From SGA to You at JMU

Want to get involved in the SGA next year?

2010-04-19T15:57:00.004-04:00

The following are a few opportunities that are opening up in the Student Government Association for the 2010-2011 academic year.

1. Apply to be on the 2010-2011 SGA Executive Staff
2. Apply to be an At-Large Senator or Representative for 2010-2011
3. Opportunities for incoming freshmen this Fall

1. Apply to be on the 2010-2011 SGA Executive Staff

When: Due April 26th at 12pm in the SGA office (Taylor 203), Interviews will take place on April 26th from 6:30pm-10pm
Where: http://drop.io/execstaff2010

Details: The Student Government Association is looking for staff members for the 2010-2011 academic year. Available positions are Executive Assistant, Parliamentarian, Director of Public Relations, Director of Information Technology, Director of Member Development. *These are all paid positions* For more information or e-mail the current Chief of Staff Candace Avalos at avalosca@dukes.jmu.edu

2. Apply to be an At-Large Senator or Representative for 2010-2011

When: Due April 26th at 12pm in the SGA Office Taylor 203
Where: http://drop.io/atlargeapp

Details: The Student Government Association has open seats in the Student Senate for the 2010-2011 academic year. Positions available are At-Large Senator and Student Representative. For more information keep an eye on our blog at http://sgajmu.blogspot.com/ or e-mail the Student Body President-Elect Andrew Reese at reeseah@dukes.jmu.edu.

3. Opportunities for incoming freshmen this Fall

Hey class of 2014 - looking to get involved in the Student Government this fall? Check out the following possible options for involvment. If you have any other questions, please email your 2010-2011 Student Body President Andrew Reese at reeseah@dukes.jmu.edu

A. You can run for your Freshman Class Council which includes 4 positions: Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President, and President. Class council does all the fun class activity planning like the hot cocoa on the commons, Freshman UREC hour (that's the gym), or the famous annual Mr. Freshman Pageant. This position also comes automatically with a senate seat in the SGA Senate where you will vote on important legislation for the school and represent your class in the senate.

B. You can run for your dorm senator (or residence area senator) so if you live in Hoffman Hall for example, which is in Bluestone, you will run for Bluestone Senator. This position has all the responsibilities of the senator from sitting on a committee, representing the voice of your residence area in the senate, etc.

C. You can apply to be an At-large senator which is the same as option B, but you represent ALL of the students, not just your residence area.

D. You can apply to be a Student Representative which has all of the responsibilities as option C, except, you are not a voting member, and you are not required to attend every single SGA senate meeting (but you must attend all of your committee meetings) This option is for people that want little involvement in SGA, and is often considered our "SGA Light" option.

All of these options will be made available to incoming freshmen in the Fall so you won't need to do anything right now. But I would recommend you become a fan of the SGA on facebook so that you can stay posted on what we're up to and see when the deadlines are! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harrisonburg-VA/Student-Government-Association-JMU/30381191919?ref=ts

Your Student Government 2010-2011

2010-04-19T15:40:00.002-04:00

Executive Council:

Student Body President: Andrew Reese
Vice President of Administrative Affairs: Jackie McConville
Vice President of Student Affairs: Brock Wallace
Executive Treasurer: Abby Ware

College Senators:

College of Arts and Letters
Patrick Elwell
Jordan Descovich
Maria Lane
Rahath Alam
Kyle Smith
Katie Stolp

College of Business
Susanna Chacko
Katie Cole
Andrew Elgert
Steven Knott
Cody Williams

College of Education
Adam Hall
Erin Brooks

College of Integrated Science and Technology
Hugh Blanchetti
Matt Wisniewski
Jason Farber
Ryan Philbrick

College of Science and Mathematics
Jay Lee
James Park

College of Visual and Performing Arts
Dan Westbrook
Zach Baumann

Class Council:

Senior Class Council
Kathleen Lee (President)
Kaitlin Solomon (Vice President)
Eric Hogan (Treasurer)
Stephanie Kissam (Secretary)

Junior Class Council
Evan Botello (President)
Rheanna Martino (Vice President)
Timmy Austen (Treasurer)
Cara Prodanovich (Secretary)

Sophomore Class Council
Matt Klein (President)
Meredith Wood (Vice President)
Kenzie Fisher (Treasurer)
Keith Zirkle (Secretary)

Dukes Helping Harrisonburg

2010-04-15T14:29:00.001-04:00

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to let you know about an initiative started by students from across campus called Dukes Helping Harrisonburg. While we realize that all the events of the past weekend may not entiely be the fault of JMU students we recognize that we need to make things right for Harrisonburg and to undo some of the damage done. We will bring students out into the community every Saturday until the end of the semester and continuing in the fall to volunteer on a multitude of projects throughout the city.

