Spring Break
Student Union halts UPMIFA lobby effort
by Michelle Liberman
Staff writer
News | 3/17/09
Posted online at 6:43 AM EST on 3/17/09
The Student Union has put on hold its initiative to lobby the Massachusetts state legislature to adopt the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act, which would ease endowment restrictions on nonprofit institutions, according to Union Director of Communications Jamie Ansorge '09.
"Due to the currently large agenda of the Student Union, we've decided to hold off on the project," Ansorge wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. While the Student Union was originally excited about the large-scale advocacy project, Ansorge said in an interview with the Justice that "there is much to be done on campus, and that will remain our focus."
Student Union President Jason Gray '10 and Ansorge originally held a meeting with campus leaders to discuss the possibility of a campaign in support of UPMIFA March 1. Ansorge told the Justice that the campus leaders in attendance included Daniel Millenson '09 from Student Anti-Genocide Coalition, David Emer '09 from College Democrats and Shanna Rifkin '11 from Democracy for America.
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Peter French wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that when he was approached by students who tried to organize the project, he told them "that the University encouraged their efforts and that their efforts would likely be helpful."
French wrote in e-mail to the Justice that he still believes that a change to the current UMIFA law would be a positive change for Brandeis.
Ansorge wrote in his e-mail that the Union still supports the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts in its effort to lobby the state legislature to adopt UPMIFA.
"We are glad that Brandeis has joined these calls for change. However, a lobbying effort of the state legislature is a very complicated, time consuming and long term project," Ansorge wrote.
Ansorge also wrote that although the Union will not organize the student initiative at this time, "if the Brandeis administration asks for our assistance in the effort, we will heed the call."
During this time, "[the Union] encourages students to write their state representatives in support of UPMIFA," Ansorge wrote.
"Due to the currently large agenda of the Student Union, we've decided to hold off on the project," Ansorge wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. While the Student Union was originally excited about the large-scale advocacy project, Ansorge said in an interview with the Justice that "there is much to be done on campus, and that will remain our focus."
Student Union President Jason Gray '10 and Ansorge originally held a meeting with campus leaders to discuss the possibility of a campaign in support of UPMIFA March 1. Ansorge told the Justice that the campus leaders in attendance included Daniel Millenson '09 from Student Anti-Genocide Coalition, David Emer '09 from College Democrats and Shanna Rifkin '11 from Democracy for America.
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Peter French wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that when he was approached by students who tried to organize the project, he told them "that the University encouraged their efforts and that their efforts would likely be helpful."
French wrote in e-mail to the Justice that he still believes that a change to the current UMIFA law would be a positive change for Brandeis.
Ansorge wrote in his e-mail that the Union still supports the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts in its effort to lobby the state legislature to adopt UPMIFA.
"We are glad that Brandeis has joined these calls for change. However, a lobbying effort of the state legislature is a very complicated, time consuming and long term project," Ansorge wrote.
Ansorge also wrote that although the Union will not organize the student initiative at this time, "if the Brandeis administration asks for our assistance in the effort, we will heed the call."
During this time, "[the Union] encourages students to write their state representatives in support of UPMIFA," Ansorge wrote.
Be the first to comment on this story