GSA Assembly Meeting Minutes
Friday, October 2, 2015
East Campus Room 110A
Speaker Caitlin Janiszewski called the meeting to order at 6:15 pm.
1. Items of Business Added to Agenda: Assembly for money, add in new business as item
(d). Motion to change agenda. Motion was seconded. Amended. No objections to the
change in agenda. New agenda was approved.
2. Election of Judicial Board: Currently Scott Wolcott, Jeff Turner, and Eli (History
Department). Two members needed for the J-Board.
a. Nominated Sam Burn. Second for Sam Burn. No discussion. Voting occurred.
Sam Burn was elected for the Judicial Board.
b. Nominated Jessica Verbarsek. (Not attending meeting)
c. Nick nominated himself for the Judicial Board. Second for Nick. Voting occurred.
Nick was elected for the Judicial Board.
3. Approval of minutes from last meeting. Motion to approve minutes. Second on the
motion. No objections. Minutes were approved.
4. Officer Reports
a. President:
i. Five Year Master Plan Committee needs eight volunteers currently only
has only four students. If you interested in joining this committee, please
see him after the meeting or send an email. Really need to get this
committee started. If anyone in your RGSO is interested, please let us
know.
ii. Two applications for the NAGPS conference. If your interested, please
send an email with the correct criteria: a) what is the content of your
presentation? Why do you wish to attend? b) What is the past experience
or involvement with NAGPS? c) What is your involvement with GSA?
Send that to him and they’ll make a discussion very quickly.
iii. Like to address some of the issues that have been brought up about his
performance as GSA President. None of you may be interested in his
excuses. Its your right and responsible to hold the President and executive
board responsible for their performances. He is available and willingly to
sit down with you and talk about his performance. Please don’t hesitate to
talk with him or ask any questions.
1. Point of information: Can you tell us what you told the faculty
senate about the GSA in your President Report?
a. He does not have a report.
b. Vice President:
i. Thank you to everyone who helped with reaching out to the Department
Orientation for the both the beginning of the semester and during the
summer, also the officer managers who did a lot of data input during that
time. Thank you to everyone that was involved in that.
ii. RGSO Committee Update: (2) Sub-committees. One sub-committee will
be working on the NAGPS application proposal guidelines, a draft will be
available at the next meeting and the final draft will be available in the
December meeting, where you can vote on it, as for the Assembly request
at the last meeting. Also, be looking at the request for events for money, in
the Spring we are going to switch, working on the approvals, work on
transition guidelines for your RGSO.
iii. RGSO Update: All RGSO Presidents have gotten an email from the GSA
Vice President, letting you know that you’ve been recognized and
received a $500 grant and letting you know the guidelines if you need
more than $500. We have 27 RGSO this year which is a 1 net increase
from last year, we did lose a few and gained a few. Some RGSO are
rebuilding and will be back next January or February.
iv. Today she’s offering a few amendments to the RGSO guidelines, which
she’ll get into later in the meeting.
v. All documents on the website regarding the RGSO should be updated, if
you find any problems, please let her know. The event process is a little
different this year, with the help of Hanna and her web tech skills, we are
creating a web flow chart, which will make it very easy to show the steps
to the process.
c. Treasurer:
i. If your interested in joining her committee, please email her.
ii. Approval of Treasurers Report
1. Point of Information: The report does not include the three
positions we allocated last meeting as far as stipend wise. It does
not have secretary, council rep., or J-Board listed. It was passed at
the last meeting. The Treasurer should be aware of this
information.
a. Comment from Treasurer: Did not receive an email about
the change in money.
2. Would like to move to amend the Treasurers report to include the
new stipend amounts that were mentioned at the last meeting.
Second to the motion. Motion to adjust the Treasurers report to
include the $500 Stipends for the J-Board and officers increased
stipends. No objections. No questions. Treasurer’s report is
approved.
d. Equity and Inclusion Chair
i. All the necessary information for getting an equity or inclusion report
approved is available online. If you all have an idea, and your looking for
approval please fill out the form that’s posted on the GSA website. We are
here to help. If you need help formed an event, we would love to hear
from your just email us at: gsainclusion@albany.edu
ii. We have our first meeting this coming Friday, if you have any questions
please try to email us before our meeting and we will discuss it.
