Overview of Governance Areas:
Graduate Student Assembly: The GSA creates councils and committees or coordinates with pre-established ones on matters of University-wide importance affecting graduate students. These particular committees stand apart from the internal committee structure of the GSA.
Graduate Assembly: The Graduate Assembly “has the power to legislate on all matters having to do with the academic character of the graduate program of The University of Texas at Austin.” As a matter of shared governance, the Graduate Assembly allows the GSA to appoint graduate students full-fledged members of the Graduate Assembly with voting power and committee assignments.
General Faculty: The general faculty of the University elect a Faculty Council that holds monthly meetings open to the University community. The Faculty Council serves as the official body representing the faculty to the University’s administration and to the larger University community. As a matter of shared governance, the Faculty Council allows the GSA to appoint graduate students full-fledged members of the Graduate Assembly with voting power and committee assignments.
University-Wide Committees: Multiple university organizations, both institutional-affiliated and student-focused, request graduate student representation, which the GSA fulfills by accepting nominations and forwarding appointees. These committees maintain their own rules and governance structures, and they rely on the GSA to provide graduate student representation.
Graduate Studies: The Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) sponsors several awards for graduate service, research, and teaching. The OGS partners with the GSA on reviewing applications and the University Co-Op that funds these awards on an annual basis.
Graduate Student Assembly (GSA) Committees
PROVOST’s GRADUATE ADVISORY COUNCIL (4 positions available; 8 filled)
The PGAC meets monthly with the University Provost to discuss student issues and concerns and is responsible for advising the University Provost on issues relevant to the graduate student body.
DEAN’S STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL (DSAC) (6 positions available; 6 filled)
The Dean’s Student Advisory Council advises the Dean of the Graduate School and the Office of Graduate Studies on matters relating to both academic and student life.
ELECTION OVERSIGHT BOARD (3 Positions)
All elections required by the GSA constitution and referred by other University policy-making boards or administrative bodies shall be conducted and overseen by the Election Oversight Board. The members of this Board shall consist of a chair and two members appointed upon recommendation of the President and approval of two-thirds of the Assembly.
Graduate Assembly Appointments
ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE (1 position available; 1 filled)
The Administrative Committee of the Graduate Assembly is responsible for the flow of work to the Assembly, relations with the Graduate School and the Administration, the Graduate Catalog, funding, rules and regulations for Teaching Assistants and Assistant Instructors, student workloads, and the rules and procedures for the Graduate Assembly Elections.
ADMISSIONS AND ENROLLMENT COMMITTEE (1 position available; 1 filled)
The Admissions and Enrollment Committee of the Graduate Assembly is responsible for the standards for admission of students to the Graduate School as master’s degree candidates, doctoral degree candidates, and non-degree seeking students, standards for admission to the doctoral degree for continuing students admitted for a lower degree, the management of enrollment, and the retention of graduate students.
Standing Committees of the General Faculty
All nominees in this category must be submitted to the University President.
B-1. FINANCIAL AID TO STUDENTS COMMITTEE (1 position)
Responsible for initiating and reviewing policies and procedures and hearing appeals from decisions of the Office of Student Financial Services. GSA nominates five students for one available position. NOTE: GSA sends a list of five nominees to the University President, who then chooses one nominee to serve.
B-3. STUDENT LIFE AND ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE (1 position)
To look at issues concerning student life and activities from an academic perspective; to gauge whether student activities are beneficial to students’ education; to review and report to the Faculty Council annually about the status of intercollegiate athletics programs. NOTE: GSA sends a list of five nominees to the University President, who then chooses one nominee to serve.
C-2. CALENDAR COMMITTEE (1 position)
Responsible for making recommendations to the Faculty Council and to the University President concerning the calendar.
C-4. EDUCATIONAL POLICY COMMITTEE (1 position)
Responsible for studying proposals on educational policy, assessing their possibilities and alternatives, and presenting recommendations on such matters to the Faculty Council. The Educational Policy Committee shall actively seek advice from students. NOTE: GSA submits one nominee who is or has been either a Teaching Assistant or Assistant Instructor to an undergraduate course to the University President.
C-7. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS LIBRARIES COMMITTEE (2 positions)
Appointees should be well informed about the functions of the Library to assist in developing operational procedures and personnel and fiscal policies and procedures. SLC advises the Faculty Council and the University President concerning the direction and growth of the Library and advises the University President when necessary to appoint a new librarian. NOTE: GSA submits two nominees to the University President. Also see: C-7 Website.
C-8. PARKING & TRAFFIC APPEALS COMMITTEE (2 positions)
Responsible for reviewing petitions and appeals arising in connection with parking priorities and the enforcement of regulations. NOTE: GSA submits two nominees to the University President.
C-9. PARKING & TRAFFIC POLICIES COMMITTEE (1 position)
Responsible for establishing traffic and parking regulations; annually reviewing a system of priorities for permits to be issued in reserved areas; recommending to the University President ways and means of meeting parking needs of faculty, staff, and students; and recommending to the Faculty Council any changes in the composition and operation of the Parking and Traffic Appeals Panel.
C-10. RECRUITMENT & RETENTION COMMITTEE (1 position)
Responsible for addressing the matter of recruitment and retention of minority students and to advise the Faculty Council and the University President on constructive solutions to alleviate the problems of recruitment and retention.
