MINUTES
Graduate & Professional Student Assembly Council of Representatives
September 27th, 1999
Big Red Barn Graduate & Professional Student Center Greenhouse
5:00 P.M.

I. Attendance:

1999 - 2000 GPSA Members 4/26 9/27 10/25 11/22 1/24 2/28 3/27 4/24 Jean Ahn P P Bill Bauerle P P Dennis Carlson P P Pat Carr P P Rong Fan P P Stefan Hames E P Wendy Harris P A Chitkala Kalidas P P Peter Kaskan P P Charles Marentette P P Emily Meseck A P Krista Mowry P P John Schwarz P Daniel Simmons P P Lakshmi (Vatsa) Srivatsa P A

Others Present: Philip McPheron, Cris Gardner, Michael Cosh, Tania Schusler, Bonnie Bailey, and Stephanie Tinsley

II. Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by Stefan Hames, President of the 1999–2000 GPSA, at 5:00 PM.

III. Open Forum

Bill Bauerle, Floriculture, stated he is currently researching information concerning graduate student health care packages at other Ivy League Schools. He is curious about how Cornell compares to its peers and would like to provide students with health care information for their information. He would like to see Cornell use this type of information in negotiating health care packages.

S.Hames replied this idea was good, though it must be remembered that graduate fields have a high degree of autonomy. He noted there would probably be differences amongst the individual fields if health care were included into the package. S.Hames noted, as an example, the recommendations made by the TA/RA committee last year. He stated that the report was well received by some directors of graduate studies, yet ill received by others.

Patrick Carr, GPSA Secretary, stated that the choice in health care plans is currently limited.

S.Hames agreed, but noted that the package offered by Cornell is fairly comprehensive and, based on his personal experience, does not seem to have a maximum cap, or must have a very high cap on its coverage. He remarked that in contrast, the alternative package offered by NAGPS is not as comprehensive as the Cornell plan and the NAGPS plan does have a lower cap.

Krista Mowry, Nutrition, stated there appear to be two issues at stake. The first is whether Cornell or the student pays for the health care package. The second issue concerns the details of the package.

B.Bauerle clarified that he wants to find out what other comparable schools pay for in terms of health insurance.

S.Hames remarked that it appears the Graduate School has realized that it will eventually have to offer health care in assistantship packages in order to attract the best candidates to Cornell. The questions center around logistics such as how, when, and who will be paying. S.Hames added that last year Dean Cohen suggested using a portion of the stipend increases to help pay for the inclusion of health care.

K.Mowry observed it would be a good idea to see how other schools handle this same issue for professional students. To clarify, she noted it would be interesting to find out if any comparable school pays for health insurance for its professional students.

Bonnie Bailey, Office of the Assemblies, asked if Dean Cohen had already researched this subject. She remarked that if Dean Cohen has already done some of this work that it would save graduate/professional students time and energy.

S.Hames replied this was a definite possibility. He noted that the Graduate School couldn’t act on this issue in such a way as to make graduate students very upset, otherwise this would adversely affect recruitment and retainment.

Chitkala Kalidas, Microbiology, asked if the GPSA should submit a proposal.

S.Hames stated that further research is recommended because not much information is available at this time. Therefore, a proposal by the GPSA is currently not needed.

Emily Meseck, Vet Med, noted that professional students currently pay for health insurance on their own.

C.Kalidas stated that SUNY Buffalo pays for health care for both RAs and TAs.

IV. Minutes

The minutes of the April 26, 1999 meeting of the 1999–2000 GPSA were approved as submitted.

The minutes of the April 26, 1999 meeting of the 1999–2000 GPSA were approved as submitted.

V. Announcements and Reports

A) Committees

P.Carr reported that he was unable to attend the last meeting of the Faculty Senate because he was out of the country. He stated that from what he’s heard, it appears that a current issue in the Faculty Senate involves the proposal to have reorganize Computer Science, similar to changes made last year with Biological Sciences.

S.Hames informed members about a vacancy on the West Campus Planning Committee.

