JMU Student Body President Reallocates $500,000 for Spring Break Trip

Student fees meant to be budgeted for student organizations like University Program Board, Student Ambassadors, Panhellenic, Interfraternity Council, and more are moved to his personal account.

President Pat Watral released the following statement today:

“Honestly, I didn’t see the money being used for anything at the time so I have decided to allocate it for an official spring break trip to Panama City Beach, FL for spring break with my friends.

I understand many of you now disapprove of the decision, but I’m sorry, the funds are now locked up in the all-inclusive Bikini Beach Resort and my tab at the oceanfront bar.

My friends Simon, G, and Chris are so pumped for this trip, because we are seniors and want to spend as much time together as possible before we graduate.  I would hate to tell them that I had to cancel our plans because just Student Ambassadors was afraid they wouldn’t be able to give tours next year and UPB wants to have a Spring Concert.  Besides, I did spend the money on a concert. It just the concert is private and it is in Florida and it’s next week.

Again, I am sorry many of you are so upset about this issue.  I swear I will post all my pictures in a special album on Facebook so everyone can see them and imagine they were at the wet t-shirt concert with us.”**

OKAY LET’S BE REAL.  I would never do something so horrifically irresponsible.  I am honored to be JMU’s Student Body President and have incredible respect both for the allocation of student tuition money and for the organizations that deserve the funds.

Tuesday February 28 the Student Government Association will be debating and approving the budgets of the other nine Front-End-Budgeted (FEB) student organizations on our campus. 

Front-End-Budgeted simply means that the organization has proven that they put on so many large events throughout the year for JMU students, that they do not have the time to hold fundraising for each one.  Therefore, administration and SGA create their budget BEFORE the start of the year that they can use.

Those FEB organizations are: Student Ambassador, University Program Board, Inter-Fraternity Council, Panhellenic, EARTH Club, Madison Equality, Black Student Alliance, C.A.R.E and the NCAAP.  (SGA is also a FEB group, but we cannot decide our own budget)

All JMU students should care about how the SGA will allocate your tuition money.  I hope my little story above shocked enough students into paying attention to how these budgets will be allocated. It is my sincerest wish that students would take part in this process by voicing their opinion to members of the SGA.

Students can make a difference by:

• Stopping by the SGA office to speak with SGA members (Taylor 203 above TDU)
• Attending the SGA meeting Tuesday night at 5:15pm in Festival Highlands room for FEB night where they can voice their opinions.
• Tweeting @SGAjmu about #FEBNIGHT

Being a JMU student is all about taking part in important decisions in our society, and educating ourselves so that we may be the change! See you at FEB Night.
Pat Watral

Student Body President

**This story is NOT real. Pat did NOT take the money. The story was meant as an attention grabber. Thank you**

Program Grants are Back!

Does your organization want to put on a big program for the Fall 2012 semester but doesn’t quite have the funds to do so?

APPLY FOR A PROGRAM GRANT FROM THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION!

A program grant is a set of funds allocated by the Student Government Association to organizations who want to put on campus wide programs, but do not necessarily have the funds to do so. By applying for a program grant, your organization’s program can receive up to $5,000. By co-sponsoring with one other organization, your program can receive up to $7,500 and with two other organizations, your program can receive up to $10,000!

The application can be found here and it is due by February 17, 2011 at 5pm in Taylor 203. Please schedule a meeting with the SGA Executive Treasurer, Abby Ware, at wareae@dukes.jmu.edu before the due date. Her office hours are held in Taylor 203 and are as follows:

Wednesday: 10am-12pm
Thursday: 11am-12pm
Friday: 1pm-3pm

NOTE: Applying for program grants is a competitive process. Be sure to put a lot of effort into your application. Last semester we had 7 organizations apply and Mozaic Dance, Student Greater Madison and Virginia Bio received the funding.

For more information about program grants contact the Student Body Executive Treasurer, Abby Ware, at wareae@dukes.jmu.edu.

Program Grant Night!

One of the biggest nights in the SGA year is tonight.  We as an organization, have the ability to give specific organizations thousands of dollars to help them put on one of their big events.  Program Grants allow organizations on campus to put on a truly spectacular event for the JMU and Harrisonburg community.  Often times without the additional money from SGA, the events wouldn’t be possible.

