CGE Steward Council
Meeting Minutes
October 6, 2014

Opening
The regular meeting of the CGE Steward Council was called to order at 6:00 PM on October 6, 2014 in Westminster House by Beatrice.

Present
Check with sign-in sheet

Business

• Introduction
  • (Beatrice) Stewards give introductions: Name, Study, Position
• New appointments
  • (Beatrice) Explanation of conferring appointments and how the consensus model works.
  • Heather Hill (Physics)
    • Consensus reached
  • Miram Gleiber (Integrative Biology)
    • Consensus reached
  • Paul Singer (Civil & Construction Engineering)
    • Consensus reached
  • Hillary Fishler (Environmental Sciences)
    • Consensus reached
  • Rebecca Budesky (Speech Communication)
    • Consensus reached
  • Ryan Beaston (Public Policy)
    • Consensus reached
  • Richard Arquette (CSSA)
    • Consensus reached
  • Nerissa Fisher (Microbiology)
    • Consensus reached
• Department Updates
  • (Beatrice) Main point of SC is to give updates on the status of each department.
  • Chem Bio El Eng
    • Everything is going well. Currently recruiting stewards.
  • Integrative Biology
    • Everything is going well.
    • (Ashley) FTE
    • FTE came up in first couple meetings. Lead instructors were the only affected, but resolved.
  • ECCS
    • Current new student meet-up, trying to have school reimburse for event… some unannounced rule that prohibits reimbursement.
    • (SA) Advisor and Dept. Head signing on to provide money…
    • pproval and justification needed prior to event.
    • Laundering department money through professor to make legitimate?
    • Alcohol holds up events from being eligible for reimbursement.
      (Baby crying)
    • Take advantage of interim department head
  • Math
    • Some first-years with direct deposit have not been paid. Paycheck issues.
    • Lack of materials to do job. Corrected by providing Office 365 to solve
  • Statistics
    • More paycheck issues. Effecting international students. Orientation was a success, signing up 15 new members!
    • Questions about fees, patience will solve the issue eventually.
    • (AB) Everything should even out, but if it doesn’t let us know by Monday.
  • Botany
    • Orientation accrued new members. Dept not paid in September, must wait till October. Requirements for members to be present in September, should be getting paid.
    • College of Agriculture may be the issue, potential to pursue
  • Civil Engineering
    • 10 year reunion, panel requested feedback from Grad Students, lots of listening.
    • (SA) Anything CGE can do?
    • Some related to pay, but mostly just first year issues
  • Water resources
    • No issues
  • HDFS
    • New work spaces this year. Transition has caused issues with getting new keys, back up, lack of access to computers. Last minute notices of move, desks boxed up without notice.
    • One blue card short of 100%!!!
  • WG&SS
    • 18 sharing an office w/ shortage of space and access to equipment.
    • Office not accessible for Graduate Employee.
  • SWLF
    • 100% CGE membership!!!
    • Moved GTAs all together on one floor. FTE questions, two sections taught… level of FTE? What is the reasoning?
    • Example of a co-worker having to teach two separate classes that require extra prep time.
    • Insurance has not kicked in for employees in the department!
      • Echoed by multiple stewards!
      • Advised to seek treatment and pay, with a plan of filing for reimbursement later.
      • (AB) Mostly a department issue, late paperwork causing issues. Changes with new contract are not in effect for all employees. Should be corrected soon.
      • Bill and charge to student account as a possible solution.
  • MIME
    • Paperwork processing for Appt. letters late, office person was out sick. Behind!
  • Public Policy
    • No offices for TAs. Professors are doubling up and taking PhD offices. Large Issue! Gilkey/Bexell Hall move delayed.
    • No health insurance yet…
    • Pursue up the ladder with grievances
  • CS
    • Fine
  • Forest ecosystems and society
    • Accounting errors on financial statements
  • Psychology
    • 90% membership
  • Ocean and At Sciences
    • No issues
  • CR SS
    • New department head
    • Internet issues, building issues… no internet in basement and labs
    • Sending formal email call for action
  • Food Sciences
    • Appreciated health insurance conversation
  • Anthropology
    • Excited about contract! Everyone should be moved to new FTE. Dept. withholding changes until ratification… sketchy?
  • Public Health
    • International students getting the shaft. Cultural differences are not recognized, Dept. Head firings of an employee because of lack of cultural competence. “Language barriers, a need to understand English better”. International students are on a “short leash”
      • Math echoed need for department head cultural competence
      • BRING UP TO ED RAY!
  • Chemistry
    • New members, steward interest.
    • TA basement offices for ALS are requiring $$ for keys
  • Microbiology
    • Fee issues. Cool new spot on the 4th floor of Nash
• Ratification
  • (Thomas) Changes in the contract. Admin agreed to enact changes prior to ratification. As stewards, you have the responsibility to promote voting for the new contract. Importance to stress democratic freedom and free choice. Process is validated with more turnout. Turn out as many people as possible.