P.Carr explained there is a plan to make West Campus into a residential college, which arose out of the decision to house all freshmen on North Campus. This committee is charged with investigating related details and making recommendations for this system. He stated it would be preferable for the new committee member to have had experience in a residential college system.

Phil McPheron, Director of Graduate Student Housing, further explained that recommendations are to have tenured faculty members in charge of each house. Each house will hold approximately 200 students. Graduate students will have supplementary roles in this system.

B.Bailey announced that a graduate or professional student is needed for the Trustee Nominating Committee.

S.Hames stated that he would send out an e-mail asking for volunteers for this position. He stated he would fill the position if no volunteers are found.

B) GPSA Finance Commission

Michael Cosh, Civil Engineering and Interim Chair of the GPSAFC, reported that the GPSAFC has a total of five members. He established that a co-chair is needed because this year is exceedingly busy and he hasn’t got enough time to assume all the responsibilities of Chair. He proposed that he serve as co-chair of the GPSAFC with Alex Viergutz, one of the current GPSAFC members, serving as the other co-chair. M.Cosh added that A.Viergutz had been a SAFC commissioner and is currently the webmaster for the Office of Assemblies.

S.Hames replied that this appears logical to him.

M.Cosh noted that the GPSA Charter does not specifically mention co-chairs. Thus, while they are not forbidden, they are also not approved.

D.Carlson suggested that the charter be amended to address the issue.

S.Hames stated his preference for not having a charter amendment on this issue.

B.Bailey suggested that since the charter does not expressly state that co-chairs are not allowed, the it seems the GPSA can decide to elect co-chairs internally if it feels that will best serve its purpose and there is no opposition from the GPSA.

M.Cosh suggested that the GPSA officially appoint him as the GPSAFC Chair. He will then delegate duties as needed, and A.Viergutz will act as an unofficial co-chair.

Members agreed to this proposal.

The 1999–2000 Graduate and Professional Student Assembly appointed Michael Cosh to the position of Chair of the Graduate and Professional Student Finance Commission by acclimation.

C) Athletics

Tania Schusler, Natural Resources, commented that Cornell does not do much to encourage participation in informal sports. She suggested that making gyms available to students free of charge and allowing fields to be available for informal sports would be ways to improve this problem.

S.Hames stated that Athletics is funded from the Graduate and Professional Student Activity Fee, but he personally questioned how many graduate and professional students actually benefit from funding Athletics.

P.Carr stated there is free admission for graduate students to all Cornell sporting events, with the exception of hockey, which has a reduced amount.

S.Hames remarked that graduates students typically do not go to games.

K.Mowry noted that the faculty and staff also must pay to use the gyms on campus.

P.Carr said there is probably not much that can be done about the gyms, since money is needed to operate the gyms. If the money is not found through fees for using the gym, then it will be found elsewhere.

D.Carlson agreed, noting that the fees are reasonable if you compare them with the fees for using other gyms or health clubs in Ithaca. He also remarked that since not all students use these facilities it may not be fair to include it in the Activity Fee.

B.Bailey stated that she believes there is an open graduate seat on the Faculty Advisory Committee on Athletics and Physical Education. Perhaps these issues have already been brought to the administration in athletics and perhaps there are better explanations and rationale for their decisions. It is important to take advantage of the committee structure and maintain links to bring issues such as this forward.

P.McPheron explained that at Cornell, Athletics is expected to be an enterprise and therefore it needs to make money. He noted that in the past, students were in favor of separate fees for each item because they only wanted to pay for a service if they used that service. However, the current trend seems to be that students prefer fees to be collected in one lump sum.

P.Carr agreed, noting that undergraduates are highly concerned with the cost of tuition. Tuition can appear lower if one separates “extra” items and charges these as their own separate fees.

P.McPheron repeated this trend may be changing and fees may be combined. For example, many people living on campus are enrolled in Res Net. The subscription rate is high and it may be built into the housing fee.

P.Carr stated that while it may not be possible to do anything about the gyms, maybe something could be done to make more fields available for informal games. He noted that the crack down on students’ use of fields seem to be recent.

