Below you will find updates for this week:

SAPA General Meetings: SAPA General Meeting dates this semester are: Monday, March 4^th (Graham Hall, Room TBD); Monday, April 8^th (Graham Hall, Room 176); and Thursday, May 2^nd (Graham Hall, Room 187). See you there!

SPPA Spring Contemporary Issues Series: Delaware Congressman John Carney is scheduled to speak tonight (2/19) at 5PM in Kirkbride Hall, Room 205.  All students, faculty and staff are welcome to attend! Congressman Carney will examine the recent activities of the Congress as they relate to the fiscal cliff, and he will discuss what will come next for the Congress this year. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Ed Freel at 302-831-8943 or efreel@udel.edu.

SPPA Research Seminar Series: SPPA’s Research Seminar Series kicks off this Thursday, (2/21) at 12:30PM in Graham Hall, Room 185. The Series’ first presenter is Dan T. Brown, an Associate Policy Scientist at the Center for Applied Demography and Survey Research. His presentation will center on: “Topics in Delaware’s Electricity Markets: Decoupling, Energy Efficiency, and State Policy”. Lunch will be provided, courtesy of SPPA. If you would like a free lunch, please notify Diana Simmons (dwalls@udel.edu) no later than the morning before the seminar date you will be attending. For a complete list of Research Seminar Series participants, please click here.

Graduate Student Government Spring Semester Eat and Greet: Join UD grad students on February 26^th from 5PM to 6:30PM for wine, cheese, and musical entertainment! Tickets are $5 if bought online by 5PM on Friday, February 22nd!  Your ticket entitles you to admittance to the event, 2 beverage tickets, light hors d’oeuvres, and a raffle ticket for prizes.  Register here.

College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) Career Networking Night: On Thursday, March 7^th, UD’s CAS welcomes you to attend a Career Networking Night, where you will be able to connect with notable leaders and alumni from the nonprofit sector, government agencies, research organizations, and more! A preparatory Networking Workshop will take place at 5PM in Rooms 209 – 211 of the Trabant University Center, and the main Career Networking Event will begin at 6PM in Trabant’s Multipurpose Room (A&B). Please RSVP to the event by March 3^rd, 2013. For more information about CAS’ Networking Night, or to register for the event, please click here.

Thanks.

SAPA Board

Below you will find updates for this week:

SAPA General Meetings: SAPA would like to thank everyone who was able to attend the first General Meeting of the semester!  Other meeting dates this semester are: Monday, March 4^th (Graham Hall, Room TBD); Monday, April 8^th (Graham Hall, Room 176); and Thursday, May 2^nd (Graham Hall, Room 187). See you there!

**Please note that SAPA’s March meeting has been moved to Monday, March 4th.

Mid-Atlantic Region’s Policy Solutions Challenge USA Competition: Come out and support your fellow classmates and School as they complete against nearby schools in this year’s Regional Mid-Atlantic Policy Solutions Challenge competition!  The competition will be held in the Rodney Room of the Perkins Student Center (325 Academy Street, Newark, Delaware) on Saturday, February 16^th. Coffee and registration will be available at 8:30AM, and presentations will begin at 9AM. Lunch will also be served, and the event will convene by early afternoon. Please RSVP to Diana Simmons (dwalls@udel.edu or 302-831-1687). Address questions about the competition to Dr. Andrea Sarzynski (apsarzyn@udel.edu or 302-831-1244).

Policy Solutions Challenge Happy Hour: SAPA’s Social Committee is honored to host a special happy hour this Friday (2/15) at Catherine Rooney’s (102 E Main St Newark, DE 19711) for Policy Solutions Challenge participants and all SPPA students. Come join us anytime between 5:30PM and 7:30PM!

Thanks.

SAPA Board

Below you will find updates for this week:

WELCOME BACK HAPPY HOUR: To get everyone back into the spirit of the academic semester, SAPA will be hosting a happy hour on Thursday, February 7th @ 6:00PM at MoJo Main (270 East Main Street Newark, DE 19711). Appetizers will be served, and the event will be free. Please invite fellow SPPA undergraduate and graduate students out for good food and good times!