The Process:

By submitting an extensive application to the Executive Treasure, organizations tell us where the extra funds will be allocate to, where they could potentially get external funds (i.e. fundraising) and what the event is they are planning.  The applications are then sent to the Finance Committee within SGA and are reviewed, potentially edited, and voted upon.  If the grant passes through Finance, it is presented in front of Senate for approval.  Senate has the ability to change anything Finance has approved, as well as overturn the Finance decision with a 2/3 vote.  Finally, the Executive Board makes the decision to keep the Senate vote, or overturn it.

The Organizations and their Event:

1. VA Bio: “Speed Networking” students will learn how to network, practice networking and hear about life post-graduation from a discussion panel.
2. Mozaic Dance Team: “Coalescence 3rd Annual Weekend” both a showcase and a workshop featuring dance teams from DC, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and areas.
3. Relay For Life: “Relay for Life” participants walk around a track for 12 hours symbolizing that cancer never sleeps.  There are several forms of entertainment throughout the night and funds go towards American Cancer Society.
4. Student Greater Madison, Habitat for Humanity, National Society of Leadership and Success: “The Big Event” a campus-wide day of community service where thousands of students will be sent into Harrisonburg in teams to complete tasks.
5. JMU Breakdance Club, JMU Invisible Children: “Circles 13″ seeks to promote the four original arts of hip-hop with life DJs, a graffiti expo, freestyle MC battles, king of the cypher (community all-style dance) battles, and 4 v. 4 crew battles.

If you want to hear the debate tonight, head over to Festival Highlands room at 5:15p and see where the money goes! There are a lot of great causes, and limited funds, so it should be interesting.

A Little Bit of London–Abby Ware

How’s it going JMU?! We’re about halfway through the summer after a great 2010-2011 year and I’m already anxious to get back to school. I hope you all have been enjoying time relaxing, working, volunteering or studying abroad. For the incoming Class of 2015, I hope you are all excited to begin your 4 years at JMU! Get pumped because you all are going to have a blast. Who knows, maybe I will be your First YeaR Orientation Guide for 1787 August Orientation.

While I’m excited to get back to JMU, there is a lot of preparation that needs to be done before the 2011-2012 school year begins. I have been working on a couple of things since classes have ended and the summer has begun:

• SGA Fall Retreat: is always a great time for SGA members to get to know one another, establish new goals, and set an exciting and ambitious tone for the new school year. The date has been set for September 23-24 and I’m already really excited! We’re ready for new members with new ideas so get ready to see some big things come out of this retreat. Please let us know if there are specific things you would like SGA to discuss at the retreat and we’ll get right to them!

My biggest effort this summer has been put into my study abroad experience in London. I am taking a course on Diversity in the British Workplace. Though I have to say, the best part about studying abroad in London is that I am also interning at the British Parliament. I have been interning for Member of Parliament, Graeme Morrice, who is quite the jokester. He actually almost had me curtsy in front of the Speaker of the House of Commons, telling me it was what I had to do when he walked by. By that point I didn’t understand British humor. I certainly do now!

Through interning at Parliament, I have gained a lot of insight that I plan to bring break to JMU dealing with how government works in the UK. At the beginning of each day the House of Commons goes into “Parliamentary Questions.” Members of Parliament ask on-the-spot questions to elected and appointed government figures, like the Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister. I would like this style of questioning to be considered with SGA. We could have a time designated in SGA meetings and possibly time expanding outside SGA meetings to have non-SGA members and SGA members ask questions. These on-the-spot questions will be directed to the SGA Executive Board, Staff, Committee Chairs, or Senators about what they are doing and the impact they are providing. This could give insight on how SGA is getting its goals accomplished as well as provide students an outlet to express their voices. This is one of the many ideas I hope to bring back!

Besides all of the fun Parliamentary business, London has been incredible. I love going on runs in Hyde Park, eating lunch in Parliament, going to local markets, and exploring the many facets and neighborhoods of London. I also have had the amazing opportunities to travel to Ireland, the Netherlands, and on July 8th I go to Paris! Here is a piece of advice that I have to offer: If you have the opportunity to study abroad, then DO IT! JMU has so many great opportunities to study abroad inside and outside of the country, so take advantage if possible.

That’s all from me JMU!! Thanks for reading and please comment with any questions! If you have any cool study abroad, volunteer, or work stories, then feel free to post them. While London is amazing, I have been missing the JMU love so don’t be shy

Go Dukes!

Abby