• Representatives present • Aleksandar Donev, ACM • Anita Adhitya, proxy for Neven Fuckar, AOS • Jack Tinsley, CHE • Basak Surmeli, CHM • Jennifer Jordan, proxy for Kellam Conover, CLA • Christine I. Meyer, EEB • Valerie Dionne, FIT • Karin Sigloch, GEO • Chris Wyckham, MAE • Shin-Yi Lin, MOL • Annika Peter, PHY • Kim Montgomery, PSY • Josh Friess, proxy for Cori Anderson, SLA • Debbie Becher, SOC • Guillaume Sabouret, proxy for Newsha M. Dau, WWS •
• Delegates present • Weining Man, proxy for Yuan Liu, ACSS • Joshua Friess, BUT • Weining Man, CIGS • Anita Adhitya, proxy for Lior Silberman, GCO • Jennifer Jordan, proxy for Carolyn Mordas, LAW •
• Councilors present • Chair Nicole Esparza • Parliamentary Secretary Jack Tinsley • Corresponding Secretary Shin-Yi Lin • Press Secretary Christine Percheski • Acting Recording Secretary Basak Surmeli • Treasurer Jeff Dwoskin • Social Chair Aleksandar Donev •
• Others present • Lisa Sherov, Assistant Dean for Residence Life and Student Affairs • Beth McKeown, Community Programs Coordinator • Meredith Safran, CLA •
• Representatives absent • Peter Locke, ANT • Sinéad Mac Namara, CEE • Christopher DeCoro, COS • Jonathan Vogel, ECO • Fei Sun, ELE • James Bickford, ENG • Michael K. House, GER • Jane Murphy, HIS • Donna Sy, HOS • Thomas Horine, MAT • Andrew Moroz, ORF • David R. Smith, PPL • Susan Gunasti, REL •
• Delegates absent • Aderemi Artis, Black Graduate Caucus (BGC) • Leonard F. Pease III, Off-Campus (OFF) • Heather White, Women's Center (WOC) •
• Councilors absent • Brigitta Lee, CPUC • Leslie A. Medema, CPUC, CPUC Priorities Committee • Ian Parrish, CPUC, CPUC Executive Committee • Leonard F. Pease III, CPUC, CPUC Priorities Committee • Aderemi Artis, CPUC Resources Committee • Meredith Galanter Hastings, CPUC Judicial Committee • Lior Silberman, CPUC, CPUC Rights and Rules Committee • David R. Smith, CPUC Rights and Rules Committee • Robert Sobak, CPUC • Joseph P. Valentino, CPUC • Fei Sun, CPUC Governance Committee •
• Representative seats vacant • ARC • ART • AST • COM • EAS • MUS • NES • POL • PHI • SPO •
• Delegate seats vacant • Hibben/Magie Apartments • Millstone Apartments •
The Graduate Student Government held its regular monthly Assembly meeting on June 9, 2004, at Frist 309. Chair Nicole Esparza called the meeting to order at about 6:05 pm.
Acting Recording Secretary Basak Surmeli proceeded to the minutes. She noted the suggestions had been received from Anita Adhitya, João Boavida, Eric Adelizzi, Leonard Pease, and Tom Jenkins. Most of the corrections were grammatical and aesthetical. Substantive changes that were made included: adding a couple lines stating that the committee chairs were approved; adding that the minutes were not approved the first time around due to not having quorum; adding a couple lines after the Annual Giving presentation about the minutes being approved then; and Mr. Jenkins offered more text to the CDC report and gave us a better PDF file of his summary report. Ms. Surmeli stated that Exec made all the suggested changes because they were all reasonable.
Aleksandar Donev moved to approve the minutes, there was a second, and the motion carried without opposition.
Ms. Esparza informed Assembly that the Executive Committee had met one time in person since the last Assembly meeting. Due to general exams and a family emergency, most of Execs business was conducted online. Ms. Esparza continued that Exec work had focused on arranging the GSGs summer event Frolic at Frist. She also thanked Social Chair Aleks Donev for his great work putting the event together.
Ms. Esparza then stated that June 1-2 was our annual Furniture Drive. She thanked all the volunteers and Brigitta Lee who chaired the event. The GSG raised about $1400 for local charities.
In conclusion, Ms. Esparza announced that the new provost, Christopher Eisgruber who takes office next month, will be our guest at the September Assembly meeting. Ms. Esparza said that unfortunately, President Tilghman would be out of town that day, but would be happy to attend a later Assembly meeting. Ms. Esparza pointed out that Provost Eisgruber is the chair of the Priorities Committee and that we will give him a subtle GSG PriComm presentation.
