Graduate Welfare Commitee Meeting

16 Apr 2004

Present: Brendan Murphy, Reid Smith, Todd Tinsley, Janice Trinidad, Arno Bohm, John Keto, Phil Morrison, Sonia Paban

PIZZA SEMINARS

Dr. Morrison read an email that Udagawa had received from the current organizer of the pizza seminar in regards to the question, "Why is there no graduate student participation in the pizza seminars?" The email explained that the current organizer was advised by the previous organizer that such participation was a "bad idea" and had a negative effect on the seminars.

There was a strong argument against allowing graduate student participation by Dr. Keto. He argued that this is a forum for students to see what research professors are doing. The graduate students explained that in the "Graduate Student Open House" students specifically asked for more student participation. This revealed that there is some ambiguity about the role of pizza seminar.

Members of the committee offered compromises that involved sharing of of the allotted time:

  • Professor and students share the hour. Either half and half, or perhaps, professor=30-40 min + ?'s, and students 10-15 min + ?'s.
  • Or, once a month, graduate students from three different groups, each give a 20 min presentation

*With no resolution, this item was tabled.

Recruitment Weekend

The question, "How was recruitment weekend?" was raised. It seems many members felt this recruitment weekend fell short of previous recruitments in several ways, including:
  • There were not enough posters at the poster session,
  • There was not enough notice to put together a poster,
  • There were faculty missing from the building on Saturday. Specifically, there was no one available to students interested in High Energy Theory.

RLM 9.222

As a committee we would like it to be recognized that our priority is the renovation of RLM 9.222.

GSA

The physics department is allowed three places on the Graduate Student Assembly, along with three alternate spots. Janice brought forms for her, Reid, Todd, Arban, Ion, and Brendan to fill out so that we could become members of the GSA.

NEXT MEETING: May 7 11am – 12 noon.

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