CUNY Graduate Center
Doctoral Students’ Council
Media Board
February 27, 2009
Chair: Rob Faunce (RF),
Present: Ally Foster (AF), Efrain Cardenas (EC), Gregory Donovan (GD)
Absent: Denise Torres
Guests: James Hoff (JH) (ex-officio), Chris Sula (CS)
Meeting was called to order at 5:20pm
I. Approval of Agenda
RF asked if there were any items to add to the agenda. There being none, GD motioned to approve the agenda, EC seconded. Motion passed by unanimous consent.
II. Approval of Old Minutes
RF asked if there were any additions, corrections or items left out of the minutes. JH noted that he was a guest at the November 14, 2008 meeting and asked that his name be added to the minutes. RF agrees to amend the old minutes. RF motioned to approve, EC seconded. Motion passed by unanimous consent.
III. Advocate Report
JH submitted monthly web activity reports.
a. Current Budget
JH stated that he would like to increase the stipend for Advocate editors by $25. GD noted that given CUNY’s current economic situation, and as the stipend was raised by $75 last year, he is hesitant to raise it again at this time. JH noted that the workload for editors has increased. RF expressed doubts that the raise would be approved by the Plenary. GD
DRAFT
noted that increasing one stipend over any of the others was also a concern. CS suggested that this discussion be tabled until later in the meeting when the 2009-10 budget would be under discussion. RF motioned to table the discussion, EC seconded. Motion passed by unanimous consent.
b. Advertising
JH reported that the Advocate lost almost all of its advertisers in September as a result of the fiscal crisis. However, he does have three new clients: AK Press, The Ralph Bunche Institute, and O’Reilly’s. He hopes that they will bring in about $1600 in advertising revenue. CS asked if any of them had made deposits yet. JH answered that he is waiting on them, but it should be soon. He also noted that the expected advertising revenue should help them come in under budget.
c. Web Report
JH reported that visitors to the Advocate website are up.
IV. 2009-10 Budget
JH presented four possible Advocate budgets for 2009-10, reflecting variations on pages per issue (24 or 28) and issues per year (6 or 7).
CS then presented an Advocate budget for 2009-2010 that he had drawn up.
GD suggested that rather than the Advocate itself having a budget for web design/hosting/consulting, the budget should be shifted to the Media Board. When the need arose for web-related work, the Media Board would work with the Advocate to hire a consultant. JH asked who would be responsible for the regular uploading of content. GD said that the uploading could be made part of the daily job, and distributed in multiple ways. JH asked if CS’s proposed budget represented available funds. CS said that while he hadn’t yet done the total budget, it looked very feasible.
JH distributed a letter indicating his interest in retaining the position of Advocate Editor in Chief for 2009-10. He excused himself from the meeting, and it moved into Executive Session.
JH departs meeting. Executive Session to discuss budget and 2009-10 Media Board Employees commences at 5:58. Meeting resumes at 6:26pm.
AF motions to approve budget, which will be sent to Plenary via DSC budget proposal from CS at 3/20 meeting. GD seconds. Approved by unanimous consent.
DRAFT
V. 2009-10 Media Board Employee(s)
RF announced that at least 2 candidates had responded to the ad for the Advocate Editor in Chief (2009-10), and that the candidates would be interviewed by the Media Board.
VI. Adjournment
AF motioned to adjourn the meeting, GD seconded. Motion passed by unanimous consent.
Meeting adjourned at 6:29 pm.
Respectfully submitted by Allyson Foster