GSA MEETING MINUTES

Date:  8/31/2007

Time:  10:00-11:15 am

Location:  Broughton 2219, Progress Energy Conference Room

Attendees: James Deon Pearson,

Antonio Gonzalez,

Nancy Moore,

David Padgett,

Mitesh Ghelani,

Chris Basciano

Time:10:00

Discussion

• Introductions and greetings

• James Pearson explains to all in attendance duties and goals for the MAE GSA as detailed in the associations constitution and verbalized from the chapters faculty advisor, Dr. Robert Nagel.
• James Pearson explains the chapters requirements every year from the UGSA to stay in good order and to receive a yearly rebate/budget:

1. MAE GSA Representative must attend all (allowed to miss 2) UGSA council meetings held the third monday of every month.
2. MAE GSA Representative must serve on one of seven standing UGSA committee's (Social Committee, Teaching Effectiveness Committee, Finance Committee, Political Action and Response Committee, Judicial and Legislative Committee, Publicity Committee, and Academic Policy Committee [this year, the MAE GSA is serving on the Judicial and Legislative Committee] ) and attend all meetings (allowed to miss 2).
3. Chapter must file with the Student Organization Resource Center (SORC), file a Letter of Credentials, and maintain at least four officers in good standing with the University at all times.

• James Pearson explains the budget for the past and current year.  The MAE GSA did not receive a rebate last year due to poor standing with the University. 

Time:10:35

Discussion

• The decision is made to host a seminar, during the scheduled class time for MAE 801, for new incoming graduate students where MAE GSA members as well as other students advanced far enough along in their program will host an informal information session where they will present good-to-know information to new students that may not be available immediately to students such as:
• Each student has a key to the building
• Each student has a mailbox in the department
• To graduate in May, you must defend early, in March
• Which faculty and courses are most suited to their needs from personal experience (whether through class or TA's)
• How/where to make copies, plan of work requirements, ect...
• All agree to come up with ideas and suggestions and bring them to the next meeting where they will be combined and made into a series of slides for the new student seminar.
• Mitesh Ghelani agrees, as a new student, to bring questions he would like answered as well as to ask other new students what questions they have and would like answered from senior students.
• James Pearson agrees to investigate bringing food and drinks to the event.
• All agree to hold the event the second week of September, after the 2007 ECE Fall Seminar Event on Saturday September the 8th.
• All agree to try to find other senior students with diverse experiences in order to cover all courses and advisors among the departments four major thrust/research areas.  Particularly, David Padgett agrees to find Aerospace students to cover the aerospace side of the event.
• James Pearson agrees to send an email to all the faculty and ask them for their current research interests and if they are looking for students.  This information will be shown at the new student seminar.
• All agree to hold a social event after the seminar event, sometime later in September, and all agree to brainstorm events (baseball game, football game in person or watching together at a home, volleyball or kickball, ect....) and come up with a list to present at the new student seminar in order to determine what is most favored by the graduate students themselves.

Time:10:50

Discussion

• Official officer positions are elected for the 2007-2008 year and James Pearson agrees to submit this information to the SORC.  Officers for the 2007-2008 year are:
• President - James Pearson
• Vice President - David Padgett
• Representative - Mitesh Ghelani
• Alternate Representative - Antonio Gonzalez
• Secretary - Chris Basciano
• Treasurer - Nancy Moore
• 
  
• James Pearson explains the treasurer should be the one to call past alumni of the association and contribute money, especially since a budget was not received last year.

Time:10:55

Discussion

• James Pearson agrees to attend and help with the Fall 2007 Seminar event next weekend, Chris Basciano agrees to attend and try to help out.
• James Pearson agrees to send an email out next week reminding of the event and asking for faculty volunteers. 

Time:11:15

Discussion

• Meeting End.
• Next meeting everyone will bring their contact information for exchange, James Pearson will get the Departmental camera from Cheryl Heeter and pictures will be taken of the officers for the website, James Pearson will schedule the room and send an email out to the officers with the time and location, All agree to bring their ideas for the new student seminar as well as ideas for a social event.
• James Pearson agrees to send an email to all the officers with the login information for the website and email account.
• James Pearson agrees to talk to Dr. Nagel about the GSA officers and the planned events.