GHA gleeful hour

The fantastic GHA social committee threw one of the best GHA happy hours yet at 1020 this evening. Thanks to everyone for turning out. Next time someone should really be in charge of taking photos...
eileen

First GHA meeting Fall 2007

GHA Meeting Friday September 21, 2007
Contents:
1. GEC report
2. Social Committee
3. Profesional Development
4. ID Situation
5. Teaching Committee
6. Orientation report
7. Website and Technological Improvements
8. Updating the Graduate Student Handbook
9. The Shawn Symposium

1. GEC
Nathan reported from the GEC. They will have their first meeting on Monday. On the agenda for the meeting: updates on future plans for space for graduate students with the renovation of Fayerweather Hall, the history department’s childbirth policy (Bob tips his hat at women and their reproductive abilities. He recently became a proud father), and the status of additional compensation for TAs.

2. Social Committe
The Social Committee welcomes any suggestions for events. There are movements underway to establish wiffle ball, indoor soccer, and kickball intramural teams. If you are interested in playing or if you have any ideas for further events, email Melissa Borja at mmb2149@columbia.edu or Aimee Genell at amg2159@columbia.edu.

The Social Committee also plans on continuing the traditional Happy Hours. Look for announcements. There are also plans for a Winter Party in January, and we floated ideas about holding a ‘mock the faculty’/follies event.


3. Professional Development
The faculty in charge of Professional Development in the department this year are Greg Mann and Mark Mazower. We came up with a short list of suggestions for events we would find helpful. We recommend workshops on:
1. How to attend a conference – how to submit a paper – how to put together a panel
2. job talks
3. cover letters
If there are any other workshops you would find helpful, please email me at er2228@columbia.edu, and I will pass along those suggestions.


4. ID situation
Sean Sawyer should be sending out further emails about the ID system. As you probably know, the university is transitioning to a new system whereby we will only have one ID instead of the two Student/Officer IDs. Apparently, TAs were classified as Students under the new system instead of Insructors. This poses a problem in terms of getting our extended library and printing priveleges. The new system has now initiated a new category called ‘Student-Officer.’ All TAs should be entered into the new system as such within the next week or two at which point you should go to Kent Hall and get your new ID. If you are a new TA and find you really need your privileges, get in touch with Sean Sawyer at ses18@columbia.edu

5. future of the Teaching Committee
The Teaching Committee – responsible for organizing workshops to train new TAs and the ‘How We Teach’ and Spring Symposium – has traditionally received money from GSAS. This year, GSAS has set aside $20,000 for teaching workshops throughout the university, and we are required to submit a proposal to receive our money. Jenna Alden and I are in the process of drawing up this proposal, and we will submit it to Jan Allen next week. Meanwhile, we feel that the History Department should commit to providing the funding in the future instead of GSAS.


6. debrief on orientation
The first years at the GHA meeting provided some feedback on orientation this year. The biggest problems were in the information packets that were sent out during the summer. There were some complaints that the packages arrived too late. Why can’t they be sent out in May? Also, some students had a hard time getting in touch with someone who could answer questions over the summer. It might make sense to include letters from area chairs that would explain more about specific area requirements – especially the language exams.

In terms of the actual orientation, feedback was generally positive, but the students wanted events that were more personal and more focused on all of the first years getting to know one another. Instead of having a large group of students and faculty giving short introductions, there could be a meeting with only the first years and a few faculty to facilitate. Also, it would help if we could set up a facebook group with all of the new admitees over the summer and/or include more information in the mailed packages.


7. Website – need suggestions for improvement
Bob Neer, our communications czar, gave a report on the new and improved website. Sean is asking all students to please look at the website, and if you have any suggestions for improvement, let him know.

