D.C. Lobbying Trip–Kathleen Murphy

On April 16th, 10 members of the Legislative Action committee as well as some representatives from within SGA road tripped to Washington D.C. to lobby for financial aid and student loan forgiveness. We loaded into a 12 passenger JMU facilities management bus, listened to all kinds of music, and asked ice breakers such as “What is your favorite childhood movie?” Once we reached D.C., we checked into the Marriott and had an organizational meeting. After our meeting we all loaded into “the party bus” and went to dinner. We scarfed down Chipotle, Noodles & Co, ice cream and gelato.

With bellies full of food we went to Katie Stolp’s house, met her parents and watched part of Dodgeball on TV. We all got back to the hotel, went over the details of our bills concerning loan interest rates and loan debt forgiveness (S. 2051, H.R. 3826, H.R. 4170), and came up with talking points.

The alarms went off around 5:30 and we all stumbled out of bed. Everyone got dressed, and may I say, we we’re a sharp looking group. We hopped on the metro, were packed in like sardines for most of the way, and arrived at our stop after a 30 minute commute. Our first appointment was with Tom Culligan who is a JMU alum and works for a member of Congress. He gave us tips, approaches on how to talk to staff, and even had a pie chart with debt and spending numbers. He was fantastic and was very helpful. From there we broke into our separate groups, with 3-4 people each.

Each group had a different list of legislators offices to find to talk to. In total we spoke to over 25 offices and met with multiple staffers who have direct contact with members of Congress. Overall, our meetings were very well received. We handed out “leave behinds” which highlighted our talking points and those were a hit. We turned some heads. Everyone was professional, we knew our facts, and we asked tough questions. After our meetings we went to Good Stuff for lunch; we all just about inhaled our food, we were so hungry.

As senior, I was very pleased with my last (sniffle sniffle) lobbying trip. I couldn’t have asked for a better trip. Well… maybe if I was offered a job… All kidding aside, it was a great trip. We learned a lot and had the ability to bond as members of Student Government.  I’m proud to say that this group got a lot accomplished in short period of time and that I got to be a part of it.

Announcing: Minor Elections Candidates

With major elections over and done, we move on to electing each class council position as well as the college senator seats.  Class Council positions are president, vice president, treasurer and secretary for the rising sophomore to the rising senior class (freshman are elected in the Fall).  Their jobs include planning educational and entertaining events for not only their class, but the entire university.  They interact directly with the Executive Vice President to perform their job tasks.  They also have a voting voice in the Senate.

College senators are the acting voice for their constituents.  They are the voting members of the Senate and are the ones who keep YOU in mind when they make decisions.  Senators also serve on specialized committees internally that are assigned by the Speaker of the Senate at the beginning of the Fall semester.  Each college has a varied number of seats that need to be filled and each year senators must be re-elected in their respective colleges. In order to be elected, senators must receive votes from THEIR college. For example, someone running for an Arts and Letters seat, cannot receive a vote from an ISAT major.

• College of Arts and Letters: 6 seats
• College of Business: 5 seats
• College of Integrated Science and Technology: 8 seats
• College of Science and Mathematics: 3 seats
• College of Visual and Performing Arts: 2 seats
• College of Education/IDLS: 1 seat
• Graduate Seats: 2 seats

As of right now, these are the individuals who are OFFICIALLY CAMPAIGNING for their position through the elections commission. Others may be doing a write-in campaign and have the same chance of being elected.

 Class Council:

-Meredith Wood Senior Class President

-Nadia Masroor Senior Class Vice President

-Annamarie Frost Senior Class Treasurer

-Caitlin Phillips Senior Class Secretary

-Lauren Holder Sophomore Class President

-Kaitlin Thomas Sophomore Class Vice President

-Rachel Francis Sophomore Class Secretary

Senators:

-Daniel Baker CAL Senator

-Rahath Alam CAL Senator

-Aaron Brown CAL Senator

-Chris Hook CAL Senator

-Jessica Morris CAL Senator

-David Scala CAL Senator

-Robert Benjamin Copper CAL Senator

-Megan Willis COE Senator

Make sure you VOTE  on Wednesday (April 4) beginning at 7am until Thursday (April 5) at 7pm. 

