Presidential Leadership Academy — Matt Klein

Instead of heading home after my last exam during finals week, I prepared for the commencement of the Presidential Leadership Academy, representing SGA.  I joined 22 other organizational presidents, coming from all corners of the campus with different experiences and perspectives. It was interesting to hear each of their stories, understand them and their organizations, and find commonalities as well.  While each president had a unique organizational and individual outlook, there was much we could learn from each other.

The academy was based off of four fundamental principles: empowering, purposeful, ethical, and inclusive leadership.  Each day we dove into one of these topics and discussed how it related to our specific organizations.  Each president came in as a leader with a mission for his or her particular organization, but we soon realized how similar we were in terms of how to be effective leaders.  A variety of offices came to visit us as well.  Their presentations were both meant to inform us about their resources, but also acted as an interactive discussion where we could give them feedback and ideas.  We learned about JMU alumni, annual giving, public relations, and athletics to name a few.

Lastly, we had a number of team building and critical-thinking activities which helped us take a step back and see the big picture.  After every activity, we were always asked to reflect, and during this time we all thought about how the activity could help us improve as leaders and as people.  From the high-ropes course at the beginning of the week, to the frustrating stick assembly activity, to the night where we all opened up to one another, we were always asked to tie everything together.  This week gave the presidents a new perspective both about the campus, but more importantly within themselves.  There were several activities and ideas I saw myself bringing back to the SGA.

This week was a privilege and opportunity beyond any other at JMU.  I not only networked and learned about becoming a more effective leader, but I also made lasting relationships with other president’s and offices.  It was a privilege to be a part of such an interesting and dynamic group.  We came in as leaders with a particular mission, but we left as a group of people beyond the leaders we came in to be.  At the end of the week, I didn’t just see the individual leaders of organizations, but I saw a collaborative group of friends who were ready to take on JMU together.

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.

At-Lare Senators & Representative Applications Available

There are still positions available within Student Government. Applications have come out for At-Large Senator (not representing a specific college) and Representatives. Both positions have varying responsibilities and are necessary parts of the organization. For more information read below:

• At-Large Senator: A voting member of the Student body Senate. This member shall be part of one of the committees: Finance, Community and Traditions, Student Services, Academic and Legislative Action. Must attend a weekly Student Body Senate meeting.
• Representative: Non-voting members of the Student Body Senate. This member shall be part of one of the committees: Finance, Community and Traditions, Student Services, Academic and Legislative Action. Must attend 4 of the Student Body Senate meetings. (if you are a first time applicant, this is a great way to work your way into the organization)

Applications can be found here and are DUE to Taylor 203 Friday April 20th by 5pm. Both positions can be found on the application. Question? Email Kelly Johnson at Johns2ke@dukes.jmu.edu,

Announcing: Minor Elections WINNERS

The counts are in, and people have accepted their positions for Class Councils and College Area senators.  Listed below are the positions that will be YOUR voice for the next academic year.  Be on the look out for At-Large applications soon as well.

Senior Class Council:

 President–Meredith Wood

Vice President–Nadia Masroor

Treasurer–Annamarie Frost

Secretary–Caitlin Phillips

Junior Class Council:

President–Griffith Ridgway

Vice President–Justin Tarbell

Secretary –Amberlee Taylor

Sophomore Class Council:

President–Lauren Holder

Vice President–Kaitlin Thomas

Secretary–Rachel Francis

Treasurer–Rachel Fisher

Academic College Senators

 College of Arts and Letters

 Aaron Brown

Chris Hook

Jessica Morris

David Scala

Ben Copper

Rahath Alam

 College of Education

Megan Willis

College of Visual and Performing Arts

Laura Wilkins

 College of Integrated Science and Technologies

Tyler LedDuke

Adnan Al-Karagholi

Cameron Young

John Smith

Allie Herold

College of Business

Nick Maggio

Nora Linkous

Kyle Prestel

Garret Hansen

College of Science and Math

Rania Sheikh

At-Large

Jeff Blevins

Courtney Herb

Campbell Keyser

Kenya Pennington

McKenzie Quinn

Announcing: Staff Positions Available

With our newly elected excutive council in place, the time has come to hire the staff to help with the day-to-day tasks of running the organization.  Below, you will find each available postion and a link to the application. Completed applications should be brought to Taylor 203.

