Attendance: Rilee, Lilli, Miah, Hiroki, Bailey, Jenn, Natalie, Paige
Missing: Tiricia, Keqi
- Open House Committee updates – Lilli, Paige, Natalie
Lilli: Met with APO, we have 7 students ready to volunteer!
Paige: Looking into restaurants. State Parks does not have a lot of vegan options.
Lilli: If it’s about sit down or more casual is up to us.
Paige: State Park (food minimum plus fees, min = $3500)
Lilli: Broader scale, it would be good if department reps checked in with ed coordinators about open house.
- Winter Retreat update – Rilee
Rilee: 28 people (officially paid) and in two weeks. We have an extra $600 for activities. People are excited and the numbers seem healthy. Need to make a budget for food and transportation,
- Steinbach updates? – Jenn, Bailey, Natalie
Bailey: G&G candidate is selected. Looking to find the best date.
Jenn: In a holding pattern, the person nominated was nominated within the last ten years. Waiting for Ann approval
Natalie: Same issue, waiting for new approval from Ann.
- Buffins fairies/student center(organizing?)/photoboard updates – Jenn, Natalie, Bailey
Bailey: Looks good!
Natalie: Got shelves and roku for the JP student center. Waiting on IS for wifi.
Jenn: similar problem with wifi. Put together shelves and lamps. Need lightbulbs (3-way) wash and clean silverware. Buffins are set up and running. Questions: Should we plan and organize a clean up of the student center? Student wide or 2-3 person thing
- FISH funding/snack budget clarification
Rilee: Where is the FISH budget coming from?
Jenn: Danny submitted a request. Right now they are fronting a lot of it. Consistent monthly budget would be good. The event is open to many groups (post-docs, tech etc.) would they be able to split the costs through APO? Or multiple departments sharing the cost?
- Student mentorship program revival? – Jenn
Jenn: I did not meet with Keqi. We are meeting next week. Inspired by chemistry annual reviews. Many of the first and second years did not have peer mentors (during APO turnover). Not sure if the funding came from the Reps or APO. But I’m trying to get it off the ground.
- Start thinking about Annual Meeting (first steps needed – Rilee, Lilli, Jenn, Paige)
Rilee: When Tricia emailed, she said to set up a meeting.
Lilli: What is the timing?
Rilee: Last year it was mid april. If we can get it in March, that would be great. Some issues with it occuring during Passover. We can decide on the date next week.
- What should we do about the website
Rilee: Do we have a google form for people to submit funding requests.
Hiroki: I heard back from Scott. I can now edit the website. It was a permission issue. Caroline or Scott had permission, but did not change the permission while on fieldwork. I don’t know if anyone else has permission.
- Time change for working meeting?
Rilee: Can we do 10 for both? Or 9 for both?
Page: 10 conflicts with MIT coffee hour.
Rilee: Okay let’s say 9 (all agree)
Lilli: Let’s check with Keqi and Tricia
- DEI briefing for students
Jenn: I wrote up a brief and can send it around. What do we need to change and how? Thinking forward, we will need to change what Queer Prom is called. The bigger problem is the LGBTQ library (reimbursement subsidy). I don’t know how to make sure it is protected. Maybe we need to rename it? We should protect its availability to students. Since the purchases have already been made, those should be fine.
Lilli: We should check in with Tricia. Not sure how much what Natalie said to us applies. Most of the funding comes from MIT. We don’t really know yet.
Paige: MIT might have a bigger endowment and not follow the EO as tightly.
Jenn: Once MIT money is in WHOI, what happens if/when WHOI is audited? Is there a differentiation between APO/MIT?
Rilee: Do we wanna organize a separate meeting with Tricia about this? (All agree)
- Movie night start ups?-Jenn
Jenn: Now that we have a popcorn machine, it could be chill and fun. If we have the Roku, we could just have it in the student center. Alternatively in Clark 5. I will put together an email each week to advertise.
Lilli: Maybe we invite her (Tricia) to Working Meeting?
Rilee: Sure! And we can talk about Annual Meeting
Bailey: What should we ask Ed coordinators about OH?
Lilli: Just if there are events students should attend
Jenn: Will there be buddy matching?
Lilli: Yes! But students have not been admitted yet. Coming soon.