FACULTY
We seek your support in encouraging students to join the group, but we would also like to collaborate with you to develop programming for our new Academic Open House series.  Is your department planning an event which has appeal outside of your discipline?  Could other graduate students benefit from a talk you are planning?  If so, we might like to co-sponsor the event, inviting graduate students from across the institution (we can assist with funding for refreshments as part of the co-sponsorship).
Also, we hope that you or your colleagues will volunteer your time to be involved with the  Interdisciplinary Graduate Student Conference, Friday, February 22, 2013.  We need faculty to help students prepare to participate, to moderate forums, to present their own research, and to provide feedback to graduate student presenters.  The success of the Conference will be determined by how well we work together to support the students who participate.  A save the date flyer is attached – please consider sharing this with your graduate students.

GRADUATE STUDENT ORG LEADERS
We need your help to make the GSC a success!

• We want your input – please join us for lunch on Friday, August 31, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.  This is a repeat of the event held January 2012 which was an insightful and productive dialogue between graduate student org leaders and Graduate School administration.  RSVP by August 24 (heda222@uky.edu) to reserve a space.
• Do you provide welcome/information packets for your incoming grad students?  If so, can we supply GSC flyers for inclusion in the packets? 
• Can we meet with your organization to share the mission and benefits of the GSC?  If so, please email graduatestudentcongress@gmail.com with information about upcoming meetings.

Information to share with your students/colleagues:

GRADUATE STUDENT CONGRESS FAQ

What is the Graduate Student Congress?
We are a registered student organization whose mission is to unify and represent the graduate student body at the University of Kentucky in matters affecting the quality of graduate student life and work and to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and promote professional development for graduate students through seminars, forums, and social functions.

Who can be a member?
All UK graduate students are automatically members of the GSC.

Why be a member?
We advocate for graduate students.  Your issue becomes our focus!  Past advocacy issues investigated and supported have included a forum on graduate student health insurance, privacy policies & student directory info, and student travel funding.  Further, we support graduate student development through interdisciplinary and social activities such as annual interdisciplinary conference, lectures and panel discussions, departmental open house events, and free game play at Cat’s Den. 

Are all members voting members?
Only GSC officers and representatives will vote at Congress meetings.  Effective this fall, there is a new process for selecting representatives:
At the second meeting of the fall semester, each academic department or registered graduate student organization, with members in attendance, shall elect, by a democratic process determined by the group, a single Representative.  After group voting is completed, the Representatives shall come forward to the GSC Secretary to give their affiliation and contact information.  This Representative shall be the single voting member for her or his department or organization at each GSC meeting thereafter.  If the Representative cannot attend a GSC meeting at which a vote is expected to be called, the Representative may notify the GSC Executive Council in writing of a group-approved substitute delegate no later than twenty-four (24) hours prior to the scheduled meeting time.  Academic departments or registered graduate student organizations not present for the Representative voting process may elect, by a democratic process determined by the group, a Representative at any time after the second meeting of the fall semester, and they must notify the Secretary of the GSC in writing of the Representative.  The term of office for the Representative shall be from her or his election until the next annual election date.  Representatives may serve, at most, three annual appointments.

How else can I be involved with the GSC?
Come to a general meeting!  Meetings will be held at 6:00 p.m. on the first Thursdays of the Fall semester:
September 6, October 4, November 8, December 6 in the Gillis Building Conference Room, 1st floor
Another way for members to be involved in the Congress is through service on committees or taskforce initiatives.  The standing committees of the GSC are the Professional Development Committee, the Social Committee, and the Fundraising Committee. Other committees can be created ad hoc, as determined by the Executive Council or 51% vote of Representatives. The Congress' members may choose to establish a taskforce to investigate an issue and recommend action.  Congress Officers are charged with appointing chairs to committees and taskforce initiatives. Any member of the Congress may serve on a committee or taskforce and any member may be appointed chair.

KEEP UP WITH THE CONGRESS

• Visit us on the web at http://sweb.uky.edu/StudentOrgs/GradStudentCongress/
• Find us on Facebook: UK Graduate Student Congress
• Join the list-serv.  Send an email containing the words "subscribe gradstudentcongressgen" in the message body to listserv@lsv.uky.edu.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• New Graduate Student Resource Fair – August 15, Noon-2:00 p.m. – Student Center Grand Ballroom
• Graduate Student Ice Cream Social – August 30, 2:30-4:30 p.m. – Gillis Building Lawn
• Graduate Student Congress General Meeting – September 6 – Gillis Building Conference Room, 1stfloor
• GSC Open House: The Graduate School – September 14 – Gillis Building
• Career Pathways (Outside Academia) Speaker – Fall 2012 – Details soon!
• GSC Interdisciplinary Graduate Student Conference - February 22, 2013 – UK Student Center

If you could please get the word out to your graduate students (incoming and returning), we would appreciate your efforts on our behalf. 

With thanks,
Your 2012-13 Graduate Student Congress Officers

President
Heather Davis
Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Vice-President
Frank Appiah
Statistics

Secretary
Eir-Anne Edgar
English

Treasurer
Brad Fox
Mathematics