Student Assembly

Agenda — March 29, 2012
Cornell University Student Assembly
4:45pm — 6:30pm, 401 Physical Sciences

I. Call to Order / Roll Call

N. Raps called the meeting to order at 4:47pm

Members present

S. Balik, G. Block, S. Breedon, D. Brown, A. Chopra, B. Francisco, A. Gitlin, R. Gitlin, D. Goldberg, M. Gulrajani, J. Kay, J. Lee, A. Meller, J. Mueller, D. Muir, A. Nicoletti, A. Pinkney, H. Pittell, N. Raps, E. Szulman, N. Treffeisen, A. Wolford, E. Yeterian

Members tardy

R. Desai

Members unexcused

G. Hoffman, J. Rau, P. Scelfo, A. Ravaret, A. Santangelo

II. Approval of the 03/08/12 Meeting Minutes

• Minutes approved

III. David J. Skorton and Susan Murphy
President and Vice President for Student & Academic Services

• Admission decisions were just released — largest group of applications Cornell has ever had. The number of offers was lowered from the previous year due to over-enrollment
• Interest in the NYC Tech Campus is enormous
• R. Desai: Regarding the recent diversity statement, what has been done to affect the yield of minorities? Is there a possibility for student input?
  • Core of changes: formal accountability of leaders in Cornell to reach their goals and sharing multiple goals with Deans and Vice Presidents
  • Everyone will be held accountable for compositional diversity. Individual leaders will discuss other areas of accountability they will be responsible for (engagement, achievement, and inclusion)
  • How to make everything work will require input from the entire community
• Ali Hamed ‘14: What initiatives can be undertaken on campus such that a strong connection can be formed to the Tech Campus?
  • The Tech Campus is being set up on a contractual relationship with the municipality
  • Deliverables to the campus are mainly graduate education, increasing the talent pool in NY to help lead toward commercialization, entrepreneurship, etc.
  • The campus is set up to e interdisciplinary — there will not be individual departments
• G. Block: The Calendar Committee currently has a lot of momentum. The last changes were made 30 years ago and there is currently still a lot of student input. Would it be possible to slow down the process?
  • Will share the sentiment to slow down with those on the committee. There are many competing interests which is why interests occur every 30 years or so — they are doing their best to accommodate all considerations for the calendar
• J. Mueller: What can be aid about the expansion of Gannett Health Services?
  • Hopefully recommendations will be on the table by the end of the semester. The project was put on hold in the past due to financial concerns — currently, they are looking at how to handle funding
• J. Lee: How is Cornell working with undocumented students?
  • Federal aid is not possible — looking to see what other possibilities are. One of the most difficult things is figuring out the extent of the matter — some, but obviously not all, undocumented students have come forward
• Jesse M. ‘13: There is a push for sustainability, global engagement, the Tech Campus, and the diversity initiative. Are the four connected? What opportunities / academic programs will come from that?
  • They are all connected but are all different tactics. Cornell has a five year strategic plan — there will always be a healthy tension between the Administration and students (students want to know how changes will affect them in the short-term, the Administration is looking at the bigger picture)

IV. Daniel Huttenlocher
Dean, NYC Tech Campus

• The Tech Campus is a major opportunity to be involved in the technology arena. Excited to create an institution in the 21st century with all the advancements in informational technology over the past 25 years
• Jeremy Blum ‘12: How is degree accreditation going to be handled at NYC?
  • Education is one of the most regulated industries. Cornell is currently looking through internal processes — looking at tech-related majors first (as similar programs will be offered in the Tech Campus). Subsequently, the dual degree programs will be looked at
• G. Block: What can you say about the funds for the startup? How will Cornell position itself — why will companies come to Cornell?
  • A piece of the university’s endowment is going into investing in venture firms in NYC
  • Looking for opportunities to work closely with the venture firms, to form strategic relationships
• K. Mayor ‘14: How can students position themselves to be involved in the development of the Tech Campus? How will this involvement change over time? Will the Tech Campus be for graduate students or will there be undergraduate opportunities as well?
  • The campus currently has 2 employees (himself and Kathy Dove) — their main focus right now is hiring. There will be small programs offered in the fall that fit in the Cornell’s regular academic schedule (weekend programs, etc.). In January, some small degree programs will be offered
  • The challenge is building processes of engagement and interactions that recognize the Tech Campus as its own campus. They are looking at ways to set up the framework, but ultimately it will be the first students and faculty on campus that will help determine its functions
  • The Ithaca campus is the undergraduate campus and that will not change. The Tech Campus is largely geared toward graduate students, but opportunities will be made available to undergraduates (summer programs, etc.)
• E. Szulman: How should students interested in majors that are not strictly technical (eg: science and technology) get involved with the Tech Campus?
  • The city wants the campus to train technical students (part of the contractual promise). At the start, the campus will have to focus on a technical core, but in he future, it will work hard to reach the interdisciplinary vision of Cornell
• The level of support during the process was incredibly awarding

