Grad Minds Executive Meeting #10

Online via Zoom

Monday, January 24th, 2022

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

Regrets:
Audrey Kao Peer Support Lead
Abiraa Karalasingam Event Coordinator
Sophia Zhong Event Coordinator
Allison Correia Advocacy Coordinator
Elizabeth Karvasarski Treasurer

Actionable for the Meeting

• Everyone please welcome our two new event coordinators Sophia and Abiraa!
• Vineeth will advertise the Coffee Chat: Making the Most of the Graduate
Experience
• Curtis will check to see if we can advertise Grad Mind events with SGS
• Jeffrey and Sam will give Walter information on how to retrieve feedback forms
via Slack
• Sam will make Walter a co-host for the event A Part of It All: An expressive
mindfulness workshop to connect with self and nature
• Everyone: Please give Mao some suggestions on how houseplants and mental
health are related, for a potential conference asynchronous workshop
 • Mao will connect with Curtis about talking points for the Keynote conference day
• Mao will put Sophia and Abiraa in touch with Alison D’Cruz so one or both of
them can support her with the Friday, February 18 Brunch/Coffee Chat
• Curtis and Felix will connect with Abiraa and Sophia on updating the email
department list
• Vineeth will advertise the ongoing initiative: Policy Drop In Hours on social media
• Jeffrey will connect with Vineeth about advertisement information for the
initiative: Policy Drop In Hours
• Felix and Katie have a premium Calendly account if anyone would like to learn
more about it and or needs help please reach out to them
• Felix will research the features and functions of Calendly

Meeting will be called to order at 5:30pm.

1. Meeting Comes to Order at 5:38 pm

a. Adoption of agenda
b. Minutes from January 10th, 2022 Meeting
2. Project/Event Updates
a. Coffee Chats (Alison D’Cruz)
i. Making the most of the graduate experience – preview for next
week
ii. Needs to advertise
iii. Was it in the Digest this week?
1. Digest did not go out this week
2. Digest – Limiting us to two events a week
3. Is there another way to get information out without the
Digest?
a. Other way is to email all departments
b. Potentially use the SGS calendar at the start of each
month?
c. Curtis will check in on the SGS calendar
b. Workshops
i. Addressing racial microaggressions: Tools, strategies, and
discussions - review (Walter)
1. 30 people registered and 17 participants attended
2. Working with facilitator to send out information to the
participants
3. Walter needs the feedback forms
 a. Jeffrey and Sam will give Walter information on how
to retrieve this information via Slack
ii. Meet Navi - U of T’s Mental health Wayfinder - review (Curtis)
1. Katie, Alison and Curtis met with Meghan
a. Number one request is to talk to a person
b. Meghan is a “one person show” and open to
suggestions
iii. Mental Health Resource fair – review (Allison C.)
1. Really good event with about 7-10 participants
iv. A part of it all: An expressive arts mindfulness workshop to connect
with self and nature – preview (Walter)
1. Sam will make Walter a co-host for this event so he can host
this
c. Socials
i. Kickboxing (Elizabeth)
d. Peer support (Audrey)
i. Have not restarted this
e. Conference
i. Two new event coordinators
1. Sophia and Abiraa
ii. Monday, Feb. 14 evening – online games night (Sarah, Walter and
Sophia)
iii. Tuesday, Feb. 15 – all 5 asynchronous workshops posted online at
9 or 10 am
1. Using MyMedia – only UofT will be able to access this
information
2. 15-20 minute workshops
3. Give out $100-120 honorarium
4. Potential Workshops
a. Move U Happy U
b. Theresa
c. Vivian
d. Jasjit
e. Mao – houseplants and mental health
i. Everyone – if you have any research related
houseplant to mental health please let her
know
ii. Ideas:
1. Self-Care through plant Care title
2. Practical houseplant care
 iv. Wednesday, Feb 16 at 12 pm – Music Imagery and Wellness with
Amy Cortez (Mao)
1. 30 minute music imagery
v. Thursday, Feb. 17 at 6 pm – Keynote Dr. ABC (Curtis and Mao)
1. Curtis will introduce the Grad Minds Event
2. Mao will introduce Dr. ABC
3. Mao will connect with Curtis about talking points
vi. Friday, Feb. 18 – Tentative Plans
1. 11 am – Round Table Open Discussion with Facilitators
Asynchronous Workshop
2. Brunch/Coffee Chat – Alison D’Cruz
a. “Is it Just Me” – potentially an imposter syndrome
b. 11:30 am
c. Mao will put Sophia and Abiraa in touch with Alison so
one of them can support Alison
vii. Updating Email Department List (Sophia and Abiraa)
1. Curtis and Felix will connect with Abiraa and Sophia on
updating the email department list
viii. Conference Website
1. Rebranding the front page of Grad Minds for the conference
3. Policy/Advocacy
a. Policy drop-in hours (Katie & Felix)
i. One person signed up before advertisement but nothing afterwards
ii. Vineeth – Will post more about this in social media
1. Ongoing
2. Jeffrey will connect with Vineeth about this information for
social media
b. Food insecurity (Jeffrey, Curtis, Felix & Katie)
i. Met with Adam who started an emergency food bank during COVID
1. On and off food bank dependent on funds
2. Unable to secure space from UofT so currently using a local
church
ii. Survey – Half of the participants had food insecurity
iii. We’ll share our findings with UTGSU and Adam
iv. Looking for next steps – looking for people to help see where this
initiative will go next
4. Finance
a. Elizabeth added a detailed breakdown of the budget
b. Currently budget looks good
c. Curtis applied for a grant
 5. Any other business
a. Felix and Katie have a premium Calendly account if anyone would like to
learn more about it and or needs help please reach out to them
i. Calendly
1. Used to schedule events and meeting
2. Automate follow ups
ii. Felix will look more into Calendly to see what other uses it has
6. Ajournement at 6:45 pm

--
Mao Thao
Secretary