S.Hames asked if anyone was interested in a potential position on the Faculty Advisory Committee on Athletics and Physical Education. As there were no volunteers, S.Hames announced this position will be made open to the COR and the general graduate and professional student community.

VI. Business of the Day

A) Academic Calendar

S.Hames stated that the GPSA needs to review and approve the Academic Calendar. He informed members that the SA did not pass it because the calendar did not address their request to have certain holidays acknowledged as the SA felt they should be.

D.Carlson stated that the real issue is the fact that the SA wants holidays to be recognized so no tests will be given or papers will be due on those specified days. This is the current policy but it is not strictly enforced. He noted that an issue that seems to be facing the GPSA is whether it wants to stand with the SA on this issue.

S.Hames stated that from a graduate student perspective he has no major problems with the Academic Calendar. However, if the SA had asked for the GPSA’s support on this issue, he would have been in favor of giving that support since it would be politic to do so. However, the SA has not asked for the support of the GPSA on this matter.

D.Carlson stated that according to Dean Cooke, formal recognition of the holidays on the calendar is not necessary because he handles complaints related to it. Thus, any student that has a problem, such as a test being given on a religious holiday, can make an appeal to Dean Cooke.

P.Carr suggested that the real problem is that undergraduates who encounter problems do not know who the right authority to talk to on such matters is.

C.Marentette stated that JGSM tapes classes on religious holidays so that anyone who misses them can still know what happened in class that day.

M.Cosh stated that he is personally in favor of having Labor Day off. He elaborated that with all the support offices on campus closed it does not seem to make sense to hold classes or for graduate students to be on campus.

Rong Fan, Materials Science and Engineering, agreed that while graduate students have more flexibility in their schedules than undergraduates, it would be nice to have Labor Day off.

D.Carlson suggested that the most prudent course would be to put off the issue until next month. If the SA does not contact the GPSA during that time, then the GPSA should just go ahead and approve it.

Members agreed with this course of action.

B) Student Activity Fee Charter Amendments

S.Hames informed members that last year the GPSA passed a charter amendment concerning the setting of the Activity Fee in accordance with the recommendations made by the Board of Trustees. However, the President returned the charter amendments and asked for clarification with the language. S.Hames stated that he sent a newly edited version to the President approximately three and a half weeks ago, along with the information that the GPSA would be voting on this issue at the September meeting.

No reply has been received from the President, but both B.Bailey and Cris Gardner, Director of the Office of the Assemblies, noted the revised resolutions address the changes suggested by the President. These modifications are also in line with changes the SA made to their charter.

S.Hames noted that while he would like to wait for a reply, he would also like to have this done before the October 10 Trustee meeting on campus. Therefore, it will be discussed at this meeting.

P.Carr asked about the differences between this version and the one previously approved by the GPSA.

S.Hames stated that the President asked to have the word “qualified” inserted before advisor. Appendix B was formatted after the Student Assembly’s version and addresses the process in which the graduate student activity fee is set.

The 1999–2000 Graduate and Professional Student Assembly voted on this charter amendment. The resolutions passed, 11–0−1.

RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDENT ASSEMBLY CHARTER

Whereas, the Board of Trustees has delegated the responsibility for the setting and allocation of the Student Activity Fee to the President of the University, and

Whereas, the President of the University has delegated responsibility for the setting and allocation of the Student Activity Fee to the Student Assembly/Graduate & Professional Student Assembly (SA/GPSA), and

Whereas, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly feels that the procedures by which funds are allocated to campus organizations should be clear and unambiguous, and

Whereas, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Charter does not explicitly define the delegation of authority to the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, nor explicitly define the circumstances under which campus organizations may receive Student Activity Fee Funds,

Be it therefore resolved that the attached Charter amendments will be made.

Respectfully Submitted,

Stefan Hames 1999–2000 GPSA Vice President September 10, 1999

As approved by the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly by acclimation 09/27/99.

Excerpt taken from the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Charter:

Establishment

Article 1: Pursuant to the authority delegated by the Board of Trustees, the President hereby establishes the Graduate and Professional Council of Representatives and the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (pursuant to Article 4). Articles 1 through 9 of this document constitute the Charter of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly.

