Graduate Center, CUNY - Doctoral Students’ Council Plenary Minutes for March 23, 2007
Members and Voting Alternates Present:
Anthropology: Kate Griffiths Biochemistry: Avalon Garcia Chemistry: Marie Thomas Classics: Michael Broder Comparative Literature: Alexander Moudrov Computer Science: Hasan Adekoya, Mohamed Saad Criminal Justice: David Caspi (by proxy: Alissa Ackerman), Charles Lieberman Engineering, Biomedical: Veronica Lopez
Engineering, Civil: Rouzbeh Nazari Engineering, Electrical: Rex Wong English: Rob Faunce, Tina Meyerhoff French: Chong Wojtkowski Hisp./Luso-Braz. L&L: Hyon Kim History: David Golland, Jameel Haque Mathematics: Brooke Orosz
Music DMA: Barbara Podgursky (by proxy: ________) Political Science: Jen Gaboury, Patricia Nobbe, Zeeshan Suhail (by proxy: Walter Hurt) Psychology, Environmental: Stephanie Domenici Psychology, I/O: Lauren Mondo Psychology, Learning Processes: Adrienne Robek Psychology, Neuro.: Robyn Powers Psychology Social Personality: Elizabeth Velilla Social Welfare: Denise Torres Sociology: Binh Pok Theatre: Kate Wilson Urban Education: Lynda Kennedy At-Large: Celia Braxton, Ericka Calton, Lee Hachadoorian, Amber Hui, Ian Jones, Lindsay Krasnoff, Amy Meyers, Dion Powell, Pamela Proscia, Vincenzo Sainato, Brenda Vollman
Members Absent:
Anthropology: Martha Lincoln Biology: Jillian De Gezelle Art History: Tara Burk (excused) Audiology: Allison Shapiro (excused) Biology: Adam Kavalier (excused) Business: Cary Lange
Comparative Literature: Kai Kreinke
Graduate Center, CUNY - Doctoral Students’ Council Plenary Minutes for March 23, 2007
Earth/Environmental Science: Angelos Lampousis (excused) Economics: Andrew Bossie Educational Psychology: Leslie Craigo (excused) Engineering, Chemical: Mehrdad Kheiripour (excused) English: Louise Geddes
Liberal Studies: Nazreen Bacchus Linguistics: Ji Young Shim (excused) Music PhD: Inessa Bazayev, Jason Hooper Philosophy: Christopher Sula Psychology, Clinical: Nora Goudsmit Psychology, Forensic: Ryan Copple At-Large: Gregory Donovan (excused),Valerie Futch, James Hoff, Amber Hui, Patrina Huff, James Lyles, Tina Lee, Frank Muscara (excused), Vincenzo Sainato
Guests Present:
Steve Brier (Vice President for Information Technology and External Programs) and Bob Campbell (Associate Vice President for Information Technology)
Total Members and Voting Alternates Present: 43 Total Members Absent: 28
Chair: Kate Wilson Minutes: Rouzbeh Nazari
Meeting Called to Order at 6:05 p.m.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Invited Speakers: Steve Brier talks about new graduate center plan for using new software system and announces their new program called Bright Idea Contest. Bob Campbell speaks about his new experience in Graduate Center. He explains the process of replacing 300 new PCs with help of President. The new PCs will be placed in student areas by 2/3 and lastly the challenges and limitations of wireless access system in the building being stated.
Approval of Agenda
C. Wojtkowski moved to approve current agenda; D. Golland seconded D. Golland motioned amendments; B. Vollman seconded Unanimous approval
Approval of February Minutes
D. Golland motion approval of old minutes; K. Wilson seconded Unanimous approval
Old Business A. Elections ballot stuffing Party – C. Wojtkowski
Clarify routes of voting: through DSC website, email, paper ballot (mailed)
Graduate Center, CUNY - Doctoral Students’ Council Plenary Minutes for March 23, 2007
Confirmed that update on the December Constitutional amendments (on media board
article) will be mailed with the election ballots B. AppealCommitteeRep.-ErickaCalton
E. Calton and D. Golland explained the purpose of this new college-wide faculty/student committee.
Nominees: Linda Kennedy and Amy Meyers
R. Faunce Motioned to approve to have alternate Rep. for appeal committee; B. Vollman 2nd
V.
