GSC General Meeting

February 11, 2004

5:30-7:30pm

McManus Conference Room

Meeting called by:

Mario V                     

Facilitator:

Mario V

Timekeeper:

Katie Colvin

Note taker:

Katie Colvin

Officers Present

Linda Bandov

Attendees:

Jennifer Jared

Mario Paez

Marcie Kaufman

Elizabeth Crossland

Edward Robinson

Jeffrey Brown

Aris K

Observers

Dean Whittaker

Ellen Chibel

Agenda topics

Q&A w/ Dean

Dean and students

Discussion: Cheryl – can we get a crosswalk from next to the McManus parking lot to the library parking lot? 

Dean – I will take it to Bill to take it to the city – they have to approve it since its city property. 

Dean – If there’s more questions I’ll address some issues.  First, SPAM.  IT is putting on additional concerns to eliminate actual spam – anything to do with losing weight or growing anything… emails from 5c’s we don’t filter out. 

Second, some of you may be aware of the incident at one of the undergrad campuses – the burned cross.  There is going to be a march from Pomona to HMC as a demonstration.  I will keep you informed.  The students involved are in the middle of litigation so there are some confidentiality issues. 

Third, we are working on loan limits and I know that’s on the agenda.  We are in the process of doing a survey and we should be able to raise the limits on the private loans – not Stafford loans – those you have to write to your congressman for those. 

Linda – We’re trying to expand our website – can we get a copy of the financials?

DW – For last years you have to Email bill.

KC- How do we change our web address?  Dean – Talk to Greg Medford about getting gsc.cgu.edu website.

Jeff – We wanted to include your take on the increase and how it compares to the other students.  DW- Above and beyond what was said at the town hall?

Jeff – Exactly what was said there… plus what you said in the budget meeting.   

DW – We can get you the figures…

Mario – Just to let you all know that we are approved for all of our new furniture… we just want to say thank you. 

Dean Whittaker leaves.

Action items: None really.

Person responsible:

Deadline:

AGSA

Proposal for Funds

Belinda Vea

Discussion: Mario – we have a couple students who want to talk about AGSA. 

Belinda – We are trying to put together a Asian Graduate Student Association similar to BGSA.  We want to focus on the continent not the culture.  We want to bring us together to serve as a support system as well as a mentoring resource for the 5C’s.  Pomona and Pitzer both have similar organizations so we would obviously work with them.  B/c sometimes those from the Asian culture have problems with adjusting.  Linda – Is this a brand new organization?  BV – Yes – there are smaller orgs but they focus on the culture not the content – we’re trying to be inclusive.  Linda – How many members are you expecting?  BV – We’re just in the beginning stages, so far we only have members from word of mouth.  Jeff – Will you include the other organizations?  BV – yes we want to do that.  Edward – Do you all have housing?  BV- Not yet, but we have offices.  Basically, we want to start it not lead it- we just want to get the ball rolling.  Mario – What will you use the funding for?  BV – We want to have a kick off function this spring and a membership recruitment reception.  It’s more like seed money and any extra money we would put towards future events b/c I don’t know how it all works yet.  LB – Are you going to have fees to keep the money coming?  BV – I am not sure – it’s up to the officers b/c the more students get charged for the less they want to be a part of it.  LB – I would suggest getting involved in the I-Places festival.  BV – yes we will- we planned on that.  Mario P– What alternative sources of funding are you looking into?  BV – Yes I will absolutely be looking for alternative source and also the community.  Aris – Typically, if we’re asked for funding and there’s a proposed budget, especially for this amount of funding.   BV – We can work on putting that together.  Thank you for considering our proposal.  Mario – We will let you know. 

Discussion

Mario opens it up for discussion.  Jeff – I’m all for starting clubs but I think if we grant them money right now as far as… we said – give us some more plans.  So more if we wait to provide funding there might be more thought into the planning.  Aris – I just want to add that we can’t give them more than 200 dollars if we treat them as a new club, or we can treat them like an association and give them 300 but with a plan. Linda – I went back a looked back at the budget we gave 200 to the Chinese association earlier this year and we only have 300 left in the budget for that.  Mario – I’ll tell them that if they want to be treated as a new club then 200, but if you want 300 you need to give us more detailed plan.  And I’ll keep everyone updated. 

