The spring Student Involvement Fair is Wednesday, January 25 from 11am-1pm on the Campus Center First Floor Terrace.

If your club hasn't signed up for a 1/2 table, email shelby.harris@umb.edu.

Good afternoon. As many are aware, the website is currently undergoing maintenance and an issue seems to have arisen when submitting budget requests. We do apologize for the inconvenience.

However, the issue is currently being fixed as it has been confirmed. Due to this inconvenience, the deadline for the third round of budgeting has been extended until Monday, December 5th, 2011.

Update (12-03-11): As of December 3rd, 2011, the issue with submitting budget requests has been fixed. The deadline for the 3rd round of budgeting will stay as Monday, December 5th, 2011. Anyone wishing to submit a budget request for the third round of budgeting may do so. If anymore issues arise, please feel free to drop an e-mail at seoc@umbgov.com Thank you.

This is a reminder that the next round of club budget requests are due by this Friday, December 2nd. Funding decisions from this round of requests will be finalized by finals and available for the beginning of the spring semester.

The 4th round of requests will not be until February 4th and funds from that round will not be dispersed until late February so plan your events and maintenance events accordingly!

As a reminder, events and maintenance budgets are separate forms and you must submit a request for each individual event.

Go to http://www.umbgov.com/rso-request/ to submit your requests or contact SEOC@umbgov.com with any questions.

If you would like to request funds through the Budget and Finance Committee for special events or travel, then go to http://www.Easy...=10520111113126 to fill out and submit your form.

Requests are due by 5 pm on the Thursday before Budget and Finance Committee Meetings (see calendar for dates)

We are excited to kick of the 2011-2012 school year! To mark the start of another year, we have some great events planned for Opening Week including the "State of the Student Address"on Thursday, September 8 at 1 pm in the University Dining Hall. Go to http://www.umb....c/welcome_week/ for a full listing of events!

If you are a returning club, don't forget to reactivate by Friday, September 23rd. If you'd like to submit an application for a new club, the deadline for fall applications is also Friday, September 23rd.

Finally, the Student Senate will be holding Special Elections to fill vacant Senate Seats. Watch your email for more information on how to take part!

On Wednesday June 8, The UMass Board of Trustees voted to raise fees 7.5%, roughly $800 per student. The UMass system has watched its public funding dwindle over the last thirty years. Here at UMass Boston, we have dedicated ourselves to providing an accessible education to those who need it most. This fee increase is as surprising as it is new, continuing the trend of privatizing state schools, and moving away from our commitment to accessibility. Time and time again, we hear politicians parade their commitment to higher education during the election cycle, only to put it first on the chopping block during the budget process. It is time they walked the walk. Students and their families are not an “alternative revenue source” for the University. They are our future work force, our tax payers, and those who will invest their time and effort in this state. We write this letter, as a call to action for the students, families, faculty members, alumni, and friends of not just UMass, but the entire public higher education system. It is time Beacon Hill prioritized our work force, our economy, and our state’s future.

Travis Henderson and Dan McDowell
Student Body President and Vice President
UMass Boston