From owner-info@gso.bu.edu Fri May 28 17:02 EDT 1999 Received: from gso.bu.edu (GSO.BU.EDU [128.197.60.71]) by cs.bu.edu ((8.8.8.buoit.v1.0)/8.8.8/(BU-S-10/16/98-v1.0a)) with ESMTP id RAA03486; Fri, 28 May 1999 17:02:48 -0400 (EDT) Received: (from majordom@localhost) by gso.bu.edu (8.8.5/8.8.5/(BU-S-02/10/97-v1.0)) id RAA26396 for info-list; Fri, 28 May 1999 17:02:41 -0400 (EDT) Received: from cs.bu.edu (root@CS.BU.EDU [128.197.10.2]) by gso.bu.edu (8.8.5/8.8.5/(BU-S-02/10/97-v1.0)) with ESMTP id RAA26392 for ; Fri, 28 May 1999 17:02:37 -0400 (EDT) Received: from cs16.bu.edu (rip@cs16 [128.197.10.115]) by cs.bu.edu ((8.8.8.buoit.v1.0)/8.8.8/(BU-S-10/16/98-v1.0a)) with ESMTP id RAA03480 for ; Fri, 28 May 1999 17:02:35 -0400 (EDT) From: Robert Pitts Received: by cs16.bu.edu (8.8.5/Spike-2.1) id RAA13845; Fri, 28 May 1999 17:02:32 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 28 May 1999 17:02:32 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <199905282102.RAA13845@cs16.bu.edu> To: info@gso.bu.edu Subject: GSO - summary of Thu, May 27, 99 meeting Sender: owner-info@gso.bu.edu Precedence: bulk Content-Type: text Content-Length: 11586 Status: RO Here is a summary of what we did at yesterday's Graduate Student Organization meeting. Our next general meeting will be towards the end of June (to be announced). --Rob Summary ======= 1. Committee Reports Financial, Academic and Research Committee ========================================== Ann Walker reported for this committee (communicating information from Gareth Roberts ). - They were able to schedule Wendy Gordon, the speaker for an "Intellectual Property" talk, for Thursday, September 9th at noon. - They have added a new area to the GSO web site, the "FAR Pages" (http://gso.bu.edu/FAR). Currently, it has some information about BU grad stipend rates and some rates at other local schools. They'd be interested in hearing from students that know about the pay rate in some dept at another school (send that info to far@gso.bu.edu). The FAR Pages will continue to grow. - They are still working on a policy statement for "Advising". Healthcare Committee ==================== Jill Orofino reported for this committee. They have: - Completed a "site map" for the Healthcare Pages (http://gso.bu.edu/healthcare). This has been designed as a set of questions that students can ask in order to better find useful information on those pages. I.e., it's an alternative way in which the healthcare information is organized. - Updated the writeup of BU's Chickering student health insurance plan for 99/00 (on the Healthcare Pages). Most notably, the premium is increasing to $576 for the student (an increase of $26) and the generic prescription copayment will be $5 (an increase of $2). Other costs and coverage will remain the same, except that a vision discount plan is now included (i.e., for no extra cost). The vision discount plan will provide discounts for certain services at participating providers. - Contacted a representative of the NAGPS health insurance plan in order to obtain updated rates and coverage information for 99/00. In addition, asked about getting printed material to use to represent the NAGPS plan at the New Grad Student Orientation this Fall. ---- An attendee asked whether there was an e-mail where Chickering can be contacted. Housing Committee ================= This committee did not report. ---- An attendee mentioned that the Off-Campus Housing Office still provides paper listings (as well as the electronic ones). The office claims this is one reason why the application for their web listings is done on paper. However, it may be useful to ask them whether they will institute an electronic version that would be more convenient for non-local students. Also, since new students will be able to get computer accounts over the summer (see Liaison Committee report below) and access Off-Campus Housing's web listings, the GSO will stop accepting "apartment/sublet/ roommate" listings to our "Postings" page after mid-June. Liaison Committee ================= Rob Pitts , acting liaison for the summer, reported for this committee. Most of the following information comes from Andrea White, assistant to Assoc. Dean Whitaker. New Student Mailings -------------------- The GSO flyer, with information about our web pages and some of our Sept. events, was included in mailings to new students. Mailings were sent out approx. May 17th. GRS will provide one of these packets to us (so that we can see what other information they sent). The GSO will have the opportunity to put an updated flyer in the packets that will be given to new students when they arrive in the Fall. Fall Orientation for New Grad Students -------------------------------------- GRS's orientation will be made up of an Information Fair and a Reception (like it's first incarnation last year), both on Sept. 7th. They are expecting a few hundred students at this event. Information Fair: - 3-4pm, in small ballroom of GSU - Will have tables for things like: GSO, Chickering, Development, Fin. Aid, ISSO, BU police, etc. They are adding tables for a few offices they didn't have last year. - They hope to have some soda/munchies available during the fair. Reception: - After 4pm, in large ballroom of GSU - Will have hors d'oeuvre. New International Student TF Orientation ---------------------------------------- This brand-new event will be Aug. 17-24. - It is supposed to be mandatory for international students who will be new TFs and who have not already received degrees at English-speaking schools. - Students will stay in Myles Standish Hall during the program. Afterwards, they will be put up in Howard Johnson's (on Boylston St.) until Aug. 31st (if they need accommodations). We already sent mail saying that GRS is looking for a few students to stay in the dorm with these new students (for