The Graduate Student Union addressed the possibility of expanding the current graduate student health plan Tuesday night. Member Harold Stegel led Union member complaints that expressed the need of a new health care system with better student benefits.

"Our purpose as a body is to represent the students," said Stegel. "Health care is a huge concern for all graduates."

There was some confusion as to whom the students should appeal for a larger health care stipend. Students expressed frustration that current departmental funding of health insurance stipends is not fully adequate.

"Many graduate students fell like they cannot pay completely for health insurance," said Alexander Samual, GSU vice president. "It is something we should address to the administration next time we speak with them."

"Their perception is that perhaps they already give us enough money," said Mark Buckles, GSU president.

After discussing the issue for several minutes, the board decided it to release a questionnaire to graduate students to obtain a more complete picture of the overall health care dilemma. The questionnaire, the board agreed, would provide them with a solidified argument when the issue is addressed by the administration.

The Union also addressed difficulties with the GSU Web site.

The Web site crashed at the beginning of the semester, and was not fixed until fall break. Even after the mechanics of the site were reworked, the information it contained remains dated and useless to students and faculty.

"We need current information concerning what is going on in the GSU," said Samual. "A Web site must be created that all people can use to gain current information. A lot of work needs to be done soon."

Samual proceeded to propose a plan to hire a web-designer to fix, update and maintain the GSU Web site. The Union decided to wait a week for a graduate student to offer his services, until opening up the job to all students. If the student fulfills his required duties, the Union will pay him a dividend of $500.

In other GSU news:

u Buckles addressed a possible name change for the student organization at the onset of the meeting. Afraid of confusion with other student unions, Union members unanimously decided to retain their original name, confident that it was clearly distinct from other student organizations.

u The Union also addressed computer difficulties in the GSU computer clusters. Union members complained that computers continued to crash and that the printers continuously were jammed. Ed Kang, head of the computer cluster committee, defended himself against the complaints.

"There is absolutely no dialogue," said Kang. "I am not omniscient, I cannot know everything that goes wrong in there. Please, e-mail me, call me, contact me if there is something wrong. The problem is completely with the apathy of the users who do not take the time to contact me," Kang said.

Despite the complaints, the Union had a positive announcement as well. The GSU reached a new agreement with OIT, and the OIT agreed to provide a consultant in the graduate computer cluster.

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