Meeting Minutes

Most Recent Meeting

Tuesday, May 7^th, 2013 at 5:15 pm                                               DRC2 Room 1002

• Minutes from last (April) meeting were approved and posted on website
• Members present: Krupa Savalia, Ariel Burns, Duy Ha, Prathamesh Patil, Heather Talbott, Aditya Bade, Hollie Siebler, Terri Vadovski, Carly Ninemire, and Amanda Lakamp presided.

 

• Old Business/Announcements

– Monday Pizza Vendor – changed Godfather’s Pizza provider to Aksarben group

– GSA Online Election – April 29^thto May 3^rd on CARE website

-Voting was easy but still waiting for the voter turnout results from Dr. Carver

-A message confirming declaration of candidacy would be helpful

-Provide full profiles of all the candidates during election week on the voting page

-Candidate images were difficult to upload due to small size requirements

– Dr. Cliff Mintz Seminar – April 19^th

• Recorded seminar and slides posted on GSA website

-Students interested in building skills and making themselves stronger applicants

-Consider joining societies with online certifications – workshop on these programs

-Competition for students to get scholarships to get these certifications that includes travel to conferences – perhaps ask boss to contribute to the cost of joining these societies

– Morning Coffee Cart (Amanda/Krupa/Carly)

• Sodexo bid was accepted – offer 10% student discount

Discount will be applied during card swipe

• Grand Opening Ceremony: Wednesday, May 8^th at 8 am (DRC1 atrium)
  • Promotions (free coffee giveaways, prizes), drink specials, and samples
  • Starbucks “punch cards” used at med center coffee kiosk is valid at DRC Coffee Cart
  • Serves regular coffee, tea, soda, water, pastries…looking to add greater drink varieties (mochas and lattes) – from lack of plumbing in DRC1 atrium

 

• New Business

– Congratulations New 2013-2014 GSA officers

• President: Duy Ha
• Vice-President: Heather Talbott
• Secretary: Prathamesh Patil
• Treasurer: Ariel Burns
• International Student Officer: Aditya Bade
• Co-Social Chairs: Hollie Siebler and Yinnong Jia

– Congratulations to new Graduate Student Senator – Raheleh Miralami (MSIA)

– Spring activity (Heather/Prathamesh)

• Aksarben Movie Night – Tuesday, May 28th
• Cost: $5/ticket: UNMC students + 1 non-student guest (2 or more guests = $7/ticket)
• Tickets pre-sold: May 20^th to 27^th in DRC Commons (12-1 pm)
• Discounted popcorn and soda plus watch movie of your choosing

-Have mock tickets for popcorn and soda that can be redeemed at theater – like last year

-Have one half of ticket with popcorn and the other half with soda for students to choose at theater

– Electronic CV/Resume Review (Amanda)

• Grad Council suggested CV workshop – lack of faculty participation
• Present templates for each career field (education, academia, industry, etc)
• Host workshop twice a year – invited speakers

-Allow students to continually update CV with help of own mentor without need for faculty reviewers

• Putative June event

– Senate Updates:

• Family Zoo day in early August – open to children
• Changes to Macori health care plan (2013-14):
  • $500 deductible, increase from $100k to $500k care coverage
  • Optional Major Medical: $1 million

– Graduate Council Meeting Updates (Amanda)

• BEST grant proposal – due Friday, May 10^th (complete survey)

-Students asked about creating a competitive scholarship for current grad students to apply to scientific societies and compete for travel grants to present at national conferences

• Changes to extramural fellowship – awarded a “scholarship”

-If students come in with funding should discuss if they can get the extramural scholarship

           -Mentor receives supplement if student receives external fellowship for 2 years

      -Student receives 20% of base UNMC stipend as a scholarship for 2 years after being scored and awarded with external fellowship at national level (ex. NIH, AHA)

• UNMC Database – Track students / Post-docs

-Database will be tested in phases

-Able to track progress of students and post-docs during and after career at UNMC

• Mentorship program for pre-tenure faculty – all of UNMC
• Enhancing recruitment to UNMC
  • Exceptional incoming (domestic) student scholarship

-Strict criteria (3.6 GPA, 1+ publication, 3+ presentations, high GRE or MCAT scores, etc)

-Scholarship is applicable for incoming domestic PhD and MD/PhD students

• How to recruit non-Nebraska students?

-Students suggested using social media:

-Live Skype chats, video blurbs on the UNMC student website, improve the website to make it more user friendly,

-Hire PR group or permanent IT person to enhance student recruitment websites

-Send mailers or posters to undergrad colleges of current grad students

• McNair Scholars visit UNMC – June 19^th (10 am to 12 pm)

-Undergraduate students will learn about UNMC graduate programs, labs, and GSA

-Heather volunteered to discuss her success in the McNair program

• Dr. Davies wants your suggestions…

 

• Other Business

– International Fun/Game Night -  Wed. May 30^th at 4 pm, following ISA Committee meeting

-Will offer ice breakers and fun games to help students become acquainted with each other

-Other Fun/Game nights will continue throughout the year

– Graduate Grievance Council Update

• Dr. Karen Gould’s meeting with Dr. Dele Davies and Dr. Cheryl Thompson
• Editing flow-chart issues – brainstorm examples

-Please share incidences you know of to the committee knowing everything is anonymous

– Scientific Research Career Fair – contact Amanda if interested

• Putative event – Fall of 2013 or Spring 2014 in Omaha
• Forming project committee – membership open to all Nebraska University System
• First project committee meeting is end of May…details soon to follow

 

• Adjourn

*Click Here for the PDF Version of the Most Recent Meeting

*Click Below for PDF Versions of Previous GSA Meetings

• May 7th, 2013
• April 2nd, 2013
• March 5th, 2013
• Feb 5th, 2013
• Jan 8th, 2013
• Dec 4th, 2012
• Nov 8th, 2012
• Oct 2nd, 2012
• Sep 4th, 2012
• Aug 7th, 2012
• May 1st, 2012
• Apr 3rd, 2012
• Mar 6th, 2012
• Feb 7th, 2012
• Jan 10th, 2012

• Dec 8th, 2011
• Nov 1st, 2011
• Oct 4th, 2011
• Sep 6th, 2011
• Aug 2nd, 2011
• May 3rd, 2011
• Apr 5th, 2011
• Mar 1st, 2011
• Feb 1st, 2011
• Jan 11th, 2011

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