Graduate Student Government - University of Maryland

GSG Voting Representatives
Present: AMST/2 (Ed Martini); ASTR/1 (Donna Pierce); BMBA/13 (Kemal Karakaya, Mohamad Khorbatli, Arun Krishna, Josh Saragovi); BPHD/1 (Sharyn Gardner); CMLT/1 (Julie D. Strongson); EDCP/5 (Susan Longerbeam); EDHD/2 (Stephen Tonks); ENEE/6 (Ayan Roy-Chowdhúry, Zoltan Safar); GVPT/2 (Richard Longoria, Hellmut Lotz); MATH/2 (Cathy Jones); NRSL/1 (Carol Gordon); PHYS/3 (Todd Brintlinger); SOCY/2 (Erika L. Grant, Doc Hunter); WMST/1 (Joyleen Sapinoso)

GSG Non-Voting Representatives
Present: Anupama Ramachandran (EDMS); Charles Breiterman (GVPT); Elena Fazio (SOCY); Darwin Fishman (AMST); Ashwin Aravindakshan (Marketing); Aram Khalili (CMSC); Nicole King (GALOL); Srilatha Kuntumalla (MOCB/Orientation Committee); Andres Kwasinski (ENEE/Student Ticket Distribution Committee); Jaime Spacco (CMSC); Lisa Stockton (NRSL); Heather Walton (EDCP)

GSG Administrative Representatives
Present: Joanne DeSiato (Graduate Ombudsperson); Johnetta Davis (GSG Faculty Advisor); Emily Funderburk (Diamondback); Jason Pontius (Graduate Student Involvement); Laura Wilmarth (Commuter Affairs and Community Service);

