SENATE MEETING SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2015 GSCA • Scheduled a speaker October 21st • Black Lives Matter Boston – October event o Collaborating with the law school to bring in BLM-­‐B leaders talking to leaders on BC campus (undergrad+grad). Fish bowl discussion. • Street Law – knowing what your rights are • Working with Eradicate BC Racism • Soul Food Dinner in October • Working to collaborate mentor relationships with the rest of graduate • Article 4 o We are not using the privileges assigned to Senators; missing people as the semester goes on o We have to think about what it means to be a senator; must look at the Constitution as to what we have to do o Vote on all amendments, budgets, sanctioning, impeaching of E-­‐Board members. o Many of these responsibilities are being handed off to E-­‐Board members and OGSL; He wants to take back the ship. o Senators should be able to send out a rep in case of absence….no kind of repercussion for those who do not fulfill these duties. o Relationship between being in the senate and conducting events on campus more broadly o If our senate is strong, we have a better chance of making better changes, i.e. Family Leave at BC o As a senate, we cannot think of ourselves as sitting on the sidelines o Encourage us to think how to be a senate o Up and down vote about whether a proposal will be made; next month the document will be presented; once the document is in good shape, propose it to make the amendment. • Unanimous Decision on amendment of Article 4 GPA • Meet and Greet Luncheon; membership building event • Co-­‐sponsoring a grad student panel in October about the coming out process • Social events over the course of the fall; brunches, pot lucks, etc. • Revamping the LGBTQ session – anyone in the university can attend – various discussions, but planning is still in the works GISA • Birthday with Friends and Family o Typically one a semester • Restaurant Hop o Visit different restaurants of different cuisine • Movie Night – October • International Education Week – November • Grad De-­‐Stress Week – collaborating with GSA in December SENATE MEETING SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2015 Concerns with Programming o What is your vision & goal for this position? o Programming Model that will be robust and engaging in order to make sure there is not an overlap in programming STM o 10 different student groups within our school; planning underway GEA o Harpoon Brewery ! Paid for pretzels that were ordered; 2 drinks per students; cost them $200 less than last year o E-­‐Board is all set; next meeting will be tomorrow to forecast the rest of September and October GASA o Semester Data at City Side – people have 5 minutes to explain and present research to an audience that would otherwise not have too much background information ! End of October/Beginning of November o Health Care Coverage Issue ! Temporary solution was negotiated last year; next year’s plan is still unclear ! From GASA’s standpoint – saving university money by cutting grad student funding is incredibly ineffective. There are lots of things this approach doesn’t take into account. Argument that admin take into account, i.e. “We don’t want to create too many incentives for people to stay too long” ! It’s not about taking advantage of BC’s aid, it’s about furthering your research ! Faculty members get affected too because no faculty member can be productive without their research assistants. ! PLAN – collect a huge amount of data to back up our position, i.e. what funding opportunities are available to BC PhD students, how many students are staying 6+ years in PhD program, are faculty thinking that 6 years is beneficial or not, etc.? • Survey will be done to ask people what made them choose BC and their estimated completion date • Was health care coverage part of your decision to attend BC? • Yes, this is saving the university money but it doing far much more damage to students and faculty. ! Will be proposing that every other school and organization move forward in this way as well so that we can stand together/move together. -­‐-­‐ Change from Director of Outreach and Advocacy " Executive Director •
SENATE MEETING SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2015 This model has changed because the previous model of P, VP, etc. suggested an elected body, which is not the case. People were getting the impression that all 3 roles were on the same platform, but the Executive Director was renamed in order to better represent “president” Grad Student Academic Union—should we form a union of students? Occurring today at 2:30; another avenue of putting together our rightful needs n front of BC Admin. •
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Student clubs have had at least 4 meetings Elections are complete; 18 members Website updating Make Your Mark Theme – GMA Theme – Each org asked to participate o Trying to get events all under one umbrella; work more collaboratively with other clubs to have more budget and participation o Considering $500 per events; big event -­‐-­‐ $1000 Asking other clubs to outreach to other schools in Boston Asking for more face time with the administration Looking for a leadership lunch speaker; organizing in the next few weeks •
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OGSL Report • Darrell Peterson -­‐-­‐-­‐ current advisor to the Senate, but may shift to Hannah Trost, Assistant Director • Goal is to help GSA and Senate do whatever we plan to advocate for and direct us to the right people • Fall 2015 enrollment is out o Total grad student enrollment has increased at BC for 2015 • How is BC able to respond to the mental health needs of graduate students? Currently being discussed at the meeting with Provost • As graduate students, we do have access to administration if we seek out meetings with the Provost, Dean, etc. o How receptive they are will depend but it is important to be able to at least be able to have the opportunity • If anyone has any events regarding race, let Darrell know o There is a now a group trying to centralize information about what is going on around campus and available to the community so that people know what events are catering to discussions/events concerning race. MISC. • Outdoor Adventures – have mostly worked with undergrads. Spoke with Director to start catering more events towards Grad Students, but GSA should take some of the reigns • Potential to organize a more regular outing; even 2x a semester should be a nice change overall SENATE MEETING SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2015 •
o Ski Shuttle o Ice Skating event o Indoor rock climbing gyms Intermural are open all students, but look for something that allows students to get outside BC JEN’S NOTE ABOUT GSA’S VISION FOR SENATE • Looking for opinions in what people want to start advocating for to have a productive overall Senate