General Announcements: All Posts

Student Judicial Advisers Needed!

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013

The Student Judicial Advisers Program is now accepting applications for the 2013-2014 academic year. This program is designed to assist any student after they have been charged under the Code of Student Conduct. The advisers will give counsel and support to any student with a University-related discipline issue.

Responsibilities include:

  • meeting with students to discuss the charges against them and what possible ramifications they could be facing,
  • helping students to prepare the best possible cases for themselves (may include assisting students in formulating their arguments, gathering witness statements, and researching university policies and regulations),
  • attending discipline hearings with students to provide counsel and support during those meetings,
  • representing students during discipline hearings when it is permitted
  • and aiding students in appealing the decision of their case if necessary.

This is a paid position, with no GPA or major requirements to apply. A discipline record with the university also does not rule out an applicant for this position, however, the student must be attending UMass Amherst for the whole 2013-2014 academic calendar.

The deadline for applications is Friday, April 26.  To request an application, email JudicialAdvisersApplication@gmail.com.

Student Judicial Advisers Program

Friday, April 19th, 2013

The Student Judicial Advisers Program is now accepting applications for positions during the 2013-2014 academic year.

The Student Judicial Advisers program is responsible for assisting all students after they have been charged by the University with violating the Code of Student Conduct. The Program is funded entirely by the Student Government Association, and is completely independent from the University discipline system. The program’s sole purpose is to provide counsel and support for students with any University discipline-related issue.

Responsibilities include:

  • Meeting with students to discuss the charges against them and what possible ramifications they could be facing
  • Helping students to prepare the best possible cases for themselves. This may include assisting students in formulating their arguments, gathering witness statements, and researching university policies and regulations.
  • Attending discipline hearings with students to provide counsel and support during those meetings
  • Representing students during discipline hearings when it is permitted
  • Aiding students in appealing the decision of their case if necessary

This is a paid position.

Any student who will be attending UMass for the entirety of the 2013-2014 academic year is encouraged to apply. There will be mandatory training this semester for about an hour a week. There is no minimum GPA required, and a discipline record with the University does not preclude you from employment consideration.

To apply,

e-mail a request for an application to Matthew Berquist (umass.attorney.general@gmail.com) along with a current resume to judicialAdvisersApplication@gmail.com no later than Friday April 26th at 5:00pm. Please title the email with your name followed by “Student Judicial Advisers Application” (ex. John Smith’s Student Judicial Adviser Application). Students will be notified whether the Selection Committee has granted them an interview no later than Sunday April 28th.

For any questions, contact Matthew Berquist at umass.attorney.general@gmail.com

Legal Studies Major Travels to Israel for Alternative Spring Break

Friday, April 19th, 2013

Meryl Schneider ’14 (Political Science and Legal Studies) traveled to Israel for Alternative Spring Break (ASB) funded by the Jewish National Fund and relying on donations from family and friends to travel to do good works in the Israeli community.

After participating in a birthright trip in the summer of 2012, Schneider could not wait to go back to Israel.

“I wanted to give back to those in need in Israel instead of just being a tourist. We focused mainly on projects in Northern Israel near Haifa and Jerusalem,” Schneider said.

Schneider explained that her group did a variety of things like re-painting houses, building handicap accessible paths, and planting tress in a forest that was destroyed in 2010.

Schneider had only positive things to say about her ASB experience. “I gained a new understanding of the different types of living conditions that exist in Israel that the average person forgets about. I would recommend ASB to any student because it was such a rewarding experience.”

Legal Studies Freshmen Travels to Ft. Lauderdale for Alternative Spring Break

Friday, April 19th, 2013

Shayla Johnson ’16 (Legal Studies) went to Fort Lauderdale on a Habitat for Humanity trip over spring break.

In Fort Lauderdale, Johnson helped build houses. Johnson has been a part of the organization since last fall.

“I heard about the organization through a friend on my floor. It is the first time I have been involved with an organization like this and will definitely be participating with the organization in the future,” said Johnson of her experience.