Action items:  Contact BV and let her know that we need a more detailed plan.

Person responsible:  MV

Deadline: none

Presidents Update

Furniture

Discussion: Mario - We got the furniture – around $4000-$5000 in furniture and they are going to paint the room, clean the carpet, there’s going to be 2 desks with chairs, and a round table with 3 more chairs, and a file cabinet, a book shelf and a nice new couch.  It’s going to take 2-4 weeks to get all this in.  So, after spring break we’ll have a nice place to get together.  I encourage you to have your committee meetings down there.  Elizabeth – Are you going to have office hours?  Mario – We are doing that informally – but it’s a good idea to be post specific times.  But I have no problem giving the key to committee members to hold their meetings down there if an officer can’t be here.  Aris – We should have a house warming.  Linda – A lot of people don’t know about the website – so maybe it’s good to send out a general email to let them know we moved and add the website address. 

Mario – The meeting time is not going to change.  It’s always going to be Wednesdays 5:30-7:30.

Mario – In the constitution committee we discussed the election of reps.  What do you think about it?  Jeff – I think some of the schools you might actually be hurting yourselves.. .the idea is good to be more democratic but I’m not sure of the results of it.  We have problems already trying to get people to be reps, I think if you rely on elections you may not get people for some schools.  Edward – I don’t think it’s not democratic as it stands.  Aris – No it’s not. They just don’t know, if people complain then we can address the issue, but I think we should leave it as is until they complain.  Elizabeth – Democracy is based on participation – our meetings are open anyone can come.  Linda – We all know the situation last semester and I think having a more formalized process would be good.  Getting the departmental organizations involved and definitely getting the dean of each school involved would be good.  Mario P– Something formal does need to happen – the departments need to be involved so we can be sure the departments are accurately represented.  Jenny – I have no problem formalizing the issue –it’s obvious that problems can arise.  I guess we would have to go to the different deans and talk about it.  I agree that participation is important – but if the students don’t know how to get involved – we need to add that to the website (how students can get involved).  Mario V– Well we were talking in the committee about getting some guidelines down.  I’m just trying to get your ideas.  We don’t need to spend more time on this.  Aris – I absolutely agree that we need guidelines.  Remember last semester was an isolated incident.  And having the dean involved doesn’t make it more democratic.  Mario V– This was a rough idea of what we talked about in committee meeting.  Aris – What if the department doesn’t want to be involved in that – then we’ll have an empty chair.  Right now we don’t ask anything of them and our numbers still aren’t great.

Mario P– There are definite tradeoffs.  Cynthia – What if we took some responsibility ourselves to get students on board as reps.  Then let the students come to us then let the deans now.  Mario V.– So you’re saying it should be the responsibility of the rep to find a replacement?  Mario P – that could be the same thing – popularity.  Jen- It creates a questionable atmosphere.  I would like to ask the students what they think about this.

Action items:  Plan housewarming after furniture arrives.

Person responsible: Officers

Deadline: N/A

Talk with students about election of reps issue.

Representatives

2/25/04

Housing Update

Learning Walk

Mario

Discussion: Mario – housing – Elisa asked me to pass out the report of the walk through with Tamer.  Students said maintenance staff was helpful.  There’s a general area that serves as a kitchen so we’re going to explore the possibility of doing something nice for them to let them know we care.  There are lighting issues and long distance phone call issues.  There are no surveillance cameras in the parking lot either.  We also thought about having RA’s to facilitate issues.  We’re going to talk with Dean Whittaker about that.  You can email Elisa or Tamer regarding housing.  Jen – Did you ask them about infestation?  Mario – we’re going to talk to maintenance about that. 

Action items:

Person responsible:

Deadline:

Secretaries Update

Minutes, Banner, Survey

Katie C

Discussion: The minutes had one change, Elisa actually spoke with the History Chair not the Humanities Dean, but I motion approve the minutes with that change.  Jen seconds.  9 aye, 0 nay, 0 abstain. 

