The Council of Graduate Students General Delegate Meeting
Friday, March 2, 2000- 3:30 PM
The Younkin Success Center
Present: Officers: Ron Meyers (presiding), Hyunsook Yoon, Briggs Cormier, Kevin Cope
Executives: Anil Challa, Michael Daniels, Michael Duffy, Anuradha Ghosh, Phil Huckelberry, Allyson Lowe, Alecia Naugle, Elizabeth Warren
Voting Delegates: Jareer Abu-Ali, Cathryn Allen, Matthew Anderson, Judit Bach, Farzan Bharucha, Betsy Breseman, Stefne Broz, Jill Burkhart, Homero Cantu, Pankaj Choudhary, Roger Dashner, Jennifer Delong, Deborah Dority, Gregory Emch, Kay Fukuda, Leigh Anne Goldberg, John Harris, Mike Harrower, Gretchen Harwood, Unmesh Kurup, Edward Lasseigne, Scott Lepla, Stacza Lapinski, Gillian McIntosh, Elizabeth Moore, Megan Nussbaum, Justin Pepperney, Joe Pirone, Susan Printy, Brian Ralston, Scott Risley, Christina Riveera, Eve Scrogham, Kurset Sendur, Reema Shafi, John Shea, Theresa Skybo, Charles Thorne, Osman Topac, Michael Triplett, Tommy Truong, Ray Tseng, Lisa Wallace, Jeff Walline, Kevin Weakley, Rachel Weidinger, Jing Zhao,
Non-Voting Delegates, Committee Representatives, Senators, Representatives and Guests: Costner, Earl, Hodak, Hall, Leatherman, Michalak, Shadley, Siddens, Van Brimer
Ron Meyers, President, called the meeting to order at 3:45 PM
Introductions
Officers, Bill Hall
Guest Speaker- Bill Hall, Interim Vice President for Student Affairs
I noticed right away that grad students are much more frugal [than undergrads] - soda and pizza vs. steaks and wine. (Laughter) I don't have much of a speech but I would like to update you on the housing projects. The plans for Neil and 10th are out of the design phase and into the implementation phase. We're negotiating the purchase of the various parcels of land and we're very optimistic that we can get that resolved soon so the project wont be delayed. Its about 480 beds and $4 million in expenses. We will then begin to look at property closer to High St.
What I'd like to do is hear from you as graduate students. I'm very aware of the benefits issue- we're working on that. The president and provost are still in the budget cycle looking at that. There's a great deal of promise for moving forward on that this year. I'd like to hear your concerns now about anything else.
Pirone: In his printed report , Ron mentioned the subsidization of health insurance, so I wanted to say thank you. (Applause) Hall: Lots of people are working on that so I'll accept that on behalf of all those people Thank you.
Duffy: Can you briefly discuss how the housing will be made available to students? Hall: Primarily it will be first-come first serve. It's typically designed for single people. Buckeye Village is available but there's a two year waiting list. With the new housing there will not be any subsidization, but we're creating something that will be affordable. I'm also looking at other housing options for housing along Lane Avenue. Several years ago we converted Siebert Hall to undergrad housing. The new housing will be handicapped accessible, but these things tend to drive costs up.
Lasseigne: I'm the president of Jones Tower Council, and I was wondering if you could speak to how some of our projects could be improved. We're responsible for maintaining the computer lab. Obviously its not up to date. What do you suggest that we can do? Hall: Talk to Valerie Shafer in our office. She will handle it. I do want to keep our computer equipment up to date. We had a computer lab over in Royer, and the students voted to put in the equipment and maintain it.
Lasseigne. We applied for a Student Affairs diversity grant. We found out about the process very late. Could you shed some further light on this? Hall: No I'm sorry, I don't sit on that committee, I turned it over to them. We've allocated 100,000 towards diversity initiatives, though. Delegate: We just finalized the evaluation form this morning. The winners will be announced over the next two years. Hall: I'd like to put some more money towards that.
Delegate: I have a general problem. We moved here at the beginning of the academic year. I didn't get my paycheck until two months after I moved here. Hall: that's a good point- I know what you're talking about. I know we have temporary loan for that situation. And sometime we can get a check cut towards it.
Challa: In brief, things with international student housing have been going okay for the past couple years, but more needs to happen. In recent times just because of the numbers, we have not been able to accommodate everybody. If there's an option for temporary housing, that would be better. Hall: I understand what you're saying. We've tried that previously. We have to find a place that's debt free. There are a couple properties that are debt free. Ultimately, some students in the system will pick up the tab for that. Challa: Maybe some of the unoccupied dorms could be taken advantage of. Hall: In past years we've done that, but not in the past few years. International student housing is a problem we need to work on in the short term.
Harrower: The media center is not in a particularly good state of repair. Plans have been going on for decades, and it's not handicapped access, so to renovate they'd have to do so. Hall: Thanks for that. Meyers: I think that the renovation costs are so high that there are no plans to renovate it. Hall: I don't believe that's on the list to be renovated. Instead, it will likely be demolished.
