Message from GSA President

Dear Members,

Please find below is an email message from the current INTERIM President.

Sincerely,
Sherene Cheah

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Subject: Message from GSA President
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 14:26:21 -0500
From: Stephanie Frank

Dear Fellow Graduate Students:

I would like to take this opportunity to again invite all of you to meet with me to address any questions, comments, or concerns you might have about either myself, the executive board, and/or GSA. Since being appointed president, I have sent several messages out asking students to take advantage of the opportunity to share their concerns and to work with me in addressing issues. To date, not a single senator has contacted me and I find it hard to believe that no one has questions about the transition or ideas for the improvement of GSA.

In today's issue of Generation Magazine, a graduate student reported frustration over the appointment of a president from the same department as the previous president...making the inference that the same issues that plagued last semester's executive board will continue this semester. The statement is highly inaccurate...Aubrey and I are from two completely different departments...we came to know each other only from my work in the GSA and my time served on the Election Committee. Questions were also raised in the article over why certain budget lines were allocated a certain amount of money versus other budget lines. The article points out that only $4000.00 was allocated to international clubs, but what is not mentioned is that the senate itself approved the budget in the April 2006 senate meeting. Additionally, international clubs were actually allocated a total of $8500 with $5500 given to all the clubs that got early recognition and an additional $3000 was set aside for any clubs that did not get early recognition but might apply for recognition at the beginning of the year, or for any new international club that may form.
This example of misinformation and lack of knowledge is exactly why I have been asking for departments and senators to meet with the current Executive Board and discuss problems and concerns. I challenge the student body and the senators not to be passive members of the senate, but rather, to take a personal interest in the affairs of their student government and to learn how policies and procedures are enacted and enforced. Just as it is the responsibility of the executive board to serve the student body to the best of its abilities, it is the senate's responsibilty to question the whole of GSA (be it the executive board or the senate itself), to be active members, and to perform their duties to the best of their abilities as well to ensure that all of the graduate student body is best served.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please email them to me at rzp@buffalo.edu.

Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.

Sincerely,
Ronald Piaseczny,
JD GSA President

Newfane Elementary School

Dear members,
Please read below of a request from an elementary school teacher in Newfane, NY (25.1 miles / about 30 minutes drive) from UB North Campus with regards to seeking out international students to speak at their school's multi-cultural awareness event.

If you are interested, please contact Ms. Ludwig through her email as provided below. If there are several of you who would like to volunteer for this event, we can maybe coordinate a carpool. You can contact me at spcheah@buffalo.edu
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Throughout the month of March we will be celebrating multi-cultural awareness at Newfane Elementary School. We are looking for groups that may be interested in coming to share different aspects of their culture with us. If you think that your group might be able to help, please e-mail me at tludwig@newfane.wnyric.org at your earliest convenience. Thank you so much for your time.
Sincerely,
Tammy Ludwig

A message from the Acting President

From the GSA website

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A message from the Acting President:
Greetings fellow graduate students... my name is Ronald Zenon Piaseczny and I have recently been appointed by the GSA to the position of GSA President. I am very honored by the appointment and hope to serve the entire graduate student body to the best of my abilities during my interim presidency.

At this time, I'd like to take a few moments to introduce myself. I attended UB as an undergraduate student from 1994 to 1999 and earned a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in Polish Studies. During that time, I was very active in student organizations and student government. I held various positions at Generation Magazine, was World Music Director at WRUB, was involved with the Polish Student Association, the Literature Society, and other organizations. Also at that time, I volunteered with and served as Chief Executive Officer of UB's former student run and operated ambulance company, Baird Point Volunteer Ambulance Company, Inc. Outside of school, I was very involved locally and interned with various law enforcement agencies, including the NYS Attorney General's Office and the United Stated Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In May 1997, I had the good fortune of holding a federally appointed position with the United States Attorney's Office here in Buffalo, NY.

Following undergraduate, I attended Widener Law School in Wilmington, DE, where I graduated with my Juris Doctorate. As a law student, I continued to be active not only academically, but also with my school and local community. I served as president of my school's chapter of Phi Alpha Delta as well as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. In my last year of law school, I was able to take much of the knowledge I learned while interning at the Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights Center and with the help of other passionate and dedicated students created Widener Law School's first ever gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender student organization. Finally, while still in my last year, I worked in the Norristown District Attorney's Office as a Pennsylvania Supreme Court Certified Intern.

Returning to UB in 2003, I completed undergraduate coursework in psychology and political science, earning bachlor degrees in both. At the present time, I am a student in the Counseling, School, and Educational Psychology Department, completing my masters work in Rehabilitation Counseling and starting my doctorate work in Counselor Education. In 2004, I and a colleague founded the student chapter of the Association of Rehabilitation Counselors of America. For the past two years I have served as CSEP's student senator and served on the GSA Election's Committee last year. When not at school or serving my student organizations, I work as a mental health counselor with a local community mental health agency. I have been active in the GSA for some time now and have vast experience and knowledge of student government and organizations. It is my plan to run for president of GSA for the 2007-08 academic year and hope that my time as Acting President will be spent serving the interests of the graduate student body to the best of my abilities and talents.

Again, I'd like to thank the GSA for this opportunity to serve and I look forward to working with you all.

New GSA President

FYI...

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Dear Senators,

Several of you have expressed concern of the lack of a President of the GSA between now and the next Senate meeting. The current e-board has heard those concerns and have taken the following steps necessary to address your concerns: The chair of the election committee was asked to organize an election for President of the GSA.

In the meantime, there is a need for a GSA President to be in office for several reasons:
1) attend the Graduate School Executive Committee meeting on Jan 25th
2) attend all of the January Sub-Board meetings
3) arbitrate in the senate meeting.

As a result of these reasons, President Elect Ronald Piaseczny was nominated by the e-board and office managers of the GSA to serve as President until the February Senate meeting when an election can be held. You should also be aware that several departmental representatives (CSEP, SPM) expressed the desire to nominate Ronald after the December Senate meeting, as he is running for President in the next term.

To better get to know Ron, please read his statement on the GSA website about his background and qualifications. Thank you for your involvement in GSA!

Sincerely,
GSA e-board

Happy New Year

A Happy New Year to everyone. I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season. We have arrived in the year of 2007 where any thing can happen. There's one more week of rest time for everyone before the Spring semester begins. Therefore, enjoy and savor the last few days of winter break!