grad student news

September 2009
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The view from Brown Gym

NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION

To all the new students on campus this month, the GSC extends a warm welcome! New Student Orientation (NSO) is a great time at Caltech: for the official schedule, see www.gradoffice.caltech.edu; * denotes event required for incoming graduate students

Wednesday September 23, 2009

9AM - 4PM * Check In at Avery (Bldg #99)

4:30PM All Student Convocation (Beckman Auditorium, Bldg #91)

6PM Dean's BBQ for Incoming Graduate Students and Their Families (Avery, Bldg #99)

Thursday September 24, 2009

9AM Breakfast and Keynote Address (Avery, Bldg #99)

10:30AM Orientation Breakout Session I

  • *Environmental Health and Security Program (Moore 070, Bldg #93)
  • Graduate Student Resources (Beckman Institute Auditorium, Bldg #74)
  • Library Resources (Moore 139, Bldg #93)
  • Getting Sleep in Graduate School (Avery Conference Room, Bldg #99)
  • Getting to Know Members of the Faculty (Moore 080, Bldg #74)
  • Understanding Caltech Insurance(Brennen Conference Room, 3/F, Bldg #87)

11:30AM Repeat of Session I above

12:30PM * Lunch and Keynote, "Legal Issues for Graduate Students" (Avery, Bldg #99)

2PM Repeat of Session I above

3PM First-year Experience Panel and Discussion (BI Auditorium, Bldg #74)

4:30 PM Orientation Breakout Session IV

  • Fun Session/Reception (BI Courtyard, outside Bldg #74)

6PM Dinner at the President's House (415 South Hill Avenue)

8PM Casino Night (Red Door/Chandler, Bldg# 52) and Athletics Center for games (Bldg # 2, 3)

Friday September 25, 2009

9AM Breakfast - Living in a Graduate School Community (Avery, Bldg #99)

10:30AM Orientation Breakout Session V

  • Life Outside Lab? Striking a Balance with the GSC (Moore 070, Bldg #93)
  • Caltech Y Program (Caltech Y, Bldg #56)
  • Women Programs (Moore 080, Bldg #93)
  • Earthquake Program (Annenberg 105, Bldg #16)
  • Self-Defense Program (2/F, Common Area, Center for Student Services, Bldg #86)

11:30AM Orientation Breakout Session VI

  • Life Outside Lab? Striking a Balance with the GSC (Moore 070, Bldg #93)
  • Caltech Y Program(Caltech Y, Bldg #56)
  • LGBTQ Students & Allies(Avery Conference Room, Bldg #99)
  • Earthquake Program (Annenberg 105, Bldg #16 next to Bldg 94)
  • Tips on Bridging the International Divide (Annenberg 107, Bldg #16 next to Bldg 94)
  • Self-Defense Program (2/F, Common Area, Center for Student Services, Bldg #86)

12:30PM * Lunch - Honor Code (Avery, Bldg #99)

2PM Orientation Breakout Session VII

  • GRB Mock Case(Moore 070, Bldg #93)
  • Connecting with Community of Color (Moore 080, Bldg #93)
  • Caltech Y Program (Caltech Y, Bldg #56)
  • Earthquake Program(Annenberg 105, Bldg #16 next to Bldg 94)
  • Tips on Bridging the International Divide (Annenberg 107, Bldg #16 next to Bldg #94)

3PM Security Talk for all Students (Annenberg 105, Bldg #16) next to Bldg 94)

4PM Receptions around Campus

  • Caltech Center for Diversity (CCS 265, Bldg #86)
  • Graduate Studies Office (CCS 230, Bldg #87)
  • Student with Dependents (Caltech Y, Bldg #62)
  • Performing and Visual Arts (Music House, 305 S. Hill)

7PM Movie on the Wall and Picnic (Sherman Fairachild Amphitheater, Bldg #43)

Saturday September 26, 2009

:)

NSO Club Night 2008 at Boulevard 3 (photo credit: Arianna Di Cintio)

8PM Club Night GSC Online Sign Up (required to reserve bus spot); facebook event Central Rec Room of the Catalina Residential Apartments

9:30PM GSC Game Night Central Rec Room of the Catalina Residential Apartments

Sunday, September 27, 2009

2PM Taste of Pasadena (San Pasqual Mall, outside Chandler, Bldg #52)

Op-Ed: Diversity at Caltech

Evans Boney
Schools as small as Caltech face challenges in recruiting minorities (who then become underrepresented students, URS, on our campus). Everything's smaller here, so even if the sizes of our minority populations were in keeping with national averages, some communities would be too small to thrive. However, Caltech has systematically been below the national averages for post-graduate institutions for as long as there's been an institute.

