Absent Members: Davide, Hart, Zayira, Suresh, Svitlana

ISUPDA board meeting, January 6th, 2014

Attending members: Tim, Prince, Harris, Juliette, Annie, Chris, Heather, Emilie, Elke

Absent members: Davide, Hart, Zayira, Suresh, Svitlana

1)  Committees

Discussions:
a)  Heather is organizing workshop for women committee to teach negociation skills. 01/16 is the next meeting date with the committee.
b)  Worklife advisory committee. Look at worklife balance (childcare…). Next meeting 02/02.
Actions:
-  These two committees may need a replacement since Heather is not going to be a postdoc. If anyone is interested, talk to Heather. / Comments / timeline:
-  None

2)  Benefits update

Discussion:
a)  Dean still looking at postdoc grants. Meeting with VP of research to see how much funding is available.
b)  Shift to TIAA-CREF for retirement hung up in HR. There will be a choice for domestic postdocs.
c)  Proposed 2018 salary scale for postdocs. Compare to NIH scale. 0, 1 and 2 year postdocs would make more than the NIH scale. But more experienced postdocs would make significantly less.
Actions:
Tim will keep up with this. / Comments / timeline:
-  ASAP

3)  Vote for postdoc definition at graduate council meeting

Discussion:
Need to vote for the changes to graduate handbook (chapter 10).
Actions:
- Board needs to provide their input on the changes this week.
4)  Website of the ISUPDA / Comments / timeline:
-  Not specified
Discussion:
a)  Harris 70% done with the website. The links:
New site:http://www.pda.iastate.edu
Old site:http://www.grad-college.iastate.edu/postdoc
Actions:
- Board needs to send Harris their feedback. / Comments / timeline:
-  Not specified
Actions:
- Shivani on postdoc website (Emilie) .
5)  General meeting / Comments / timeline:
-  Not specified
Discussion:
a)  No speaker for general meeting nor a date. Chris has speakers in mind.
b)  Potential meeting on taxes in February
Actions:
-Prince and Tim will follow up with Chris.
- Tim will contact Sina who has a contact for the taxes workshop / Comments / timeline:
-ASAP

6)  Other discussion

Discussion:

a)  Heather: Some postdocs “encouraged” not to take their vacation and don’t get paid off their vacation.

b)  Juliette: Can use leftover from Christmas party. Can do brunch once a month (end of January).

c)  Annie: Orientation in February

d)  Elke: no update. Starting January, we will be charged $35 per month for the website

e)  Emilie: GPSS has over 40 postdoc judges for GPSRC (~110hours). 3 postdocs volunteered to help judging abstracts

f)  Symposium: Need a keynote speaker…

Actions:
-See what the current situation with postdocs regarding vacation is on the next survey.
-Juliette will organize happy hour next week.
- Tim will follow up with Svetlana for the symposium
- Board can give feedback to Annie on how to improve orientation packet / Comments / timeline: