General Studies Lounge

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Brody Berg
Date: Tue, Sep 2, 2008 at 12:49 AM
Subject: GSSC Weekly Message - Welcome Back
To: gsba

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen of General Studies,

I am your Student Body President. This is the first of the weekly messages that will be sent out from the council concerning important issues around General Studies and Columbia. Another weekly message regarding notable events will also be sent each week.

Let's get started: Happy First Day of Class of 2008-2009!

Communication is important. Here is how the council communicates with you:

* GSLounge.com - Calendars, blogs, photos, and helpful suggestions
* Track every single dime the council has spent from our allocation of your Student Life Fee: http://gslounge.com/finance
* Council meeting times, minutes, blogs, photos, contact information, message archives
* You can also friend any of us on Facebook
* You can even follow me personally on Twitter: http://twitter.com/brodyberg

Let me say here that all these resources (and more) are here because past council-members, volunteers and administrators are awesome and have given us a tremendous legacy to carry forward. Which brings me to the mission of this council:

The mission of this council is to demonstrate relevance and action relative to financial aid, housing, academics and the "Life of the Student" through being a professional leadership organization with rock-solid ethics, focus and radical accountability.

Now, to the three things I'd like to share with you in this message:

* Now is the time to join student groups
* Housing: Semesterly GSSC Apartment Walk-through
* Join the 2008-2009 Student Council

Joining Student Groups:

All students of General Studies can join and lead any of the myriad political, cultural, greek or sporting clubs. Check this mind-blowing list of cultural clubs, or the get your politics on with any of these political clubs, or how about nearly every sport known to humans? Ok, it's true there is no Curling club, maybe instead you can check out the greek organizations . Finally there are the amazing ways through Community Impact to get involved.

You can join these clubs by contacting them directly or by attending this Friday's Activities Fair held on Low Plaza from 12 to 4pm. Even if you can make it to the Fair, email the group you want to join and attend meetings. Let me know how it goes.

(An aside: The student council has allocated a tremendous amount of our budget to make it possible for GS student to join and lead these groups. Make the most of this great opportunity!)

Housing: Apartment Walk-through:

Housing - one of the biggest issues facing both housed and un-housed GS students. Housing availability is central to GS being a place that can attract the best and the brightest. Help the student council understand what your housing situation is - if you would like to open your university apartment to a small, discrete group of council members it would help us gain a more comprehensive understanding of the issues that students are facing.

Remember, we are here for you. Let us know your situation good or bad.

If you are interested in opening your apartment for a quick walk through by three or four council members please email VP of Policy Michael Rain at mr2593@columbia.edu

Join the 2008-2009 Student Council:

Join the team! We have many roles available and now a roadmap through which you can put your name forward to be a contributor. I want to put a special call out here for seniors or students who've been here for a year or longer - make your mark on Columbia, join the council!

For more information about the roles below, you can read descriptions in an email I sent this summer or just send me an email: bcb2115@columbia.edu

Open positions

*
* Student Services Representative
* Alumni Affairs
* Parent's Representative
* Student Workers Representative
* International Students Representative
* Junior and First Year Class Presidents
* Senior, Junior and First Year Class Vice Presidents
* Delegate at Large for Communication
* Delegate at Large for Student Life
* Delegate at Large for the Community @ Large Committee

Successful candidates will start by doing the following:

* Clear the weekend of the 13th for the Student Council Retreat (mandatory)
* Select a single role from the list above you are most interested in
* Contact the listed person for answer to specific questions about the role
* Think clearly about how to achieve excellence both in the role and academically at Columbia

How put your name forward for an open position:

1. Send email notice of your interest to VP of Finance, Elie Colley: eac2148@columbia.edu by midnight September 5th

How you will present yourself to the council:

1. 24 hours before the council meeting Tuesday, September 9th Elie will notify you of your appointment time with the council
2. Arrive at the Satow Room, 5th Floor of Lerner Hall 15 minutes before your appointment time
3. Say hello to the council member registering candidates for their appointments (They'll have a name tag)
4. Present a two minute introduction of yourself and your ideas to a private session of the council
5. Answer 0-3 questions posed by engaged members of the council

After that you can leave, and we'll notify everyone within 24 hours about the selections.

If you have any questions about this process please contact VP of Finance, Elie Colley: eac2148@columbia.edu

Best of luck this year! Keep in touch.

Brody Berg

Student Body President
General Studies Student Council 2008-09
Columbia University
http://gslounge.com

(646) 573-3735
twitter: brodyberg