GSC Meeting Friday 3 November 2006 Minutes (Last Meeting to occur in DARTS lab, CoC)


  1. Discussion about Theory Class not being offered in Spring

    1. Shwetak Patel is following up on this.

    2. If less than half a dozen students need this course, it will not be offered as a full class but arrangements will be made to accommodate these students so that they can complete the Theory requirement in Spring


  1. Report from faculty meeting reps – Steven Dow of IIC and Daron Vroon of CSS, Kamesh Madduri of CSE

    1. IIC- IIC will be renamed the School of Interactive Computing

    2. IIC - Steven would like IIC volunteers to discuss how to build a sense of IIC community

    3. CSE – nothing major to report

    4. CSS – Daron reports on a visit to the faculty meeting by someone from the office of Diversity and Community reporting on an event for minorities in Computer Science which was successful and how the College wants to do more of these events. Also wants to boost involvement of students in GSC and other community building organizations at Tech. Also mentions the Intel Scholars mentoring program available for PhD students to mentor two undergrads to do research – program is closed for this year but will be offered again next year.


  1. TA requirements – report back from Bryan Payne (who along with Dave Lillithun met with Tucker Balch re the mandatory TA requirement proposal for the PhD program.)

    1. This program requirement will not be mandatory for current students but only for new students starting a PhD when the proposal is being put into effect.

    2. Current students can opt in to the program if they want to receive guaranteed funding

    3. The proposal is to ensure students get some experience being part of the teaching experience and to guarantee funding for more students

    4. When the requirement goes into effect, new students will be guaranteed funding for 5 or 6 years (as opposed to only 1 year as it stands now)

    5. If you are on a fellowship or other funding, working etc, you still have to meet this requirement since it will be a program requirement for the PhD

    6. There will be no GRA/GTA titles

    7. You will be paid the same as an RA theoretically

    8. You will not TA your first semester at Tech

    9. You will be expected to TA once every 2 or 3 years

    10. Separate more comprehensive programs may be developed for those students who want experience actually teaching students – this will not be mandatory

    11. The culture will have to change so that it is accepted to do less research in the semesters where you are a TA

    12. GT funding works differently from Yale, CMU etc since it’s a public school

    13. You will not be expected to TA classes that you do not feel experienced enough to TA or that’s not in your area

    14. Ellie Harmon mentions that I-School at Washington has a good TA program

    15. Actions: Bryan Payne has volunteered to keep abreast of the proposal – questions to be resolved include do you get paid more to TA after you pass the qualifier? How will scheduling work e.g. if I want to TA in a certain semester, am I guaranteed that I can TA that semester (this will help with planning your degree trajectory etc).


  1. Jay Lofstead reports on the Klaus building based on a meeting with Ellen Zegura and Marshini Chetty chimes in based on the Klaus tour she went on with Ellen (along with Dave Lillithun, Chris Parnin, Steven Dow and Andrea Grimes)

    1. Klaus is cool , lots of open and informal areas, room to decorate the walls with cool stuff

    2. Shelves are a little weird in the student labs

    3. Furniture in labs can be rearranged

    4. Building constructed to have natural light – faculty offices have special materials on their ceilings to bounce light into labs and labs and faculty offices have glass at the top of the walls to let light through

    5. Move scheduled for 13 and 14th

    6. You pack up your stuff on move day 1 and on move day 2 it will be in Klaus ready for unpacking

    7. Students should consult with their advisors and research labs to see how labs will be set up, who gets the 4 person student offices etc

    8. 4 person student offices may be on a reservation basis – this was not a good option!

    9. Jay mentions that there is echo in the labs and possibilities for audio and visual distractions

    10. Partitions (6 feet tall and wide) have been ordered to help minimize visual distractions

    11. There are only power and network outlets at the walls in the labs and floor outlets in public areas

    12. All people in GCAT, CCB and CRB will be moving, Admin will remain in CCB, robotics may move to CCB after it has been renovated

    13. Front areas of labs can be decorated according to the research group’s preferences

    14. Actions: For noise, Jay Lofstead will evaluate the situation by surveying students a month after the move and reporting to Ellen


  1. Travel funds policy update – GJ Halfond and Marshini Chetty met and along with Jayoung Sung will form the travel funds subcommittee

    1. Still finishing off policy details

    2. Two types of funding, small grants ($200) and a few large grants ($1000)

    3. Details coming soon…

    4. Actions: publish policy ASAP, develop web forms to automate process


  1. Happy Hour – possible sponsorship – Chris Plaue

    1. The alumni association may want to host a joint even with GSC to help current students network with Alumni and it may be sponsored

    2. Actions: Chris Plaue will keep abreast of this.


  1. Other

    1. Thinking about volunteers for Spring recruiting


  1. Next Meeting scheduled for Dec 6 2006 (last meeting for Fall semester)