1. Point of Information: I’ve read about the Diversity Council; could
you tell us what’s going on what that group?
a. Sure, last year she was not available to attend the council
meetings, so she elected a proxy. I’ve actually emailed
Tamar, this summer and she wanted that same individual to
serve on the diversity council. The person serving on
council is also apart of the equity and inclusion committee,
so the communication is still there. There first meeting was
at the end of September, they’ve have one meeting.
They’ve also been sending me emails.
2. Point of Information: Where is the meeting held? Is is open to the
public?
a. All meetings are open to the public.
3. Point of Information: Is is possible to send an email (via Listerv)
where and when the meeting will be held?
a. Yes, an email can be sent out. Also, if your interested in
being apart of the committee, please come talk to me after
the meeting. We my change the time and location of the
meeting, but that will be discussed at the meeting October
9th, 4 pm GSA Office.
e. Programming Chair:
i. Wants to bring a couple of things to your attention. There’s a Message
Congress Day on October 14th, you have a chance to raise your voice for
congressional action on student loan inequality. So you can post your
message to congress and there be information on social media and the
Listerv about hashtags.
ii. Sending around quarter sheets for the Social Program that’s purpose is to
make a strong, connected GSA, get you all interactive with each other. It’s
not going to be effective unless people show up. Please have at least one
person from your RGSO attend. We will have campus amenities and there
will be food. There’s a typo on the sheet its from 3 pm – 6 pm.
f. Grants Chair:
i. Grants are moving along very well. Collecting feedback for changes for
grants. The committee is looking through grants. Committee is looking
through and evaluating the grants, should be done by mid-October.
1. Point of Information: When will we hear about our Fall Grants?
a. The committee should be reviewing; the deadline is
October 17th. I should have the information the following
week of late October/early November, the responses will be
available for fall grants shortly.
5. GSA Representative Reports
a. University Council Representative:
i. The University Council meeting was on September 25th. Everyone got a
printed copy of the University Council Report, are there any questions? A
lot happens at those meetings, if you do have questions, please feel free to
email me at anytime.
b. Leader Senator:
i. The first senate meeting happen last Monday. There were two other
meetings that happen over the course of this week that were not included
in her online report which would be: CAA (mostly handle putting people
on sub-committees), GAC (have not received feedback from them yet,
hopefully she’ll be able to hear back from them over the weekend).
ii. The biggest issue that was really handled at the first senate meeting was
continued from May, it was something involving the removal of the Puerto
Rican Major. If you have any questions, please free free to ask me about
it. The full report will be sent to all reps. over the Listerv, once she
receives the GEC report. If you have any questions, please let me know.
1. Point of Information: What is GAC?
a. Graduate Academic Council.
2. Point of Information: How exactly do they determine the Puerto
Rican Major study should no longer exist?
a. They haven’t had students for the pass 10 years.
c. UAS Board Representative:
i. She was trained for the UAS Board on September 18th. They had there
first meeting on September 25th, all of this is available online, by the way.
ii. The East Campus has a few new additions. There’s five new places you
can get food from: Cusato’s (pizza), East Deli, Fountain Grill, Stalks and
Stems (Salad), and Jazzmans (coffee/bakery).
iii. There’s renovation of the Patroom Room, it includes a spacious kitchen
area, where they intend to bring in guest chefs to host cooking classes for
faculty, staff, and students. They are also open to allowing student groups
to cook meals with chefs as an option if they are having an event in the
Patroom Room, Assembly Hall, or Ballroom.
iv. Exploring Buzzer Options.
v. There exploring options for the downtown campus café (there testing
food)
vi. Planning on opening a Kosher Store at UAlbany.
vii. A Bookstore contract, renovation will also be under discussion for the next
meeting.
1. Point of Information: What’s a buzzer?
a. When your going out to eat and they give you a buzzer.
2. Point of Information: What are the possible vendors for the
bookstore?
a. That’s not available yet.
3. Point of Information: The Patroom Room when will it be
complete?
a. Not sure, should be open now.
d. Wages and Benefits:
i. We are Workers Campaign, this is to support students at Columbia
University and Private Universities. Graduate students attending public
universities are considered employees, while at private schools, they are
considered students, not employees. We are helping to get them
recognized as not just students, but employees of their university as well.
