MINUTES
Graduate & Professional Student Assembly
Monday, February 6, 2012
Bache Auditorium, Malott Hall
5:30–7:00 P.M.

I. Welcome and Introductions, 1 min.

E. Cortens called the meeting to order at 5:33 PM.

Voting Members Present: S. An, N. Baran, Y. Chen, J. Ciecholewski, E. Cortens, A. Elliott, M. Hawkins, Y. Izrayelit, J. Keach, R. Robbins, E. Smith, M. Tootill, M. White

Voting Members Late: A. Nash, C. Wilson

Voting Members Absent: R. Adra, K. Albert (excused), B. Alkemeyer (excused), C. Ferkinhoff

II. Guests

� 1. Susan Murphy, Vice President for Student and Academic Services, 30 min.

E. Cortens mentioned that President Skorton was supposed to come and speak as well but was not able to make it because he was called out of town. Susan Murphy steps up and states that she will be addressing 4 questions that were presented to her. However, before she began she wanted to start out and say thank you for two of the initiatives by the GPSA last year. Susan Murphy then went on to address the four questions.

Susan Murphy states that question 1 was about slope day and the costs and what will be done about it. She beings by stating that there are disparate beliefs on the investment of slope day. Susan Murphy goes on the state that slope day tracks back to the early 1900s and gives a brief history of slope day. She then went on to say that since then the drinking age has changed. In 1995, the hospital called and said don’t send anymore drunk students there and her predecessor even tried to shut slope day down. Thus, it led to a long process of working with undergraduates to make slope day a safer event and contain it since so many students were being taken to the hospital for inebriation. Constraints were put in place for safety sake. It is an event that is one that needs to happen in a safe manner if it is going to happen. For instance, there were issues with High School students, which is why IDs needs to be swiped. Susan Murphy went on to state that she is not entirely comfortable with how much money is invested in this. This year we’re at a tipping point because philosophically don’t want to step in and manage the fees, it’s up to you guys to determine what is inappropriate charging and what’s not—this is a judgment call. The Board of Trustees meeting in March will have Natalie and Evan giving their reports. Susan Murphy went on to state that arguments have been called on why is so much money being spent and the rate of the increase not being able to continue. The trustees last year gave the SA President a grilling on how much money was being spent. All in all, she hopes the SA and GPSA and slope programming board can come to a decision that is amicable.

Chris H. gave an update and it looks like tickets for grads this year. E. Cortens mentioned that the graduate students don’t tend to run for positions to have a say in the slope day board. Susan Murphy then added that graduate students have an opportunity to have a say/vote and it’s not being exercised. Therefore, the power of the majority is setting the standards.

Susan Murphy then went on to address question 2, which is, do you envision maintaining the strength of the faculty and curriculum of the Ithaca campus, while blazing this new trail on Roosevelt Island? Susan Murphy responded to that by stating that the answer to that is a lot of work. If President Skorton were here he would speak about 4 broad institution priorities. These priorities are 1) recruit and maintain superb faculty 2) public engagement 3) international internationalization 4) a priority for student access. The biggest challenge will fall to the departments engaged with the campus in gaging the best faculty and which will be in Ithaca and which will be in NYC. The gift of $350 million gives tremendous financial support for the first phase. Susan Murphy continued on to say that we need to make sure we run the staff in a simultaneous fashion. One can imagine that we will need to outsource housing. The Ithaca code of conduct will apply to the NYC campus therefore how will we enforce that. How do we do crisis response? What role will the medical school play? These are all things that will be taken under our plate. The last thing we want to do is for this exciting opportunity to detract us from the home campus.

B. Wilkes mentioned that the feelings toward the campus have been celebratory but a lot of decisions are to be made.

A question is asked in regards to the campus: Will our ID cards in Ithaca work there since we are Cornell students’? (This question leads to the third question). Question 3 asked would it be possible for the resources at the new campus to be made available to the Ithaca-campus graduate students? Susan Murphy said the intent is yes since it is a CU facility and these are questions that need to be answered. I would assume that your ID card should be your ID card. We will need to discuss the limitations and what they are. Addressing the final question, Susan Murphy states that the last question has to do with concerns around the increase in cot of campus-to-campus bus. If you’re on a research grant the increase should not apply, if you are going back to see a loved one or for personal reasons it will apply. The increase applies to those who do not take the campus account number. If the body wants them to examine that, it would be appropriate. For instance, they could offer discounts to CU affiliates. In terms of expansion of services, they are trying to track if they can add additional runs since they know Fridays and Sundays are busy days from 2 to 3. Overall, they are looking at new services and monitoring the demand.

