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Student Affairs Committee

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The Student Affairs Committee concerns itself with the participation of both undergraduate and graduate students in the association, such as planning the student reception at the annual conference and organizing sessions and workshops that students can participate in and/or attend.

The committee has three areas of focus:
1. promoting student participation in PSA
2. encouraging student scholarship, professional development, and interaction with other PSA members
3. PSA conference expectations, common practices, etc. (mentoring student participants in these)

The Student Affairs Committee consists of six members, two of whom will be student members at the time of their appointment (one undergraduate and one graduate).  Non-student members are appointed for a two year/three conference term. Student members are appointed for a one to three year term, depending on the length of service that they can commit to.  Each year, two members end their term and two members begin their term. Membership in this committee is appointed by the Committee on Committees. While members of the Student Affairs Committee may recommend prospective members to the Committee on Committees, they do not select their own committee members.  They do, however, elect the committee’s chair (or co-chairs). The chair needs to be someone who will be a continuing and active member of the committee.  The Chair serves for one year, but can be reelected.

  1. Procedures for taking committee action. Committee action is taken following a majority vote of the committee members.  This is done either at the annual meeting or by email at the request of the chair.
  2. Specific duties of the chair. The chair develops the agenda for the year’s activities and convenes the annual meeting of the committee. The chair is responsible for keeping the lines of communication open between and among members, organizing and conducting meetings, establishing sponsorship of student sessions for the annual meeting, ensuring follow through with session submissions, keeping track of pertinent member activities, writing the annual report, keeping a committee archive and passing it on to the next chair, and providing leadership.
  3. Calendar of activities.
    • December or earlier: Agenda for Upcoming PSA Meeting
      Chair develops agenda for the March/April PSA meeting.  Input from committee members is encouraged.
    • By March 1: Organization of Student Reception
      Details regarding the student reception are worked out with the Executive Director (time, place, food, etc.). The reception is normally held on Friday or Saturday evening. Publishers typically donate books, which are then raffled off or given away at the student reception.  The PSA may also provide checks of $50 to be distributed to students by the committee, such as during a game.
    • March/April: Annual Meeting
      During the annual meeting, members meet as a committee. Someone is selected to take minutes. The selection/election of the next committee chair (or co-chairs) is made. Agenda items are discussed, including sessions to be proposed for next year’s PSA meeting. Action items, if any, are passed on to the PSA Council. Recommendations for prospective committee members are solicited; these names are passed on to the chair of the Committee on Committees.  It is important to remind members about the student reception and encourage everyone’s attendance.
    • After Annual Meeting: Written Report
      The chair writes the annual minutes/report of committee activities, due to the Secretary by May 1. The report highlights any activities that the members have participated in throughout the year which relate to the student affairs committee, and any information on sessions the committee wants to sponsor that will be Open Call.

2023-2024 Members
Mahindra Mohan Kumar (24) University of Oregon (Graduate Student)
Kyla Walters (24) Sonoma State University
No new appointments (to begin service in 2023) made by the Committee on Committees

2022-2023 Members
Rana Abulbasal (23) Utah State University (Graduate student)
Melvin Sen (23) California State University San Marcos (Student)
Mahindra Mohan Kumar (24) University of Oregon (Graduate Student)
Kyla Walters (24) Sonoma State University
Ting Jiang (21) Metropolitan State University, Denver   Chair

2021-2022 Members
Chris Hardnack (22) CSU San Marcos
Yusuke Tsukada (22) University of Hawai’i at Manoa (Graduate student)
Rana Abulbasal (23) Utah State University (Graduate student)
Melvin Sen (23) California State University San Marcos (Undergraduate student)
Ting Jiang (21) Metropolitan State University, Denver   Chair

2020-2021 Members
Ting Jiang (21) Metropolitan State University, Denver
Chris Hardnack (22) CSU San Marcos
Yusuke Tsukada (22) University of Hawai’i at Manoa (student)

2019-2020 Members
Vikas Gumbhir (20) Gonzaga University Chair
Lori Fazzino (20) University of Nevada Las Vegas (student)
Ting Jiang (21) Metropolitan State University, Denver

2018-19 Members
Laura Earles (19)   Lewis-Clark State College, Co-Chair
Danielle Duckett (19) CSU Sacramento, Co-Chair
Vikas Gumbhir (20) Gonzaga University
Lori Fazzino (20) University of Nevada Las Vegas (student)

2017-18 Members
Laura Earles (19)   Lewis-Clark State College, Co-Chair
Danielle Duckett (19) CSU Sacramento, Co-Chair
Uriel Serrano (18) CSU Los Angeles (Student)
Rocio Garcia (18) UCLA (Student)
Alvin Camba (19) The John Hopkins University
to begin service in 2018:
Vikas Gumbhir (20) Gonzaga University
Lori Fazzino (20) University of Nevada Las Vegas (student)

2016-17 Members
Laura Earles    Lewis-Clark State College, Co-Chair
Lora Vess (16 extended to 2017) University of Alaska Southeast, Co-Chair
Tina Burdsall (17)  Portland State University
Emily Jones (17) University of Kansas (Student)
Uriel Serrano (18) CSU Los Angeles (Student)
Rocio Garcia (18) UCLA (Student)
to begin service in 2017: 
Alvin Camba (19) The John Hopkins University
Lori Fazzino (19) University of Nevada Las Vegas

2015-16 Members
Lora Vess (16) University of Alaska Southeast, Co-Chair
Tina Burdsall (17)  Portland State University, Co-Chair
Emily Jones (17) University of Kansas (Student)
Jennifer (Jey) Strangfeld (16)  CSU Stanislaus

2014-15 Members
Tina Burdsall  Portland State University (Northern) Chair
Jennifer (Jey) Strangfeld  California State University, Stanislaus (Central)
Tommy Devers California State University, San Marcos (Southern, Student)
Stacy Bricco  Humboldt State University (Central, Student)
Delia Olmos-Garcia  Willamette University (Northern, Student)
Kris Kohler California State University, Stanislaus (Northern)
Lora Vess  University of Alaska Southeast (Northern)