Senior Goings On–Rheanna Martino

Dear Seniors,

Much as we don’t like to admit it, the sudden arrival of spring means more than sunny days spent on the Quad, nights spent enjoying rooftop restaurants and the soon to be summer weather bringing on vacations and beach days. This year, the arrival of spring means the fast approaching culmination of our years of hard work here at JMU. That’s right: graduation is coming. (To lessen the pain, let’s just call it the “G” word, okay?)

 Trust me—I hate saying it more than you hate hearing it. There is nothing fun about counting down the days until we part ways with our home of four years. But look at it this way: if we’re only here for a short time, we better make it a good time, right?

There are a lot of important (and fun!) things coming up in the next few weeks to not only prepare us for the big day but also to help celebrate the time we have left.  Below you will find details on some of these events as well as resources where you can find out even more.

April 2^nd-6^th: Bookstore Grad Fair

The annual Grad Fair is your one stop shop for all things related to the “G” word.  While it may not sound appealing, this is a vital week for all seniors. During this week you can order your cap, gown, hood, tassel and all other important things for the big day. Worried you don’t know what you need? Thankfully there will be an experienced team available to ensure that you select the correct regalia to be perfectly dressed come May 5^th. If you go to the bookstore during this week, you are guaranteed to leave with everything you need; no need to wait or order, it’s all guaranteed to be there (if you go after this week, there is no definite on how long it will take to get everything).

For those who are unsure, let me clarify once and for all: all caps and gowns this year, despite popular belief, are purple. 100% JMU purple. Did you order on-line and think you ordered a black one? Don’t worry; the website uses the black outfit for its display on the page (it’s easier than specifying for each school). It’s also okay if you ordered online; you’ll get the same outfit as the rest of us.

Aside from caps and gowns and all, there will be other senior-related things available, too. You will be able to look at the official JMU Class of 2012 Rings and place an order if you never had the chance before, check out diploma frames and get a sneak peek at some of the Alumni apparel (there’s that dreaded ‘A’ word…) that will be on sale for those of us who will soon be crossing into the post-grad world. As scary as it sounds, remember that you’re one of approximately 4,000 who are going through this all. Make a new friend or bring the ones you’ve cherished since your first days here. Either way, embrace this rite of passage that comes with being a Duke.

Graduation’s no fun. What kind of fun things are going on for the Senior Class?!

There are a lot of events lined up in the next few weeks that will allow us to celebrate the end of this chapter of our lives. Ranging from countdown nights to sporting events, there are tons of opportunities for enjoyment such as final study breaks, focus groups sponsored by the Duke Club, the Senior Picnic and the Candle Lighting ceremony.  

For more details on these events and more, check out the Senior Class Events schedule on the Alumni Office’s Website. Or, for daily updates you can follow @SGAjmu2012 and @SGAjmu on Twitter.

 You can also continue to purchase senior shirts. The last day to place an order will be Monday April 16^th. You can come by Taylor 203 anytime between now and then (daily from 10am-4pm) to place your order.

These next few weeks will be bittersweet ones for sure. There is no denying that we will miss this place, but it’s only natural to feel the excitement and hope of starting a new chapter of our lives, much like we did when we were on our way to start our JMU careers. Rather than spend our days longing sadly for more time, let’s celebrate all that we have left. Remember—we’re not here for a long time, so let’s make it a good time.

Best wishes in your last weeks here. And Go Dukes!

-Rheanna Martino

Class of 2012 President

P.s. Have a question, comment or concern? Email Rheanna at Marti2rk@dukes.jmu.edu.

Announcing: Major Elections Candidates

Packets have been turned in, signatures have had time to try, and the candidates have had a meeting about the rules.  So who is running for what? (if you want descriptions from the CURRENT officers, click the title) Check it out:

Student Body President:

• Matt Klein
• Katie Stolp

Student Body Vice President:

• LeeNora (Nora) Linkous
• Alicia Pettis

Executive Treasurer:

• Jake Jedlicka

Student Representative to the Board of Visitors:

• Jacob Mosser *doesn’t have a website*

Be on the look out for all of their great campaigning materials, and make sure to create and account on Be Involved so that you can vote come March 28th & 29th.

For continual updates, follow @SGAjmu on Twitter (join the conversation with #majorelections) and “Like” us on Facebook.

Questions or concerns can be emailed to JMUelections@gmail.com.

