Graduate and Professional Student Assembly
Monday, March 24, 2008
Memorial Room, Willard Straight Hall
5:30–7:00pm

I. Call to Order

Y. Yu called the meeting to order at 5:33pm.

Y. Yu introduced B. O’Brian from the ISSO.

I. Approval of the Minutes

Some amendments were made. 10 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstention. The minutes passed.

II. Open Forum

J. Kupferschmidt gave an update from the GPSAFC, he said they are having an annual presentation on April 1 from 6–8pm in 101 Phillips, explaining the funding process and it is an opportunity for people to ask questions to the committee members. J. Kupferschmidt said there is a big funding day on April 13, and the GPSAFC needs people from the GPSA to help make decisions on how much is allocated. He said both announcements will also be sent out via e-mail.

N. Brideau mentioned there is a big field on the Cornell campus in which people can rent out plots and grow their own garden.

III. Executive Updates

A. Richter explained M. Leinfelder is not at the meeting because she is with an undergrad class coming back from Chile.

A. Richter said the charter committee met just before spring break and they have several recommendations but haven’t put them as resolutions because they want to discuss it. A. Richter mentioned some of the recommendations including giving out a sheet with overview of the difference between GPSA and CoR, having separate list serves, etc.

Y. Yu said M. Leinfelder conducted a successful leadership seminar at the last CoR meeting. When M. Leinfelder gets back she will probably share a summary of the feedback.

Y. Yu said the feedback from the board of trustees was positive and they agree that it is important to focus on graduate student needs.

Y. Yu said GCI subcommittees are still meeting. B. Wickes gave a brief update, she said all subcommittees have met and made progress reports as well as short, medium and long term recommendations. She said she met with construction guys for the Big Red Barn today and supposedly the barn has 20–30 more years in its current condition. B. Wickes said apparently the structural integrity of the barn has been fixed. She said it will open back up next week and that now there is more ventilation and they updated heating system.

IV. Committee Reports

M. Walsh said the final draft of the master plan came out recently and there is a lot of focus on graduate community housing. He said it looks like there is a proposal of moving the graduate student center to East Hill and demolishing Maplewood and building something bigger and better where families can live as well. M. Walsh said it is great for families because East Hill is close to Belle Sherman Elementary and another new daycare center might be built there.

G. Gholkar wanted to reiterate the Grad Ball information, it is on April 4 in WSH and tickets are on sale at 109 Day Hall and TGIF. A. Richter mentioned that people need to bring picture IDs with them.

V. Presentation from ISSO

B. O’Brian briefly introduced the ISSO and that it mainly deals with compliance issues and helping international students stay in legal status and helping international students adjust to life in US. It also helps build a community with the whole student body and international students.

B. O’Brian said the ISSO is available and willing to work with international students.

There was also a handout with an overview of ISSO Programs.

Assembly members asked B. O’Brian questions about the ISSO and what it has to offer.

VI. Business of the day

a. Resolution 8 — Regarding the Pay & Benefits Committee (M. Walsh)

M. Walsh said over spring break the resolution was cut down and gave an overview of it. He said some issues from this year were included in it.

M. Guerrero said it seems like the committee’s scope is being expanded.

There was some more discussion. This resolution changed the pay and benefits committee to the student advocacy committee with future evaluation of this committee’s role.

A. Cowan made a motion to vote for the resolution. A. Richter seconded.

14 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions. R. 8 passed.

b. Resolution 9 — Regarding the GPSA Executive Designations (A. Richter)

A. Richter gave an overview of the resolution.

There was discussion and assembly members made friendly amendments which A. Richter accepted. This resolution changes the secretary designation to vice president for operations and the vice president designation to executive vice president.

There was a motion to vote for the resolution.

13 in favor and the amendment passed.

c. Resolution 10 — Appendix B Updates (S. Kong)

S. Kong gave a brief overview of the updates to the appendix.

There was discussion and assembly members asked for some clarification concerning the resolution and made some amendments.

There was a motion to vote.

13 in favor. 0 opposed. 0 abstentions. R. 10 passed.

Y. Yu moved to extend the meeting by 15 minutes. A. Richter seconded.

VII. New Business

a. Resolution 11 — Regarding Intercampus Collaboration ( Y. Yu)

Y. Yu gave an overview of R. 11.

Assembly members asked for clarification and made suggestions. Some members of the assembly had concerns with the logistics of this resolution.

A. Richter called to question.

9 in favor. 0 opposed. 3 abstentions. R. 11 passed.

b. Resolution 12 — Appendix A Updates (A. Cowan)

A. Cowan said he wanted to introduce this resolution and discuss it. He thinks it is important to start talking about Appendix A even if the resolution does not pass. A. Cowan said this draft creates a new category called the non student operated organizational unit which clarifies and simplifies of the duties of a non student operated organizations funded by the GPSAFC.

J Kupferschmidt motioned to extend the meeting by 5 minutes. T. Pardo seconded.

c. Discussion — Regarding Mental Health Issues (B. Romero)

B. Romero said she met with the associate director of CAPS about the issues we’ve discussed at previous meetings. She said she was very discouraged with the response from CAPS.

VIII. Adjournment

Y. Yu adjourned the meeting at 7:20p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
YuhLi Tsuei
Office of the Assemblies