GSA Meeting Minutes - September 24, 2009

UGA Graduate Student Association

MEETING MINUTES

DATE: September 24, 2009

LOCATION: MLC 248

1.     WELCOME

1.1          Meeting called to order at 7:02pm.

1.2          GSA President Will Rooks welcomed all graduate students in attendance.

2.       OLD BUSINESS 

2.1        Parking concerns:  Will followed up with Don Walter, Manager of Parking Services.  While it may seem that there have been decreases the amount of parking available on campus and the number of parking passes distributed, parking services is in fact taking great efforts to ensure convenient parking for UGA’s students, faculty, and staff.  Nonetheless, graduate students’ concerns about parking are still legitimate and should be addressed with parking services promptly.

2.1.1     Update on lighting in N02:  A student at last month’s meeting voiced concerned over the lack of adequate lighting in the N02 parking lot.  Parking services has been notified and is looking into the situation.

2.1.2     Update on special collections library And parking changes:  Construction on the Special Collections Library is set to begin in early 2010.  The Library will be located off of Hull Street, at the intersection of Florida Avenue and Waddell Street.  Click here for a map.  This location is currently the site of the W04 parking lot, which is set to close at the end of the 2009 fall semester.  For more information on the Special Collections Library, visit http://www.libs.uga.edu/development/naming/special.html.

2.2        Riverbend Parkway bus route update:  At last month’s meeting, a student expressed concern over the Riverbend Parkway bus route in that the route seemed to be too crowded.  Will followed up with Ron Hamlin, Manager of Campus Transit, about this issue, and Mr. Hamlin asked that more information about the issue be gathered in order for further clarification.  If graduate students concerned with this issue would like to provide more information, they should contact GSA at gsa@uga.edu.

2.3        Drop-Add procedures update:  The drop/add period for Fall Semester 2009 has passed.  Students wishing to drop a course at this point in the semester must instead withdraw from the course.  For more information about withdrawing from a course after the drop/add period, visit the Office of the Registrar FAQ website.  The midterm date for Fall Semester 2009 is October 8^th.  The withdrawal deadline for Fall Semester 2009 is October 22^nd.  For more information about important dates, be sure to check out the Fall Semester 2009 Academic Calendar.

2.4        Health Insurance UPDATE:  After appearing on two radio stations and recurring coverage in numerous newspapers, we are nearing the resolution for which we had hoped. During a press briefing, President Adams recently remarked that the Athletic Association agreed to make a $2 million annual gift over the next three years that will help fund various University enterprises.  President Adams suggested that a portion of this money may be designated toward cost sharing the updated insurance rider, which we are currently trying to get approved.  The insurance rider would require each graduate student to pay $86 this year in order to bring the health insurance out of pocket maximum back to $2,500, equal to last year’s maximum.  This would be a huge success.  Furthermore, if President Adams decides to use some of the discretionary money that the Athletic Association has donated, then the cost share would require each student to pay only $30-$35 this year.  An open records request has been initiated to attain records (by next Wednesday) that would allow us to ensure that Pearce & Pearce was the most competitive and cost effective choice for health care.  Tonya Lamb, Liaison for the Board of Regents, agreed to help put together advisory committee that would address the issue of graduate student health insurance.  Next Thursday, October 1^st, UGA GSA President Will Rooks will meet with GSA Presidents from Georgia Tech, Medical College of Georgia, and Georgia State, and other Georgia universities.  The purpose of this meeting is to form a united from in order to lobby the Board of Regents.  If a favorable outcome is not received, we will increase our campaign including letters of support from University Council, and Departmental, College, and School Senates.  Also, we have conducted town hall meetings in which we’ve informed students of the health insurance changes and answered questions about the changes. 

The floor was then opened for debate of the proposed $86 insurance rider that would bring the maximum out of pocket from $10,000 to $2,500.  A brief summary of the discussion is as follows:

QUESTIONS:  Would we need to pay the extra $86?

GSA RESPONSE:  Yes.  The insurance rider seems to be the best way forward until we can put the student advisory committee together to lobby for a new rate.  In essence, we would need to send Pearce & Pearce a $240,000 check.  Thus, in order to get that money, each student would need to provide $86 each.

QUESTION:  Would the insurance rider take effect this year or next year?

GSA RESPONSE:  It is a retroactive rider that would be backdated to start August 1^st, therefore, it could take effect as early as January 1^st.  However, we are still waiting to hear if we can amend contract through the rider or not.

QUESTION FROM WILL TO FLOOR: Would you be willing to pay the $86?

RESPONSE FROM FLOOR:  No objections were heard.  Several students posited that it seems to be a good solution.

Discussion was closed.

2.5        DISCUSSION OF OLD BUSINESS:  The floor was opened for general discussion.  No comments or questions were put forth.

