Alex Backer, Magali Billen, Marco Casari. Ioannis Chasiotis, Catherine Cornu, Ying Huang, Oleg Kovrijkine, Fok-Yan Leung, Piet Moeleker, Steven Pracko, Cindy Quezada, Adam Rasheed ,Claude Seywert

Directors absent:

Bob Gingrich, James Harrington, Anil Hirani, Athanasios Nenes, Sandeep Sane, Georgios Zamanakos

Guests:

Rob Rossi (CHCC), Diego Dugatkin (CHCC), Deborah Southerland (x2961), Susan Conner (x8331)

Chair Piet Moeleker presiding

1. Introduction of Guests

Susan Conner and Deborah Southerland introduced themselves in their functions as Assistant Director of Counseling and Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program Coordinator respectively.

2. Additions to the Agenda

A review of the millennium party added under ‘old business’.
Announcement about Campus Center added under ‘new business’

The minutes are unanimously approved.

1. Announcements
• Piet is proud to announce that Aero has once again won the GSC soccer league (under the amazing leadership of yours truly)
• If you use PTA codes to charge something to a GSC account, please let Steve know about it (and tell him the amount)
• The BoD is having a dinner at the Ath (the prime rib buffet) on February 9. Significant others are invited too (but only if they are significant). The GSC picks up the tap.
• There are 3 different candidates for technique editor. Catherine, Marco and Claude will conduct interviews at the end of the month.
2. Catalina Housing Update
• The survey results can be seen on the web: www.its.caltech.edu/~cats. They will be doing some changes as a result of the survey: the old bike racks will be taken out and replaced by new ones (though not quite as many – if more are needed they will be installed too). By the end of February they will also add new bulletin boards in the Catalinas (2 in central, 1 south and 1 north) – we suggested they put some next to the entrances to the parking structures.
• In the last month the CHCC cosponsored a Panettone night with the Italian club (December 5) and organized a game-night on December 22. Here’s the list of events planned for January:
• A pool tournament that will last for 2 weeks (with finals being played in a pub in oldtown)
• Ski trip on January 25 (during the week) and another one in February (on a weekend)
• Movie night on January 23
• Superbowl party on January 30. They asked the GSC for cosponsoring to purchase some beer and we agreed unanimously to grant them $200 for the event (to be held in 2 of the recrooms)
• About the noise issue: the policy is stated explicitly in the handbook. Those rules need to be followed by everyone. The GSC will make sure that the organizers of party’s we sponsor are aware of this policy and enforce it (turning down the volume and closing the recroom doors seems to have worked at the millennium party). Also any additional rules that Linda gives (e.g. no smoke machine) need to be respected. The survey replies had more (unsolicited) complaints about the noise level at parties than complaints about a lack of social life.
3. Millenium Party

The millenium party was quite successful; the dance-floor was packed all the night and the patio was full of people too. We had visitors from UCLA, the arts-center,… Amazingly the party was also a little bit under budget (nice planning Alex!). Alex only had a complaint about the Flyer Task Force as he did not get any replies (actually Piet and Ioannis did reply). Everyone needs to make an effort to get those flyers up and confirm with the organizer (who in turn needs to make sure the material is send out in time)!

1. Counceling Center Programs

The counseling center would like to get better contacts with graduate students. Thus they encourage us to come up with suggestions for possible programs, etc. They presented a number of suggestions:

• Stress management (more of a one time thing for those who can’t / don’t want to follow a series)
• Drugs and Alcohol (subject depending on the specific needs of the community)
• Relationship issues
• Shyness (there will be a workshop at the end of this term)
• Volunteering / social activities (there seems to be a desire by people to get more involved in the community)
• Getting your thesis done, advisor issues (Parandeh Kia and Kevin Austin are working on this)

We discussed these issues and together we came up with some ways that will hopefully make the graduate students more aware of these programs: meet at a more central location (and away from the health center!) and have more regular programs.

2. GSC recommendations for Dean

Ying, Tashica Williams, Jim, and Piet are graduate students on the search committee. Email them with your suggestions (Piet especially requested each director to submit two candidates to him). These suggestions will be combined into a long list (together with suggestions from the faculty) and then the selection process will begin. Note that the whole process is confidential so no names will appear here.

3. Athletics Department

Fok will set up a meeting with Tim Downes (and maybe Wendell Jack). The athletics department wants to know from us what we want them to do, especially with the North-Field. They are drafting a long term strategic plan and here is our chance to put our word in! If you’re interested in the meeting, please email Fok.

4. ClubGUSH

No ClubGUSH in January. We need to put more effort (or more pressure) into this. There will be a ClubGUSH next month (we have budgeted one for each month!).

5. Jazz night

At the beginning of February. Steve, Ying, Magali, Giorgio and Claude are helping with the organization.

6. Party Equipment pool

Alex handed in the proposal to the SIF for an equipment similar to the one he used for the millenium party. The proposal total is $909 (mainly for lights).

7. Campus Center

A committee to draft preliminary plans for a campus center and to establish what should belong to this center has been formed. Adam and Claude are our representatives. Any comments / suggestions should be directed to them.