Authority and Responsibility

Article 2: The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (hereinafter referred to as GPSA) shall have a voice in those activities, program areas and non-academic policies that affect graduate and professional students and serve as a mechanism for the exchange of views between the graduate and professional school population and the administration as more specifically set forth below. Within this context, the GPSA shall explore opportunities to enhance the role and function of graduate and professional students, and their contribution to the well-being of the University.

The GPSA, during the fall semester of every odd-numbered year, through the authority delegated by the Board of Trustees and the President, shall be charged with the setting and the allocation of the Graduate Activity Fee, subject to the approval of the President.

2.1 The GPSA shall have the authority to examine the University policies that impact graduate and professional school students and make recommendations to the appropriate bodies and University administrators concerning these matters.

2.2 The GPSA shall be consulted with respect to the modification and development of non-academic policies which directly affect graduate and professional school students.

2.3 Actions of the GPSA will be reported to the President in writing by the chairperson of the GPSA. The GPSA will respond to the President’s request for information regarding GPSA actions. The President shall respond in writing to the GPSA recommendations pursuant to 2.1 above.

2.4 The Provost will consult with the GPSA in the formulation of the University calendar. The GPSA may review and ask for reconsideration of the calendar before it becomes final. In addition, the GPSA may propose changes in the calendar to the Provost.

2.5 The GPSA will present an annual report at the last GPSA meeting of the spring term to the President of the University and the graduate and professional student population. The report will include a summary of the GPSA’s work during the preceding year and, in addition, will describe any unresolved issues and issues that are expected to arise in the future. The GPSA of the following year is required to respond formally to the unfinished business presented in the annual report. This response should describe the actions undertaken, if any, to resolve the unfinished business. All members of the Cornell community will have access to this report.

2.6 The GPSA may obtain specific information from the President regarding any subject which it requests to fulfill its responsibilities. Requests shall not include salaries, wages, academic or financial records of specific individuals nor information which is defined as confidential or restricted by law. If the information requested is not provided, the President will report to the GPSA the reasons why the said information cannot be furnished.

2.7 The GPSA may conduct public hearings, fora, and referenda concerning topics of current graduate and professional student interest, and determine other appropriate ways to assess student needs and opinions.

2.8 Agenda and pending resolutions will be distributed to the leadership of the other Assemblies at least 24 hours prior to the GPSA meeting at which they are to be presented.

2.9 The GPSA will report its actions in writing to the Employee, Student and University Assemblies and the Faculty Senate, in conjunction with reporting of the actions to the President. The resolutions will be reported following each meeting by a GPSA member designated by the GPSA.

2.10 Upon receipt of the GPSA report, another constituency body(ies) may object, by a two-thirds vote at its next regularly scheduled meeting, to an action taken by the GPSA. The objecting body(ies) will report back to the GPSA within five working days of the vote to object. At its next business meeting, the GPSA will review the objection and either modify the original position to account for the objections of the other constituency(ies) or will reaffirm the original action. The GPSA shall report to the objecting body(ies) within five working days of reviewing the objection(s).

2.11 Continued disagreement on the issue will be referred to the UA Assemblies Review Committee. (UA Charter, Article 8.6)

2.12 If the GPSA determines by a two-thirds vote that the action of another constituency body impacts its constituency, comparable procedures for the reconciliation of the differences will be pursued.

2.13 The GPSA may appoint graduate and professional students to serve on assembly(ies) committees and other university committees that have designated seats for GPSA representatives. The GPSA may nominate graduate and professional students to serve on other university committees.

2.14 The voting membership of the GPSA will, by whatever means they deem appropriate, select three graduate or professional students to serve as delegate members to the University Assembly. At least, but not limited to, one delegate must be a member of the GPSA. Graduate/professional student at-large may be selected to fill the remaining delegate(s) position(s) only if GPSA/Council of Representatives member(s) is/are unable to serve.

2.15 The GPSA will interface with the Student and Employee Assemblies and Faculty Senate by sending one representative to each group as an ex-officio, non-voting delegate.

