Fee Transparency Project

Present: Lydia Jenkins-Sleckzoski, Lisa Bishop, Adam Selcov, Brynna Downey, Elliot Lewis, Esther Chung, May Alvarez, Fiona Weigant, Lucy Rojas, Lisa Bishop, Isaac Karth, Alexa Chavez, Chase Hayes

Approval of Agenda and Minutes
1. Adam motions to approve the agenda. Elliot seconds the motion. Motion carries.
2. Adam motions to approve the minutes, Bryna seconds the motion. Motion carries.
Announcements & Updates
1. Introductions
  1. Esther will be representing College 9 during fall quarter (on Viggy’s behalf who has a scheduling conflict).
2. Announcements
  1. Adam shares that last night he presented at SUA on behalf of SFAC. A few people visited with Adam after the meeting and asked for more information. There were some people who expressed interest in membership. Next week, SUA VPE will be requesting an agenda item related to cohort based tuition.
  2. Lydia announces that the cohort based tution model has been shifted from November to January Regent’s meeting.
  3. Elliot announces that Porter is having a costume and open mic night next Wednesday.
  4. May announced that there is an upcoming Price is Right event at Merrill.
Visit with Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students Garrett Naiman
1. Introductory Comments
  1. Garrett introduces himself and provides some background on what attracts him to do this work, what is special about UCSC and the Dean of Students role at UCSC.
  2. Goals for the year
    1. Garrett explains that he hit the ground running last year and spent time getting to know student leaders and student activists. He is the “dean for all students” so this year a personal goal is to connect more with students who may not be as tapped in to student leadership, etc. He wants to connect with students in different spaces and communities.
    2. Garrett did a lot of connecting with staff in this first year; this year his goal is to connect with more faculty. Relationships with staff and faculty build strong coalitions to support students inside and outside the classroom.
    3. Continue to work on and expand basic needs efforts.
  3. Accomplishments from last year
    1. Securing funding for basic needs and expanding staff positions in Slug Support. The first ever Director of Basic Needs starts on Monday, October 28th.
    2. Shoring up the Dean of Students office, filling vacant positions, and creating new positions.
    3. Challenges of the first year on the job; this is a challenging place to do this work. He spent much of his first year helping the campus reimagine the dean of students role, how to use the dean role, etc. With much of this work tended to in year one, year to can be focused on more advocacy.
2. Basic Needs Funding
  1. Elliot says that she heard from people in her Senate that the basic needs funds are not permanent. Garrett responds that the funding is ongoing. The first allocation is for three years, then there is an assessment and re-allocation process. He has no reason to believe that it won’t be ongoing beyond three years.
  2. Garrett explains that the opportunity to adjust the budget year to year hasn’t yet been determined.
  3. Fiona asks how the campus plan was created. Garrett explains that he helped lead a committee that developed the plan, that included Tim Galarneau from CASFS and other campus leaders. The plan was reviewed and approved by Planning & Budget, CPEVC, and Chancellor, then approved by UCOP.
  4. Garrett points out that there is funding for what he believes will support a new program where students who come to Slug Support may not have to exhaust loans prior to receiving hardship funding.
  5. Basic needs also means jobs; this funding created new jobs for students. Basic needs also includes having living wage jobs, which these students then support basic needs efforts.
  6. Adam asks if Garrett works with CAPS? Garrett responds that he sits in committees in support of students, and also partners with CAPS. Adam asks about a questionnaire that is offered in CAPS about whether an issue is “serious.” Any opinions on this? Lucy and Garrett will look into this.
  7. Fiona mentions that CAPS seems to be overwhelmed and expresses concern about an issue that occurred.
  8. Lisa asks whether there were restrictions on the how the funds could be used? Garrett says that there may have been some, but ultimately the plan (and the approved expenditures) allow for the campus to meet many of our basic needs goals.
  9. Fiona asks whether we are still seeking other funding for basic needs. Garrett explains that we continue to seek partnerships and funding form campus partners, funding calls, etc.
