November 10, 2009
11/10/09
SASgov General Body
GSC Room 305
Present: President, VPs Finance, Policy, Public Affairs, Social, Communications. Reps: AAMW, Ancient History, Applied Math, Art History, Bio, Classical Studies, Comp Lit, Criminology, Demography, EALC, Earth & ES, English, Fels, German, HSS, History, Linguistics, Master of Environmental Studies, Math, NELC, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Romance Languages
Agenda
5:30-6:30 Committee Meetings
6:30-6:35 Approval of the Minutes
6:35-6:45 Happy Hour Sign-Up
6:45-7:00 Library update
7:00-7:10 Scholarly Commons
7:10-7:25 Officer/GAPSA reports
7:25 New Business
5:30-6:30 Committee Meetings
6:35-6:40 Approval of the Minutes
Motion to approve the minutes; seconded
6:40-45 Happy Hour Sign-Up
Claudia applauded those who have worked hard at Happy Hours; & urged others to volunteer. Even a half-hour makes a difference – the more we are, the less work it is. She prepared a sign-up sheet, and passed it around. (Name and email!) Those who volunteer @ at least three happy hours receive a sweatshirt!
6:45-7:00 Library update
Deirdre reminded us of the board on which people could post questions @ the library event. Main issues:
Our space (other people in your carrels) – library is producing more signs, but interested in additional ways besides signs. If you’re interested in sharing ideas on how to address that problem, we have contact information for the library staff.
Finding sources – i.e. information that is often not in the catalogue . Mainly comes down to knowing the bibliographical sources for your discipline specifically. (Usually there are specific databases for your subject areas.) Raleigh: we are organizing a series of 3 lunchtime workshops. Social Sciences, Image Sources (Humanities), & Scientific Databases. Claudia: if you happen to find mistakes in the catalogue, it would be great for you to write the library and point them out – sometimes people have no idea that those mistakes are there.
Access to specific resources – subscribing to many more additional journals causes budgetary problems. Make the case to your library specialist; use ILL article request service.
Computers & computer software – library is apparently confused about question. Please talk to Deirdre afterwards.
Questions or comments?
Claudia encourages people to use manuscripts!!
6:50 – 6:55 Scholarly Commons
This is where dissertations go when they are published. Open to uploading articles, works in progress. Some departments are using this as a way to interact with each other; still in a formative stage. Deirdre wants to get the word out about it: it’s a great way to collaborate and to find collaborators.
Arthur interrupted to ask if the sign-up sheet has gone all the way around yet. (Hint, hint.J)
ProQuest has dissertations available, but Scholarly Commons is a Penn-only program. You are allowed to turn in one hard copy and one electronic copy (in the past, you had to turn in 2 print forms of your dissertation.) AND you don’t have to pay a fee! There is a dissertation handbook that explains all of these details.
6:55 – 7:00 GAPSA reports
Matt brings up the Black & White Ball, and the discounted movie tickets available. Note that the latter 1) are available in the GSC, and 2) sell out really really quickly!
Question: what does one get at the B&W Ball? Open bar for 2 hours, a sit-down dinner, at the Ritz. Scott Ordway points that there will be butlers there as well.
Thanksgiving dinner on the 27th! (The Friday after Thanksgiving). This is for anyone who is still here. $5, from 6-9 pm, at Philly Diner – they’re closing down the diner for the night, renting it out to us, and bringing in a chef for grad students.
7:00 Committee Reports
Finance: 6 requests for funding – we decided to fund all 4 conferences. Medievalists at Penn, Ancient Studies, Interdiscplinary Bio, Romance Language Department, & comparative lit.
2 more social-type events that we were able to fund (partially.)
Policy – went over tuition reform data gathered last year – began to discuss what we want to do. Based on talks w/ Dean Rosen, best way to handle problems (when people come to you w/ delays) = the grievance procedure. On our part, we would try to inform ppl about the grievance procedure, and details about what is actually going on w/ tuition reform. We need to check if incorrect info has been corrected in the handbook. The rest is a bit in limbo.
Public Affairs – Career Services made up some really nice posters for careers in various industries that might be of interest to SAS students. 20 posters here, so take 1 per building.
We will also order sweatshirts.
This coming Tuesday (17th) – discussion on “Does My Research matter.” It will be @ the 2nd floor of the GSC; RSVP by this Thursday. Encourage people in your dept. to come. Library workshops will occur as well.
One of Raleigh’s particular interests is to organize a student research conference for the entire univ. – conference @ which people can have the opportunity to share / present posters of their work to other people. The best posters could get a cash prize. Does this sound like an event people would be interested in? It would probably be on a Friday, in the Hall of Flags (Houston.)
Suzanne asks: what about people who have less experience in this? Arthur: these are text-heavy, but there are humanities people who have done it.
Deirdre: could this be a scientific alternative to the Penn Humanities Forum?
Claudia: encourages April, b/c the end of March is a little crazy.
Raleigh: please write with questions; he will keep you posted.
Claudia: Please help out @ happy hours. It is fun. The idea of putting the sign-up sheet online was floated; possibilities include a google group or a website section
Suzanne: attendance will be going online.
A question: please restate attendance policy. Deirdre – you may miss two meetings the entire year. If you miss more than two, you are ineligible for departmental funding, but still OK for interdisciplinary funding.
Proxy policy: you have to let Suzanne know 24 hours in advance, but you could elect a proxy who will be there already. Raleigh: just don’t abuse it – the advantages of having a proxy from your department are clear.
Scott: making a purely personal announcement. This Sunday, at 3 pm, his piano quintet will be premiered with people from the Curtis Institute. 3 pm, 4th floor of Fischer Bennet.
Fels is doing a public policy challenge – “public policy plan competition.” Similar to the Wharton Business Plan, but open to all Penn students. Create a policy for any level of government. Contact the Fels Institute of Government – contact person Jack Higgins (jhigg@sas.upenn.edu).
Motion to adjourn; seconded.
Meeting adjourned.