Now in the graduate student directory, we all have bio pages that we can update with photos, information, links to CVs, pdf’s etc. Bob will send out instructions on how you can do this yourself.
Also new – we have a wiki page, a blog, and a facebook group (called GHA) – all accessible through the GHA section of the History Department webpage. Bob will also send basic instructions on how to use these. We encourage everyone to get involved in these new electronic resources.

Bob recommends that we move from the current GHA list serv to a Yahoo group. Pros: more flexibility, user friendly, the possibility of getting your GHA emails in a weekly digest form. Cons: this would require everyone to sign up for a Yahoo account and make the move themselves. We decided to hold off on making this change until the beginning of next semester, if at all. If you have a strong feeling one way or the other, please let your GHA officers know.

8. graduate student handbook needs to be updated
We plan to put an unofficial version of the graduate student handbook on the wiki page so all of us can make changes. Eventually, the goal is to get an official, updated version confirmed by the department.


9. Shawn Symposium
We strongly recommend that as many of us as possible attend the Shawn symposium to show our appreciation to the Shawns and ensure their continued support.

Symposium on Future Directions in Historical Scholarship

OCTOBER 22, 2007, 4-6:30pm, 301 Philosophy Hall



In 2007, Howard and Natalie Shawn funded five summer research scholarships for advanced students in the history department. On October 22, these students will present at a Symposium on Future Directions in Historical Scholarship. All faculty, students and friends are invited to this event. The Shawns will attend, and the symposium will be followed by a reception. The Shawn Scholars for 2007 are:

Russell Rickford, “`A Struggle in the Arena of Ideas’: Black Independent Schools, Nation Building and the Evolution of Identity, 1965-1980”

Samuel White, “Ecology, Climate, and Crisis in the Ottoman Near East”

Nicole Hemmer, “Messengers of the Right: Media and the Making of the Modern Conservative Movement”

Neil Young, "We Gather Together: Catholics, Mormons, Southern Baptists and the Question of Interfaith Politics, 1972-1984"

Ansley Erickson, “Schooling the Metropolis: The Growth Ideal and Educational Inequity in Nashville, Tennessee, 1950-2000”

Medical Leaves of Absence

If a medical leave is approved before the end of September, then the student may elect to remain enrolled in the Medical Insurance at the student price. Students are then also required to purchase the Health Services fee ($386 in each fall and spring, around $170 in the summer.) The student is liable for the cost: fellowship does not cover any costs during a leave. A student on an approved medical leave may purchase this Medical Insurance at the student price for up to 2 semesters; thereafter they would be eligible for the Continuation plan offered by Chickering directly, at a higher price.

For Fall the Medical Insurance costs are:

• Basic insurance $569
• Comprehensive Insurance $813
• For Spring the Medical Insurance costs are (they include summer):
• Basic insurance $873
• Comprehensive Insurance $1254

If a medical leave is approved after the first 30 days of the semester, then it will be treated as a withdrawal, where the student will owe a portion of the tuition as per the withdrawal schedule, and the Medical Insurance and Health Services fees will not be refunded. So, there's the additional cost of the tuition (which may or may not be covered by fellowship.) The withdrawal schedule can be found here:

"http://www.columbia.edu/cu/registrar/docs/students/withdrawal/index.html" 

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/registrar/docs/students/withdrawal/index.html

More on LOA's here: "http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsas/pages/cstudents/std-ser/loa/index.html"
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsas/pages/cstudents/std-ser/loa/index.html.

Administrative Staff Descriptions

Short version

Sharee - first resource for all questions; she can direct you to the proper staff or faculty member
Abel - copying, keys to offices (for TAs and work-studies), ordering of desk copies
Sonia - work-study
Jiang - all instructional payroll/paperwork, if you aren't getting a check that you expect - he's the one to see
Sean - come to Sean if you can't get your issue addressed by one of the above or have larger concerns about the department

Long version

J.T. DeNicola — Administrative Assistant for Faculty Affairs, (jd2091), 854-4700
The Administrative Assistant for Faculty Affairs, J.T. DeNicola, reports to the Academic Department Administrator (ADA) and works closely with both the ADA and the department Chair in all matters related to faculty searches, appointments, and reviews. His responsibilities include: coordinating the planning and logistics of faculty searches in cooperation with the chairs and members of search committees; maintaining faculty files, databases, and online directories; and coordinating the faculty review process together with staff in the Office of the Vice President of Arts & Sciences. This position also assists with other administrative duties, including office reception, photocopying, and event planning and implementation.

