-- D R A F T --
Members Present:
Graduate Center, CUNY - Doctoral Students’ Council Plenary Minutes – September 15, 2006
Audiology: Allison Shapiro Biology: Jillian De Gezelle Classics: Michael Broder (by proxy: Zeeshan Suhail) Computer Science: Mohamed Saad, Hassan Adekoya Criminal Justice: Charles Lieberman, David Caspi Engineering Biomedical: Veronica Lopez Engineering Chemical: Mehrdad Kheiripour Engineering Civil: Rouzbeh Nazari Engineering Electrical: Rex Wong English: Rob Faunce French: Chong Wojtkowski History: David Golland Music DMA: Barbara Podgurski (by proxy: Brooke Bryant) Music PhD: Jason Hooper Political Science: Jen Gaboury, Zeeshan Suhail, Aaron Ibur Psychology Environmental: Stephanie Domenici Cabonargi (by proxy: Frank Muscara) Psychology Industrial/Organizational: Lauren Mondo Psychology Learning Processes: Adrienne Robek Psychology Social Personality: Elizabeth Velilla (by proxy: Charles Lieberman) Theatre: Kate Wilson Urban Education: Lynda Kennedy At-Large: Dave Aliano, Celia Braxton, Ericka Calton (by proxy: C. Wojtkowski), Gregory Donovan, Patrina Huff, Ian Jones, James Lyles, Tina Lee, Amy Meyers, Dion Powell, Brenda V ollman
Members Absent:
Anthropology: Martha Lincoln (excused), Kate Griffiths Biology: Adam Kavalier (excused) Chemistry: Marie Thomas (excused) Comparative Literature: Kai Kreinke, Alexander Moudrov Earth/Environmental Science: Angelos Lampuossis Economics: Andrew Bossie (excused)
History: Jameel Haque (excused) Liberal Studies: Nazreen Bacchus (excused) Linguistics: Ji Young Shim Music PhD: Inessa Bazayev Psychology Clinical: Nora Goudsmit Social Welfare: Denise Torres Sociology: Binh Pok
At-Large: Valerie Futch (excused), Lee Hachadoorian (excused), Lindsay Krasnoff (excused), Pamela Proscia (excused), Farishta Satari, Deborah Upegui (excused)
Guests Present:
Prof. Rolf Meyersohn, GC Ombuds Officer
Total Members Present: 36. Members Absent: 21. Guests present: 1. Quorum established to conduct business.
Chair: C. Wojtkowski Minutes: D. Golland
Meeting Called to Order at 6:00 pm.
I. II.
III.
IV. 1.
V.
Invited Speaker: Professor Rolf Meyersohn, GC Ombuds Officer
Approval of Agenda
Moved by B. Vollman; seconded by Z. Suhail. Motion approved unanimously as amended.
Approval of Old Minutes
Moved by D. Golland; seconded by J. Lyles. Motion approved unanimously as amended.
Old Business Lockers. The Locker Lottery is closed as of August 25th. Dave Golland and I worked with security to clip locks and clear out lockers. All items in lockers were placed in bags and labeled by room and locker #. We will store them in the SC office until the end of the term, and which time we can find a place to donate anything that can be donated. A few students have already come to claim their items. If you have items, come to the SC office during regular office hours with your GC id, room # & locker #. Lockers were allocated via email on Sept 10th. There were 76 lottery applications and 62 lockers. (so 14 were initially denied). Three (3) folks declined, so in in total – only 11 students were not able to receive lockers for this year. Notices will be posted in Spring as to the deadlines for applying to the 2007-07 locker lottery, and when to vacate.
Co-Chair for Student Affairs Report A. Welcome to new reps, welcome back continuing reps; we’re looking forward to a
productive semester. Here is a list of your representative Duties: Meetings are only part of your responsibility as reps: email one of the co-chairs if you can’t make it or send a proxy to the meeting. 1) Keep in touch with your constituents: keep us aware of problems, questions, and things your department would like to bring up. Establish as listserv or create a form on our website. 2) Visit the website and get acquainted with our services. Make sure your department knows how to get money, about grants, about DSC services, about Prof Development and cultural affairs, about our events like coffee hours and campus visits. Let them know about what we’re doing. 3) Talk up the DSC to your students—someone has to follow up in your footsteps.
B. Campus Visits. Ine of our goals is to keep tabs on off campus people. Our first campus visit is Friday, September 29th at City College at noon. We will be bringing pizza and pop. PLEASE tell your reps. Rouzbeh will be reserving the 1st Floor Exhibition room in Steinman Hall (engineering building). We are currently accepting suggestions for other campuses, so we need your help and volunteers.
C. Research Grant Update. The Research Grant Program was a huge success, in your packets. Please note that people who received grants are URGED to submit their information and receipts as soon as possible! The deadlines and information are in the packets as well as on our website. Please talk to the people in your department. The correct dates are Monday September 25, at 4PM in Room 5414 and again on Friday October 13, at 4PM in Room 5414.”
D. NRC Survey of students. The departments being surveyed are English, Economics, Neuroscience, Chemical Engineering, and Physics.
E. Chartered Orgs. The Postcolonial group was NOT dechartered. Spend your funds!
VI. Co-Chair for Communications Report – Dave (10 min.) A. SERC Committee Nominations for 2006-2007 (3).
Re-election of Mabel Gonzalez (Hisp/Luso-Braz) & Ceren Ozgul (Anthro) and election of Misha Lars (Crim. Justice) approved unanimously.