If you would like to join this effort, we are launching this Saturday with volunteering opportunities across Harrisonburg. Sign up here: www.tinyurl.com/DHHapr17. Space is limited to the first 50 people to sign up.

Second, we will be holding a planning meeting next Tuesday from 6:00pm to 7:00pm to talk about involvement in the community and what we can do moving forward. RSVP to the facebook event here: http://www.facebook.com/?sk=messages&tid=431188486608#!/event.php?eid=113500792010949&index=1. The following Saturday we will hold another event for volunteers - up to 150 volunteers.

This is just one of the first steps moving forward. We appreciate all your support in service to the Harrisonburg community.

The Dukes Helping Harrisonburg Team

Using Chrome with new e-mail system

2010-03-03T12:27:00.002-05:00

According to Microsoft, Chrome works in full functionality on a PC, but it is still in a Beta state on a Mac. Hopefully they will be fully functional as well soon. In case you have others asking about what browser to use:

To use the complete set of features available in Outlook Web App and the Web management interface, you can use the following browsers on a computer running Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows Vista, or Windows 7:

Internet Explorer 7 and later versions.

Firefox 3.0.1 and later versions.

Chrome 3.0.195.27 and later versions.

On a computer running Max OS X, you can use:

Safari 3.1 and later versions.

Firefox 3.0.1 and later versions.

On a computer running Linux, you can use:

Firefox 3.0.1 and later versions.

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Do you have more questions about your new Windows Live e-mail account? Ask us here: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=14312&uid=30381191919

JMU! HELP SAVE FINANCIAL AID!

2010-03-02T15:13:00.002-05:00

The House Appropriations Committee is recommending a change in the methodology for calculating the amount of students' need for aid and a $20 million reduction in the total amount the state appropriates in 2012. If the committee's recommendation is adopted by the General Assembly and signed into law, this would be the first time student aid has been reduced in the current recession and downturn in state revenues. Student aid has not been reduced in order to help students at a time of higher tuition to help offset losses in state support.

DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN JMU! ACT TODAY!

Call State Senator Mark Obenshain and tell him you are a student at James Madison University. Then ask him to please not cut student financial aid in the final budget. There is a proposal to cuts 15% of our financial aid. We must act now if you want to protect your money!! It takes 2 seconds…so call now! (804) 698-7526

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If you are too nervous to call during the day, make your phone calls by THURSDAY NIGHT after 7pm and leave a message for Senator Obenshain. Let's leave our senator lots of voice mail to listen to the morning of the meeting!

For more information, e-mail Harrison Covall at hmcovall@gmail.com or Candace Avalos at candace2010ve@gmail.com

GoodCrush at JMU

2010-02-14T14:46:00.003-05:00

Hey JMU!

The SGA is proud to bring you a fun, simple way to celebrate Valentine's Day this year (especially if you are Valentine-less).

GoodCrush allows students to list the @jmu.edu emails of five students on whom they have crushes. Those students then receive e-mails telling them that an anonymous student has a crush on them. If two people have entered each other's names, the website sends another e-mail revealing the students' identities to each other.

Getting involved is simple.

Log onto http://jmu.goodcrush.com/

1. Put in your name and school email address.
2. List the emails of up to 5 crushes you have (there is a link to the directory on the site)
3. If there is a match, GoodCrush will let both people know; otherwise, your identity is never revealed!

Happy Loving JMU!!!

New Mission: What can we do for you?

2010-01-31T12:48:00.000-05:00

Last weekend on our retreat SGA created a new mission for the spring semester. We had many constructive conversations about the future of this organization and how we can better serve the students. Our new mission best describes our commitment to the JMU student body and how we want to represent your voice:

We are: a group of students committed to representing the voice of the student body.

We believe: that every student’s voice has the ability to make a meaningful impact.

And therefore we: serve the JMU community by amplifying the voices of others.

We are excited to turn this vision into actions this semester but we need your help too. Tell us how we can better serve you this semester by responding to this post. Share your voice with us so that we can amplify it to the JMU community. What can SGA do for you?

