Minutes

Announcements

i. Minutes from 10/04
Jenny – Kristina, are there any changes to the minutes from October 4th? (none) Are there any objections to passing the minutes from October 4th? (none) The minutes pass by consensus.

ii. Guest speakers:

John Pearson, Chris Griffith, Ken Hsu, and Andy Hernandez on Oct 18
Greg Boardman on Nov 1
Howard Wolfe on Nov 29

Dance Marathon (Jenny)

Jeff who is organizing the Dance Marathon at White Plaza would like to get more graduate students involved. The Dance Marathon is February 10-11th, students pay $140 to participate and all the money goes to charity. I spoke to the organizers last night and said I would get more info and find out who is social chair within each department. Can you tell me who the social chairs in each department are?

Rebecca: In the B-School it's Greg Nikodem.

Yana: In the med School Charlie Anderson.

Maria: For biosciences it's Valerie.

Matt: For the Ed School it's Ryan Williams.

Cullen: I think we are it for Engineering.

Kristina: For Earth Sciences it's Joanne, I'll look up her email and get back to you.

Kristina: Rather than going through student government they might get a better response if they posted flyers around campus.

Paul – Are they looking for student participants or a student organizer?

Jenny – Both, they want to expand from 300 students to 750 students. Is anyone interested in volunteering as liaison? (none) ok

Funding (Adam)

Shaking the Foundations (Shakings)

Rep 1: Shaking the Foundations, or Shakings as it is commonly called, is a two day conference at the law school in two and a half weeks. We are bringing two keynote speakers in from off campus as well as panelists from off campus. The panelists will address issues from Katrina to reforming legal system. The conference is open to all students on campus. Last year around 250 people attended and we are hoping to have more this year.

Rep 2: It is one of the few Law school conferences that is student run and it has been going for 8 years. The keynote speakers include Bryan Stevenson and Julie Wade.

Paul: How many grad students attend?

Rep 1: Around 200 grad students.

Paul: Are there students from other schools that come?

Rep1: Yes, students from both local and east coast schools attend.

Request $4200

Jenny: Are there any questions?

Jenny: Any objections to funding Shaking the foundations for $4200? (none) Passes by consensus.

BioAIMS:

Andrea: BioAIMS, short for the Biomedical Association for the Interest for Minority Students is a student run group which supports minority students in the Biosciences PhD program in the School of Medicine. We are looking to for funds for workshops, namely in first quarter, on getting students adjusted to grad school, optimizing their first year, and journal reading. Additionally we would like to host a graduate student community building BBQ and a banquet to acknowledge students graduating, qualifying, and those who have had other big achievements. There are approximately 30 students and 10 faculty involved.

Request: $1205

Jenny: Are there any questions? (none) Are there any objections to funding BioAIMS for $1205? (none) passes by consensus

Comedy Student Group:

Melahn: There have been 31 comedy nights in past. Now we are a student group. In the processes of becoming a student group we spoke with a couple other speakers groups.

Jenny: Melahn, not everyone here knows the history of Comedy Night. Can you explain the basics?

Melahn: Yes, Comedy night is held at the 750 club. Each night we invite 4-6 comedians from around the Bay Area and sometime from around the country. Typically we get 3-4 features and one headliner. The comedians perform for around 2 hours. We typically get over 60 students attending although it's usually closer to 100. There are members from the club here who can also speak in support of comedy night. We are looking for $200 for honoraria for each show. During the summer the GSC paid $1200 for 14 shows. They paid for 4 shows and the pub paid for 8 shows. We previously weren't a student group and so we weren't able to go about getting funding through the funding committee. It took time to become a student group and in the interim the shows were funded by donations from the comedy student group. We are now looking to get funding for the rest of this season, as well as the next two quarters. We have spoken with SoCa and they might inform students that there's an open mic after the performance. I met with these groups at the request of the office of student activities.

Paul: How many people are involved in comedy night?

Melahn: There are about 250 people on our mailing list.

Jenny: It's an impressive amount of work that you've put into this. Let's look at funding recommendation. It is my understanding you would like funding from funding committee and funding from GSC.

Adam: Request from funding committee $3300. My pool of money is not on the scale of money that they requested. I did what I could based on the rules for my pool of money. We talked about alternate funding sources like charging $1 for cover. I like what they are doing but this pool of money is spread over a large group of people.

Melahn: When we discussed the budget the $1200 that was given to us in the summer was held against us. The cap is 8000/year and we would like $5900 and we would like to be allowed to use this for more then 10 events for quarter.

Paul: Would we be breaking any bylaws by funding this?

Adam: The maximum of $200 for honoraria is a bylaw; the other rules are there to ensure the money gets distributed fairly.

Paul: So we can vote to bend these rules.

Avi: I'd like to talk about vision. I was an undergraduate student at Stanford and am now a graduate student. I think that since I've been here the number of graduate students has become larger than the number of undergraduate students but I think that one of the things that the Stanford community missing is linking undergraduate students and graduate students. I think that comedy night is one of the nights that can bring undergraduate students and graduate students together. We would like to expand comedy night to include undergraduates. This is part of the vision that we've had for this night that has already been really successful thanks to Melahn.

Jenny: Is it your intent to make comedy night a special fees group?

Melahn: Yes, there is a year long process but next year we would like to try. It is going to involve a lot of speaking to groups and collaborating.

Paul: I think that speaks to bending the rules because we want to help them keep the momentum going for another year until they can become a special fees group.

Adam: I think that there are a lot of alternate solutions, for example charging students $1 cover.

Allana: I think you underestimate the frugalness of the average graduate student. Even if it's a minimal cost then you might prevent the students from putting on shoes and getting out door. We want to promote healthy lifestyles.

Melahn: I would prefer not to charge because of logistics. I would like to grow this event and tap into nation wide comics. For these sorts of shows it might be necessary to charge or work with other student groups.

Matt: $200 per show is the amount you've requested. What is the maximum number of shows?

Melahn: For this quarter we are $400 short. Next quarter there 12 shows/quarter and so only 40% is getting funded.

Rebecca: Comedy night is on Tuesday night. On an average night how many people go to the 750? Is the 750 making money?

Allan: No, frugal graduate students don't spend money. They will buy one beer or request one water for one table for the entire show.

Melahn: The pub is not too happy with this event. They feel that the regulars who buy dinner don't show up on comedy nights.

Allana: Instead of $4600 they'd get $4800.

Paul: Can you present options for funding? Let's vote on the higher one first and the lower one second.

Adam: The actual request is $6800. This is higher than money we give to any other student association

Option one $6550
Option two: $4800
Option three: $3300

Melahn: Can I make a request for an option 1.5 $5800?

Rebecca: Is it entirely necessary to vote for every thing right now? Couldn't we vote on giving them money for one quarter and then get them to come back again next quarter and ask again after they've looked for alternate sources of funding?

Melahn: My hope to get other sponsors to get bigger comedians.

Matt: I completely support you guys but it's just that we get a lot of groups that comes by and if we made exceptions for every group than we'd end up with no money.

Allana: But how many other clubs would be willing to put the effort Melahn has put on every week. I am thinking that is someone paid me 50 to put on a comedy act I wouldn't participate.

Matt: I one hundred percent agree but that's not the issue. We get a lot of clubs coming and asking for money.

Melahn: I think you have to consider every group separately.

Matt: My recommendation would be a slower growth. As the group increases we'd be more then happy to increase budget.

Cullen: We can't really consider everything separately because then we'd end up in a situation like the undergraduates. In addition I'm OK with it but I wouldn't want to be here next year when the special fee doesn't go through and you are asking for funding again.

Paul: The best way to get the special fees is to give the money and keep the momentum.

Adam: Here are the different options:

Option 1: $6150
Option 2: $4800
Option 3: $3300

Jenny: Are there any objections to option 1, funding the comedy group for $6100? (yes) Alright then it goes to a vote: [0 in favor: 8 against: 0 abstaining]

Jenny: Alright it fails. Are there any objections to option 2, funding the comedy group for $4800? (yes) Alright then it goes to a vote. [5 in favor: 2 against: 1 abstaining]

Jenny: Option 2 passes.

BioAIMS Rep: Is it possible to put in applications for funding during the summer?

Adam: Yes.

Matt: Can we slow this process down?

Rebecca: Is there anyway we can have an idea of the total budget and how much is left in the budget to get a sense of what we are taking out?

Adam: Yes, there is $80 000 left.

Jasmine: I made a request to be added to the agenda last week but see that I didn't get added. I would like to ask for some funding for a Halloween event.

Jenny: Sorry about that would you like to tell us about your event.

Jasmine: I am putting on a Halloween theater event that I have been planning since last July. I am the social manager at chi theta chi. Other groups collaborating are the row, the student senate, Nancy How with the OSA as well as Stanford Dining. The theatre company putting on the production is Shannon Lark. It is a rocky horror picture show comedy type piece. There will be fake blood and burlesque dancing. The general shape of the event is that there will be a desert buffet put on by Stanford dining in White Plaza followed by the performance is in White Plaza. The event is on Tuesday the 31st. The desert buffet starts at 6:30 and will be picnic style seating. The stage is on the cement from 7:30 -9 after that there will be a meet the actors Halloween party at my house. At the party there will be sculptures of hands in the backyard. We are expecting 600 people for the party and 1000 people for event. One of the greatest areas that could use improvement in the graduate student community is social events and there is not much co-mingling between the graduate students and undergraduate students. I though that this would be a very good opportunity to collaborate with the different communities and bring them together. The first reason that I'm here is to talk about collaboration, second is to ask for funding. I originally thought that the event was going to be fully funded by absolute fun. But I recently found out that that was not possible because of the mausoleum. Now I am no longer scared about having funding but I am still looking for help with funding. Generally the event will cost $3200 for the performance, the physical set up will be $456, labor will be $500, and tables will be $26.

Jenny: I don't see an item for seating. Are you not having seating?

Jasmine: No, we are planning to have every one sit on the ground in a picnic style like manner. We're not sure if having it on a Tuesday night will work for or against our favor.

Jenny: Another thing not on the budget is promotional material.

Jasmine: That's already been paid for.

Jenny: What is the total cost you are requesting from us?

Jasmine: $1000.

Jenny: The date and time is the same as the concert in the Dinkelspiel auditorium, is that going to conflict?

Jasmine: It's at the same time but they are different events and cater to different groups so I don't think it will conflict.

Cullen: How do you intend to get in touch with the graduate student population?

Jasmine: Through postering and e-dining.

Alex: Could Chris Griffiths include this in her email to all grad students?

Jenny: Typically events in the bulletin are either GSC or GSPB events.

Alex: Yes but we don't give every event $1000.

Jenny: I think we can find other ways to help out.

Jasmine: I don't see that as an obstacle.

Jenny: If we are going to give you funding we want to make sure that graduate students know about the event.

Cullen: A lot of grad students won't even know that it's Halloween.

Paul: What other support have you received?

Jasmine: I've received money from the Row, and the Senate. The event itself is dry although the party afterwards will not be.

Paul: How could we fund this? Could we use the discretionary fund in the programming budget?

Fen: What is the breakdown and certainty of your funding sources?

Jasmine: Some of the money is in the grey and some is concrete. The row promised $1500 and might give and additional $1000. The ASSU gave $1500, the senate gave $500. I am also in the middle of an application for more from another random fund.

Cullen: So you have $3500 definitely and maybe as much as $4500.

Jasmine: The grey area money is contingent upon along social allowances of other funds and was offered as an emergency fund.

Alex: She got $500 from the undergraduate senate.

Fen: $1000 is a lot from discretionary. I'd be ok with giving you same as the senate.

Jenny: Another funding source we could consider is reserves

Fen: We are running low on discretionary but I'm still ok with giving $500.

Alex: Can we give them $500 from the discretionary and then if they want and then them more later in the year.

Jenny: Am I hearing $500?

Jasmine: Does that mean just $500 or $500 from reserves and $500 from discretionary?

Jenny: Just $500.

Fen: Have you looked for other funding sources from grad students? GSPB, CA's?

Jenny: How about we put $500 on the table and then we can talk about other sources of funding later?

Jasmine: I greatly appreciate you considering this only three weeks prior to the event

Jenny: Are there any objections to funding this event for $500? (none) passes by consensus.

Women's wellness series (Carol Pertoski health promotion director at Vaden)

Jenny: We have Carole Petroski here to talk about a women's wellness series. I'm sorry Carole, I forgot to put you on the agenda. Can you tell us about the program?

Carole: This program has been around for a dozen years as a part of student affairs, work with university. We work closely with Chris Griffiths. A recently conducted survey found that graduate women in some ways self report more stress then graduate men and both undergraduate men and women. I am working with the health improvement program interested in helping grad students with women's issues. Five years ago two students got "graduate women's wellness" funding. For years it was not kept up and now I want to water it. I would like to water with programs for graduate women. We thought a launch would be to do something for breast health month. A leading oncologist coming to campus and everyone is invited. We would also like to create programming that addresses the needs of graduate women. Some new fellows would like to do a group about stress relief. A nutritionist wants to do cooking classes. In conversation with Jenny we decided it would be good to get your input. What would you want in a women's wellness series?

We recently got a $200 000 grant to stop sexual violence on this campus. These case area often not heard because they are confidential. We have used money to fund stipends to create intervention work on this campus. I open up the question to you. If we were to do this women's wellness series what would be the things that women would come out for. Areas such as relationships, nutrition, stress, sleep, general wellness, dental health.

Alex: The things you mentioned, sleep, dental, health, stress , sound good. They make us pay 25 for dental health care but don't cover much.

Carole: We would not be dealing with problems of health insurance.

Kristina: I bet if you raffled off a free trip to the dentist you'd get a lot of people there.

Carole: What about a workshop on massage techniques?

Carole: What about cooking classes, or cooking on a budget.

Cullen: That's a great idea.

Maria: Last year we did cooking classes, people that showed up and it was lots of fun but it was difficult to get people involved. We would cook and prepare a full meal.

Carole: How many students were involved?

Maria: We had 4 sessions, 10 students came to the first set and the 15 people came to the second set.

Carole: What about a one shot deal? People at CAPS are really interested in building a class. Folks at the family fitness centre are putting special attention on how to put together a plan and how to put together a work shop.

Fen: I'd be interested in family planning seminar including things like having kids in while writing your dissertation.

Yana: Yes, most people say it's a good time because you are done with lab experiments. Write, defend and then have kids after your defense.

Matt: How about a big buddy program for pregnant graduate student mothers. I have six pregnant women in my house daily because my wife has had children and offers them support.

Carole: What about spouses and partners that are here? I think that some of the international spouses are really isolated.

Cullen: I'll speak to that. I think that's a huge need but I think it would be difficult to reach to them.

Matt: Try talking to the CA's.

Carole: I wanted to talk to you first. The biggest problem we have is getting attention of the graduate student community .

Cullen: For students something to address might be thinking of your whole life. Such as finding ways for graduate students to implement fitness in your life. i.e. healthy holistic life styles, eating, sleep etc. Grad school taxes everything because grad school demands so much of your time. If there were people who could guide through it and help grad students get through that would be helpful.

Carole: Something like a dummy's guide to surviving grad school?

Cullen: I think that people build up habits as a grad student that will get your through but not help you in the rest of you life.

Carole: What about practical topics versus research topics such as how lifestyle affects concentration?

Jenny: I'd go with practical tips. I think if you gave research seminars you'd get a smaller group of people. Some times people get stressed about finances.

Carole: Interesting, I would have thought that graduate students would have a handle on that.

Maria: I Agree with Jenny that you should focus on practical training but attaching a statistic with the practical training might be good too.

Carole: There many studies on these topics such as the link between sleep deprivation and weight gain. Thanks for great suggestions. I invite you to get in touch with me if you have any more ideas for this.

Jenny: We'd like to help promote we have grad events, plus we send out an email once per month that goes to all grad students.

Carole: We are going to begin with breast health month. We are inviting students to stay after the talk and teaching them how to do a really good breast exam.

Maria: You should also get in touch with the graduate women's groups.

Carole: Is there a central group?

Maria: I'm part of SEGWA, which is an umbrella organization. We have a website that lists women's groups.

Carole: How do we find fuzzy women?

Jenny: I'll look into it.

Retreat Recap:

Jenny: didn't end at 7:15 but I would like to use the next 10 minutes. On back of agenda checklist. For the rest of year going to get as many goals as possible accomplished. (Goes through check list on the back of the agenda).

Cullen: I am meeting with Pat Jones from diversity cabinet next Thursday and am also looking to meet with Roberta and Artie.

Fen: We will have a new webmaster next week.

Maria: The bulletin is in progress.

Meeting Adjourned