May 2011 Meeting Minutes

The seventh meeting of the 2010-2011 Council.

Chair: Kwame Ocran

Minutes: Anthony Ventimiglia

 

1. Attendance
2. Minutes
3. Associate Dean’s Business, Dr. Time Caron
   1. News about new additions to Macaulay course offerings
   2. Update on Seminar Re-Evaluation and Reform

i.     First thing students want to talk about are the seminars (curriculum)

1. Tim has read through every course syllabus for all of the MHC seminars
   1. Some syllabi do not clearly lay out work requirements, lack of grading policy
   2. Creating a syllabi policy that will address this
   3. There will always be variation between campuses and sections in campuses
   4. Are these 4 separate classes or are they all one integrated class about NY?

i.     Do we talk about the Arts in the Peopling class, in the future of NY do we talk about the science of NY?

ii.     Need to talk to faculty, “this is the course we want you to teach”

ii.     Seminars are all over the place

1. Wildly different workloads between professors
2. Lack of Coherence (what do they have in common?)
3. Poor job of talking to students about why it is important to take these classes
   1. Creating next-gen of leaders in NYC
   2. NYC focus
   3. Need Student Learning Outcomes
   4. Talk to prospective students about why it is important to take these classes

iii.     Cross Campus Seminar 3

1. Teacher found- Gerald Oppenheimer from Brooklyn College

iv.     Student Comments

1. Meagan- doesn’t depend on the major, professor didn’t let projects start early,
2. Cathy- different majors have different requirements, some are more intensive than others
3. Jenna- cohesiveness being addressed?
4. Event Review
   1. Arts Night

i.     Anyone who took photos/videos at the event, submit to Kanika for the Macaulay Messenger

ii.     No official count of attendance yet, but a large amount of people signed in

iii.     Promoted Sustainability Task Force event

iv.     Promoted Macaulay Olympics

v.     Macaulay Theater Club had a workshop

vi.     Macaulay Messenger had a workshop

vii.     Macaulay Vlog had a workshop

viii.     Everything in vestibule was cleaned out, artwork and supplies were moved towards the back, art work is lost/missing

1. Tell the Macaulay Administration- Don’t rent out Cabaret space after Arts Night
2. Security guards can escort anyone wishing to reclaim their artwork to 3^rd floor
3. Sustainability Task Force Event

i.     Most people who RSVPed showed up

ii.     Planted herbs in the patio

iii.     Dr. Solecki- guest speaker

1. Discussion on Expulsion of Inactive Members
   1. Where do things stand after last month’s newest Charter Amendments (e.g. 1 Final Phone Call & the opportunity to explain)

i.     IT Committee Drafting an Email for Inactive MSC Members

1. Sent out to IT committee for corrections
2. Add a deadline for a response
3. Option to respectfully step down
4. Macaulay Apparel (Café Press issues)
   1. Arts Night

i.     Drew got samples from Café Press, sweatshirts, T-shirts, etc. for display

ii.     Computer offered to purchase apparel

iii.     MSC members campaign on campuses by mentioning that the apparel is now for sale. Order off Café press site.

iv.     Any suggestions for other apparel are welcome

v.     Concern about quality of products

1. Project 571 better quality
   1. Don’t have a place for inventory, cannot make a deal with them
   2. Students may not be happy
   3. Trying to meet demand for apparel

vi.     Newer designs should be available to graduating students

vii.     Kwame suggested another apparel company

1. Next Steps
2. Student Clubs and Program Updates
   1. Business Club

i.

1. Medicine Club

i.     Kaplan does MCAT prep for free

ii.     Lehman, premed advising,-Vernon Jeffery,

1. Set up something early in the fall, first steps for fresh and sophs interested in med school
2. Macaulay graduated doing MD/PhD (will get name)

iii.     At CSI, faculty pushing science students to go Pre-Med

1. Can Macaulay set up a panel of what can people with science degrees but not premed can do?

iv.     Need to serve students not pre-law, pre-med, pre-business, etc.

