MINUTES
Graduate and Professional Student Assembly
Monday, November 1, 2010

Memorial Room, Willard Straight Hall
5:30�7:00 P.M.

I. Welcome and Introductions

The meeting was called to order 5:35pm. Members present at the meeting introduced themselves. C. Mansfeldt gave an overview of the previous GPSA business meeting. He discussed Resolution 2 regarding the survey. He then asked a few informal questions to gain insight on the survey and related material.

II. Executive Updates:

a. President: Cresten Mansfeldt

Two weeks ago, he and Chris Heckmann went to the Ivy Summit to discuss issues from events to structural organization to benefits faced by each campus including the eight Ivies and MIT. Overall, the Cornell Graduate School is very competitive with respect to benefits. If you’re curious on anything that happened, consult him or Chris after the meeting.

b. Executive Vice President: Jennifer Swartz

She had no major updates. Communications had their monthly meeting last week. They’re planning their next meeting on November 15th. She is looking for people to write GPSA Info. If you’re interested or know anyone who might be, let her know.

c. Vice President of Operations: Thomas Balcerski

He discussed the charter review timeline and gave an overview of information on the charter and the process. Next week is the first meeting at the Big Red Barn if you would like to attend.

d. Counsel to the GPSA: Brian Forster

He clarified that the Activity Fee set for all Ithaca students, also includes all Geneva students. Two years ago he was Student Advocacy Chair. One issue they didn’t get to was exterior lighting. This Thursday, Nov 4th, there will be people walking around properties to discuss lighting. It was posted on the blog and goes from 6:30pm to 9pm. The ad-hoc Mental Health Committee met. They discussed bridges and means restriction with VP Susan Murphy. Three proposals were discussed and will be shown to the Cornell community before winter recess for input. Their next meeting is November 18th and Gannett will be reviewing with them the national college health assessment.

III. Presentation by University Librarian: Ann Kenney

She discussed the library reviews and strategic planning process. Specifically, fire safety improvement for Olin. They’re soon to celebrate their 50th anniversary and they haven’t had sprinklers for collections or staff and now will. They’re intermittently closing floors to work. They’re increasing contact with Columbia, creating a partnership with collective partnership with 18,000 volumes. They’re looking at providing Columbia library access to students in NYC. Over 85 institutions worldwide have joined open access. They’re getting over 300,000 dollars a year. VIVO has been funded by NIH for $12 million to develop. Active in library outside the library. Treasures on flickr and iphone app to access library. Among the 5 leading universities in the country who supported open access funding along with Harvard, MIT, Berkley. Making available funds for publication in open access journals. Working for VP research to establish data stuff for NSF requirements. Through Hotel+Johnson school, extended alumni access to databases. Working to extend access to graduate students in gap years. Unit Library Reviews have all involved Faculty and Student committees. They all go before the library board and are reviewed by the provost. CALS would no longer support the entomology library so within two years it’ll be merged into Mann. There has been financial strains due to state funding from the vet school. The Engineering library, report issued looking at 4 requirements they want to see. The Fine Arts Library is having a group of faculty and librarians envision library in continuing support of physical collections and digital tools. They’re looking at a shift of the fine arts library into Rand in 2 years. The Science Libraries are much more poised to be online. The Physical Sciences Library is now a virtual library. There are still librarians within Clark working on study space. The Hotel, JGSM, and ILR libraries were all reviewed once. They recommended a model of collaboration with a new leader overseeing cross functional teams. She explained the changes proposed. They are looking toward the motto “One Cornell, One Library.” They want to continue to build strategic partnerships with others (such as Columbia). There has been an increase in digitalization looking to the future but they want to ensure physical content. They look to strengthen access to scholarly records and build a 21st century staff, engaging users to prioritize programs that impact TRL. She took questions from the audience.

IV. Old Business

a. R2 Graduate Student Survey: Evan Cortens

E. Cortens gave background on the progress seen over the past few weeks regarding the survey and the resolution.

V. Break-out Sessions:

• a. What would increase GPSA’s visibility at Fall Orientation?
  • i. Area-centered activities? Co-sponsorship of events with large departments?
• b. What type of activity does your area want do for its social event?
• c. What are you thoughts on funding a graduate student survey?

Members broke into super-fields to discuss this.

VI. Open Forum

B. Heavner plugged cornellgpsa.com Allison Nash, an architecture representative is on the Means Restriction Committee. Her netid is agn2 and if there’s anything you’d like to share or answer any questions, email her. They gave an update on Lights Off Cornell. N. Baran said that they will be having grad bowling on Thursday night, in Helen Newman, from 8–10pm. It’ll be 5 dollars, and all the lanes are reserved. She’ll send an email. She asked people to encourage members of your fields to join the facebook group for events. B. Forster sent out an email. Cornell Cinema will be doing grads night cinema on Nov 12, at 9:45 showing Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Graduate and professional students can get in for 2 dollars. T. Balcerski reminded committee chairs that they need to report back to him. S. An went over what the physical sciences discussed during the breakout session. Neith spoke with respect to biological sciences. Humanities spoke a bit about and their question was who was going to be writing the questions. Ad-hoc committee would be writing.

VII. Motion to Adjourn

The meeting was adjourned at 7:03 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Brittany Rosen