2.16 The GPSA will have authority over matters concerning the internal operation and maintenance of the GPSA and its committees, including the proposal of amendments to

the GPSA Charter pursuant to Article 3 and creation of bylaws and procedures consistent with the obligations of the GPSA as set forth in this charter for the GPSA.

2.17 The GPSA may establish such standing and ad hoc committees as are appropriate to the performance of its functions.

2.18 The Graduate and Professional Student Activity Fee shall be established every two years, with the extensive participation and active input from the graduate and professional student body, by the last day of classes in the Fall semester of the fee-setting year. In the event that the GPSA cannot meet this deadline, the Activity Fee shall be fixed at the amount and allocation currently in effect during the fee-setting year.

2.19 The following guidelines shall be adhered to in the allocation of the GPSA Activity Fee:

2.19.1 In order to be considered for funding from the Activity Fee, organizations must meet the following criteria: a. register as a student or university organization with the Student Activities Office; b. allow students equal access to services and participation in activities; c. be operated primarily for students, by students, with funds disbursed through a University operating account; and d. have a qualified advisor, to assist with oversight of the account.

2.19.2 In order to be considered for funding directly from the Activity Fee (“by-line funding”), organizations must also: a. demonstrate that the programs to be funded are of direct and primary benefit to graduate and professional students; and b. demonstrate a minimum budgetary need equivalent to 50 cents per student, per year. c. Agree to make an annual report to the GPSA accounting for the funds allocated to that organization

2.19.3 The GPSA may also elect to provide by-line funding for other programs and services, which are not registered organizations but whose purpose and operations are consistent with the criteria outlined above for by-line funded organizations, with the approval of the President.

2.19.4 The GPSA shall ensure that an appropriate balance is maintained between funds allocated to by-line funded organizations and to the GPSA Finance Commission (GPSAFC). The allocation made to GPSAFC shall be set at no less than 35% percent of the total funds available from the Student Activity Fee in any year.

2.19.5 Neither a check-off option nor an option to pay extra will be allowed to exempt a student from paying the Student Activity Fee because of the funding instability inherent in such a system. Exceptions may be considered if recommended and approved by the GPSA, and approved by the President.

2.19.6 These guidelines and the procedures established in accordance therewith shall be reviewed by the SA and the GPSA and a representative of the President of the University at least every four years in a non-fee-setting year.

These Funding Policy Guidelines are heavily based on the Student Assembly’s Guidelines. My thanks to the SA for their assistance in writing this.

Resolution Regarding the Establishment of Guidelines for Setting the Graduate Student Activity Fee Whereas: the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly has not yet established any codified procedure for allocating the Graduate and Professional Student Activity Fee (GPSAF); Whereas: the process of setting the GPSAF has not always been codified, and during the Assembly’s early history, changed slightly each year. After an unusually contentious funding period during the 1997–1998 academic year, in which an ambiguous process was in use, the 1998–99 Graduate and Professional Student Assembly has realized a need to set down provisions for the setting of the GPSAF, so that each year a specific and thorough process will be followed; Now Therefore be it Resolved, that the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly adopt the following “Guidelines for Allocating the Graduate Student Activity Fee’ ” which will hereby become Appendix B of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Charter. Appendix B Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Guidelines for Allocating the Graduate Student Activity Fee I. Preamble: The Graduate and Professional Student Activity Fee (GPSAF) is allocated to by-line funded organizations by the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, per Appendix A of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Charter and the delegated authority given to us by the President of the University and the Board of Trustees. This fee is mandatory for all graduate students of the university, and is used to pay for activities and programs that benefit the Cornell Community. The GPSAF is voted on every two years.

