Ohio University's Graduate Student Senate announced recipients of the John Houk Memorial Research Grant at its final Winter Quarter meeting last night.

Fifty proposals were submitted to the Houk committee. After several weeks of evaluations and discussions, 17 proposals received money. Awards totaled $9,570 for this quarter, increasing awards from Fall Quarter's $3,000. The money granted ranges from $200 to $1,001. Awards for the year total $12,988.

Proposals for Spring Quarter are due April 22. Committee Chairman Myron Beasley encouraged all graduate students to apply for grants.

In other business, GSS completed the report presented by the International Student Health Insurance Committee. Coordinating with Student Senate, the committee discussed OU's health insurance policy with Jackie Legg, student health service's business manager, and requested additional eye care and dental care in the plan. Committee Chairman Derek Hansen said he was pleased with the outcome of the report.

GSS also discussed concerns about attendance at GSS meetings. This quarter, two of the four meetings didn't reach quorum. Quorum requires 12 senators at the meeting and eight departments represented.

Meetings without quorum prevents GSS from voting on issues.

The GSS Constitution's absence section states, "No voting member may have more than one unexcused absence per quarter from the GSS meeting."

The constitution later states that after a second unexcused absence, the senator will be revoked and a replacement will be solicited by the vice president. President Ann Charles Watts encouraged all senators to relay the information about attendance to their departments.

Also, results of the GSS survey given to all graduate students last Spring Quarter still is undergoing evaluations.

Vice President Jim Crawford said a draft of the results will be presented to the GSS body at the next meeting.

The first GSS meeting of Spring Quarter is at 7 p.m. April 11 in Baker Center.