  • Election committee- 3 members, to serve to as
    • 5pm Wednesday
    • Andre
    • Eric
    • Kevin
    • (check with Ashley)
• Tuition Remissions
  • (Shannon) Change in the administration of OSU police regarding remissions. Departments overspending ~$3million. In an effort to cut back, the university is requiring departments to be more purposeful about spending and allotment. Appointments will be honored for this year, but Departments will be responsible for future allocation of tuition remissions. Not an effect of the new contract, but a new policy change. Sherm will be at the GMM to talk and answer questions. Sherm is encouraging folks to go to college dean in the event of dropping assistantship.
• GMM
  • (Gloria) Connection to members at large
  • Friday the 24th, food at 530, business at 6
  • Everyone welcome to attend
• Office visits
  • (Beatrice) Suggest for non-members to come to GMM to see how business runs.
  • Week three and four… membership drive… office visits within each department.
  • For additional info on training, contact AB or Bea
  • Sign up for shifts to do office visits
    • Competition for most number of shifts
      • Prize is a free parking spot in Westminster
      • GTFF update
  • (AB) Who they are and what they need… contract issues… lots of bargaining… going through mediation… issues over min salaries and health insurance (increased costs pushed onto employees)
  • Support our local unions in
• Voter registration
  • (Drew) Sending out poll on steward list to allow for Voter Reg folks to come give a class-rap.
• CGE office space update
  • (Kris) New non-basement office in Westmin, look for the new sign. Rent went from $350 to 850. Also modifying doors to be ADA compliant. Buzzer to communication between offices. And new signage.
  • (SA) A push from steward council and is now being implemented!
  • (Kris) Rati-Pied Party! Wed. 8pm …address on social list…
•  AGEL volunteers
  • (Thomas) AGEL Conference (pronounced correctly) gathering of Grad Employees. Looking for one additional member to send. In Michigan, leaving Thursday of next week and coming home on Sunday!
  • (AB) Gave testimony about the value of attending AGEL.
  • Interest from:
    • ???
• Reward system
  • (Beatrice) Giving back to Stewards for the hard work that they do!
  • Office visits determine “Steward of the Year” and win parking space at Westmin.
  • Button system…
• Personal goals
  • (Beatrice) What is something that you can do as Stewards to move forward to support the life of Grad Employees??
  • Reporting of goals
    • Forrest Parker (Math)–take a step back to give other folks a chance to take leadership in math.
    • Claire Gibbons (Math)–have a meeting with first years to discuss CGE and work issues.
    • Michael Griffith (Math)–same as Claire and improve communication within the department.
    • Thomas Morrill (Math)–help someone through a grievance.
    • Zhian Kamvar (Botany & Plant Pathology)–do office visits!
    • Ally Stacey (Math)–get more involved in the department as a CGE leader.
    • Dwight Holland (Math)–existence.
    • Paul Singer (Civil & Construction Engineering)–Find out the membership percentage in Civil & Construction Engineering and improve it by 50%.
    • Sean McGregor (Electrical Engineering & Computer Science)–Increase the diversity of the department. Get social events going.
    • Spencer Leuenberger (Electrical Engineering & Computer Science)–Get more electrical engineering people involved in CGE. Find another EE steward.
    • Andre Habet (School of Writing, Literature, & Film)–Get more people to the GMM via ponzi scheme. Get 3 people…each of them get three people, etc.
    • Eric Coker (Public Health)–Get more people to the GMM via ponzi scheme. Get 3 people…each of them get three people, etc. Follow up on international student treatment.
    • Nicole Kirchoff (Microbiology)–Learn more about CGE to be able to speak informatively. See how many micro people are plugged into/interested in CGE.
    • Ryan Beaston (Public Policy)–Get to know public policy people so they know they can come to me with questions. Get knowledgeable enough to have answers to those questions.
    • Allison Dorko (Science, Math, & Computer Science Education)–Turn out people for the ratification vote. Talk to new people and get their membership cards (=3).
    • Keiko Bostwick (Psychology)–Turn out people to GMM, find a replacement, reach 100% membership (1 more!).
    • Esteban Bowles-Martinez (College of Earth, Ocean, & Atmospheric Sciences)–Get to know people in the college and spread knowledge of CGE.
    • Stephany Chacon (Soil Science)–get ALS internet fixed; increase lab safety by having all grads & undergrads trained to be in labs.
    • Araby Belcher (Crop Science)–get 6 crops people to the GMMs this year; get 6 people to use the writing center.
    • Michelle Jennings (Material Science)–meet with Rob Stone to discuss issues with timeliness of appointment; get people to the GMM.
    • Ian Garretson (Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering)–find a replacement; get a steward for the MBI people on the HP campus.
• Election Committee Volunteers
  o Andre Habet
  o Dwight Holland
  o Zhian Kamvar
  o Kevin Weitemier
  o Michael Griffith

Singing of Solidarity Forever
• (Beautiful harmonies)

Adjournment

Meeting was adjourned at 7:57PM by Beatrice.

Minutes submitted by: Drew Hatlen