Proceedings

Call to Order
Assembly meeting was called to order at 1:27p.m. by Vice President for Legislative Affairs Rachel Jablon, presiding officer.
Approval of Minutes
The minutes from the July 12, 2002 meeting were approved, subject to revisions post-meeting as directed to Vice President for Legislative Affairs Rachel Jablon.
Guest Speakers
Due to the absence of the first guest speaker, Rachel Jablon skipped to the second guest speaker.
1. Ed Martini, GALOL
  Ed encouraged graduate students to get more involved with the organization. GALOL is concentrating on issues, such as graduate housing, state senator representation, and legislation. One of the main focuses is the dual strategy and visibility campaign. GALOL wants to start handing out informative flyers, in the hopes of getting more support. This year, GALOL is pushing to get legislative representation in January 2003, and it is particularly interested in the American Federation of Teachers bill. Ed recognized GSG's work to improve graduate student life.
  Ed then handed out cards for students to sign to show their support of collective bargaining rights. Ed said for additional information visit www.galol.org.
  Josh Saragovi (BMBA) and Elana Fazio (SOCY) asked about GALOL's collective bargaining.
  Ed answered that the cards are to show support for collective bargaining rights and explained that collective bargaining would enable graduate students to vote on unionization. Without the right to collectively bargain, graduate students cannot even decide to unionize if they want to.
  The first guest speaker arrived late and so spoke second.
2. David Klein, Staff Assistant for Education and Outreach Office of Judicial Programs and Student Ethical Development David spoke about the University's Student Honor Council, and he explained the rules of the University's code. The honor pledge states that all UMD students sign an honor pledge when he/she turns work in to a professor. David said that the administration encourages the use of the code in the classroom. He continued on to say that undergraduate students, as well as TAs, are avoiding this policy. He said the reason is that these students do not enforce the pledge or are not aware of the honor code. The Student Honor Council wants to make sure that graduate students enforce and know about the honor code and that TAs enforce these pledges. His goal is to solicit graduate students for their ideas on how to better publicize the honor pledge to other graduate students and graduate faculty.
  Hellmut Lotz (GVPT) asked about the difference of handling cases of academic dishonesty for undergraduate students and graduate students. He moved to have graduate students protest the policies.
  Rachel said that this particular issue should be taken up within the Student Honor Council and the Office for Judicial Programs and rules Hellmut out of order.
  Sharon Gardener (BPHD) asked about the policy again and how graduate students can become involved in the Student Honor Council.
  David said that there need to be two graduate students on the Student Honor Council's hearing panels for graduate students cases. He said that interested graduate students should contact him at davyk-=AT=-wam.umd.edu.
  Darwin Fishman (AMST) said in the two years that he taught, he never dealt with the honor code. Fishman asked if there has been a case in which a student did not sign the pledge.
  David answered that yes, there have been cases in which the student did not sign the pledge.
  Julie Strongson (CMLT) asked if it was a requirement for students to sign the honor pledge. Strongson said she was told that students had the option of signing the honor pledge.
  David said it was not required for the students to sign the pledge, but it was required that an instructor encourage the practice of it.
  President Alfredo Pérez said that the pledge is something that is not mandatory for faculty, and he said that some professors might be reluctant to enforce the honor code. The professors are advised to do it, but they are not forced to.
  David said that it is required. He said that UMD is trying to change the culture of the University. He also said that undergraduate students share classes with graduate students.
  Charles Breiterman (GVPT/GHTA) said that he reported a student for academic dishonesty, and there was no pledge. There were problems with a couple of students' papers. There were two separate hearings at which he was not present nor for which he was consulted.
  David said that that situation is not normal and does not follow regulations. He will go over his material and check if the honor code pledge is mandatory. He said offices on campus said that the honor pledge is used. He said to contact him for more information.
Executive and Committee Reports
1. President's
  GSG President Alfredo Pérez announced his plan for the year:
  Welcome back. We have been active with housing and sports tickets. He is here to present what we want to work on this coming year. We have been able to accomplish what we worked on last year. Please give us your feedback. He is going to post this agenda for the year, so people can comment on these.
  1. Internal GSG:
    1. Streamline fund distribution for groups.
    2. Upgrade and update website a full service website with budget applications, registration, etc.
    3. Establish and staff Legislative Action Committee (our lobby at Annapolis). He said that there needs to be a presence in Annapolis to bring our message to the legislature.
    4. Create bylaws for key GSG committees, especially for the Budget and Finance Committee, as we increase legislation.
    5. Reach out to more departments for greater participation in the Assembly. The majority of departments does not have links to GSG, and we will work on communication this year.
    6. Increase student fees so we can expand our programs. This year more groups are going to ask for more funds. We need additional money to expand Graduate Legal Aid hours. We use this money to pay for these services.
  2. Domestic (UMD):
    1. Start public relations campaign to bring grad student issues to the forefront. GSG is searching for a new vice president of public relations. We need to reach out to student affairs.
    2. Continue discussions with high-level administration.
    3. Build a working partnership with our graduate senators.
      This is the first time that the University Senate has all the graduate student senators. Working on ideas for the construction of a four-level graduate housing complex. Also, working on student stipends, public transportation and parking.
    4. Promote the construction of graduate housing.
    5. Promote the establishment of transportation solutions (parking, shuttles, etc.).
  3. Public/external
    1. Establish working partnerships with other groups/organizations, such as the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students in Washington, D.C. Alfredo said that he knows that they lobby Congress.
    2. Establish a presence in Annapolis.
    3. Lobby for graduate student rights.
    4. Lobby for budgetary increases to graduate stipends.
    Alfredo said he needs other graduate students' input. If we have people interested in certain issues, we can have the issues put on the agenda.
    Hellmut Lotz (GVPT/CPTC) asked, "If graduate students lobby the state legislature for issues such as housing and stipend checks, what would be the time frame?"
    Alfredo said that graduate students need to start as soon as possible. We need a Legislative Action Committee.
2. Legislative Affairs
  GSG Vice President for Legislative Affairs Rachel Jablon thanked everyone for coming and said that she hopes this will be a great year for graduate students, but only through their involvement in changing their own lives.
  1. She announced the launch of a new part of the Assembly website, for Legislative Affairs, at www.gsg.umd.edu/assemb/legislative_affairs/. This website offers explanations and definitions of the bills and resolutions and provides templates and samples for people to use in the development of their own legislation. The site will grow as the Ways and Means Committee grows, and policies and procedures for submitting legislation will be posted, as well as a simple tracking system on any legislation that comes before the Assembly: What happened at that meeting, etc., and we can just click on that bill, and see if it was rejected, tabled, or passed. This way the GSG can work with and for the graduate students.
  2. Rachel pointed out that the copies of the Plan of Organization that have been distributed at this meeting are copies of the version ratified in April. She asked that representatives hold on to their copies for future reference. This is also on-line version under the overview section.
  3. Rachel also expressed her desire to see more graduate students take active roles in their lives as graduate students. She encouraged representatives to get involved in any of the committees, to draft legislation, and to encourage their colleagues to do the same. It is hard for five or six graduate students to do all of the work 9,000 students. If there are graduate students that do not know about the GSG, she asked to be notified and she would inform them about the Assembly.
3. Committee Affairs
  1. Call for Committee Members: Budget and Finance Committee, Ways and Means Committee, etc.
    Whitney Schott asked for volunteers to serve on the Budget and Finance Committee.
    Bob Zambon asked for people to serve on the Graduate Student Affairs Committee.
    Rachel Jablon said that she needs two more people to join the committee.
    Sharyn Gardner (BPHD) asked for brief, plan-language descriptions of the committees.
    Whitney, Bob, and Rachel each gave them.
  2. Srilatha Kuntumalla, Orientation Committee
    Srilatha Kuntumalla talked about the UMD shuttle service. From August 5 to August 15, UMD sent shuttles to Dulles to pick up incoming graduate students. The budget came to $3,700. About 64 students volunteered and picked up 24 students. Srilatha said that the committee hopes that next year's program can run more smoothly and expand temporary housing for incoming students at the UMD residence halls.
    Some students asked if this service was going to be expanded to other airports around the area.
    Srilatha said that it is being looked into.
    A graduate student asked how incoming graduate students are informed about this service. Srilatha said that the information was not posted on the website, and a lot of incoming students heard about this service from other students and from an e-mail that was sent out. She said that the committee wants to improve its communication with incoming students, so that they are aware of the shuttle service.
    Vice President for Committee Affairs Sachin Rajgire thanked Srilatha for the committee's work for incoming students.
4. Graduate Student Affairs, Bob Zambon
  1. Parking
    1. Blue Ribbon Parking Committee.
    2. Article in the Diamondback.
    3. Attempt to obtain Metro Check, matching funds, tax exemption.
  2. Housing
    1. Presentation to be presented later in the meeting.
    2. A primary agenda concern for this year.
  3. Stipends
    1. Higher stipends.
    2. Child care: UC Berkley going to provide up to $9000 for day care for children.
    3. "Perks:" reduction in mandatory fees, tax-exempt status for our paychecks, Metrocards, etc.
  4. Athletics
    1. Need more people to be on committee. If interested please contact Bob, come to the meeting, and we can talk and set up priorities.
    Sharyn Gardner (BPHD) asked what is the role of the Ways and Means committee.
    Rachel said that the committee is responsible for setting the agendas, final approval of the GSG minutes, looking over legislation before it goes before the Assembly, and trying to make the GSG meetings run as smooth as possible.
    A graduate student said that the student affairs committee needed more graduate students, because the committee was undergraduate driven.
    Zambon said that there need to be more voting graduate student members. Zambon said he would have definitions for the committees next week.
    Someone then stated that the Student Affairs Committee is responsible for quality the life of graduate students by working on issues as child care, taxes, etc.
    A graduate student asked how to get more people involved with these committees.
    Rachel asked that interested students get additional information after the GSG meeting.
Old Business
1. Andres Kwasinski, University Committee on Student Ticket Distribution
  Andres presented the activity of the University Committee on Student Ticket Distribution at the last meeting. He said that sports events tickets are now available on-line at www.tickets.umd.edu. He said that on October 3, 2002, the system will be ready. He asked that students inform others about the website. President Alfredo Pérez thanked him for his services.
  Todd Brintlinger (PHYS) asked how many graduate students go to the games, and if that information can be accessed through the website.
  Andres answered that the new system will be able to track how many tickets allotted for graduate student use are actually taken.
  Pérez said that if graduate students do not take the game tickets, the tickets will be given to undergraduates.
New Business
1. New Rioting Policy
  Jason Pontius, Coordinator of Graduate Student Involvement
  Due to Jason's absence, Vice President for Legislative Affairs Rachel Jablon proceeded with the agenda.
2. GSGA22-B1: Election Guidelines: GSG Assembly Parliamentarian
  E.L. Doc Hunter (SOCY)
  Doc stated that the GSG could benefit from the advice of a Parliamentarian. The bill was passed, pending amendments made by the author.
3. GSGA22-B2: Election Guidelines: GSG Vice President for Public Relations
  E.L. Doc Hunter (SOCY)
  Doc said that they needed a Vice President for Public Relations and that the GSG has not had the opportunity to elect one in any general elections. As of now, there is no specific statue or establishment of guidelines for the election of the position. Doc suggested that the GSG elect a person during the next meeting.
  