SAPA GENERAL MEETINGS: SAPA’s Executive Board has decided to hold SAPA General Meetings on stagger days- of-the-week (Mondays / Thursdays). Spring Semester general meetings will be held @5:30PM. Meeting dates this semester are: Monday, February 11^th; Thursday, March 7^th; Monday, April 8^th; and Thursday, May 2^nd.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO STAFF POLICY SOLUTIONS COMPETITION: Dr. Sarzynski, SPPA professor and faculty coach for SPPA’s Policy Solutions Challenge Team, needs volunteers on Friday, February 15th and Saturday, February 16th from 8AM to 1:30PM to staff the Mid-Atlantic Region’s Policy Solutions Challenge USA Competition. Volunteers would be required to staff a welcome table, register competition attendees, help with set-up, or direct out of town teams. If interested, please contact Andrea Sarzynski at apsarzyn@udel.edu or 302-831-1244. 

MID-ATLANTIC REGION’S POLICY SOLUTIONS CHALLENGE USA COMPETITION: Come out and support your fellow classmates and School as they complete against nearby schools in this year’s Regional Mid-Atlantic Policy Solution Challenge USA competition! This year, the School of Public Policy and Administration has the privilege of as serving as the Mid-Atlantic Host of the Policy Solution Challenge USA Competition, a national competition among teams of students from U.S. schools of public policy, public affairs and public administration to develop innovative solutions to the most important policy problems facing the country. The topic for the 2013 Challenge is ‘Responses to Childhood Obesity in the U.S.‘.

The competition will be held in the Rodney Room of the Perkins Student Center (325 Academy Street, Newark, Delaware) on Saturday, February 16th. Coffee and registration will be available at 8:30AM, and presentations will begin at 9AM. Lunch will also be served, and the event will convene by early afternoon. Please RSVP to Diana Simmons (dwalls@udel.edu or 302-831-1687) by Friday, February 8th, so we can get an accurate count for lunch. Address questions about the Competition to Andrea Sarzynski (apsarzyn@udel.edu or 302-831-1244).

Thanks.

SAPA Board

Below you will find updates for this week:

The SAPA Board would like to give thanks to all that assisted with the December fundraisers.  Things wouldn’t have ran as successfully if it weren’t for you continued help.

We are excited to see what 2013 brings! We hope you all had a good and safe holiday break!

SAPA REMINDER TO MEET WITH ADVISERS:

For over a year, the SPPA faculty’s Academic Curriculum Committee, led by Dr. Audrey Helfman and Dr. Daniel Rich, has been working to define the school’s course map for the future.  Over time, the course list has grown with the number of degree programs and specializations while the faculty makeup and student preferences have evolved.  According to the Committee’s recommendations, a new software program was purchased, and courses were reviewed extensively during the summer of 2012.

Once courses were categorized, a schedule could begin to be built, a task the Committee focused on through the last semester.  The Fall 2013/Spring 2014 schedules have now been drafted, though not final and subject to change.  Academic Advisers have access to the most up-to-date schedules so as to assist advisees plan their course schedules.  Therefore, this is a great time for students to think about when they will take the courses required to meet program and specialization requirements.

While it was determined that some classes would be moved to an every-other-year schedule, this course scheduling process will help to ensure that courses are offered at least once during a student’s time at the school.  It will also reduce course cancellations and allow advisors to help students think about upcoming sabbaticals and retirements that may affect their course plans. Please contact your Adviser and/or SAPA program Rep with questions.

START THINKING OF SCHOLARSHIP AND ELECTION NOMINATIONS: Before long, deadlines will be coming for the new SAPA scholarship and for SAPA Executive Board position elections.  Start thinking of quality candidates (yourself included) for these items.

SAPA CALENDER IS NOW PUBLIC: By popular demand, the SAPA calendar of events can now be added to your GMail calendar account.  The events, deadlines, and meetings that we are frequently updating on the SAPA calendar that you can now see through your own account.  When in your e-mail’s calendar page, click the drop arrow next to “Other Calendars”, select “Add by URL”, insert the address “https://www.google.com/calendar/ical/sapassociation%40gmail.com/public/basic.ics”, and you will receive up-to-date SAPA events with your other calendar’s events and reminders.
**If you are still having trouble with this, please e-mail Steve Ottinger for assistance (ottinger@udel.edu).

Thanks.

