Georgia Tech Graduate Senate Reports

Other resources:

"The audit claims the Georgia Board of Regents and individual schools need to improve controls over the fees. The audit states that the Board of Regents “does not have a process to ensure that all fees assessed by each institution are reported and have gone through the appropriate approval process. Several schools were noted for incomplete, inaccurate, or inconsistent information reported to the state. For example, the audit states the University of Georgia and Kennesaw State have not reported information on their technology fee fund for three years. The audit states that Georgia Tech failed to report information for its recreation center fee for three years. In response, the Board of Regents says it has already taken action to strengthen its policies."

Audit Questions Some Spending of Student Fees - 11Alive.com | WXIA | Atlanta, GA

Text Final Senate Report: April 27, 2010

It seems too soon to file my final Senate report for the 2009-2010 academic year, but the progression of time cannot be denied. Summer, your sweet scent is here!

Student Government Association Graduate Awards Luncheon 11am-12:30pm

You know the drill - buffet, speeches, plaques, polite clapping.

Let’s start with the important part: lunch!
Processed gutbomb macaroni and cheese, suspect fried chicken, salad, and mystery meatballs. If you see me looking pained, blame that mac!

Awards were given out! 22 awards. 22 speeches? Cmon, who would turn down the opportunity to listen to 22 speeches? Among the awardees is homegrown Jill Coffin.

(Literally all of these people are in line to speak. And none of them can pronounce the names of the students winning the awards. Which is kinda embarassing, but mostly funny.)

Senator Mitch Keller, Mathematics retires. After 6 years, he’s headed to England to do math there. For his service, Senator Mitch Keller, Mathematics won the Mitch Keller Lifetime Achievement Award.

[Above: A thrifty senator fills a tupperware with pasta during the speeches.]

With that, I close this final installment of the 2009-2010 Graduate Senator Reports. Thank you to my fellow students for your continued support - it was my pleasure to serve as your Senator. It wasn’t what I thought it would be - for sure - but nothing ever is.

<3 Senator Fries

Text Senate Notes, April 13, 2010

[Above: Senate as I like it best.]

Three Weeks Left, Ya’ll! Come and Get it!

American Nuclear Society - You want money because you went to a conference? Alrighty then. (Should I bring that phrase back? Something tells me … no.)
Underwater Hockey Club - You want money because you went somewhere to play Underwater Hockey. WTF is underwater hockey? You were 10/16 in a competition and you think that’s doing well? - Approved?!
Students Organizing for Sustainability (SOS) - You want garden tools? Baby, you get those garden tools!
ASA – Eye for Sight Conference - One person wants to help the blind? Well, fine.
Paintball Club - Seriously. These guys and their expensive hobbies. Eff em, and their greedy ways of getting our money.
Phi Gamma Delta - You want a drunk driving simulator? W… what? You’re a frat, and you need help simulating drunk driving? Approved.
Canoe and Kayak Club (GT Kayak) - Oooh. Shiny Trophy. Shiny … Approved.

I authored a bill! It passed! Yay dollah$ for GT garden!

Yeah, I have completely avoided this, because it mostly involves:
• Clicking on some random stuff in a really bad website with a remediation of a bulletin board on it.
• Emailing a bunch of undergraduate student leaders to walk them through the process of appearing and asking questions
• Learning what Underwater Hockey is

But, heck, you know my ‘good food’ bias … so I undertook this arduous task. And, yay, now they have shovels.

Onto JacketPages

Seriously. What is this? Ignoring the awesome that is ‘Unsupported File’ - it’s a bunch of flyers designed to be printed, foisted upon you, and thrown away - rendered even less functional when they are compressed beyond readability. Oh, but look how cute those overlapping edges are!

Text Senate Notes, April 6, 2010

I wonder how real Senates get anything done. Our four month session is beginning to wrap itself up, as the obligations of final projects rear their ugly heads. It’s money-grab time, should your organization have any needs.

Running Out Of Song Lyrics for Money-Themed Subtitles So Here is a List of Who Gets What

CanSat Club Wants Money for Robots. I like Robots - Approved!
Outdoor Rec - Approved!
Georgia Tech Triathlon Club - Approved!
American Nuclear Society - Approved!
Alpha Kappa Psi - Approved!
Underwater Hockey Club. Yeah, what? I spaced out. - Approved!
Markmanship Club - “I’d like to point out that this is not a political club” - Approved!
International Association for Exchange Students for Technical Experience - Approved!
Joint Allocation to Interfraternity Council - DENIED.
Aerospace Design-Build-Fly Club - Approved!
International Association for Exchange Students for Technical Experience - Approved!

