June 6, 2022

June 7, 2022

JP Reps Meeting Agenda

June 6th, 2022 @ 9:30am

 

Attendance: MJ, CW, MD, TN, LF, SB, LL, SW, DGM, Matthew Flores

 

Agenda:

  1. 1) Housing (25 min)
    1. Quick summary remarks (Max)
      1. MJ: Ciara D stepped down. Proud of what we’ve been doing so far. Some morale issues. Being a Rep takes a lot of time, concerns with APO’s view of this time & effort. Successes: convos about housing (this was not a rep-APO/Meg convo before now)
      2. SB: We appreciate TN, LF for the work they do [+1s all round from the Reps]
    2. Sharing survey results with CDEI (Shavonna)
      1. SB: chatted with LL. Both comfortable with where things stand, awaiting approval from everyone
      2. LL: potential subcommittee for CDEI?
      3. MJ: sees committee as end of our memo-sending phase. MJ can answer general questions about CDEI stuff
      4. LF: clarifying question: one is more of an institution-wide housing committee (CDEI is doing this?) and the other would be JP-specific (Reps-based)?

MJ: Yes. We’re trying to decide now (based on concerns sharing Q responses with Meg) how to proceed. We have draft emails to CDEI and Meg following up on this. We’re also talking about a committee related to issues with transient JP housing (not the same as the general housing insecurity conversations at WHOI)

  1. SW: Agreed: People [APO?] may be open to this new committee. 
  2. MJ: we took a good approach in approaching Meg and Ann regarding housing situation. Thanks to LL and SB for refining tone of emails to CDEI
  3. MJ: are there any objections to these emails
  4. CW: will read CDEI email draft today → so will MD
  5. LL: Currently, emails are signed by Max. Do we want to keep this?
  6. MJ: fair point. We could sign as the reps. My thinking was that I think Meg prefers more informal/personal
  7. LL: I don’t want to create a situation where things are funneled at Max
  8. MJ: agreed
  9. Summary: CW and MD to review by today, SB reviews CW/MD comments; approve by EOD
  10. LF: should Tricia and I look at them?
  11. MJ: didn’t share drafts because messy, don’t want to create uncomfortable situation now with final drafts since you work with/for APO
  12. LF: sounds good
  13. SB: will finalize
  14. MJ: send off emails tomorrow
  1. Joint committee on housing (Max)
    1. MJ: talked to Ann. Want to share an informal proposition with APO for committee about JP housing. Would like it to be student focused, but it would make sense to have 1 APO member. Want to make a doc of information that is approved by/comfortable with APO and students. 
    2. MJ: last year Iulia implemented housing swap. We may want this to live on - need to create institutional memory
    3. SW: where is doc?
    4. MJ: important docs folder
    5. MJ: I got an email from Ann/Meg. They are interested, but need a bit of time to think about it more. In general, they are willing to put someone [from APO] on this committee. Tatiana might make the most sense, but she might not have time. Alternate idea is Meredith comes when T not available. Reps would prefer the same person and/or someone with some decision making power. Proposed meeting frequency 1-2x per month. 
    6. MJ: this got me thinking about student housing memo. We need to do something like that. Get info from students & solicit nominations and bring it to APO. What do we want this committee to look like? What does it need to have? We can start soliciting noms from students (supported by Ann and maybe Meg).
    7. SW: do you think we can nominate students if we’re not sure what the committee will entail?
    8. MJ: Meg/Ann generally on board so far. They said OK to put out a call for students. They will be holding listening sessions to get an idea of the impact of current housing rules on students
    9. MJ: Meg/Ann want it to be clear that this committee is NOT for people to complain about housing insecurity on the Cape. It is for issues with student housing
    10. MJ: APO needs give and take between APO and students.
    11. MJ: My goal: committee will produce this document by Winter Meeting 2023. This will take a while to make the doc, so we should put out a call now and get things going in July
    12. LL: MJ is waiting for a response from APO anyways, should we wait a few days/a week for that?
    13. MJ: follow up from Meg: was T person sitting on committee? Best strategy: form the foundation for the committee, let APO know what we’re planning (we have vision for committee: 4 people, take surveys); worries about letting foundation decision for another time because it doesn’t encourage APO to move quickly on solidifying committee. 
    14. SW: Under impression that this committee is advisory (does research then creates document) but also the day-to-day helping students e.g. new students to move capeside, and helping these students find suitable housing perhaps outside of WHOI housing
    15. MJ: Not quite, instead trying to figure out what most helpful advice to students would be. Meg seemed willing to form standing housing committee. By next summer (July?), student body can decide what steps to take to find suitable housing. SB suggested committee lasts a year (MJ thinks a little long?), but it is research-based group
    16. SW: like a working group.
    17. SB: A year for committee is good timeline/plan to promote actionable work
    18. MJ: Sounds good - Ann is willing to form body that acts as a knowledge bank for housing. Lots of time making suggestions thus far for housing that are met with limited success.
    19. SW: is the goal to approve the formation of this committee then act later?
    20. MJ: Yep and Ann agrees - we discuss what the committee should generally be involved in. Wants to make sure it’s not an anti-recruiting tool. We want this housing doc to be accessible, concerned other reps may not be on board with this right now but we seem to have enough approval to submit general plan to Ann and allow 6 months for consideration from APO.
    21. LL: seems like a good way to move forward, thanks MJ for elaboration on and confidence in plan.
    22. MJ: MJ sends email to Meg today telling them that we’re forming this committee cuz Ann thinks it’s cool. Will provide more details by next working meeting, at which point decide what committee looks like and solicit nominations; then afterwards we can discuss specifics. 

