Society• SIS Survey Update• Bylaws Changes • GSS Financial Statement• Upcoming Events and Committees


SENATOR RECOGNITION PROGRAM• New initiative to encourage dissemination of

information to ALL GRADUATE STUDENTS!• BCC [email protected] on GSS updates you send

to your constituents• An email qualifies you for chance to win $15 gift card

(drawing at next GSS meeting)• Meeting updates qualify too! (see gss.case.edu)• SENATOR OF THE MONTH(S):

David Jacobs from Physics(contact Olivier)

mailto:[email protected]


CMA Viva! & Gala Around Town

VIVA! & Gala Around Town2008 – 2009

21 Performances14 Countries

10 Venues Around Town

Lura: The Music

of Cape Verde

October 18, 20087:30pm

October 18, 2008

7:30pm

Cleveland Museum of

Natural History

Murch Auditorium

David Krakauer and Klezmer Madness!

November 1, 2008 7:30pm

Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Murch Auditorium

Program: Works by Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Anton Arensky,and Gabriel Fauré

November 12, 20087:30pm

Reinberger Chamber Hall at Severance Hall

Artistic Luxury: Music of Opulence and Decadence

around 1900With Antonio Pompa-Baldi,

piano

Artistic Luxury Film Series

Aspects of Artistic LuxuryParis 1900

The Adventures of Prince Achmed

Klimt (Director’s Cut)

Proteus

To Catch a Thief

Ninotchka

Salome

Angels and Insects

Nicholas and Alexandra

The Scarlet Empress

2008 Holiday Film Festival: Lapse of

LuxuryThe Leopard

The Magnificent Ambersons

Grand Illusion

The Earrings of Madame De…

Russian Ark

Calder QuartetNovember 19, 20087:30pmPlymouth Church of Shaker

Heights, UCCProgram: Works by Thomas Adés, W.A. Mozart, and Terry Riley

December 10, 20087:30pm

Christopher Taylor, piano

“Vingt Regards sur

l’Enfant-Jesus”MESSIAEN

CENTENARY

December 10, 2008, 7:30pm

Old Stone Church

Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble

Tim Weiss, director

“Des Canyons aux Etoiles”

MESSIAEN CENTENARY

December 13, 20087:30pmPilgrim Congregational

Church

Olivier Messiaen

“La Nativité du Seigneur”

MESSIAEN CENTENARY

January 4, 20092:00pm

St. Paul’s Episcopal ChurchKarel Paukert, organ

January 11, 20097:30pm

ReinbergerChamber Hall at Severance Hall

Bernarda Fink mezzo-soprano

Program: Works by Franz Shubert and Antonín Dvorák

Merce Cunningham Dance

January 31, 20097:30pmPlayhouseSquare

Program: Fabrications, Second Hand, and Sounddance

‘PASSIO’ BY ARVO PÄRT

February 25, 2009 at 7:30pmShrine Church of St.

Stanislaus

Soloists of the Trinity Choir of New

York City, with the Oberlin Choir

Owen Burdick, conductor

Maureen Fleming Dance

February 28, 20097:30pmPlayhouseSquare

ASWAT: The Golden Age of Arab Music

March 8, 2009 at 7:30pm

PlayhouseSquare

Pieter Wispelwey

cello

Lois Shapiro piano

March 11, 20097:30pmCleveland Institute of MusicMixon Hall

Program: Beethoven’s complete sonatas and variations

Alarm Will Sound

March 21, 2009 at 7:30pmCleveland Museum of Natural History

Murch Auditorium

Program: 1969

Lo Còr de la Plana

March 29, 20097:30pm

Cleveland Museum of Natural HistoryMurch Auditorium

April 3, 2009

7:30pm

PlayhouseSquare

Krystian Zimerman

piano

Mariza: The Fado of

Portugal

April 10, 20097:30pm

PlayhouseSquare

“Dogugaeshi”April 30 & May 1, 2009 at 7:30pm

May 2 & 3, 2009 at 3:00pm, 7:30pmCleveland Play House

Brooks Theatre

Basil Twist’s

Goran Bregovic:The Wedding and Funeral Orchestra

June 15, 2009 at 7:30pmPlayhouseSquare


Healthcare Committee Update


Graduate Student Health Insurance Survey• Who?

