civic engagement attachments

ATTACHMENTS

The Student Civic Engagement Campaign (SCEC)

City Council proclaims September as Student Civic Engagement Month in the City of Pittsburgh on September 7, 2010.More information and pictures can be viewed at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=207517&id=71053952378.

Full article can be viewed at

http://pittnews.com/newsstory/city-dedicates-month-to-student-civic-engagement/

More information can be viewed at http://pittnews.com/newsstory/house-goes-red-senate-stays-blue/.

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Full article can be viewed athttp://pittnews.com/newsstory/coalition-still-active-as-election-nears/.

Around 2,000 students rallied together to register to vote at the SCEC Kickoff, which was part of the traditional new year PITT Bonfire at the Cathedral of Learning on Sept. 9, 2010.

Pitt College Democrats and Republicans invited local, state, and federal candidates to set up booths at a candidates’ fair for students to educate themselves on the candidates and their issues on Oct. 12, 2010, as part of the SCEC.

Graduate and undergraduate students at the Debate Watch hosted by GPSA and SGB on October 16, 2010.

More information can be viewed at http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=445467467378&set=a.95761897378.91137.71053952378&type=1&theater.

Opposition to the Proposed State Budget Cuts

Full article can be viewed at:http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_728871.html

This is the social networking group that started the Coalition of Pennsylvania Students after the proposed state budget cuts to higher education were announced. This group garnered 22,382 student members (see above on the left). More

information can be viewed at:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=157942550929621

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This is the petition for the proposed state budget cuts to higher education created by GPSA. The petition sends a direct e-mail to each signee’s state representative, senator, and the governor. To date it has 5,194 signatures from students, staff,

and families across the state. More information can be viewed at:http://www.gpsa.pitt.edu/budgetcuts/

This is the “Take Action” resource website created by GPSA for students, families, and interested others to use to contact their legislators to voice their opinions on the proposed budget cuts. More information can be viewed at

http://www.gpsa.pitt.edu/budgetcuts/takeaction

This is the website for the Coalition of Pennsylvania Students (COPS). Through this website you can access the GPSA petition and the GPSA “Take Action” resource website. More information can be found at:

http://coalitionpastudents.com/

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on GPSA and SGB’s Student Advocacy Forum featuring Pitt Chancellor Mark Nordenberg. The full article can be viewed at:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11082/1133983-53.stm

Full article can be viewed at:http://pittnews.com/newsstory/pitt-sends-more-than-350-letters-to-legislators/

Full article can be viewed at:http://www.chronicle.pitt.edu/?p=8213

The Pittsburgh Student Government Council (PSGC) and Opposition to the Port Authority Cuts

Over the summer of 2010, GPSA worked with Duquesne’s Student Government Association to draft the official constitution of the PSGC, which was ratified on July 27, 2010.

GPSA and SGB hosted first public meeting of the PSGC was held on Sept. 13, 2010, at the University of Pittsburgh where students discussed the importance of public transit to the Pittsburgh community as well as ways to strengthen the

relationship between local government and university students.

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Full article can be viewed athttp://pittnews.com/newsstory/student-government-council-meets-at-pitt/.

GPSA then coordinated and participated in a City Council post agenda meeting hosted by Councilman Daniel Lavelle on Nov. 15, 2010, as part of the PSGC and spoke out about student retention in the city, Port Authority changes, housing and

diversity issues.

Full article can be viewed at:http://pittnews.com/newsstory/pittsburgh-student-government-council-meets-with-city-council/

The Port Authority public hearing on August 19, 2010 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh. PAT officers listened to concerned citizens including a number of graduate & professional students' express their dismay at the then only proposed route changes that eventually took place in January, 2011. 

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During the fall, GPSA organized an online city-wide petition which sent direct e-mails to the signee’s individual state legislators asking them to support funding to the Port Authority. In total, 654 concerned citizens signed the online petition,

which can be viewed at http://www.gpsa.pitt.edu/portauthority/.

Full article can be viewed at:http://pittnews.com/newsstory/pitts-gpsa-chosen-to-lead-pittsburgh-student-government-council/

In continuing our advocacy on the Port Authority cuts, we organized the PSGC’s first annual lobby day in Harrisburg. Almost 40 students from eight colleges and universities attended the lobby day, which took place on April 6, 2011. Our

visit to Harrisburg targeted the members of the transportation committees in the House and Senate as well as the governor.

Pancakes & Politics

Pancakes & Politics with U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle in September, 2010.

Full article can be viewed at:http://pittnews.com/newsstory/students-rep-mike-doyle-discuss-politics-over-breakfast/

Coffee with Connolly in September, 2010.

Pancakes & Politics with Pa. Sen. Jay Costa in January, 2011.

Full article can be viewed at:http://pittnews.com/newsstory/students-state-senator-address-port-authority-healthcare/

Pancakes & Politics with Pa. Rep. Jaret Gibbons in March, 2011.

Other Advocacy and Service

GPSA at the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank in July, 2010.

GPSA at Pitt Make a Difference Day in October, 2010.