  10. Elliot mentions that last year she was aware of many students who were living in the woods were warned that there could be police intervention. These students have no where else to go. Where is there middle ground? What can Garrett do as dean of students to help with this issue? Garrett says that he would love to hear from those students directly. He understands that admitting that you are one of these students could come with consequences. What he has been told by those who he has checked in with, including police, is that those students have not been banned. Garrett explains that he can’t help them unless he knows who they are. He is all ears and can work with those students. Having four case managers allows us to better support students, especially around housing issues. There is off campus emergency housing and on-campus emergency housing (12 beds). Students who enter this program also receive case management services in support for other issues like food security. Housing solutions are no cost to the student.
  11. Brynna asks whether Garrett reports back to the UC system about what’s going on on campus? Garrett says yes, he participates in a system-wide group of Dean of Students where information is shared. The Vice Provost also participates in a systemwide group of Vice Chancellors for Student Affairs. Brynna asks if Garrett feels like he has avenues to seek state-wide support for issues like the housing crisis? Garrett says that his role is often one that is consulted about this issues, but he’s not typically someone who would be speaking to state legislature or Regents directly. Through efforts and partnerships, there is grassroots mobilization occurring all the time.
  12. May asks about whether the Dean of Students Office is advocating for students who are living in their cars to have a safe space to park? Garrett says that he has been working with the students involved in this movement since last year. The decision is not in his purview, however, he continues to explore creative solutions to support students who are impacted.
  13. Lydia asks whether there is any information that Garrett can share about other initiatives or any topics that interface with student fees.
    1. Garrett says that he may come forward with a funding request for a concert. We need to have spaces where we can gather, break bread, and dance. Music is the soundtrack of our protests, of our lives. He has some funding this year, but will come back to SFAC. Garrett adds that it is important for him that the concert include a component of giving back, for example a portion of ticket sales would go back to an initiative like basic needs.
    2. Other campuses where Garrett has worked or been a student have a center of campus, where you can feel the pulse of the campus on any given day. Garrett believes we need to have a center of campus where we can build community; he sees the Quarry Amphitheater as a place where this can happen, as a park and a venue for the arts.
    3. Elliot suggests a battle of the bands with student bands, which includes a prize. This would draw a lot of students.
    4. Fiona asks about the convocation and how the communication flowed for the event. Garrett explains that it was a precursor to a grander event that will likely happen next year. We’ve already started to plan for next year.
3. Garrett asks SFAC if there are any changes this year to the approach to the funding call, and whether there is any way he can support the committee?
  1. Lydia responds that things will be very similar this year, however, the funding envelope is much smaller.
  2. SFAC will continue with a focus on outreach to student orgs about the funding call.
  3. Lydia has a personal goal that SFAC become a key consultative body. Garrett suggests that we also reach out to faculty.
  4. Chase says that last year some of the proposals that were funded at higher amounts were related to basic needs. Will there be new requests this year to SFAC for basic needs? Garrett responded, maybe, as his team will continue to seek to secure investments from campus as he anticipates there will always be needs.
  5. Student outreach. Elliot suggests that Garrett reach out to the @ucsc_football Instagram page. This is a meme page about UCSC, with a lot of satire and a large platform.
  6. Brynna suggests that each week he could take five students to lunch. Go to large lecture spaces and invite students to lunch.
4. Lydia asks if Garrett has any advice during our funding call process? Garrett suggests that we should always support marginalized communities, break bread, dance (don’t discount things that may seem less deep but build community and do the prep work that we need to do when we get to challenging situations).
Adjournment
1. Next week’s meeting will focus on funding call.
2. Elliot motions to adjourn. Chase seconds the motion. No objections.

Upcoming Guests/Topics:

November 6th: Lisa Bishop, University Budget/SSF/M7/Campus Based Fees Presentation to the committee
November 20th: Chancellor Cindy Larive, 2:00 - 2:45 pm
Upcoming: AVC Jennifer Baszile, Career Success (Briefing on Career Success initiatives and discussion on Career Center services and programs)