V. Open Microphone

Slope Day Announcement

• There was a campus-wide survey at the beginning of the year asking students who they wanted to see perform for Slope Day — over 5,000 results
• A Selections Committee met to talk about choices — from the survey, it appeared that students really wanted a pop artist that had hits on the radio
• Second band: Neon Trees
• Headliner: Taio Cruz

VI. Announcements / Reports

Calendar Committee Update — G. Block

• 2 day holiday in February, additional 2 days for Spring break, shortened study period, smaller likelihood of having multiple exams in a row

Public Safety Advisory Committee — N. Raps

• Upcoming event: Shape — big hub for sexual assault health and awareness on campus

Fire and Gorge Safety Update — A. Chopra

• Continuing work on gorge safety video — also working on a diagram to show why people get trapped in the water
• Working with E. Yeterian on fire safety informational packets to distribute during campus fire drills

Sustainability Month Announcement — J. Kay

• CUSD, Slope Media, Sustainability Hub, and other groups are working together on Springfest — an event to celebrate Earth Day

Outreach Update — N. Treffeisen

• Upcoming Events: Ivri Lider in Bear’s Den, Resoundingly Clear Conference in Schwartz Center, Margaret Cho in Bailey Hall

VII. Business of the Day

Resolution 40: Appendix B — A. Nicoletti

• Appendix B is a document that allows the SA to determine how by-line funded organizations can spend their allocations
• A. Nicoletti outlined the changes made to Appendix B — asked that the SA look carefully at the wording and bring up any concerns they had with the document
• The Appropriations Committee will be meeting on Monday to review a last-minute request so there will be a revised Appendix B come next meeting
• G. Block: What is the status of the endowment for the Women’s Resource Center? $0.50 goes to BLUE but what happens if they spend less than that?
  • In 2000, the SA and the SAFC decided to direct $5.00 to the endowment — supposed to make it self-sufficient
  • N. Raps: There is a set process for their funding, so all $0.50 will go to BLUE
• M. Gulrajani: Do all the groups agree with the changes made?
  • Yes, they have all agreed
• H. Pittell: Why is the senior student trustee chosen over the undergraduate trustee for New Student Convocation?
  • Due to request from orientation steering committee
• G. Block: If a grad student trustee is re-elected, does the undergraduate have a change to speak?
  • Yes, the language should state that the less-recently elected trustee will be the speaker
• A. Gitlin: If this passes, what will be the next steps regarding funding as it pertains to what the SA and groups need to do next year
  • All groups will be required to adhere to Appendix B
  • The process for the next cycle is largely up in the air and to be determined
  • Hope that there will be more liaisons next year to maintain communication between the groups and the SA
• N.Raps: How will you let the groups know about the final Appendix B? How does the Appendix affect the SA?
  • There will be an email sent out saying that the document is pending.
  • The SA has almost complete control over the Student Activity Fee so members will have to work closely with the groups, as any changes will affect the entire undergraduate population
• A. Gitlin: What does the SA liaison do?
  • Liaisons reach out to show interest and get involved
  • The SA has the option to appoint a liaison to any group — the liaison will sit on the group’s executive board and act as an active member of the organization

VIII. New Business

• None

N. Raps adjourned the meeting at 6:50pm

Respectfully submitted,
Chelsea Cheng