CGE Steward Council Minutes

February 18, 2014

Introductions

Participation Email

EECS Steward Amir Azarbakht was upset by an email he received concerning his participation. He and the VP for Organizing have resolved the issue.

Steward Council Appointments

The Steward Council approves the the Executive Council’s appointment of Casey Waun from Chemistry.

T-Shirt Design

The Steward Council was given three different designs for a new CGE T-shirt. The council would like to combine the designs in some way; discussion and a vote will continue over email.

Winter School Debrief

The stewards and officers who attended AFT-OR Winter School report on what they learned. Our steward structure is very strong as compared to other locals. The high turnover rate is a challenge to organizing, but also an opportunity to cycle in fresh ideas. Stewards are encouraged to ask their members how leadership positions in CGE can be more desirable.

Steward Recognition System

VP for Organizing Béatrice presented her new steward reward system. Stewards who perform activities such as office visits, department orientations, or attend AFT events will be given a unique button. Ashley has offered to make matching sashes, and will take color requests from stewards who collect a blue card. In addition, one of CGE’s parking spots at Westminster House will be given to the Steward with the highest participation every half-term. The first recipient of the parking spot will be the Steward who submits the most blue cards before April 1.

Spring Term Goals

Stewards broke into small groups to discuss their personal goals and later announced these goals to the full council. Goals ranged from department membership, a foosball event, and reinstating a graduate lounge.

Department Updates

• Both Human Development and Family Studies and Geography grads have had workload issues.
• There is a lack of office space in the Horticulture department.
• The head of Crop and Soil Sciences is stepping down. Additionally, the department does not have enough computers for its grads.
• Provost Sabah Randhawa made an executive decision to demote both the Engineering Dean and the EECS Head from their leadership positions (they’ll still have their tenured professorships). The EECS faculty are still unhappy about not getting a say in their school’s governance.
• Science and Math Education has been updated to much nicer offices.
• There is a refrigerator in Environmental Science that badly needs to be cleaned.

AFT Political Action Fund

The state government offers a $50 political tax credit for  donations to political action groups and candidates, meaning you get $50 free dollars to donate in Oregon. Kevin Weitemier encourages Stewards to make a contribution to the AFT Political Action Fund, particularly as we build up to this year’s ballot initiatives.

Pay It Forward

Pay It Forward is a proposed funding system for the Oregon university system where students do not pay up front for the cost of education, but are instead required to pay 3% of their income to the state for 25 years following their higher education. The steward council agreed to sign on to AFT’s open letter in opposition to Pay It Forward, and will discuss over email drafting a second letter from CGE’s point of view.

Trivia Night Announcement

End of Business

Solidarity Forever