Sharee M. Nash—Graduate Administrator, (smn2), 854-7001
Sharee Nash, the Graduate Administrator, manages all aspects of the department's doctoral program in coordination with the Director of Graduate Studies. She handles all administrative matters related to graduate students, including the admissions process, financial aid, registration; language exams, certification for the M.A. and M.Phil degrees; assignment of teaching fellows, and maintenance of student records. She is also responsible for publishing the Graduate Student Handbook on an annual basis.

Lizzie Pope — Undergraduate Administrator, (egp2007), 854-2573
Elizabeth Pope, the Undergraduate Administrator is responsible for all issues related to the department's undergraduate majors and concentrators and works closely with the Undergraduate Education Committee to develop and implement policies pertaining to the undergraduate major. She keeps them informed of program deadlines, department events, the seminar application process, new courses, and fellowships and makes sure students are on track to complete their requirements. The Undergraduate Administrator is also responsible for managing the department's curriculum at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She coordinates curriculum planning with relevant faculty committees and publishes the department's course listings in all relevant university bulletins, as well as the department's annual undergraduate guide.


Sean Sawyer— Academic Department Administrator, (ses18), 854-2413
The Academic Department Administrator (ADA) has primary responsibility for administrative management of the History Department and reports to the Chair. He is responsible for the organization and planning of the academic and administrative activities of the department, including matters of financial, personnel, and space management and the provision of student and faculty services. The ADA has overall responsibility for the department's administrative budget and for supervision of the instructional budget in collaboration with the Chair. He is responsible for the hiring, training, and supervision of all department staff. The ADA processes all full-time faculty appointments and oversees faculty search activities. He oversees departmental facilities and space utilization, coordinates planned capital projects, and approves requests for repairs and improvements to Facilities Management. The ADA is a member of the department's Space Committee and prepares reports for faculty academic committees and the Chair as necessary. He advises faculty and students concering University policies and procedures.

Sonia Sorrentini—Financial Administrator, (sw367), 854-7003
Working closely with the department's Business Manager, Sonia Sorrentini, the Administrative Assistant for Financial Affairs, is responsible for all departmental expense accounts, including those faculty research and set-up accounts under the department's control, and for the department's participation in the Federal Work-Study program. She works with faculty, staff, and students to process purchasing and remibursement requests, including office supplies and equipment for departmental use. She also monitors all of the department's equipment and service contracts. Sonia supervises Work-Study employees within the department office and works with faculty members to process their requests for Work-Study assistance.
Abel Vargas—Department Secretary, (av2223), 854-4646
The Department Secretary is the principal receptionist for the department office and provides secretarial support to the faculty and the Academic Department Administrator. He answers the department's principal telephone line and directs callers and walk-in visitors to the appropriate faculty or staff member. He photocopies course materials, orders desk copies, and coordinates computer support for faculty. The Department Secretary is also responsible for mail delivery and distribution and for compiling notices of department events and news for posting on the department bulletin boards and website.

Jiang M. Yu—Business Manager, (jmy2104), 854-7008
Reporting to the Academic Department Administrator (ADA), the Business Manager has primary responsibility for the department's administrative and programmatic budgets and instructional and personnel expenses. He advises the Chair and ADA as to historical levels of spending, developing budgets and reports as needed. The Business Manager resolves financial problems and prevents overdrafts. He works with the Administrative Assistant for Financial Affairs to administer the department's participation in the Faculty Research Allowance Program and other reimbursement and special funding programs for faculty, including faculty research accounts. He processes appointments for all part-time, visiting and adjunct faculty as well as all student teaching and research appointments. The Business Manager allocates, approves payroll and is responsible for hiring, training, and supervision of the department's casual and work study staff.