3.       NEW BUSINESS 

3.1        President’s Report:  General updates regarding GSA and UGA were reported.

3.1.1     Arch foundation: The Arch Foundation met on September 10, 2009.  The Arch Foundation is organized as a private, non-profit corporation with a board of directors.  It receives gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations.  It administers such gifts in accordance with the instructions of the donors.  The Arch Foundation is the officially recognized endowment of the University of Georgia.  GSA was invited as a guest of SGA in hopes that GSA might acquire a seat on the Foundation.  We have been working closely with the President’s Office on this endeavor in the hopes that the foundation will utilize some of these funds to enhance graduate education. 

3.1.2     STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE:  The Strategic Planning Committee convened on Friday, September 11, 2009 at the New Medical Complex and discussed the emergent medical partnership with MCG.  The Complex is located off of Baldwin Street in the old O’Malley’s building.  The new facility is truly state of the art and will contribute to an enhanced focus on graduate education.

3.1.3     Committee on Facilities:  The Committee on Facilities met on Monday, September 14, 2009.  The committee elected a new chair of the Committee for 2009-2010 and selected two representatives to the Major Repair and Renovations Committee.  A briefing was given by the Planning and Physical Plant and Committee members voted on a measure to approve the Abraham Baldwin Statue.

3.1.4     University Council:  Adrian Childs, the new chair of the University Council, officially wielded the gavel for the first time on September 17, 2009.  The Presented briefed the Council on the budget situation and thanks those who served on the Provost Search Committee.  He also encouraged faculty, students, and staff to take precaution against H1N1.  He reported the 74 sexual harassment issues were reported of the past year.  The Ombudsperson for students, Shay Davis Little, has a full report available for review on the University Council website.  The University is preparing for its SACS review, the body responsible for certifying UGA.  Both GSA and SGA issued reports.  The Strategic Planning Committee also issued a report.

3.1.5     Graduate Council:  GSA and the Human Resources Department issued an update on the graduate student insurance situation.  Several modifications, creations, or retractions of degrees were granted by the committee.  For minutes of the Graduate Council meeting, contact GSA.

3.1.6     GSA Graduate Seat:  GSA has pursued graduate representation within SGA and Will Rooks will be serving as the liaison to SGA.  Having worked closely with the administration for three months, it is apparent the administration views SGA as the undergraduate body while GSA represents the graduate body.  Very rarely does SGA champion graduate student issues, nor do they have expertise or flexibility to address graduate student issues. 

Floor was opened for discussion of a proposed SGA constitutional amendment that would codify SGA as the undergraduate student government organization and authorize GSA to represent graduate and professional students.  A brief summary of the discussion is as follows:

Question:  I thought that it was that way it already.  Is it not?

GSA RESPONSE:  Technically, SGA represents all students.  In effect, the constitution amendment wouldn’t change how GSA is seen by the University; it would just make it concrete.

The floor was closed for discussion.

3.2        DISCUSSION OF NEW BUSINESS:  The floor opened for discussion of new business.  No new business was presented.  The floor was closed for discussion.

4.         GSA COMMITTEES

PHILANTHROPY COMMITTEE:  The GSA Philanthropy Committee met once since the last GSA meeting.  GSA has partnered with HERO for Children to raise money for children affected or infected with HIV and AIDS.   GSA will be co-sponsoring a volleyball tournament and movie on Herty Field.  The volleyball tournament will begin at 7:30pm.  The movie being shown after the volleyball tournament is Top Gun.  There will be an award for best costume. More information about UGA H.E.R.O.s can be found on the organization’s website at http://ugaheros.org/.

5.         GUEST SPEAKER

H1N1 (SWINE FLU):  Guest speaker, Sarah Neslund, a graduate student in the College of Public Health and member of the Pandemic Flu Response Team at UGA, provided information about H1N1, or “swine flu.”  H1N1 is a completely new strain of the flue, different from the seasonal flu.  Symptoms are similar to the normal flu (e.g., fever cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue).  However, some symptoms are different (e.g., diarrhea, vomiting).  The flu is not the same as a common cold.  H1N1 is mostly affecting college age students, age 25 and under, because they have never been exposed to this strain.  Members of the Pandemic Flue Response Team are happy to speak to any groups on campus about the swine flu.  The number one precaution to protect onself against flu is to not hang out with people who have H1N1.  It is spread airborne, so wear a facemask if you have one.  Facemasks may have a stigma associated with them, but they keep you from getting and/or spreading H1N1, so it’s worth it!  If you have a fever or feel one coming on, do not go around people.  Call the health center and tell them your symptoms if you are unsure.  It may be worrisome to miss class, but professors have been encouraged to excuse students with H1N1.  Tama flu treats the flu, but is in limited supply, so the best treatment is to just let it run its course and stay away from others.  You are still contagious for 24-48 hours after your fever breaks.  However, if you have a history of other illnesses (e.g., asthma, cancer), seek help immediately.  The seasonal flu virus does not prevent the flu.  The H1N1 vaccine will be available in October.

6.       CLOSING 

Meeting adjourned at 7:34pm.