the graduate school - augusta.edu · • advise tgs administrators on matters of interest to...
TRANSCRIPT
The Graduate SchoolStudent Council
NEWSLETTER F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 8
Meet TGS Student Council members
How does the new proposed Tax reform effect graduate students?
Upcoming events and happenings around campus
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The Graduate School — Graduate Student Council
ABOUT USWe are The Graduate School — Graduate Student Council. We represent the students of graduate programs under The
Graduate School and advocate for an enriching and collaborative relationship amongst students across various disciplines.
Come to us with your questions, concerns, and ideas – let your voice be heard by TGS administrators and university leaders.
IN THIS ISSUEw Year in Revieww Rave Guardian appw How to get travel funds from TGSw Effects of the tax reformw Where our fees gow Upcoming events
- by Merry Ma
• Participate in dialogue and collaboration with TGS graduate students from across campuses
• Advise TGS administrators on matters of interest to graduate students
• Meet with university leaders on topics of interest to the group
• Have the opportunity to serve on TGS and University committees
• Represent their colleges and graduate programs as TGS ambassadors
• Participate in other special TGS focus groups
• Lead and/or serve on any subcommittees
• Engage in special projects and initiatives
WHAT WE DO
www.augusta.edu/gradstudies/current_students/gsc/index.php
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The Graduate School — Graduate Student Council
TGS Graduate Student Council REPRESENTATIVES2017 - 2018
College Representative [email protected]
TaliaRileyMarloVernon
trileymvernon
CollegeofEducation KateCrockettTamayaMcQueary
kcrocketttmcqueary
CollegeofNursing ChristaArmfieldMichaelEhrieBeckyGeeGabrielleHelfgott
carmfieldmehriergeemhelfgott
CollegeofScienceandMathematics
TaylorRodriguezDavidWarden
trodrigudwarden
DentalCollegeofGeorgia RanyaElsayedMohamedMeghil
relsayedmmeghil
HullCollegeofBusiness JohnCroy jcroyMedicalCollegeofGeorgia JasmineFuller
MerryMaCandacePoole
jfuller1mmacapoole
PamplinCollegeofArts,Humanities,andSocialSciences
AshleyWhite aswhite
SchoolofComputerandCyberSciences
BrianPresgrove bpresgrove
Newsletter Committee:Editor - Marlo VernonLayout Designer - Talia RileyPhotography - Ashley WhiteContributors - Jasmine Fuller, Becky Gee, Merry Ma, Mohamed Meghil, David Warden, and Ashley White
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The Graduate School — Graduate Student CouncilYear In Review At student orientations, new students received a student handbook, created by a TGS Student Council subcommittee lead by Sarah Sharman (2016/17 TGS Student Council member). This booklet is a guide to living in the CSRA with helpful
anecdotes about life as a student. If you did not receive one, or are a returning student who would like a copy, please stop by
the TGS offices to pick one up!
We regularly meet with AU administration to learn about programs available to graduate students and policies which affect
us. Last year we met with:• Ms. Michelle Reed who presented on Title IX (Sexual Misconduct Policy
and Prevention)and how it applies to students at AU. She is the university
contact for issues relating to dating violence, exploitation and blackmail
(social media, photos, videos), and issues relating to student safety. Ms.
Reed is interested in ongoing partnership and collaboration with students
to develop prevention strategies.
• Dr. Quincy Byrdsong, former VP for AP and Strategic Initiatives and
Chief Diversity Officer, discussed the efforts that AU is implementing to
ensure that all perspectives and voices are represented on campus, and
that other opinions do not get shut out. For issues relating to diversity and
inclusion on campus, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, now led by Dr.
Lindsey West and her staff are here to support students and staff, and offer
education opportunities as well as campus wide initiatives to broaden and
enhance our AU community.
Stay Safe with the RAVE Guardian appAugusta University Police Dispatch monitors RAVE Guardian 24/7. They are here for you, any time, day or night. In
today’s age of technology, we rely on our cell phones more and more each day. The RAVE Guardian app is like placing a
Code Blue tower phone in each student’s pocket, virtually turning the phone into a portable emergency beacon. With the
free app, students and faculty can not only make calls to Augusta University Public Safety, but also send crime and safety
tips, and call local 911 as well. More information about the app can be found at:
http://www.augusta.edu/publicsafety/aboutraveguardian.php
Pictured: Dr. Brooks Keel
• Dr. Brooks Keel, President. We had a lively discussion with Dr. Keel over campus priorities, future directions, and advice
on name change explanations when we travel to other institutions. Eventually, by our continual visibility at conferences
and workshops, the name change issue will fade in importance. Be sure to use the proper branding and templates
available from our marketing department when presenting outside of AU. We also emphasized support for ongoing
interprofessional collaboration opportunities among students at AU.
If you have questions about any of these topics, or would like for us to contact other administration departments, please let
your representative know!
- by Marlo Vernon
by Jasmine Fuller
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The Graduate School — Graduate Student Council
HOW TO GET TRAVEL FUNDSfrom The Augusta University Student Government Association or The Graduate School
Students and organizations may request travel funding and event funding from Graduate SGA. The form is located at http://
www.augusta.edu/student-life/sga/fundingform.php. Important information about the funding request process is as follows:
1. Please review the funding policies at http://www.augusta.edu/student-life/sga/fundingpolicies.php before filling out a
funding request.