We are doing a photo essay to support their campaign to be posted on
social media. Where we will take pictures of professors, staff, and students
(doing the same work and ask who’s who?) as well to show that were all
equals.
ii. Testifying at SUNY Board of Trustees Hearing. Testify in terms of
graduate student wages, wages and benefits similar to faulty, and also the
allowed hours per week. Undergraduate and Graduate students are not
allowed to work more than 25 hours per week, not paid that well. You
cannot seek employment anywhere else, even over the summer you can’t
work more than 25 hours. Testifying that this is unrealistic, due to the cost
of living and needs to be changed. Developing testimony, in order to
testify at the Board of Trustees Hearing.
iii. Also working on handbook for Graduate Student Organizations on how to
create programming for different campuses. How to prepare PhD students
and Graduate students for the non-academic job market. Working on a
handbook through the National Associate for Graduate Professional
Students.
iv. The Blue Ribbon Panel (Presidential Committee) conducted survey on
Graduate Students. Waiting to see the results, based on the results they
will be making recommendations on wages and benefits at UAlbany.
Based on the report they are thinking of doing a campaign, for the rights
of graduate students and different policies for graduate students and staff
and faculty. We will send an email about this eventually.
1. Point of Information: Board of Trustees Testimony, if people have
personal stories on any of those issues, can people send you that
information?
a. There’s a limit in time to when you testify, but you can
definitely do so.
2. Point of Information: Currently graduate students pay an athletic
fee, in yet going to use the gym, you pay another fee, and if you
want to use the pool you have to pay a fee on top of a fee on top of
a fee. Is there something that can be done about this? I’m broke,
and would like to go swimming without paying 100 fees.
a. Will be put on the agenda.
3. Point of Information: Are there any other public institutions taking
part in the first thing, We Are Workers?
a. Yes, there’s other schools. Harvard and Columbia are the
top schools that have been pushing these issues.
6. Old Business
a. Strategic Plan
i. Presidents Comments on Updates: We tried o make the plan a little more
detailed, but we are definitely open to feedback.
ii. Motion to open update on Strategic Plan. Motion was seconded. Motion
approved.
iii. Point of Information: When was it sent out?
1. Monday on the Listerv and was posted on the website Sunday.
iv. Point of Information: Ask that the Assembly be informed on it was
complied? Did people get feedback? What was that process like?
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
xi.
xii.
1. As point of the general critiques of his administration at this point,
the process was inadequate at this time. Had two meetings were the
discussed the plan, then put it out there.
Point of Information: After is was put together, were they meetings about
feedback? Were there meetings to make it cohesive?
1. Probably not adequate enough.
Against: Regarding the vision statement, it just does not seem like the
other officers are following the strategic plan.
1. There was miss communication.
Point of Information: The responses from previous questions, all involved
inadequate. What could have been done to make it better?
1. There could have been more communication. There was a lack of
communication between the President and the E-Board.
Point of Parliamentary Inquiry: We are able to pass the strategic plan is
parts?
1. There’s nothing that says you can’t.
Point of Information: On the grant section, more money will be given to
less students?
1. All of this depends on what the committee and the assembly
decides. More competitive will generally entitle more money
currently $600, for total of $1,000 over your entire academic career
here. This can be a last resort, there’s a high likely hood you can be
accepted. Currently we have less than 1% of the GSA applying for
grants.
Point of Information: For Equity and Inclusion Chair, it doesn’t seem like
your strategic plan really reflects the GSA. It should be more empowering,
letting the GSA know that you’re there for them.
1. The main thing last year was guidelines for our GSO’s.
2. One of her job descriptions that she was not doing last year:
programming, advocacy. We do want to a lot of programming. We
want someone to sit on each committee. She’s sending emails to
see what they could do. Trying to network, we have a lot of things
happening this year, but there’s only so much 10 people can do.
We need as many people has possible, 10 people are not enough.
Wants to educate, before she can advocate. Her strategic plan is
based off of what she did not complete the year before.
Point of Information: Do you have any specific departments?
1. Any departments who have topics that are not included in the
GSA. Because its October and we have until December, she wants
to educate people on what GSA is and plans on reaching out via
Listerv and having a pizza gathering. If you have any suggestions,
please let her know or come talk to her after the meeting.
Point of Information: President Bob, what is the 5-year plan?
1. It was a really good idea, but the idea here is to create some
permanents with the GSA. The groups operate in cycles, so there’s
xiii.
xiv.
xv.
xvi.
xvii.
xviii.
xix.
xx.
xxi.
xxii.
xxiii.
xxiv.
xxv.
xxvi.
xxvii.
xxviii.
xxix.
no history. Getting the input from the Assembly and other graduate
students to see what they want.