That's a particularly uncomfortable pill to swallow in a recession. As budgets have been cut across campus, underrepresented students have felt more pain than gain. There is now a URS undergrad admissions counselor (yay!). But the offices on campus to serve underrepresented groups have been cut back and consolidated. And 60% less support from the Graduate Student Office. In all, if anything positive, there has been a shift of emphasis to the undergraduate population. As if something had been solved for graduate students.

Well, it's not been solved. There are still a paucity of women and minorities getting their PhD here, even when compared with other top institutions. If we would like to become a more diverse learning environment, then we need to hit the ground. Professional conferences for women and minorities are a great place to spread the word about Caltech. And there is plenty of funding to send graduate students. There's just not enough graduate students willing to hit the road. When students at these conferences see an unattended Caltech booth next to the Dean and a crowd of students from MIT... it's not hard to understand our trouble with recruitment!

I'm currently working on making sure that our high profile faculty and administrators are invited to these events, but we need graduate students (of all ethnicities) to sign up to help as well. It's not a major time commitment (twice a year at most), and the time spent at conferences is often fun. If you'd be interested in spending a weekend recruiting top students at professional conferences, shoot me an email at boney AT caltech DOT edu .

Sustainability Update

The Caltech Committee on Greenhouse Gas Reduction appointed by President Chameau has released its recommendations for campus greenhouse gas reductions goals and how to meet those goals. The California Air Resources Board has recently called for the state of California to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020. In suit with action pledged by the UC school system and various private schools, and the City of Pasadena, the committee recommends that Caltech reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020.

From 1990 to 2007, Caltech's greenhouse gas emissions have increased from 63,000 to approximately 90,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, which accounts for CO2 and non-CO2 greenhouse gases and normalizes them to their equivalent in CO2. Electricity use accounts for three-quarters of the campus's greenhouse gas emissions and amounts to $8 million of purchased electricity each year, which does not include the operation of the campus's efficient, natural gas-run co-generation plant.

To provide perspective, reducing the consumption of purchased power by 30% by the year 2020 will save $41 million dollars compared with a 'business as usual' increase in consumption. Similarly, other projects aimed at improving efficiency and reducing electricity consumption, such as building retro-commissioning, upgrading to Energy Star appliances, increasing clean energy production on campus, and adopting behavioral changes to reduce consumption will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but will also provide substantial monetary savings for the university. As members of this campus, we all have an opportunity to become more aware of our consumption and contribute to meeting these goals.


Caltech is going to have two Zip Cars starting in October. If you don't drive much, you will definitely want to consider selling your vehicle / stop hassling your friends. Stay tuned for details about how to sign up!

Letter to Mak & Kleiger, DDS

About 300 Caltech students have the dentist office Mak & Kleiger (4-6 dental associates) listed as their primary dental provider. Many of you students think highly of their office and have recently learned of their intent to stop accepting DeltaCare USA (the Delta Dental HMO that we have as students) as of Jan 1, 2010. This letter is to ask their office to reconsider, and at the very least, give us a good dentist recommendation. Please use this drafted letter in an e-mail to their office, and make any revisions you like.

Mak and Kleiger, DDS
959 E. Walnut Street
Suite #216
Pasadena, CA 91106
makandkleigerdds@yahoo.com

Dear Associates of Mak & Kleiger, DDS,

I am a concerned patient and also a student at Caltech. Our Caltech DeltaCare representative informed us that about 300 students have your practice listed as their current provider. I was disheartened to learn of your intention to discontinue accepting the Delta Dental HMO-DeltaCare USA-as of January 1, 2010. While I am grateful for your thoughtfulness for giving such adequate notice, I am very sorry to be losing such a caring attitude that extends to your every day dental care practice.

I ask that you strongly consider continuing to accept the Delta Dental HMO insurance. We suggest exclusively seeing DeltaCare USA patients from Caltech. This, perhaps, would ease any burdens you face under this particular insurance plan and continue to provide excellent care to a local population that continues to make referrals to your office.

As a student, I do not have many financial options when it comes to attending to my health. I do not get to pick among insurance carriers for our student medical or dental coverage, so I opt to usually see providers who fall under our sole insurance option. I fear losing an outstanding practice such as yours under the DeltaCare USA plan. While I understand you do accept the Delta Dental PPO, as a student, I do not qualify for the Delta Dental PPO that is currently offered to our faculty and staff counterparts.

