Senator Information Packet 2007-2008 (PDF)
Senator Information Packet 2007-2008 (DOC)
GPSA Senate Packet 2007-2008
Who is the GPSA?
You are! All graduate and professional students who pay the Graduate Student Activity Fee are members of the Graduate and
Professional Student Association (GPSA). The main work of the GPSA is carried out by the Senate and Executive board.
What does the GPSA do?
The Graduate and Professional Student Association represents Northeastern University's graduate student body in matters of
university policy and campus life. GPSA is the official liaison between graduate students and the University Faculty and
Administration. GPSA, through the Senate and Executive Board, actively pursues the goal of improving graduate student life,
academics, and research. We serve on university committees and advisory boards, meet regularly with key members of the
university administration, distribute the graduate student activity fee, and plan special events throughout the year.
GPSA plans Welcome Night, the President's Forum, the Research Expo, the Provost's Forum, and the Graduate Student Awards,
as well as co-sponsoring activities with other graduate student organizations. The GPSA Finance Committee reviews applications
for graduate student conference travel grants, and student group activity/event funding requests. For more information on the
GPSA, please see the GPSA Constitution and By-Laws at http://www.gpsa.neu.edu/constitution.php
and http://www.gpsa.neu.edu/bylaws.php.
Funding Process
Any graduate student in good standing may apply for funding to travel to academic and professional conferences.
Graduate student groups may request funding for activities or events that will enhance the sense of community
among graduate students at Northeastern University. Applications for both individual and group funding are accepted
ON-LINE ONLY. You should apply for funding for the period in which you will use it, based on the posted funding periods
and deadlines. Plan to attend the Finance Committee meeting at which your application will be reviewed. Complete details
of the funding application and award procedures are available in the Funding. Section of www.gpsa.neu.edu. Contact Kristen Hudak,
VP of Finance, with concerns or questions at hudak.k@neu.edu .
The GPSA Executive Board
The Executive Board manages the affairs of the Association and works with the Senate and university administration to achieve the
goals of the GPSA and improve graduate student life at Northeastern. Any graduate student can approach the Executive Board with
questions, comments, or concerns. We can be reached at gpsa@neu.edu, or through the GPSA blog on the website. The Executive Board
is elected every spring by the Senate. Nominations open approximately one month prior to elections and are announced on the GPSA
website, as well as through the Senate. Any Association member in good standing may run for office. The GPSA executive board will
also hold office hours in 104F Ell Hall. Please consult our office and website for updated hours.
2007-2008 Executive Board
President
Chris Chanyasulkit
chanyasulkit.c@neu.edu
Vice President of Student Affairs
Ignacio Marin -Garcia
marin-garcia.i@neu.edu
Vice President of Academic Affairs
Tammy Hartke
hartke.t@neu.edu
Vice President of Finance
Kristen Hudak
hudak.k@neu.edu
Vice President of Media and Membership
Ashish Kumar Jain
jain.as@neu.edu
Vice President of Administration
Manasa Mahathi Madasu
Madasu.m@neu.edu
Advisors
Gail Olyha Steve Gibson
g.olyha@neu.edu sgibson@coe.neu.edu
The GPSA Senate
Senators represent the seven recognized graduate Colleges. They may be self-nominated or nominated by graduate student
organizations or departments. In either case, the nominee completes the nomination form (available at www.gpsa.neu.edu),
and has it certified by their College and the Registrar's office. Senators attend monthly Senate meetings, serve on
GPSA standing committees, and most importantly maintain open two-way communication with their constituency. Senators may
also serve on special committees as needed.
Senate meetings are held on Thursdays at 2:40pm in the Curry Student Center, and are open to all. A complete schedule, as well as
the Agenda for the next meeting, can be found on the GPSA website.
Please refer to the GPSA Constitution and its bylaws for full information on the graduate student senate at
http://www.gpsa.neu.edu/constitution.php and http://www.gpsa.neu.edu/bylaws.php.
Senators please note:
1.If a Senator resigns, the vacancy will be filled in the manner prescribed in the by-laws.
2.The Senators are required to attend the monthly Senate meetings, attend all Special Senate meetings, join and participate
in one of the standing committees or commit to one office hour.
3.Any Senator accumulating three or more unexcused absences during the semester from the monthly Senate meetings will be deemed
by the Executive Board to have abandoned their seat. To be excused from a meeting, a Senator must submit in writing to the
President a letter explaining the absence 24 hours in advance of the meeting. In extenuating circumstances, the President
has the option to waive the 24-hour requirement.
