Minutes - 17 January 2003
In attendence were:
Current Delegates:
Shakeer Abdullah, Elizabeth Adams, Julie Angel, Stacy Armour, Catherine Baack, Melissa Bailey, Annemarie Bodaar, Eric Braggs, Catherine Braun, Matthew Cooper, Ryan Clark, Bradford Burton, Caroline-Anne Collinson, Mike Denison, Thomas Dolan, Ryan Fogt, Chad Gasser, Megan Gossling, John Gossom, Catherine Gubernatis, Brandi Hall, Stephen Horn, Mahesh Iyer, Brian Janssen, Monica Jefferson, Joyce Long, Susan McCabe, Lisa Merz Russell, Daniel Mills, Tamira Moon, Cheyney Meadows, Justin Oelgoetz, William Parker, Joshua Pepper, Joe Pirone, Peach Pittenger, Barb Pletz, Amanda Roberts, Ted Robles, Tara Rose Bartz, Gaurav Sharma, Jingpu Shi, Ioana Sipos,Vivekanandan Sivaraman, Lynn Sosnoskie, Nathan Toronto, Richa Tripathi, Naim Tyson, Kelly Walsh, Christian Weber, Lauren Wegerbauer, Chastity Whitaker, William Zaluski
Officers and Executive Committee Members:
William Clark, J. Briggs Cormier, Patty Cunningham, Mike Daniels, Jamie Depelteau, Ann Farrelly, Kerry Hodak, Jessica Lindberg, Cristine Masters, Kurt Pickett, Brad Stone, Mike Triplett
Absences:
Unexcused:
Phing Dong, Kenny Ely, Elizabeth Kearns and Sharon Rachel
I. Call to order
President J. Briggs Cormier called the meeting to order at 3:50 PM.II. Guest Speakers
A. Sharif Barsoum, Assistant Director of the Office of International Education (OIE)
Barsoum explained the new requirements for the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS.) This includes students with a rank of F1, J1, and visiting scholars. Students will be required to report drop/add, work permission, change of address, marriage, and nearly 23 other items. This process begins 30 January 2003. OSU will finish the system set up by 1 August 2003. Students will be required to submit information 30 January 2003-1 June 2003. More information can be found at www.oie.osu.edu. Students may look under "INS Regulations." All international students must comply with these new requirements, so OIE asks that students read all emails addressed from them and complete forms in a timely manner. All correspondence to students from OIE will be conducted via e-mail. The Federal government is requiring stringent regulations and compliance. Students must remember to keep their I-20 forms valid. Failure to comply with new federal regulations may result in deportation.
B. Marie Taris Director of Admissions Office.
Taris explained that the SEVIS tracking system is not new but a reinvigorated system that has undergone a massive change and upgrade. The Admissions office is interested in protecting students from unwarranted scrutiny. Nevertheless, all student information held by the registrar must be accurate. The office will be working tirelessly to complete data correctly. There is now a need to apply for I-20 sooner than before and carefully maintain full-time status. If you are writing your thesis or dissertation then you must inform the office. New F1 regulations allow for work visa. Currently, according to INS regulations, if for any reason you are an international student and dismissed from the university, you have 24 hours to leave country. International students are warned against acquiring a new visa from Mexico or Canada; whereas if you are denied, then you can be deported from Mexico or Canada. Some Department Chairs are attempting to keep their students informed, but ultimately, it is necessary for students to keep up to date on this information. International students at regional campuses may need to return to Columbus Central Campus to complete necessary paperwork. OIE may need to visit regional campus. Persons with F2 or J2 status, or children of those with F1 or J1 status must change their rank to F1 to J1 also. In addition students must be full-time 3 quarters and off one quarter. Also, a new special registration through INS will require fingerprints, a photograph, and completion of 30 questions. Students from Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Indonesia, & Bangladesh are required to participate in this special registration. This is required once a year. All international students must wait for an e-mail to visit the office to complete necessary forms. University has given the office $100,000 for this new database. Even visiting co-ops must participate in F1/J1 regulations. OIE and the Admissions office have been opposing this law since 1996 and were anticipating its repeal until 9/11. Only 4% of international persons are students. Both offices will be lobbying in the next week against the international student regulations.
C. Megan Gossling, Ohio Union and Student Activities
The Ohio Union and Student Activities are looking for programming ideas for graduate students and would like suggestions. There is an MLK Day of Service volunteer event, with 9 a.m. registration. Also, Buckeyethon, a 26-hr dance marathon is 30 January, 2003. Graduate students are welcome to attend; proceeds go to Children's hospital.
III. Old Business
A. Act 0203-AU-014: An Act Amending the Bylaws on Delegate Apportionment.
Vice-President Hodak introduced the proposal limiting the number of delegate seats per department and total number of seats for the Council. She explained that delegate apportionment will be completed on the basis of Winter quarter enrollment. The change will not have a net impact on apportionment.
There was no debate. The motion carried, and the act was approved.
IV. New Business
A. Resolution 0203-WI-015: A Resolution Supporting Reduced Cost Off-Campus High Speed Internet Access.President Cormier explained the structure of debate for Resolution 0203-WI-015 and that the time allotted for debate would be restricted to 10 minutes.
Chairman Pickett introduced the resolution, explaining that the resolution would encourage the creation of a reduced-cost internet service.
Debate: Delegate Pirone spoke in favor of the resolution. He argued however, that Time Warner and other internet providers were not offering any reduced costs, and only one provider had offered an aggressive discount requiring both purchase of cable television and high speed internet.
Delegate Pirone moved to strike clause four from the resolution. This motion was seconded, voted upon and failed. A vote was then taken to approve the resolution in its original form. The resolution was approved in its original form.
B. Resolution 0203-WI-016: A Resolution Supporting the Continuance of Free Internet Access.
Chairman Pickett introduced this resolution, explaining that the resolution builds a case that people are still using Homenet and the university should maintain the service or create another free-of-charge service. Pickett explained that Kathy Bindewald, the Director of Communication, Marketing and Planning at OIT, committed to meeting free internet access for students.
Delegate Oelgoetz informed the Council that Homenet currently costs $120,000 to maintain. Vice-President Hodak informed the Council, through the Council on Student Affairs that Homenet, was considered an "end of life" product that will cost OIT approximately $300,000 - 500,000/year. Delegate Robles asked what position the other members of the University Senate were taking on Homenet. Advisor Clark offered that the faculty are interested in keeping the service in order to do remote work. Clark added that a comparable service should be added. Debate should have ended but a vote was taken to extend debate for 5 minutes more. Delegate Pirone added that his constituents were in support of this resolution and that the History department feels that this service affects their material resources. Pirone made a motion to add an amendment to the resolution regarding the language used in the report. After some debate the amendment proposed was voted upon and failed.
A motion was made to extend debate on the resolution. The motion was seconded and there was a division to extend debate. President Cormier broke the tie vote and debate was extended.
Delegate Sosnoskie argued that the dollars being spent for three thousand students using Homenet seemed unreasonable. Delegate Pirone made a motion to add a second amendment. Delegate Collinson seconded this motion. Discussion continued and President Cormier offered that he was a proponent of adding internet service as a cost to students included in the determination of financial aid packages. Delegate Triplett asked if Pirone's constituents might be satisfied with designated public sites with free internet access on campus.
A vote was taken on the amendment of the resolution. The amendment failed. A motion to pass Resolution 0203-WI-016 was made. The motion passed.
C. Act 0203-WI-017: Winter Quarter Budget Amendment.
Treasurer Depelteau introduced the act explaining that the Council would be purchasing new shelving for basement storage resulting in a change on the furniture line. Also on the stipend line there would be a line for carryover from GTA positions. Depelteau explained that this money was unknown to the Council and had been carried over from another GTA stipend previous to this year.
The budget amendment was voted on and passed.
D. Act 0203-WI-018: Amending Bylaws on RGC Representation.
Vice-President Hodak introduced the act explaining that RGC writes and approves policy and currently the faculty are retooling how they are represented on RGC. The proposed amendment would allow for one seat of six CGS seat on RGC to be filled by an interdisciplinary or joint grad/professional degree program student. Delegate Pepper inquired as to how many interdisciplinary students exist on campus. Eighteen colleges exist and all but one have graduate students, and currently we use ten administrative areas. Faculty need a 51% majority on senate. RGC seats are typically filled, but these seats are not competitive.
No vote was taken, as that will occur at the next meeting.
E. Resolution 0203-WI-019: Supporting NAGPS 2002-03 Legislative Platform.
Chairman Triplett introduced this resolution, explaining that the resolution would be a declaration of the Council's support of the NAGPS platform.
The resolution was voted on and passed.
V. Elections
William Parker was elected as the new RGC Math and Physical Sciences Senator from the Council.
VI. Delegate Issues, Concerns and Discussions
A. Delegate Mills voiced his concern about police officers randomly selecting students and throwing them to the ground and hitting them after the Michigan football game last season. Mills argued that pepper spray caused a crowd crush and the crowd was managed poorly. President Cormier offered to bring this to Vice President Bill Hall.
B. Delegate Shi inquired about OSU offering more programs to get dependents of students more involved in programs on campus, and allowing non-student partners to attend functions and providing more child friendly activities for students.
VII. Officer Reports
A. President Cormier discussed the State of the University address by the Provost, Dr. Ed Ray. The Provost pledged more funding for honors students, scholars, faculty and staff. He also committed University support to the continuation of outstanding teaching and increased funding to CGS and IPC. This endowment from the Provost will go directly to our Professional Development Funds (PDF.) This will more than double the current PDF budget. In addition, the Provost advocated enhancing GTA development and supporting competitively funded fellowships.
VIII. Meeting Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 5:55p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
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Cristine Masters
CGS Secretary