GSC Meeting 2007-03-07
Wednesday, March 7th, 2007Proceedings for the March 7th GSC Meeting
Agenda
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GSC Agenda: March 7th, 2007: 6:00-8:00 – FOOD @ 5:45!
Graduate Community Center – Nairobi Room
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Quorum for this meeting is eight voting members.
1. 5:45 FOOD (thanks Matt!)
2. 6:00 Welcome with Introductions
3. 6:05 Announcements (Paul)
i. Minutes from 02/28:
Adam’s responce to Jeff’s question regarding the Stanford News
Readership Group’s transfer of fees should be:
Adam – From reserves to janitorial, security and technical services.
(Janitorial Services $750.00, Security Services $500.00, Technical
Services $1,000.00)
In his statement, Alex would like to correct the term “academic
counselor” to counselor
ii. There are currently 22 candidates running for the GSC!
iii. Calendar:
April 1: officer transition documents due
April 7: Easter Egg Roll at Provost’s house
April 11 or 12: ASSU elections with GSC elections launch party (to be planned)
April 11: last meeting to bring a proposal to be voted on by the GSC
(e.g. bylaw change)
April 18: end of the year party at Rebecca’s house following final GSC meeting
April 21: all-day transition meeting with new GSC – LET JENNY KNOW BY
APRIL 1 IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND
4. 6:10 Funding (Polina)
# Stanford Photography
# Stanford India Association
# Stanford Latino Law Students Association
# Stanford Canadian Club
5. 6:15 Special Fees (??)
6. 6:25 GO – Pass (Martin/Aaron)
7. 6:45 Cupertino Shuttle (Song)
8. 6:55 Bill Living Wage (Lisa)
9. 7:15 Constitutional Ammendment (Danny)
10. 7:25 Elections Promotion items (Bernard)
10. 7:30 GSC Advocacy (Jenny)
11. 8:00 New Business
Attendance
Kristina Keating*
Jenny Allen*
Paul Gurney*
Yana Hoy*
Maxim*
Dirk Englund*
Rebecca Kaplan*
Shireen Barday*
Matt Andrews*
Polina* (proxy for George)
Fen Zhao* (proxy for Adam)
Cullen Buie*
Danny
Hershey
Matt MacDonald
Kyle Anderson
Archan
Tarun
Victoria
Elizabeth Heng
Melissa
Euan
Hannah
Marianne Karplus
Justin Brown
Jiday
Melahn Parker
Niraj (Daily)
Martin Mueller
Cullen Buie
Minutes
Announcements (Paul)
i. Minutes from 02/28:
Adam’s response to Jeff’s question regarding the Stanford News Readership Group’s transfer of fees should be:
Adam – From reserves to janitorial, security and technical services. (Janitorial Services $750.00, Security Services $500.00, Technical Services $1,000.00)
In his statement, Alex would like to correct the term “academic counselor” to counselor
Paul – Kristina, are there any other changes? (none) Are there any objections to passing the minutes from February 28th? (none) Seeing none the minutes pass by consensus. For the people who are new, we are a consensus organization which means we don’t vote unless someone objects to passing things by consensus. Anyone can break consensus.
Paul – There are currently 29 candidates running for the GSC!
Calendar:
April 1: officer transition documents due
April 7: Easter Egg Roll at Provost’s house for grad students with children.
April 11 or 12: ASSU elections with GSC elections launch party (to be planned)
April 11: last meeting to bring a proposal to be voted on by the GSC (e.g. bylaw change)
April 18: end of the year party at Rebecca’s house following final GSC meeting
April 21: all-day transition meeting with new GSC – LET ME KNOW BY APRIL 1 IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND
Paul – Are there any other announcements?
Elizabeth – The midnight breakfast on Monday 12th. Breakfast will be served by faculty and students. Come! There are free tickets at the front of the room.
Paul – Anything else? Moving onto funding.