We are still accepting applications for Director of Information Technology, Executive Assistant, and Parliamentarian. Check out their position descriptions and application.

Chief of Staff: This position is newly created and accepted into our constitution!  The purpose of the chief of staff is to facilitate the mission of the Executive Council through the Executive Staff. This position works closely with the Student Body President. He/She shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Executive Council and act as a liaison to the Executive Council for the Executive Staff. He/She shall delegate all Executive Staff responsibilities equally and appropriately among the Executive Staff.

**Director of Information Technology:  The Director of Information Technology (DIT) is responsible for developing and updating the SGA website.  The DIT, who is a member of the SGA Executive Staff, must attend executive council meetings. Additionally, he/she is responsible for the management and upkeep of all SGA-owned technology, i.e. computers, printers, tvs and iPads.  The DIT also advises the organization on recommended technology purchases and assists the organization with technology acquisition and implementation.  He/She will ensure the Student Senate meeting minutes and attendance are posted on the website.  The DIT position must hold three office hours per week.**

Director of Membership Development: The purpose of the DMD is to educate the first-year senators and representatives and provide leadership opportunities for all members of SGA. The DMD has the responsibility to work collaboratively with members of the Executive Council to plan retreats and organize meetings. The DMD has the responsibility to bring in guest speakers, provide leadership activities and bonding opportunities for senate.  As DMD, it is your responsibility to create these leadership & bonding opportunities and to serve as a role model to the first year members.

Director of Public Relations: The Director of Public Relations serves as the press secretary for the organization.  He/She shall be responsible for forming relationships with all media outlets that provide coverage for the JMU Student Government, i.e. The Breeze, student publications, The Daily News Record, etc.  The DPR will control all of the Student Government Association social media pages and accounts, i.e Facebook, Twitter, the SGA Blog and Website.  They will also coordinate content with the JMU Office of Public Affairs.

**Executive Assistant: The Executive Assistant of the Student Government Association serves as the secretary of the organization, and is in fact “the organization behind the organization.” He/She is responsible, but not limited to serving as the office manager and organizer, taking minutes in Executive Council and Senate meetings, creating the databases, will be nuts and bolts certified, responsible for a large number of the room reservations with Events & Conferences, making and updating records binders, maintaining blackboard, sending out inter-organizational emails and updating the office calendars.**

**Parliamentarian: The Parliamentarian is in charge of making the final ruling on all issues of constitutionality that arise during SGA meetings. He/She is not a member of Senate or the Executive Council, but is required to attend all senate meetings. The Parliamentarian is the consultant to both bodies on issues pertaining to the SGA Constitution and Bylaws, in addition to Robert’s Rules of Order. The Parliamentarian must hold a Parliamentary Procedure Workshop for all new and returning senators and representatives.**

That’s all of them! Remember, applications need to be in to Taylor 203 by 5pm.  You also need to be available on Thursday April 12th from 6pm-10pm for interviews. Make sure you dress to impress!

Questions, concerns? Email Kelly Johnson at Johns2ke@dukes.jmu.edu and she can help you out. Good luck!

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.

How To Vote for Major Elections

For those of you who have never been on BeInvolved, the task of creating a “profile” might be a little daunting. Well, have no fear, not only is the process quick and easy, outlined below are the steps you need to take. So sit back, open a second window, and register on BeInvolved:

1. Go to the homepage of BeInvolved
2. Click the “log-in” button
   
3. Enter your e-id and password
4. (Don’t worry this screen is normal)
5. You’re done!

NOW IT’S TIME TO VOTE

Class of 2014 Ring SALES!

We have finally unveiled the Sophomore class ring. As an event, ring premier went amazingly and we are so thankful for all of you that came out to enjoy the night with us. Now for the fun part, actually ordering your ring!

If you didn’t get a chance to come out and celebrate with us, head to the SGA office in Taylor 203 to pick up your bag with a FREE t-shirt as well as the brochure with pricing options.

Balfour representatives will be available from March 24-26 (10am-4pm) and again from March 29-April 2 (10am-4pm) right outside post office in Warren Hall. They will have the ability to size you as well as show you in person examples of the ring styles.

If you have any questions, you can post in the Facebook event as members of the committee will be checking it frequently. For updates, follow @SGAjmu, @SGAjmu2014 on Twitter and “Like” the Student Government Association page on Facebook.

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.