The Social Welfare Graduate Assembly (SWGA) minutes 12.5.2006

T-shirts

      Distribution dates of t-shirts and sweaters are next Tuesday (December 12) and the Tuesday after (December 19) from 2 to 4 on the first floor.  Please contact Deneesha if you are interested in tabling.

1. Gifts to faculty

      Gifts for Seng and Barbara were given by SWGA.  The janitors will also get their wonderful gifts as well. 

1. Book Fair

      If anyone is interested in taking over the book fair for next year, please contact Melanie @ Malford@berkeley.edu.

1. Curriculum

      For those of you who are interested in changing a class or changing the curriculum, participate in the CPG and let Elena know at Efoshay@berkeley.edu

1. Field Work

      There have been talks about making SW 241 a 2-unit course and separating it by concentration where one part of the course is based on concentration-specific theory and the other part of the course is on concentration-specific hands-on experience.  The faculty will soon collect a list from students of what skills students would like to learn for a 1-unit course. 

1. Executive Meeting

      Allison and Amanda, the Phd rep, sent out questions about what students want from the new dean.  For those of you who want to include their two cents, email Allison at Allisonsparks@hotmail.com by December 13. 
      Between next January and February, dean candidates will come to talk with students for a half hour to one hour. 

1. SWGA Appreciation Award

      Nominations for a faculty person who has significantly played a role in helping SWGA will be sent out to SWGA officers.  Melanie will send an email out asking for nominations so that we can award the faculty person at the beginning of next semester during the first meeting. Some nominations at the meeting include Cathy Ralph,   Loraine Midanik, Bart Grossman, and Rafael Herrera. 

1. Passing of the SWGA torch

      Outgoing reps will receive an email prompting them to come up with words of wisdom or any important information the first year reps will need in order to successfully fulfill their position in SWGA. 

1. Elections

      The votes have been counted but first year students will not know the results until Barbara Haden sends out the results at the end of the week. 

1. Diversity

      SWGA members who attended the meeting decided on three priorities to bring to the attention of the faculty.  These priorities are suggested action steps that the School of Social Welfare should consider to increase diversity in the school.  Caucuses are also encouraged to support these action steps.