Graduate Center, CUNY
Doctoral Students’ Council
Plenary Minutes

May 8, 2009—5pm

Members and Voting Alternates Present:

Anthropology: Andrew Brooks, Christine Pinnock
Biology: Kathleen Schnaars Uvino (proxy: C. Penaloza)
Chemistry: Yu Zhao
Classics: Jared Simard
Comparative Literature: Anick Boyd
Computer Science: Jeremy Seideman , Suzanne Tamang
Criminal Justice: Tasha Youstin
Economics: Junnan Zhao
English: Jill Belli, Allyson Foster
Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Lit: Teresa Berenice Darwich
History: Igor Draskovic, Anton Masterovoy
Philosophy: Kyle Ferguson, Chris Sula
Political Science: Patricia Stapleton
Psychology: Forensic: Marsha Brown
Psychology: Neurology: Olga Nikelshpur
Psychology: Social Personaility: Stephanie Anderson
Speech & Hearing Sciences: Carol Tessel
Urban Education: Shana Henry

At-large Reps: Sari Altschuler, Kate Broad, Karyn Collie, Boris Daussa Pastor, Gregory Donovan, Rob Faunce, Lindsey Freer, Neil Meyer, Linda Neiberg, Shawn Rice

Members Absent:
Art History: Monica Steinberg, Whitney Thompson
Biochemistry: Richard Able
Biology: Armin Lahiji (excused), Samantha Sheppard (excused)
Chemistry: Tony Perri
Comparative Literature: Anna Finkelstern (excused)
Criminal Justice: Julie Viollaz (excused)
Earth and Environmental Sciences: Katie Gill (excused)
Engineering Biomedical: Xiang (Ian) Gu
Engineering Chemical: Mehrdad Kheiripour
English: Taylor Kennamer (excused)
French: Chong Wojtkowski (excused)
Linguistics: Elizabeth Pratt
Music DMA: H. Roz Woll
Music PhD: Rachel Lumsden
Political Science: Aaron Ibur
Psychology: Bio: Preston Foerder
Psychology: Cog, Brain, Beh: Justin Ostrovsky
Psychology: Dev: Vicky Barrios (excused)
Psychology: Environmental: Stephanie Domenici Cabonargi
Psychology: Industrial and Organizational: Kimberly Iaffaldano (excused)
Psychology: Learning Processes: Matthew Taylor (excused)
Public Health: Princess Fortin
Social Welfare: Larry Iannotti
Sociology: Colin Ashley
Theatre: Frank Episale
Urban Education: Liza Pappas

At-Large Reps: Ericka Calton (excused), John DeCarlo, , Ian Foster (excused), Jesse Goldstein (excused), Malav Kanuga, Lauren Klein, Philip Kopp, Charles Lieberman, Renee McGarry (excused), Alison Powell (excused), Pamela Proscia (excused), Denise Torres, Brenda Vollman

Members Present: 32; Members Absent: 39

Chair: Rob Faunce (RF)
Minutes: RF
Meeting called to order: 6:06

I. Approval of Agenda
RF asked for additions to the agenda. There are none. Linda Neiberg motions to approve; Chris Sula (CS) seconds. Approved with unanimous consent.

II. Approval of old minutes
CS motions to approve. Gregory Donovan (GD) seconds. Approved with unanimous consent.

III. Old Business
a. Elections process: RF addresses successful election process with 61 certified reps for 2009-10; turnout slightly down but with ideas for addressing turnout for next year’s process.

IV. New Business
a. Mise en Scene charter: CS motions to approve Mise en Scene as chartered org; Christine Pinnock (CP) seconds. Approved with unanimous consent.
b. Colombian Studies Group Charter: Anton Masterovoy motions to approve this group as a chartered org; Andrew Brooks seconds. Approved with unanimous consent.

V. Student Affairs Report
a. Revocation of Charters: Following on prior meetings, the five orgs that were slated for removal have not responded to contact and have been removed.
b. GC Student Union: Doug Singsen presented the charter for this org. GD raised questions about its potential overlap with the current Adjunct Project and the DSC itself. Doug Singsen emphasized the GCSU’s activist orientation and its outsider status. RF questioned how that was consistent with being a DSC sanctioned organization. A sense of the room was that there was no interest in ratifying this group as currently presented.
c. GC Immigration Working Group: Ping Pok presented the charter for this org. JB and RF asked questions about the antecedents of immigration scholarship.
d. Opencuny.org: Operational, and a handout was proffered on using this valuable blogging resource sponsored by the DSC.

VI. Communications Report
RF mentioned that LIC housing was looking grim for next year due to the financial situation. RF mentioned that the GC will not be subject to the audit being done on NYSHIP. RF mentioned that the Student Travel Fund has well exceeded budget for this year. RF mentioned that James Hoff has been reappointed as Advocate Editor-in-Chief.

VII. Business Report
May 31 is the deadline for check submissions.

VIII. USS Report
AF has nothing to report.

IX. Committee Reports
a. Health Committee- JB reported that the Wellness Festival was successful.
b. IT Committee: GD reported that the GC web presence is being revamped
c. Student Tech Fee: CS reported on the various places that funding had been allocated for the year, including hardware for the Psych programs at satellite campuses; he mentioned that print release technology is currently being developed

X. Announcements
CS presented RF and GD with glassware to honor their two years of distinguished service as Co-Chairs, as both are retiring with this meeting, and RF is graduating and taking a postdoc at Penn. GD will continue to serve in many capacities at the GC.

XI. Adjournment
CP motioned to adjourn the meeting. AM seconded the motion. Motion was passed with unanimous consent.

Meeting adjourned at 5:49pm.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Rob Faunce