1. Pre-Law Club

i.     Visit to Dwayne-Morris, last event for Spring

1. Went well, 20 people showed up,
2. Lawyers spoke about law school, profession
3. Some people came but weren’t sure if they were interested in Law

ii.     Planning for the Fall

1. Macaulay Messenger

i.     25 articles published

ii.     FB advertising, link on Scholars Council Page, working on link on main web site

1. Macaulay Chamber Players

i.     Spring Concert, April 15^th, Graduate Center

ii.     Trying to have 1 concert at the Mac. Building, one on a campus in CUNY

iii.     30 people, good for matinee

iv.     Friday May 6^th, 5-8, “jam session”, people can bring their own music

1. Who is available on June 3^rd
2. Pursuit of Happiness

i.     Won competition for student initiatives that are service-oriented

1. Tutoring Program, run with Covenant House, for homeless youth
2. Starting in Summer, will volunteer for GER/SAT prep
3. Want volunteers during the summer
4. Meet with students one a week, study sessions at the Mac. Building
5. Macaulay Theater Group

i.     Performed at Arts Night

ii.     Play this Wednesday, May 4^th, benefit for Japan, will forward time to Drew

1. Campus Updates
   1. Baruch

i.     Pursuit of Happiness will be official club

ii.     Asian Film Festival, raised $5000 for Relay for Life

iii.     Tuesday afternoon, choreographer from Americas best Dance Crew

iv.     Fundraiser for AIDS walk

v.     Jimmy McMillan visiting Baruch on Tuesday May 3^rd, event on Facebook

1. Brooklyn

i.     Registration underway

ii.     Writer through LGBT community visited campus, did reading and book signing

iii.     Audtions for fall plays

1. CSI

i.     Relay for life, May 6^th, many Macaulay students involved

ii.     Project Hospitality, Kanika is in contact with them for a mentoring program for kids that live in homes that cannot get their HW done.

iii.     Registration is done

iv.     Possible alternatives for a Macaulay Formal in the Fall

1. City

i.     Relay for Life in the coming weeks

ii.     Accepted students visiting campus

iii.     Registration finished

iv.     Honors Mentoring Program, trying to start apps for next year

v.     Honors Students Activities Council raising money for Ronald McDonal House

1. Elections soon

vi.     Many Mac. Students trying to get into cross campus seminar 3

vii.     Stress Free Poetry Night was successful

viii.     Engineering/Entrepreneurship Group having a gala event to present projects

1. Lehman

i.     Fundraiser for Japan, $1000

ii.     Large turnout for Chambers

iii.     Registration tomorrow, classes aren’t posted yet

1. CSI had similar issues, will have course offering efficiencies
   1. Took down sections they were offering, as classes filled they posted sections

iv.     Swim Team had a Pool Party for Japan

1. Hunter

i.     J. Cole Fabulous Concert, other CUNYs go to their respective USG, tickets $15 for non-Hunter students

1. Queens

i.     Raised $600 for Japan

ii.     Before break, ice cream party in the lounge

iii.     Picnic on the Quad in 2 weeks

iv.     In two Friday, Macaulay doubles tennis tournament, from 2-4 May 13^th at Queens College

1. Need greater publicity, send out emails
2. SING 2011
   1. Some people want to do it in the Fall, want it to be a theater club thing
   2. Should be run by MSC, will put it to a vote
   3. Talked to Drew about a possible date in late November, set date ASAP

i.     Weekend before Thanksgiving, will we need rehearsal space

1. Start to get a committee together, meet over the summer
2. Drew is making a draft for event dates for the next academic year
   1. Will send out soon
   2. Don’t want to “step on the toes” of next year’s reps
   3. Possible Transition Document- “this is what you can do”

i.     Written by the chairs of each committee

1. Mac. Building bookings are increasing exponentially; it would be wise to get ideal dates for the MAJOR Macaulay events before September.

i.     Is it fair that Mac. Students are not getting as much access to the Macaulay building?

ii.     Many events have to do with academics, faculty development, not just private events.

iii.     Private events generate revenue in lieu of budget cuts

1. Working on a Master Calendar for the Building- put events on calendar far in advance

i.     Dean’s Dinners

ii.     Perspective Series

iii.     Various Talks, Workshops

iv.     Student events- Arts Night, etc.

