GSA Newsletter: Nov. 26, 2018
Greetings graduate students! I hope that you got some well-needed rest over the Thanksgiving break and are ready for the last two weeks of the semester. We at the Graduate Student Association have had a great semester! The GSA successfully ran one of our larger fundraising projects, the UNC Local Business Fair, to raise research/travel grant money for participating graduate students. We've also obtained the rights to the Spring 2019 Off-Campus Housing Fair and we are working on several other fundraising projects to generate more money for participating graduate students' research/travel. Our grant-writing efforts are well underway and we hope to secure even more funding for future GSA projects and equipment purchases.
GSA social events were strong throughout the semester with large turnouts at the New Graduate Student Orientation Lunch, the Welcome Back Mixer at 16th Street Tavern, the Taste of UNC meetup, the Crazy Rich Asians private screening and Greeley Night Out. The GSA has also been increasing graduate student presence and representation across campus with grad students at the Student Senate, Board of Trustees, Faculty Research and Publications Board, Graduate Council, Faculty Senate, Academic Appeals Board, Campus Recreation Advisory Board, University Center Advisory Board, Campus Task Force Committees, hiring panels and countless other boards, committees and councils.
The handful of GSA volunteers that attend these committee and board meetings are constantly lobbying for continued financial support and services that benefit graduate education. Capitalizing on and publicizing graduate students' unique contributions to the UNC campus community is paramount, given the university's current financial deficit. As competition for UNC's pool of resources increases, the GSA is looking to create partnerships and opportunity, rather than being a case for charity. If receiving a graduate assistantship, tuition waiver, stipend or grant funding is something you value, make it a point to get involved with the GSA.
Hang in there.
Sincerely,
David Shimokawa
Director, UNC Graduate Student Association
Congratulations to the graduate students who won grant funding from the GSA during grant cycle 2 (Sept.-Dec. 2018). There was a 29 percent increase in applications from last year's grant cycle 2. Here are the quick stats:
- 16 applications for conference attendance grants
- 3 applications for non-lead presenter grants
- 28 applications for lead presenter grants
- 15 applications for research grants
- 25 applications from EBS, 6 applications from HSS, 25 applications from NHS, 6 applications from PVA, 0 applications from MCB
- 23 applications from Master's students, 30 applications from Ph.D. students, 4 applications from Ed.D. students, 1 application from an Ed.S. student and 4 applications from D.A. students
- 7 presentations in Colorado, 37 presentations in other U.S. states, 3 international presentations
- Cycle 2 Grant Winners:
Aimee Massafra, Ann Kuhn , Annabel Li, Ann-Elizabeth Nash , Anthony Azari , Bailee Curry , Bomin Paek, Brian Tucker , Brynn Cox , Christie Toliver , Claire Critchlow, Connie Couch, Danqing Zhou, Emily Darrell, Emily Phillips, Emily Royse, Evan Varner, Genna Dacanay , Gianna Stover , Golriz Shayani , Hoyoon Jung, Jacob Garritson, Jacob Kisiolek, Jason Kopanke , Jason Rose, Jenipher Riesenhuber, Jessica Kirby, Jessie Slepicka, Jonathon Lisano , Katrine Gosselin, Kitsya Cordova, Laura Trapp , Megan Wittenberg , Meghan Walton, Micayla Lander, Michelle Saltis , Nancy Williams, Nathan Robey, Nicholas Harman, Nora Johnston, Patrick Bussiere , Peter Smoak, Roberta Ballard , Samantha Estrada Aguilera , Sara Movahedazarhouligh , Sherry Alves , Tachinee Patarateeranon , Tara Brown-Ogilvie, Taylor Touchton , Victoria Flores and Xiaoping Fan.
GSA Hockey Night: Colorado Eagles vs. Iowa Wild
Friday, Nov. 30
7:05 p.m.
Budweiser Events Center (map)
Tickets: https://eagles.isportstix.com/order/group/GSA113018/
Join your fellow graduate students for this end of the semester get together hosted by grad students Mel Lafferty and Gabby McAllaster. The first 2,000 fans in attendance will receive an Ugly Sweater Colorado Eagles Beanie, courtesy of Green Ride. Family and friends are invited, so please bring them along. Purchase your tickets through this link for special pricing and to be seated in the GSA reserved seating area: https://eagles.isportstix.com/order/group/GSA113018/
Saturday, Dec. 1
10 a.m. - noon
Loveland Breakfast Club (map)
Join your fellow graduate students for our monthly Breakfast Club meeting. The GSA has a limited food budget for UNC graduate students. Please RSVP with Margaret Sebastian. Breakfast Club menu here.