B. Website&AdvocateUpdate.Thewebsitewasattacked,probablybyoffshorehackers with software designed to crack passwords, possibly because we are affiliated with an educational institution and possibly just for “kicks;” the webmaster rose to the occasion and has handled the threat. The first issue of The Advocate has been released, under the leadership of new Editor-in-Chief James Hoff.
VII. Co-ChairforBusinessManagementReport–Brenda(10min.) A. Adjunct Project:
1. We had a total of 12 applications, and ended up holding interviews with four (4) interviews in which the former APC (Andrea Morrell), the current Co-Chair for Student Affairs (Chong Wojtkowski), and the current Co-Chair for Business (Brenda Vollman) participated.
2. Hired Carl Lindskoog (History), for the position of Adjunct Project Coordinator (2006–7). He has been notified and is here tonight.
3. The APC office has been reassigned to 5494 (closer to the SC office) and is shared with the USS rep. He will have a key to the SC office (5495) as well.
B. Budget—ProposedandpassedinApril06.Updates–inordertoaccommodatea stipend for the USS (who, if accepts the stipend, holds office hours, performs meetings duties, attends exec committee functions and SC functions, as well as USS meetings) – decreased our contribution by $2200 to the Travel and research fund (not exhausted last year); VP Matt Schoengood has verbally committed to making up the minimal difference in what we said we would contribute to what we are able to contribute given this new regular line item (for a vote). Motion to approve the budget as amended. Moved by B. Vollman; seconded by D. Golland. C. Lieberman offered a friendly amendment (accepted) to pro-rate the USS stipend for this year to begin effective after the motion passes, rather than September 1.
Motion approved as amended.
C. DepartmentAllocations:spend,spend,spend.Officialnumbersshouldbeavailable soon.
VIII. USS Report - Zeeshan (10 min.) Z. Suhail reported that USS officer nominations would be held this Sunday. D. Golland reported that a resignation in early July had resulted in his statutory filling-in as interim alternate delegate; discussed a pending new USS attempt to increase the USS fee, and asked for nominations for the permanent position of alternate delegate. D. Golland nominated by D. Powell; seconded by J. Lyles.
Election of D. Golland as USS Alternate Delegate approved.
IX. DSC Standing Committee Reports A. Health Issues. C. Wojtkowski spoke for committee chair Ericka Calton; presented a
report on possible mandatory health insurance; asked for volunteers to join the committee.
L. Kennedy and I. Jones joined the Health Issues Committee.
B. ConstitutionandBylaws.A.Iburdescribedthecommitteeandaskedforvolunteers.
No volunteers came forward.
C. CommunityBuilding.C.Liebermandescribedthecommitteeandaskedforvolunteers.
M. Kheiripour, K. Wilson, and A. Meyers joined the Community Building Committee.
X. DSC Ad Hoc Committee Reports (varied/as necessary) A. Darfur Support Committee. D. Golland described the committee and asked for
volunteers.
R. Nazari and C. Lieberman joined the Darfur Support Committee.
XI. Grad Council Committee Reports A. Student Replacements needed on the following committees: Student Services (1),
Curriculum & Degree (2), Structure (1), Library (1).
D. Powell nominated for membership on the Student Services Committee. L. Kennedy and A. Meyers nominated for membership on the Curriculum and Degree Requirements Committee. Aaron Ibur nominated for membership on the Structure Committee. C. Braxton nominated for membership on the Library Committee.
B. Tech Fee. I. Jones discussed the coming wireless internet plan for the library and dining commons; the tech fee budget; and the cost and availability of printing from the computers in the library.
XII. NewBusiness A. Election of Student Members of College Association. B. Vollman asked for nominees
to the College Association.
T. Lee, C. Braxton, and M. Kheiripour were nominated to the College Association.
B. ProfessionalDevelopment.K.Wilsonpresentedasurvey,containedintheagenda packet, for DSC reps regarding professional development.
C. OaxacaMotion.D.GollandpresentedthefollowingmotiononbehalfofSandorJohn (History): “The Doctoral Students’ Council endorses the September 21 event – initiated by AELLA and others and endorsed by many CUNY professors and student groups – saying ‘Protest Repression in Oaxaca Mexico! Defend the Striking Teachers!’
Following on the September 14 Report-Back at the Grad Center (sponsored by AELLA, the PSC, DSC, etc.), this is the most recent in a number of protests outside the Mexican consulate that have brought together diverse voices from CUNY, NYC teachers, community groups and others to defend the basic rights of teachers in Mexico. We have been informed by CUNY professors recently returned from Mexico that the rallies held at the consulate here in New York early this summer had a big and very positive effect on teachers’ morale in Oaxaca,” stating that out of respect for Mr. John, no amendments should be made from the floor but that the motion should be voted up or down, as-is. C. Lieberman pointed out that the motion was factually inaccurate with regard to the DSC having “sponsored” the “September 14 Report-Back.”
Moved by D. Golland; seconded by C. Lieberman.
Motion failed.
XIII. Announcements. C. Wojtkowski announced the DSC Fall Coffee Hour, to be held on September 28th from 2-5pm, and stated that the President would stop by; the DSC Fall (Halloween) Party will be held on Friday, October 27th.
XIV. Adjournment.
Moved by C. Lieberman; seconded by. J. Lyles.
C. Wojtkowski adjourned the meeting at 7:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted,
D. Golland.
Motion approved by acclamation.