Text Senate Notes, March 30, 2010

Guns, Guns, Guns & the Board of Regents

So, guntoters - your wishes have come true! You can now carry your gun - with a concealed weapons permit, naturally, nearly everywhere you’d like. But the burning question … can you pack heat when you pack your lunch? What about guns in schools?

The fine folks in the Georgia Legislature have left this question up to the Board of Regents - the same fine folks that make decisions about your student fees, health insurance, and tuition. They have publicly opposed guns in campus - apparently bleeding you dry is more fun than just plain ol’ shooting ya. Leave that derringer at home, and settle your feuds the old fashioned way - with fisticuffs!

[L] A somewhat petrified student representing several organizations petitions the Senate for funding. Student representatives submit to questioning from the Senate - occasionally a quick process, but sometimes drawn out and rather intimidating.

[R] Senator Mitch Keller, Mathematics.

Money For Nothing And Your … Wait, What’s Free?
Photography Club - Yes!
Culture Tech International Film/Food Series - Yes!
Culture Tech Language Lunch 2010 - Yes!
Tech Beautification Day - Yes!
Lebanese (the country, people) Club - Yes!
Solar Jackets - Audi GT converted to a solar car? Neato. You need a “car part”? - Yes!
Georgia Tech Game Fest Spring 2010 - Yes!
Yellow Jacket Archery Club - Yes!

I WISH I could get a picture of the dude in the back row right now. He sincerely looks like he’s wearing a Groucho Marx glasses/nose/stache getup … but it’s reaeeaalll!!

Text Big Ol Fancy Pants Budget Meeting 6-9pm March 15, 2010

$4,489,745.13 dollars. Your Money. How We Spent It.

WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM? CAN I SEE THE BUDGETS? AND PROPOSED CUTS?
• Your student fees. Budget is here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/28426101

Proposed Cuts here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/28426094

WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN?
• OK, so this is all a load of hoooey. There was no scientific or procedural way of dealing with budget cuts. We worked off a document of recommendations from the “Grad Exec” (whatever that is), and spent three hours debating those particular items. Did we really get into the dirty of the entire budget? Of course not. Is that ever how things work?

WHERE DO YOU GET THE NUMBER 4.5 MILLION?
• OK, so when you start talking about overall budgets for a fiscal year, you need to know how big your pile of money is going to be. Will it be 4.3 million, based on current student fees? Will it be be 4.5 million, if student fees are raised by $5/ per student?

Senator Mitch Keller, 8 years on graduate senate, offered this obervation:
“What is our philosophy? This time around, it is that the student activity fee will not increase. That is dangerous. It sends the message to Board of Regents that we don’t need it, and that is a sure fire way not to get it. ”

Without knowing whether or not there will be a $5 fee increase, we decided to act as if there will be 4.5 million dollars to disburse.

THERE IS A FREE-TO-STUDENTS YEARBOOK THAT YOU PAY FOR. SHOULD YOU?
• Well, you pay for it. Sorry about that one; I voted that they should grow up and get a business model.

HOW MUCH YOU NEED FOR PUBLICITY? $50 GOOD?
• Well, that’s the maximum you can get from student government. I have a lot of ideas for you that are free, should you need them.

WHO WANTS FREE NEWSPAPERS?
• Hope it isn’t you. Because we are not funding them any longer. Savings: $40K.

CAN YOU BE GETTING MONEY FOR VENUE RENTALS FROM STUDENT GOV?
• Sorry, Charlie. If you want $1,500 to rent the Ferst Center, you better start planning that bake sale. [Possibly more than one.]

SHOULD INTRAMURALS GET FREE T-SHIRTS? (What is an intramural?)
• $1,251 for shirts. Approved.

CAN MUSICIANS’ NETWORK HAVE MORE THAN 4 EVENTS? DO THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR INTRAMURALS OUT OF POCKET?
• Yes, have more than 4 events. Which they will pay for out of pocket, if it is Intramurals.

SHOULD FRAT DUDES GET YOUR MONEY?
• The Interfraternity Council wants to pay their officers. $2,500 for the Prez, wtf? $1,261 for the Executive Vice President and Programming Vice President? Those three get paid, but five other positions did not. Highest paying job involving gravity and plastic liter bottles ever.