Follow the JMU Helping Haiti Blog

2010-01-26T15:08:00.004-05:00

SGA just started a new blog to help you learn more about how to get involved with Haiti Relief projects across campus: http://jmuhelpinghaiti.blogspot.com/

Follow this blog today and stay tuned with what events are going on around campus! Also, if you are involved in any organizations that are planning relief projects, please let us know via this survey: http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dC14bGxQSnppcTl3UUpGS0ptRlF4SHc6MA

For more information, please contact Candace Avalos at avalosca@jmu.edu

IMPORTANT: H1N1 Vaccine Clinic CANCELED

2009-11-12T21:27:00.003-05:00

Friday, November 13th H1N1 Vaccine Clinic CANCELED

Due to the lack of vaccine, the clinic scheduled for Friday, November 13this canceled. If the vaccine is available, Intravene Travel Clinic will behere Friday, December 4, 10 am - 6 pm, Memorial Hall Gym. PLEASE check theUniversity Health Center Website for the latest information on vaccineavailability prior to attending this clinic: http://www.jmu.edu/healthctr/

Attention Skyline Residents: Changes to the C17 (Arboretum) Lot

2009-11-09T21:01:00.002-05:00

11/9/2009

For Immediate Release: SGA Announces Changes to C17 Parking Lot

Direct Inquiries to: Elissa Taylor, Director of Public Relations

The Student Government Association is pleased to announce the rezoning of the C17 (Arboretum Lot) for both residential and commuter use. The lot has been renamed the R5 lot.

Many residents in the Skyline area had expressed dissatisfaction regarding the imbalance between the number of spaces available in close proximity to their dorms and the number of students with cars. Recognizing this need, the Student Government actively sought alternatives for resident parking in the Skyline area.

The research completed by Vice President of Administrative Affairs, Dan Smolkin, and Parking Advisory Committee Members Tim Sewter and Susan Ghanem was presented to the Parking Advisory Committee in the form of a proposal to rezone the C17 (Arboretum) lot.

The proposal called for the C17 lot to be rezoned for residential use given its close proximity to the Skyline residence halls. Additionally, the members recognized that this lot would not substantially increase car flow on campus. With the addition of this lot, the balance of residential spaces will be increased by 101, which will meet the future demand of resident parking in this area adequately.

The proposal was approved by the University Parking Advisory Committee on Friday, October 23rd 2009.

Residents with valid residential parking passes can park in the C17 lot, now known as the R5 lot effective immediately. The R5 (Blue Ridge Hall) lot will remain open for residential use.

A copy of the proposal is available in the Student Government Association office in Taylor 203 or by email to smolkidm@jmu.edu.

_________________________________________________________

The Student Government Association acts as the voice of the student body at James Madison University. We strive to Represent, Inform, Serve and Educate the students through work in all aspects of university life.

Homecoming Events

2009-10-08T14:21:00.002-04:00

Sunday, October 11th MadisonFest 6pm-9pm on the Festival LawnJoin us around the bonfire as we chow down on some campsite food and enjoy being a kid again with food and entertainment. Enjoy the magic and the freaky talents of the always exciting freak show. Just as you thought it couldn't get any better, bring an old college t-shirt to swap for one of the 2009 Homecoming shirts! Together, let's kick off the greatest week on earth at Madison

Monday, October 12th Banner ContestCome show your support and artistic talents by designing a homecoming banner! The theme is 'Under the Big Top - Duke Dog in the Center Ring'. Voting will take place online the week of homecoming at www.jmu.edu/homecoming and we will display the banners in conjunction with Family Weekend.

Tuesday, October 13th – MadisonGames “Duke Dog’s Three Ring Extravaganza” 2pm Godwin FieldCome one come all to join Duke Dog in a fun packed day of games. Participate side by side with your fellow Dukes through relay races and obstacle courses for a chance to win prizes and bragging rights. Even get the opportunity to create and participate in your very own Carnival Booth fun! Register through an organization, residence hall or just grab a group of friends. It’s going to be a Circus!

Wednesday, October 14th – Commons Day 11am-2pm Festival Lawn & CommonsCome one, come all to the greatest day on earth! From the east to the west there will be a ring of fun for the 2009 Homecoming Commons Day. Join us for popcorn, sweet treats, face painting, games, prizes, and pictures with the bearded lady. So much excitement it had to be separated on two sides of campus!

