Minutes for April Meeting

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS:

A. The GSA spring picnic is to be held on April 26th.

B. The GSA award recipients were as follows: Faculty Teaching/Mentoring Award - 
   Yildiz Bayazitoglu (Mechanical Engineering) and John Biln (Architecture).  
   Faculty/Staff Service Award - Tracy Michelle Voltz.  
   Robert Lowry Patten Award - Auleen Ghosh (Chemical Engineering), 
   Xinyu (Frank) Zhao (Chemical Engineering) and Zheng Huang (Mathematics).  
   GSA Service Award - Zhongping Jian (Electrical) and James Yager (Biochemistry). 
   Friend of Rice Graduate Students Award - John Schroeter.

C. The next meeting will hold Honor Council elections and budget approval voting.

2. Changes to Rice parking facilities were considered, and are to be discussed in 
   detail at a meeting with Neill Binford on April 23rd at 5pm in Duncan Hall 1070

3. Michelle Calabretta (external VP) discussed new health insurance policy proposals.
   Indicated that despite increases of 70% in Plan A and 18% in a diminished version
   of Plan B, renewal with current provider seems to be the best option considering
   the state of the current insurance market.  Questions arose as to the possibility
   of a third plan that provides greater coverage than Plan B but more modest coverage/cost
   than Plan A.  Question arose as to the possibility of receiving the $500 subsidy for
   those covered by non-Rice plan providers.  Resolved to consult departments and continue
   exploring options before a decision is reached within the next several weeks.

4. Adjourned the meeting after indicating that the University Court and Honor Council are still seeking members.

Roll was not taken.