SAPA Board

Below you will find updates for this week:

The SAPA Board would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to all attendees of the Holiday Party for a wonderful evening. Special thanks to Diana Simmons, Alex Leach, Kelly Smith, Verity Watson, and Stephen Ottinger for their extra assistance. We are excited to see everyone in the New Year! Have a great break everyone!

HURRICANE SANDY COLLECTION DRIVE: SAPA’s Community Service Committee is still collecting monetary donations to benefit local organizations in New Jersey and New York who are providing relief efforts to victims of Hurricane Sandy. The donation drive will end this Friday, December 14th. A donation jar has been set up in Diana Simmons’ office in 184A Graham Hall. These communities have a long road to recovery and your donation can truly make a difference. Thank you in advance for your support!

GRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT (GSG) MEETING UPDATES: Please click here to view some highlights from last week’s GSG meeting

SAPA COOKIE TINS AND KITS: Did you miss the SAPA Bake Sale on December 5th or did you like our baked goods so much that you want more? Here’s your chance! Support your student association by pre-ordering a cookie and goodies tin for $9 or a cookie kit for $5. These tins and kits make great gifts or yummy additions to holiday fare! All proceeds will go towards the SAPA Award! Please sign up to purchase a kit or tin here  by Monday, December 17th at 5PM. All tins will be delivered to Graham Hall on the morning of Friday, December 21st. If you need to receive your tin or kit earlier than December 21st, please email Jenn Nichols (jennmnic@udel.edu).
**If you would like to donate your time by helping SAPA members assemble kits or tins, please email Jenn Nichols (jennmnic@udel.edu).

Below you will find updates for this week:

SAPA would like to thank all of the students who were able to make it to our final meeting of the semester! Good luck on your exams and/or final assignments!
**Click here to view meeting minutes from the November 30th meeting.

GRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT (GSG) MEETING: The next GSG meeting will be held this Thursday (12/6) at 5:30PM in Memorial Hall Room 127.

SAPA BAKE SALE: On Wednesday, December 5th from 10AM-3PM in Graham Hall Room 183, SAPA will be hosting its Annual Bake Sale! Purchasing our baked goods will help support the SAPA Student Award. To ensure that the fundraiser is a success, we are seeking the help of volunteer bakers! Volunteer bakers will help SAPA Board Members bake and assemble baked goods for the bake sale. To sign up to help, please click here and provide us with the following information:

• Your first and last name,
• Your email address,
• The item(s) you will be bringing to the bake sale, and
• Your ability to bring your baked good(s) to Graham Hall Room 183 by 9AM on December 5th.

During the fundraiser on December 5th, we will also be taking orders for holiday cookie tins and cookie baking kits that you can purchase and share with your family over the holidays!

Come support our annual fundraiser and buy some sweet treats!

HURRICANE SANDY COLLECTION DRIVE: SAPA’s Community Service Committee is collecting monetary donations to benefit local organizations in New Jersey and New York who are providing relief efforts to victims of Hurricane Sandy. The donation drive will run from December 3rd, 2012 to December 14th, 2012. A donation jar has been set up in Diana Simmons’ office in 184A Graham Hall. These communities have a long road to recovery and your donation can truly make a difference. Thank you in advance for your support!

SPPA RESEARCH SEMINAR SERIES: On Wednesday, December 5th, 2012, Dr. Danilo Yanich will be giving a presentation titled Policy Research and Speaking Truth to Power in the Media Ownership Wars as part of SPPA’s Fall 2012 Research Seminar Series. His presentation will begin at 12:20PM in Graham Hall Room 185.
**Seminar Series participants who would like to receive a free lunch, courtesy of SPPA, should notify Diana Simmons (dwalls@udel.edu) no later than the afternoon of Tuesday, December 4th.

SEOUL FIELD TRIP PRESENTATION: Interested in learning about urban policy and management in Seoul, South Korea? If you are, please join Hannah, Kechen, Natasha, Stephen, Cimone, and YingYing as they present an account of their experiences in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday, December 5th at 1:35PM in Graham Hall 185.

Below you will find updates for this week:

SAPA’s final General Meeting of the semester will be held on Friday, November 30th, 2012 at 5:45PM in Graham Hall Room 187. Hope to see everyone there! 