II. Setting the Fee: The Graduate and Professional Student Activity Fee shall be determined every two years by the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly through a series of votes. A) By-line funded groups are: 1) registered student or university organizations; 2) require 50 cents per student per year or more 3) serve/benefit the entire Cornell community 4) allow all students equal access to services or participation 5) owns a university operating account 6) has an qualified advisor with oversight of the account or: 7) groups that currently receive by-line funding or have received by-line funding in any previous GPSAF cycle B) Registered By-Line funded organizations that have previously received by-line funding must adhere to the following criteria in order to be considered for such funding 1) Submit a budget of income and expenses for five (5) years (e.g. for the 2000–2002 cycle, one would need to submit budgets for academic years 1997–1998, 1998–1999, 1999–2000 [estimated], 2000–2001 [estimated], and 2001–2002 [estimated]) to the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly. The budget must state the amount of funding the group is seeking in terms of dollars per student per year. In addition, the groups seeking funding must present to the Assembly a copy of its most current constitution and by-laws, as well as all other relevant information. This will provide the Assembly with an opportunity for questions and information gathering 2) If deemed necessary by the Funding Policy Committee, Appear before the Funding Policy Committee with the same five (5) year budget (detailing income and expenses) in which only official voting members (as selected in staffing committee in accordance with the charter and by-laws) will make a recommendation to the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly. The Funding Policy Committee will make recommendations based on a simple majority approval of the present sitting voting members. 3) Each registered by-line funded group’s allocation recommendation will be presented to the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly by the Chairman of the Funding Policy Committee on an individual basis at the next scheduled GPSA meeting. C) Following the above mentioned criteria, the below procedure will take place: 1) An e-mail to the entire graduate and professional student population will be sent to inform them of the upcoming Graduate and Professional Student Assembly GPSAF hearings. 2) An initial vote will be taken on each by-line-funded group separately, in which either a “Yes” or “No” vote will be cast on the Funding Policy Committee’s recommendation. A simple majority is necessary for the initial vote. 3) If a majority of the Assembly votes in favor of the Funding Policy Committee’s recommendation for a particular organization, that by-line funded organization become eligible to be voted on in the final budget. 4) If a majority of the Assembly fails to uphold the recommendation of the Funding Policy Committee, the President of the Assembly will then call for another vote. The chair will pose a question asking the Assembly if it would like to send the organization back to the Funding Policy Committee to modify its funding request, or if the Assembly wishes to remove that particular organization from its eligibility to receive funding for that 2 year funding cycle. A 2/3 vote is required to remove a particular organization from funding eligibility. A vote to send the organization back to the Funding Policy Committee will start the process all over again (Go back to B-1). The organization seeking by-line funding then has 1 more opportunity to revise its budget in Funding Policy (for a total of 2 visits to Funding Policy and 2 visits to the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly). Note- If an organization feels as though it should receive more funding than the funding policy committee designates, that organization has the right to persuade the assembly to vote “no” on the recommendation and send it back to the funding policy committee.; 5) If the initial majority vote by the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly has not been reached after two visits to the Funding Policy committee (and the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly), the group seeking by-line funding loses its eligibility to receive that funding for the two year cycle. 6) After the initial status of all the organizations seeking by-line funding has been voted on (needing a majority vote to continue) a collective GPSAF budget with all the “eligible” organizations is then presented to the Assembly as an “old business” resolution, which is debatable, amendable and follows all other rules of Parliamentary procedure. (e.g. This means that any member can change the funding of an organization by an amendment.) The GPSAF budget then will require a 2/3 vote by the entire assembly. 7) After the GPSAF budget is approved by the required 2/3 vote of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, it will automatically be rounded up to the nearest whole, even number. The difference between the Graduate and Professional Student Activity Fee budget and the new rounded figure will be allocated to GPSAFC. 8) No by-line funded group, except the GPSAFC, can ever receive a higher amount of funding than initially requested in the first presentation to Funding Policy Committee. 9) The previous GPSAF is in effect until a new one is voted upon. (Through debate and amendment, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly is urged to pass by 2/3 vote the new proposed GPSAF.) All organizations that were initially defunded (in II-C-3) will not receive funding if the previous SAF is in effect, regardless of if they received funding in that GPSAF. 10) Once funded during any GPSAF funding cycle, a by-line funded organization will follow the guidelines for funding by-line funded organizations as prescribed in Appendix A of the Charter. III. New By-line funded organizations (rules for new student groups to seek by-line funded status): A. Rules for independent organizations (definition of independent organizations found in the latest edition of the SAO Organization and Event-Planning Handbook ) 1) apply for, and receive GPSAFC funding for a minimum of 4 semesters as “trial period”; 2) after the GPSAFC “trial period”, they must obtain petition signatures from 10% of the graduate student body in the spring before the allocation process begins; 3) present the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly with copies of their constitution and by-laws, in which the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly and the community at large may asks questions regarding any aspect of the organization and its potential funding, including but not limited to, its history, mission and purpose, leadership, target audience etc.; 4) Attend/help advertise at least one informational forum regarding the GPSAF and the individual group requesting funding. 5) After these conditions are satisfied, the group then follows procedures for registered by-line funding organizations with the exception of II-C-3. II-C-3 will read for all new groups: If a majority of the Assembly fails to uphold the recommendation of the Funding Policy Committee, the President of the Assembly will then call for another vote. The chair will pose a question asking the Assembly if it would like to send the organization back to the Funding Policy Committee to modify its funding request, or if the Assembly wishes to remove that particular organization from its eligibility to receive funding for that 2 year funding cycle. A simple majority vote is required to remove a particular organization from funding eligibility. A vote to send the organization back to the Funding Policy Committee will start the process all over again (Go back to B-1). The organization seeking by-line funding then has 1 more opportunity to revise its budget in Funding Policy (for a total of 2 visits to Funding Policy and 2 visits to the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly). B. Rules for university organizations (definition of university organizations found in the latest edition of the SAO Organization and Event-Planning Handbook ) 1) The group must obtain petition signatures from 15% of the graduate student body in the spring before the allocation process begins; 2) present the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly with copies of their constitution and by-laws, in which the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly and the community at large may asks questions regarding any aspect of the organization and its potential funding, including but not limited to, its history, mission and purpose, leadership, target audience etc.; 3) Attend/help advertise at least one informational forum regarding the GPSAF and the individual group requesting funding. 4) After these conditions are satisfied, the group then follows procedures III-A-5.

