[Gsc-hca-family] [Gsc-hca-all] Developing a qualilty of life platform - Tomorrow 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Sun Jun 12 09:07:44 EDT 2016

Friends,

Our colleagues on the External Affairs Board have decided to formalize a
legislative platform on the topic of graduate student quality of life. See
the email below for more information on what that entails exactly.

The meeting to begin development of this document will be tomorrow June
13th from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the GSC office. You are all invited to attend
this meeting and I would encourage you to attend to help have HCA voices in
the development of this document.

Thanks and hope to see you tomorrow!
Ryan
------------------------------
*From:* Daniel Curtis [djcurtis at mit.edu]
*Sent:* Thursday, June 09, 2016 6:17 PM
*To:* gsc-eab-state; Brittany Huhmann; Huma Gupta; gsc-hca
*Cc:* Michael James McClellan; gsc-eab
*Subject:* Developing the External Affairs Quality of Life Platform

Brittany, Huma, Ryan, Marci, and Drew,

The External Affairs Board needs a Platform Document covering issues
related to student quality of life in the local area around campus. The
topics and issues that need to be covered will mostly be the same issues
HCA has traditionally worked on. As State and Local Affairs Chair (and,
therefore, the primary user of this Platform Document once it's finished),
I've asked Brittany to lead the development of this new document. This
document should enumerate the GSC policy positions that State and Local
Affairs, and the full Board, use to advocate for student interests with
state and local governments.

Since HCA works on the issues that need to be documented here, we would
appreciate the help of current and past HCA chairs to brainstorm issues to
include in this document, deliberate the right specific positions to
include, and refine the way these positions are expressed to get the right
level of detail and align as well as possible with HCA efforts. If you
like, it might be a good idea to consult with some past HCA chairs or
officers to help with the brainstorming and refinement of items for this
Platform Document. I've copied past president Michael here in case you want
his input or his help reaching out to past leaders.

I am currently hoping that we can complete this Platform Document in
advance of the August External Affairs meeting (tentatively scheduled for
Thursday, August 11th) so that the Board can vote on it at that meeting,
then send it to the General Council for consideration in the September
General Council Meeting. We can schedule time to discuss items for this
Platform Document and get input from the full Board at the July External
Affairs meeting if you like. You're also welcome to share notes or draft
material of any kind with Board contributors whenever you like at:
GSC External Affairs All Contributors <gsc-eab-all at mit.edu
<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/redir.aspx?SURL=JMV5ETnTTSGQpUIiKSfssiFwjsEgRiOwBzD1PaMi96K1C_DnwZLTCG0AYQBpAGwAdABvADoAZwBzAGMALQBlAGEAYgAtAGEAbABsAEAAbQBpAHQALgBlAGQAdQA.&URL=mailto%3agsc-eab-all%40mit.edu>
>

Since there is probably quite a bit of brainstorming and deliberation to be
done to get the right items drafted for this document, I've recommended to
Brittany that one or two discussion meetings should be held this summer to
bring our experts on local quality of life issues together in person. I'll
leave it to you all to determine if this is actually necessary and, if so,
when those meetings should be scheduled.

I personally think there are a lot of possibilities for topics to discuss
here, potentially including:
== Availability and cost of housing for graduate students
== Availability and cost of transportation options
== Availability of shopping and dining options around campus
== City zoning code
== Procedures for development, zoning changes, and public input on new
developments or changes in zoning.
== Healthcare options around campus
== Childcare options around campus
== Stipends
== Taxes
== Our rights to advocate for students to city and state governments,
including access to policy makers, public meetings, and other advocacy
venues.

Let me and Arolyn know if you think it would be useful to poll the General
Council for their positions on any issues that come up during your
brainstorming and deliberation. We could arrange for straw polls online or
during the July or August General Council Meetings.

I recommend that this new Platform Document should avoid re-expressing
anything that is already suitably expressed in our Legislative Platform.

I've prepared a folder in the External Affairs Board directory for this
project and started a draft we can work from. Feel free to make any
additional documents that might be useful, save reference material wherever
might be convenient, or make any email lists you want for discussion on
this project. Let me and Peter know if you need any help with any of these
things.

