Check out what we've done in the past.
We Get Results!
GLOBAL WARMING SOLUTIONS
Economic Stimulus:
In January we worked to make sure that the
economic stimulus package included critical funding for programs that
will create jobs and protect the environment, including $16 billion for
public transit and $78 billion for clean energy and green
infrastructure.
Global Warming Panel:
On Wednesday April 15th we held a
Global Warming Solutions Panel with Congressman Barney Frank, State
Senator Marc Pacheco, Mayor Scott Lang, and Dr. Robert Ballard to
encourage our climate champions on the South Cost to keep standing up
for our planet! Over 150 people attended! We are also working to make
sure Congressman Frank fights for legislation to put us on a path to
solve global warming by increasing clean energy, reducing emissions,
and creating new jobs.
What Congressman Frank Thinks:
“I am grateful to the MASSPIRG students at UMASS Dartmouth and Bristol Community College for the energy they are putting into this important issue. If other student groups throughout the country show this same dedication, I am confident that we will get the support that we need in congress to pass a strong climate control bill.” – Congressman Barney Frank
CAMPUS CLIMATE CHALLENGE
Global Warming Solutions Act:
July 31st 2008 we helped the global warming solutions act to cut carbon pollutions 80% by the year 2050.
Focus the Nation:
UMass
Dartmouth
joined over 1500 schools on this day for global warming discussion.
Focus
the Nation was one of the largest teach-ins in history. Over 10,00
students were educated in Massachusetts alone. Here at UMass Dartmouth
students heard from Representative Cabral and former Mayor of New
Bedford John Bullard about local climate change and action, discussed
the Chancellors Climate Commitment and attended an interactive
symposium by the Panchamama Alliance.
In the News:
UMD, MASSPIRG Celebrate Environmental Win
UMD has an Electric Attitude
HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS
We are facing one of the worst economic crises since the Great Depression. Unemployment rates keep going higher and more people are forced into poverty every day. This spring we joined the national Hunger Cleanup, a day of service and fundraising, to serve our local community and raise money for local, national, and international agencies addressing poverty.
Hoops for Hunger:
In Spring 2009 we held the 2nd
annual Hoops for Hunger in effort to raise money for the New Bedford
Salvation Army. In total we raised over $600 dollars with the help of
well over forty volunteers.
Collected Close to $500 for Local Families:
Fall 08 we
collected close to $500 that will go to feed around 6 families of four,
three meals a day for three days. The food will be distributed through
the the Great New Bedford Area Salvation Army.
Toy Drive:
In fall 07 the Hunger & Homelessness group collected over 50 toys to donate the Conway House for the Holidays!
TEXTBOOKS
Open Textbooks (free, online textbooks):
They are really
catching on, thanks in part to our campaign to shine the spotlight on
these great alternatives. Over 2,000 faculty members have signed our
statement of support for open textbooks and a new publisher just
released 10 new open textbooks! Also, a new bill was introduced in
Congress that would fund the creation of more open textbooks.On campus
we got over 15 faculty members to sign on to open textbooks statement
of support and are working to get more. If you haven’t signed on you
can do so at www.maketextbooksaffordable.com.
Textbook Survey:
We surveyed over 270 UMass Dartmouth
students to get facts about how much UMass Dartmouth students spent on
textbooks. We will be publishing our results soon!
Education:
We held an educational table in the campus center about the high costs of textbooks.
Passed Textbooks Affordability Bill HR 4137:
Requires publishers to disclose textbook pricing and revision information to faculty
*Requires publishers to offer textbooks and supplemental materials “unbundled” (separately)
*Asks
colleges to provide the list of assigned textbooks (incl. ISBNs and
prices) for each course when students are registering for classes.
In the News:
MASSPIRG Criticizes Textbook Costs
UMass Students Lament High Cost of Textbooks
NEW VOTERS PROJECT
Voter Registration:
We helped register 1576 students to vote in the 2008 presidential election compared to 660 in 2004 and 800 in 2006!
Get Out the Vote:
We doubled youth voter turn out in the district from 2004 and more then tripled youth voter turn out from 2006!
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In the News:
* UMD Effort Aims at Getting Students to Vote
* College CivicsUMD Students Hold Voter Registration Drive
* UMass Rocks the Vote
* Musings from the Polling Stations - Young Voters Turn Out for * Historic Vote Energy, Excitement' among Young Voters
MAKING HIGHER EDUCATION AFFORDABLE
In January, we helped convince Congress to include several key measures in the economic stimulus - a $17 billion increase in Pell grant funding, more work-study aid, and bigger tax credits for low-income students and their families. And, at the end of February, President Obama proposed a budget for 2010-2011 which significantly reinvests in the Pell grant and makes sure it increases each year according to inflation. The proposal pays for itself by cutting excessive subsidies to bank and lenders in the student loan program.
Here at UMass Dartmouth, we've been collecting petitions, making phone calls, and communicating with Congressman Frank's office to make sure that he stands up for students, not banks, by encouraging his fellow congressmen to keep up these provisions in the budget.
Protecting Students from Bad Credit Card Practices:
Our report, “The Campus Credit Card Trap,” received national
attention for exposing the bad practices of credit card companies on
campus and has been quoted in newspapers across the country, including
the New York Times. We used this attention to educate congressman and
help pass the national Credit Card Holder Bill of Rights to stop some
of the worst credit terms and conditions that can plunge students - and
all consumers - into debt.