Post M-Phil Research Spaces

Butler Library is renovating research spaces for post-MPhil students. Toward the end of September the 8th-floor spaces will be ready for students. Each space will have new power, data jacks, wireless, lighting, and air conditioning/heating. Note that the 7th floor spaces were renovated in May 2006 and the 9th floor spaces will be ready in 2008-09, the final stage. History has 12 spaces on the 7th Floor of Butler. In a few weeks, after Butler’s 8th floor is renovated, History will have another 12, for a total of 24. In 2008-09, the 9th floor renovation will bring a small number of additional spaces.

Note that research spaces are allocated by GSAS according to the number of eligible students per member department. Eligibility criteria are as follows:
• PhD Students must have earned the MPhil.
• The Department must support the application for a post-MPhil research space.
• PhD Students must be within six years of first date of registration in the PhD program and must have submitted an approved academic progress form through SSOL within the past year.

History Department Policy
1. GA sends out an email notice to all post-MPhil students asking if they would use a research space and requesting them to state "how" they would use it (allowing them to state any special circumstances such as children at home, etc).
2. GA and DGS take note of these answers, then rank the students by seniority and special circumstances
3. If there are students with the same seniority rank and/or with competing special circumstances, GA and DGS resort to a random drawing of these names.

Department Lockers

The Department has 36 lockers on the third floor of Fayerweather for graduate student use. Lockers are assigned for one year at the beginning of the Fall Semester. At the beginning of September, the DA sends out a call for students to submit their names if they want locker space. Students must be in residence to be considered.

Students who submit their names and are TAs in the department have priority for lockers. If there are lockers left after these students receive lockers, a random drawing of the remaining names is held.

Lockers must be vacated each year by August 15. Students are responsible for removing items before they leave for the summer if they will not be in residence on August 15. The History Department is not responsible for any items left in the lockers.

Graduate Student Involvement in Faculty Searches

Details of faculty searches are announced to the GHA president/secretary by the Department Chair or ADA. The message should contain the specific search and semester concerned, and names and dates. This message instructs interested students to reply to the GHA President/secretary. GHA president/secretary sends this message directly to the grad list calling for volunteers to serve on the search committee.

These self-selected students constitute a committee, names of whom would then be forwarded to Department Chair/ADA. At this point, the Chair/ADA gives the list to the search chair. The search chair and relevant faculty in the field will then ask individuals not on the list to serve, and to recommend a chair/coordinator of the student committee, if the committee has not done so already. (Faculty in the field can recommend that a particular student not take on the extra work of serving on a committee, if such extra work would conflict with other obligations.)

Search chairs then arrange meetings/etc. with this grad student committee as the search proceeds. Precisely when and how the students become involved is left up to the search chair, although at a minimum the grad students are to read the publications of the individuals invited to campus and attend the candidate lectures.

Graduate students will meet with the candidate as usual and draw up a memo or comments (or simply meet with the faculty search committee) to provide feedback. If desired, students can select one person to draft the memo/comments, but it would be circulated for all to sign off. The Chair/Coordinator of the student committee will be responsible for submitting the report in a timely manner.

The grad student chair also collects responses from all students who attended talks or read the candidates’ publications by sending an e-mail to all graduate students, asking for responses to the candidates.

In short:

• Publicize all searches and schedules to the graduate students.
• Allow students to volunteer (through the GHA) for service on a particular search committee.
• Allow faculty input into the makeup of that committee.
• Faculty search chair and grad student committee establish the nature of the grad student committee’s participation in searches.
• Appoint a chair of the committee.
• Student committee reports to faculty search committee.