Graduate and Professional Student Council

Meeting Minutes for November 27, 2007

Kaskaskia Room, Student Center, 7:00 PM

I. Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 6:59 PM.

II. Roll Call

Trey Gossett (Art and Design), Ed Ford (Educational Psychology), Alex Strong (Philosophy), Janet Mayher (Graduate Council), Kristina Dzara (Sociology), Kyle Stevens (Law), Claudia Torres-Ambriz (Art and Design), Andrea Jones (Law), Christina Bearden-White (History), Ashley Phillips (Mass Communication and Media Arts), Sara Samson (Vice President for Administrative Affairs), Shelly McGrath (Vice President for Graduate School Affairs), Jonathan Remo (Geology), Gediminas Markevicius (Physics), Mike Stahl (Zoology), Elena Esquibel (Speech Communications).

III. Approval of the Agenda

Steven Middleton proposed adding Robert Ricks from the Measurement and Statistics Club to the agenda. The agenda was approved as amended.

IV. Approval of the Minutes from November 6, 2007

The minutes were approved as presented.

V. Guest Speaker

A. Athletic Director Mario Moccia presented the fee proposal for his department. The proposal seeks a $54 increase from $221/semester to $275/semester for 2009. $10 is an operating fee and $44 is for Saluki Way and facilities. Operating fee increase will be used to fund travel for the athletic teams including airfare and hotel costs. The fee will also fund the additional costs of the minimum wage increases; the Athletic Department employees approximately 150 students. Electricity and maintenance costs are also included in this portion of the fee. The athletic department tries to generate as much money through ticket sales, and corporate sponsorship to increase scholarship funds. In the last 2 years they have raised their scholarship fund from $600,000 to $850,000. The original plan for the Saluki Way portion of the fee was to be a $44 increase each year for four years but after analyzing budget the Athletic Department believes that only a nominal increase will be necessary next year (year four). The Saluki Way fee money will be used to fund several projects, such as the new football stadium. The Department has also been working with Rec. Sports and is looking at possibly building a rec. park and believes they will be able to offer better amenities to students attending events. Mr. Moccia stated that he believes athletics is the best PR vehicle for the University. Televised athletics gives the school an opportunity to promote itself. He also believes it brings a sense of unity to the campus; students, alumni, faculty, administrators, and community fans.

B. Robert Ricks, Measurement and Statistics Club. The goal of the club is to encourage interdisciplinary research between the departments. The club will be holding a research town meeting on April 1, 2008. Graduate students will be able to present their research during the town meeting. Students must submit before hand, most likely by February. The only expense they are expecting for this event would be for marketing.

VI. Officer Reports

A. President: Steven Middleton

1. The University has retracted its request for the graduate students on fellowship to pay back financial aid that was given to them.

B. Vice President for Administrative Affairs: Sara Samson

1. No report.

C. Vice President for Graduate School Affairs: Shelly McGrath

1. At the Executive Capital Meeting for Graduate School Affairs fellowships are still being discussed and work is being done to fix the problem. The campus internet bandwidth is going to be increased from 200 megabytes/sec to 2-7 gigabytes/sec. The union has come to an agreement with the administration and the graduate assistants will ratify the contract December 7 or 10 . Highlights of the agreement include a 3% pay increase as well as 25% waiver of the Primary Health Care fee and a 50% waiver the following year. A grievance procedure was also agreed upon. Graduate assistants can become members and vote.

VII. Old Business

A. Discussion of Fee Proposals

1. The council discussed Campus Rec. Fee and some members felt that simple fields just need to be built to accommodate intramural sports and a place with elaborate facilities is not necessary. Fee may be reduced.

2. The council briefly discussed the Student Center fee and the possibility of the student center cutting some of the services they offer in order to cut their fee some.

3. The council discussed Primary care fee which is increasing from $171 to $181 per semester.

4. The council discussed the Rec Center Fee which is increased from $114 to $122. That increase will cover additional hours and additional staff. Fee may be reduced a little after reconfiguring energy costs.

5. The council discussed the athletics fee, discussion focused around whether or not such a large increase was needed or fair to the general student population.

VIII. New Business

None

IX. Roundtable Discussion

A. Council discussed whether or not the basketball team going to the Sweet 16 is actually benefiting the school like the athletics department claims.

X. Announcements

A. Friday November 30, 2007 there will be an event, Art over Easy, at the Glove Factory from 6-10pm, a fundraiser for the School of Art Design. Cost is $10 with open bar.

IX. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 8:58 PM.