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September_2021_Agenda
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GSA Meeting Agenda + Minutes

Date & Time:

September 15th, 2021 @ 3 pm

Zoom/Room:

https://pitt.zoom.us/j/9789530749 (password=GSA)/Murdoch 7th Floor Conference Room

ATTENDEES

Neha

Sophia

Marissa

Gaby

Andrew

Monica

Stefan

Steven

BaDoi

Roshni

Hanxi

Alex

Caleb


AGENDA

DISCUSSION

ACTION ITEMS

GSA Overview and Logistics

CPCB GSA overview presentation

  • Brief overview of GSA and CPCB committees
  • GSA money: CMU rolls over, Pitt doesn’t
  • Social events will be decided today
  • Responsibilities: choose activity, advertise with 2 weeks notice, take a picture during event for Marissa, contact Drew for reimbursements
  • compbio-students@compbio.cmu.edu

Preferred communication?

  • Slack, email, etc...
  • Does BaDoi want to keep slack responsibilities?

Everyone likes Slack:)

#gsa2021-22 on CPCB-students workspace

BaDoi will keep Slack admin responsibilities

In person meetings vs. virtual

We will keep hybrid meetings, alternate between Pitt and CMU

Monica will look into booking CMU rooms/hybrid technology (contact Ally)

Amendments to the Constitution

  • Do we want to make changes?
  • If so, we will have to schedule this into one of our meetings to have a proper vote.

All GSA members need to be present to vote on an amendment.

Drew: amendments won’t be enough to properly ‘fix’ the constitution. (1) Introduce an amendment to be able to rewrite the constitution, then (2) rewrite the constitution.

Vote on whether to change the constitution: vast majority yes

Drew will take lead on constitution rewrite. By next meeting, come up with list of things to delegate.

Social and Professional Events

Types and frequency of social events

  • In person vs. virtual
  • Monthly, biweekly, etc…
  • Should we assign people to months or have people volunteer once we decide on an event?
  • Social Calendar Link (CPCB Events)
  • Gift cards to incentivize?
  • Budget for events

Before pandemic: monthly in person events

During pandemic: twice a month virtual events

Virtual events are nice budget-wise

2 events a month: 1 virtual + 1 in person

Members at large might be able to host their own events (?)

Might be a bit difficult for scheduling - give priority to person hosting in person event

  • hold off on holding virtual event until in person event for that month is scheduled

Important to be aware of 1st years’ schedules

Spending: set a budget for every event, equally for each event for now.

  • Discuss specific numbers as they come up in the Slack

Gaby wants to host apple-picking event

No virtual event this month

Plan on 2 events a month, 1 virtual and 1 in person

Find out 1st year schedules - Alex for Struct, Daniel Jeong for ML

Drew will figure out budget for events

This months socials

  • Typically, we have an in person BBQ as our first event. Do we want to do this or something else?
  • Who wants to host?
  • Advertising events
  • Host or GSA member at the event needs to take a pic for social media.

Typically, for BBQs and similar events, we have 2 co-hosts to help with planning.

Caroline Larkin might have a good locaiton, but it is far

BaDoi’s location has worked in the past

Caleb’s place in Shadyside can fit ~20? People

Shelters at Schenley Park - the one for TecBIO was ~$75 to rent, the one for retreat was ~$500

Murdoch 8th floor patio also an option

Hosts: Drew & Steven

Estimated budget: ~$200-300

Host by end of September

Neha will ask Kelly/Nicole for alcohol situation

Drew and Steven:

  • Decide on date
  • Look into Schenley park renting, decide final location, maybe send a survey if you’re not sure

Types and frequency of social events

  • In person vs. virtual
  • Monthly, every semester, etc…
  • Will people volunteer to host these?
  • Brainstorm
  • Gift cards for panel participants?
  • Is it worth looking for alumni and others to come speak?

Event brainstorm

  • Apple Picking
  • Kayaking
  • Game night
  • Ice Skating
  • Bowling ($$$$)
  • Fright Night (Kennywood)

There is a list pinned on slack, add items there.

1st Year Involvement

  • Reasons for disconnect between previous 1st years and the rest of the program
  • Thoughts  from Shahul, Sophia and Caleb?
  • How do we address that this year?

Would be nice to have 1v1 emails/introductions

Buddy system? Other programs have this

Before prospectives accept offers, we send emails individually, but we don’t do the same thing for the 1st year students who end up coming

Gaby will organize and implement a buddy system

  • Hanxi will email Gaby a list of 1st years
  • Alex and Roshni will be involved
  • Coffee chats!

Position updates

Treasurer (Drew)

  • Budget Link (CPCB GSA Budget)
  • Find out balance for CMU and Pitt
  • Reimbursements? Vincent card?

Drew doesn’t have access yet - emails have been sent, we are just waiting.

BaDoi says we will get ~$800

CMU side: reimbursements

Pitt side: Vincent card

Last year on pitt side was ~$2200 for 44 students

Drew will find out how much money we have. Will physically bother Michael on Friday and update spreadsheet.

Social media (Marissa)

  • Do you still have access to everything you need?

Marissa is logged into everything, and Joe has access to the email for the passwords

Student seminar (Stefan)

  • Schedule/speakers
  • Time
  • Frequency
  • In person vs. virtual
  • Will the department give us money for this?
  • In the past, we had money to get pizza so people would show up

Dora sent Stefan all the documents from last year.

How can we incentivize people to present?

Can we get in touch with postdocs?

  • There is a postdoc list serv on CMU side

Last year, poll that was sent out required students to schedule months in advance, which might prevent students from signing up

Budget: department might give us money (e.g. pizza)

Aim to start in October

Stefan will send out a poll

Stefan will find out about department money for these

Pitt rep (Steven)

Meetings are Mondays at 5, but Steven has a class then, so he will have to miss the first semester.

He has to organize an event for November

Steven will get the minutes

CMU rep (BaDoi)

There was a meeting this month, BaDoi sent out an email with minutes.

Committee updates

Steering committee (Jenn and Omer - not on GSA)

  • I will reach out to Jenn and Omer to find out when their first meeting is

Neha will reach out to steering committee to stay in the loop

DEI committee (???)

Curriculum committee (Stefan?)

Other committees

  • Seminar series (Steven, Monica)
  • Admissions

Next meeting

  • Possible GSA website
  • Monica/Shahul?
  • GitHub organization for GSA, GitHub pages website
  • Example from SCS Dean’s committee: SCS PhD Dean's Committee
  • I will reach out to Jenn and Omer to find out when their first meeting is