a small stipend). - This orientation will consist of things like: a welcome, visits from off-campus housing, language assessment, cultural orientation. - They've received confirmation from 22 new students and expect perhaps 40 to attend. - There are opportunities for the GSO to plan social events for these students, mainly Friday night (8/20) and on the weekend (8/21-22). GRS would pay for these events. We could even invite some continuing students as long as we give some estimates of attendance to GRS. They'd like to know about any social events we want to plan during this orientation by mid-June (if possible). Regular New TF Orientation -------------------------- This orientation will be Sept. 1st at 2pm (SCI 107). As in past years, the deans plus a few veteran TFs will speak to students. Apparently, speeches normally give students some basic tips on teaching and do's and don'ts. GRS provides munchies during that event. New Student Computer Accounts ----------------------------- The university will be sending mailings to new students in June about how to establish their BU computer accounts. These will be normal accounts that will allow students access to Off-Campus' Housing listings on the web. Grad Student Mailing List ------------------------- The university will be establishing a mailing list for all GRS students. However, it will NOT be generally accessible (the university worries about "spam"). Even when GRS wants to send stuff to this list, they will need the dean's approval and must go through a certain "procedure". There is the possibility that the GSO could send something like an initial mail to all students each year (if we do it via GRS). It might be possible to selectively mail to subsets of students (like new ones). Library Privileges ------------------ Andrea White said that she would remind Assoc. Dean Whitaker about library privileges (i.e., getting the better borrowing privileges that TFs have for all grads). She said that although the deans are behind the policy change, the issue has been getting the library administration to want to change that policy. GRS money for GSO ----------------- As far as the $1,000 Assoc. Dean Whitaker said (last Fall) that he would like to allot to the GSO for the 99/00 year, Andrea White said that budgeting that money should not be a problem. The GSO would have access to the money as in the past, i.e., we'd have to ask GRS for money for a particular event/project and GRS would say Yes or No. Grad Student Lounge ------------------- The issue of our current lounge in Metcalf being inadequate was brought up. I.e., we had originally asked for a lounge that ALL GRS students would have access to. In addition, the acoustics of the lounge make it almost impossible to hold talks or even meetings. Andrea White asked Assoc. Dean Whitaker about another location and was give a response that there are no available rooms. Obviously, this is an issue we'll need to continue to pursue. One possibility is to catalog what facilities grads have at other local schools (some have their own buildings) as evidence for BU being way behind in that respect. Pay Rate Statistics ------------------- As long as the dean approves, Andrea White is willing to share with the GSO information on grad stipend rates at other local schools. These statistics are something she's tried to get each Fall during the last few years. Grant Writing Seminar --------------------- Andrea White is willing to set up a grant-writing talk (interdisciplinary) with the GSO next year. This is something GRS provided for depts that requested it this past year. Early Fall was suggested as a good time to do this since many grants are due in November. Foreign Language Resources -------------------------- Andrea White mentioned that the Geddes Language Center (5th floor of CAS building, close to Tsai Performance Center end) has resources available on learning foreign languages. This may be a resource for grad students to study for their language exams. The center's front desk says the center is accessible to any BU student. List of Dept. Chairs/DGSs ------------------------- GRS will give us a new list of dept Chairs/Directors of Graduate Studies later in the summer (i.e., should we want to contact depts on different issues, such as getting student reps to the GSO). ---- One attendee mentioned that there is usually a reception after the Regular New TF Orientation and that we might ask about getting a table for the GSO. Also, another asked whether there might be the possibility of preparing a flyer geared toward TFs for that event. On the issue of library privileges, one attendee suggested asking why the deans don't have the authority to get the library to change their policy, especially considering that Dean Berkey of GRS is also the Provost. Another suggestion (to follow this first approach) is to ask GRS where to send letters since several students are concerned enough about the library privilege issue to send letters. On the issue of mailing lists, someone suggested trying to get the address of each dept's mailing list for grads (not all depts have them) since we won't be able to use the mailing list for all GRS grads in general. That way we'd have a way to contact most grads directly if a critical issue should come up. Social Committee ================ Cassandra Celatka and Amy Tapper were present for this committee. They will be thinking about possible social events for the New International TF Orientation in August (see Liaison Committee report above). Steering Committee ================== Kendra Carter Dave Morgan , and Jen Wenner were present for this committee. Their report consisted of a presentation/discussion of the articles in the "Constitution, Bylaws, etc." section below. 2. Constitution, Bylaws, etc. We mainly made minor changes to the "Dept Reps" and "Meetings" articles.