She continued “Through the trip I was able to meet a variety of new people from all different backgrounds that have taught me more about the world and myself.”

Working on your resume?

Friday, April 5th, 2013

Are you writing, or revising your resume? Keep in mind that your resume is a document which should accurately display and “sell” your achievements.

Here are some points to keep in mind when editing your resume:

  • Be clear about what sort of Bachelor’s degree you are graduating with: Political Science and Legal Studies majors graduate with a  Bachelors of Arts, not a Bachelors of Science.
  • Be accurate with the name of the major: the majors are Political Science or Legal Studies, and not government, political theory, international relations, or law.
  • Make sure you have the right date: if you are graduating in 2013, make sure the date is correct.
  • Ensure that all of the lines of your resume are in the proper tense. Don’t go from “Supervised” to “Currently Overseeing” in the description of the same position.
  • Avoid misspellings or awkward wordings– make your resume easy to read.
  • Finally, do more with less– don’t let your sentences become lengthy and wandering. Instead, focus on making your sentences information dense, such that an employer can figure out your previous responsibility from just the first few words.

Being accurate on your resume is incredibly important– no matter what stage of your career, employers can fire you for lying in the application process. If you’re skeptical, take a look at this article, which points out that many executives have been sacked, even the CEO for Yahoo.

Even if you think that these slight omissions might not matter, keep in mind that many employers want their applicants to have an eye for detail, and slight inaccuracies or misspellings can greatly harm you. With recruiters and employers getting so many resumes, any chance they have to shrink the applicant pool is something they will be interested in.

What happened to the Monday internship posts?!

Saturday, March 9th, 2013

We want to alert you to a minor change in how we’ll be publicizing internship opportunities.

Instead of creating a single internship post on this blog on  Mondays, the Department is going to post internship opportunities as they become available to us — throughout the week! Since we include our recent blog posts in our “Monday emails” to you, we figured you will see all the posts every Monday that way anyway!

So, keep checking the blog, and keep don’t forget to scroll through your What You Need to Know Monday emails!

 

UMass a Best Value

Monday, February 18th, 2013

The Princeton Review has named the University of Massachusetts Amherst to its newest list of the nation’s 150 “Best Value Colleges.” Read more

As a public university, UMass remains more accessible than many other colleges and universities. Combine this with all the scholarships (alumni, research, College…) you should be applying for, and we are really a great value!

 

Monday Internship and Career List

Monday, February 4th, 2013

Each Monday, the Political Science and Advising Blog will post announcements about internships or career opportunities that come across our desk. Remember that UMass Career Services also maintains a list of opportunities through CareerConnect.

SUMMER INTERNSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON US-ARAB RELATIONS
The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’ Washington’s internship program will place interns one of over a dozen Near East and Arab world-related organizations in Washington, D.C., where they are expected to work 35-40 hours/week.

Interns take part in twice weekly academic seminars, designed to provide them with greater depth of knowledge about relevant subject matter.

Goals of the internship include:

(1) to provide a realistic Washington, D.C. work experience that will pave the way to career development;
(2) to provide interns with first-hand experience behind-the-scenes of the foreign policy analysis and advocacy process in Washington, D.C.;
(3) to provide a strong academic component dealing with U.S. political, economic, and cultural relations with Arabia and the Gulf region;
(4) to help participants begin the process of career networking by introducing them to working professionals in government, business, journalism, and NGOs; and,
(5) to highlight the wide range of career opportunities awaiting those who aspire to work in the field of U.S.-Arab relations as well as to provide counseling on the graduate school and fellowship application processes.

To apply, you will need:

1) A letter of interest addressed to the National Council that provides basic information about yourself, your interests, previous course work related to politics, economics, foreign policy, and the Middle East, previous travel, internship, and work experiences, and any other information you think is important for the selection committee to know. The letter should also indicate the type of internship that would most interest you and why. Please limit the letter of interest to two pages.