Treasurer Jeff Dwoskin had sent his report in advance of the meeting.
Mr. Dwoskin informed the Assembly that two funding requests have been made. One event was submitted after the two week deadline. There was a motion to hear the late request. It was seconded and passed. Mr. Dwoskin explained that the first request was from the Graduate College House Committee, who requested $700 for Summer Pizza Parties in June, July, and August. The total cost is expected to be $2000. Mr. Dwoskin noted that $940 is available for co-sponsorship for the rest of the quarter ending in October and requests from different groups may be expected to come later. Because of these, Mr. Dwoskin suggested funding this event for $200.
Mr. Dwoskin also informed the Assembly that the Butler Committee requested $300 for their Back to School Barbeque. Mr. Dwoskin explained that around 150 people were expected to attend this event and the total cost is expected to be around $750 to $1000 based on $5 per person. Due to his involvement with the Butler Committee, he declined to give a recommendation for this request.
Ms. Esparza recommended that a quasicommittee of the whole would be the most expeditious way discuss the funding requests. The quasicommittee of the whole suspends normal rules of motions and seconds, allowing Assembly to discuss the matter less formally. For that to happen, there need only be a motion to discuss the funding in a quasicommittee of the whole. As soon as discussion ended, or Assembly decided to close the quasicommittee, the normal procedures would be restored. Therefore, Ms. Yin moved (and was seconded) to discuss funding the events in a quasicommittee of the whole. The motion carried without opposition.
A consensus was not reached on how much to spend for the events in the quasicommittee of the whole. There had been discussion of using money from the social events that were initiated by the GSG to fund the pizza party, since $700 was such a large portion of the available co-sponsorship funds. There had been some money left over (Mr. Dwoskin estimated about $1400) from events earlier in the fiscal year such as the Valentines Day Dance [ see annual budget Minutes 10.08.2003]- GS initiated (separate from co-sponsorship). There was discussion of moving some of this surplus to co-sponsorship; however, there was not enough support in Assembly for this.
Kim Montgomery moved to end debate and the quasicommittee of the whole. This was seconded and passed by Assembly.
Ms. Esparza announced that since there had been a motion, which had passed, to end debate, she would only entertain motions.
Ms. Adhitya stated that since she was representing the GC House Committees request it would be a conflict of interest if she voted on the funding. She asked if she could proxy her vote to someone else (she was already a proxy for AOS). Mr. Tinsley saw nothing wrong with her request, so Ms. Percheski became the AOS proxy.
Mr. Donev moved to fund the GC Pizza Party for $250 and the Butler BBQ for $200. The motion was seconded and failed.
Debbie Becher moved to fund the GC pizza party for $300 and the Butler BBQ for $150. The motion was seconded and failed.
There was a motion to fund the Butler BBQ for $150. It was seconded and passed-- PASSED the Butler Back to School Barbeque funded at $150.
Ms. Percheski motioned to fund the GC Pizza Party at $400. The motion was seconded and failed.
Joshua Friess moved to fund the GC Pizza Party at $300. The motion was seconded and passed-- PASSED the GC Summer Pizza Parties funded at $300.
Meredith Safran represented the GSG at the biannual APGA board meeting on May 28, 2004. Ms. Safran explained that three main topics discussed in the APGA meeting were: strengthening ties, raising visibility, and improving graduate student life. Ms. Safran summarized her discussions in the APGA meeting about strengthen ties with APGA as the following: visits to Assembly this year by Victoria Garcia in the fall; Alyssa Miksis and Deborah Fiori this past April; helping to recruit grad students for Annual Giving calls; increasing awareness of importance of participation rates by grad students joining the APGA. Ms. Safran also thanked the APGA for their generous co-sponsorship of Love at Frist Sight Valentines Day dance, the upcoming Frolic at Frist summer event, and the facebook. Ms. Safran noted to APGA that Assembly suggested that in the future the facebook be online so it can be accessed by all grad students, be in color, and be updatable/correctable. She also noted that new APGA Board member, Yesim Tozan, was a former GSG Social Chair. Ms. Safran explained that she also talked about steps taken to strengthen ties with other graduate student groups and undergrads. She also told the APGA that graduate students were increasingly getting involved in the GSG. For instance, there was almost full representation in the GSG from every department, program and housing committees; the participation of GSG in Ivy Summit (an annual meeting of student leaders from the eight Ivy League schools); and an attempt to hold joint social event with the undergrads. Ms. Safran also explained the new housing draw system and the reorganization in the committee structure of GSG. Ms. Safran pointed out that during the meeting she had the opportunity to thank President Tilghman and Dean Russel for their efforts in raising the visibility of graduate students. Ms. Safran explained the new housing draw system and the reorganization in the committee structure of GSG.