Funding (Polina)
Polina – briefly going over funding. To get an event funded go on line fill out paper work. This gets sent to Adam or myself. Then you need to attend a funding committee meeting on Monday at 1pm. The next step to come here. Last step is up to funding officer to deal with paper work.
Stanford Photography
Nick – I am the president of the Stanford Photography group. We have been working for about a month and have arranged a standing exhibit in Coho. The event is the reception for the exhibit undergrads are arranging for music for when we first put the photos up. Stanford dining will help with advertising. The event is important to show the work and perspective of students and how they see the world as well as to advertise the group. To let people who are interested in photography know about the club.
Polina – They are asking for money for a performer, food, materials and marketing. The grand total is $1125.
Kristina – How much money are they getting from other sources?
Polina – $2050
Nick – The money is from ASSU and our budget.
Maxim – How many grad students?
Nick – 40-50 but we are hoping for more, we are hoping for 50-100.
Paul – Will the display be up after?
Nick – It will be up all year , photos will change.
Paul – Are there any other questions? (none) Are there any objections to funding Stanford Photography for $1125? (none) Seeing none that passes by consensus.
# Stanford India Association
Archan – Last quarter world cup and ice cream social there were a 100 people. We are reserving Havana room to have a pre game celebration prior to the Bangladesh game. Next quarter we are going to have two annual events one is a spicy curry and towards end of the quarter a social dance party. Early in the quarter we’ve spoken to an artist who performs traditional classical Indian music and he has agreed to perform if we can line up location. Every quarter we have about two events and we were thinking of bringing in a performer every quarter so this is hopefully going to be the first of a series.
Polina – This is for all for events , $750 for performer $310 for programming, and $1350 for food and marketing. The total is $2460.
Hershey – you said you were going to be doing more and more events I’d encourage you to come to the undergraduate senate.
Rep – we have but no money
Hershey – If you register as a group you can.
Fen – Bechtel also having a viewing of the Cricket match – do you need two?
Tarun – This is a social not to watch the match. We might end up having it at Bechtel Centre.
Shireen – The marketing budget is low.
Tarun – Most of community is on campus. We have an email list with 500 members. That’s our primary source. The rains and ev email lists as well. It’s easier ;and we don’t have to spend money on printouts. only for the events which get undergrads involved do we need posters.
Archan – We will put up posters for the performances.
Paul – Are there any other questions? (none) Are there any objections to funding the Stanford India Association for $2460? (none) Seeing none that passes by consensus.
# Stanford Latino Law Students Association
Victoria – We are going to have a speaker, the US ambassador to Cuba. We will fly him out to talk about Cuba/ US relations particularly in post Castro Cuba.
Polina – The total is $650
Paul – Are there any questions? (none) How many people?
Victoria – 50-100
Paul – How did you find this person?
Victoria – It was someone else in the group who had him speak at there undergrad.
Paul – Are there any other questions? (none) Are there any objections to funding the Stanford Latino Law Students Association for $650? (none) Seeing none we’ll pass that by consensus.
Polina – Is anyone from ISSU here? The Canadian Club is not coming. Are there questions?
Jiday –Do the groups come back and report on how many people show up?
Polina – Groups ask for money more than once so check in then
Paul – they submit receipts so we know spent money on what said were going to.
Jenny – Is Danny here to do the Speaker’s Bureau Bill?
Hershey –I think it’s the modified bill. I think it is a budget modification. Correction.
Paul – Yes, so they can actually spend the money on the speaker’s fee.
Jenny – For the new people, special fees are for groups asking for more than the regular limit. For example the speaker’s bureau is asking for money to bring speakers to campus. What they need is more than the GSC can give. They ask for a budget for the entire year cycle. They will sometimes change what they need money for and will then ask for a budget modification. We review that and vote on it.
Paul – Any that exceed funding cap come to us. It still needs to go on ballot. Here we are changing the ballot to more accurately reflect what they will use the money for.
