Graduate Student senate had two presenters at Tuesday’s meeting, Pat McGee from the Center for Student Legal Services, or CSLS, and Brett Fredericksen, the GSS department representative for both the environmental and plant biology departments.
“We are your creation, the CSLS,” McGee said. He then went on to ask the body for support regarding the soon to be renewed contract and the approval of a potential fee increase.
CSLS had a fee increase was in 2003, McGee said. CSLS will also ask the Board of Trustees if they will approve an increase from $12 per semester to $15 per semester.
“We think that is justified, because we have hit some hard times, I will be honest with you,” McGee said.
McGee said that in 2008 the center went from having approximately 15,000 students enrolled in its services down to 8,000 students. This is partially due to the recession and also due to the University making it easier for students to waive the fee and students deciding to waive the fee.
GSS also discussed how Dr. Sara Davis, Fredericksen and other faculty members recently started a program called Open OHIO.
“(The idea of Open OHIO) is to create a space available to students and to Athens community members that has no agenda attached to it,” Fredericksen said.
Open OHIO is a space for people to come and share their experiences, their stories and their concerns about any topic they wish with anybody they want to listen, Fredericksen said. Those who participate, then have to also listen to others and their experiences.
The dates and times for Open OHIO vary.
The body heard from all three of their executives after these two presentations. Michael Senteney, the vice president for finance, said the bodies budget balance is still in the negatives — -$4,653.87 to be exact. This is because the amount still hasn’t been carried forward.
Senteney said he estimated that there will be around $5,000 in the account when the money is carried forward.
Claudia Cisneros, vice president for communications, talked about a health insurance survey that the Division of Student Affairs is requesting feedback from the body on.
Cisneros said that health insurance is a controversial topic that is talked about frequently. The Division of Student Affairs is looking to gather information regarding the topic through this survey.
“The survey is up until (October) 24 and they are trying to get feedback on what you would like to see on your health insurance,” Maria Modayil, GSS president, said. “They are giving us the capability of building our own health insurance.”
GSS asked the body originally for $500 for various homecoming fees. They amended this resolution which would only give GSS $200 for homecoming fees.
The body then discussed a resolution for $560.43. Senteney said this money would go to a National Association for Graduate-Professional Students, or NAGPS, conference in Arkansas. GSS is hoping to send three of their members to this conference.
Both resolutions were passed by the body.
