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GSA Reps Meeting

April 18, 2006

  1. GSA Officer (Re-) Introductions
  2. Old Business
    1. Award Committee: has selected winners and sent notification
    2. ARA/GSA Blood Drive
    3. March MATCHness
    4. Beer Bike:  Ladies 2nd place, Men 3rd place
  3. New Jones School Rep:  Robert Boyd
  4. New PostDoc liaison:  Jim Lancaster
  5. Orientation Committee Recommendations (Handout)
    1. PASSED
    2. Concerns:
      1. Is there a budget for the after-Scavenger Hunt @ Valhalla?  Not yet.
      2. Indoor option (with A/C) for after scavenger hunt?  Possibly Keck Hall?
      3. Lunch in big group didn’t work last year; people tended to end up sitting with people in their own departments.  Hopefully having lunch with breakout groups will help with this.
  1. Friday, April 21st @ 5pm, GSA/KTRU Event
    1. GSA contribution:  $100
    2. Live band:  Brennan Michael Nase and the Jazz Raptors
  2. Volunteering opportunities
    1. Habitat for Humanity (Mary Jane Johnston, 713-671-9993 x10)
    2. Third Ward Bike Shop (“Earn-a-Bike” program, Abbas Yaseen)
    3. Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic
    4. Other suggestions?
      1. Tutoring math/science in lower income high schools
      2. ESL (English as Second Language):  contact – Teresa Fu, undergrad
      3. Ronald McDonald House

iv. Work through RSVP (Rice Service Volunteer Program)?

  1. Spring Picnic:  Friday April 28th @ 4pm
    1. Live band:  The Eames Era
    2. Volunteers Needed (setup, grilling, TABC stuff, cleanup):  passed around sign up sheet
  2. 2006-2007 GSA Budget Proposal
    1. changes:
      1. TGs:  increased
      2. Sports:  slight decrease (due to purchase of equipment last year)
      3. Yellow Pages:  slight increase (went slightly over budget last year)
      4. Awards:  increase in some award amounts
      5. Office supplies:  increase for new printer
      6. Website:  new category; used to be under Misc.
      7. Internal acct:  not transferring any over because is enough there already (~$9300)
    1. Internal account:  can be used to pay for anything (not just on campus); Heather Masden writes checks.  There is also a credit card for this account.
    2. PASSED
  1. New GSA Lounge (960 ft2 room)
    1. 2nd floor RMC (some of Career Services space); architectural drawings handed out
    2. expected:  500 ft2 for couches/TV; 300 ft2 for tables/chairs; 200 ft2 for foosball/ping pong
    3. 24 hour access, access only for grad students (card reader)
    4. will hold reps meetings there
    5. some furnishing to be provided by administration; need Furnishing & Decorating Committee (will make recommendation at next reps meeting).  Committee:  Cristina Hofmann (chair), Jordan Miller, Philip Graves, Marcos Huerta, Kristjan Stone, Bob Patten, Anna Kelly.
  2. New Business
    1. Undergrad Semi-Formal @ Dave and Busters (Saturday):  want 2 chaperones 25 or older.  No volunteers . . .
    2. Rec Center Design Committee:  Sarah Thomas will serve on it.
    3. Next TG (May/June) potential departments:  Psychology, English, History, Earth Science
    4. Morningside Apartments:  David has received complaints about increases in rent every year.  Jeff will look into it?
    5. Cristina has been named GSA Historian:  send her any pictures/information you have.

In attendance:  Jordan Miller (President), Nikhil Gheewala (External VP), Amber Raley (Treasurer), Cristina Hofmann (Parliamentarian), Anna Kelly (Secretary), Bob Patten (Faculty Advisor).  Reps: Philip Graves (Biochem), Hubert Philips (Chem), Larkin Spires (CAAM), Micah Nicolo (Earth Science), Jeff Shafer (ECE), Andrea Holman (Hisp Studies), Dave Getman (History), Maribel Correa (Jones), Luke Chuang (Math), Garret Merriam (Philosophy), Kristjan Stone (Physics/Astronomy), Marcos Huerta (Physics/Astronomy), Madeline Campbell (Psych), Sarah Thomas (Stat), Jim Lancaster (PostDoc Assoc.).  Other:  Robert Boyd (Jones)