Purpose
The University of Arkansas Graduate Dean's Student Advisory Board serves as a forum for voicing graduate student ideas and concerns about pertinent university issues and, more fundamentally, exists to enhance communication between graduate students, faculty, and administration throughout the university.
Members
Membership Selection Guidelines
The GDSAB will be composed of fifteen representatives total, with one representative from each of the university's trans-departmental graduate organizations (Black Graduate Student Association, Graduate Students' Association, and Graduate Student Organization) and two representatives nominated from each of the University of Arkansas colleges administering graduate degrees through the Graduate School:
- College of Education and Health Professions (two seats)
- Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences (two seats)
- College of Engineering (two seats)
- Sam M. Walton College of Business (two seats)
- Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences (two seats)
- Graduate School (two at-large seats selected by the Dean and/or the Associate Dean of the Graduate School, with one seat designated for a representative from one of the university's three inter-college, interdisciplinary graduate programs)
Members of the GDSAB representing the university's colleges will be selected by the Deans of their respective colleges, and the college's nominations should be forwarded to the student representatives and the Associate Dean of the Graduate School by the end of the first full week of classes during the fall semester. The same timeline for the communication of nominations applies for representatives from the three graduate student organizations, but the process for the selection of those representatives is not mandated, so long as each organization remains a viable Registered Student Organization.
Graduate students who are nominated for the GDSAB should exemplify the following characteristics:
Commitment to the University of Arkansas
Members of the GDSAB are graduate students who have demonstrated a commitment to the long and short-term success of the University of Arkansas.
Responsibility
Members of the GDSAB are men and women of their word who take seriously the responsibility of representing their classmates and colleagues to the university administration.
Intellectual and Academic Rigor
Members of the GDSAB are excellent students who have performed consistently well in classroom and research activities.
Leadership
Members of the GDSAB are individuals who have demonstrated leadership in their departments and colleges.
Diversity
Members of the GDSAB are graduate students who represent the full spectrum of backgrounds and interests of the university community. The GDSAB values diversity in all its forms and as a body desires to reflect the diversity of graduate students in terms of academic disciplines, degree programs, races, nationalities, disabilities, sexual preferences, and gender.
Creativity
Members of the GDSAB are individuals who are creative problem solvers and enjoy developing novel approaches to complex problems and issues.
Election of Representatives to the Graduate Council
At the first meeting of the GDSAB during the fall of each academic year, two representatives will be elected from those present to represent the graduate student body as voting members of the Graduate Council.
Scheduled Meetings
The GDSAB will meet once a quarter, with no fewer than four meetings per academic year, two in the fall semester and two in the spring semester.
Meeting Format
The structure and content of GDSAB meetings will be determined collaboratively by the Associate Dean of the Graduate School and the members of the GDSAB.
Advisor
Dr. Patricia Koski, Associate Dean of the Graduate School
Changes to the Charter
Any changes to this charter must be approved by a majority vote of a quorum of board representatives.