1. Committee Updates
   1. Academic Affairs

i.     Discussed before

1. Community Service Committee

i.     Recent Projects

1. Created birthday cards for senior citizens at Arts Night
   1. Birthday visits to seniors, future service projects

ii.     Re-evaluating Service Requirement

1. 30 hrs community service, form signed by supervisor
2. List of organizations students have volunteered at on the service form
3. Some service projects only benefit Macaulay, not the greater community
4. Better definition of what is service and what isn’t
5. Are there different requirements between campuses?
   1. MHC students have to hand in 3 forms at Baruch
   2. Suggestion that 30 hours is a tiny amount
      1. People say its too much for science and engineering
      2. Students may not receive this well
      3. Science students on the Council say it is too little
      4. Contradictions, helping students register is service, but peer-mentoring is not at Brooklyn
      5. Link on Mac. website for places to volunteer
      6. More organizations that students would commit to
      7. Cross-campus volunteer opportunities
      8. Every campus have certain options (organizations) that students can do service for
      9. Suggestion that community service options go on the student portal
      10. Need larger Community Service Committee on the MSC
      11. Survey among the Council about where people stand on amount of hours required, what constitutes service
   3. Student Life

i.     Chair not present

1. IT/ Communications Committee
   1. Dr. Ugoretz Student Portal

i.     “My Macaulay”

ii.     Current Students

iii.     What are things students cannot find, put them on

1. MSC Website

i.     Got the eportfolio award

ii.     Email from Ugoretz about problems current students have finding things on the website

1. Olympics Committee Discussion
   1. Volunteers- refs,
   2. Equipment
   3. Survey completed
   4. 7 filed day events, 7 sports, brain teasers
   5. JD will help with the map
   6. Facebook event, its on the Macaulay page
   7. Budget-

i.     Food- $2200-2500

1. Working with 3 food vendors, will probably come down to 2 vendors
   1. Good deals, good food
   2. Prepared for Kosher arrangements

ii.     $500 for equipment- for medals/trophies also

1. Advertise on log
2. Posters for Lounges
3. Sports equipment left over from last Spring Picnic
4. Masquerade Ball Discussion
   1. Keep this on the Transitional Document
   2. Was on same day of the conference for Seminar 4
   3. Academic conference at Mac. Building the only other weekend
   4. No funding to host it at City
   5. Perception that prom was just cancelled, student body not aware of complicating issues
5. Possible Boat Cruise
   1. Class of 2008(?) worked towards getting something on the Spirit cruise lines
   2. Mac. Administration wouldn’t put money into it, but would help with setting it up.
   3. Suggestion of having it (the Formal) in the Fall
   4. If we were to have it at City, need the room reserved by November
6. Graduating Senior and Alumni Events (First Week of June)
   1. Focused on Class of 2011, 2010, 2009, etc.
   2. Brunch Bash at Mac. building
   3. Happy Hour
7. Old Business
8. New Business
   1. Xiang Xie from Hunter- Yearbook Proposal

i.     Issues with previous yearbooks

1. Reasons why previous YB failed
   1. Lack of Macaulay identify in the past
   2. Started out too big

ii.     Not an obligation, part of proceeds to the Macaulay administration

iii.     Have FB page for it- 80 likes

iv.     Questions

1. Possibility of black and white yearbook?
2. Is it necessary? Effort being lost on something that will be forgotten.
3. Don’t give up on the idea right away
4. Gauge how important it is to the Macaulay student body
5. Campaign similar to the I <3 Macaulay Building?
6. Have an online yearbook.
7. Burn CDs, video yearbooks? Way to raise revenue
   1. Won’t have to worry about color printing
   2. 150 minimum for year to year deal.
   3. Council Social Gathering
   4. Screening of the Harry Potter Movies at the Mac. Building??
8. Future Meetings
   1. Olympics
   2. Will need help on June 3^rd
   3. Need to make sure it works really well.
   4. Leaving Mac. Building 4pm Monday May 2nd, taking the Q to Prospect Park at the Grecian Shelter by 5pm.
   5. Video/ ichats for meetings
   6. Amy

i.     Panels/discussions for humanity/arts leaning students (those that are not PRE anything).

1. Meeting Adjournment
   1. See ya next year!