Paul – Are there questions about the line item transfer? (none) Are there any objections to passing the budget modification?
Rebecca – I don’t understand
Paul – In the original something was listed as equipment.
Hershey – They want $10 000 for honoraria and $100 for educational for material.
Paul – Are there any objections? (none) Seeing none that passes by consensus.
Hershey – I have to leave but the ugrad senate passed the constitutional amendment today. If you make any changes we can’t pass it because yesterday was the last meeting of this quarter. We could call an emergency meeting. The living wage bill also passed. It is not necessary for it to pass before the end of the quarter.
GO-Pass (Martin/Aaron)
Jenny – This is another item that would also appear on the ballot for April. Martin has updated version please pick it up.
Martin – One of things came up last time I was here was the distribution of Go-Passes. 3% of students have picked up there passes. Of those, Earth Sciences are 5% , Education are 3%, they are 4% of the university, humanities and sciences are over represented, engineering is under represented. If anyone wants a closer look I have the numbers here.
Cullen – That’s of all students?
Martin – All students. So not break down of off campus students.
Rebecca – Can we look at this?
Martin – I’ll pass it around.
Paul – Can you give some background?
Martin – We are interested in keeping the caltrain go pass for one more year. Currently it cost $100 for pass for entire year. The program has existed for 3 years with funding from the provost. With this measure we would provide more sustainable. funding. The problem is that the go-pass program is expensive. To try and get everyone interested we include things for people who are not able to use the go pass. We have an explicit list of benefits. If they don’t use the go-pass they could use something else. List what the benefits are. We are planning to charge $17 per quarter per student. There is a chance that students will ask for refunds. The fee will only be charged to off campus students but will be voted on by all students.
Alex- do they have to pay extra when they pick up the pass?
Martin – Yes they still have to pay, we expect to charge them full amount of what it will cost next year $106.
Paul – This depends on money from provost of 200k is that true?
Martin – yes.
Paul – Do you have the sense that he will say yes to this?
Martin – It is not confirmed but I think we will get it.
Melahn – What is keeping you from selling to on campus students as well.
Martin – Stanford has to define eligible students and buy passes for all eligible students. if it were available to on campus students then the cost would increase.
Maxim – The fee is $70?
Jenny – $17.
Maxim – Where does this number come from?
Jenny – Did you get the sheet and email?
Martin – $17 was chosen to make revenue equal the cost.
Alex – Is there anyway to align go pass with academic year. Everyone is already paid for once entered program?
Martin – Yes.
Jenny – Caltrain only works on a calendar year.
Cullen – I think that you guys have done a lot of really good work. One question – we running the risk of voting for this you are voting for the future ability to have the go pass. So we could have an overwhelming passing vote but lots of refunds. as we are navigating how to campaign and push this. Is there anyway to work with EC to have the pricing commissions in ballot so people will see.
Jenny- This entire bill will appear. The other is a definite concern. But we have to put it to a vote to the entire population to have a valid resolution. Another way to think about it is to think of a senior student leaving campus.
Rebecca – Why does the total revenue not equal the total expenditures? If there is extra money who gets it back?
Martin – The numbers are variable we calculated $3500 but that may change. the program will be administered by assu and gsc – there is a buffer for 30% buffer.
Matt – There is a 25% buffer limit in constitution.
Paul – What happens if we exceed the buffer limit?
Matt – It’s never happened; we don’t know.
Alex – Can we make sure that if people ask for a refund they are not allowed to get the pass?
Martin – We will require them to sign something.
Rebecca – The bike tune up benefit rubs me the wrong way. I don’t think it’s a benefit of the program because it is revenue neutral.
Fen – If go pass sales don’t come up to predicted who funds it. Is it us or will to provost help us some more.
Martin – If the provosts give 200 k it is unlikely that they will give us more.
Martin – The estimate is conservative – in 2006 we sold 900 passes.
Maxim – What does it mean other university and non-university sources.
Jenny – The provost.
Maxim – Did you only talk with the Stanford bike shops? I think that tune up in other bike shops are cheaper
Kristin a- I don’t think so, I think it’s more expensive in other shops.
Matt – We take 20% from the program. And what does the refund rate being high mean for other gsc programs.
Martin – These are the numbers we think we can reasonable achieve.
Alex – You say there are 3500 students living off campus. If Stanford purchases all of them is there anything stopping you from selling to on campus students.
Jenny – That is how they make their money. The passes can’t be transferred to other populations.
Melahn – if people ask for refunds they are doing so in the fall? So there is potential for you to know refunds before setting the price?
Jenny – Caltrain will only let us charge the amount per person.
Kristina – What happens if the refund rate exceeds the amount allocated?
Matt – Hopefully things go great.
Kristina – We don’t want it to be a sink so we should write something that says if it’s a large refund rate we ax the program.
Paul – the measure needs to say that then.
Matt – And how will that affect other fees
Jenny – Next week is the last week to vote on it.
Polina – Do you have any idea when the provost will commit to a certain amount of money?
Maxim – My question is: is it possible if the refund rate is high then those people who get the go pass.
Jenny – It’s really imperative to ask any of your questions before next weds because next weds is the last day to vote
Paul – so pay attention to gsc emails.
Cupertino shuttle
Song – We have been having 40-50 people taking the shuttle each week. We reduced trips from 4 to 3 to save money and extend the time of the service. We added one new stop at campus drive and ev road. We also applied for funding from the provost but he has not made the official final decision but it doesn’t’ look like he will support it for several reasons. In the future we want to cut some stops in the current schedule to make it more convenient. We are going to apply for money from the grad life office we want to extend current service until the end of the spring quarter to do so we need $1-2000 more hopefully can get money from the grad life office
Kristina – Are undergrads and graduate students using the shuttle?
Song – We don’t know.
Rebecca – Can’t you ask.
Song – It is difficult to tell.
Kristina – If there are can you ask for money from the ugrad senate?
Elizabeth – I don’t think ugrads are aware of it.
Paul – I know there are a lot of different groups working together to fund this. Greg Boardman has a pool of money for groups that are working together.
Song – Is there an easy way to advertise the service to undergrads?
Elizabeth – Send me an email and I’ll forward it on.
Bill Living Wage
Dan – I am a second year grad student in physics.
Lisa – I am an undergraduate senator. I have been working on the issue of a living wage since freshman year and this year I am getting more into the policy. This has already passed in the undergraduate senate. Bill passed in senate was from SLAC – Stanford labor action coalition. Our bill is basically a bill requesting that Stanford remove the restrictions on it’s living wage policy for subcontractors. Currently we have bill but it restricts workers that would actually benefit. For examples the janitors – the Stanford living wage is $12.50/ hour w/out benefits, $11.15 with benefits (they get paid $8.). This started as a large campaign of the code of contact.
Anthony – The living wage requires employers to pay above state employers above minimum wage. The bay area is one of most expensive places to live. Based on cost of living, it is a way to afford rent.
Living Wage Rep 1 – applies to subcontractors not just contractors or university workers – subcontracting is a way to disassociate from workers and not take responsibility.
Lisa – The history of the program: In May 2003 Hennessey implemented a living wage policy. In May – SLAC held a 7 day hunger strike. A presidential advisory committee (PAC) was formed. The PAC submitted it’s findings to the president in the form of a 111 page report with 27 recommendations (2004 June). In the winter of 2005 Hennessey released his response. He delegated the recommendations to Human resources. In December of 2006 HR rejected the restrictions.
Living Wage Rep 1 – Going over some of the restrictions. Restriction 1 – the living wage only applies to those on core campus (i.e. not the slac, cafeteria workers). Restrictions 2, 5, 7 are restrictions on the term, number of hours worked per week and the value of the contract per year. (must be > $100 000/year)
Lisa – These were recommended to be removed.
