The New School

2011 09 07 Minutes

The New School
University Student Senate Minutes

Wednesday, September 7 @ 8PM
2 W. 13th St., Bark Room (M101)

In the absence of a Secretary, Bronwyn Lewis took notes.

Present (12 voting): Chris Crews, Michael Kaplan, Melissa Holmes, Divya Khandelwal, Hajir Sailors, Mimi Clitus, Bronwyn Lewis, Katherine Towell, Fernanda Ormeno, Santiago Posas, Voltaire Veloso (via Skype).

Absent: Victoria Lee, Christin Pettibone, Rachel Housle, Kathy Litchfield

AGENDA

1. Ice breaking / introduction activity

2. Overview of the senate (presented by Melissa Holmes, with Chris Crews and Hajir Sailors)

Introduction to senate history
Last year’s initiatives (ongoing)
· Past funding process for student events
· Improve accounting processes
· Providing partial research funding to students
· Hire senior admin staff for LGBTQ and Students of Color resource center / issues
· Some constitutional items would make more sense in by-laws

3. Decide dates for fall 2011 meetings

Collate list of senators class schedules (Katherine to type this up in google docs – senators not present should submit their class schedules)

Proposed days/times to ensure all senators can make at least 1 meeting per month:

Wed or Thur at 8pm
Tue, Wed, or Thurs at 10am

Melissa is coordinating this.

4. Funding Process

It’s easier to give recognized student orgs money for events and projects (logistically – they have a FOAP number).

We need to meet with our two financial contacts at the school and put a process in place knowing what limitations and challenges there are.

A lot of funding is for dept conferences, and they most often don’t have a FOAP #, so we should be wary of restricting funding to just student orgs.

Discussed motivations for student orgs not registering with OSDA (primarily bureaucracy).

5. Google Apps

Sept 20th is the hard switch deadline.

PJ wants us to meet with him and ask questions, submit comments, etc., The senate needs to be a resource for students on google apps.

Do some tabling to promote the USS, including open meeting dates, composting info by the Office of Sustainability, and information on Google Apps for students.

Plan to do tabling on these days: 19th, 21st, 22nd
Tabling at Mannes, Drama, and Lang building
Senators present at meeting signed up for tabling slots for these days

Bronwyn, Katherine, and Hajir to meet with PJ, everyone is welcome to join if they can (Melissa to email PJ)

Need to compile a document of comments, questions, and concerns from senators on experience with google apps so far to be addressed at meeting with PJ. (Bronwyn to create google doc)

6. Outreach (for upcoming and future events)

See section on google about outreach for the immediate future.

7. Committee formation

Last year committees were not utilized (though the constitution permits several committees)

There is interest in running committees this year and this should be explored next meeting after reviewing the committee list

8. Scott Gassman

Still interested in working with the senate (details from Melissa’s earlier email to the USS recapped)

Katherine and Santiago raised concerns about having a third party involved in senate business, especially so early on when we haven’t had a chance to even work with each other yet or grow organically.

Melissa to get more clarification from Scott about what his students can actually offer to the USS to see if we would like to utilize their services.

9. DVZ’s Installation

Melissa has been asked to speak on behalf of the students on 9/15.

Melissa to schedule a meet-up for Sunday to collaborate on her speech.

10. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 9:55 pm.

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