I appreciate your consideration of this matter. If you go through with this unfortunate discontinuation, I would be interested in your recommendation of a local colleague to whom I can change to my primary provider under DeltaCare USA.

Sincerely,

[Student Name]

[Option Name]

California Institute of Technology

Club Funding Results

Clubs are an invaluable resource for organizing our community along the lines of our common interests. The GSC is honored to have the opportunity to provide funding for all of your brilliant ideas! We received so many great applications, and we tried our best to fund as many of your ideas as possible. Here is a preview of some of the clubs the GSC is proud to support this year:

For a complete list of Caltech's many clubs, see this list

Sound Off!

If you have any feedback or thoughts on anything in this issue of grad student news, please share them with us below:
 

From the Chair

This is a time of unprecedented, sustained tragedy for Caltech. Long Phan was a member of our community who we knew as a lab mate, peer in classes, resident of the Catalinas, soccer player and much more. Even if you didn't know him, you may still be impacted by his death in a number of ways. If you haven't already, I suggest that we all take some time to reflect on our own physical, emotional and mental health, then seek the resources we need [please see the list in the Well-Being article].


Long Phan will be remembered by his friends, family, and the Caltech community

Long was laid to rest following a funeral service at St Callistus Catholic Church on Saturday, August 1st, 2009. Some of the most powerful moments of the funeral service for me came when his brother and sister shared their remembrances of Long's childhood and young adult life.

On August 29th, 2009, the Caltech community had an opportunity to celebrate and remember Long's life at a touching memorial service held in Dabney Lounge. Long's family was present and they provided a slide show that gave us a glimpse of Long's life before Caltech. Several members of Long's lab shared personal memories and expressed their feelings about Long, including performing some special musical pieces. The well-attended service also included an open microphone portion at which a few students and Long's family repeated a theme of Long's selflessness and thoughtful nature.

The aftermath of this year's suicides is weighing heavily on the campus; as we continue to struggle to understand how to move forward, it is clear that the Institute has multiple challenges to address. In his July 24th e-mail, President Chameau announced his plans to name a task force "charged to look across Caltech to identify ways in which we can improve the mental well being of members of the community and more effectively address mental health issues, including suicide risk". If you would like to participate in advising this group directly or indirectly, please let me know at jshanata AT caltech DOT edu. I am also announcing that Amy Hoffman is the new graduate student representative to the Safety Net working group; David Doll, Chair of the GSC Advocacy Committee, will serve as the alternate. Please contact Amy and David with any advice or comments about ways to improve the Safety Net for graduate students.

As I discussed at the student gathering on July 24th, I think that it would be valuable for graduate students to work on ways to become increasingly interconnected: social networks are one of many protective factors against suicide. To this end, I'd like to let you know about upcoming events that provide opportunities for us to come together and foster stronger community bonds. This year Pub Crawl will be on October 15th followed by our annual Wine Trip, probably later in October-stay tuned for details. Also, plans are underway by a variety of groups to bring one or more speakers to campus for a forum on the present situation in Iran. Please contact Evans Boney (boney AT caltech DOT edu) if you'd like to help in that effort.

Hopefully everyone interested got a chance to vote on the major band that they would like to see perform a concert on campus. Depending on availability, the event will likely be in November or December. This promises to be a great event that will bring the entire campus together. Last but not least, I'd like to reiterate that the new Dean of Graduate Studies, Professor Joe Shepherd, and the entire Graduate Studies Office, are committed to helping provide you with any resources you may need to support your academic pursuits as well as your personal and professional development. Both the Graduate Studies Office and GSC are always available and are interested in other ways that we can help to increase student happiness and quality of life. If you have suggestions or would like to see other events, please let the GSC know by sending an e-mail to: gscsteer AT caltech DOT edu. Dean Shepherd can be reached at jeshep AT caltech DOT edu and general inquiries for the Graduate Studies Office can be submitted at: www.gradoffice.caltech.edu/contactForm.htm

Sincerely,
Jai Shanata GSC Chair

Advocacy Committee Report

The GSC Advocacy Committee, which generally meets every 3rd Thursday of the month at the Caltech Y Multipurpose room, met last Friday (the meeting being shifted due to NSO events). We discussed our four primary areas: Stipends, Healthcare, Housing, and Diversity, as well as two recent topics: violence against students around the world, and a new mentoring program. If you are interested in any of these issues, or have concern about other issues impacting Graduate Students at Caltech, please feel free to attend our next meeting, and/or email the Committee Chair (David Doll, davidd AT caltech DOT edu).

Housing
As the school year starts to get underway, and more new students start to arrive, housing may become a concern for some (especially those now wanting to live off campus). The GSC subsidizes memberships to an apartment listing service, Westside Rentals, and currently has purchased more subscriptions to accommodate any increase in demand. If you are interested in a subscription ($20 for 60 days for current Grad. students), please contact us at (gsc.caltech.edu/advocacy.html or gschous AT caltech DOT edu).

Healthcare
On the health care front, many new developments have taken place. As you know, this year we have had a small increase in our Health Insurance Fee. Grad students will pay $324 for the year, billed as $108 per academic term; this total amount is up from $300 for last academic year. The mere $24 increase in our payment towards our insurance premium is part of the careful and diligent work of your Graduate Dean Joe Shepherd (and former acting Graduate Dean John Hall), your grad student health care reps, the VP of Student Affairs Anneila Sargent, the Faculty-Student Health Care Committee and numerous others with the students' best interests at heart. If health care premium prices continue to rise in the United States, grad students could consistently expect to see a percentage (15%-17%) of that yearly increase. Also, this year is the first year in which students, both undergrad and grad, can elect to waive their health coverage if they have sufficient health coverage from another source (parent, etc.). The choice to waive health care has been extended for first year grads who are just arriving, but needs to be decided soon. www.healthcenter.caltech.edu/insurance.html for more details. If you are a continuing grad student and have not received your insurance card in the mail, feel free to follow up with the Caltech Benefits Office (626-395-6443) about your insurance status.

Unfortunately, a popular local dentist, Mak and Kleiger, has decided not to take our dental insurance starting January 1st. This may be a problem for the many students who use this provider, and we are investigating ways to try to change this problem. Please see the featured article "Letter to Mak & Kleiger, DDS," and use the template letter to write an e-mail in support. Ultimately it is the provider's choice as to which insurance carriers and plans they choose to accept, and we might have limited to no say in the matter. Please contact (abeck AT caltech DOT edu) with any comments, suggestions, or concerns with healthcare issues.

Also, we worked with the Counseling Center to create a Google Map of off-campus therapists covered by our health insurance plan:
View Caltech Mental Health Providers in a larger map

Several of these therapists are within walking distance of Caltech, and up to 36 visits are fully covered by the premiums you pay, so don't hesitate to take advantage of these resources!

Stipends
For stipends, we have two active areas. First, the Dean of Grad. Studies, Joe Shepherd, would like a cost of living assessment for graduate students of Caltech so he has some numbers to back up his recommended minimum. The GSC is working on getting such a report together. Secondly, we are in the process of meeting with different people in the administration about using Graduate Students more visibly in raising money for fellowships. The thought is that graduate students are in a uniquely qualified position for sharing with potential donors the different research that takes place here, but are often not called upon to do so. We believe graduate student involvement in fundraising can have a positive impact. If you would like to help, or have any comments or concerns about anything involving stipends, please contact David Doll (davidd AT caltech DOT edu).

Diversity
We are currently looking for a person to serve as the Under-Represented Student Advocate. The Advocacy Committee is currently working to secure administrative support for increased Caltech exposure at minority focused national conferences, and would like a volunteer to lead this effort and other diversity related issues. Please contact David Doll (davidd AT caltech DOT edu) or the GSC chair Jai Shanata (jshanata AT caltech DOT edu) if you're interested.

Advocacy Committee's "Moment of Silence" observance for victims of violence and repression in Iran was approved by the full GSC board, and covered by the HAMSA C.R.I.M.E. Report (Civil Rights in the Middle East). For further inquiries concerning our continued moment of silence every Friday in response to violence against students in Iran and around the world, please contact Evans Boney (boney AT caltech DOT edu).

Finally, the GSC is starting a mentoring program in collaboration with ASCIT. Glenn Garrett will head up the GSC side. The idea will be to provide a student-mentoring-student program in many different fields. These mentors will be for both academic reasons and non-academic life-experience reasons. Also, there will be a grad-mentoring-grad aspect to it to help junior graduate students with some aspects of Caltech life. The program is still being developed, but please contact Glenn (grg AT caltech DOT edu) if you would like to help out.

Academics Committee Report

As part of the library's effort to reduce costs, some journal subscriptions will be eliminated. Please review the list under announcements at gsc.caltech.edu and e-mail jshanata AT caltech DOT edu with any suggestions or concerns.

Please come to one of the GSC's sponsored journal clubs. There is no need to be an expert in the topic. Read the paper and show up!

Geobiology Club:
Location: Chandler
Time: September 24, 2009 - 9:30am
Topic: Photosystem I gene cassettes are present in marine virus genomes

Face Perception Reading Group, with NESS:
Location: Moore 239
Time: September 24, 2009 - 12pm
Topic: Interpersonal Distance, Trust, and the Amygdala

Light Energy as Fuel (LEAF) Club
Location: 216 Noyes
Time: October 5, 2009 - 12:00pm
Topic: Layered Chalcogenides

Biocontrol Club
Location: Steele Library
Time: October 7, 2009 - 10:30am
Topic: Synthetic biology: The yin and yang of nature

Social Committee Report

 Upcoming events from Social Committee include:
  • Oct 2nd/9th GUSH - Strong Ale Club
  • Oct 15 Pub Crawl

    • welcome to the grad student news
    Welcome to Caltech!
    Well-Being Resources
    Op-Ed: Diversity on Campus
    Advocacy Committee Report
    Social Committee Report
    Academics Committee Report
    Overheard on the Internet
    Caltech Research Highlights
    Letter to Mak & Kleiger, DDS
    GSC Club Funding

    Well-Being Resources

    Everyone knows Caltech is an intensive environment, but don't let the stress get you down! The campus offers a wide variety of resources to help students maintain the highest quality well-being.

    Practice Public Speaking

    Every Monday, 6pm, Avery Conferece Room (2nd floor)

    Toastmasters International has helped millions around the globe perfect their public speaking skills. Meetings are at most an hour long and consist of several pre-prepared 6 minute speeches, a handful of 1-2 minute impromptu speeches on interesting topics, and evaluations of all speakers based on time, grammar, and number of filler words such as "ah"s or "like"s.

    Toastmasters also provides the opportunity to compete in International speech competitions. Come practice and refine your public speaking skills. Everyone is welcome!

    Donate Data, Get Paid

    Looking for ways to earn a few extra dollars? Want to learn more about brain research at Caltech? Check out brainscience.caltech.edu for opportunities to sign up for local studies that pay out $$$. Donating data is a painless way to help your colleagues at Tech earn their degrees! The best part is, your data is a renewable resource! Check back often to see new experiment listings.

    Congratulations

    The GSC would like to congratulate everyone who walked at Commencement this year! Don't forget about us now that you're all big and famous, okay!

    Caltech Research Highlights

    Jay-Z Overtakes Elvis on Billboard Charts

    With Blueprint 3, Jay-Z posted his 11th consecutive #1 album and officially took Elvis' spot as the solo artist record holder. Across all categories, the Beatles retain their record with 19 #1 albums, comfortably ahead of Jay-Z who now occupies the #2 spot.


    What is the signficance of Jay-Z's accomplishment this month? Some may argue that he is simply benefiting from hip hop's increased market share. Others recognize that as a consistent standard bearer for 13 years, Jay-Z has at least partially helped lead hip hop to it's current success. If you have thoughts about Jay-Z or hip hop more broadly, share them with the Hip Hop Discussion Group, hiphop-organize AT Caltech DOT edu.

    Learn to Dance


    Did you always want to dance but couldn't afford to? Our beginner classes are free!

    No experience, special attire or partner required! Join us in us in our ballroom and swing dances to learn how to dance and make new friends! Beginner Ballroom: Sunday, 12-2pm, October 4 to November 22, Winnett Lounge Four weeks of waltz and cha cha and Four weeks of quickstep and Rumba. Beginner West Coast Swing: Monday 8:30-9:30 pm, October 5 to November 23, Winnett Lounge

    We also have our ballroom bootcamp September 27 to October 3 for a quick introduction to the world of dancing! All classes are free- no experience, special attire or partner required!

    For more information, visit our website: Caltech.edu/~ballroom

    Overheard on the Internets

    MHF Deadline Coming Up

    The Moore-Hufstedler Fund exists to enhance student life at Caltech. The GSC enjoys a good relationship with the MHF committee and is very grateful to them for helping fund our projects, such as revamping the Rec Rooms in the Catalina Apartments, or bringing speakers to campus. If you have an idea for a way to improve student life, please contact us (gsc AT Caltech DOT edu) for assistance in submitting an application. Keep in mind the deadline is Friday, October 2, 2009 at 5:00 p.m.

    Please see mhf.caltech.edu for more information. Any member of the Caltech community may apply for funding.

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