2. All funding is on a reimbursement basis, and funding requests must be submitted prior to the event or travel.
3. After funding has been approved by the senate, you have up to 10 working business days to submit all paperwork to the
appointed Business Specialist for SGA.
4. Request must be made for events and travel that will be taking place in the same academic semester.You may not submit a
request to be reimbursed for an event or travel that took place in a prior semester.
For any more information, please contact GSGA Comptroller Nicole Lopez at [email protected].
The Graduate School offers travel funding for students to national or regional meetings. The Priority Criteria for Distribution
of Travel Funds are:
• the student must be the first author presenting
• the student must be sponsored by his/her major advisor
Funding priority is given to students seeking the Doctor of Philosophy degree who are in their final two years of study. The
limits per fiscal year are $1000 for PhD and $500 for non-PhD students. Students must request funding at least 14 days before
the travel date. You can find the guidelines and an application at http://www.augusta.edu/gradstudies/current_students/, or
you may stop by The Graduate School office and speak to Emily Crider ([email protected]) for more information.
- by Jasmine Fuller
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The Graduate School — Graduate Student Council
How the new proposed tax reform will effect graduate students
Members of the United States Congress recently passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Two versions of this bill, which
significantly alters income tax policy, were passed in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Of particular importance
to graduate students was the proposed removal of a tax waiver on stipends and waived tuition in the House version of the
TCJA. This change would have meant that stipends for graduate students would be treated as taxable income, which would
have increased income taxes and the financial cost of advanced education. The Senate version of the bill did not include
removal of these deductions. Because both versions were passed in the two Congressional bodies, legislators compromised
in committee for a final version of the bill. The final version of the TCJA, which was signed into law on December 22,
2017, does not include removal of the tax waiver for graduate students. Members of the Graduate Student Council and
other student organizations at Augusta University contacted elected officials as part of a nationwide effort to prevent
removal of these tuition waivers.
- by David Warden
WHERE DO OUR FEES GO? Lately, this question has been on many of AU
students’ minds. Being concerned ourselves,
the TGS Graduate Student Council invited Dr.
Scott Wallace, Dean of Student Life at Augusta
University to one of our meetings to discuss
and answer any questions about the student fees
that are paid each semester. These fees are the
Mandatory Student Fees that are required for all
full-time students at AU.
• Student Health Fee covers visits to the Student
Health Center and Counseling Center.
• Technology Fee is used to maintain the informational technology available for the education of AU students.
• Transportation Fee is used for the operation of the AU Shuttle buses and parking lot maintenance.
• Student Activity Fee is used to fund various student organizations and campus events.
• Athletic Fee contributes to the operating costs of the AU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.
• Wellness Center Fee enables student access to the campus recreation facilities and equipment on both campuses.
• Jaguar Student Activity Center (JSAC) Fee contributes to the debt service payments on the JSAC.
• It must be noted that the Special Institution Fee of $450 is not under the mandatory student fees. It is used to
supplement institutional needs not covered through tuition.
- by Jasmine Fuller
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The Graduate School — Graduate Student Council
Upcoming Events
The Graduate School - Augusta UniversityHealth Sciences Campus (Pavillion III)1120 15th Street - Augusta, GA [email protected]
• CSRA Heartwalk - March 10
• LinkedIn: An Important Professional Tool for Career Success - March 15
• Graduate Research Day - March 23
• American Diabetes Association: 3/12/18
Upcoming Abstract Deadlines
STUDENT SPOTLIGHTCyber Science, particularly in regards to defense, is a burgeoning
industry. But graduate students, like Matthew Atkinson, welcome
the call to be at the forefront of an invisible battle defending our
freedom and information. “Being able to help in the background...
and protect the security, the data, and essentially the lives of a lot
of people on the front line would be an exceptional opportunity,”
said Atkinson. Atkinson is a graduate of the James M. Hull
College of Business and currently working on his master’s degree
in information security management. In the fall, Atkinson was
one of just three Augusta University Cyber Institute students to
be awarded a prestigious scholarship from the Department of Defense. For every year of scholarship, recipients are
required to work for the Department of Defense for one year. “That’s always one of the biggest stresses...Now what?”
he said. “Thankfully for the time being the ‘now what?’ for me has been answered.”Come graduation in Spring 2019,
Atkinson believes he will be ready to take on his dream job with the Department of Defense; but, Atkinson said he
will never forget the AU family who helped get him there. “I could not have achieved this without the guidance of
my professors at Augusta University as a whole,with a great portion of assistance coming from members of the Hull
College of Business and the Cyber Institute at Augusta University. I have always enjoyed my time as an undergraduate
and graduate at Augusta University and encourage all those seeking secondary education to keep Augusta University in
their list of candidates. You will not regret joining the Jaguar family.”
Limitless Possibilities for AU Students
If you know of an upcoming event or opportunity for graduate students , let us know!Please email Dr. Patricia Cameron, [email protected]
