General Studies Lounge - ARCHIVE 2006-2011

7:42pm Roll-taking

7:43pm Niko starts the last meeting of this semester

7:45pm Opinions for Town Hall Visit from last week

- Free food, good pictures (Brody)

- No one felt to be informed enough after the meeting (Ashley)

- Good start to an annual town hall, a lot of students wanted to see the GSSC representatives to introduce themselves (Nicolle)

- Good feedback, people were confused about the meeting because it was their first visit to a town hall meeting (Cheryl)

- It was more information out than in (Paige)

- For the future, GSSC reps should sit at one side of the table and students on the other side to develop a better relationship between them (Evan/visitor)

-  Does it always take for students to go to the extremes for the administration to react; did not feel like there was total openness from the administration (William/visitor)

- I sent an email and asked for a change to the administration, but they won't respond to me personally, but they meet outside (Brody)

7:49pm Raul enters

 - The real problem was that we were not strict enough about the moderation; in the first panel the rep for Building Commission took the whole time; Dean Awn gives the same speech he gives at orientation (Dave)

- After 20-min response, the person who asked the original question asked the follow-up question (Todd)

- We had a min. 110 people showing up (Niko) 

- How do you feel about more gssc-oriented

7:52pm Nancy's Article in the Spectator

-  Where do you see GS now and in the future; I talked about orientation and the psychological emphasis on being "different" and "separate" from all other three undergrad. schools; my article was placed at the opinion section (Nancy)

 7:55pm Evan talks about CCSC meeting as liaision

- Discussion about Dean Awn's message of the merging of CC and GS; need to clarify to make sure that students on the panel are addressed; merger described in the Spec Article was inaccurate; there will be a last class of GS and CC will take new applicants who are a "few" years out of school who would be normally accepted to GS; CCSC president said the the older people would be placed into a Continuing Ed Section; she sits on meetings that other people do not sit on; discussion about merger/absorption will look like how it was now explained (Evan)

7:56pm Anthony Carter enters 

-  What is Michelle's title again? (Nicolle)

- President of CCSC; she immediately apologized because she realized that I am from GS and that no decision has been made yet; misunderstanding of CC students of a possible merger (Evan)

- Was the apology before or after sending the email? (Nicolle)

- It was before. (Evan)

- There seems to be a lot of unclear opinions about this; there was going to be a much more a conglomeration than actually a new separate school of Continuing Education for older aged GS students (Josh, President of List College) 

- Most of the people have seen the Task Force, Michelle said the complete opposite what we have heard; just rumors to appease those CC student who are freaked out about older people (Cheryl)

- We should move along; we need an administrator other than Dean Awn should come and speak and bring new information (Jake)

- I have been to a lot of meetings but the word of Continuing Education was never used (Niko)

8:04pm Osekre enters

- Article is problematic; the press' job is just to bring in what they have found; be cautious and stay calm (Susannah Karlson)

8:05pm Student Life Holiday Events

Sophomore/Junior Class Semi-Formal

- We are having our holiday event; Sat Dec 8th; Josh and I are hosting the under-21 event /120th st and Morningside; hot cocoa and snacks; from 10:15pm over 21 and under is a party event; free  (Ashley)

8:08pm Helena enters 

- Option Number 2  is a Semi-Formal of 09 and '10 classes, tickets are $10; free tacos; open to all ages over 18; hope you all got our emails (Todd)

Proposals and ideas from Ashkan Shahsavari

- Talked to President Bollinger and he was open to the change; swipe issue for dorms (Ash) 

- We conducted a survey of how Barnard students wanted a change; encouraged to other councils to make the survey; other councils felt that a lot of questions did not apply to us (Maria/Barnard Rep)

- I don't know if we were officially invited/moderated by the Barnard president; they were not adimant to give Barnard swipe access since Barnard is just an affiliate (Jol)

8:14pm Keith and Karly enter

8:15pm Senior Fund Event (Gabbrielle Breen)

- Donating; second issue was my email to the GSSC; identifying the priorities that GSSC has towards the students; how we can eliminate the funding issues; last year we had the GSSC 07 involving in Senior Week; this fall applications were sent from the divisions of undergrad from faculties and deans who support student life; sept 26; since then the committees and chairs have been working for the Senior Week; now one of the goals is how we can get GS students to be involved into this; I emailed 50 GS 08 Students; Do you believe that we should be involved in Senior Week 35 responses YES and 33 would participate with 2 maybes; Seniors have interest in participating in Senior Week; problem is the finances; I am not in the council and sit not in finance committee; talked to JTS students - $20 per student would be enough for them to cover their costs; we have to look somewhere for funds - some creative ways to fundraise:

1) Create a year book for $25; if we sell one to every family we would have a profit of $9k; enough for Senior Week and events

2) Host an Auction (faculty help with the SEAS auction every year) and they raise for $1k

3) Tutoring/Museum tours by faculty and give charges to seniors

Seniors should have the opportunity to receive all the elements of the senior-students

Questions:

- Who is going to take the pictures of Year Book and how do you know how many copies would be sold

- No idea yet (Gabbi)

- Is there an exact number that you want? (Dave)

- 6.5k  (Gabbi)

- What is Senior Week? (Dave)

- Broadway shows, balls, 40s at the Steps, Six Flags (Gabbi)

- It is not an either-or issue for Gala and Senior Week (Gabbi) 

- It is not an either-or question; it is about priorities; you don't have to have $22k gala; it is incorrect as a matter of picking and choosing, I and many others have earned the Senior Week during these 4 years here; we are here to fight for old traditions; it is important to us and I hope it will be a priority (Susannah Karlsson)

-  It is a great idea; help from student life is for sure; we should fund-raise; how much does it cost us to give back their money Keith! (Cheryl)

- There is no money (Raul)

- I think, I want people to know that there is a financial issue within GSl we will make the Senior Week happen (Allen)

- You thought outside the box; I like to talk to you offline because I have more ideas (Nancy)

- If no one else is dedicated to ask the admins for more money, then I will do that (Jake)

- It is very important for JTS students; JTS students will fund their part; we can't buy in separate from GS (Josh)

- This debate sounds like being about finances; every decision that is made by finance committee is thought about gala and seniors; what impact does every decision have on the senior class; we think about traditions; reality is that there has to be a scaling back if we want to keep to the same traditions that we had (Keith)

- Not every council member is able to get to finance committee; information should be put online on the website so we will be better informed (Jol)

- I just want you to know that the Finance Committee does not want to hide anything; our numbers are not set yet; it is more complicated as people think

8:35pm - 8:43pm BREAK

8:43pm West Side Story 

- West Side Story is not white people against Puerto Rican people; emphasis will be on the themes of the play; more an old immigrant v. new immigrant; it will posed to Columbia Musical Theater Team; I am asking for non-financial support and financial support (John Deserio) 

- John starts to go find funding and co-sponsorships to other groups that he can say that the body of GSSC is behind this thing (John)

- Great idea (Cheryl) 

Voting! Everyone for it!

8:46pm Spring Gala 2008

- Ashley and Dave passed out the information; the amount that they want it get founded is a compromise; last year the council spent $18-22k; they ask the council to pay $11k; this is something that we should do for the students (Keith)

Ashley: 

- The largest attended event at GS; March 1st is the date; I started working on this since the last Gala; it has become my baby; our vision is to have 250 students come to a party; be appreciatative to be at GS; enjoy themselves; students who are not involved in anything would come to this gala and become involves; I ask to get a Yes or No; I have undergone to much frustration; we decided to restructure the event; so I can get the tickets sold now to students; to ensure that this gala become something that has never happened before

1) Catering costs 10,800 dollars (includes coffee, tea, etc)

2) Facilities Fees 3,000 dollars

3) Decorations and Party Favors

We restructure that there is no dinner; we want people to talk and dance; we want people to have a seat/place to rest; naming tables; increasing the flaire without increasing the budget; giftbags included; invitations sent out would be much nicer than an envelope from Columbia University

4) Marketing and Invitations 700 dollars

5) Band, DJ, Photographer 1000 dollars

Total Event Cost: $20,250

Ticket Revenue (250@$35) = -$8,750

Required GS Funding: $11,500

Dave: 

- What basically happened is that we don't have money as we had last year; we have to make decisions to what we want to fund; we are asking for twice as much as the Financial Committee wants to give us; but we are already making a 40% cut; we ask the council to do a value judgment; or you can say that we are not willing to risk to lose other events for the gala 

- $43.20 per person for catering; not a big deal to raise ticket costs (Gabbi)

- It is difficult to project how many people will come with the increased ticket price; we are not confident that we increase the ticket price (Ashley)

- I don't believe that from the finance committe perspective, that there is no way the GS community pays $35 just for desserts and drinks (Allen)

- This basically would take money from everything else? (Raul)

- Hypothetically yes; we don't know yet; we could come out with more money that we thought; but we can come with a loss too (Dave)

- What other events are there? (Raul)

- Budgets from all other committees (Dave) 

- I propose that we form a fund-raising committee to increase our pool of resources (Nancy)

-  I think it is great but we need tonight's vote (Ashley) 

- I want gala to happen; Ashley and Dave have put so much time in this; this is the best option; integrity and elegance in this event; vote for the gala (Cheryl)

- Problem that you guys are experiencing, work with finance to present something to show the administration that the budget is unacceptable (Brody)

- Nothing can get through the next week (Ashley)

- At the end of the day you need to get move forward, they want us to say yes or no (Anthony)

- If we are talking about improving funds for the gala, we would operate blindly as we do the whole semester; we are operating sort of on the edge; I would feel uncomfortable to vote for this (Monique)

- This came to council because of the transperency issue; the truth of the matter is estimate-wise the $11k would not put us in a crunch if the estimates come out; as long as things pan out, then we are totally fine to fund the event for $11k (Keith)

- Keith says to the student council about this proposition: I endorse (Brody)

- It is a possibility that there might not be enough money (Dave)

- In terms of your concern Monique, I think we need to endorse the gala and please keep your pants on (Jake)

- With the endorsment of the finance committee on this amount invested, can you outline a possible crunch on senior events (Niko)

- I don't have the complete vision of what the senior class wants to do; without that vision it is hard to make a guess on the implications; based on the historical figures we would be fine (Keith)

- Did I hear that Cheryl writes 6500 dollars? (Anthony)

- I write a check for my part (Cheryl)

- In the event, you do not approve it, it is not the end of the student life but it would means no gala, but it will be more events for that case (Dave)

- I cannot vote to this (Chikodi)

- If you vote yes to this, that everyone's budget should be cut dramatically and I am not meaning to speak for Keith, if you take the numbers of now that means we must do some cuts (Allen)

- Should we be worried about our budgets to be cut? (Brendan)

- In the event to come, it might be yes (Keith)

- The gala is an institution and should be voted for (Ashley)

- Are you charge more for alumni and/or guests? (Gabbi)

- Good idea (Ashley)

- Keith, from your point of view, should this be approved? (Niko)

- In my point of view, yes (Keith)

VOTE at 9:17pm

Everyone voted for it and only 3 abstained

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9:30pm Niko Cunningham, Student Body President, ends the last meeting of this semester.