ARE YOU PAYING FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO GET THEIR PHOTOS IN THE YEARBOOK? OR TO GO BOWLING? FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN JOURNALS FOR THE LIBRARY? SHOULD SPORTS CLUBS GET A TON OF CASH? SHOULD THE PAPER BE SUBSIDIZED MORE THAN $25K? GIVE THE YEARBOOK MORE THAN 30K?
• No!

ARE YOU STILL INTERESTED?
• After 8pm, I was not. Something about … fees? Money? Slicing $100K, $500K, more?
• Did you know that it costs $300/hr to rent an ice hockey rink? That’s 18K a year for practices. Hmm, that’s a darn lot.

[view from the Molecular Science and Engineering Building]

Photo

Senate Notes, March 2, 2010

Money. Who Gets It?

•    Men’s Volleyball - Yes!
•    Ice Hockey Club - Yes!
•    Christian Campus Fellowship - No!
•    Women’s Volleyball - Yes!
•    Wushu Club - yes!
•    Trailblazers Spring Break - yes!
•    International Medical Relief of Children - yes!
•    GT Week - yes!

Text Graduate Senate Notes, February 16, 2010

Board Of Regents Says: Senator Seabaugh, Keep Guns Off Campuses

Reports the AJC:

State Sen. Mitch Seabaugh’s bill that he says will clarify existing rules as to where licensed owners can carry their guns is finding a formidable adversary: the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents. Tom Daniel, senior vice chancellor with the University System, said state schools promise a safe working environment to students and faculty members. Seabaugh’s bill would alter that, Daniel said.

“Our classrooms are meant to be places of learning, debate, dialogue and disagreement,” Daniel said. “We don’t need firearms introduced into that environment.” Twenty-six university presidents signed a letter given to the Senate Special Judiciary Committee urging lawmakers to keep the law as it is now. […] Seabaugh (R- Sharpsburg) said he was “perplexed and disappointed” with the regents’ position. He said that after speaking with University System officials, he included language they said they wanted in the bill.

source: http://www.ajc.com/news/universities-line-up-against-306799.html

Money, Money, Money, Money. (MONEY!)
Construction club gets a couple grand so they can participate in contests.

Adjourned!
Best Senate Meeting Ever!

WORD. Senator Fries.

Text Graduate Senate Minutes, February 9, 2010

FREE FOOD @ GROWBOT GARDEN SCREENING
Your friends at the Public Design Workshop are putting on a Future Of Farm Screening at ParkGrounds Coffee on Thursday.
details/RSVP: http://growbotfuturefarm.eventbrite.com/

WIN FREE AQUARIUM TICKETS
If you’ve never seen sad penguins dive endlessly in tiny rooms, now’s your chance! Slowly dying whale sharks also on display.
http://www.importantstuff.gatech.edu/news.htm?id=1528
CODE: “AuxillaryServicesLovesStudents” [unsure about capitalization]

$4,000 IMPACT SCHOLARSHIPS APP DUE TOMORROW
https://webhost.gatech.edu/auxsurvey/impact.htm

NEW JUNK FOOD OPTIONS
Chick-Fil-A, Subway & Taco Bell will replace Pandini’s. Now your dreams of a $5 foot-long taco filled with fried chicken can come true.

CONTESTS: iPHONES & FREE RENT & GIFT CARDS, OH MY!
http://www.importantstuff.gatech.edu/news.htm?id=1525

TECH TWEETS
More than a few campus orgs maintain Twitter accounts.
FREE FOOD: http://twitter.com/GTSWAG
GT TWEETERS: http://twitter.com/growbotgarden/georgia-tech
[If you’re new to Twitter Lists, following the List allows you to follow every account on the list, or use the RSS feed for your own uses.]

GUNS ON CAMPUS
Wow, this is debated. Some Senator-dude named Wyatt brought his empty holster & permit to demonstrate how easily his gun could have been concealed. Lots of speechifying from people from both sides of the spectrum.

The Tech Senate voted in support of a No Guns on Campus resolution. This is symbolic gesture that does not impact the progress of the gun bills currently being debated.

Background: http://gatechsenate.tumblr.com/post/367150243/graduate-senate-notes-february-2-2010

Overview of GA Gun Law: http://www.georgiapacking.org/law.php
[yes. georgiapacking.org.]

How to Get a Concealed Weapons Permit in Georgia: http://www.ehow.com/how_2061093_get-permit-carry-concealed-weapon.html