Class of 2014 RING PREMIERE– by Kasey Gray

Attention JMU Sophomores:
-Your Ring Premiere Committee, made up of 12 Sophomore class representatives, invites you to join us in celebrating the reveal of our class ring. We have been working hard in preparation for this event since early Fall semester.  Currently we are putting the final touches on the event including extending an invitation to you for the Class of 2014 Ring Premiere. We are so excited to see you all Tuesday March 20^th at 6:00 p.m. in the Festival Ballroom.

Our theme for this year is “Capture the Madison Experience.” We chose this because we believe that the Madison experience is something that needs to be experienced to be understood. Early Fall semester, the committee came together and designed the ring to best represent the Madison Experience. We are proud of both the class and university side of the ring since we think they best embody JMU and our Sophomore Class.

At premiere, we not only will reveal our amazing class ring, but also provide food, drinks, prizes, entertainment, and best of all FREE T-SHIRTS. Among the food provided will be macaroni and cheese bites, artichoke dip, barbeque and veggie platters. For entertainment, we have performances by two of JMU’s talented a capella groups, Noteriety and Exit 245 as well as a featured dance showcase by Breakdance.

For prizes we have a plethora available for any sophomore to win. The prizes given away at premiere include iTunes gift cards, gas cards, certificates to put towards paying for your ring, JMU parking passes, and two Flip Mino Digital Camcorders.

 We also have a new surprise tradition to announce at the event. You will not want to miss being part of our special plans!

Sound like something you want to attend? We think so! Don’t worry about a dress code, just come as you are.  You will be also be able to place an order for a ring the night of premier, so bring your checkbooks!

There are a few things you can do prior to the event:
– Join our Facebook event where we will be giving away $25 gift certificates to the bookstore when the event reaches 250, 500, 750, and 1,000 attendees. Therefore you should help us, and yourself, by clicking “attending” on the Facebook event and encourage your sophomore friends to do the same.

– Come by the Commons everyday leading up to the event for a chance to meet some of the committee members as well as grabbing some free Class of 2014 sunglasses. Perfect for this beautiful weather!

 

We have put so much effort and time into planning into this years Ring Premiere and cannot wait to share the evening with you! Look forward to a night full of fun and get excited to see the ring we have created just for you!

See you Tuesday March 20 at 6p in Festival!

Sincerely,
Class of 2014 Ring Premiere Committee

*For more information please email us at jmuclassof2014@gmail.com and follow us on twitter at @SGAjmu2014.

 

Charity Ball Details

As an annual event, charity ball takes place so that awareness and funds can be raised for a special cause.  This year it was decided to raise money for either a student proposed memorial or a donation to Madison Forever.  The ball will happen this Saturday February 11, 2012 in Festival from 7-10pm and will include hors d’oeuvres, guest speakers, and a DJ dance party!

Tickets will be sold beginning at 6:30p with doors opening at 6:45. They are $10 at the door (you can pay with either cash or check made out to JMU) for faculty, staff and students.  Tables can be reserved ahead of time through JMUcharityball@gmail.com but payment will still be taken the day of the event.  Also for sale that evening will be the JMUnited t-shirts for an additional $10.

Entertainment for the evening will consist of Spencer Dukoff from Big Creek Revival performing a live acoustic set as well as Cameron Triplett providing the music for the dance starting around 8:30.

There will also be idea boxes out with papers and pens so that any attendee can give their thoughts and ideas about what to do to honor our fallen friends.  The attire will be semi-formal and bows ties are encouraged.

From Kindergarden to College…

With the addition of the gates this year, we all might feel a little safer during the day as pedestrians knowing that there are less vehicles on the road.  This “safe” feeling may translate into walking where we shouldn’t, crossing the street where we aren’t supposed to, or just plain not paying enough attention.  None of us want to go though what happened in November again, and by taking a few simple steps, we will all be better off.

The JMU police department sent an email out to everyone today and we think it has some great information that you really should pay attention to:

The average driver takes 2 seconds to see a pedestrian and decide to brake.  At 25mph, a car covers about 55 ft. in those 2 seconds .

Sooooo…. A car going…

•  25 mph takes about 85 ft. to stop.
•  30 mph takes about 109 ft.to stop
• 35 mph takes about 136 ft. to stop

If it’s raining or icy, it takes even more space for a car stop.

If it’s dark, it may take longer for a driver to see you.

