The Daily Beacon

Page 1

Issue 11, Volume 121

Thursday, September 6, 2012

GSS pivotal in graduate affairs Hodges combined the various funds. “Last year, between our normal budget and additional funds from Dr. Hodges, we were able to award $68,750 to graduate students to facilitate their travel needs,” Sanford said. “What our new budget — $240,000 per academic year — means is that we will be able to award more in one semester this year than we did in all of last year.” These recent changes by administrators put more control in the hands of student leaders. “It means that graduate students themselves will be making all travel award decisions, which gives us a degree of oversight and control with regard to our own research and career needs,” Sanford said. This year’s GSS is also continuing an effort launched last year to introduce a graduate student leave policy, for students who work as university employees. “Unfortunately, leave-of-absence policies that exist for other university employees do not generally apply to us,” Sanford said. Both Brewer and Sanford support a paid-leave plan. “There should be an institutional mechanism in place to protect GSS has developed a strategy to tackle this issue.

BlairKuykendall Editor-in-Chief

The Graduate Student Senate works to improve the lives of a large percentage of UT’s student population, though few students understand its role. This year, GSS president Amanda Sanford is working to change that. “Our overarching goals for the year are...to ensure that graduate student opinions are adequately represented,” Sanford said. “We have several specific policy goals, but as a vision, we merely want to make sure that the 6,000 graduate, law, and veterinary medicine students on this campus know that we exist, and that we exist for them.” Alexandra Brewer, vice president of GSS, stressed the importance of the senate’s visibility. “We want graduate students to know that they are represented on campus,” Brewer said. Senate members meet regularly with UT’s policymakers, making it easier to lobby for change. “Our membership is in a unique position in that we have access to key university administrators, as well as an inside look into policies that directly affect the quality of graduate student life here,” Sanford said. Sanford hopes to reinstate the senate’s membership in the National Association of GraduateProfessional Students, a small step that could

bring a large pay-off. “GSS simply needs to complete the registration forms and pay the organization’s annual dues,” Sanford said. “The fee is $500, and this once-yearly payment covers the membership cost for all 6,000 graduate and professional students at UT. GSS does not have a budget that is independent from the general budget of SGA, so ideally our registration fee will come from this fund. We simply need the signature of Student Body President Adam Roddy to collect the $500.” Along with improved access to NEA and NSF research funding, this membership could improve

the quality of student life. “Students without health insurance waivers can receive discounts on health insurance...The benefits are often more extensive than many university-offered packages as well, including coverage for domestic partners as eligible dependents, guarantees of maternity coverage, and coverage for pre-existing conditions,” Sanford said. The GSS is also responsible for allocating travel funding for graduate students who attend conferences and present research. This process has recently been streamlined, after Provost Susan Martin and Vice Provost Carolyn R.

See GSS on Page 3

SGA accepting comittee applicants

Around Rocky Top

Mollie Swayne Contributor

Parker Eidson • The Daily Beacon

John Dorris, junior in materials science, practices for the club tennis team on Sept. 4..

UT to open second Chick-fil-A Justin Joo Staff Writer The new dining site that will replace the IHOP Express in PCB has finally been revealed to be a new Chick-fil-A. For the past few months, students walking into the PCB could see that what had once been an IHOP Express had suddenly become a blocked off mystery. A sign proclaimed that a new dining site was being constructed, but there was no mention of what the new restaurant would be. But now, UT Dining Services have put out advertisements indicating that it will be a new Chick-fil-A restaurant.

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Matthew Perry, marketing coordinator for UT Dining Services, said that the change from an IHOP to a Chick-fil-A was completely driven by student opinion. “When we look at putting in new dining locations and changing things, we ask for student input every year,” Perry said. “And what we found from last spring was that IHOP wasn’t as popular as we anticipated when it first opened.” Mary Patterson, marketing director for UT Dining Services, explained that part of IHOP’s lack of success was due to the PCB Café being located just upstairs and cutting into the demand for breakfast food that would have otherwise gone to IHOP. “(PCB Café) has a full breakfast

Get to know a Lady Vol page 7

buffet,” Patterson said. “So morning and afternoon, IHOP really didn’t do any difference at all. It was mostly late night.” Both Perry and Patterson explained that the feedback from students indicated that another Chick-filA was in demand, saying that students liked Chick-fil-A “unanimously.” The other Chick-fil-A located in the University Center will remain open and will be unaffected by the new one. The purpose of having two Chick-filAs is to accommodate student demand, and also to reconcile with the UC Chick-fil-A having to close at the same time as the UC, which is usually no later than 8 p.m. See CHICK-FIL-A on Page 3

Until 5:00 p.m. on September 7th, Student Services, a branch of UT’s Student Government Association (SGA), will be accepting applications for seven different committees: Academic Affairs, Diversity Affairs, Environment and Sustainability, Government Affairs, Technology Services, Traditions, and Volunteer Life. Students tend to scoff at the efforts of the SGA, as evidenced by last year’s election. FUEL won with Adam Roddy, current SGA president, receiving just over 8 percent of student support. Cassandra Marin, senior in microbiology, does not think SGA has accomplished much in years past and is skeptical of the promises made by student government bodies. “Actions speak louder than words,” Marin said. The current Student Services Director, Taelor Olive, hopes to change the minds of those skeptic about SGA’s relevancy, pointing to actions that have originated from UT’s student government. Anyone who attends summer school has the Government Affairs committee to thank for now being able to apply the HOPE scholarship to those classes. Olive described the committee as a liaison between UT’s campus and the state government. The committee takes an annual trip to Nashville to meet with representatives and to represent issues related to UT. “In the past they assisted

with having a letter-writing campaign that advocated for having money during the summer... using your HOPE scholarship during the summer,” Olive said. “We all know now that actually went through.” The other committees are just as active: Technology Services is working in conjunction with other bodies on a UT app, and Volunteer Life has been busy organizing activities to welcome new students. Despite all these things, Olive does admit weaknesses exist in student government in past years, as well as student apathy. However, she says she noticed more students voicing concerns when she ran for office last spring and that Student Services is focused on advocating for issues along with sponsoring events now. With changes in the program come changes in the application process. An interview stage has been added to get the people that are truly interested and less people that are trying to get a resume booster. Olive is looking for people that have a really strong passion for the university, a strong passion for change, have really great ideas and are creative. Dedication ranks highly on her list of qualifying traits as well. “I really want people to get involved and do their part with the committees,” Olive said. “I want to come up with new ideas and make this the best year ever for Student Services.” Traditionally, Student Services receives about 200 applications for their seven committees. Once accepted, members meet every other week on Tuesdays or Sundays, depending on the committee.

The Daily Beacon is printed using soy based ink on newsprint containing recycled content, utilizing renewable sources and produced in a sustainable, environmentally responsible manner.

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