February 2023

Meeting Minutes

March 29, 2023

Thursday February 23rd, 2023 11:30am-1:00pm

Location: Zoom

Password: 708142

Quorum:  14

 

  • Welcome, Zoom etiquette (2’)

 

  • Acknowledgment statement, inc group norms/mutual respect (3’)

Acknowledgment: Dingying

 

  • Introductions and approval of minutes (9’)

1 new postdoc: Pragya

Approval of minutes: Antara, Tim

 

  • Updates/Reminders (22’)

 

  • SURPAS priorities
    • Cost of living
      • Increase salary to $75,000

 

  • Housing
    • Oak Creek Apartments
      • Postdocs get 1st priority
      • 25% discounted

https://oakcreek.stanford.edu/

  • Transportation
    • Ride-share program
    • VTA passes
  • Buddy system – information coming

Questions

  • Monetary reward? No
  • Coffee/lunch chat with reimbursement? OPA may do coffee cards
  • Department based or country based? Conversation for postdocs – where is the need? Field, background, country – have new postdocs state a preference

Interested in becoming a buddy? Please contact us at surpasleadership@stanford.edu

 

 

Chuchu, Tim: The Graduate Student Council’s vote of no confidence in Stanford’s leadership

 

https://stanforddaily.com/2023/02/09/from-the-community-the-graduate-student-councils-vote-of-no-confidence-in-stanfords-leadership/

 

https://www.change.org/p/stanford-graduate-students-demand-stanford-support-us-ce1ca43b-651e-428a-a2f3-3a06f05f6a3f?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=custom_url&recruited_by_id=cc0bed30-ad86-11ed-8afb-15f27d5f5b6c

 

Aravind: the pricing on Oak Creek’s website is not accurate, need to pay more than the price listed on the website; and Oak Creek asks for a minimum of $78,000 income for postdocs to be eligible for renting the apartment (but postdoc salary is lower than $78,000); graduate students pay lower than postdocs for renting the same apartment at Oak Creek

 

Sam: recently received an offer for a 1b apartment for ~$3,100 which is more expensive than the price (~$2,600) for a 1b apartment that someone else received.

 

Julia: they have different types of apartments, the refurbished ones are more expensive

 

Julia: please reach out to SURPAS if you have more information, and we can communicate with OPA

 

  • Long Range Planning Committee (36’)
    • Sharing LRP report – Tim, Eamon, Usman, Samyuktha, Aranyak

 

The report has been shared with council members for feedback and will be shared with all postdocs through SURPAS announcements later.

 

Lucy: Any recommendations for what postdocs can do among themselves to help each other?

Eamon: some suggestions are in the “recommendations” section

Lucy: it would be great to prepare an onboarding guide for postdocs, this is a good starting point

 

  • Social Committee Meeting Update- Nate (12’)

Postdoc Mixer

Date: TBD

Location: Black community center

 

Appetizers & small plates, self-served

Bartenders required to serve alcohol

Dance floor, photo booth

DJ or band

 

Nate: (natej@stanford.edu)

 

  • Upcoming events
  • March Council Meeting

Thursday, March 30th 2023

11:30 am – 1 pm

Location: Zoom

  • DYP Happy Hour
    • Thursday March 23rd 5-7pm
    • Allway Courtyard