Grad Minds Executive Meeting #13

Online via Zoom

Monday, March 21st, 2022

Attendees:
Curtis D’Hollander Co-Chair
Mao Thao Secretary & Conference Coordinator
Samantha Chang Event Coordinator
Walter Villanueva Event Coordinator
Vineeth Raveendran Social Media and Marketing Manager
Felix Lau Mental Health Policy Advisor
Elizabeth Karvasarski Treasurer
Sarah Stapleton Event Coordinator
Alison D’Cruz Share Circle Facilitator
Katie Rose Mental Health Policy Advisor

Regrets:
Jeffrey Lynham Co-Chair
Audrey Kao Peer Support Lead
Allison Correia Advocacy Coordinator
Shraddha Khiwadkar Communications Manager
Abiraa Karalasingam Event Coordinator
Sophia Zhong Event Coordinator

______________________________________________________________________

Actionable for Next Meeting

● Gift Cards - Walter and Elizabeth
○ Will reach out to the two participants who filled out the feedback form
○ Will need to confirm their U of T student status to confirm they can receive
a gift card
○ Ask participants for their choice in gift card
○ Elizabeth will purchase the gift card
○ Walter will ask for receipt documentation from participants
● Walter will email Christine asking for an invoice
 ● Sam will notify the group via Slack asking for a workshop coordinator for Cody’s
workshop when his time and date is determined
● Alison D’Cruz, Abiraa and Sophia will meet to work out the logistics of the Coffee
Chat Event
● Felix and Katie will finish analyzing survey results at the end of the semester
● Policy Open Hours
○ Vineeth will send reminders in the Digest and on social media
○ Katie and Felix will message and send information to Vineeth
● Everyone - If you would like to join the UTGSU Executive Council meeting or the
meeting with Brie to talk about UTGSU, please notify Curtis for the Zoom
information
● Mao will send Vivian another email asking for her receipt documentation

______________________________________________________________________

Meeting will be called to order at 5:33 pm.

1. Meeting Comes to Order

a. Adoption of agenda
b. Minutes from March 7th, 2022 Meeting

2. Project/Event Updates
a. Workshops
i. Exploration of the use of art to support self-care review (Walter)
1. 9 participants and 20 registered
2. Intimate setting with high participant engagement
3. Christine Lummiswas a great facilitator - should work with in
the future
4. Two Gift Cards
a. Feedback Forms - exactly two participants filled out
the feedback form and they’ll win the gift card
b. Walter and Elizabeth will reach out to participants
i. Need to confirm if they have student status
ii. Ask for the participants for their choice in gift
card
iii. Elizabeth will purchase gift card and Walter will
ask for receipt documentation
iv. Need to confirm the emails of the participant
who filled out the feedback form? Because we
 wanted the form to be anonymous we didn’t
ask for email address
v. If the participant was not a U of T student then
we’ll use the gift card at the next event
5. Did Christine send us an invoice yet? Not yet, Walter will
send a reminder email to Christine
ii. Social preview?
1. No social event will be planned for next week
iii. Cody’s Workshop
1. Responded that he’s available
2. March 31, 2022, tentatively 12 pm
3. Still awaiting information for Eventbrite
4. Will need a facilitator for the event, Sam will notify via Slack
when we have a date and time set
b. Kickboxing review (Katie)
i. Lots of recurring participants
ii. Felix joined! It was awesome, totally recommend!
iii. April 12 for next workshop
c. Peer Support Initiative – Study Break at the Distillery District preview
(Audrey)
i. Currently 20 registered participants
ii. Cookie budget - Elizabeth hasn’t received an invoice yet
d. Coffee Chat preview (Alison D’Cruz)
i. April 6, 2022
ii. Topic: Transition into the job market
iii. Eventbrite is ready
iv. Currently working on what will the workshop consist of
v. Abiraa and Sophia will be supporting on workshop
e. Knitwits
i. Jeffrey and Curtis met with Grad Room individuals (Paula and
Dinuka) - Knitwits was a place for individuals who are interested in
knitting and connecting with others and offered through Grad Room
ii. Grad Room has restructured and are currently looking for a new
home to house Knitwits
iii. Grad Room will develop the materials and Grad Minds will
advertise the event, Knitwits will potentially be another program that
will be offered through Grad Minds
f. Other projects/events?
i. None at the time
 3. Policy/Advocacy
a. Updates (Felix and Katie)
i. Will finish the analyzing survey results and update group at the end
of the semester
ii. How was the response?
1. 50% response rate
iii. Policy Open Hours
1. Vineeth will send reminder in the Digest and more social
media story posts
2. Katie and Felix will message and send information to
Vineeth
iv. Meeting with Brie
1. UTGSU survey results will be shared
2. Potentially new Health and Dental Plan proposal will be
shared
3. UTGSU Executive Council - if you would like to attend the
event, notify Curtis and he will send you Zoom information

4. Finance
a. Budget/reimbursement (Elizabeth)
i. $580.75 left
ii. We are up to date
iii. Vivian - Mao send another email asking for receipt document

5. Any other business

6. Adjournment at 5:56 pm

–
Mao Thao
Conference Coordinator & Secretary