Brown UCS

Contents:

1. Win Spring Weekend Tickets! Take the UCS/BCA Fall Poll
2. UCS calls on University to increase Student Activities Funding
3. UCS Meeting with Marisa Quinn, VP of Public Affairs and University Relations, and Al Dahlberg, Director of State and University Relations
4. Ivy Council Meeting November 7th at Dartmouth
5. UCS Updates

1. Win Spring Weekend Tickets! Take the UCS/BCA Fall Poll:

The UCS/BCA Fall Poll is online now! This poll is set up to gather student feedback for the Undergraduate Council of Students and the Brown Concert Agency. Sign up to win free Spring Weekend Tickets at the end of the survey! Take a few minutes – and tell your friends. You can find the poll on MyCourses.

2. UCS calls on University to Increase Student Activities Funding:

UCS unanimously passed a resolution at the November 4th meeting asking for an increase in the student activities fee to support student groups. If adopted by the University, this will result in a $46,000 increase to activities funding. This resolution will be submitted to the University Resources Committee, and will be taken under consideration as they set the University’s budget for next year. We will report back after the budget is set. Read the resolution here.

3. UCS Meeting with Marisa Quinn, VP of Public Affairs and University Relations, and Al Dahlberg, Director of State and University Relations:

Marisa Quinn and Al Dahlberg spoke to undergraduates at UCS’s November 4th meeting. They focused on how the University has responded, and is responding to the proposed Providence Student Tax. They talked about the positive impact that students have on the Providence community and asked for suggestions on how to further oppose the tax. For more information, please see the 11-04-09 minutes.

4. Ivy Council Meeting November 7th at Dartmouth:

Delegates from UCS and Brown students at large attended the biannual Ivy Council Meeting on November 7th at Dartmouth. Delegates from a majority of the Ivy League schools attended as well. Topics covered during discussions included housing, the economy, the environment, dining, and more. The conversation was a productive, comparative look at policies across the Ivy League. UCS will post the final policy report from the conference on our website when it is released.

5. UCS Updates

• UCS is working with faculty to put course syllabi online — coming next semester!
• UCS members are reviewing our election procedures and guidelines — we hope to introduce Instant Runoff Voting for the spring elections.
• Look for UCS sponsored study breaks in December — meet your reps and take a break from studying!
• Got a problem? Tell us! UCS members host office hours every Wednesday 12-1pm in the Ratty.

Contents:

1. Beppie Huidekoper, Vice President of Finance and Administration, Speaks with UCS
2. Meeting with Dean Bergeron and Vice President of Campus Life Margaret Klawunn
3. UCS Annual Agenda Released — in print and online
4. Student Activities Code Change — New Category S
5. Do you have questions about Brown? UCS has your answers!–UCS Office Hours at the Ratty
6. UCS Internal Elections–Results
7. Students Appointed to University Committees

1. Beppie Huidekoper, Vice President of Finance and Administration, Speaks with UCS:

Beppie Huidekoper spoke with undergraduate students at UCS’s October 14th meeting. She provided an extensive look at Brown’s financial situation including financial plans, their implications, and Fiscal Year 2011′s current budgeting process. She also spoke about the Organizational Review Committee’s task in overseeing a campus-wide effort designed to ensure optimal organization of administrative operations and help reduce the university’s $30 million budget deficit. For more information please see our minutes for October 14th.

2. Meeting with Dean Bergeron and Vice President of Campus Life Margaret Klawunn

Katherine Bergeron, Dean of the College, and Margaret Klawunn, Vice President for Campus Life and Student Services, spoke to UCS about advising resources and the economic crisis affecting Brown. The Faculty Advising Fellows (FAF) Program is a great resource for all students who have any questions for advisors or who just want some free coffee. It meets on the second floor of JWW and involves faculty advisors who are available to advise students every day at Advising Central.

3. UCS Annual Agenda Released — in print and online

Every year, UCS releases an ‘Annual Agenda’ outlining our major goals and projects. These projects can play a huge role in shaping our student experience, and we would love your feedback on what we have set out to do! You will receive a copy of the Annual Agenda in your Brown mailbox, and you can also view it online, or pick-up a copy during UCS office hours (Wed, 12-1pm, Ratty). If you have any suggestions — either ideas for our current agenda, or things we missed — please e-mail us at UCS@brown.edu.

4. Student Activities Code Change — New Category S

On October 14th, UCS approved the creation of a new category to support student groups whose primary purpose is to raise funds for off-campus service organizations. Category S enables fundraising groups to receive non-monetary university support including official recognition, a university mailbox, and the ability to use university rooms and spaces for their activities. For more information about Category S Groups, please review the UCS Code of Operations.

5. Do you have questions about Brown? UCS has your answers!

UCS will be holding weekly office hours in the Ratty this year. We want to ensure that undergraduates have every opportunity to give us feedback and learn more about UCS projects. Keep an eye out for UCS members walking around the Ratty as well as those staffing a UCS table in the Ratty every Wednesday from 12-1pm.

6. UCS Internal Elections — Results

Elections for internal UCS positions were held on September 23rd. Kening Tan ’12 was elected Appointments Chair, Evan Holownia ’11 was elected Communications Chair, Alyaa Alkhadhar ’13 was elected Secretary, Ralanda Nelson ’12 was elected Treasurer, Lily Tran ’10 was elected Alumni Liaison, Melea Atkins ’10 was elected Corporate Liaison, Salsa Ahmed ’11 was elected UCS-UFB Liaison, and Rachel Hunter ’12 was elected Ivy Council Policy Chair.

7. Students Appointed to University Committees

The UCS fall appointment process ended last week and 11 students were selected to represent the student body on 7 university committees on campus. After receiving a large pool of outstanding applicants and assessing each student based on the application and interview, UCS appointed the following students to the university committees (more information on our Appointments page):

• Brown-Tougaloo College Partnership Campus Advisory Committee
  Evan Pulvers ‘10
• Campus Life Subcommittee on Athletics and Physical Education
  Lee Ann Herring-Olvedo ‘11
• Community Carbon Use @ Brown (CCURB) Steering Committee
  Daniel Musher ‘10
• Computing Advisory Board Committee on Academic Technology
  Samuel Magaram ‘12
  Neal Poole ‘12
• Diversity Advisory Board
  Madeleine Avendaño ’11
• Energy and Environment Advisory Committee
  Frieda Kay ‘12
  Devin Finzer ‘13
• Friedman-Rock Advisory Council
  Meera Chappidi ‘12
  Christina Kovacs ’11
  Samuel Magaram ’12