VI.
Unanimous approval Linda Kenneddy elected as Rep. and Amy Meyers as Alternate.
Co-chair for Student Affairs Report – Chong Wojtkowski A. Election tabling – Volunteers needs. C. Wojtkowski called for volunteers for election tabling to attract more students. Plenary being asked to be more involved and encourage students to vote. B. CharteredOrganization
Encourage charted organization to be more active, some of them haven’t move to their offices, what are they doing with the charted status and maybe they should report at the end of the year and maybe rewrite the bylaw about this particular matter.
Co-chair for Communications Report – Ericka Calton A. Recruitment
Plenary members been suggested to encourage students from departments with missing representatives.
B. DSC Group Page and Discussion D. Golland asked if the Media Board had met, stating that there was a meeting scheduled for March 9 to conduct annual reports for senior media staff. E. Calton replied that there had not been a meeting and D. Golland was the only person expecting one.
VII.
Co-Chair for Business Management Report – Brenda Vollman A. Department Allocations
Department allocation money wouldn’t change in the next year’s budget and stays $3 per person or $180 per department. Reps can use their department allocation and submit their receipts before June 2nd.
B. BudgetDiscussion B. Vollman explains the budget plan for next year. Clarify that unspent funds revert to the State. Suggestion raised that Childcare center needs money. D. Golland asked why the Media Board budget request was not included in any form in the draft budget. B. Vollman replied that she had never received the budget request, and that she had only walked in on the last few minutes of the Media Board meeting when the request was approved. D. Golland stated that the budget request was in the DSC intranet. D. Golland suggested that due to its importance, more time might be spent on the budget.
Graduate Center, CUNY - Doctoral Students’ Council Plenary Minutes for March 23, 2007
B. Vollman motion to spend more time on the budget. Motion Fails by 6 vs 8 B. Vollman withdrew motion
VIII. U.S.S. Report – Rouzbeh Nazari A. Reported that there was not quorum to vote on the Master Plan. Discussion about USS
proposed fee increase.
IX. DSC Standing Committee Reports A. Health Issues- Denise
Spoke about spoke about having had an HIC meeting right before the plenary and having charted out what the committee will do in future. She mentions the importance of creating momentum in our students and health committee’s participation in the annual health fair and raising the awareness about health issues by writing in our Google group and writing article for the Advocate in order to create an interactive discussion. She encouraged folks to share their thoughts about pressing health issues and asked that people share horror stories they have had with health insurance.
B. CommunityBuilding–C.Lieberman Coffee hours progress been discussed
C. Scholarship Development Committee – B. V ollman
B. Vollman Amend to move Scholarship Development Committee to Ad-Hoc Committee D. Golland 2nd. Unanimous
X. DSC Ad-Hoc or Grad Council Committee Reports A. Library Committee- Rob Faunce
R. Faunce reported on the changes from 6 week to 3 week the loan period at CUNY libraries for graduate students. D. Golland and I. Jones commented. R. Faunce reported that a protest letter is being generated for submission to the Provost, among others, and that R. Nazari has been briefed on responding to the issue when it is raised at USS. R. Faunce reported on the various issues related to the recent raise in prices for copies at Mina Rees, including the successful campaign to create another amnesty week after Spring Break for trade-in of old Library copy cards.
XI.
XII.
Rob Faunce motions to create standing committee for Library; D Golland 2nd Unanimous
New Business A. Film Studies Group- Chong
C. Wojtkowski Moves to accept submission of the constitution for the cinema studies group; D. Golland 2nd. Unanimous
Announcements
Graduate Center, CUNY - Doctoral Students’ Council Plenary Minutes for March 23, 2007 A. Invite reps to Ballot Stuffing party-Chong
XIII. Adjournment
K. Willson motions to adjourn; R. Nazari seconded Unanimous approval
K. Wilson adjourned meeting at 8:00 PM Respectfully submitted by Rouzbeh Nazari