Hello UMB community. We hope the fall semester is going well for you. We have been working on numerous initiatives, and we’ve had several successes since our last update. For example, through our Summer Spending Act we were able to make a few thrifty purchases: a “light tree” to save funds on event lighting rentals; large capacity lockers for RSO (Resident Student Or¬ganization) Storage; Netbooks for student use in Campus Center; the Cam¬pus Center office will supervise distribution and your USG is waiting on IT to set up the computers. (You can contact IT at: 617-287-5220 or by email at: [email protected].) We are now involved in a couple of corporate memberships to compen¬sate for cuts made to SAEC. We have a brand new training session for all your new senate leaders. We sent a resolu¬tion to support the DREAM Act to Senator Scott Brown as well as a copy to supporters of the Act in Legislation and UMB administration. I visited Senator Brown’s office downtown last week to inform him of UMB’s support of the DREAM Act. We have had four¬teen new Senator nomination forms submitted since the beginning of the semester, and we are hoping to pass an amendment to our bylaws as soon as possible to fast track their entry as additional Senate staff. We also have 27 new volunteers with flexible hours and varied commitment availabilities to add to our USG numbers to serve and improve our campus community. Want to join? Download our nomination form to become a senator, or our vol¬unteer form and submit it to us today! Our CCA Committee is planning Town Halls with fun themes and guest speakers to engage our campus population even more. We will have a more vibrant community here for new students who have left other college communities for ours. We will have three USG representatives attending the upcoming ASGA Student Gov¬ernment National Summit meeting to broaden our governing capabilities and knowledge to improve our USG and setup valuable networks at universities all over the US. We are setting up our Elections committee early to be even more successful with elections than we were last semester. Our Budget and Finance committee has cut unspent funding from FY10 in our FY11 budget to allocate more funds to campus infra¬structure and student events. Remember to visit us online, UMB¬gov.com. Your involvement in the USG is what makes many interactions for the whole campus community more efficient, more enjoyable, and more meaningful. If you wish to participate actively with the USG in any roll, large or small, we encourage you to sign up and volunteer. Do this by visiting us online at UMBgov.com/volunteer, or stop by the USG office on the 2nd floor of the Campus Center in room 2404, or call our office at 617-287-7970 and leave your name, contact information, and interests. President’s Corner Neil MacInnes Barker Together we can work to improve the services at UMB. I call on you as a member of the UMB community to join our Dining Services Advisory, Parking and Safety Advisory, and our IT & WiFi Advisory Boards to voice your concern and suggestions on how these aspects of campus might im¬prove. I am also looking for in¬dividuals to sit on UMB administrative committees or boards to speak directly with campus officials. They appreciate your interest in the campus community and your involvement. Your participation in these advisory boards can help improve the efficiency of UMB’s procedures and may clarify university policies for you as well. This is an easy way for you to help improve the quality of our campus services, and you’ll also get to know some of the people on staff at UMB. These boards are a way of improving transparency and vendor services; it’s also a way for you to have a voice in the discussion on the university’s Master Plan. Vice President Travis Henderson has spearheaded a Stu¬dent Tenants Association for all of our Harbor point and Pen¬insula residents who are students at UMB. If you live at these residences and you’re interested in being involved in this as¬sociation, you can contact VP Henderson at Travis.UMB@ gmail.com. The meetings will be on the second floor of the Campus Center in Room 2315 every Friday at 3:30PM. The meetings will be a venue for discussing concerns and plan gatherings or events to develop the community at Harbor Point and The Peninsula. There are also several positions open in my Executive Cabinet. To apply as an executive cabinet member, senator, or volunteer go to our website—UMBgov.com. Click the “Executive” tab, then select “Cabinet” from the pull-down for cabinet positions and email my Chief of Staff, Mr. Masod Na¬jibullah directly, [email protected]. Click the “Get Involved” tab, then either the “Senate Nomination Form” or “Volunteer” for a senate or volunteer position or email [email protected]. Do please visit us at UMBgov.com. We want your insight and guidance to direct the future and success of the UMass Boston community. If you would like to get more involved go to: UMBgov.com and click “Get Involved.” There are many ways for you to participate in your student government, no matter your schedule. I can be reached by email at: [email protected] and by phone at: 617-444- 9432. Or you can meet me at my office on the 2nd floor of the Campus Center, room 2404. My office hours are Tues¬days 3:15-5:15 pm and Thursdays from 3:15-6:15 pm. It is an honor to serve you and I hope to meet many of you in person. I am always inspired by your ideas of how to make the UMass Boston community the best it can be.