As we march towards spring, we again engage in the ritual of picking leadership for next year. As such, I would like to announce the 2010-2010 academic year SGA election schedule. Please note, attendance at one information session is required in order to qualify for the ballot. In extreme circumstances, please contact me (SGA President Gabe Amo) if you cannot attend.

Wednesday, March 24th – Information Session at 5PM in the SGA Office

Thursday, March 25th – Information Session at 6PM in the SGA Office

Sunday, March 28th – Declaration of Candidacy due at Noon

Monday, March 29th – Campaign Week begins at 12:01 AM

Monday, April 5th – Senate and Executive Board Speeches in the Loft at 8PM

Tuesday, April 6th – Class Council Speeches in the Loft at 8PM; Campaign Week Ends

Wednesday, April 7th – Polls open at SGA.wheatoncollege.edu/voting at 8AM

Thursday, April 8th – Polls close at 8PM; All signs down by 9PM

Thursday, April 8th – Results announced in Emerson at 9PM

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at sga@wheatoncollege.edu.

Peace,

Gabe

FAILURE to meet the deadlines as well as not following the guidelines of the Senate Finance Committee will reflect in  your club budget allocation for the following year. Clubs that were audited in the FALL 2009, have to submit an updated Budget Ledgers as well as ALL Receipts. If you are a graduating senior, it is your responsibility to prepare your successor and explain the process. If this is the case, please send your successor to the Treasurers’ Social. If you are no longer the treasurer for your club, please forward this information to the correct contact. We don’t want any sort of miscommunication to happen.

THE DATES:
-Audits to be submitted on March 24th (The forms to be submitted)
-Treasurers’ Social on March 22nd – 9pm-11pm (Club treasurers come will have the opportunity to ask questions about the process) LOCATION – SGA OFFICE – MANDATORY for all treasurers (NO EXCEPTIONs)
-Budget Proposal submitted on March 31st (The forms to be submitted)
-Budget Hearings sign-ups on April 6th (Club Execs sign up for a 10min time slot during which they will be questioned on their budget proposals) LOCATION – DOODLE (TBA)
-Budget Proposal Hearings on April 10th-11th (Club Execs attend the meeting with the Senate Finance Committee where they will be questioned on their budget proposals) – LOCATION – SGA OFFICE

THE LIST OF DOCUMENTS (All Documents can be found under the SGA website Treasurer’s tab, if not please give it until the middle of next week):

1. Club Constitution
2. Budget Ledger
3. Programming Evaluation Form
4. Club Inventory Form (if applicable)
5. All Receipts, Bills, Deposit Slips and etc.
6. Budget Proposal for FY11 (next year)

IMPORTANT, members of the Senate Finance Committee will be in touch with you regarding the submission of receipts and etc. In addition, all forms (except for receipts) have to be submitted electronically via email or on a jump drive. Paper versions are strongly discouraged, LETS SAVE TREES!!!
It is STRONGLY suggested to clear out all transactions (any outstanding reimbursements and transfers) that the club has by the submission date, check-in with the Student Banker.

Please feel free to email any questions to me at sgatreasurer@wheatonma.edu. However, please be advised that most of the questions will be answered during the Treasurers’ Social.

Best,
Sasha Kim

I am writing to follow up on the message that you received from President Crutcher, Provost Eisenmann and Dean Williams regarding the formation of the Yellow Wood Commission. To reduce any confusion that exists about the Commission, I want to offer an additional explanation of its purpose. Simply put, the Commission’s purpose is to create a new paradigm for a collaborative strategy that would lead to a balanced and responsible use of alcohol on campus. In order to accomplish that goal, we need an elevated discussion to overhaul an ineffective status quo by examining the culture and rules that govern that culture. This will lead to substantive action. Naturally, you may ask: what will be produced? There are no specific ends in mind; the agenda and set of outcomes is purposefully broad. This is not a conversation to make Wheaton a dry campus. Rather, the work of the committee will be to establish a clearer set policies and actions that respect the reality of students’ lives.

For the Yellow Wood Commission to be an effective agent of purposeful change, it will require participation from members of the campus community who can be committed in their service to this effort. Excluding the co-chairs, the committee will consist of five dedicated students and 4 staff/faculty members. The meeting schedule is as follows: Thursdays, February 25^th, March 11^th and 25^th, April 8^th and 22^nd and May 6^th from 3:30-5pm.  In addition, the commission will hold a retreat Friday, March 5^th from 12:30-6pm.  All members are expected and required to attend all meetings. Serving on the Commission will likely include substantial preparation before regular meetings including research, writing, and subcommittee meetings.

With the previous information known, I invite those who are interested in participating in the work of the Yellow Wood Commission to submit your interest through the application here at the SGA website or pick up at application in the Office of Student Life. This application will be used to identify individuals who could best contribute to this process. Please return your application to sga@wheatoncollege.edu or to Student Life by Monday, February 15^th at 10am.

If you are unable to serve, there will undoubtedly be numerous opportunities for participation from all members of the community through public commentary, open forums, and a space on the Wheaton website, to name a few.

In closing, I would invite you to read the Robert Frost poem “The Road Not Taken.” Our inspiration from the poem suggests that we’re at a moment of opportunity to move Wheaton forward and truly enhance the student experience at the college. Of course, please feel free to contact me or the other Co-Chairs, Andrea Holden (aholden@wheatoncollege.edu) or Craig Andrade (candrade@wheatoncollege.edu) with any questions, comments, or concerns.

Best,

Gabe

Senate is collecting data about student internet usage as part of an effort to address growing worries about the adequacy of Wheaton’s network. Please take the student Internet Usage Survey! This will allow us to better judge what Wheaton’s internet needs are.

We need your feedback: Take the survey!

As you know, the world has been shaken by the tragic earthquake in Haiti and its aftermath. Characteristic of our community, many of us have been hard at work organizing events to mobilize our resources and energy towards making a small Wheaton imprint on this global effort. Already, the following events have been planned:

-          Wednesday, January 27^th – Vigil in the Chapel, 5PM

-          Friday, January 29^th – Social Hour Fundraiser in the Loft, 8-10PM. For more information click here.

-          Saturday, January 30^th – Voluntary Gate at the Basketball Doubleheader:

Men’s Basketball v. Springfield at 1:00PM

Women’s Basketball v. U.S. Coast Guard Academy at 3:00PM

-          Thursday, February 4^th – Benefit Concert with Wheaton Performance Group, Location TBA, 7PM

In addition, look out for information on an upcoming Open Mic at the Lyon’s Den, a silent art auction sponsored by residents of the Art House, and initiatives sponsored by other campus clubs and organizations. There will be a calendar of events on the SGA website, sga.wheatoncollege.edu.

In the interest of collaboration and support of all of the various efforts that will emerge, I invite you to join me in the SGA Office at 8PM on Wednesday, January 27^th, if you have any interest in planning, sharing an idea, or lending other thoughts about this campus-wide effort. If you are unable to attend, but would like to contribute, please send an email to sga@wheatoncollege.edu.

Last, but not least, consider making a contribution now at the Wheaton College Partners in Health “Stand With Haiti” page at http://act.pih.org/page/outreach/view/haitiearthquake/wheatoncollegehaiti .

Peace,

Gabe