February 2021

February 25, 2021

SURPAS Council Meeting Agenda

Thursday, February 25th, 2021 11:30am-1:00pm

Location: Zoom

Quorum: Council people present – 13/20

Acknowledgment statement, inc group norms/mutual respect (2’)
Welcome, Zoom etiquette (2’)

New postdocs: Vimala B, Daniel B

Introductions and approval of minutes (5’)
- Approved

Cancer Biology Postdoc Talk Series (Irene and Noah) (10’)

- Seminar series centered on URM postdococs – platform to show their work and career building opportunity

- Cancer Bio Seminar series each week – already an established seminar series

- - 7-8 spots currently vacant

- - Call for postdocs interested in presenting in this seminar series

- - Contacts with postdoc affinity group

- Collaboration with BAPS? Increase social media presence

- Expand beyond Cancer Bio but for now it is a pilot program with the possibility to expand in the future

Cancer Bio Postdoc Talks – Irene Li and Noah – they want to highlight minoritized postdocs, both at Stanford and outside

Ioana advises to use social media and website, and SURPAS can advertise on twitter

They want to connect with other similar programs

Elections (15’)

- 12 members present

- Council Membership
  - Chinyere Iweka (incoming)
    - Introduction
    - Voted to council with 13 votes

- Co-chair
  - Chinyere Iweka

- - - Elected as co-chair with 12 votes

- Community Engagement Liaison
  - Nathan Richey
    - Introduction

- - - Elected in with 12 votes

Updates (15’)
- IDEAL DEI Survey Committee Postdoc Representative- Hoda Magid

- - Calls sent out to fill this position

- - Application created to ask candidates to describe how they meet the characteristics

- - The committee has not met yet, but Hoda is requesting comments and thoughts on the agenda that she received

- Postdoc Data Curator for DEG Survey Group – Chinyere Iweka
- COVID Vaccines
  - Guidelines continue to change constantly. For true and latest updates visit the websites below:
  - https://healthalerts.stanford.edu/covid-19/2021/02/18/vaccine-update/
    - Counties are pointing to state eligibility criteria for who can be vaccinated in Phase 1B. Those state criteria say those who are eligible for vaccination under the “education” category are “persons at risk of occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 through their work in any role” in settings that include “staff in colleges, universities, junior colleges, community colleges, and other postsecondary education facilities.”
    - To date no formal guidance has been provided by Stanford as to if Postdocs count in Phase 1B.
  - From SHC- Vaccine Update
    - This website has info on “Who is currently eligible” and if you fall in those categories a way to schedule an online appointment
    - Check eligibility and sign up to be notified when eligible here: https://myturn.ca.gov/
  - Updates specific to postdocs at Stanford- COVID Health Alerts
  - From SCC- COVID-19 Vaccine Information for the Public – Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) – County of Santa Clara
    - This website has information of who is currently being vaccinated in SCC and (more importantly) places where eligible people can make an appointment to get vaccinated, regardless of their health care provider or insurance

Announcements: (15’)
- Mental Health Resources for Postdocs:
  - Mental Health and Substance Abuse Options | Postdoc Benefits
  - Postdoc Assistance Program | Postdoc Benefits – Guidance Resources is first go-to when in moment of crisis
    - Will give an outside referral to a nation-wide network
  - Faculty Health Center: 10 sessions per issue, no limit on number of issues
    - Will give outside referral to local community network

- GoPass
  - extended through March
  - Must take action specified in to email sent by Parking and Transportation

- Senior Associate Dean, Sheri Krams has open office hours- Wednesdays 2-3pm
  - Meeting ID: 955 5599 5346
  - Password: 092234

New programs for postdocs
- Child care assistance program
- Family grant program
- Back-up Child Care assistance – up to 10 days back-up assistance per year
- Emergency grant in aid continuing

Elections (15’)

- 12 members present

- Council Membership
  - Chinyere Iweka (incoming) – pass unanimously with 13 votes
- Co-chair
  - Chinyere Iweka – pass unanimously with 13 votes
- Community Engagement Liaison
  - Nathan Richey –

Chinyere Iweka to join Council and become Co-Chair – she wants to work on continuing financial support for postdocs, esp postdocs with dependants; prev work

Elected with 13 votes to COuncil

Elected with 12 votes for co-chair

Nathan Richey to become Community Engagement Liaison

Wants to do bridge things between postdocs and affinity groups

Elected with 12 votes

Vimala nominated for Media Director positions – election in March

Upcoming Events (3’)
- “Better Ally” event from Someone Like Me program, theme is Intersectional Feminism -March 9th, noon