Ohio University’s budget reduction scenarios were the focus of the Graduate Student Senate meeting last night.
The recently released scenarios were the only new item on last night’s agenda.
“It is important that our members realize how important this really is,” said Graduate Student Senate President Tracy Kelly.
The main topic of discussion was the College of Fine Arts, which proposed cutting $155,000 in graduate student stipends next fiscal year.
Graduate student stipends could have risen for the second consecutive year, which would be “a very big accomplishment,” Tracy said.
The reduction makes up 10 percent of the total amount the college spends on graduate student stipends, according to the scenarios.
“I didn’t think the stipends we would be receiving would be on cutting work,” said Becca Sherwood, Fine Arts senator.
Another concern for graduate student senators was that some courses, particularly in the Scripps College of Communication, may be taught by other full-time or adjunct faculty.
“We would like grad students to get first option of refusal on any adjunct work…it doesn’t make any sense to hire adjuncts when there are a bunch of grad students that are not getting the work,” said Ed Simpson, a senator from the College of Communication.
Although no resolutions were passed last night, Kelly plans to compile information from the meeting and send questions and comments to the pertinent offices.
“It is really important that the administration realizes that students have a unique set of concerns related to the budget concerns, and that we can get that voice out there,” Kelly said.
Kelly also briefly spoke on the resignation of Rathindra Bose, the dean of the Graduate College.
“We need to have a very strong voice in that position,” she said.
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