Graduate and Professional Student Council

Meeting Minutes for September 25, 2007

Kaskaskia Room, Student Center, 7:00 PM

I. Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 7:01 PM.

II. Roll Call

Trey Gossett (Art and Design), Ed Ford (Educational Psychology), Tim Hudspeth (Law), Alex Strong (Philosophy), Janet Mayher (Anthropology), Kristina Dzara (Sociology), Kyle Stevens (Law), Claudia Torres-Ambriz (Art and Design), Andrea Jones (Law), Christina Bearden-White (History), Nathaniel Taylor (History), Amanda Moore (Speech Communication), Nathaniel Taylor (History), Amanda Moore (Speech Communication), Alecia Eubanks (Psychology), Jennifer Mulnix (Educational Psychology), Ashley Phillips (Mass Communication and Media Arts), Jason Hammond (Law), Sara Samson (Vice President for Administrative Affairs), Shelly McGrath (Vice President for Graduate School Affairs), Lance Camp (Law).

III. Approval of the Agenda

Steven Middleton proposed adding a discussion of the GPSC party and a discussion of the fine art committee to the agenda. The agenda was approved as amended.

IV. Approval of the Minutes from September 11, 2007

The minutes were approved as presented.

V. Officer Reports

A. President: Steven Middleton

1. During the Board of Trustees, Provost Rice discussed the issue of retention of undergraduate students and the low number of professors of color being hired. He asked the board to address these issues through increasing funding or providing programs.

B. Vice President for Administrative Affairs: Sara Samson

1. Two student workers were hired and they should be starting shortly.

C. Vice President for Graduate School Affairs: Shelly McGrath

1. The advisory council has been formed to review the plagiarism charges against President Poshard. The council is expected to report their findings within the next four weeks.

VI. New Business

A. Graduate Council Nomination and Election

1. Jason Hammond was accepted by acclimation.

B. GPSC party

1. The executive board recommended holding the GPSC party during the first week of the spring semester. The recommendation was approved.

C. Fee Allocation Board Recommendations

1. The Fee Allocation Board recommended funding Indigenous Peoples Day up to $50 for advertising and up to $135 for lodging for the keynote speaker, and up to $351 for travel expenses (air fare) for the keynote speaker. The recommendation was approved.

2. The Fee Allocation Board recommended funding GLBT History Month up to $50 for advertising and up to $450 for the keynote speaker’s fee. The recommendation was approved.

D. Fine Arts Activity Committee

1. The Fine Arts Activity Committee is composed of 7 faculty members and 7 student members. The Committee is funded through activity fee. The committee is required to contacts both USG and GPSC at the beginning of the Fall semester to request student members for the committee. The operating papers state that the student members must be in a fine arts program. GPSC disagrees with this limitation and believes that since all students pay the fee all students should be able to serve on the committee. GPSC is currently in discussions with the committee chairperson and Dr. Dietz to resolve the issue.

VII. Roundtable Discussion

A. The council discussed whether to introduce a resolution in support of President Poshard. The council decided to discuss the resolution with its constituents and vote on the matter in the next meeting.

VIII. Announcements

A. On September 27 at 6:00 in Lawson 151, there will be a town hall style meeting. The Presidents of USG and GPSC and the student trustee of the BOT will be there to discuss student issues.

IX. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 8:14 PM.