· Don’t assume vehicles will stop

· Never cross between parked cars

· Wear bright or reflective clothing when walking at night

 

LOOK BOTH WAYS

· Use crosswalks whenever possible

· Obey WALK/DON’T WALK signs

· Look left, right and left again before crossing

· Watch for turning vehicles

 · Make sure drivers see you and stop before stepping into the roadway

· Look across ALL lanes of traffic and visually clear each lane before proceeding. Just because one motorist stops does not guarantee the other drivers see you and will stop for you.

 

DON’T WALK IN THE ROADWAY

· Always walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic so you can see the cars traveling closest to you.

· Stay sober. Walking while impaired greatly increases your chances of being struck

· You need to hear sirens, car horns, squealing brakes, accelerating cars, a warning from bystanders… so… DON’T WEAR HEADPHONES!

· Avoid talking on your cell phone

 

An Important VA Pedestrian Law

 46.2-928 Pedestrians not to use roadway except when necessary; keeping to left.

Pedestrians shall not use the roadways for travel, except when necessary to do so because of the absence of sidewalks which are reasonably suitable and passable for their use. If they walk on the hard surface or main travelled portion of the roadway, they shall keep to the extreme left side or edge thereof, or where the shoulders of the highway are sufficient width to permit, they may walk on either shoulder thereof.

 This one is especially important around campus since there are areas that do not have sidewalks (i.e. by the construction of the hospital).  Drivers are not necessarily looking out for you in these areas.  Be a conscious pedestrian and know your surrondings.

This also goes both ways.  If you are driving around campus, be aware of your surroundings.  Know that people are not always paying attention when they should, as as the person in the car, YOU are the one that will do the most damage.

Little Dukes, Big Apple by Andrew Luethke

Tired and content, we watched as the shadow of Manhattan receded into darkness. We sank back and recollected our adventure in the concrete jungle…

Awakening to a misty and overcast New Jersey morning, the three tardy freshmen, Courtney Herb, Lauren Holder and Kaitlin Thomas, (we would later meet up with Nicole) arrived at Russell Zeltner’s house at 9:30 A.M. The group originally delegated the leadership duties, which included heading the convoy to the Park and Ride, to yours truly. As the “elderly” guide to Manhattan, my fellow adventurers felt that age begot wisdom and directional awareness. They were wrong.

After missing the initial Park and Ride, along with subsequent detours and teasing (at my expense), Russ called an audible and we opted for the “more visible” Ridgefield Park and Ride. We purchased our tickets and we began our voyage through the Lincoln Tunnel. Thankfully, there we did not have to venture through seven levels of the candy cane forest.

Upon entering the Concrete Jungle, we met up with our Long Island native, Nicole Bologna. With a more appropriate emulation of the infamous JMU ratio, it was time to begin our adventure.

Our first stop on the NYC tour was Toys R Us.  When we first stepped in the behemoth of all stores, we were taken aback by the sight of a giant indoor Ferris wheel.

The store catered to the little Dukes within, and we quickly lost sight of Tyler and the girls in the giant Barbie house. After an hour of exploration, including the likes of adorable stuffed animals, giant Legos and a T-Rex, the SGA Team of 7 decided it was time to acquire good ole New York grub.Although the initial plan was to eat at an Italian restaurant outside Times Square, the group entrusted the duties of “finding” a cheaper and more eatery to me. After nearly 30 minutes of wandering Manhattan, we found ourselves in the restaurant next door to our initial choice. The freshman women “found” a good place to eat and declared Brooklyn Diner to be our lunch setting.

In the aftermath of three cheeseburgers, grilled cheese, pizza and a larger than life chicken potpie, we departed for more sights along Manhattan.

During the journey, the women of SGA were pleasantly distracted by the discovery of a Forever 21. The store, which numbered four levels, swallowed up Nikki, Kaitlin, Courtney and Lauren. Tyler, Russ and I, although apprehensive to descend the clothing oriented abyss, decided to find the girls before they maxed out their (parent’s) credit cards. The rescue mission was successful, although we had to descend all four floors of overpriced merchandise.

Following the rescue mission in Forever 21, the group headed to the Nintendo World Store.

Among customers half our age, there were larger than life models of both Mario and Pikachu; the former posed with Tyler and Russ, while I was seen with Pikachu.

