The 51ԹϺ Graduate & Professional Student Association
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING
WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE MEETING 44-06
Friday, September 13, 2024
HYBRID PUBLIC MEETING:
IN PERSON: Graduate Commons, LLB 2141
4505 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89119, USA
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE AGENDA AND PUBLIC MEETING NOTE:
PERTAINING TO VIRTUAL MEETINGS:
Public Comment may be submitted via email to gpsa@unlv.edu.
Messages received by 9:00 AM on the day prior to the meeting, may be entered into the record during the meeting. Any other public comment form submissions and/or voicemails received prior to the adjournment of the meeting will be transcribed and included in the permanent record.
Members of the public wishing to listen to the meeting may do so via:
CONTINUED:
Below is an agenda of all items scheduled to be presented and considered at the meeting. Notification is hereby provided that items on the agenda may be taken out of the order and presented, two or more agenda items may be combined for consideration, and an agenda item may be removed from the agenda or discussion relating to an item on the agenda may be delayed at any time.
Some agenda items are noted as having accompanying reference material. Copies of the reference materials that are distributed at the meeting may be requested by emailing the Chair at gpsa@unlv.edu. Copies of any such materials will also be made available at unlv.edu/gpsa on the “Agendas and Minutes” folder of the appropriate meeting. Reasonable efforts will be made to assist and accommodate persons with a disability attending the meeting. Please email the GPSA Manager at gpsa@unlv.edu in advance so that arrangements may be made.
This meeting’s agenda has been posted in accordance with NRS 241.020. Agendas may also be also be available online at unlv.edu/gpsa/agenda in the appropriate session and meeting number folder.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Public comment will be taken during this agenda item. No action may be taken on a matter raised under this item until the matter is included on an agenda as an item on which action may be taken. Comments will be limited to three minutes per person. Persons making comment will be asked to begin by stating their name for the record and to spell their last name. The Board Chair may elect to allow additional public comment on a specific agenda item when that agenda item is being considered. In accordance with Attorney General Opinion No. 00-047, as restated in the Attorney General’s Open Meeting Law Manual, the Chair may prohibit comment if the content of that comment is a topic that is not relevant to, or within the authority of, the Body, or if the content is willfully disruptive of the meeting by being irrelevant, repetitious, slanderous, offensive, inflammatory, irrational or amounting to personal attacks or interfering with the rights of other speakers.
All other members present will be available in the meeting minutes and listed below.
Members of the Public Present:
Virginia Smercina, GPSA Business Manager
Teresa Marie, GPSA President
AGENDA
The meeting was called to order by Chair Peña at 4:06pm.
- PUBLIC COMMENT INFORMATION ONLY
(See foregoing notation regarding public comment)
No public comment was made.
- APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR POSSIBLE ACTION
Request is made for approval of minutes of previous meetings.
3a) CONSENT AGENDA:
-
- Minutes for the August 20, 2024 (44-05) Ways & Means Committee Meeting as posted to the public .
Motion to approve the minutes made by Hearn.
Seconded by Ain.
Motion passed unanimously 5-0-0.
4a) GPSA Treasurer Report
Treasurer Lopez said that for FY25, the budget was approved at the general GPSA council meeting. The budget is left with an $8,000 discretionary budget that can be appropriated by the Ways and Means Committee at some point in the year, if deemed necessary.
The processes of adopting committee policy changes are now being overseen by the Constitution and Bylaws Committee for final approval.
4b) Ways & Means Committee Chair Report
Chair Peña stated that our fall semester meetings will be the second Friday of each month at 4:00pm. She also asked what the purpose of the Ways and Means committee will be moving forward since the budget has been approved. Treasurer Lopez said that the committee could call in different organizations from the university and external organizations to try and arrange funding. Those relationships could be logistically challenging to forge, but it is an idea worth considering. Hearn said that we could try and launch a volunteer tutoring program through GPSA. Ain asked about GRSO funding and how that relates to our duties. Lopez said that the Grad College does provide some funding for GRSOs, and Godbole elaborated on the ways GRSO can get funding. Business Manager Smercina elaborated on how GRSOs can get off the ground and how they can get funding. As for what the Ways and Means committee can do, she said we can go into the GPSA google drive, updating our operating policy, make sure that documents are accessible and converted to PDF files. Chair Peña said that we will discuss this more in the next meeting, and she is comfortable with spearheading that project.
Ain and Smercina discussed poster printing for the GPSA research forum, and what the application for free poster printing would look like and when that needs to be completed. The GPSA research forum was scheduled in the Student Union for a Tuesday which presents scheduling problems for graduate students, but work is being done to make sure the research forum is successful.
4b) GPSA Manager & Advisor
Business Manager Smercina had no report.
- UNFINISHED BUSINESS FOR POSSIBLE ACTION
Unfinished Business is any motion or action item that was under discussion and was postponed or moved to this meeting at the discretion of the public body as approved by the chair.
5a) No Unfinished Business as of the posting of this Agenda.
No unfinished business was brought to the committee.
- NEW BUSINESS FOR POSSIBLE ACTION
New business is any motion that is new to this meeting. All items will be for possible action unless otherwise stated.
6a) Discussion of Future GPSA Budgets and Funding Items
GPSA President Teresa Marie requests the Ways & Means Committee to have a discussion regarding the future of GPSA Budgets and Funding Items.
Motion to open agenda item 6a out of order, to allow President Marie to give her report early in the meeting, by Godbole.
Seconded by Ain.
President Marie told the Ways and Means Committee that GPSA should be mindful of not having organizations that are not unique to GPSA. If similar programs exist elsewhere in the university, we should promote those resources. This item was information only, and no action was taken.
6b) Call for New Business Agenda Items
Chair Peña requests a call for New Business agenda items. Agenda items not previously posted to this agenda may be raised for discussion for either the present or subsequent meeting.
There were no new business items.
- ANNOUNCEMENTS INFORMATION ONLY
Smercina made an announcement about the graduate rebel appreciate dining commons event, and requested volunteers.
Chair Peña clarified where to find the meeting ID, for individuals who have had trouble entering the zoom meeting.
(See foregoing notation regarding public comment)
No public comment.
- ADJOURNMENT FOR POSSIBLE ACTION
Meeting was adjourned by Chair Peña at 4:29pm.