CUNY Graduate Center
Doctoral Students’ Council
Steering Committee Minutes -- [DRAFT]

November 7, 2008
Chair: Chris Sula (CS)
Minutes: Anton Masterovoy (AM)
Present: Jill Belli (JB), Gregory Donovan (by Proxy: Ally Foster(AF), Rob Faunce (RF), Anton Masterovoy (AM), Christine Pinnock (CP), Chris Sula (CS), Suzanne Tamang (ST)
Absent: Denise Torres, Tasha Youstin
Meeting called to order at 6:14 PM
I. Approval of Agenda
CS adds points (b) Program Standing Committees and (c) Holiday Party to IV. New Business.
JB moves to approve, AF seconds the motion, which passes by unanimous consent.
II. Approval of Old Minutes
AM moves to approve the old minutes, CP seconds the motion, which passes by unanimous consent
III. Old Business
a. Student Survey
Questions submitted were examined and discussed. Members of the SC should make the questions shorter and cut some out to make the survey more manageable.
b. Health Insurance
The Provost, Human Resources and Student Affairs are all working with students in the transition to new insurance, RF reports.
c. Medicare and SS exemption for Adjuncts
Students are to follow the Adjunct Project’s guide, emailed, and available on our website.
JB mentions the possibility of joining the PSC pension plan – this issue will be brought up at the plenary.

d. Financial Aid/ Cost of Living
The memo on this issue has been passed on to Student Affairs. This office is very receptive of our suggestions on this matter.
IV. New Business
a. eBallot Renewal
Greg Donovan is negotiating the eBallot contract. He asked them to address the issues with accessibility. Timing for ballot preparation that is specific to the GC conditions should be integrated into the contract.
b. Program Standing Committees
It is the view of the Structure Committee of Graduate Council that programs should, as a rule, allow students to attend their meetings. Plenary will receive a memo on the governance of the Graduate Center.
c. Holiday Party
Duties will be assigned via Google Docs. We were a bit over budget for the Fall party, but we have much left over that can be reused (soda, etc). Holiday Party end time should be moved up to 10:30 PM
V. Student Affairs Report (GD, read by CS)
a. Chartered Organizations
Deadline for roster submissions is the last day of classes, only after submission can the money for the organizations be released to them.
b. OpenCUNY.org
GD will open the website for use by chartered organizations.
VI. Communications Report (by RF)
President Kelly will speak at our December meeting.
RF explains that 3 at-large and 3 program representatives have been absent at all our meetings without an excuse or designated proxy.
RF moves that these members be provisionally removed from the DSC and informed that their seats may be reclaimed by coming to the next plenary meeting either in person or by proxy. AM seconds this motion, which passes by unanimous consent.
VII. Business report (by CS)
The Wellness center has placed last year's $56,000 contribution in holding for future use.
Informative signs about the use of our three rooms have been placed at their entrances.
Checks left for pick up by students are locked into the main office desk. When disbursed to students, committee members should mark them as picked up in the DSC Submit system.
CS has posted a rough future budget and guidelines for purchasing food for meetings.
IX. Committee reports
CS reports on Tech Fee committee.
Over $136,000 has been allocated, including extra money from increased enrollment. It will be sued in prioritized projects, duplex printers, etc.
IT has asked us to include questions relevant to them in our survey.
The DSC can create a printing task force to have recommendations ready in 1 month for the spring semester. It will create a document with concrete options to solicit student opinions.
AM reports on the Library Committee
ILL system is working very well, CLICS system does not. CLICS question on the survey will be reformulated to ask how important is the CLICS system to students.
JB for the Health Issues Committee will try increase membership at the next plenary meeting.
X. Announcements
Room reservations rules and policies are discussed, in re to recurrent and lengthy reservations by some groups.
XI. Adjournment
JB moves to adjourn the meeting, CP seconds the motion.
Meeting adjourned at 7:27 PM