 

Sidpac housing status (Tricia)

  1. TN: No updates from housing; housing thinks it’s a “good idea for card access”. Working to get what we want while being diplomatic. In IS&T and SIMO’s hands, above housing.
  2. MJ: we appreciate you TN for your work trying to get this fixed.
  3. TN: *empathy*
  1. 2) Pending updates (10 min)
    1. Engineering rep update (Lukas)
      1. LL: no updates there; due to CD’s year being very small and other years live up in Cambridge, it’s hard to find people to possibly take this role. One could reach out to younger (2nd) years, no targeted advertising yet.
      2. MJ: try targeting 2nd years; just a 3 month appointment. VV possibly serving as rep?? 
      3. LL: Open call for nominations is open. Can’t follow up within next 2 weeks, is someone willing to do so? CD feels it’s her responsibility, so just checking in with CD.
      4. SW: I’ll check in with Ciara. Could you forward last email chain LL?
      5. MJ: targeted adverts to 2nd years, who by the time would have finished generals
    2. At-large Steinbach scholar (Michael)
      1. MD: Kakani is secured; follow-up with Lea regarding scheduling info after meeting with Kakani this Wednesday; making sure it doesn’t conflict with other WHOI events; MD will act as host
      2. LF: https://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/feature/kakani-katija-young/ 

LF:  https://mobile.twitter.com/kakanikatija/status/1275879795277000705

 

  1. Winter retreat (David)
    1. MJ: DGM can come to next working meeting with a shortlist of ideas regarding scheduling/accommodations?
  1. 3) Big ideas for funding (Max, 15 mins)
    1. Swag?
  2. 4) Funding requests (5 mins)
    1. Dance floor and Latin dance nights (Max)
      1. MJ: Around 15 in attendance for Jane’s events would be a good number to support. We have adequate attendance to possibly warrant buying dance floor. 
      2. SW: (regarding flooring costs) not the 39 people one
      3. SB: maybe 12 x 12? (seconded by SW)
      4. MJ: we take a vote regarding flooring (everyone’s in agreement): 12 x 12 purchase!
      5. MJ: will send an email to Jane regarding 12 x 12 floor approval
    2. Kelp potluck (Max)
      1. MJ: sounds good to them!
      2. SW: sounds good!
      3. MJ: we can go forward with giving $200 to Evie’s event; Evie’s renting the WHOI grill
      4. LF: took care of renting grill with Evie
    3. Gardens and museum trip (Max)
      1. MJ: talked with Iulia: asked for $570 to cover admission/lunch/gas for garden trip, agreed that students would cover 3-6 dollars for the event
      2. LL: wonders if it’s cost effective, because it’s a lot of money for a few people. We can cover gas, but not cover lunch and ask people to pay $5 for partial admission
      3. MJ: for 15 people: would only cost $300 without lunch but covering $10 for admission and covering gas
      4. TN: CW has some base calculation template she used for Maple Barn breakfast; how do we calculate gas?
      5. TN: will send along this information to MJ
      6. LF: question: did reps do reimbursement for Maple Barn breakfast?
      7. MJ: asked people to pay $10 but otherwise full coverage of event
      8. MD: once info is passed around how to calculate gas cost, will let Iulia know about how much we can reimburse.
    4. Tropical party (Max)
      1. MJ: $400 to host party at Jule’s house; Logan’s asking for $150 for lights and fake flowers
      2. MJ: respond to Logan via email, ask what she’s looking for in lighting (could use globe lights which are in the student center)
      3. SB: I’ll email Evie about the $200 funding
    5. Community Conversation: How has the pandemic affected you? (Shawn)
    6. Library of Things: Shellfish Edition (Shavonna)
      1. SB: Noah and Katie agree to be Shellfish Czars; asking for $600 but still pending approval/decision
    7. Guest Lecture: Jobs Outside of Academia in Climate Management (Shavonna)
      1. No update!
      2. LF: work with Lea to to determine what people would want to know regarding academic life outside of PhD.
      3. MJ: would love to hear about what might lie beyond PhD horizon
      4. LF: will send around a form to solicit ideas from students as to what they’d want to hear about - from careers group
  3. 5) Closing reminders (5 min, Max)
    1. MJ: possibly putting money into pools and solicit ideas from students as to how money can be spent
    2. MJ: Also EVERYONE check slack more often!!! 

 

Please review draft constitution changes by working meeting in two weeks

  1. Approve funding requests on slack
  2. Jelly talks (Lukas)

MJ: How are we looking for rooms LL?

LL: 5-6 rooms; we’ve booked them for Jelly Talks

SB: not around a lot of summer, so can’t help LL with arranging

DGM: can help LL; would helping on the June/July sessions work?

LL: starts June 29th to August 24th; funding is around $100 per session

MJ: I can help LL with the August sessions

  1. Naming ceremony (Max)

MJ: wants to bring back stickers in time for the naming ceremony. CD to make the logo and making sure the stickers get enough time to be made. Action to check in with VV and Brenna

TN: we have 4imprint as MIT preferred sticker-printing company for discount

MJ: reach out to Olivia regarding class names 

LF: will reach out for reserving grills/Fenno lawn/check with any events to schedule around