DRAFT
Graduate and Professional Student Assembly
Minutes
Big Red Barn
February 21, 2005
5:30–7:00 p.m.

I. Welcome

II. Open Forum

Victoria said that she is part of the president’s council of Cornell women and she asked if there were any graduate students (women) who were interested in women’s issues.

B. Holmes mentioned the man that got beaten downtown. He said one person has been arrested and that he is going to a forum for student leaders.

III. Visit from Brendan O’Brien, Director International Students and Scholars Office

B. O’Brien said that the International Students and Scholars Office is there to assist international students. He gave a background of the statistics of international students in Cornell.

B. O’Brien said that security is a big topic now and then spent a lot of time on immigration issues. He said the International Students and Scholars Office will work with the Cornell government legislation office to have legislation that promotes exchange. They want to try and build a sense of community.

B. O’Brien also said that international students now have to pay an extra $100 fee (sevas).

B. Holmes asked about English as a 2nd language being cut, he said students need TA’s who speak English. O’Brien said it is sad that it got cut because it was a good resource. There will be a summer English program.

IV. Assembly Updates�B. Holmes

B. Holmes said that at the last meeting they had an emergency meeting about the CIT proposal to block spam. They made a resolution for the opt out plan.

He also talked about the resolution about relations with Cornell medical school�to have a liason for GPSA. The resolution would try to get some med students to come visit Cornell.

B. Holmes said that they formed a Graduate Leadership network (this was the last resolution). It is an email list run by grad students and an officer for each school of Cornell and GPSA members.

V. Other Updates

a. GPSAFC�Joe Woody

Yuyu is the new vice chair appointed by Joe.

Joe said that the funding packets for next year will be available March 2. He is looking for more people in the social sciences and humanities. The funding request deadline is April 8.

b. University Assembly Update�Tim McConnochie

Tim said that the last 2 UA meetings were mainly about academic integrity concerning medical excuses and death certificates that need to be shown if somebody wanted to miss an exam. The UA hasn’t figured out a concrete action to solve the problem yet. President Lehman attended the 2nd meeting.

c. Cornell Police and Public Safety�B. Holmes

Janet is part of public safety, she said the main issues were lighting, doing things proactively, and people suggesting to take a Life 101 class to know how to deal with safety.

d. Ethical Purchasing Committee (University Committee)�Gwen Curtis

Gwen said that this committee evolved from an activist committee about Hotel School’s uniform issues.

e. Diversity and Minority Committee (University Committee)�Gwen Curtis

Gwen talked about diversity and minority issues.

VI. 2005 Pay and Benefits Survey

An email is trying to be formed to advertise the survey.

VII. GPSA Elections Overview�Joshua Nelson, B. Holmes, and H. Etienne

The election process was discussed�how they work and what to expect.

Joshua said that there are many vacant seats and that we need to get people to fill up the vacancies.

VIII. Graduate and Professional Ball�Michelle Leinfelder and Janet Vertesi

The ball will be held at the atrium at Sage Hall on April 9. It can host at the most 400 people, it will be $20 a ticket. There will be live and DJ music, and a dance instructor. The ball will go from 8:30pm-1am. Michelle briefly mentioned the budget proposal attached to the agenda.

Email: gradball@cornell.edu for more information.

IX. Student Fees Review Committee Update�Amanda Soule

X. Adjournment

At 6:55p.m. they went into executive session.

Respectfully submitted,
YuhLi Tsuei