Leppla: I've heard that athletics has been restructured so it's outside student affairs. Hall: Yes, that's been done. But the president has appointed me to serve on the athletic council to be accountable. Meyers: The athletic council has asked Andy Geiger about how athletes are treated under the code and all we've got back is from faculty who have said, of course they're under the code. We're continuing to work with the Athletic Department. Hall: Is that a problem? Meyers: Yes, we're aware of several incidents and it's a perceptions problem. Hall: I think the perception is that athletes get special treatment.
Lantern: Toward the subsidization issue, I appreciate the attention that's been given. What's the next step and time frame? Hall: There was a group that we put together to look at that issue. Its been submitted to the budget process. So by June I think the decision will have been made. We're looking at benefits not just for grad student abut full time employees of the institution. It's in the budget cycle along with all the other stuff.
Challa: Very soon there will be much concern over housing. What could be a possible answer to these new students? Hall: I don't think the situation we have in place right now is a good one. The space is not ready for students to come in the fall. We need something short term.
Meyers: I'd like to say on behalf of CGS on how we're working with administration and that student government is having a voice in policy issues. I'd like to give him a big round of applause (Applause) That partnership is essential. What I'm interested in is the budget.
President Ron Meyers
Each of you should have gotten an email packet. If everyone could print out what you need and bring it with you, that would be appreciated.
There are some items that I want to call attention to. It's been indicated to me that we will get a health insurance subsidy, but it still needs to be subject to other budget process. I think we still have a very good chance of getting it.
In other major events, we're still without a secretary, and that's affecting our ability to act professionally. The good news is that we've been interviewing secretarial candidates and we're continuing to do that. The first step was securing the funds and being able to hire someone. We've also been working on the university budget. Questions?
Pirone: Any comments on the controversy over funding the Academic Plan? Meyers: Yes, our position has been one that we support the president to a degree. We immediately wrote to the president to ensure that low income students have the grants and aid raised to the same level as the tuition cap raise. Also, it seems that the benefits going only to undergrads is a good thing. Also we've suggested to USG that they track how the increase in funding is being spent. I would propose that we support USG if they come out against it. Lasseigne: I understand that there was a public forum and with President Kirwan and I'd like to know the general types of questions asked. Meyers: There were a number of administrators there and graduate students who were opposing.
Lasseigne: My last item has to do with the last item in your report. Would you give a brief history of Student Activities and CGS? Meyers: Yes. CGS was formed in 1955 and was given money by the university to help fund projects. When the University Senate was formed in 1973, money was funneled through there. In the 1980's, when student life was created, CGS took a budget cut because we got matching funds elsewhere. Over time the situation has become murkier, so there have been tensions over the exact nature of the relationship. We would like to have the relationship clarified. Rich Hollingsworth is doing a management audit and will be interviewing the executive committee. There's become a situation of authority because last year we accidentally passed rules that make us an official student organization. We are working to get that situation changed. This may lead to some proposed changes in our relationship with Student Activities. Lasseigne: Could you please be more specific in the future in your descriptions of ongoing activities? Meyers: I understand.
Vice President Hyunsook Yoon
We have 179 applications for the graduate research forum this year. The research forum committee is working hard and we are making progress on filling delegate seats, but we still need to have you take forms back to your departments. Please ask any questions that you might have. Leppla: Could you make the sign up sheet available? Conrad: The CGS Representative status is that there are a possibility of 230 delegates and we currently have 96? Yes, we have many positions to fill.
Treasurer Briggs Cormier
There are two things I'd like to call your attention to. First, we've received our money from the Registrar's office from the check off funds. Second, we received a donation for CGS involvement in the Buckeyes Watch. We've received about $15,000 in interest form the Coke funds endowment. Please see handout for more details. Any questions?
Secretary Kevin Cope
No Report
Committee Reports
Alicia Naugle- Research Forum
This will be a brief report of last quarter. We were able to reward 16 graduate students funds to travel to present their research. As Ron mentioned earlier, we've had trouble awarding money to those who were supposedly owed money. If there's someone has had trouble getting their check, tell then to talk to me . This is a factor of no full-time secretary. For spring quarter you should receive an email about the spring round of funding. The deadline will be April 15 and the other deadline will be May 4.
Anil Challa-International Concerns
Some of you may have heard my earlier announcements about the upcoming events. The last one will be Cross cultural communication and adjustments. We are still working to get more people. The day is May 19 in the Ohio Union.
Allyson Lowe- Ad Hoc Committee on Governance
As chair for the ad hoc committee on governance, one of the things we did was submit a demographic profile of our organization. We have quite a strong presence of international students so you can congratulate yourself.
Elizabeth Warren- Diversity
Multicultural center. We are in our second of three forums on this matter. The address is http://multiculturalcenter.osu.edu. Email warren.168@osu.edu for more info about the multicultural center. When you combine both of our minority and international students, we're really quite diverse. Meyers: We pay attention to many various kinds of diversity, including such things as ethnicity, national origin, and sexual orientation.