Ms. Safran informed the Assembly that, Ms. Tozan had been elected to the Board of the APGA. Ms. Tozan was the GSG Social Chair and a former Bar Czar, and she might be able to help with the Debasement Bar and liaise with the GSG.
Ms. Safran added that APGA president, Robert Schaffhauser, had spoken about the importance of the APGA as a conduit between grad students and the University; importance of visibility and the engagement of current grad students; the importance of regional events and the staging of events that are relevant to alumni; the new initiative of having grad alumni join the Alumni Schools Committee, which interviews prospective undergrads; getting in touch with other universities' APGA equivalents and generating new initiatives.
Ms. Safran reported that Ms. Garcia spoke about matching up grad students, especially international graduate students, with alumni host families. She said this already goes on through the International Center and APGA voted to continue supporting this. Finally, Ms Safran concluded her report by informing the Assembly that Ms. Miksis said that the APGA is looking to get more involved with the GSG in other ways than just being a piggy bank.
Ms. Percheski reported that in June, she attended the first Annual Giving calling campaign by graduate students. There was not much attendance. Ms. Percheski pointed out that the timing for this might have been the reason for low attendance or that the graduate student community might not be interested in this event. Ms. Percheski emphasized that the Assembly should seriously consider if GSG should get involved in this event in the future. Ms. Lin asked what kind of response they got from the alumni with whom they made contact. Ms. Esparza replied that they called grad students who received their PhDs between 1993 and 2003 in economics, sociology, or politics. These were alumni who had never donated any money before, primarily because they had never been asked. They didnt come across anyone who refused to give money because they were unhappy with the university. Ms. Esparza continued that some people did not contribute because they would rather give money to charities or they didnt have enough money.
Karin Sigloch said that both the grad students and alumni have to get used to the idea of the Annual Giving since this has never been done before. Ms. Safran pointed out that entering Annual Giving is a big step, and it would be better to start with a face to face event. Ms. Safran explained that APGA board member, Mr. Lopresti, had sponsored a meeting for the Engineering School and this event was very successful, lots of contacts were made. Ms. Esparza pointed out that the reason for the interest in involving graduate students in Annual Giving is that one anonymous alumnus promised to match any new donations collected from graduate school alumni.
Chris Wycham said that for some of the graduate students, graduate school is like a job and they dont feel they owe anything to Princeton. Ms. Sigloch added that the university is also interested in participation and GSG should focus on getting more people involved.
Ms. Esparza explained that Alumni Giving originally wanted to recruit around 60 people for 20 hours a week for six weeks. This would be very difficult to accomplish. Ms. Percheski continued that the next Tiger Call meeting is the following Sunday and that if people are interested, they should contact her. If no one is interested, then she would cancel. Ms. Percheski asked for some suggestions on what would make grad students interested and asked for feedback to give to Deborah Fiori. Debbie Becher mentioned that grad students should get paid. Ms. Percheski also pointed out that the payment is $9.00 per hour with the six week time commitment, but she can talk with them to increase this number if the Assembly thinks this will increase the interest. It was pointed out that Tiger Call might work for undergraduate students but may be not appropriate for graduate student community. Finally, Ms. Safran pointed out that this event brought up an important issue, how graduate students wish to be treated, and if they wish to be treated as undergraduates or staff. Ms. Esparza suggested that we should ask if grad spouses or partners would be eligible to work for Tiger Call.
Ms. Esparza informed the Assembly about the Letter Writing Campaign. Ms. Esparza explained that the GSG Executive Committee would be putting together official list of PriComm requests, which will be presented to Assembly at the July meeting. Ms. Esparza continued, although the GSG cannot make requests directly to PriComm, we plan to write letters to the administrators who can make PriComm requests. Ms. Esparza added that CPUC representatives, Newsha Dau and Ian Parrish, would do their best to defend our requests.
Ms. Esparza pointed out that previously this letter campaign was very successful and helped to improve lives of graduate students in a number of ways. Past letters focused on topics such as: change in the use of meal plans, side walk for Alexander road, change of hours at McCosh health center.
Ms. Esparza asked Assembly for suggestions, either now, or by email to gsg@. She especially encouraged suggestions from the grad Priorities Committee representatives, committee chairs, the housing groups, and other special-interest groups. Ms. Esparza explained that for a description of letters written last year, people interested could refer to [Minutes 7.9.2003,IV.B].
The meeting was adjourned by Ms. Esparza at 7:43 pm.