GAC Meeting Minutes
11/18/08
I. Updates from previous GAC Meeting
A. Travel Funding: Bill has reworded the passage in the handbook about accessing departmental funds so that it is recommended, but not required that students first seek funding from other sources. Ultimately, the reworked passage in the handbook will allow students unrestricted access to their departmental travel funds. At the WGGI Meeting, we also discussed the issue of “nominal” travel costs to conferences in the area that can still add up due to registration fees, train tickets, etc. Bill agreed to raise this issue at the next Humanities DGS Meeting.
B. Fridge and Microwave for Hinds: These items are on the departmental “wish list” and likely to be installed in Hinds, but not before summer 2009.
C. Books for the Grad Study Room in Firestone: Greg has been in conversation with John Logan. John wants to establish a second call code location that is not Scribner (SCE). One this step has been completed by the library, he will work on establishing a budget. John expects their will be funds available for this, so we’re just waiting on more news. Greg has not yet solicited students in the department for suggestions as to what the library should include. We agreed that one way to do this is to create a post on the blog where people can contribute their suggestions via the comment function. Yaron mentioned that he would also like to have the missing books from the Scribner room replaced. Lindsay asked whether or not we might organize the new collection by field. The committee agreed that this depends on the budget and size of the collection–we first want to purchase copies of works that are used widely across fields.
D. Class Size: Students at the meeting agreed that small classes can be wonderful, and also strongly oppose the idea of capping courses. In general, there were few complaints about class size. Bea and Amelia added that the course offerings are exceptional next semester, because of their range and because many faculty members who have not taught in the past three semesters are all offering grad courses.
II. New Issues
A. Precept hours for DCE students. Yaron asked whether or not students in the department feel strongly that DCE students should have to teach fewer than 6 precept hours in order to maintain their funding. Those present at the meeting agreed that although this is a university-level issue (rather than a department-level one, since the requirement is set through the grad school), it makes sense to continue a conversation on this matter.
B. Working with visiting professors: Students would like to know if they can work with professors who are visiting for an extended time (i.e. Professor Brooks)
C. Visiting Faculty Reception: Students at the meeting would like to host or have the department host a reception for visiting faculty (Doody, Brooks, Copeland) in the spring, as they did in Spring 2008.
D. Princeton Proposition 8: David informed us that an undergrad student protest against Prop 8 is underway. For more information on how to support their initiative, email Chris Simpson or checkout the Princeton Prop 8 Facebook group.