SAPA BAKE SALE: On Wednesday, December 5th from 10AM-3PM in Graham Hall Room 183, SAPA will be hosting its Annual Bake Sale! Purchasing our baked goods will help support the SAPA Student Award. To ensure that the fundraiser is a success, we are seeking the help of volunteer bakers! Volunteer bakers will help SAPA Board Members bake and assemble baked goods for the bake sale. To sign up to help, please click here and provide us with the following information:

• Your first and last name,
• Your email address,
• The item(s) you will be bringing to the bake sale, and
• Your ability to bring your baked good(s) to Graham Hall Room 183 by 9AM on December 5th.

During the fundraiser on December 5th, we will also be taking orders for holiday cookie tins and cookie baking kits that you can purchase and share with your family over the holidays!

Come support our annual fundraiser and buy some sweet treats!

SPPA INTERNATIONAL EVENT: Come celebrate our school’s diversity and further the spirit of inclusion by attending SPPA’s Annual International Event! The event will begin at 12:30PM on Wednesday, November 28^th in Room 106 of the Center for Composite Materials! This school gathering is a tradition where attendees have the opportunity to both enjoy a small potluck lunch and learn more about the home countries of SPPA’s international students through a series of presentations. If you plan to attend the event and wish to contribute a dish, please contact Lorelly Solano (lorellys@udel.edu) to make sure that the proper plates and plastic cutlery are available to serve it. If you have any questions, please contact Lorelly Solano (lorellys@udel.edu) or Diana Simmons (dwalls@udel.edu).

POLAND STUDY ABROAD TRIP: There is only ONE DAY left to apply to the Poland Study Abroad Program! Students who are interested in travelling to Poland should apply to program here by Wednesday, November 28^th!  For more information about the program, please click here.

SAPA HOLIDAY PARTY: Come out and celebrate the end of the semester! On December 11th, 2012 from 7PM to 10PM, SAPA will host its Annual Holiday Party at the Courtyard by Marriott Newark Hotel. Tickets can be purchased (cash/check) for $25 from SAPA Board Members, Diana Simmons, Verity Watson, Kelly Smith, Alex Leach, or Steve Ottinger. Tickets sales will end on Monday, December 3^rd so be sure to pick one up soon! Please contact Kathryn Lonczewski (klon@udel.edu) if you have any questions, or if you have any special dietary needs.

**When you purchase your Holiday Party ticket you also have the opportunity to sign up to participate in a $10 optional gift exchange!

Below you will find updates for this week:

SAPA’s final General Meeting of the semester will be held on Friday, November 30th, 2012 at 5:45PM in Graham Hall Room 187. Hope to see everyone there! **Please note that the SAPA General Meeting scheduled for December 7th has been canceled.

SAPA BAKE SALE: On Wednesday, December 5th from 10AM-3PM in Graham Hall Room 183, SAPA will be hosting its Annual Bake Sale! Purchasing our baked goods will help support the SAPA Student Award. To ensure that the fundraiser is a success, we are seeking the help of volunteer bakers! Volunteer bakers will help SAPA Board Members bake and assemble baked goods for the bake sale. To sign up to help, please click here and provide us with the following information:

• Your first and last name,
• Your email address,
• The item(s) you will be bringing to the bake sale, and
• Your ability to bring your baked good(s) to Graham Hall Room 183 by 9AM on December 5th.

During the fundraiser on December 5th, we will also be taking orders for holiday cookie tins and cookie baking kits that you can purchase and share with your family over the holidays!

Come support our annual fundraiser and buy some sweet treats!

SPPA INTERNATIONAL EVENT: Come celebrate our school’s diversity and further the spirit of inclusion by attending SPPA’s Annual International Event! The event will be held on Wednesday, November 28th in Room 106 of the Center for Composite Materials at 12:30PM! This school gathering is a tradition where attendees have the opportunity to both enjoy a small potluck lunch and learn more about the home countries of SPPA’s international students through a series of presentations. If you plan to attend the event and wish to contribute a dish, please contact Lorelly Solano (lorellys@udel.edu) to make sure that the proper plates and plastic cutlery are available to serve it. If you have any questions, please contact Lorelly Solano (lorellys@udel.edu) or Diana Simmons (dwalls@udel.edu).

POLAND STUDY ABROAD TRIP: The Poland Study Abroad Trip’s deadline has been extended to Wednesday, November 28th! Students who are interested in travelling to Poland should apply to program here. For more information about the program, please click here.

