General Studies Lounge

19:47

Nancy Saunders: Here is Erich Irving

Erich Irving: I have good news. We were approached for some money for the 4-council BBQ. GSSC didn't have the money, we're going to give it to you. But, we can't bail you out every time you need money. I advocated for this because my senior year was the first year we did the BBQ. So we're giving you the money but don't ask for next year.

Congratulations to those of you who were elected to office.

Nancy: updates

Maria Morad: President met with new Barnard President. I am going to be VP of Student Activities next year. I loved working with GSSC - best liaison.

Raul Wikkeling: Meeting with CCE to close out the year.

Clare Foord: Emailing all sorts of deans to figure out how to update the system for registration.

Paige Lampkin: I would have brought documents if I knew updates were on the schedule. But, the chairperson for housing in senate has asked committees to create outlines for proposals for Manhattanville. Since most housing is grad housing, if they move up-town, there would be more GS housing down here.

Housing end of year report coming up. Everything we've been working on, all resolutions, all proposed solutions.

We got the rent increase cap, but since CU housing is off-market we don't go under the NYC market rate increase cap. So senate used different logic. Next year they'll raise it 4.3%. They finally conceded that the current way they do business is unsustainable - to outstrip student ability to pay long term. Housing committee is working to get them to commit to dates.

Allen Settle: I was going to do constitution review today, but that's not going to happen. I spoke to Erich about getting the money, that came through. Please show up to the BBQ, should be fun. Volunteer if you have time. It's been a pleasure serving council this year and I hope to in the future. I'll always be here.

Monique Long: What are we doing?

Nancy Saunders: updates until we have quorum, otherwise we'll go study.

My update: I interviewed the new exec vp of student services (lisa hogarty's) replacement. He was unexciting, he was no Lisa Hogarty. But he has a corp exec management background and brings value to the table, including his promise to revamp the bulletin and a lot of the CUIT services to make them more up to date and efficient etc and help to restructure the university and implement more efficient infrastructure for the Manhattanville expansion. Before here he had an impressive resume but he had no connection to academia other than a father who taught law.

F@CU: first meeting the other night.

Shuttle to Fairway, from 7-11 every night, at :30 and :00 monday through Friday

Brody Berg: F@CU

Evan Madeo: Junior class is done. All that we did is on the juniors page on gslounge.com including helpful links to secret spots, and the excel workshop that we did, if you want to learn that online. Other notes from our CCE luncheons. Hopefully it's going to stay there in some archived form. Thanks for giving up this opportunity.

Helena Lellis: I did brunch. I sat there until 8pm and gave every last piece of food. We should do brunch every month next year. It was a lot of fun.

Elie Colie: Also doing the F@CU thing, email me with questions.

Jake Matilsky: Event Friday at 5pm - wine and cheese, opportunity for seniors who've written theses, Monique for example and ten others, you should all come. I got dragooned into helping - setup and cleanup. Ends at 7pm, it would be helpful if you could help out.

Teaching award, but they were on sabbatical.

Yong Park: BBQ is tomorrow, 150lbs of chocolate and candy. There will be beer.

Monique: Senior Brunch, avoided Lerner - unattractive and sterile. Next year tip - Wein is good. Just have to avoid reading week etc. Possible party for dean McGee. We had this in our budget from the beginning of the semester, jazz band and Zabars. Tuesday May 6th brunch for seniors and Dean McGee.

Yong: Flowers?

Nancy: E-board has the funds. it was $500 and we cut it to $250, so we should have money.

Evan: we should have some money left over, we don't know how to give it to you, but you can have it.

Ken Barnes: bottle of champagne

Monique: it would be great if we could be great if we could at least match last year. Our challenge is Chris Riano matched all the other gifts combined. I would be happy to compose a message to send to all the other class email lists. We're only half way to either goal of participation and overall dollar amount.

Alex Katz: this friday is the highlight two, highlight party with all four councils, it's free. theme for this semesters is "big city bright lights" dress neon. free give aways: Lerner: C555

Nancy: we don't have quorum, so no constitutional review, thanks for all your hard work this year.

Helena: so what happens to the constitution?

Nancy: it doesn't change, it will happen next year. For those of you serving next year, an important concern that I have is that every council member should feel empowered to be a watch-dog. I was not forward enough to be a watchdog. Not stepping forward is a bad thing to do. Call people out when you think something might be inappropriate or unconstitutional. ANYTHING over $200 needs to be voted on. VP Finance needs to give a weekly report of what was spent. About $20,000 was spent, mostly by Niko, without a vote, which was one of the main reasons why we didn't have money to spend. Don't let it happen next year.