GESSA GENERAL MEETING SESSION II
Time: 12.30pm
Date: WED. NOV. 11^th, 2009
Place: HNES rm 140

Agenda

1) Call meeting to order – Joanne calls to order at 12:40pm

2) Motion:  Adopt agenda for session II – Joanne, Adam seconds - approved

3) Motion:  Review and adopt minutes from GESSA General Meeting held Oct. 6th, 2009. – Joanne moves, seconded by Pinder - approved

4) Election: Advocacy Position (Joanne)

2 candidates, 1 present and one email letter. Then we vote.

Claire 1^st year MES, JD rep. for this year. Claire spoke about past experiences and qualifications for the position.

Nina – read Justin’s letter.

Claire left room for discussion and vote.

Adam – Did Justin give a reason for not coming? – Cory - never heard back from him to be at the meeting.

Joanne – calls vote. 13 votes for Claire – 3 abstained. 0 votes Justin.

Joanne – motion to accept the vote – Cory seconds – approved

Pinder - motion to thank Justin, and encourage involvement – Kathryn seconds, approved.

5) Discussion: GESSA Advocacy Committee (new committee) (Joanne)

-Claire Yick is the chair of committee

-Action: remind Justin L. of this committee, to participate

[Jana to communicate with Claire about this] – bring Claire up to speed

6) Discussion: Research and Travel Fund (Adam)

– committee to help redesign the forms (more graphic), need a volunteer

-2^nd round of review (Bimal on committee for review of applications)

-review the existing form by having a panel

-1 hr meeting, once or twice – communication via email

-no limit in number of participants

-Daniel Kathryn, and Ryan are interested

-Action: committee will look at online form, pretend to fill out and then discuss

7) Discussion: GESSA Social committee and events (Pinder)

-Talent show (Joanne)

-in Dec. – with PhD students, look out for announcements on listservs

Committee (Pinder)

- help coming up with fun events, diversify from pub night. – need help to promote

-Dave, Kathryn, Ryan, interested

Pub Night – last weekend of Nov. or 1^st week of Dec.

Laura/Coreen: Pub Club - Pour club this Thursday at 9pm (Dupont and Spadina– in general meet weekly – times change weekly –

Action Item: put on alternative listserv.

8) Discussion: Committee of Instruction

-Neither are here. Myfawny – resign because she is already representing GESSA on two other committees and Erin was only interested in this one. Also Erin has already attending a meeting for this committee.

Joanne moves that Erin be acclaimed – Bimal seconds - approved that Erin is the representative on this committee.

9) Discussion: "Other Business" or "New Business"

a) Report from committees

1) Senate, FES Senator for grad students (Adam)

-U of T library instituted borrowing fee for students, approximately $200 –per year –

-U of T also has instituted browsing fee, but browsing fee is waived this year

York’s possible responses:

--Do nothing and increase York collection… but may not be viable –

--York can pay a blanket fee, like Ryerson

--Lobby government to rescind U of T decision based on principal that provincial money has gone into the library.

--Adam wants to know our use of the library:

-at least 5-10 people are directly affected by this

2) bomb threats, scares – also false fire alarms, pulled by students during exams/midterms

- York U’s president is concerned about topic.

3) h1n1 – senate has website - to login if you are sick – report your illness

-no plan for vaccine clinics,

-Action: Adam will inquire about on-campus clinics

2) Tenure and committee – Honor Ford-Smith up for tenure, committee supports.

3) Research committee – GESSA representative was sick, did not attend.

4) GSA (Joanne)

– Joanne – equity committee and campaigns committee – if you are interested email Joanne and she will give you the contact for the position.

5) FC (Joanne)

– green paper, white paper – 6 areas focused on – can submit comments online.

-15 year plan

-York President – research funding is more available for sciences, thus he wants to increase/improve sciences at York (engineering and medical school)

-there is a possible donor for medical school at York, headline donor

b) GESSA Sports Equipment (donations/usage)

-Joanne – explained – pump good for balls and bikes, dual valves

-MEC will donate tools for bike

c) IRIS announcement

-going to Copenhagen

– 24^th to 30^th of November table in Vari Hall – filming people and voicing people’s concerns/opinions– shown at the exhibit

– focus on climate justice for disenfranchised people.– tabling.

-Table for the waste group as well - IRIS – survey about waste management on campus, Nov. 27^th to Dec. 2^nd table – eventually there will be a report comparing York to other campuses around the world

-there will be an email on the listserv, GESSA to spread the word

d) Plan-it (Adam)

i) Plan-it – world town planning event – Friday 13^th Nov. 12:30-1:30 rm 141 HNES – Chris Wong – director of transportation and master planning for YUDC - -past projects and future projects

--Osgoode building- light refreshments

ii) Plan-it – David, Wed. Nov 25^th at 12:30 – community housing, social planning, justice housing. – 3 cities –

iii) Plan-it – next Wednesday – 18^th – internship lunch –

e) TTC– transit protest Friday(?), regarding the fee increase – Joanne

10) Motion: Adjournment of GESSA's November 2009 GM, Session II

Joanne – 1:40pm, Adam seconds

Attendees

• Vanessa Higgins

• Rupinder Basi

• Adam Zendel

• Joanne Groumpos

• Coreen Jones

• Laura Hartly

• Nina Popova

• Claire Yick

• Cory Gould

• Janina Schan

• Kathryn Komorowski

• Bimal Patel –

• Erkin Ozberk

• Stephanie Schaffner

• Ryan Shannon

• Daniel Woolfson