2008 02 05 Minutes
Meeting Minutes: Feb 5, 2008
Submitted by Ida Benedetto
Student Senate 2/5/08
Ida – Parsons[Facilitator], Hendrick – Milano, Matthew Tosca – Mannes, Peter – NSGS , Paula – Milano, Jeff -NSSR, Dan – Lang, Monica – NSSR, Sarah – NSGS, Heather – Milano, Alex – Lang [note taker]
-Report Backs
Hendrick: Roger Ward/Linda Reimer
John Clinton (Faculty)
Jeff: GF Student Senate
Dan: Office
-Proposals
Main Committees
Education Committee
Discussion Topics
Labor Violations?
USSA/USSGA Membership
RW/LR:
Met within Bob Kerrey’s office
$36 000 left in budget, one time anonymous trustee gift no longer anonymous -
Katie Scheit writing thank you letter
$8000 set aside for next election at the end of the year
Also working to set up student governments at individual meetings
Rejected request to attend Board of Trustee meeting
Student fee unrealistic to set up before last year
Suggested letting trustees come to meeting to induce them to give more funding
Jeff/Alex: not fair while we’re not allowed in their meetings
Ida: conversation can happen later
Suggestions: Visibility on campus
Publishing Items
Funding Rally (they will fund)
Office hours at 65 5th rm. 251 office
John Clinton (FS):
Hendrick:
Wants close cooperation, gave JC Jeff’s contract information; he will point.
Internal debate over whether closed faculty meetings will allow us there.
Contacted Deans:
Mannes/Drama responded with interest
Matt: Confirm Mannes, spoked to Joe Lister and he showed interest.
Parsons: Almost completed constitution
Sarah: What’s up with the budget? Is there anything other than the
gift? How are we going to fund student governments if we don’t have money.
Hendrick: No other funding right now, funding student governments will
have to wait.
Peter: Different situations, Lang has student fee already, GS is
unrealistic because of huge split between departments – we shouldn’t
necessarily push other schools to organize in a certain way. School
should fund them, not us.
Ida: Concerns about creating dependency upon USS.
GFSS Report Back
Jeff:
Brought up the $5 raise, but no vote because of lack of information
“How would this improve their lives?”
Research Assistants/Teaching Assistants:
Need access to faculty offices
Salary concerns – subsistence living wage
Monica: Three categories of Grad Students employees, RA, TA and
Teaching Fellows.
University wide problem because TAs actually teach at other divisions.
Hendrick: Any access to the faculty senate? Is this there issue?
Monica: I’m not sure.
Peter/Jeff: Teaching is part of being a Graduate Student.
Dan: We should offer support at the very least.
Monica: Already supported by NSSR Academic Affairs Committee, but they
are waiting on the Trustees.
Jeff:
Building concerns, need access through 79 5th ave elevators, problem
of GF closing underestimated
Health Services really backed up
Office:
Raquel and Dan contacted Roger Ward, provided list of needed materials
to him.
Jeff: The office will be gone next semester! J
Proposals
Committees:
Ida: Specialized working groups, dividing up tasks to be more efficient.
Four committees : Finance (Fundraising, Student Fee, Distribution)
Events (Community Building Events), Communications (Press Releases,
Web Site), Advocacy (Campaigns/Special Interests – forms subcommittees)
Sarah : Concern about feasibility.
6 Voting Members – Yes
4 Add. Members – Yes
1 Add. Members – Stand Aside
PASSES
Academic Committee
Peter: Is New School doing curriculum-wise what its students want?
Provost’s office should be putting forward ideas for new progressive
Academic Programs, but is failing to do so.
Matt: Explain what the Committee could do?
Peter: Having discussion with students about where the University
should be in the intellectual community.
Matt: Long term issue, too ambitious for now. Should fall under advocacy
Peter: Number one concern of school should be education. Advocacy is
more political, academic concerns are different field.
Monica: Do you see it as making proposals about curricula for the faculty?
Peter: Yes, and uniting different divisions
Heather: Is there a way to present this without attacking Provost’s
office?
Dan: Advocacy is not political, advocating for students based on
rights and issues.
5 Voting Members – Yes
1 Voting Members – No
2 Add. Members – Yes
1 Add. Members – No
PASSED
Paula: Do members on committees have to be elected?
USS : No, not at all.
Finance –
Hendrick *
Alex
Events –
Dan*
Peter
Matt**
Communications -
Ida*
Alex
Peter
Matt
Advocacy –
Alex*
Sarah*
Monica
Dan
Jeff
Paula
Peter
Academic –
Peter*
Monica
Paula
Jeff
Hendrick: Future proposal about printing business cards for USS
Members, adds legitimacy
Scheduling
Hendrick: Ideas – Sunday, Tuesday 7-9?
Alex:
USSA, big student lobby, President’s cutting of $800 million from
budget affects us, We should get involved. We can also get resources
from them, and also look at groups like USSGA. Conference at Pace.
Matt: Why does election cost $8000?
Hendrick: Will look into alternate methods.
Proposal for Election Week:
Week of the fourth- no Mannes has Juries
After the week of the 18th not enough time to get everything done
after elections finish.
Proposed 11th-18th