Office of Graduate Diversity and Inclusion

2nd Annual Spring Speaker Series and PROMISE AGEP PhD Completion Workshop

• Monday, April 17, 2017
• 4:00-5:30pm (doors open at 3:45pm)
• Pyon Su, 2108 Stamp
• (Light refreshments served)
• RSVP Required, limited seating: go.umd.edu/eubanks2017

• Allocating Funds to Student Organizations:  The Finance Board is responsible for managing the portion of SGA’s annual budget that is set aside to support student organizations.  Throughout the academic year, student organizations can request funds by completing an Allocation Request Form and submitting it to the Treasurer.  The total amount requested each year is far larger than the total amount of funding available. At its weekly meetings, the Finance Board reviews these forms and (for larger requests) meets with officers of the student organizations that submitted them, and considers whether each request meets the following criteria:
• The rules governing Finance Board allocations do not prohibit funding the request (i.e., it was not submitted after the deadline, the funds will not be used to purchase alcohol, the funds will not be donated to charity, etc.); and
• The proposed use of these funds is so worthwhile that the Finance Board is willing to turn down other requests in order to devote these funds to the group’s objective.

• Communicating with Student Organizations: The Finance Board communicates with student organizations about how to submit requests, the rules governing Finance Board allocations, what makes for a good request, and whether requests have been approved, disapproved or postponed.

• Participating in SGA Decision-Making: The Finance Board shares responsibility with the Senate and other SGA officers in connection with decisions about the annual budget, allocations from the SGA's reserve fund, and approval of certain appointed officers.

• Participating in SGA Initiatives and Activities: Finance Board members work with members of the other branches of SGA to contribute to positive change on campus.  It is especially helpful when Finance Board members identify and develop ways to support student organizations more effectively, such as improvements to the event planning and implementation process.

• Current enrollment as a full-time doctoral student at a U.S. accredited institution, studying relevant fields (e.g., higher education, sociology, public policy, etc.) is required. Advancement to candidacy is an asset.
• Extensive training in quantitative research methodology is required.
• Familiarity and experience in working with various datasets from the National Science Foundation and/or National Center for Education Statistics is an asset.
• Excellent academic writing skills are required.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision is required.
• Proficiency in MS Office products, SPSS, SPSS Syntax, and Stata is required.

• Communicating with the Student Body: More than any other branch in SGA, the Senate’s job is to listen to the voices of UMBC undergraduates and find new ways to respond to their needs, concerns and aspirations. Senators find and develop multiple avenues for connecting with students, sparking and collecting their ideas, and supporting them in their own projects to improve the UMBC experience.  
• Initiating Action to Improve Students’ Experiences: The Senate is where many of SGA’s new initiatives are born: an incubator of ideas and plans to improve UMBC policies, programs and practices. Senators work together, both at the weekly meetings and in smaller groups throughout each week, to envision needed changes, develop practical plans, and coordinate the work of implementing them, involving and receiving support from Executive Branch officers as appropriate.  
  
  For example, the Senate could decide that what the student body needs is new dining options in The Commons. A team of Senators would work together, coordinating with the President, to determine how to pursue these new options (identifying key decision-makers, researching the history of the existing dining options, developing a plan for advocating changes, engaging and informing the student body), and work to make the change happen. If the Senate develops an initiative that requires steady, ongoing attention in subsequent years, the initiative may shift to the Executive Branch for implementation after the first year.  
• Taking Positions/Considering Legislation: When SGA formally takes a position on an issue, such as a bill being considered by the state legislature, it does so in the form of legislation approved by a majority vote of the Senate (which can be vetoed by the President, subject to override by a 2/3 vote of the Senate). The Senate also has or shares responsibility for approving the annual budget, allocations of funds from SGA’s reserve account, and the appointment of certain SGA officers. In addition, the Senate manages a fund from which it can make allocations to SGA projects. 
• Representing the Student Body: Senators represent all students on UMBC committees (consisting of staff, faculty and students) that establish campus policies and practices. Fulfilling this responsibility entails both attending and participating actively in committee meetings and communicating with other SGA members and the student body about what the committees are doing. (This responsibility is shared with the Executive Branch). 
• Participating in SGA Initiatives and Activities: Senators work with members of the other branches of SGA to contribute to positive change on campus.