Nov. 16 - 20, 2009
Reminders and Deadlines
Happy Thanksgiving from the Office for Student Organization Development! Have a fun and safe holiday and best wishes on your upcoming finals!
Here in the Office for Student Organization Development we are very excited about all the new semester has to offer. Please continue to read the Weekly Newsletter, as this is where important announcements and reminders will be made. And don’t forget, you can add your organization’s upcoming events to the newsletter by e-mailing John Butt, Coordinator for Student Organization Development, at jbutt@vcu.edu.
- Important Policy for Student Organizations: Organizations are not allowed to use “VCU” before the name of the group (i.e. VCU Football Fans). “VCU” must always come after the name of the organization (i.e. Football Fans at VCU). Failure to comply with this policy on websites, flyers, and any type of publication can result in the organization being subject to judicial action.
- Have your organization highlighted at the SGA Presidential Roundtable on Wednesday, December 2 at 7:00pm in the Commonwealth Ballroom. Contact John Butt at jbutt@vcu.edu to sign up.
- Every wonder what it would be like to ice skate on the Commons Plaza? Well, now you can at our annual Winter Lights Celebration. The Commons celebrates its grand illumination with hot chocolate, holiday music, and a real skating rink on the plaza. Come join us on November 20, 2009 at 7:00pm for the fun! Contact Justin Castonguay for additional information at castonguayjb@vcu.edu
- Next SGA Presidential Roundtable: Wednesday, December 2 at 7:00pm in the Commonwealth Ballroom.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, followed by Finals and Winter Break! Have a safe and fun holiday break and best wishes on your finals from the Office for Student Organization Development!
Office for Student Organization Development
Monroe Park Campus
New This Week
The Office for Student Organization Development will have limited hours during Finals and will close at 12:00pm, along with the rest of the University, on Wednesday, November 25 for Thanksgiving. . The office will be open from 9:00am-5:00pm on the following dates: Monday, December 7 through Friday, December 18.
You can RESERVE the Workroom and the Conference Table located in the Office for Student Organization Development. Reservations are being accepted by the Student Assistants and you can schedule your next small meeting or workroom session today! Reservations will also be accepted via e-mail to: studentorgs@vcu.edu. Reservations must be between 9:00am and 9:00pm Monday through Thursday, and 9:00am and 5:00pm on Friday.
myORGS@VCU - Highlight of the Week
You can upload your organization’s constitution, organization photos, flyers, and any other type of document for members to have access to by going to the “Documents” tab and selecting “Upload Documents” from the drop-down menu. You can then select “Manage Documents” to delete or download files that are listed. It is a good idea to announce to members how to access this section of myORGS@VCU and let them know when new documents have been added.
Last Week's Highlight
When you log into myORGS@VCU, you can change your settings, including whether or not your name will show up in the Activity Feed, by clicking on “My Settings” and then on “Privacy Settings” on the toolbar on the right side of the screen. This also allows you to decide whether your name will appear in an organization’s roster. Under “My Settings” and “Notification Settings” you can select when and if you receive updates from myORGS@VCU and any organizations that you are a member of (you can also choose to receive updates via Text Message from this screen).
For Advisors
The Advisor section of the Student Organization Development website is now online. This site will contain various modules and materials designed to assist advisors as they work with student organizations here at VCU. You can access the site from the Student Organizations site at : www.usca.vcu.edu/studentorgs or directly at : http://www.usca.vcu.edu/studentorgs/for_advisors.php
Do you have any suggestions for materials or information that you would like to see on an advisor-specific website? E-Mail John Butt, Coordinator for Student Organization Development, at jbutt@vcu.edu.
Volunteer Opportunities
Here are a few suggestions for community service projects for the week of November 16. For help with many more ideas, contact Beth Ward, Volunteer Services Coordinator at 828-3648, bhward@vcu.edu, or visit room 018 in the lower level of the Student Commons.
- Gain experience working with individuals with disabilities and receive a stipend during the summer 2010.
- Support the Richmond SPCA and learn about a great animal shelter.
- Are you looking for more holiday/winter community service projects – check these ideas out.
- The Southside Virginia Training Center, a facility of the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services, is looking for students in the fields of allied health or human services. This summer fellowship program is in Petersburg, Virginia from June 1st- June 25th and offers a stipend of up to $1500. You will learn through exposure to disabled individuals, lectures, case presentations, seminars and more. For more information contact Angela Harvell, Project Coordinator, 804-524-7696 or Angela.Harvell@svtc.dmhmrsas.virginia.gov. If you are interested in volunteering here contact Celeste Phelps, 804-524-0513 or Celeste.Phelps@dbhds.virginia.gov.