Huckelberry: We are hoping to get more surveys so please take them back to your departments. I will address any questions. Broz: I composed a very brief memo and attached it to the surveys. Meyers: Thank you so much for your work on this issue.
Delegate Issues
Beth Green: The calendar committee has been meeting regularly, and our focus now is to try to answer some of the myths that exist about quarters and semesters. There's a sense that in the past, students haven't been very informed about the issues. So if we want our opinion to be heard we need to informed. We need to make our recommendation to the steering committee in April. What are the top two arguments to switching? It would put us in line with the other institutions that we collaborate with. The other reason is that many materials such as textbooks are for semester schools. Meyers: Allyson has also done work on this. One of the concerns was the off-quarter fee waivers- that should remain in place. There was a question about workloads for GTA's and that mainly the same expect they might have to teach one extra course per year, but that's strongly opposed by many.
Old Business
Vote on Resolution Concerning Sullivan Principles
Rev. Sullivan approached us a long time ago and finally we have a motion on the floor.
Ralston: Please see the handout that was passed out. (See resolution)
Ralston Moved to adopt
Delegate Harris seconded
Discussion
Huckelberry: We tried to formulate some of HUSAC's concerns and put them in place. This is an attempt to get the body to recognize exactly what the issues are and get an enforcement mechanism.
Weidinger: Is there a reason it is limited to apparel? Ralston: None that I know of. It's limited now but the Sullivant principles are much broader.
Duffy: Any information on the universities that have supported it and how has it impacted the price of goods? Huckelberry: I have no idea. Van Brimer: I am the director of Trademark and Licensing. The president has appointed a labor advisory committee made of students, faculty, and staff and HUSAC is a part of that and has been very instrumental. Clarification on the Sullivant principles is much larger than the other issues. Maybe there's a way we can apply that to this issue. Its very much of an umbrella. The difference between FLA and WRC is that FLA includes industry. Regarding the apparel question, emphasis has been there, because that's about 85% of the industry. However, much of the other stuff takes place in Asian countries. The labor advisory committee has met twice during the year. The issue goes back at least three years. We followed that up with the initiative that partnered various universities. Some of what we found was very disturbing to us. We want to work with our licensees, not against them. The end result is this committee. This draft is a working draft that you have in front of you.
Harrower: I thinks it's really important that independent people go in and review it. Could you tell us more about the monitoring issue? Meyers: There are very few independent monitoring organizations. The one you might have heard is Verite. A lot of people seem to like that idea of a random third party verification.
Lasseigne: Are sexual orientation issues ever addressed? Discrimination, sexual harassment or abuse, but I haven't seen that per se.
McIntosh: I would suggest that we reflect on enforcement mechanisms and concentrate on partnerships rather than conflict. Meyers: I think we would like to reach a point where the relationship would only be severed after a long period of dialogue. The initial idea is that how much dialogue do we want, or should we engage in sanctions immediately or start with dialogue?
Abu-ali: Why is Nike the only one mentioned? Meyers: They've been singled out because they're the most visible. Lasseigne: There might be some unease with sweatshop conditions much more than unease with enforcement. Ralston: The Sullivan principle offers a way for but there needs to be some form of hammer stick.
Delegate Walline moved to amend to strike out "Nike"
Delegate Pirone seconded
Lasseigne: Nike has more of a contracted relationship and is being very aggressive in deflecting critics Harrower: There are a lot of companies that are as bad or worse.
Motion passed 31-8, no abstentions
Weidinger moved to amend, withdrew motion
Ralston called question,
Motion passes 37-1, no abstentions
Revised Budget (see handout for more details)
Res Forum $6000.00
Webpage 6500.00
Voice/Comm 1500.00
Buckeyes Watch 1298.70
Duffy moved to approve
Harris seconded
Motion passes by affirmation unanimously with no abstentions
Officer Elections
We'll be electing all officers in April and closing in May. Anyone may be nominated or may nominate themselves. We'll be placing an ad in the Lantern next week
University Senate
Betsy Breseman
I'm a PhD in candidate in human ecology. When I heard that position was open I jumped at it. I can't stand to see something this important go unfilled and I consider it a privilege. I'm no more qualified than anyone else but I've been on Research and Graduate council and been a delegate for five years. I've been on the COAM for five years I've done many other committees in my dept. I feel really privileged to serve for CGS and would be honored to serve on the Senate.
Duffy: Email? Email Breseman.1@osu.edu
No objection to consent
Elected
New Business
Lasseigne: Resolution calling on Ohio State to protect the graduate assistants who may be affected by UVC restructuring
Harris: UVC is being restructured so students in that college would eliminate those assistantships.
Lasseigne: This is only for UVC.
Announcements
Lowe: Reminder: Please print out the delegate packet
Is there any chance that can be printed in PRF?
Huckelberry: If there is a resolution you'd like to bring forward come talk to an exec
Delegate Scrogham moved to adjourn
Delegate Ralston seconded
No objection
Adjourned at 5:41PM
Respectfully submitted,
Kevin Cope
Secretary
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