GPAC tackles variety of student concerns
 

Building-related concerns and orientation activities for new students were among the special projects undertaken this year by the Graduate Public Affairs Council (GPAC).

In the building problem area, GPAC's executive committee lobbied the university president's office to solicit help in updating the LBJ School lobby area. An ad hoc committee was also organized to collect student input and develop ideas for resolving some of the more substantive building problems. According to GPAC President Rebecca White, these include classroom design, parking, maintenance and repair, and the growing pigeon population.

To improve student orientation, an ad hoc committee was established to strengthen the process and to compile a guide for new students. The guide will contain information on housing, parking, restaurants, and other relevant material.

In other areas, GPAC organized the annual state of the school address and the Texas Excellence Teaching Awards presentations. Activities coordinated by special GPAC committees are listed below.

• The Academic Policy Committee has been a key player this year in building student awareness for the new UT Austin Graduate School dispute resolution portfolio program and the newly inaugurated RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service.
   
• The Brown Bag Committee worked with the dean's Public Events Committee to coordinate the visits of a variety of speakers.
   
• The Community Service Committee sponsored two city-wide community service days this year. The most recent was held in April and was called "Volunteerism Is No Joke."
   
• The Faculty Recruitment Committee added a new component to this year's recruitment by asking each candidate to give a mock class so that students could evaluate speakers on the quality of their teaching skills.
   
• The Joint Degree Committee met with the UT Austin Dean of Students to request greater coordination among the university's joint degree programs.
   
• The Texas Excellence Teaching Awards Ad Hoc Committee modified the award process at the LBJ School by adding an "honorable mention" category.

GPAC also helped coordinate and fund several discussion groups who met throughout the year to discuss particular policy interests. The newly formed groups include the African Affairs Policy Group; LBJ Environmental Affairs Group; National Interest Roundtable; Nonprofit/Community Service Policy Study Group; and Policy, Women, and Resources (PoWer).

In addition to President White, this year's officers are Concetta Bencivenga, vice president; Kate Massey, treasurer; and Wesley Wilson, secretary.

Comments to lbjwmast@uts.cc.utexas.edu