01/28/05 SCM

Chair: Eric Doviak
Minutes: Tina Lee
Aleta Styers, Stephanie Dominici, Tomo Imamichi, Eric Doviak, Tina Lee, Moira Egan,
Dave Golland present. Paul McBreen and Camille Tipton by phone, Celia Braxton
absent.

I. Agenda approved unanimously

II. Old Minutes could not be approved—no copies available

III. Co-Chair for Business Management Report
A. Styers presented a revised budget (taking into account reduced income from
student services fees) that was accepted unanimously.

B. Audit fees are large given the size of our budget and the numbers of items to
be looked at (700). More info will be gathered about typical audit fees before further
action on this will be taken.

C. Resolution to increase the maximum cultural affairs grant to $600 (from $500)
was passed unanimously. There are currently outstanding cultural affairs grants that must
be processed immediately. Paul and Aleta will take care of this in the absence of
committee members due to the break.

D. Meeting on 1/27 laid the groundwork for budget planning for the upcoming
year. We agreed on several planning assumptions and brainstormed a list of activities we
think are important to fund. This work will continue.

E. Styers has been paying a consultant to create an excel program for use by the business
office. A resolution to allow this work to continue and approving no more than $750 for
this purpose was discussed. This resolution was not passed. An alternate resolution
authorizing payment in the amount of $550 for work already completed was passed with
5 ayes and 2 abstentions. Aleta will ask the consultant how much work is required to
complete the project and will bring this information to the steering committee. It was
decided that whether to authorize further work will be put off until after this info has been
presented.

IV. Further budget issues
A. Office assistant and fees paid: this was discussed above.

B. Aleta agreed to prepare a report on how much of the SC discretionary fund
had been already used and what still remains.

C. The travel and research fund is currently closed. Half of our budgeted
contribution has been transferred to the Fund; not all of it has disbursed yet. Aleta asked
that the Provost office submit a written request for the balance next week. Stef reported
on a discussion with the administration about this issue. In the future, if we can find
more money to contribute it is very possible that the administration will find more money
to match these funds. Tina suggested that this would be an excellent way to spend the
$3,000 in the budget earmarked for professional development.

V. Old Business
A. Health Services Committee—Dave Golland reported on his activities in the
USS to deal with the wellness center. At the December meeting the staffing of a
committee regarding this issue was not staffed (it came late in the meeting after quorum
was lost). Dave will be acting as our liaison to the USS. Eric Doviak will be reporting
on some health insurance options soon.

B. Coffee Hour will be held from 3-6 on Feb 10th. It was decided that Eric will
create flyers. Paul will send an email. Paul, Tomo, and Moira will help with set-up.
Tina and Dave will help with set-up. We will see if Celia can also help. More volunteers
will be recruited at the plenary.

C. Campus outreach—Thursdays seems to be the best day. Stef and Tomo will
check on transportation and volunteers.

D. USS Report: York College has opened a graduate division. Board of Trustees
Standing Committees will meet at 80th street on 1/31, 4/4, 5/2, 6/6. There is always room
for observers. On 1/12 a construction fund meeting was held. Work to repair Fitterman
Hall was approved as was funding for a new science center. The committee discussed the
current lack of funding for repairs. On 12/7 a lobbying trip to Albany was made. It was
discovered that there was no USS office. At a 1/16 meeting of the Steering Committee of
the USS a joint resolution was passed opposing a new program in national security
(dubbed Abu Ghraib 101 by students and faculty) at BMCC. Candidates in the 2005
Mayoral race have been invited to speak at future USS plenary.

E. Camille had to get off the phone so no website update.

F. Office hours and meeting duties were assigned.

VI. New Business
A. Stef discussed the status of financial aid and the fact that level two students
are caught with little funding as writing fellows have been limited to level three students
and there is a possibility of losing teaching jobs given that all GTF now are used for
recruiting. It was decided that we should be collecting stories of students effected by this
to share with legislators and administrators. A plenary resolution is also needed.

B. Assemblyman Canestrari visited the GC. He is supportive of a line item in the
state budget for CUNY. It might be useful to start a letter writing campaign to keep his
support. We must also be working on lobbying for tuition remission (currently 7.5
million has been requested) for all who teach at CUNY schools. This is currently in the
budget request, but we need to make sure that assemblymen know it is important and will
leave it. Canestrari is key since he is the chair of the higher ed committee and a member
of the ways and means committee.

C. Paul and Stef sent New Year’s Cards and magnets to allies at the GC and the
legislature, etc… The cost was about $85.

D. Due to problems with advocate stipends, a new form has been created
specifically for use to get money for articles written.

VII. No other new business.

VIII. Announcements: Avalon Star Wagner Has arrived!! Congrats to Camille!