Susan Murphy went on to say that before she concludes, just as a follow up in terms of mental health, B. Wilkes has received some funding to help create a new introductory video to provide one for the graduate professional community that is comparable to the one that was in place for the undergraduate students that was created two years ago. Please work with B. Wilkes to get this going.

� 2. Graduate/Professional Student Apartment Rate Study and Recommendation (Maurty Rauker, Assistant Vice President for Student and Academic Services; Terri Boslett, Campus Life Director of Finance and Administration; Barbara Romano, Director of Residential and Event Services; Missy Riker, Residential and Event Services), 25 min.

Part of the administrative streamlining program. SAS intiative was to address the University structured deficit for ways to save $1.9 million. Barbara Romano gave some history on graduate housing including options and occupancy. The group was looking at data from 2008 where there was a significant deficit in occupancy. Recommends for FY13 increase graduate/professional students rates $50 or 5% above required rate increases for normal cost drivers, rate was approved based on recommendation and the Maplewood replacement under review.

B. Wilkes stated one of the cost benefit analyses is that you don’t need to pay a bunch of cash upfront initially. Though is may seem a little pricey, utilities don’t need to be paid for and you don’t need to pay first and last month’s rent and the security deposit all at once. Overall when you compare it to the external market it does provide a positive service.

James K. wanted to know how did you reach out to the graduate body to find out why the rates of occupancy were low? The response to that was there were surveys that were issued in ‘06.

III. Approval of the Minutes

� 1. January 23, 2012, 1 min.

M. Tootill would like for the section of he minutes under Finance Commission for a sentence to be fixed and read as, “she explained at the beginning of December there was only $11,000 left to fund groups and there were�” There were no objections to this change and this amendment passes.

No other objections are made and seeing as there is none the minutes are approved.

IV. Reports of Officers and Committee Updates, 8 min.

� 1. Executive Committee (E. Cortens)

E. Cortens announced that we need more members for this committee. In addition R. 9 was passed by the SA on 2/12 and has been forwarded to the board of trustees. Also, Grad. School orientation input has been requested�what you wished you would have known when you arrived to Cornell. E. Cortens then asked about classes that meet 4:30–7:30pm and whether or not this is something that has happened/people have experienced? 18 people (about half the people in the room) raised their hands. E. Cortens then asked if this a problem? Or is it basically not an issue? Only just a couple of hands were raised as it being a problem. E. Cortens mentioned that there is a rule that this can’t occur for undergrads but there is no rule for grads.

E. Cortens also mentions that there will be Grad. School announcements in response that came back from feedback. In regards to career services for partners the Grad. School is making progress in this. As for financial services for partners, which include things such as retirement planning, the Graduate School is working on ways to make options available for Grad. students.

� 2. Appropriations (C. Heckman)

There are no updates.

� 3. Communications (S. An)

This is about the time of year when to think about who is replacing us, he wanted to get everyone to start thinking of who wants to take over the position and work on the newsletter. S. An said that he is more than willing to help and if interested to let him know.

� 4. Finance Commission (M. Tootill)

M. Tootill stated that there is not much to update except that we have a meeting tomorrow night. Also, Terry will take a few days to get back to anyone who submitted applications so don’t panic if it takes a few days.

� 5. Student Advocacy (R. Robbins)

Thinking about other issues to target. A lot of interest of the committee to focus on health and wellness if there are any other issues that are interested in targeting let me know.

� 6. Graduate & Professional Student Programming Board (Y. Chen)

There are two upcoming events: February 8th Interschool Mixer and February 10th Big Red Barn 20th birthday party. Volunteers are need for both of these events.

V. Break-Out Session by Topic, 23 min.

� 1. Transportation (parking, TCAT/public transit, regional buses, Campus-to-Campus bus)
� 2. Big Red Barn Dining Options
� 3. Graduate Student Housing
� 4. Health & Wellness

VI. Open Forum, 2 min.

Veronica P. asked are we going to be paying for tickets for slope day if an agreement is made prior to slope. E. Cortens replied that the soonest any change would occur would be Spring 2013.

Respectfully Submitted,


Melissa Arguinzoni