SAPA HOLIDAY PARTY: Come out and celebrate the end of the semester! On December 11th, 2012 from 7PM to 10PM, SAPA will host its Annual Holiday Party at the Courtyard by Marriott Newark Hotel. Tickets can be purchased (cash/check) for $25 from SAPA Board Members, Diana Simmons, Verity Watson, Kelly Smith, Alex Leach, or Steve Ottinger. Tickets will be sold from November 12th to December 3rd so be sure to pick one up soon! Please contact Kathryn Lonczewski (klon@udel.edu) if you have any questions, or if you have any special dietary needs.

**When you purchase your Holiday Party ticket you also have the opportunity to sign up to participate in a $10 optional gift exchange!

Below you will find updates for this week:

SAPA’s final General Meeting of the semester will be held on Friday, November 30th, 2012 at 5:45PM in Graham Hall Room 187. Hope to see everyone there! **Please note that the SAPA General Meeting scheduled for December 7th has been canceled.

SAPA THANKSGIVING POTLUCK: Come and celebrate Thanksgiving with SAPA! On Friday, November 16th, 2012, SAPA will hold its annual Thanksgiving Potluck! The event will begin at 7PM and will be hosted by Allison Rice (24 Winnwood Rd, Newark, DE 19717). SAPA will provide the turkey-and we ask that all attendees bring a dish to share! Family recipes, international dishes, and unique flavors are all welcome and encouraged! We love contributions that are homemade, but we will gladly eat your store-bought dessert. Please take a look at our googledoc here to see what others plan to contribute to the meal, and be sure to fill out the document to let us know what dish you plan to bring to the event. We encourage everyone to carpool to the event, as parking space is limited in Allison’s residential neighborhood. For more information, please join the event on Facebook here.

FOOD BANK OF DELAWARE FOOD DRIVE: SAPA’s Community Service Committee is extending their Thanksgiving Food Drive through Friday, November 16th, 2012. All donations will benefit the Food Bank of Delaware. Please bring your non-perishable food items to Graham Hall’s Front Entrance or the CCRS Graduate Student Office (Graham Hall 2nd Floor). Thank you for your support!

SAPA HOLIDAY PARTY: Come out and celebrate the end of the semester! On December 11th, 2012 from 7PM to 10PM, SAPA will host its Annual Holiday Party at the Courtyard by Marriott Newark Hotel. Tickets can be purchased (cash/check) for $25 from SAPA Board Members, Diana Simmons, Verity Watson, Kelly Smith, Alex Leach, or Steve Ottinger. Tickets will be sold from November 12th to December 3rd so be sure to pick one up soon! Please contact Kathryn Lonczewski (klon@udel.edu) if you have any questions, or if you have any special dietary needs.

**When you purchase your Holiday Party ticket you also have the opportunity to sign up to participate in a $10 optional gift exchange!

Below you will find updates for this week:

GRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT (GSG): Join your SAPA program representatives for the November GSG meeting this Thursday (11/8) at 5:30 pm in Memorial Hall Room 127. After the meeting, join GSG members for an ‘Eat and Greet’ graduate student get-together at Caffé Gelato!

FOOD BANK OF DELAWARE FOOD DRIVE: SAPA’s Community Service Committee is hosting a Thanksgiving Food Drive for the Food Bank of Delaware from November 5th – November 12th. We invite you to help us provide food relief to Delawareans by donating non-perishable food items. Bring your non-perishable food items to Graham Hall’s Front Entrance or the CCRS Graduate Student Office (Graham Hall 2nd Floor) by Monday, November 12th. Thank you for your support!

INTEREST MEETING FOR POLAND STUDY ABROAD TRIP: At 3PM on November 7th, 2012, an interest meeting for the Study Abroad Trip to Poland will be held in Graham Hall Room185. If you are interested in traveling to Poland, stop by and get an overview about the trip itinerary. For more information about program costs and courses offered on this trip, please click here.

FEDERAL RESUME SESSION: On Friday, November 9th, SAPA will be hosting a Federal Resume session. Our speaker will be Marianne Green, who is trained in the federal resume process and owns her own resume advising company. The resume session will begin at 9AM in Graham Hall Room 187. Anyone who is considering a career with the federal government is welcome to attend!