Cullen – If restrictions removed what will it effect?
Living Wage Rep 1 – We don’t know. Even Stanford HR doesn’t have this info. They’ve started to collect this information.
Lisa – ABM (the janitorial service company) has more than more than 100 and less than 200. Dining is another large group of workers. That is another issue of transparency.
Anthony – We also can’t give you an estimate because of liability.
Living Wage Rep 1 – It also doesn’t apply workers at Stanford hospital.
Anthony – They are directly working for university but hired by hospital. There is an institutional overlap and ethical overlap (the Stanford code of conduct).
Yana – Does that mean that for all the buildings within the med school the workers are hired through the hospital?
Living Wage Rep 1 – I think so. We just know about the janitorial but can find more.
This is restriction 6. The workers are not represented under any existing workers group. PAC recommended it be removed if legal to do so.
Dan – Harvard does this and unions did not complain.
Matt – Why is the union not objecting to being paying below living wage.
Living Wage Rep 1 – They are.
Lisa – ABM, The sub contract with the university and their contract (workers) with abm don’t coincide. they are renewing next year will come up then.
Anthony – Asking the university to fulfill practice of the policies it proclaims in principle. With help and influence of the assu and the gsc we hope to continue putting pressure on Stanford to remove the restrictions on the living wage policy.
Paul – We have time for a short discussion.
Fen – For cases like slac or hospital where Stanford not in charge how will they enforce the policy?
Living Wage Rep 1 – Stanford does have situations for the hospital that limit it’s place and it’s name. If at all possible we recognize that some of the policies we asked to look at extra analysis. Things like that we are unable to foresee.
Yana – I was just wondering if there is already a committee that made the same recommendations: how is this time different?
Lisa – That’s a big part of this, they made this committee and then ignored their recommendations. The only time we see change is when people are pushing for it. This is making them hold to their word. We are saying be transparent. If you say you have a living wage then all workers should have a living wage. ASSU senator and gsc support will be hard to ignore.
Living Wage Rep 1 – Hennessey never said no he said that he accepted most of the policy. It was just sent to the HR. It hasn’t been struck dead.
Dirk – Who sets the living wage?
Lisa – We don’t know. Stanford released an article that they decided to increase by 5% we don’t know how they come up with that number. There are groups that calculate it.
Dirk – Will this extend to grad students?
Living Wage Rep 1 – This wouldn’t because you are not subcontractors. President also said that directly hired works should be making living wage. We haven’t seen that it is true but said they are phasing it in. Stanford’s living wage less then what cal area groups calculate.
Maxim – Have you gone to the media?
Lisa – We’ve had articles on Palo Alto Daily News, the Daily, YouTube. we’ve been requesting interviews.
Cullen – From the second to last strongly urge you say that the bottom policy be executed in a democratic process. Who are constituents, who is voting?
Lisa – Looking back the PAC was formed in a way that students didn’t have much input. For example student chosen for the committee hadn’t been working with them. Workers were not low wage workers.
Dan – The workers were chosen not elected.
Living Wage Rep 1 – More democratic then living wage policy which was done behind closed doors. We wanted to be careful that details should be worked out flexibly.
Maxim – The living wage is $12?
Lisa – $11.15 with benefits, $12.50 without benefits.
Maxim – And workers are allowed to work 40 hrs?
Lisa – Yes.
Maxim – How does this compare with students. Many restricted to work 20 hrs. For them to have $24/hour – in many departments they get less then 24. Maybe it would be good for you to compare with students/collaborate with students.
Paul – We need to wrap this up. The thing I’d really like to see is to have grad students who are passionate about this issue to give us a chance to ask questions. There maybe some people here who will step up.
Kristina – Do you want to be on the schedule next week?
Lisa – Is there a way to give contact information?
