MINUTES
Graduate & Professional Student Assembly
GPSA Discussion Meeting
Monday, March 7th, 2011
Willard Straight Hall Memorial Room
5:30–7:00 P.M.

I. Welcome and Introductions

The meeting was called to order at 5:36 p.m.

II. Announcements and Reports

a. Executive Updates

C. Mansfeldt said to check cornellgpsa.com regularly.

b. Committee and Liaison Updates

• i. Events Committee Transition to Programming Board (N. Baran)

They want to turn the Events Committee into an independent student organization and transform the Events Committee into a graduate and professional students programming board. First, they need to register as a new student organization. That requires more members. If you’re at all interested, let her know. Her netid is nmb68. In order for byline funding, they must get 10% of grad student’s signatures, which is around 630 signatures. They are planning on applying for $2.50. Finally, the process’ initial deadline is April 25.

• ii. Field Funding Identification (R. Hartshorn)

A portion of the SAF is allocated to fields via a request to the finance commission. Currently, less than half of the fields are requesting funds.

• iii. Committee Updates
  • 1. Appropriations Committee

K. Albert said that they have basically completed their responsibility to review and suggest revisions for GPSAFC guidelines. They will be submitting a resolution in the very near future.

• 2. Student Advocacy

M. Hawkins said that they have had their first meeting of the semester. They discussed the issues of technology with graduate students, specifically the lack of internet use in graduate dorms, the internet usage cap and charge for netprint. Also, they were able to talk about emergency grad school fund and nominated a person to serve on the committee, which Ben is heading up. Also discussed diversity seat issue.

• 3. Environmental Committee

B. Gould said that they had their latest meeting on Friday and discussed ongoing initiatives, including the poster competition. Posters are due March 30th for judging.

• 4. Ad-hoc Survey Committee

E. Cortens said that everyone should’ve received an email from Chris Clarke, look at document and send feedback please. Also please take the survey if it comes to you.

• 5. Ad-hoc Mental Health Committee

B. Forster said that they will be meeting tomorrow in 325 Caldwell at 5:30 to discuss revisions to grad student life website that has more links and items posted regarding wellness.

• 6. Ad-hoc Emergency Fund Committee

B. Heavner said that he could use help specifically in business and law schools. The committee is in the process of scheduling its first meeting.

• 7. Graduate Student Trustee Update

N. Evensen said that the SA just held elections of next year’s new membership, President, and Executive Vice President. Also, the trustees are having a meeting this Thursday and Friday on campus. Cresten will be giving a GPSA update. They’ll also be breaking into small groups. His is international education at Cornell. If you have any thoughts broadly, study abroad, requirements for international involvement, more on undergrad side, should there be a language requirement across the university, should we require or foster students at Cornell. If you have ideas, let him know at dte6.

III. Business of the Day

a. Update on Mental Health Initiative and Means Restriction

Tim Marshell came forth to discuss the Mental Health Framework that the university is looking at. These include fostering a healthy educational environment, promoting life skills and resilience, increasing help-seeking behavior, identifying people in need of care, providing mental and medical health services, delivering coordinated crisis management, and restricting access to means of suicide. The lattermost is what they’re focusing on presently.

Guilbert Delgado, university architect, gave a presentation on the bridges and possible schematics. This can be viewed at meansrestriction.fs.cornell.edu. They intend to use the survey information to help inform the next step.

He took questions from the audience. E. Cortens asked if there was a sense of differences between fences and canopies vs. nets with respect to pros and cons as well as effectiveness. He explained that there are functional differences.

B. Heavner asked when the comment period ends. G. Delgado said that they have to move forward at some point and have a May 31 deadline to submit a finalized design. It’s about another week before the period officially ends but they do take into consideration all comments.

b. R.6: GPSA Bylaws and Charter Amendments

T. Balcerski said that if people want to be co-sponsors on this resolution, let him know. He showed the timeline and where they presently are in respect to it. The substantive changes were discussed. He wanted to talk about how the meetings are structured. Do you think the GPSA should meet in a less structured way, that is currently, very strict ruling about business/discussion meetings? Rather than this being the second time presented, in a new meeting format, have everyone at each meeting. Business would be done more efficiently, by covering more, meet less. They might be here more. Current bylaws call for seven regularly schedule meetings per semester, which equals the same number of meetings, but don’t make a distinction between business and discussion meetings. Effectively, this format would be the new format for all GPSA meetings. Have them all here, continue to fill out body, fill in seats. He discussed the rest of the big changes as well as the input. They did not substantially alter the charter and bylaws.

M. Hawkins said he will be submitting an amendment involving the number of membership seats. He would like people to really consider that when evaluating. This would allot 3 additional seats so there is more expanded dialogue.

B. Heavner expressed concern about his changes being considered.

IV. Breakout Discussions

a. Field Identification Sign-Up

b. Charter Review Discussion

c. President Skorton’s Call For Feedback

d. Emergency Grad School Fund

They broke into superfields to discuss the aforementioned issues. They came back together to share what they discussed.

The Physical Sciences said that they would love to have more time to discuss with voting members and discussion members. The new meeting structure could potentially double the number of breakout sessions, which would be a good thing.

The Humanities spent most of their time trying to get info on fields. They filled out things on the sheet. Not surprisingly, the fields not represented weren’t here. They talked about charter changes especially meeting changes.

The Biological Sciences said they discussed similar valuable stuff. They think that with combined meetings, it will be good to have discussion part first, then go back to vote on things at the end. Other is that if you combine the disc and business decreases repetition, would it be possible to decrease the number of meetings.

B. Heavner motioned to extend the meeting by five minutes. K. Albert seconded.

The Social Sciences talked about logistics and utility of having discussion and membership. What rights and responsibilities are and why it is important to enumerate them. They share similar questions about attendance, etc. There is no attendance policy for field reps but have them for voting members.

The Professional schools discussed a couple of points. They feel that opportunity to have additional meetings doesn’t impact voting members, which all the professional schools are. Possibly limiting number of meetings so reps are encouraged to attend. They also discussed the voting membership and were open to consider expansion with caution and with respect to schools and populations, at-larges, concerns that it could be dominated by people who share particular interest or represent particular groups.

This is an ongoing discussion. Any comments can be emailed voting reps or execs. The next meeting is a week from today at the Big Red Barn. It will be a long, tedious, complex meeting wherein they will be considering the charter. They will explain the amendment process and will outlay how the format of the meeting is going to go. If there are questions or comments, C. Mansfeldt said to approach him.

B. Heavner apologized to T. Balcerski for the misunderstanding.

E. Cortens motioned to adjourn. S. An seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 7:04 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Brittany Rosen