New Policies, No GSC Scholarships

In case you haven't heard the news, GSC was given its budget allocation but was informed it could not award its usual six $1000 student scholarships this year. According to Student Service Fee policy, no monies collected from student service fees may be used toward awarding student scholarships. Since GSC is fully funded by Student Service Fees... well, you do the math.

So we will try to continue to help graduate students as best we can by using our funds to increase awards for Graduate Student Travel Grants. These are awarded in conjunction with the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies, the Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer, and the Graduate Student Council. These travel grants help support the costs of travel to national and international professional meetings and conferences as long as it is relevant to the degree being sought by the student.

I applied for and received a few of these in previous years before I started working for the Graduate School. I haven't applied since so as not to create any possible conflict of interest. These little gems were life savers. They were for $200-300 and were matched by my department. My research was accepted to the International Conference for Innovation in Higher Education in Kiev, Ukraine. I never could have afforded to go on my own but $250 from TSGS matched with $250 from the COE and another $500 from TAC almost paid for the entire 5-day trip. Got 2 presentations and 2 journal articles out of it as well!!!

So, no more GSC scholarships but we are pushing for more travel grants for grad students.

Tobye

New GSC Logo & Website

GSC members have been busy revamping their website and are proud to officially unveil their new logo in the process.

With the new website comes the ability to apply for GSC membership online. Encourage your fellow students to apply to represent and become a part of the 7000-strong population of UNT graduate students.

New Graduate Student Orientation

It's that time of year when UNT is teaming with new life and new possibilities. That doesn't change for members of the Graduate Student Council. We will host the New Graduate Student Orientation on Thursday, January 11, 2007. Speakers begin at 4:00pm followed with a pizza reception at 5:00pm, all held in the Silver Eagle Suite on the 3rd floor of the University Union.

All GSC officers will be present to answer your questions.We need volunteers to help with set-up beginning at 3:00pm. All volunteers receive free pizza and a gift. Contact Tobye if you can help.

Faculty Award Recipient Named

Dr. Margaret A. Notley, became the first recipient of the GSC Faculty Award for Excellence in Doctoral Mentoring. Notley is an Associate Profesor in the Department of Music History.

The Doctoral Hooding Ceremony was held Friday, Dec. 15 at the Winspear Performance Hall of the Murchinson Performing Arts Center. Every doctoral candidate walked to the center of the stage, was hooded by their major professor, shook hands with Dr. Sandra Terrell (Dean, Graduate School) and Dr. Celia Williamson (Interim Vice Provost), received their diploma from their academic dean, then finally received a medallion from Dr. Gretchen Bataille.

Their degrees were conferred by Dr. Bataille and a reception was held immediately after the ceremony. All-in-all, a wonderful event.

Tobye

GSC Presents Award at Doctoral Hooding Ceremony

With Dr. Bataille's new administration comes new traditions. On December 15, 2006 UNT will hold its first Doctoral Hooding Ceremony for about 75 doctoral candidates. The ceremony will be attended by Dr. Gretchen Bataille (President, UNT), Dr. Sandra Terrell (Dean, Robert B. Toulouse School of Graduate Studies), Dr. Howard Johnson (Provost), the UNT Board of Regents, as well as other UNT dignitaries.

For many students there exists a close bond with their faculty mentor. These individuals give of their time, their experience, and their strength to students. To honor the new Doctoral Hooding Ceremony tradition the Graduate Student Council decided to create the first Faculty Award for Excellence in Doctoral Montoring. This award will be given at each ceremony to the faculty member to honor and recognize their extraordinary committment.

It will also be my honor and privilege as the President of the Graduate Student Council to award the faculty member directly from the staging platform.

The announcement of this semester's award recipient will be published here soon.

Tobye