Student Services Committee
Minutes
December 8, 2011
7:30pm-8:30pm
Room 5489

In attendance: Sarah Jordan (SJ), Eero Laine (EL), Amy Martin (AM), Valia Mitsou (VM).
Absent: Naomi Perly (NP)

SJ calls the meeting to order at 7:41pm.

I. Approval of Agenda
AM motions to approve the agenda. VM seconds. The motion passes unanimously.

II. Approval of Minutes of November 10, 2011.
6:34 call to order should be changed to 7:34.
VM motions to approve the Minutes of November 10, 2011. AM seconds. The motion passes unanimously.

III. Updates and Discussion
a. Student housing survey
SJ reports that all major changes to survey have been completed. She continues to tweak the wording so that the survey may be directed at all GC students, and not simply tenants of the GC apartments. SJ asks when the survey should be available to students. The committee decides on the beginning of spring semester.

b. Student housing tenants’ association
SJ and VM report that their discussions with tenants of the GC apartments lead them to believe there may be little interest in a tenants’ association. SJ will include a question on the student housing survey to better assess interest.

c. Dance classes
SJ reports that she contacted Emily Clark, who is interested in teaching jazz classes. Emily believes that the DSC space would work for her classes, but she has yet to decide on when she would be available, or how much she would charge. She also mentioned a possible instructor for ballroom dancing. SJ will continue to look for instructors able to teach Salsa. VM reports that she has been unable to get rates for studio space from Dance Studio, on 34th St. near the GC. She will follow up.

d. Self-Defense classes
SJ reports that she has not heard back from George Jackman about self-defense classes, except to say that he suggests individual seminars instead of a long-term class structure, but that a GC student, Rebecca Jones, is interested in teaching boxing with a possible self-defense element. There is an issue with space, so SJ will communicate with John Jay’s sports facilities, and AM with Baruch. There is also an issue with equipment, and SJ suggest that Student Services funds could be used. Rebecca would charge $20 per class, and prefers teaching twice a week, but it is decided that once a week is better for GC students. SJ will contact John Jay to get ideas for exercise classes.

e. Collaboration with Health Issues Committee
VM reports that there was no mention of the issue of student space in the Health Issues Committee meeting. SJ reports that the DSC in general is interested in the issue. AM recommends that we offer support to the Health Issues Committee. SJ will offer support in the next Steering meeting.

f. Suggestions for Student Services—Open CUNY?
AM reports that she set up an OpenCUNY page for student suggestions. SJ recommends that we make anonymous suggestions available, and that we reregister the site with the Student Services email. AM and SJ will coordinate these changes. SJ opens discussion on a physical suggestion box in the DSC offices, and the committee decides to provide this as well as the site.

IV. New Business
SJ reports on the Student Outreach Survey results. Without any close analysis, it appears that many students are not aware of services available through the DSC. SJ suggests, after further analysis of the areas most unknown to students, that the committee undergo a promotional campaign. AM reports on the effectiveness of incentives when asking students to take part in surveys, and SJ raises the question of including incentives in future surveys (including the student housing survey). The discussion is tabled. AM requests information about what Student Services Committee money has funded in the past. SJ will investigate.

V. Announcements
There were no announcements.

VI. Adjournment
VM motions to adjourn. AM seconds. The motion passes unanimously.

The meeting adjourns at 8:18pm.