– All graduate students, regardless of whether or not they are on the grad student health plan

• Why?– To determine what the priorities should be in

working with the administration and Aetna in improving student health insurance?

• When?– ASAP


Graduate Student Health Insurance Survey• Survey development

– Broad enough to encompass all graduate and professional students

– Closed-ended questions for ease of analysis post-survey

– Required purchasing of Survey Monkey • Needed branching/conditionally asked questions• Needed ranking questions• Needed more than 10 questions• Cost = $19.95 per month


• http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=XWih0XtnVe_2f3EihuRWtvTA_3d_3d

• Types of Questions– Demographics– Coverage– Usage and Cost– Priorities

Graduate Student Health Insurance Survey


• Please take the survey!• Looking for feedback on…

– Themes – did we miss anything major?– Follow up – what to do with this information– Professional schools – how to get them involved in

improving student health insurance

• Please encourage your constituents to take the survey!

Graduate Student Health Insurance Survey


Relay for Life


RELAY FOR LIFE• Signature fundraising event for American

Cancer Society• Last year we raised $60,000• Goal for 2009: $80,000!• April 17th and 18th:

6pm – Noon• www.relayforlife.org/cwru• [email protected]


Relay For Life 2009• To date we have 25 teams signed up• Current fundraising leader

BME GSA – over $1000!• Where do the funds go?• Fundraising ideas

– Restaurant days– Garage sales (Ebay or Craigslist)


How can I participate?• Form a team in your department• Join a team online

– www.relayforlife.org/cwru

• Encourage friends and family to sign up as survivors

• Purchase Luminarias – $10, funds go to your team or team of your choice


SIS Survey UpdateJeremy Marvel, Recording Secretary


SIS Survey Results: Demographics• Online questionnaire covering

topics brought up by their respective representatives covering the topics of…

– Class search/registration– Planned Programs of Study– Usability

• 161 Respondents ranging from 1st year graduate students to 5+-year veterans


SIS Survey Results: Class Registration• Most students find searching for and registering for classes

relatively easy• The process of registering for classes, however, takes too long


SIS Survey Results: PPoS• Most1 haven’t experienced any problem with their PPoS, and

find the online submission process to be relatively easy and straight-forward.

1 – Many claim ignorance of the PPoS or say they do not require one.


SIS Survey Results: Usability• A significant portion of the students surveyed believe that, while the

system is relatively fast, it is inefficient and difficult to use.• Only about ¼ of the respondents were happy with the usability of SIS.


SIS Survey Results: Additional Note• From the additional comments provided by respondents a

disturbing trend emerged: Communication is clearly lacking.

• Work needs to be done to improve the communication between students and the system, the University, the departments/schools, and the GSS.

• An actual response from the survey:I don't even know what SIS stands for or what you do. I don't know what the online PPOS is. As a general note, you should *always* strive to reduce the number of steps necessary to do *anything* online. No one is ever going to tell you, "oh, gosh, I wish that process had been more complicated.“


Proposed Bylaws ChangesChris Roberts, Vice President

www.xkcd.com


Bylaws Changes1. Election Terms2. Reorganization of Standing Cmtes3. Composition of Executive Board4. Recognized Organizations5. Budget6. Duties of OfficersFormal Bylaws Changes to be distributed!


Election Terms• Overview of Proposed Change:

– Change start date of Senators, Executives, Officers from August 1st to June 1st.

• Reason for Change:– To use the summer as a “ramp up” period and

minimize the “lame-duck” period.– To get all of executive board formed before

school year starts and at the same time


Reorganization of Standing Cmtes• Overview of Proposed

Change:– See Table

• Reason for Change:– Activities and Prof

Development act as two separate cmtes

– Diekhoff committee usually only active in Spring, and the two committees overlap

– Benefits and Compensation committee to examine everything from Health Care to RTA passes

Current Proposed

Activities (Prof. Development is a Subcommittee)

Activities

Prof. Development

Organizations and Allocations (V-Fund is a subcommittee)

Organizations and Allocations (V-Fund is a subcommittee)

Diekhoff Mentoring (Diekhoff award becomes part of cmte duties)Mentoring

Ad-Hoc Health Care Benefits and CompensationAd-Hoc Transportation


Composition of Executive Board• Overview of Proposed Change:

– Merge 3 College of Arts and Sciences Cost Center executives

– Remove at-large Executives, put Committee chairs onto exec. board

– Establish firm ties to Graduate Professional Council

• Reason for Change:– Structure Executive Board to improve

collaboration and communication inside and outside of GSS


Recognized Organizations• Overview of Proposed Change:

– Provide Organizations and Allocations Cmte (O+A) with recognition capabilities

– Increase Funding Amount from $250 to $500– Change wording to encourage multiple events by

student groups

• Reason for Change:– To encourage student participation in O+A committee– To allow student groups to plan better

and more frequent events for grad students


Budget• Overview of Proposed Change:

– Create budget start date in bylaws, and specify it to align with start date of Execs, Senators, etc.

– Specify how budget and finances are managed between start of new exec board until full senate approval

• Reason for Change:– New Exec board/GSS should be able to propose/decide

its own budget– Events during the summer and early fall incur costs to

GSS before budget has been decided. New rules will enable expenditures with safefguards.


Duties of Officers• Overview of Proposed Change:

– Rebranding of Corresponding Sec. and Recording Sec. into Information Officer and Secretary

– Other misc. changes to other Execs

• Reason for Change:– Corresponding Sec. is largely in charge of emails and

website currently, so the title of the position should be reworded to align with current duties

– Other changes in duties to executives are proposed to align with expected duties


Financial Status UpdateOlivier Arnoult, Treasurer


2008-2009 Budget2008-2009

at Dec 31st 2008Budget Income

Fall Activity Fee 20,316.70 21,285.00Spring Activity Fee 20,316.70remaining Money from Previous Year 6,426.00 6,986.00

Total 47,059.40 28,271.00

Senate operationBudget Expenses

General assembly 4800.00 1,021.19Executive meeting 1680.00 292.33GSS Committee Operations 1500.00 147.50Orientation and Promotional Items 2009-10 1500.00 0.00Communication, Advertisement 1900.00 621.81

11380.00 2082.83

GSS Financial StatusOlivier Arnoult, GSS Treasurer


Social Activities2008-2009

2008-2009 at Dec 31st 2008

Budget Expenses

Fall BBQ with SGS 150.00 0.00

Indians' Game 1000.00 1,040.00Grad' Night 5000.00 3,443.05Food drive 300.00 0.00Cav's Night 1500.00 200.00Spring BBQ 1500.00 0.00Activities (TBD) 4,500 855.00

13950.00 5538.05


2008-20092008-2009

at Dec 31st 2008Budget Expenses

Professional Development

financial planning series 1950.00 0.00Panel Discussion: Life after a PhD 650.00 0.00Panel discussion: Salary Negotiations 650.00 0.00Seminar: Career Center 650.00 0.00Sustainable Value and Social Entrepreneurship 650.00 0.00Leadership Workshop 650.00 0.00Events (TBD) : 2600.00

Public speaking workshop 1,581.237800.00 1581.23

Organization and Award committee

Affiliated Organization 3000.00 262.27V-fund Endowment (Principal account) 10920.00 5,920.00


2008-2009 Budget

2008-2009 at Dec 31st 2008

Budget Income

Fall Activity Fee 20,316.70 21,285.00Spring Activity Fee 20,316.70remaining Money from Previous Year 6,426.00 6,986.00Total 47,059.40 28,271.00

Budget Expenses

Total Expenses 47050.00 15,384.38

Balance 9.40 12,886.62


Nattapon Chaimanonart Electrical Engineering

Pankaj Nagpal IS

Xibo Li Chemistry

Bo Zhong Chemistry

Heehyul Moon Social Science

Aura Newlin Anthropology

Elizabeth Olson Anthropology

Tim Mariano MSTP - BME

Katherine Krueger neurosciences

Olivier Arnoult Macromolecular Science

12 V-Fund Applications

10 Awarded – 10 travelling award of $200 each

2007-08 remaining 1847.29

Endowment Income 1493.04

Fall 2008 Award -2200

Balance at Dec 31st 2008 1140.33


Upcoming Events and CommitteesViewers Like You


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Documents

Senator Welcome August 28 th, 2008 General Assembly February 5 th, 2009