Josh Michael for SGA Senate!

UMBC students - I have spent the last year representing you (and students from across the USM) as the USM student regent and am excited to serve you in the SGA Senate next year.  Working with student leaders across Maryland this year, I see the potential for what the UMBC SGA can do for you.  Here's what I would like to do:

• restore mission and professionalism to the SGA
• prioritize advocacy in the operation of the SGA
• establish concrete outreach plans to return the SGA to UMBC students

I have been involved on campus a fair amount, as well as in student advocacy in the state:

• Student Regent, University System of Maryland (2008-present)
  
• Student Commissioner, Maryland Higher Education Commission (2007-2008)
  
• UMBC Representative/Ex-Officio Member, University System of Maryland Student Council (2006-present)
  
• Director of Community and Governmental Affairs, UMBC SGA (2007-2008)
  
• Assistant Director of Community and Governmental Affairs, UMBC SGA (2006-2007)
  
• Volunteer in Baltimore City schools (Fall 2006 - Winter 2007)
  
• Member of the UMBC Honors College
• Member of the UMBC Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars Program
• Brother of Pi Kappa Phi (2007 - present)
• Studying Political Science and Secondary Education, to graduate in Spring 2010
  

Visit my facebook page to learn more.  

Elections will take place through Blackboard Monday to Wednesdsay (April 20-22).  Vote through this link. If you have difficulty voting, send me an email at joshmichael@umbc.edu or call me at (410) 294-8581 and I will ensure that you have the opportunity to vote.

Please leave comments and questions.  Thanks!

Student Voting

Hello All -

For those of you who do not know me, my name is Devin and I am a former graduate student at UMCP and former Chair of the University System Student Council. I wanted to post in response to the questions from Towson since I am currently working at my alma mater as the Coordinator for TerpsVote - the campus wide initiative to register, inform and support student voters.

We have a number of great things going on and I encourage you to check out our website at www.terpsvote.umd.edu to learn more about what we are doing, read our FAQs about student voting and get ideas for things you can do on your campus. Also, please feel free to email me at ellisd@umd.edu if you have other questions or want more information.

Devin

Student Voting Rights - Looking for Feedback/Input

As a part of Towson's 2009 Legislative Agenda I've been charged with researching voting rights issues as they pertain to students both across the country and for Maryland institutions specifically.

The main points I'm looking into are (1) what policies do different schools have concerning student voting, (2) are there polling places actually on campus or is there some form of transportation provided to sites for students registered using their on-campus addresses, (3) is there any policy that excuses students from class for voting or makes it clear that there it isn't an excused absence, and in general any other information concerning students attending Maryland schools.

I've tried combing through many USM schools' websites and haven't found much. If everyone could make an inquiry at their schools concerning these issues for me, it would be greatly appreciated.

Board of Regents endorses Slots

This past friday at the first full meeting Board of Regents for this academic year, other Regents and I voted to endorse the slots referendum to appear on the ballot in November. The USM Student Council also discussed the issue at length at its meeting yesterday. I voted to endorse the plan becuase I believe that potential societal costs are outweighed by the benefit for higher education. The revenues from slots, which I presume will amount to about $400 million a year, will be dedicated to a fund for education. Up to $150 million of this fund can be dedicated to higher education capital projects each year.

In light of these developments, I have pulled together some resources for you that will be useful in considering the issue:

Non-Technical Bill Summary
Copy of Legislation passed by Maryland General Assembly (description of locations included)
Ballot Language

(Chapter 5, Acts of 2007 Special Session)

Authorizing Video Lottery Terminals (Slot Machines) to Fund Education

Authorizes the State to issue up to five video lottery licenses for the purpose of raising revenue for education of children in public schools, prekindergarten through grade 12, public school construction and improvements, and construction of capital projects at community colleges and higher education institutions. No more than a total number of 15,000 video lottery terminals may be authorized in the State, and only one license may be issued for each specified location in Anne Arundel, Cecil, Worcester, and Allegany Counties, and Baltimore City. Any additional forms or expansion of commercial gaming in Maryland is prohibited, unless approved by a voter referendum.

(Enacts new Article XIX of the Maryland Constitution)

• For the Constitutional Amendment
• Against the Constitutional Amendment

Also, here are some other links that might be useful for you:
Marylanders United to Stop Slots
For Maryland- Pro Slots Advocacy Group
Sun Article on BOR Endorsement of Slots


What are you thoughts on slots in Maryland? Do you think the benefits for higher education make the proposal worthwhile?

Voting for College Students: Get the Facts Straight

Inside HigherEd ran a recent story highlighting tactics used in Montgomery County, Virginia, home of Virginia Tech, to discourage students from registering to vote. In a memo to students, the office of elections stated that students who registered to vote would be changing their permanent residence, and thus have to become independent from their parents for tax and healthcare purposes and would also have to file for a new driver's license. The Obama Campaign has been the lead in voter registration drives on many campuses, including Virginia Tech. They have found that according to a federal law, students can maintain dependent status will residing away from home. They also have contacted leading healthcare institutions to inquire whether students would be dropped from health plans if they registered to vote in another state. Each provider explained that students would not be dropped from their parent's plans.

While such a case has not occurred (yet) in Maryland, this issue in Virginia raises significant questions for us as students in Maryland. The important thing is that you register to vote somewhere and exercise your right to do so. Below are a few links that will be useful for you to register to vote and to find out more information (thanks for UMBC SGA Advisor David Hoffman for providing some of this information):

Maryland Voter Registration Application Form (last day to register in Maryland to vote in the general election is Tuesday, October 14, 2008).
Maryland Absentee Ballot Information and Application (last day to request an absentee ballot in Maryland for the general election is Tuesday, October 28, 2008).
National Voter Registration Form (works for all states except North Dakota, Wyoming, New Hampshire)
Information about all states' election deadlines (from Rock the Vote)
Contact information for all states' election offices (from Rock the Vote)
Maryland State Board of Elections (Phone- 410-269-284; info@elections.state.md.us)

If you have more questions or concerns, please email me and I will help you get your question answered.

Power to the people! Vote!