[Gsc-anno] Announcements 3-3-04

[GSC Secretary]

GRADUATE  STUDENT  COUNCIL  ANNOUNCEMENTS

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                         Wednesday.March 3.2004

GSC Meetings
General Council Meeting: Remarks by MIT President Chuck Vest
Housing and Community Affairs: Environmental Subcommittee Organization

GSC Advocacy
1)  Childbirth Accommodation Policy Finalized
2)  Health Insurance

Opportunities to Get Involved
1)  Committee Elections
2)  Officer nominations

Special Announcements
1)  MIT Awards Convocation
2)  GSC Celtics Game
3)  Active Bystanders:  Looking Out For One Another

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G S C   M E E T I N G S

General Council Meeting: Remarks by MIT President Vest | March 3rd 5:30pm 4-270

Housing and Community Affairs: Environmental Subcommittee Organization | 
March 9th 7:30pm  50-220
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G S C  A D V O C A C Y

1.   Childbirth Accommodation Policy Finalized

A childbirth accommodation policy has been finalized and adopted by the 
Institute. Female graduate
students supported by teaching and/or research assistantships will be 
eligible for eight weeks of support
and salary, and unsupported students will retain pre-existing Institute 
services and health coverage.

2.  Health Insurance

Health insurance will be fully subsidized for graduate students supported 
by research and teaching
assistantships (RA's and TA's) beginning academic year 2004-2005.  For more 
information please visit
GSC website: http://web.mit.edu/gsc/www/

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O P P O R T U N I T I E S  T O  G E T  I N V O L V E D

1.  Committee Elections

Committee elections will be happening this month.  If you are interested 
please contact the committee
chair.

2.  Officer nominations

Officer nominations will be opening at this month's meeting, so
if you're interested in running for a position or would like more
information please send email to gsc-officers at mit.edu  .

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S P E C I A L  A N N O U N C E M E N T S

1.  MIT Awards Convocation

Don't Procrastinate--Nominate !!
The Awards Convocation Nominations Deadline is Friday, March 19th !

The Institute Awards Convocation honors student, faculty and staff who have
made special contributions to the life of this community. Nominations
are  now being solicited for over twenty awards that honor students,
faculty and student organizations.

We welcome your participation and urge you to go to http://mit.edu/awards
for information on this special event. Nomination letters can be sent to
Awards Committee, W20-549 or sent via email to awards at mit.edu.

The Awards Convocation will be held on Tuesday, May 4th at 4pm in 10-250.
A  reception will follow.

2.  GSC Celtics Game

Tickets now on sale at the GSC office (50-220) for the Celtics Game on 
Friday, March 12th

2.  Active Bystanders:  Looking Out For One Another

Have you ever witnessed--
   * unfair treatment
     * inappropriate advances?
        * escalating conflict?
          * meanness or bullying?
            * threats or violence?

Picture This.  Students are chatting in a small group.  When a man
makes a sexist remark in a laughing way, obviously thinking it is a
joke, a woman flinches and frowns, but she says nothing.  What do the
bystanders do?  A low key comment by a peer in the moment may do more
to raise that male student's awareness of the hurt he caused than
anything. Does someone in the group speak up?

Picture This.  A supervisor harangues one of her employees in the
presence of other staff.  The supervisor's tone of voice and name
calling are unprofessional and inappropriate, and the employee is
near tears.  How do the people witnessing this awful incident react?
Does anyone think of a creative way to interrupt?  Do they offer the
employee support later?  Do they see it as their role to ameliorate
the situation?


Everybody is a Bystander at some time.

A Bystander is a person who observes conflict or unacceptable
behavior.  It might be something serious or minor, but the Bystander
knows that the behavior is wrong, or likely to make a bad situation
worse.

An Active Bystander takes steps that can make a difference.
Don't assume that others will act!

Active Bystanders is a program of Mediation at MIT, jointly sponsored by
- Graduate Student Life Grants,
- Dean of Student Life,
- Campus Committee on Race Relations

For people interested in learning more, we will offer workshops on

** Thursday, 3/11, 12:00-1:30 (in 2-103)

and

** Thursday, 3/18, 5:00-6:30 (in 56-180)
     Pizza and beverages will be provided.

Please * sign up * by emailing mediation at mit.edu, or inquire for more
information.
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Graduate Student Council
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
142 Memorial Drive, Room 50-220
Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone: 617.253.2195
Fax:   617.258.9274

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