4.Senators must participate in their selected standing committee meetings. Beginning with the third absence, which is not excused,
each absence from a standing committee meeting will count as an absence from a Senate meeting for the purpose of maintaining the
Senate seat. If a Senator cannot attend a weekly committee meeting, the Senator must submit in writing to the committee chair
formal notification, 24 hours in advance. In extenuating circumstances, the Chairperson has the option of waiving the 24-hour
requirement
5.The only exceptions to the above rules will be illness or death in the immediate family, or an academic (Co-op/Practicum is
considered academic) commitment.
2007-2008 Senate Meeting Schedule
Thursdays (2:40 PM to 4:30 PM)
September 27 - Curry 442
October 18 - Curry 346
November 08 - Curry 346
January 24 - Curry 346
February 21 - Curry 346
March 20 - Curry 346
April 10 - Curry 346
2007-2008 Senators (45 total)
College of Arts and Sciences (allotted 8 senator seats)
1.Lauren Nicoll nicoll.l@neu.edu
2.Christopher Aragao aragaocb@yahoo.com
3.Allison Uzdella Uzdella.a@neu.edu
4.Hiba Tannoury tannoury.h@neu.edu
5.Jing Li li.jing@neu.edu
6.Thomas Arruda arruda.t@neu.edu
7.Ashley Hill-Jarraf hilljarraf.a@neu.edu
College of Business Administration, Accounting and Taxation (allotted 5 senator seats)
1.Cole Creighton eloc50@aol.com
2.Stephen Morse morse.steve@gmail.com
3.Adriano Ciccomancini ciccomancini.a@neu.edu
College of Computer and Information Sciences (allotted 3 senator seats)
1.Umangi Shah shah.um@neu.edu
2.Rushabh Lakhani Lakhani.r@neu.edu
3.Rutwik Patel rutwikpatel@yahoo.co.in
Bouve College of Health Sciences (allotted 11 senator seats)
1.Haripriya Addepalli addepalli.h@neu.edu
2.Kalpesh Gupta gupta.ka@neu.edu
3.Ninad Satam satam.n@neu.edu
4.Devshri Desai desai.de@neu.edu
5.Keyur Gada gada.k@neu.edu
6.Arunkumar Dubey dubey.a@neu.edu
7.Rajiv Panwar panwar.r@neu.edu
8.Aparna Chavali chavali.a@neu.edu
9.Brijesh Garg garg.br@neu.edu
10.Shweta Raina raina.s@neu.edu
11.Tina Penman penman.t@neu.edu
College of Engineering (allotted 8 senator seats)
1.Prakesh Potukuchiit prakash@coe.neu.edu
2.Muhammad Shahrear mshahrea@coe.neu.edu
3.Yalcin Bulut ybulut@coe.neu.edu
4.Ehsan Kianirad eh_kia@yahoo.com
5.Ignacio Marin Garcia imaringa@coe.neu.edu
6.Madeeha Basharat basharat.m@neu.edu
7.Arpita Kothari Kothari.ar@neu.edu
8.Tasneem Jodhpurwala jodhpurwala.t@neu.edu
College of Criminal Justice (allotted 2 senator seats)
1.Christopher Miller miller.christ@neu.edu
2.V-Tsien Fan fan.v@neu.edu
School of Law (allotted 8 senator spots)
1.Jeremy Fredericksen fredericksen.j@neu.edu
2.Matt Sweet sweet.ma@neu.edu
3.Kristin Pappas pappas.k@neu.edu
4.Ifetayo Belle belle.i@neu.edu
5.Amanda Ligatti ligatti.a@neu.edu
6.Sarah Masters sarah.lynn.masters@gmail.com
7.Brandon McDaniel mcdaniel.b@neu.edu
8.Jeffrey Rosenspan jrosenspan@yahoo.com
Evan Bitto bitto.e@neu.edu
Mike Elwin elwin.m@neu.edu
Annie Serafimserafim.a@neu.edu
Josh Zakimzakim.j@neu.edu
-Evan, Mike, Annie, and Josh represent Jeremy, Matt, Kristen, and Sarah during the Spring 2008 quarter system.
*Please note: There are 50 votes in the Senate. As per the GPSA Constitution, each of the 45 senators has voting privileges
and each Vice-President has voting privileges.
Senator Committee Assignments
We have tried to place you in your preferred committee (if indicated on your senator nomination form); however we also need to
ensure balance among the various committees. In addition, some colleges have filled their allotted senator seats and some students
have been placed on a waitlist. The wait-listed student may continue to serve on a committee (we truly appreciate their help!)
and some students on the committee may not be senators (as indicated by an asterisk).
