2009 01 28 Minutes
The New School
University Student Senate Meeting
January 28th 2008
Minutes — Meeting with University President Bob Kerrey
Senators in Attendance
Peter Cummings, Hendrick Cho, Dan Shulman, Ida Benedetto, Atlee Mcfellin, Heather
Sheridan, Sarah Cunningham , Elizabeth Loran, Ben Fox, Sarah Lopez
General Attendance
Jasmine Johnson, Juan Malespin, Casey Armstrong (LSU), Kate McCormick, Kevin
Dugan, Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rachel Signer, Ruth Avviso, University President Bob
Kerrey
Senators Absent
Yoni Sunshine, Barb Teed, Kate Griffin, Jason Mellow, Aleks Malejs
President Bob Kerrey arrived at 8:05 PM on the 12th floor media room of 2 West 13th
Street. At 8:10 Hendrick Cho proposed that a link from the main page of The New
School web site be linked to the Free Press web site. President Kerrey agreed to this
proposal.
USS President Peter Cummings called the meeting to order at 8:15, whereupon he
introduced University President Kerrey to those in attendance, who also introduced
themselves.
President Kerrey
President Kerrey proceeded to discuss the status of the changes occurring within the
university. Within his general introduction President Kerrey expressed an interest in
having the University Student Senate function as a forum for students to express their
concerns and to function as an intermediary between the students and the administration.
I. President Kerrey updated those in attendance on the status of the concerns of
those students who occupied the cafeteria in December.
a. Student representation on the board of trustees is in the process of being
accepted.
b. Student representation on the search committee for the interim provost has
already been enacted.
c. President Kerrey expressed an interest in giving future Provosts the
authority of the academic budget.
d. Future Provosts should also take over some of the authorities currently
held by the EVP (Executive Vice President) Jim Murtha
e. The Interim provost will be chosen by a search committee that includes
the deans, faculty and students.
f. President Kerrey also plans to meet with Faculty as well as large bodies
from all the different divisions within the next few weeks to discuss
university wide issues.
II. President Kerrey addressed concerns associated with the Executive Vice President
position and the current EVP James Murtha.
a. President Kerrey expressed a desire to establish a confidential way of
raising complaints about the School administration in general and the
EVP in particular.
b. President Kerrey said that the EVP “probably has too much power.”
c. He also expressed his desire to solve space and library concerns.
III.The President addressed the economic concerns within the university.
a. The President related that the school is not heavily reliant on endowment
a fact that has largely protected the university from severe economic
difficulty.
b. The School is currently attempting to identify overhead.
c. There will be a 4.5% increase in tuition in the next year, which is down
significantly from last year (the least in 5 years) and of this amount 1% will
go directly into financial aid.
d. New hires will continue. The New School will hire 32 new full time
faculty. He states that this is not against part time faculty but that the full
time faculty is better able to mentor students and provide the graduate and
undergraduate support, which is needed.
IV.President Kerrey Addressed concerns associated with the new building.
a. The size of the building has been steadily shrinking due to the economic
concerns at the university.
b. The building will make Parsons more cutting edge, and give back to the
division that has long been the “Cash Cow” of the university.
c. There will be a library and a gym
d. 20-25 million dollars more are needed to complete fundraising drive for
the new building.
e. The current Building at 65 Fifth will remain open for the remainder of the
school year all the way through Finals, to give the students study space.
f. The building will probably come down over the summer and take 36
months to complete, scheduled for fall of 2012.
g. In the meantime President Kerrey is looking into increased wireless
computer access at Bobst.
h. President Kerrey is in the process of looking into the budget to enact the
LGBT/ALANA proposal.
V. Questions for President Kerrey from the Senate:
a. Rachel Signer asked several questions about the powers of the interim
provost, the criteria for the final provost, the nature of the search
committee and the allotment of money within the university.
b. President Kerrey says that restrictiveness of donations varies by donor, but
that the university tends to receive many restricted gifts and would like to
receive more unrestricted gifts.
c. In terms of the Provost, President Kerrey explains that the committee will
determine the job description.
d. Interim provost will be empowered via budget power.
e. Kevin Dugan asks about the time frame of the interim provost.
f. Bob Kerrey explains that he expects to have names by the end of next
week and select a candidate by the end of the following week.
g. Ben Fox asks about fundraising at the university. See above. Also
President Kerrey discuses borrowing.
h. Dan Shulman then asked about the how Bob Kerrey asked about how Bob
Kerrey intended to win back the confidence of the students.
i. President Kerrey said he intended on having more meetings and lunches
with students and faculty in all divisions.
j. President Kerrey also said he intended on having a demonstration
committee to go over the rules for future occupations.
k. Elizabeth Loran asked about the status of the TA/TF/RA proposal for
higher wages that was given to President Kerrey the last time the Executive
Board met with him last semester.
l. President Kerrey stated that the proposal would not cost the school a lot of
money and that he intended on passing the measure as soon as possible.
m. Rachel Singer asked about how President Kerrey envisioned the new
building and its reimagining of the identity of the school.
n. President Kerrey said the design of the building was important because,
due to its prominent location and other factors, it would define the style
identity of the university, and that “design is important” since design
education is an important aspect of the university.
o. Sarah Lopez asked about the raise in financial aid to students and whether
it would be need based or merit based.
p. President Kerrey stated that 40% should be need based.
q. Heather Sheridan asked about the best way for the President to
communicate with the students.
r. President Kerrey expressed his desire to come to more Student Senate
Meetings.
Other Business
VI.At approximately 9:30 Bob Kerrey departed, at which point the senate took a
brief 3-minute recess and then resumed discussion.
VII.Heather Sheridan asked why the Senate was not given advance Notice of
President Kerrey’s attendance. Peter Cummings explained that President
Kerrey decided to come on short notice, and that if the visit had been publicly
announced, the meeting would have required a larger room and security;
there was not time to set these things up.
VIII.The Student Assembly and social were discussed.
a. The Budget of 1,700 dollars for this event was passed unanimously, with
nine of nine senators present voting in favor of this budget.
b. The budget will cover food, drink and DJ for the event.
c. The event will be held from 6-11 on Friday the 9th of February: 6 to 8 for
the assembly and 8 to 11 for the social.
d. Participation in the Winter Warmer was discussed and finalized: it will be
staffed by Peter Cummings, Dan Schulman, Hendrick Cho and Ida
Benedetto.
IX.Participation and Scheduling for the Trustee meeting on February 11th was
discussed and finalized.
X. Future Meetings for the USS were discussed and finalized for 2/4/09, 2/11/09,
2/18/09 and 3/4/09 at 8’oclock in room 1204 of 2. West 13th Street.
XI.Peter Cummings announced that a draft of the USS Web site should be available
for view at the next USS meeting.
XII.A Special subcommittee of the Trustees was discussed.
a. Representation was discussed as well as scheduling.
XIII.The Senate’s participation in the Demonstration committee was discussed but
not finalized. Peter will ask other campus organizations if they want to
participate, and the subject will be revisited at the next meeting.
XIV.Senator Atlee Mcfellin announced that the Radical Student Union would be
holding an organizer Training. The subject was calendared for discussion at
the next USS meeting.
XV.The meeting was adjourned at 10:20pm.
Respectfully submitted
Elizabeth Loran
USS Treasurer