IV. Petitioning Guidelines 1) Petitions must be registered with the Office of Assemblies before presenting to the public; 2) Petitions must state the name of the organization, the mission statement of the organization, and the initial monetary request it seeks when presented to the public. 3) Organizations seeking to receive by-line funding will follow the same procedures and time limits for acquiring petition signatures as students seeking placement on the election ballot. V. Amending this document After passing this document as Appendix B to the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Charter, a 2/3 vote would be needed to amend this document. VI. Voting Procedures: 1) The total number votes equals “yes” votes plus “no”. Members who either are absent or who abstain, do not count as part of the total vote when calculating either a majority or 2/3 vote. This applies to both the Funding Policy Committee, and the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly. 2) Excused absences (under the discretion of the executive board) in which proxies are cast, will count as part of the total vote when calculating either majority or 2/3 votes. 3) Proxies will not be allowed to be cast for any legislation that has been amended, and therefore that vote will not be counted in the total amount of votes cast. VII. Time Line 1) The GPSAF process must be finished by the last meeting of the first semester. The funding levels which have been approved by 2/3 of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly shall be presented to the Board of Trustees in January following the funding process. The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly agrees to recommend the voted upon funding levels to the President of the University as the official Graduate and Professional Student Assembly GPSAF proposal. Be it finally resolved: That this document immediately replace any existing document regarding the procedures for setting the GPSAF. Respectfully submitted, Michael H. Cosh

Chairman, Funding Policy Committee, 1998–1999.

As approved by the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly by acclimation 09/27/99.

C) GPSA Officer Elections

S.Hames stated that a third person is needed on the Executive Committee. This new member will be the GPSA Vice President. Therefore next month, the COR will elect a new at-large member and the GPSA will elect its new Vice President.

P.Carr stated that an e-mail will be sent to gpsa-l about all committee vacancies.

VII.Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned by S.Hames at 6:00 PM.

Respectfully Submitted, Stephanie Tinsley, student clerk