2) An essay (no more than 2-pages in length, double spaced, with appropriate citations) on the topic:
U.S. Foreign Policy in the Arab World: Successes, Failures, and Future Prospects;

3) A rsum or curriculum vitae;

4) Transcripts of all university-level work;

5) Two letters of recommendation, at least one of them from a faculty member who knows your academic work well;

6) A signed Internship Program Application; and

7) $125 non-refundable program fee. This $125 non-refundable program fee must be submitted with the application. This fee helps to defray the costs of administering the summer internship program and the accompanying seminar presentations. Internship program participants, upon successful fulfillment of the program’s academic and internship requirements, receive a $1,000 fellowship stipend.

The deadline is March 1, 2013.

ENTRY LEVEL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM THROUGH ENVIRONMENT AMERICA
Environment America is looking for graduating seniors for an entry-level Fellowship Program.

Fellows will:

• Plan and run grassroots campaigns: you’ll identify a policy or power-building goal, develop a strategy, then devise and carry out the tactics of your campaign.
• Organize town hall meetings: you’ll create events where constituents have an opportunity to make their needs clear and hold politicians accountable. You’ll also lobby lawmakers directly, learning to make a convincing case for our policy goals.
• Set up and speak at news conferences: you’ll create news events to get the word out about your campaign through the media. You’ll also meet with editorial boards, and get op-eds published.
• Run citizen outreach campaigns: you’ll build the power of your organization, learning to fundraise, manage staff and educate the public.

Most fellowships begin in August, though a limited number are available throughout the year.

Fellows will earn $23,750-$24,000 in your first year and $24,500-$25,500 in your second year. To apply, please see this website.

INTERNSHIP WITH THE WHITE HOUSE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
The White House Council on Environmental Quality now accepting applications for the Summer 2013 Internship. The deadline is March 1, 2013.

The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) coordinates Federal environmental efforts and works closely with agencies and other White House offices in the development of environmental policies and initiatives.

CEQ interns will:

- Conduct research,
- Manage incoming inquiries,
- Attending meetings, and
- Writing memos on a variety of environmental issues.

Interns should be:

- Highly motivated
- Willing to contribute where needed
- Have the ability to handle the inherent pressure that comes with working within the Executive Office of the President
- Excellent communications skills
- Computer literacy
- Relevant classroom or practical experience

All internship positions are unpaid.

Most interns work a typical semester-based schedule (May – August, September – December, January – April); however a position may be customized based on applicant availability and project needs.

Visit this website to apply.

Speak at Commencement!

Friday, January 25th, 2013

Apply to be the 2013 Undergraduate Student Commencement Speaker and share your thoughts as a graduating senior!

Who is eligible:  Graduating Amherst campus senior, Class of 2013

Subject matter: Your proposed speech must be written by you as an individual, no group or collaborative submissions. It should be of general interest to graduating seniors as well as to parents and other guests.  It may address your impressions and experiences, both academic and extra-curricular. It may express your thoughts as your look to the future.

Format: Submit approximately two typed pages, double-spaced, or the equivalent of three to four minutes speaking time. Speeches exceeding this limit will not be considered.

Selection process: A non-voting staff person will delete the name of each author after which a committee of students (majority), staff, and faculty will review the proposals.  Three to five individuals will be invited to audition before the committee in March, after which the speaker will be selected.

Deadline: Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at 4:30 p.m.

More information is available here.

Writing Placement Exam, January 22

Monday, January 14th, 2013

The Writing Program will be administering the writing placement exam, which does not require registration:

– Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013, 6:00pm-7:00pm, Location: Tobin 204

This test is important, as students must take this course to be placed into College Writing (Englwrit 112), which, along with Basic Writing (Englwrit 111), must be satisfied to graduate. Students will take this test to determine which of the two is appropriate for them.

It consists in writing an essay in response to a short excerpt.

Placement essays should demonstrate clear organization, relevant support and examples, and an adequate understanding of sentence structure.

While you will mostly likely be placed into Basic Writing or College Writing, a few students may be waived from both based on their performance, but will not receive credit for this waiver.

For more information, contact Deirdre Vinyard, Placement Officer and Deputy Director of the Writing Program. For more information on the placement test, see this webpage.