Point of Information: Speak a little bit about the 5-year plan committee.
1. The committee is made up the President, 4 different RGSO, and at
least 1 new GSA member It is possible to have more people on the
committee. The minimum requirement is 8 people, but the more
the better. It is possible to have multiple people from the same
RGSO.
Point of Information: Question to Hina about her portion of the strategic
plan, can you elaborate on what you mean by just internal control?
1. Takes time to process, have to make sure that payments are not
made twice. So internal control is when you get an invoice from
vendors.
Point of Parliamentary Inquiry: Is there a cut off time at 8 pm for this
meeting?
1. No there is not.
Point of Information: If we lose quorum, the meeting will have to stop.
Point of Information: Have a concern of double paying, why does this
occur?
1. Need proper documentation to pay for things, needs a proper
signature, a proper receipt, etc. Does not mean we actually paid
twice for anything.
Speaking for Strategic Plan: Sees lots of improvements and is very happy.
Against Strategic Plan: The President said the plan was inadequate, and it
has to be cohesive. Vote to not approve the plan, and it goes back to the eBoard.
Move to end debate. Second to end debate.
Point of Information: If people have things to say, it cannot be motion to
end debate.
Point of Parliamentary Inquiry: There needs to be a 2/3 vote to end debate.
Voting occurred on this matter. Motion to end debate is not approved.
Point of Information: President has not received any feedback on the
issues with the strategic plan, and is not sure if any E-Board Members
have received any feedback either. In order for it to be approved, we are
going to need to actual feedback.
Motion to advocate for passing certain parts of the Plan. (Speaker: We are
in the middle of debate on the entire plan, not entertaining that motion)
Against: Seems like the document needs some work.
Motion to limit debate for 15 minutes and each person only speaks for 1
minute. Motion was seconded.
Point of Information: Is this on the strategic plan?
1. Rich not just on debate.
Speaking Against Motion: Think 15 minutes is too long to continue this
debate. There seems to be an overall consensus that some work needs to
be done to the Strategic Plan.
xxx. Point of Order: If you motion to approve the debate, you don’t have to go
the full 15 minutes. The motion did not pass.
xxxi. Point of Information: Vice President did not receive any feedback on her
part of the strategic plan. Suggest only certain pieces of the plan are sent
back to the e-board.
xxxii. Speaker: This is one plan, not multiple plans.
xxxiii. Privilege to Motion: Refer the Strategic Plan to the executive committee.
Motion was seconded. No debate. Voting occurred. Motion passed.
xxxiv. The first motion was unrecognized.
xxxv. Speaker has removed the 5-year planning committee from the agenda,
since that committee is not formed.
7. New Business
a. Stipend Discussion
i. There was not much discussion about the stipends that were approved last
meeting. Have not included the whole world of stipends. Senators who
serve on Senate Councils and Senate Meetings, who are now making the
same amount of money that the Senate Council is making.
ii. Motion that the wages & benefits committee along with the Finance/
Treasurer Committee, come to the November meeting with a review of all
stipends and a proposal to amend the bylaws with such proposal. Second
to motion. No debate. No objections. Sent to the wage & finance
committee.
b. Proposed Amendments to RGSO Guidelines
i. Amend the recognition funding section, to add this language that has been
in practiced, but has not been implied. If you have more than 40 members,
you have the right to have 2 votes. The amendment to section 2,
recognition of RGSO Guidelines. Second to motion.
1. Point of Information: Why the number 40?
a. Not sure, it was that number before attending graduate
student.
b. Fight to reduce the number in the mid 30s. Motion to
amend to 30 members.
c. Motion that the RGSO Committee looks at the numbers of
graduate programs. Motion was seconded. No discussion.
d. Point of Information: Department Base RGSO – you
represent your department.
e. The amendment was sent back to the RGSO Committee.
ii. Add the following line to Part 3, Section 4 RGSO Training: RGSO must
be trained no later then 2 weeks after the first Assembly Meeting. Motion
seconded. Motion passed.
1. Point of Information: What if the group does not meet the twoweek requirement?
a. They will not be a recognized RGSO. Until you are trained,
she cannot recognize you.