  Vice President for Graduate Student Affairs Bob Zambon asked that the Assembly take part in electing a new person. He would like to see public relations candidates do presentations and show examples of their work to the Assembly, before any of the candidates are elected.
  There were several suggestions for requirements in electing the new public relations person. President Alfredo Pérez said that he had problem with the bill. He said that he was willing to bring more than one nominee to the floor. Pérez said that he is willing to take the advice and consent of the Assembly. He suggested a pre-screening process, such as interviews, work samples, and reviewing résumés. He said that he recommend that this bill not be passed until it is revised. He added that this is a complicated process and the Assembly needs to be concerned since the GSG needs someone that is good at public relations. The position is paying.
  Hellmut Lotz (GVPT/CPTC) opposed the bill because it was "too detailed." He said that there is not enough time to make a decision about the new public relations person.
  Doc offered to allow the chair of the Elections Committee, Vice President for Committee Affairs Sachin Rajgire, determine the length of presentation time available to candidates, depending on the number of candidates.
  Todd Brintlinger (PHYS) said that the position needed to be filled, and a quick election is needed.
  It was motioned that meeting be expanded 15 minutes, the motion was passed.
  Vice President for Financial Affairs Whitney Schott asked that the bill be revised and that each potential public relations person have the option to provide a paragraph of their work, with a deadline before the GSG October meeting. At the October meeting, the Assembly can then vote for the new public relations person, after having the opportunity to review those paragraphs.
  There was a motion to pass the bill, and the bill was passed.
4. GSGA22-B3: Assembly Standing Rules: 22nd Legislative Session
  E.L. Doc Hunter (SOCY)
  Doc said that the GSG Assembly never had standing rules before, and that most rules apply to Robert's Rules, etc.
  Charles addressed line 12 of the bill, and said that the GSG website provides a tracking system, that way people can find out when certain legislation expire, etc.
  It was suggested that rule number 1 be deleted from the bill.
  Vice President for Graduate Student Affairs Bob Zambon said that number 9, 10, 11, and 12 of the bill need to come up with bylaws for every committee. It would be better of the bylaws were either deleted or changed. He said that number 6 should be stricken because it would be better if people could see the Executive Committee.
  Doc said that the GSG should start functioning like an Assembly, and only have one officer so that everyone can sit as colleagues. In this way, the GSG can be more democratic and egalitarian.
  Bob said that the room is set-up to make it easier for people to ask questions. That way there is a direct focus of attention.
  Brintlinger moved to extend the meeting for another five minutes. The motion was passed.
  He then moved that the bill be passed after number 1 was deleted, that lines 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48 were revised, and that line 38 be more simplified.
  Doc suggested that number 6 of the bill be revise as well.
  Brintlinger's motion was seconded and passed.
5. Hellmut Lotz (GVPT), Chair, College Park Tenants' Committee
  Hellmut yielded a minute to Vice President for Graduate Student Affairs Bob Zambon.
  Bob talked about the executive affairs and the administration. He said that Hellmut's resolution is not backed up by facts. Bob asked that the resolution be an agenda item for the next GSG meeting. He said that at the next meeting, the Assembly would invite newspapers to cover the story, while the resolution is debated.
  Hellmut said that a letter has been submitted to the UMD administration and that there is no affordable graduate student housing. He said that graduate students spend 80 percent of their stipends for a one-bedroom apartment at Graduate Hills. He said that graduate students spend 95 percent of their stipends for a two-bedroom apartment. He said that there are only three or four more meetings this semester and that the state budget is going to be made in January 2003. He motioned to pass his resolution, that way people can start working on these issues and help the administration understand these concerns.
  Vice President for Legislative Affairs Rachel Jablon said that his motion was out of order and cannot be motioned: no resolution was on the table.
  Doc said that he agreed with Bob. Doc is also interested in revising the facts, and from there come up with a resolution. He moved that Bob take Hellmut's resolution, rewrite it (with Hellmut's help), and present it to the Assembly to go public. From there, the information can be sent to newspapers, the UMD administration, politicians, and the Assembly.
  Bob said that he could do this by next Friday and have it in the hands of the Ways and Means Committee. The motion was made to revise the resolution. It was seconded and passed.
  Doc also motioned to elect a Parliamentarian at the next meeting on October 4, 2002. The motion was seconded and passed.
  Rachel said that the Parliamentarian election would be the first item under Old Business.
Announcements
1. Jason Pontius, Coordinator of Graduate Student Involvement
  Jason explained the new riot policy. Students would be kicked out of school for 1 to 3 years if caught participating in riot activities. If convicted, students will be tried in federal court. Also, the convicted person will be suspended from all Maryland school systems.
2. Next GSG Assembly Meeting: October 4; Baltimore Room, Stamp
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 3:27 p.m., by Vice President for Legislative Affairs, Rachel Jablon, presiding officer.
Supplemental Documents:

Submitted by: Mélissa Henry (CMLT) and presiding officer Rachel Jablon, Vice President for Legislative Affairs

Date of Approval: October 4, 2002

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Graduate Student Government - 22nd Assembly August 30, 2002 1:20p.m.-3:00p.m. Baltimore Room, Stamp Minutes

Attendance:

Proceedings

Graduate Student Government - 22nd Assembly
August 30, 2002
1:20p.m.-3:00p.m.
Baltimore Room, Stamp
Minutes