The store also included a giant display of previous Nintendo handheld consoles, one of which survived the first Gulf War.After the Nintendo escapade, the crew decided to see Rockefeller Center where pictures were taken, and Kaitlin pestered the group to go to Tiffany’s. We relented.

The final stop, Tiffany’s, proved to be the greatest trial and tribulation. Upon arriving at the Tiffany’s entrance, the concierge rudely greeted Tyler, and insinuated that he would be only “window-shopping”. Manners aside, the rest of Tiffany’s proved to be very helpful and conscientious. Unfortunately, the group did not know the elevator existed and we ascended eight flights of stairs. The top floor brought a lot of nervous bachelors, many of which looked borderline suicidal. One exclaimed in a nervous shriek that his fiancée had his credit card, and feared it would be maxed out.

After the guys did their own “window-shopping”, the group rushed back to the Port Authority. Unfortunately, not many of us were great at interpretation public transportation schedules and we almost got on the wrong bus. Nearly 20 minutes later, we were on the bus headed home. In the extremely warm sauna bus, we watched the outline of Manhattan fade to black.

Martin Luther King Jr. Past & Present–Jacob Mosser & Matt Klein

Only a week after school started back, we get a day off.  Seems very odd that the first day we get off is only a few days after the start of the 2012 Spring term.  It would be considered odd but we must remember why we are getting off.  We are getting off in honor of the birth of one of the greatest Americans to have lived.  His name is Martin Luther King, Jr.

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King was born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15^th, 1929 to Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King as their middle son.  He attended Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta but he skipped both the 9^th and 12^th grade to go on to enter Morehouse College where he would graduate with a degree in sociology. He then enrolled in Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania.  He would go on to be a pastor in Montgomery, Alabama, marry Corretta Scott, and have 5 children with her.

Dr. King was the change in his time because he lived by it.  After studying non-violent resistance, he put it into practice by organizing the Montgomery Bus Boycott after Rosa Park was arrested for not giving up her seat to a white man on December 1^st, 1955.  The boycott would go on for 385 days.  The situation became so tense that Dr. King’s house would be bombed.  The situation eventually reached the Supreme Court where racial segregation ended on the Montgomery bus system.

King organized the Civil Rights movement with blacks and whites all over the United States with peaceful marches fighting for equal rights of African-Americans all over the country.  His most famous march was on Washington D.C. in August 28^th, 1963  where he delivered his very famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

Take a few minutes today and watch the speech at the video and think about what he meant by those words.   This march would put much pressure for the United States Congress to pass the Civil rights Act of 1964.  Dr. King would go on to win the Nobel Peace Prize for his actions.

 

 

 

 

In honor of Dr. King and his dream for America, one day of the year is set aside for a remembrance and celebration.  On August 22, 2011 a memorial stood, open to the public, of Martin Luther King Jr. looking across the National Mall with his arms crossed, broken from the center of two marble halves.  This memorial remembers Dr. King’s life works and dreams for this country, and it includes some of his most memorable quotations.

James Madison University also celebrates the dream of Dr. King.  Each year, a formal memorial service takes place with a candlelight ceremony.  Organizations and administrators alike come from across the university to join in the celebration and light a candle to represent their belief in the dream and in their country.

Dr. Calvin Mackie, this year’s guest speaker, challenged and inspired those who attended the event to live a life like Dr. King.  He spoke about wishing that students would use their time wisely to make a greater impact on society and to reach their full potential as human beings.  “Each day,” he described, “you should wake up running.”  If everyone were as proactive and passionate as Dr. King, who knows what kind of world we would live in today.

Madison Forever is a Madison Tradition

For today’s families, paying for college is an increasingly difficult challenge.  The economy remains volatile, un-employment remains a stubborn low percentage and at the same time, federal and state governments are cutting grants and other support options.  Alumni and friends who want to hold the door open to the Madison Experience for students in financial need can do so through Madison Forever.

For many who have the desire, ambition, and talent to obtain a college education, the door remains closed due to financial difficulty.  Often, students are lacking just the last few dollars to make ends meet.  Madison Forever is a permanent program to give the financial aid officers the flexibility to help students with the greatest financial aid possible.

Madison Forever is all about awareness.  Being aware of those in need and helping them out.  It’s all about “holding the door open” for the students that are coming to JMU, already at JMU or have left JMU and need the extra support monetarily.

 

Giving to Madison Forever is easy, donate online or by calling the toll-free number: 855-568-4483.