Paul – We can send it out.
Constitutional amendment.
Danny – This document was made over the course of 2 years by myself, Adam, and tom lee. It brings things up to the current century, such as things should be emailed/not snail mailed. It says that joint fees must pass both populations independently. It is really being pushed because of this issue. There have been a couple of scenarios where undergrads could vote yes for something and grads vote no but the fee was levied on both. So in order to be a joint fee would have to get 50% of undergrads and 50% of grads. We’ve also included the possibility of impeachment. The threshold for impeachment requires 4/5ths. Something new that was controversial is an anti discrimination clause. The argument was how broad to make it. Those are the big changes.
Jenny – Does anyone have questions?
Danny – We are not approving we are just voting to place it on the ballot. This would require two thirds of the associate to vote in favor. After passed it would be a few months to figure out how to adjust the ballot. It is also pending approval of university.
Cullen – Will this be one big vote?
Danny – Yes.
Jenny – Are there any questions?
Dirk – How often do these cases come up? i.e. grad/undergrad case?
Danny – No never where bad for undergrads and bad for grads. It would have affected at most one group for year. The groups could have marketed to grad students and gotten them to vote for them. It would be better for grads because would make the groups market their services to grad students.
Dirk – How about the impeachment?
Danny – I don’t think that anyone has ever wanted to impeach someone.
Alex – GSC pushing this for over 3 years. Unfair process to grad students.
Danny – This in itself may be a multiyear process. Students will see it on ballot and not know what it is about and not vote for it.
Alex – We should have an article in the Daily
Danny – EC would help educate people about what is on the ballot. If this didn’t pass we would probably try again next year.
Paul – Any other questions/comments?
Rebecca – Completely objectively, is there anything bad about your recommendations?
Danny – I’m an undergrad so have vested interested in grad students subsidizing my programs. Does that answer your question?
Rebecca – yes.
Danny – Morally I’m in complete peace.
Paul – We need 2/3rds of members present.
Paul – All in favor of putting amendments on ballot? against? obtaining? (11-0-0).
Bernard – Chapstick. There are around 4-500 left. We distributed them at the i-gala and grand festiva latina. Says gsc and discusses running for office.
Jennny – Are there questions about the elections?
Bernard – Thank you all for getting candidates. I guess it worked out. In general it’s the highest amount of people since 2004.
Paul – We had a couple (2) late applications.
Paul – Do you know what the rule is on write ins?
Jenny – We had someone get 5 votes.
Danny – I think all the cases have been where someone has campaigned.
Bernard – Shireen Barday did an excellent job on the constitution. EC bill 05 was found to be constitutional and EC bill 03 was found to be unconstitutional. I can’t see a case because can’t we can’t enforce it. March 12th is final meeting of commission before break. We still have two more events.
Jenny – We are not doing the gsc advocacy piece. Flip over paper the gsc checklist to show goals an priorities for the year. Tonight we saw P&T. That was there as well programming mentioned briefly but didn’t cover in great detail. We wanted to cover advocacy. New people are there anything you’d be interested in learning more about.
Hannah – I feel like I need to show up to more meetings to find out what I wanted to be involved in.
Euan – No idea but would like to find out more.
Melissa – I’m interested in lots but need more info..
Matt – I got Melissa to run. Even though Jenny said I didn’t need to get anyone to run.
Kyle – I am interested in housing, and orientation.
Paul – Attending meetings is but a lot of good advocacy happens outside meetings you can always talk to me or Jenny.
Cullen – I have an advocacy announcement. Tomorrow we are doing a diversity town hall meeting. There will be a PhD student in the ed school who has done a study on benefits of diversity on education, dean of students and director of black students group.
Paul – Jenny, Maria, Linus and I met with VPGE for mentorship, advising, and international advocacy. The new policy coming into place international students allowed to work 40hrs/week rather than 20/week.
Meeting Adjourned.