Friday-Sunday, Jan. 11-13, 2019
UNC Old Man Mountain Cabins
Join the Graduate Student Association for a weekend in beautiful Estes Park, Colorado. GSA Council Representatives Amanda Jacobs and Katy LaFary will be leading a two-night stay filled with snow-shoeing, hiking, cooking, board/card games and visiting the sites of Downtown Estes Park. This free trip is limited to 24 UNC graduate students. Priority reservations go to students that volunteer with planning/coordinating meals, activities, hikes and/or transportation. Can't stay the entire time? Let Katy or Amanda know and maybe you can just stop by for an activity or two. Contact Katy or Amanda today!
Attend the UNC Task Force Open Forum on Jan. 8, 2019
UNC faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to attend the UNC Task Force Open Forum from 2-4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8, in the UC Ballrooms to learn more about the recommendations as well as to provide additional feedback on the recommendations. After the event, the collected feedback and recommendations will be reviewed by the President’s Leadership Council, which will then make a final recommendation to the president. The decisions will guide implementation strategies to commence in spring 2019.
The campus community will also be able to send feedback through an online survey which will be available after Dec. 10 through the Task Force website at: www.unco.edu/president/task-force-committee/
Learn More on the Task Force Committees: https://www.unco.edu/president/task-force-committee/
Budget 101 Meeting Notes (link)
For those of you that weren't able to attend one of President Feinstein's Budget 101 meetings with CFO Michelle Quinn, here are the GSA's notes.
Student Senate Meeting Notes (link)
For those of you that weren't able to attend the Nov. 14 Student Senate meeting, here are the GSA's notes.
Graduate Students In Residence
Thank you to all of the graduate students that emailed the GSA to show interest in this program. You all should have received an email from GSA Assistant Director of Graduate Community and Climate, Margaret Sebastian. The GSA is continuing its efforts to get graduate students an actual opportunity to be placed in the Faculty in Residence program. Graduate students have been able to apply in the past, but they’ve never been selected.
To make our case to UNC, interested parties should research justification for allowing graduate students to participate in this program. Specifically, we need research that can demonstrate how graduate student presence would be beneficial for undergraduate student retention and increased student success. Come up with ideas for programs (that you could run in this position) that would help meet those objectives. Send those ideas to Margaret, along with supporting theory and/or data. The GSA will put its support behind the graduate student(s) who can best demonstrate their ability to meet these objectives.
Student Senate Meeting
Wednesday, Nov. 28
5:30 p.m.
University Center Council Room
Join the GSA Director David Shimokawa and NHS Student Senator Zachary McCarver for the regularly scheduled Student Senate meeting.
Graduate student attendees should check in with David and Zac after the meeting adjourns. Attendees will be treated to dinner to discuss the meeting.
Message from the McNair Scholars Program Graduate Assistant Kady Barthelemy
The UNC McNair Scholars program is seeking approximately 15-20 graduate students interested in serving as blind reviewers for undergraduate research proposals. This opportunity is a great way to build your dossier and gain experience as a reviewer in research. Your service will also help aspiring researchers and “graduate-students-in-training” develop their research proposal skills. A letter of service will be provided upon completion of the reviewing process to add to your professional portfolio and can be included on your C.V. Interested candidates should email mcnair.scholars@unco.edu.
Opportunities to Earn Additional Research/Travel Grant Funding
The GSA is seeking graduate students interested in earning additional research/travel grant funding. Opportunities include serving as GSA representatives on campus and/or commission-based outside sales for GSA fundraising events. Interested students should contact david.shimokawa@unco.edu.
GSA Volunteer Positions Available:
Graduate Council, GSA Representative
The GSA is currently seeking a representative to attend and report on UNC Graduate Council meetings. The function of the student members of the Council is to present the perspectives, information items, action items andrecommendations of the university's graduate students. This position will begin in January 2019. Interested candidates should contact the Assistant Director of Graduate Community & Climate as soon as possible.
Current GSA Graduate Council Rep. John O'Neill will be graduating in December 2018. The Graduate Student Association would like to thank John for his work on the Graduate Council. His ability to thoughtfully represent the interests of graduate students will be missed. We wish him the best of luck in the future!
Kadampa Meditation Club: Overcoming Anxiety Drop-in Meditation Classes
Monday, Nov. 26
3:30-4:30 p.m.
University Center: Spruce or Aspen Suites
Do you experience worry, stress or anxiety in your life? Learn how to build the inner strength to deal with these unpleasant feelings and create the stability within to live in the moment. Even while doing things we like, our mind is rarely in the present. We are constantly planning for the future, worrying about what happened in the past or what might happen next. We will learn to create mental space and gain control over thoughts that cause us mental discomfort. We will develop special ways of thinking that naturally increase self-confidence and inner peace. These positive habits of mind oppose the tendency of negative thinking and improve our capacity to find happiness within ourselves.