2. Point of Information: If the RGSO misses the training, they won’t
be recognized for the entire year?
a. Only the semester.
iii. Change if you submit a form in the Fall and you don’t have any changes in
officers, you don’t have to submit another form and your recognized for
the entire year. If your officers change, you must inform the Vice
President. Motion seconded. Motion passed.
iv. Requires that all RGSO give the Vice President, a point of contact to
communicate with groups, especially over the summer. Motion seconded.
Motion passed.
v. RGSO funds from fundraisers, etc. needs to be deposited to the GSA
(note: have your own line of money in addition to your grant). Motion
seconded.
1. Point of Information: Why does RGSO money have to given to
GSA?
a. The RGSO does not exist as a legal entity only the GSA
does.
2. Motion passed.
vi. All amendments, but the first amendment (going back to the RSGO
Committee) have been passed.
c. Discussion on Presidential Censure
i. Three reasons for the Assembly to Censure:
1. The President was over 40 minutes late to the first meeting. His
reason for being late, was due to printing documents for the
meeting. Even if the printer was down, he could have found
someone else to print the documents, prior to the meeting. So he
would not be late to the GSA Assembly Meeting.
2. The problems with the first strategic plan, obviously its been
changed a decent amount today. But prior to that, it was totally
inadequate and lack of specificity. In addition, it was posted late.
3. The strategic plan was not up early. It was not posted on the
website until the 27th, and on the listerv until the 26th. It was
suppose to be available on the 25th, people should have been
informed that it was going to be late.
4. The President is suppose to be held to a higher standard.
5. Motion to censure the President. Motion was seconded.
a. Against: Acting like 2 year olds, everyone is very hard
workers, we are all doing a lot of things. Going to the
extent to actually put together a censure and only informing
some of the GSA on the listerv about this matter is
completely out of line. No where in the Bylaws or
Constitution does it state that the President has to be on
time to the GSA Assembly Meeting. This is completely
uncalled for.
b. President: Appreciate Henry for bringing this up, it is up to
him to improve his performance, but he needs to be
censure.
c. Point of Information: How many of you knew of the
potential of the censure last week? How many of you did
not know of the censure (potential to censure the President
of the GSA)? How many of us knew of the censure for the
President of the GSA Monday at 12:57 pm? An email was
sent out on the Listerv. How many of us have an opinion on
the censure about the President? Is it fair to say you
decided after Monday at 12:57 pm to Censure the
President? Assumption is that those two things are linked.
The matter in which we were informed was out of order.
i. Line of question is completely out of order.
d. For Censure: Have my own opinion, before the email was
even sent. The President supports the censure, so why not
censure him.
e. Point of Inquiry: Where does it say in the constitution that
the assembly can censure someone? Why does it imply?
i. It apart of Robert’s Rules and it’s a slap on the
wrist, that the student body is not happy.
f. Point of Inquiry: I heard someone say something about the
email? What does it entitle?
i. As a body, means that people are upset.
g. Point of Information: New member of the GSA, joined the
J-Board, feels like a censure is completely out of order.
Why are secret emails sent?
h. Quorum Check: Still have quorum.
i. Point of Information: Is this a 50/50 vote or 2/3?
i. It’s a 50% majority.
j. Voting occurred for Presidential Censure. President is not
censure.
d. Programming Chair Proposal
i. The money in the programming committee is being used for other
purposes. Would like more money, to co-sponsor many meaningful
programs from graduate students. Asking for a total of $7,000 ($4,000 is
just for co-sponsoring), the other $3,000 if for an opportunity that came
up, College of Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security is having
a big high profile event, this Spring. It will be discussing justice and ethics
in context of disasters and other crisis’s, it’s a conference. It’s a new
program, their still developing. They want to bring in a speaker of the
name Sheri, speaking on ethical discussions that emergency managers and
health care providers face in this disaster. Her price is $12,500, but they
have a number of funding sources. They are asking for a contribution from
the GSA. She believes $3,000 is a good amount.
1. Motion was seconded.
a. Speaking in Favor: Intentionally gave a small budget for
the Programming Chair, with the assumption that it was
going to increase. The President believes $7,000 is more
than enough.
b. Voting occurred. Motion passed.
8. Open Forum
a. None
b. Procedure Note: I do not speak in debate, but going forward will comment on
information.
9. Adjournment
a. Motion to adjourn meeting. Second motion. Meeting adjourned at 8:08 pm.