The BESA Executive Committee has decided to do one more faculty-student lunch for the academic year for the biomedical graduate group (horray!). We are also very mindful of the fact that our fellow 1st years have their upcoming prelims and it can be a time of stress.  This BESA lunch is geared toward giving all of us, and especially those 1st years, a lunch break to alleviate the stress and to provide lunch (one less thing to worry about, right?).

The proposed date is Wednesday, June 18 @ noon. Please RSVP and let us know if that is a good time for you.  It will be held in the GBSF gathering room on the 3rd floor.

Also, as elections are around the corner, we will have an opportunity for the candidates running for positions to give a little spiel (optional) about themselves and their experiences/qualifications for that position.

We look forward to hearing back from you…please do RSVP so everyone who does can be ensured a lunch Pizza is on the menu this time around.

BESA elections are coming up! Please nominate yourself or others for officer positions by emailing BESA. There are seven officer positions available. The descriptions below are subject to change, according to how the leadership wants to run the organization. All positions assist with orientation in the fall and recruitment weekend in the winter. All positions but the President and Social Chair will choose or create a BESA event to organize/run at the first/second meeting. Committees may be established to help with specific events, like for ordering T-shirts, camping trips, and other extracurricular activities.

Continue reading for description of officer duties.

President

The president is responsible for organizing BESA meetings, delegating tasks, and the general execution of BESA events and activities.  Additionally, the president must coordinate BESA efforts in helping with recruitment weekend and fall orientation.  Fall orientation responsibilities include organizing track-specific discussion sections where new students can obtain information from graduate students currently in labs in their tracks of interest. 

Vice President

The VP is responsible for assisting the president in executing BESA events and activities.  The VP is also charged with ensuring that relevant BESA information is updated on the BESA website and/or the BME website.  The VP is in charge of T-shirts from the year before, or with ordering new T-shirts (either by their design or a design contest). 

Treasurer

The treasurer is responsible for overseeing BESA’s budget, reimbursing BESA members for food and other BESA-event related items, and maintaining BESA’s financial accounts.  This involves coordinating with Christal and maintaining BESA’s private checking account.  The treasurer is also responsible for running the candy bin of the 3rd floor gathering space (or finding someone else to do it). 

Secretary

The secretary is responsible for writing meeting minutes and distributing them to BESA members. 

IM Sports Chair

The sports chair is responsible for organizing sports teams according to the student needs each quarter.  This involves determining which sports to play, gathering player information, registering the teams, and organizing players for the games.  The sports chair has the option of re-ordering old athletic T-shirts or making new ones (either by their design or a design contest). 

Social Chair

The social chair is responsible for organizing BESA lunches and other social events, and for coordinating with BMES (BME undergrad group).  During the fall, winter, and spring, ~2 lunches per quarter are expected.  Lunch organization involves acquiring funds from the Dean Witter fund if applicable, ordering and providing the food, reserving the room, notifying the grad students and faculty, obtaining RSVPs, cleanup, and organizing volunteers to get this all done. 

Community Service Chair

The community service chair is responsible for coordinating the community service activities of BESA.  This includes relaying information on service opportunities from the GSA Community Service Committee to the BME graduate student population, and organizing food and clothing drives.  At least one organized BMEGG volunteer opportunity per quarter is expected.