A Change of Hands

Officer campaigns for the Plant Pathology Graduate Student Association took place Tuesday, presenting new ideas and directions for the group. Members have a week to consider the campaign, before replying to an email-ballot from group member Cindy.

The 2011/2012 PPGSA Presidential Candidates are Lou Hirsch and Alma Laney.

“I want to bring a new sense of camaraderie to the group. Not that we don’t already have one, just want it to be more prominent,” said Lou Hirsch.

“What would we talk about if we saw each other in ten years—what memories would we have of PPGSA?”

As a solution, he suggested meeting up with other graduate student associations for social events.

“This is where we expand research and perspectives in a cohesive group, we should cut loose and relax during a (hard) time in our lives,” he said.

The main challenge Hirsch presented in his campaign speech was funding for social events, since ASG funding will go toward research-based activity.

“I spoke with someone about our budget. Part is funding, but we can’t spend it on “fun” stuff like field trips or non-research stuff. It’s dictated by the University,” he said.

Overall, Hirsch finds this additional advantage to the group would be worth it, despite lack of funding.

“That’s what I’d like to bring to the group, a sense of camaraderie,” he said. “I’d like to have that.”

Alma Laney proposed two new features for the association: a bi-weekly Journal Club and an expansion to the Farmer’s Market Diagnostic Booth, additional publication of Disease Notes.

“The Journal Club would give us an opportunity to learn new techniques and to learn about pathogen interactions that are outside our very focused area of research,” she said.

Laney has seen other RSOs participate in similar activities and benefit from the bonding activity.

The Diagnostic Booth “is not fully being utilized,” she said. Besides being a valuable development for plant pathologists, “there is the possibility of gaining publications if we utilize this tool properly.”

“Disease Notes are easy to write, about one page long including references, but they count on our CVs as a publication,” she said. “Very minor changes to how we approach the samples brought to us at the Farmer’s Market would be required:

“In addition to checking the literature to see what is reported to infect the specific host, a quick literature search to see the geographic distribution would tell us if the pathogen is new to our area or if it is infecting a new host.”

Candidates for vice-presidency are John Ridernour, Jing Zhou, Kevin Lee and Kim Cochran. None attended the campaign meeting (some because of class-overlap), but Cochran submitted a response that Urrea read during the meeting:

“I will simply do my best to serve as an officer in either the treasurer or vice-presidential position and try to make the coming year an enjoyable one for everybody,” Cochran said.

Candidates for 2011/2012 Treasurer are Jonathon Smith- this year’s vice president, Lou Hirsch (also running for president), Andrew Jecmen, Kim Cochran and Kevin Lee.

“This is a great opportunity to learn, a lot of good experience for everyone,” said President Keiddy Urrea.

The University of Arkansas Plant Pathology Graduate Student Association meets in room nine of the Plant Sciences Building on Tuesdays after seminar, approximately 4:15 or 4:30.

For more information, see our note “RSO Highlight: Plant Pathology Graduate Student Association.”