Constitution of Biology Graduate Student Association
I.
The mission of Bio-GSA is to govern and advocate on behalf of the graduate students in the Biology Department. It is aimed to increase interaction among graduate students, create a socially and academically supportive environment, and enhance the communication between graduate students and the faculty.
II. Description of Organization Structure:
President: Deborah Ritter
Vice President: Michael Stromberg
Treasurer: Jeremy Eberhard
GSA Representative: Deborah Ritter
Data Chair: Brooke Anderson-White
Social Chair: Tristan Lubinski
Meeting schedule: Twice a semester
General agenda of meetings: Determination of social and academic activities for the current semester, share of responsibilities for various activities, discussion of concerns of graduate students.
Activities supported:
- Coffee Club: Social gathering of graduate students every Monday morning.
- Data Club: Graduate students present their data in an academic setting to faculty and fellow graduate students once a month.
- Graduate Pizza Day: Graduate students meet last Friday of every month, this social environment also increases their academic interaction.
- Fall/ Spring outing: Once a semester.
- In house activities: Trivia nights, Events for special days (pumpkin carving, cookie swap etc.).
- General Graduate Student Meeting: Held every semester to discuss academic concerns of graduate students to be conveyed to the Graduate Director.
III. Description of Offices:
President: Schedules and holds meetings, contact person for the group, responsible from data club
Vice President: Follows the concerns of graduate students, helps organizing social outings
Treasurer: Responsible from the budget, organizes and schedules the coffee club
GSA Representative: Represents the Biology Department in GSA and GSAS meetings, contact person for distribution of GSA announcements
Social chair: Organizes social events
Social co-chair: Responsible for in-house activities
IV. Identification of Faculty Advisor:
Current Graduate Program Director, Prof. Charles Hoffman is considered as general over-seer of this group and faculty advisor. In our department, Graduate Program Administrator, Peter Marino acts as liaison between graduate students and faculty members, helps mediate disputes amongst graduate students.
V. Participation in the GSA
- GSA Representative: Ozge Ceyhan
- Treasurer: Keith Eidell