The following minutes were unanimously approved with edits on March 2, 2018.

Call to Order

The regular meeting of the DTSA was called to order at 4:12 pm on February 2, 2018, in Room 5409.

Present

Sarah Lucie (President), Cory Tamler (First Vice President), Joseph Paul Hill (Digital Initiatives Officer), Christine Snyder (Professionalization Representative), Mara Valderrama (Admissions and Awards), Amir Farjoun (Curriculum and Exams), Eylul Akinci (International Student Representative)

Absent

Hansol Oh (Second Vice President), Ashley Marinaccio (Secretary-Treasurer), Kyueun Kim (DSC Rep), Jared Pike (Grad Council Rep)

Approval of Agenda

CT motioned to approve the agenda as submitted. MV seconded. Unanimously approved.

Approval of Minutes

CT motioned to approve the minutes as submitted. JPH seconded. Unanimously approved.

Reports

President, Sarah Lucie

Welcome back! I’m looking forward to another great semester thanks to you all!

First, thank you for everyone’s help with the end of the semester gathering in December, especially Mara who helped with a bunch of the shopping, and Cory and Christine who unpacked the Fresh Direct delivery. And a HUGE thank you to Eylul, for her extremely successful reading of star charts at the party. Her efforts raised $133.

Reporting from the Open Executive Committee, Peter reminded us of the impending switch to CUNYFirst and the fear of potential missed payments. Be on the lookout, especially if you’re an international student.

Peter also informed us of a few additional research awards and/or extended deadlines for grants, specifically regarding the Marty Tackle Award for “American” research. The updated information should be available on the website.

First Vice President, Cory Tamler

I’ve solicited recommendations for spring theatre outings and sent out an email today with dates and shows to collect RSVPs. This semester they will be shows and performances that get us out of the standard Manhattan theatres:

  • February: The Infinite Wrench (NY Neos)
  • March: Colin Self’s Siblings (MoMA PS1)
    • bonus: Three Tall Women and the option to visit Marvin’s class to discuss
  • April: Angelica Lidell (Montclair, New Jersey)
    • bonus: SEAGULLMACHINE (Nick Benacerraf’s show)
  • May: Immersive version of George C. Wolfe’s The Colored Museum (Harlem Rep)

Our annual trivia night is confirmed for April 26. All central faculty except for Erika gave me a hard yes in re: availability. Erika will try to join us, but is giving a talk the next day and may need to leave early or miss the event entirely in order to prep. I’ll send out a save the date next week and start working on space reservation.

Second Vice President, Hansol Oh

Nothing to report.

Secretary-Treasurer, Ash Marinaccio

We have numerous quotes submitted on the quote board for the bags. What are our next steps? I can collect them and the DTSA can vote on them. We could also have an open vote.

Digital Initiatives Officer, Joseph Paul Hill

Nothing to report.

Professionalization Representative, Christine Snyder

I have the professionalization schedule for the spring, 2018 semester, which we can discuss. Jean is open to a practical professionalization for next (fall) semester—at this point, we have the digital humanities event. We can talk more about this for next year. A solid example of what such an event might look at—curators discussing museum space/performance art? Dramaturgs? Directors or other practitioners?

I am submitting for reimbursement for $99.36, which should cover the entire year’s professionalization events and is under budget.

Admission and Awards Representative, Mara Valderrama

Applications for Fall 2018 are in! We had 33 applications and the Admissions Committee meeting will be held next week, on the 9th.

Curriculum and Exams Representative, Amir Farjoun

I’ve begun work at the Segal Center. Come and visit me there. There are no windows.  Other than that, more work needs to be done on the pressing curriculum issues: Practice, Survey Automatization, and the Advance Research Class. I’m also working on a planning paper for a Segal Center-DTSA collaboration. I’d love for us to talk about it.

I had a meeting with Prof. Lin on Feb 1. After talking with the exec committee, she asked that I “test the waters” regarding students’ preferences in relation to the Advanced Research Course, namely if to create a formal “gateway” so that entering the class is predicated upon certain previous checkboxes (excuse my English here, it’s late), or to do so less formally, as a recommendation for students to take the course later rather than sooner in their coursework.

My sense is that we should opt for the latter, for clear reasons, I think. But I’d also love there to be a norm which, upon completion of the 1st exam, a student sketches out with the advisor (head of committee) her own—realistic—road to degree. Anyway, we should talk about this, too.

DSC Program Representative, Kyueun Kim

Nothing to report.

Graduate Council and Alumni Engagement Representative, Jared Pike

Nothing to report.

International Student Representative, Eylul Akinci

Last semester I have sit down with the latest international student cohort and noted down the most burning concerns. The next step is to survey the larger international student body of the department. I will distribute the survey and make a priority list of issues to be addressed until our next meeting.

This semester I also want to organize at least two events for international students:

  1. To address writing and publishing issues particular to ESLs among us and how to collectively resolve them or the anxieties around them.
  2. To address professionalization issues for those who do not feel at home or at ease with the US style of academic institutionalization and self-branding (read: how to survive intellectual imperialism), the practicalities of going into job market here on a visa and what our realistic prospects are, and how to find strengths through our different traditions of working-writing-thinking-teaching.

I need to pick your brains about finding resources (documents or people) to make these workshops happen. Also I need your help/guidance in scheduling and promoting these events.

New Business

Scheduling: meetings and events

Future DTSA meetings. And two need to be chaired by someone other than SL.

Budget check in

Old Business

Tote bag fundraiser

We have submissions in—how should we vote?

Does anyone want to do the design or know someone who can?

How many should we order? $.89 per bag plus shipping

Segal handbook

Do we need to formalize Amir’s role? Do we need any document?

Adjournment

CT motion to adjourn the meeting at 5:49 pm. CS seconded. All in favor.