External Affairs Board top directory
<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/redir.aspx?SURL=Mw5s0v27sQRJHZq6ttIc1wcYQPESC3yhX_iELviwL3y1C_DnwZLTCGgAdAB0AHAAcwA6AC8ALwBkAHIAaQB2AGUALgBnAG8AbwBnAGwAZQAuAGMAbwBtAC8AZgBvAGwAZABlAHIAdgBpAGUAdwA_AGkAZAA9ADAAQgB4AEEAaABVAE4AUQAwAEgASwB3AGQAWgBIAGgAaQBaAEMAMAB5AFUAMQBKADUAVQBrAGsAJgB1AHMAcAA9AHMAaABhAHIAaQBuAGcA&URL=https%3a%2f%2fdrive.google.com%2ffolderview%3fid%3d0BxAhUNQ0HKwdZHhiZC0yU1J5Ukk%26usp%3dsharing>
Quality of Life Platform folder
<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/redir.aspx?SURL=sk8pY03exepgYy4-ffWSd1_fsG3JkMPkzRftshqueZ21C_DnwZLTCGgAdAB0AHAAcwA6AC8ALwBkAHIAaQB2AGUALgBnAG8AbwBnAGwAZQAuAGMAbwBtAC8AZgBvAGwAZABlAHIAdgBpAGUAdwA_AGkAZAA9ADAAQgB4AEEAaABVAE4AUQAwAEgASwB3AGQAYwBIAEYAWABRAGkAMAAxAFoAbgBVADIAVgBFAEUAJgB1AHMAcAA9AHMAaABhAHIAaQBuAGcA&URL=https%3a%2f%2fdrive.google.com%2ffolderview%3fid%3d0BxAhUNQ0HKwdcHFXQi01ZnU2VEE%26usp%3dsharing>
Quality of Life Platform draft
<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/redir.aspx?SURL=mAYC-j7Z4xz0E78H5zTNDouPo5xFg7ogorAAl-broaS1C_DnwZLTCGgAdAB0AHAAcwA6AC8ALwBkAG8AYwBzAC4AZwBvAG8AZwBsAGUALgBjAG8AbQAvAGQAbwBjAHUAbQBlAG4AdAAvAGQALwAxAFUAVgB1AHQAQQBIAFgAeQBfAEcAcwB4AG4ARQBCAFkAZgB4AG4AQQA0AHQAMwBBAGcAUwB3ADAAbgBjAEoALQBiAHIAWgBXAGgAVwBKAG8ARABkAGcALwBlAGQAaQB0AD8AdQBzAHAAPQBzAGgAYQByAGkAbgBnAA..&URL=https%3a%2f%2fdocs.google.com%2fdocument%2fd%2f1UVutAHXy_GsxnEBYfxnA4t3AgSw0ncJ-brZWhWJoDdg%2fedit%3fusp%3dsharing>
Legislative Platform
<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/redir.aspx?SURL=NXkwQN9K8fSIj7VTm3LIWCXUpjYuTJ_U7JYkG_zkdbUVbvLnwZLTCGgAdAB0AHAAcwA6AC8ALwBkAHIAaQB2AGUALgBnAG8AbwBnAGwAZQAuAGMAbwBtAC8AZgBpAGwAZQAvAGQALwAwAEIAeABBAGgAVQBOAFEAMABIAEsAdwBkAGEARgBGAG0AVgBqAGgAdgBSAFMAMQBXAGMAWABjAC8AdgBpAGUAdwA_AHUAcwBwAD0AcwBoAGEAcgBpAG4AZwA.&URL=https%3a%2f%2fdrive.google.com%2ffile%2fd%2f0BxAhUNQ0HKwdaFFmVjhvRS1WcXc%2fview%3fusp%3dsharing>

Let us know if there is any additional material you need from me and Peter
to help get started on this. Peter, Arolyn, and I can be reached all
together any time at:
GSC External Affairs Primary Contact <gsc-eab at mit.edu
<https://owa.exchange.mit.edu/owa/redir.aspx?SURL=8OFIMaWELssgWSYmseWhZolZLktY54HlzhQdNVi1FrYVbvLnwZLTCG0AYQBpAGwAdABvADoAZwBzAGMALQBlAGEAYgBAAG0AaQB0AC4AZQBkAHUA&URL=mailto%3agsc-eab%40mit.edu>
>

Best regards,

Daniel Curtis
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