Senators please note the following expectations of participation in a committee:
a. There will be five (5) Standing Committees to help coordinate the activities of the Association. The President and the Executive
Board may establish additional ad-hoc committees. Each standing committee shall be chaired by a Vice President and shall
operate in the best interests of the Association. Each committee will maintain minutes of all meetings and, upon request,
make them available to the Executive Board and the Senate. Committees are open to all members of the University Community,
unless a motion to go into Executive session is carried by a two-thirds vote of the voting members of that committee.
Senators are the only members with voting privileges and limited to one vote per senator. The chair of the committee will
vote only in case of a tie. The Association President is an ex-officio member of each Standing Committee. Quorum for Standing
Committees is simple majority of the committee membership.
b. The committees are chaired by the Vice-President and must elect a Secretary, who keeps minutes (and reports at Senate
meetings as necessary).
Student Affairs/Services
Chaired by Ignacio Marin -Garcia , VP of Student Affairs (marin-garcia.i@neu.edu)
1.Haripriya Addepalli
2.Aparna Chavali
3.Shweta Raina
4.Umangi Shah
5.Amanda Ligatti
6.Matthew Sweet
7.Hiba Tannoury
8. Sarah Masters
Student Affairs Committee Meeting Schedule
Wednesdays (11:45 AM to 1:30 PM)
November 07 - Curry 333
January 23 - Curry 346
February 20 - Curry 333
March 19 - Curry 333
April 09 - Curry 333
Academic Affairs
Chaired by Tammy Hartke, VP of Academic Affairs (hartke.t@neu.edu)
Please contact Tammy Hartke for your meeting schedule.
1.Devshri Desai
2.Evan Bitto
3.Benjamin Dei
4.Allison Uzdella
5.Abhishek Shah (abhishek.c.shah@gmail.com)*
6.Ifetayo Belle
7.Christopher Miller
8.Thomas Arruda
9.Ashley Hill-Jarraf
10.Brandon McDaniel
11.V-Tsien Fan
12.Kristen Pappas
13.Evan Bitto
Finance
Chaired by Kristen Hudak, VP of Finance (hudak.k@neu.edu)
1.Lauren Nicoll
2.Cole Creighton
3.Potukuchiit Prakash
4.Muhammad Shahrear
5.Ehsan Kianirad
6.Rahul Arora (arora.r@neu.edu)*
7.Stephen Morse
8.Rushabh Lakhani
9.Madeeha Basharat
10.Jeremy Frederickson
Finance Committee Meeting Schedule
Thursdays (4 PM to 5 PM)
September 27 - Curry 442
October 25 - Curry 346
November 29 - Curry 346
January 31 - Curry 346
February 28 - Curry 346
March 27 - Curry 346
April 24 - Curry 333
Programs
Chaired by Manasa Madasu, VP of Sponsored Programs and Administration (Madasu.m@neu.edu)
1.Kalpesh Gupta
2.Ninad Satam
3.Adriano Ciccomancini
4.Christopher Aragao
5.Rajiv Panwar
6.Rahul Metha(metha.ra@neu.edu)*
7.Rutwik Patel
8.Jing Li
9.Arpita Kothari
10.Tasneem Jodhpurwala
11.Anna-Maria Serafim
Programs Committee Meeting Schedule
Wednesdays (11:45 AM to 1:30 PM)
November 07 - Curry 333
January 23 - Curry 346
February 20 - Curry 333
March 19 - Curry 333
April 09 - Curry 333
Public Relations and Membership
Chaired by Ashish Jain, VP of Public Relations and Membership (jain.as@neu.edu)
1.Brijesh Garg
2.Ashwin Shankar
3.Ignacio Marin Garcia
4.Yalcin Bulut
5.Keyur Gada
6.Arunkumar Dubey
7.Vishal Sheth (sheth.vish@gmail.com)*
8.Tina Penman
Public Relations and Membership Committee Meeting Schedule
Thursdays (2-2:40 PM). Please contact Ashish for the location.
October 11
November 8
January 24
February 21
March 20
Up-coming GPSA Events (Save the Date!)
President's Forum Oct 31, 2007
Senate Meeting Nov 8, 2007
Graduate Student Awards March 17, 2008
Provost and Vice-Provosts Forum April 8, 2008
In addition, we are looking for some senators to represent the Northeastern University graduate students at the following
graduate student information sessions and open houses (organized by the Provost's office):
1. Info Session: Monday, November 5, 2007 -- 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
2. Info Session: Tuesday, January 15, 2008 -- 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
3. Info Session: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 -- 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
If you are able to volunteer your time at one or more of the sessions, please let Chris know at "Chanyasulkit.c@neu.edu as soon as
possible. Your help is much appreciated!