Graduate Student Council Minutes

An address sign-up sheet, an agenda, copies of the minutes for the meetings from March and April, and copies of the Graduate Student Council for Arts and Sciences Constitution and By-laws were distributed to each representative.

Treasurer's Report: Bill Murad (Classics), Treasurer, reported that (although exact figures are difficult to come by, since our funds are administered by Dean Huskey) we have about $6600 left over from last year. We should receive about $3900 each semester, in addition. Bill explained that GSC's funds come from the student activities fees of grad students, in the amount of $2 per grad student per semester.

We discussed the ways in which we can use our funding. GSC Constitution specifies, in accordance with University directions for the use of student activity fees, that funds be used for educational purposes, not for social gatherings or to support religious organizations. Because there is a need for cross-disciplinary graduate student social functions, Nathalie Charron (French) was delegated to contact University Union, the organization that does foster social events, to encourage them to offer more graduate student-oriented activities. We may plan activities and present them to University Union, to be funded by them.

Julie reported that the GSC web page is up and running, but suggested that we hire someone to make it look better and to convert the new funding request form so that funding requests may be made over the web. Sarah Hand (History) suggested we contact Anne Stinehardt (History) to do this; a motion was made, carried, and seconded to fund this endeavor.

The Student Council president, Sajeena Geevarghese, reported that the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is entitled to three spots on the Student Council, of which only one is filled. Amy Campbell (Government) volunteered to serve an additional graduate representative to Student Council, and was appointed thereto by the President. Sajeena also asked for a GSC liaison, to meet with her occasionally in the interests of improving communication between GSC and Student Council.

The Vice President for Organizations, Dean Kwon, asked for two grad representatives to help the appropriations committee for Contracted Independent Organizations.

It was suggested that Sajeena and Dean send descriptions of these positions to Julie, who will send them to the representatives, who will distribute them to their departments.

Julie and Sajeena described their idea for a joint day-care project, which generated some discussion. It was decided that representatives should gauge the demand for day care in their departments and report back at the next meeting before going any further with the project.

1. INITIATION: The instructor or other member of UVA's community of trust contacts the Honor office, where an Honor Advisor records the report of the Honor violation.
2. INVESTIGATION: Two investigators investigate the case for two weeks. If they find grounds for suspicion, they confront the accused student.
3. CONFRONTATION: If the student denies culpability, the case is sent to the Investigative Panel.
4. INVESTIGATIVE PANEL: If two out of the three members of the Investigative Panel agree that an Honor violation probably occurred, the case is sent to trial.
5. TRIAL: The jury has 8-12 members, with at least two members from the accused student's school. The accused student can choose the ratio of Honor Committee members to other students. The jury votes twice: first, on Act and Intent, which needs an 4/5 majority to convict; second, on Seriousness, which needs a simple majority to convict.

The University has a single sanction, which means that if a student is found guilty of an Honor violation, the student is expelled. There is an appeal process.

We may arrange a (non- or minimally-funded) Bar Night again, possibly to occur more than once per semester, and better-publicized than last year's.