C-11. RESEARCH POLICY COMMITTEE (2 positions)
Responsible for advising the University President on matters relating to the research mission of the University and relationship between the research mission and other components of the University’s overall mission and for providing for wider dissemination of information concerning the researchmission of the University and how that mission is being discharged. NOTE: GSA submits two nominees, each of whom must be enrolled in a Ph.D. program, to the University President.
C-12. RESPONSIBILITIES, RIGHTS & WELFARE OF GRADUATE STUDENT ACADEMIC EMPLOYEES COMMITTEE (3 positions)
Responsible for advising the Faculty Council and the University President on matters pertaining to the responsibilities, rights, and welfare of teaching assistants and assistant instructors. NOTE: GSA submits three nominees (one Teaching Assistant, one Assistant Instructor, and one Graduate Research Associate) to the University President.
C-13. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE (1 position)
Responsible for reviewing and assessing vision plans; advising the Provost regarding IT fee allocations; reviewing prior year uses of the IT fee and any proposed increases to the IT fee; recommending to the University President, Vice President for Information Technology, and the Faculty Council changes in policies regarding information technology; and consulting with and advising the Vice President for Information Technology about policies and procedures pertaining to information technology at the University. NOTE: GSA submits one nominee to the University President.
University-Wide Committees
Multiple University organizations, both institutional-affiliated and student-focused, request graduate student representation, which the GSA fulfills by accepting nominations and forwarding appointees.
BICYCLE COMMITTEE (1 position)
The Bicycle Committee is a subcommittee of the Parking & Traffic Policies Committee that addresses bicycle issues on campus. The Chair of the Parking & Traffic Policies Committee and the Director of Parking & Transportation Services will determine the composition of the Bicycle Committee. The Bicycle Committee advises the Vice President for Employee and Campus Services in traffic, parking, theft, and other issues dealing with bicycle use on campus.
DIVERSITY AND EQUITY STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL (1 position)
The Diversity and Equity Student Advisory Council is located in the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (DDCE). This council advises the DDCE on diversity issues affecting the University.
GREEN FEE COMMITTEE (1 position)
A student majority Green Fee Committee (GFC) has been established to solicit, review and award funds for environmental service related projects on campus. The green fee will be collected with tuition beginning in Fall 2011 through Summer, 2016. The green fee is $5.00 per long semester and $2.50 for the summer session.
SHUTTLE BUS COMMITTEE (2 positions)
The Shuttle Bus Committee is responsible for overseeing the effective service of the University population by the shuttle bus system and advising the Vice President for Employee & Campus Services in arranging schedules, the amount of service, and other related shuttle bus issues.
STUDENT CONDUCT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (1 position)
The SCAC provides the peer perspective on matters of student conduct and academic integrity at the University of Texas at Austin. The SCAC has a three-tiered purpose for supporting the University conduct system’s principles: (a) ADVICE by providing input and a feedback on issues relating to student conduct and academic integrity to Student Judicial Services - a unit of the Office of the Dean of Students; (b) ADVOCACY by providing educational outreach to University students, faculty, and staff; and (c) ADVANCEMENT by exploring new and innovative ways to increase student awareness of and involvement in the University’s conduct system.
STUDENT LIBRARY COUNCIL (3 positions)
The Student Library Council is charged with maintaining effective communication channels between student organizations and the University of Texas Libraries. SLC serves as a conduit for the transmission of student needs and concerns to the University of Texas Libraries. SLC works with library administrators in reviewing uses of the Student Library Fee and other critical issues and policies.
STUDENTS FOR TEXAS ATHLETICS (1 position)
Office of Graduate Student Appointments
OUTSTANDING GRADUATE ADVISOR AWARD COMMITTEE (1 position)
Each year the Graduate School offers an Outstanding Graduate Advisor Award of $1,000 to recognize exemplary service. Graduate Advisors provide an enormous service to the University and its community of students, faculty, and staff, and this award is one of the few opportunities available to recognize these individuals.
OUTSTANDING GRADUATE COORDINATOR AWARD COMMITTEE (1 position)
Each year the Graduate School offers an Outstanding Graduate Coordinator Award of $1,000 to recognize exemplary service.
OUTSTANDING GRADUATE TEACHING AWARD COMMITTEE (1 position)
Each year the Graduate School offers three Outstanding Graduate Teaching Awards of $1,000 each to recognize exemplary teaching by our graduate faculty.
College Tuition & Budget Advisory Council (CTBAC)
College of Liberal Arts CTBAC (2 positions)
This year’s CTBAC will be quite actively involved in attempting to gauge the COLA student opinion on matters relating to tuition. This includes attempting to determine what COLA students value highest in the classroom, and how this correlates to changes in tuition. Historically, CTBAC’s have been responsible for hosting College Town Halls, designing a college-wide survey, and innovating ideas on how best to reach out and represent COLA students in the aggregate. The full CTBAC will meet, at least, twice a month, but the chair will entrust each member with individual tasks to accomplish on their time.
Committees No Longer Accepting Applications
C-1. ADMISSIONS & REGISTRATION COMMITTEE
C-5. FACULTY BUILDING ADVISORY COMMITTEE
COUNSELING AND MENTAL HEALTH STUDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
GRADUATE ASSEMBLY: ACADEMIC COMMITTEE
OGS: (CHAIR) GRADUATE SCHOOL—UNIVERSITY COOP—GSA AWARDS COMMITTEE
PRESIDENT’S STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL (PSAC)
SHARED SERVICES STEERING COMMITTEE
STUDENT HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE
TUITION POLICY ADVISORY COUNCIL (TPAC)