In Attendance:

Mark Sussman, Kate Broad, Sara Remedios, Anne Donlon, Linda Neiburg, Kristin Moriah, Jen Mitchell, Joost Burgers, Molly Pulda, Emily Sherwood

1. Notes Executive Committee
2. Curriculum Committee Report
   1. Student Survey
      1. Ben and Kate presented on their semester long discussion about 795 with faculty. As of right now there are several options on the table. One of them being a two course option with a first year 795 course functioning as a required course in methods, while a second recommended course would come later in the curriculum as a professionalization course.
      2. In general, faculty seem willing to try to accommodate students somewhat. Yet, there is certainly some resistance to on behalf of faculty. As there is no hard data as to what students want some faculty seem unwilling to change things.

• Ben and Kate proposed a possible format for the type of questions for a student survey. These were generally met with approval.

1. One major issue with a required course is the incoming MA students and how to account for their incoming skill set. This should be polled in the survey.

• Structuring the ESA
  1. Clearer definition of tasks required by ESA sub-committees
     1. As of right now there is no clear definition of tasks within the ESA. This leads to terrible inefficiencies. Not only are students unaware of what they are supposed to do we as Co-chairs aren’t sure either. Furthermore, there is fairly little the ESA can ask of committees whose task has not been clearly defined.
     2. To remedy this problem Jen and Joost suggest having each committee write a 150 word task description, followed by three specific bullet points of major things this committee will do throughout the year.

• This information should be available on election day.

1. There should be a general ESA meeting at the beginning of the year to lay out tasks for each committee.

1. Expanding the GC network
   1. Fundraising Committee
      1. Updating Alumni Database
         • Currently fundraising efforts are hampered by the fact that there is not an up to date list of Alumni who can be contacted. The fundraising committee could be held responsible in the future for maintaining this list.
      2. Contacting Former Fellowship Recipients
         • Currently students are not encouraged to write a thank you letter to the person in whose name the fellowship is that they received. Fundraising should create a list of contacts for fellowship donors and politely ask previous recipients to write a letter of gratitude.
      3. Alumni Committee
         1. Linda reported on the work of the alumni committee
            • Alumni committee is trying to arrange a former alumni talk
            • Perhaps attached to this talk is an alumni reunion mixer
            • This could be held in the James gallery.
            • Perhaps try get a comprehensive list of the Alumni that students could have access to.
         2. Alumni Newsletter
            • Mario suggested that we revamp the Alumni newsletter as a way to reinforce our commitment to the alumni.

• Alumni Books
  • With the coming of the new book case, we are asking the Alumni committee to solicit published books by Alumni.

1. Recruitment Committee
   1. March 11^th Talk
      • Discussed possible things the recruitment committee and the ESA might say for the Open House
   2. ESA brochure
      • Perhaps one way to entice incoming students is by developing a departmental brochure with useful information in addition to the practical guide.

• Other Ideas

1. Departmental Adjunct Committee
   1. There is no central organ within the ESA that deals with Adjunct affairs. While the adjunct project does handle this, it may be good to have a local English emissary to the adjunct project.
2. Revels Scavenger Hunt
   1. Ideas for revels were floated. Still stuck on beach party.