1. Co-President Karla Knutson called the meeting to order
2. Introductions of new and old members of SAGE were made.
3. President’s Report was made:
   a. Kristin and Karla met with Dr. Elliott earlier this summer. They discussed the following.
   
   i. As space is at a premium this year, there will be no first floor lounge, as was discussed last year.
   ii. Please make sure that you are attending your appropriate committee meetings. The chairs are concerned that graduate students are not attending. If for some reason you cannot make it, please notify your chair and find a replacement.
   iii. We are looking into the possibility of 24-hour access to the SAGE lab, via keys or a keypad of some sort. This will become more imperative, as Computer Services notified Dr. Elliott that once printers break in our offices, they will not be replaced. We will all be using one network printer, which will be located presumably in the SAGE lab. Concerns include the following:
   
   1. 24-hour access to the building (for non GTA’s)
   2. The possibility of SAGE purchasing printers was raised, but may not be possible, as Computer Services will not take responsibility for these printers.
   
   iv. If we are going to have a keypad to enter the SAGE lab, the idea was raised to also have one to access the copier. The issue of overusing the copier was raised. Karla and Kristin said they would speak to Dr. Elliott about this. This is a possible use for SAGE funds, but we must look into the expense.
   v. Dr. Elliott also solicited suggestions for the mentoring system, though it may be an insolvable problem.
   
   1. We could institute some sort of formal feedback system from us (the students) to evaluate our mentors.
   2. We need some sort of checks and balances system, to make sure that all mentors are fulfilling their responsibilities (writing letters, etc.)
   3. Email Kristin and/or Karla if you have other suggestions you would like brought before Dr. Elliott.
   
   vi. Dr. Elliott also wanted it made know that there is a short term, interest free for up to one year, loan available to graduate students through the department. Details are in the handbook. This loan has been available for quite some time, but it not generally used.
   
   
   b. Department Voting Meeting
   
   i. If you sit on a committee, you need to be at these meetings. You are allowed to vote, and it is important that the graduate students are represented.
   ii. Upcoming Events
   
   1. Monday – EAT presents staged readings –FREE!
   2. Sept. 14th – Judith Fetterly (feminist scholar)
   3. Oct. 1st – Jean Fagan Yellan (Black Writing – Harriet Jacobs)
   4. Oct. 1st-3rd – EAT presents one-act plays
   5. Oct. 22nd – Carol Emerson (Bahktin scholar)
   6. Nov. 8th – EAT presents one of Rita Dove’s plays
   7. Nov. 11th – Rita Dove’s lecture (at The Lied Center)
   
   iii. Travel funds will be much more stringent this year. Graduate students should first use the funds available from the Graduate School.
   
   1. You can now use the $400 from the graduate school twice during your academic career here at KU.
   2. SAGE also has a very limited amount of funding available for assisting students in going to conferences as well.
   
   iv. The department has started a search committee for a specialist in 19th century British poetry.
   v. There is talk of a possible renovation of Wescoe! In a survey conducted, most students said the one improvement they would like to see is a renovation of Wescoe. Drawings of possible improvements were passed around.
   
   c. Miscellaneous Presidential Notes
   
   i. The SAGE lab has a new microwave, thanks to Sam Parkes.
   ii. The finalized Committee Roster was handed out. Our two first-year liaisons are Alicia Sutliff and Leslee Friedman. We are still looking to fill the GTAL and Graduate committee positions.
   iii. Please return your SAGE questionnaires to Karla or Kristin. We want your feedback!
4. Secretary’s Report was made: Currently working on the List serve problem (Note: still trying to figure it out. No help from Computer Services).
5. Treasurer’s Report was made:
   a. There is currently $202.40 in the “slush fund”
   b. Graduate student organizations will have a meeting soon to let us know how much funding we will be receiving.
   c. We recently cleared out all the books from the SAGE lab and sold them to ½ Price Book Store. We made $95.00. Start collecting books now to donate to SAGE for the book sale in the spring.
6. Committee Reports:
   a. Graduate Assembly met last week for about twenty minutes to introduce new Graduate Staff.
   b. FSE is in a handbook evaluation year. This is a hefty contract which publishers vie for. If you have opinions, please let someone on the committee know. The options the textbooks subcommittee will be evaluating will be available in Lisa’s office for review. She is in 3083 Wescoe.
7. SAGE Advice needs articles
   a. Matt Candelaria volunteered to interview Deb Unferth for the upcoming edition.
   b. Brooke agreed to do the “student spotlight”
   c. Discussed possibilities of “Dr. Doctor” returning.
   d. If you have ideas that you would like to contribute, please email Kristin.
   e. Please send any ideas you have for teaching tips, or any announcements you have to Kristin as well.
   f. We will make a few paper copies available this year (in the English Office) for those who prefer to read SAGE advice that way. Otherwise, we will continue with the electronic versions of the newsletter. Kristin will also look into having the newsletter presented via hyperlinks.
8. Social Committee:
   a. Beth and Mindi will meet and plan the creative readings and Halloween party.
   b. Academics Anonymous was raised. We should create a new committee for this. Several people (Mindi McMann, John Wiehl and Kristin Bovaird-Abbo)
9. Joe Sommers raised the issue of doing some sort of “thank you” for all of the faculty and staff who have assisted graduate students in recent years. Please contact Joe if this is something you would like to assist him in spearheading.
10. Jen Humphrey spoke with Professors Barnard and Susan Harris about workshops for the development of professional skills. There is interest, though Jen said it would probably not be this semester that we would see the workshops in initiated.
11. The next meeting time will be set once people have returned their SAGE surveys, so we can find a time to accommodate the most people.
12. Meeting adjourned.

Minutes submitted by Mindi McMann, Secretary.