There is some discussion on the banner.  Linda – Where do we take the money out of?  KC – We never decided.  Jeff – I know someone who makes banners, I can talk with them and see if I can get a deal.  Mario – Just make it happen

KC goes over the survey results, but reiterates that they are preliminary b/c she’s still missing some.   

KC also suggests combining the Newsletter committee with the website committee and just make it the Communication Committee.  It’s agreed. 

Action items:  Banner will be ordered soon.  Elizabeth will still be the chair, upon her approval. 

Person responsible: KC

Deadline: N/A

Treasurers Update

Linda Bandov

Discussion: LB - I passed out the budget, there have been some changes.  Travel awards have been disbursed.  We want to get deans involved in getting students involved in submitting applications, so keep that in mind.  The other changes are general costs.

I-Place funding.  They have a big spring event and we approved a 2^nd allocation of $1000 for spring. 

MMP – they came in last fall – we allocated $1000 but they requested $1500.  I don’t want to keep them hanging on.  I’m proposing a motion to vote on MMP funding. 

Jeff – What is MMP?

Mario P – It’s a program where you get mentors, there’s a conference and workshops and socials.  The conference is where students come a present their own research.  It’s a one day event – their budget was $3500.  There’s a big after party at the presidents house with awards and everything. 

Linda – they asked for 1500 and we’ve historically given them 1500 – so my motion is to propose the $1000 from MMP allotment and an additional $500 from club events.  Mario seconds.  LB - We have $2050 in club events so it’ll be fine.  Edward – The program does work, I am an alumni – I had a mentor when I first got here.    Okay so those in favor of $1500 total for MMP – 9 aye; 0 abstain; 0 nay.  Motion passed.

The next item is BGSA came in with a proposal last fall and we tabled that.  I’ll email out the proposal.  I don’t think it’s feasible to approve all 1500 but some. 

Action items: Disburse additional funds for MMP. 

Person responsible: LB

Deadline:

Email BGSA proposal

None specified

Cost of Living Survey

Jeff

Discussion: Jeff – Okay, so we made this survey to find out what the students costs actually are.  I’m hoping – I want everyone to take 5 and get them out.  I want to go over it with you.  Mario – by when do you want this?  Jeff – hopefully by next week.  Okay, so this is important b/c they have agreed to raise the loan limits – but we want the data to back up our proposal.  #9 – if someone is living with roommates – we want their portion of the bills.  #13 – reads.  Discussion about #14.   Clarify it because it could be confusing.  We’re looking for a $4-$5 thousand a year increase.  LB- I suggest you email all the reps with the survey attached. 

Action items:  Email survey

Person responsible: Jeff

Deadline:

Pass out and Fill out Survey

Everyone

None specified

Committees/Representatives Update

Chairs

Discussion: Mario V- We already talked about constitution, housing, and communications committee.  Travel Awards’s when are the due for spring? Aris/Jenny- There isn’t one.

Social – We’re meeting today after the meeting to discuss the idea of having a social in collaboration with other student organizations, so we’re working on the list of all student orgs.  There’s no date set, but we’ll have some ideas at the next meeting.

Rep updates – I don’t want to go over all of them. 

Cynthia – there was an issue for the financial aid committee that’s now on hold – so what are we supposed to be doing?  Mario V-  It’s up to you.  (It’s ultimately decided to not have a Financial Aid committee but rather have Cynthia devote her time to the constitution committee.)

Aris – Did you all get ISSA’s letter of apology about the travel awards?  It was very nice and everything has been resolved. 

Cynthia – I’m going to be having and educational reform conference.  I’ll bring a proposal next time for funding.  And, I really think we should have 2 ed reps.  Mario – We can discuss that at the next constitution committee meeting. 

Mario – If there’s no further discussion?  I motion to adjourn the meeting.  Jen 2nds.  Aye. – everyone.  6:54

Action items:

Person responsible:

Deadline:

Observers:

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