- Tokyo Café at the Richmond SPCA - Wed, 2 Dec, 2009 4:00 to 7:00 pm and every Wednesday in December. “Tea rooms with feline hosts are all the rage in Japan, and we’re bringing this animal-friendly trend to Richmond! Relax in our Catillions, have a kit-tea or coffee from Espresso-A-Go-Go, and enjoy the company of some discerning Richmond SPCA cats. Visitors are encouraged to sit and stay a while. Bring your knitting, a good book, or good friends! Plus, Free Wi-Fi!” 2519 Hermitage Road 804-521-1318 or info@richmondspca.org. While there, check out the SPCA’s many volunteer opportunities.
- If you or your group is stumped when thinking of holiday or winter service projects, how about:
- Make seasonal place mats, tray favors and/ or center pieces for a nursing home.
- Make blankets or afghans for Project Linus, www.projectlinus.org.
- Make or collect hats for cancer patients, the homeless, or for a shelter – Google this one for directions.
- Spend time with one of the many facilities serving senior citizens – play word or board games, give manicures, play cards, lead a BINGO game.
Event and Conference Services
Monique Sample, Student Event Planner, will hold walk-in hours in the Office for Student Organization Development every Wednesday from 10:00am-12:00pm. Feel free to stop by and speak with her regarding any events your organization is planning. She can be reached via e-mail at msample@vcu.edu
REMEMBER: Student organizations MUST have a reservation to use ANY space in the Commons. Groups have been using common space (James River Terrace, The Underground) for meetings. This is not allowed. Please use the EMS Reservation System to get space for your group. Building managers will have to disband all meetings that are being held without proper authorization. Contact events@vcu.edu for more information.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Reservations are REQUIRED for academic space usage by student organizations. Reports have been coming in of groups using space in various building on campus without proper authorization. Please contact the Events and Conference Services Office at (804) 828-9502 or at events@vcu.edu to reserve academic space.
Has someone in your organization taken the online Reservations Workshop? If not, contact Events and Conference Services to enroll today at: events@vcu.edu! This is a required step to reserve space in the Student Commons. Remember: ONLY the person who has taken the workshop can make reservations, using someone else’s information to make a reservation can result in a loss of privileges for the student organization.
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Publicity and Promotion
Remember to list your organization’s event on the University Calendar to reach a broader audience! You can submit your events via the following website: http://events.vcu.edu/
Did you know that your organization can advertise meetings and events on the flat-screen TVs located in the Student Commons? All you need to do is create a Powerpoint slide that includes the description, time, date, location, and name of organization and e-mail it to the Information and Marketing Manager of the Student Commons, Amy Taloma, at: talomaa@vcu.edu. You can also send a brief write-up of your event and Amy will place the information in a generic slide to be displayed.
Student Organization Announcements
Don’t forget to create a team for Relay for Life! Relay will be held on Saturday, April 17, 2010 on the Cary Street Fields. You can find more information and sign-up online at: www.relayforlife.org/vcu
Green Unity 4 VCU presents VCU's Year of the Environment Student Kick-Off!
NOVEMBER 18th, 11am-3pm @ VCU Student Commons Plaza (outdoors)
VCU's Year of the Environment officially began on October 1st, and is modeled after Va Governor Tim Kaine's Virginia Year of the Environment which highlights education, research and physical contributions to the University as well as community leadership that will improve both the University's and Virginia's sustainable practices in order to preserve the environment for future generations.
Our event plans to highlight many of these practices. The event will be held outdoors at the VCU Student Commons Plaza, we plan to divide the Plaza into four quadrants that will represent each of the four seasons. In each quadrant, there will be a specific focus pertaining to the season:
- Winter-Energy Conservation
- Spring-Gardening
- Fall-Eating in Season
- Summer-Recreational Activities and Transportation
**All provided by community vendors and student organizations with various activities, workshops, and educational materials to share (generously funded by VCU SGA).
Tentative participant list:
- (Winter) VCU Recycling, Energy Management, Linux User Group, CFL Exchange
- (Fall) VCU Dining Services/Aramark, Farm to Family, Center for Rural Culture, The Well, Twin Oaks Community
- (Spring) Backyard Farmers, Tricycle Gardens, VCU Student Gardening Club, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, VCU Alternative Spring Break
- (Summer) Outdoor Action Program, VCU Cycling Club, Student Government Association
- There will be many educational and interactive games and activities that students will be able to participate in to win various exciting prizes.
- VCU Catering will also be providing lots of FREE seasonal snacks.
- We will also be providing a rock-climbing wall!
- VCU community members will be able to bring their old electronics by to be recycled properly
- Listen to good music!
If you are interested in getting involved, want to volunteer, or learning more about living sustainably, feel free to contact us at GreenUnity4VCU@gmail.com or come see other things our organization is working on at our weekly meetings, every Wednesday evening at 7pm in the basement of Cabell Library, room B-41
Thank you!
Green Unity Executive Board
Contact Us
- Club Manager Questions
Jenni Jones - SGA Appropriations Questions
Student Organization Finance - Reservations
Reserve Event Space - Officer Training
John Butt - Planning a Service Project?
Beth Ward