Thursday, October 15th – MadisonCafe 10pm in Transitions You're officially invited to the show "In the Center of the Ring". Join us in Transitions between 10 p.m. and Midnight for FREE food, karaoke, games, and entertainment. Don't miss out on this great experience under the big top."

Friday, October 16th Parade, Pep Rally, & Sunset on the QuadHomecoming Parade…. where spirit reigns supreme” – 5pm on Duke Drive beginning at the Baseball lotHomecoming 2009 “Under the Big Top” is right around the corner and we want your group to be a part of the excitement! No matter how large or small your group is, you can be a part of the Annual Homecoming Parade “where spirit reigns supreme” on October 16, 2009 at 5pm. Registration packets are available online at http://www.jmu.edu/homecoming/. We hope that you will be a part of this wonderful JMU tradition

Pep Rally & Sunset on the Quad… The Grand Finale 6pm on the QuadWelcome to The Grand Finale! Sunset on the Quad is a fun-filled party on the Quad you don’t want to miss! This exciting evening will be full of performances by JMU’s various acapella groups, dance groups, and other forms of entertainment will be present. There will be FREE FOOD and plenty of games including a petting zoo, face painting and carnival rides. Bring your JMU Spirit to the Quad on Friday, Otober 16th immediately following the parade (6:00pm).

Announcing the 2009 Mr. and Ms. Madison Finalists

2009-10-04T17:30:00.002-04:00

The finalists for this year's Mr. and Ms. Madison are:

Ryan Cury
Brandon Brown
Alex Jerasa
Richie Blessing

Allie Weissberg
Lexi Hutchins
Christa Samaha
Candace Avalos

Be on the lookout for the finalists at the 2009 Homecoming Events!

Voting will be announced in the coming week, and make sure to get your Homecoming ticket starting October 5th to make sure you can see who is crowned Mr. and Ms. Madison 2009 at the Halftime Show!

Are you Tech Savvy?

2009-09-25T18:01:00.000-04:00

The Student Government Association is looking for a new Director of Information Technology for the 2009-2010 academic year. Applications can be found on the SGA website at http://sga.jmu.edu or here: http://drop.io/DITapp2009#. The following are the requirements for this position:

Responsible for developing and updating the SGA website
Attend Staff and Senate Meetings
Must be in good standing with the University
Need to be organized and able to work as a part of the Executive Staff Team
Hold 4 office hours weekly
Management and upkeep of all SGA owned technology
Have a working knowledge of Frontpage, Dreamweaver, and any other program needed to maintain the SGA website
Advise the organization on recommended technology purchases and assist the organization with technology acquisition and implementation
Ensure the Student Senate meeting minutes and attendance are posted on the website
This position will receive a $300 stipend annually!

The Application deadline has been extended to Thursday October 1st at 5pm in the SGA office (Taylor 203). If you have any further questions, please contact Chief of Staff Candace Avalos at avalosca@jmu.edu.

What has SGA been up to in September: Updated

2009-09-20T19:01:00.005-04:00

Here are just a few things your SGA has been working on this month. These are the most common student issues that have come up since the beginning of the year, and we have a few updates on some steps we've taken to address these concerns. Check it out:

Harrisonburg Bus stopping at 2:15am

working on getting an information out on why bus closed early
collaboration with judicial and prevention offices to find alternatives to the bus
survey on student's thoughts on buses to provide concrete information when working with administrators and looking for solutions

JMU home football games

talked to athletic/ticket departments to ask about sudden changes
there are 4,500 seats total in stadium and 4,400 students were let in but many were left without a seat and stuck on the sidelines
ticket office is planning on doing an advanced pick up for the remainder of the season to avoid complications with seating
talked about getting student input at the end of the semester to prepare for the new stadium in terms of reallocation of student seating

Upperclassmen resident parking

working with parking advisory committee
talking about allocating spots to residents in arboretum lot (C17) which is currently only commuter and residents are only allowed access after 4pm

Early festival closing

meeting with dining to see reasons behind early closings
asking budget related questions to the new changes (possibly the reason festival closes early)
working on alternatives such as making E-Hall like greens with a carry out option

These are just a few options we have brainstormed, and we invite you, the students, to share any other comments or suggestions towards addressing these issues! Please comment on this blog with your ideas!

For more information, please contact Candace Avalos at avalosca@jmu.edu

Apply for the Danville Memorial Scholarship

2009-04-15T01:27:00.005-04:00

A $1,500 scholarship in memory of a true friend

Check it out here today:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=177442420025

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What: In the summer of 1996, just before the start of the new semester, JMU student Matthew Lee Montgomery “Danville” was the victim of a fatal car accident. “Danville” was about to start his junior year at JMU and had the distinction of being the Executive Treasurer-elect for the Student Government Association. When students returned to school and heard about the loss, the SGA was so moved that they created a scholarship in his name. APPLY TODAY!

Who: Anyone of sophomore standing or higher (meaning you must presently be a sophomore or have the appropriate credits) and seniors continuing on to graduate school AT JMU may apply!

How: Fill out the application and turn it in by Monday April 27th by 5pm to Taylor 203 (SGA Office) in the VPSA's mailbox or danvillescholarship@gmail.com

Why: To get a chance at winning a $1,500 scholarship for school!

Reminder: SGA members are not eligible.

SGA Executive Staff Applications '09-'10

2009-04-13T22:35:00.005-04:00

How can we make SGA better next year?
With YOUR help!

Apply to be on the Executive Staff for the 2009-2010 school year!
The available positions are:

Executive Assistant
Parlimentarian
Director of Membership Development
Director of Public Relations
Director of Information Technology

Find the application here:
http://sga.jmu.edu/ExecutiveStaff.html

DUE APRIL 15TH BY 5PM to Taylor 203
*When you turn in your application, sign up for an interview time which will take place from 8pm-11pm on Wednesday the 15th

Questions? E-mail Student Body President-Elect Candace Avalos at avalosca@jmu.edu

Your SGA 2009 - 2010

2009-04-09T23:39:00.003-04:00

Check out who will be representing you next year in your SGA!

Executive Council:
President - Candace Avalos
VP of Administrative Affairs - Dan Smolkin
VP of Student Affairs - Brock Wallace
Treasurer - Andrew Reese

Senior Class Council:
President - Alex Jerasa
VP - Ashley Fary
Secretary - Camilla Posthill
Treasurer - Ryan Birkhead

Junior Class Council:
President - Kathleen Lee
VP - Kaitlin Soloman
Secretary - Stephanie Kissam
Treasurer - Eric Hogan

Sophomore Class Council:
President - Carlos Ruiz
VP - Rheanna Martino
Secretary - Gina Whang
Treasurer - Timmy Austen

College of Arts and Letters:
1. James Lazo
2. Robert Cellucci
3. Lauren Waldt
4. Harrison Covall
5. Philip Moore
6. John Scott

College of ISAT:
1. Christine Rettig
2. Andrew Elgert
3. Laura Spinks
4. Ryan Philbrick
5. N/A
6. N/A
7. N/A

College of Education:
1. Adam Hall
2. N/A

College of Science and Math:
1. Thomas Smith
2. Jay Lee

College of Visual and Performing Arts:
1. Dan Westbrook
2. N/A

College of Business:
1. Susanna Chacko
2. Sandra Tran
3. Susan Ghanem
4. John Cewe
5. N/A
6. N/A

*N/A means that the seat was not filled due to a "tie" of one vote among candidates

What can this blog do for you?

2009-04-07T15:15:00.008-04:00

Purpose of this Blog:

This blog will be available to the JMU community as another medium to stay updated with what SGA is doing for You. This will update you things such as:

Summaries of visitors that come to Senate, for example, Dr. Rose presenting the Master Plan or JMU Police talking about campus safety
A checklist for executive council members to keep you posted on what they have completed on their platforms.
Posting concerns that were collected during Write Out Wednesdays and keeping you informed on what we were able to accomplish and what road bumps we have come across
Virtually anything that SGA is up to will be posted, so please stay tuned!

Stay informed and get in contact with your SGA:

E-mail sga@jmu.edu
Phone (540) 568-6376
Office Taylor 203
Website http://sga.jmu.edu
Twitter http://twitter.com/SGAjmu
YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/SGAjmu
Facebook Fan Page http://www.tinyurl.com/SGAfan

Your new Executive Council '09-'10

President: Candace Avalos avalosca@jmu.edu

VP of Administrative Affairs: Dan Smolkin smolkidm@jmu.edu

VP of Student Affairs: Brock Wallace wallacbk@jmu.edu

Treasurer: Andrew Reese reeseah@jmu.edu

Check out what the candidates have in store for next year: