1. GSO Officer Training

2. What is the GSA? GSA Executive Board Elected by the Senate President Vice President Vice President of External Affairs Treasurer Historian Office of Graduate Student Life Graduate Assistants Community Liaison Communications Manager Travel and Research Grants Coordinator Writing Advisor GSA Executive Administrative Assistant Advises Executive Board and Supervises the OGSL Staff

3. GSA Senate Meets monthly: First Monday of Every Month Senators Chosen by Graduate Program Directors GSO Representatives One member per GSO Can be officer or a general member Votes on GSA policies, budgets, and programs

4. Graduate Student Organizations Established in the GSA Constitution and By-Laws Funded in the GSA budget, which comes from graduate student fees New GSOs must be approved by the GSA Senate GSOs must maintain membership and be reactivated each year

5. Three Steps for Success 1. Stay Active and Recognized! 2. Event Approval and Planning 3. Payments and Reimbursement

6. Stay Active and Recognized By the second senate meeting or with first co-sponsorship request Submit a budget Submit a registration form Attend senate meetings More than two absences will result in losing recognition New or inactive GSOs also need: A letter from faculty member agreeing to serve as advisor Constitution Letter of Intent A list of members Recommendation: Contact the GSA Community Liaison

7. Approval and Planning Check out our Page! Event PlanningEvent Planning Submit a co-sponsorship application online Submit a meal pre-approval form (food expenses) Submit liability forms (off-campus events) To be handed in the week BEFORE your event Community Liaison will contact you with forms for you to distribute Contact a caterer Reserve Space in 25Live only presidents and VPs have access

8. Sample Co-sponsorship form and meal pre-approval forms

9. 25Live http://events.umbc.edu/ http://events.umbc.edu/ Sign in using your myUMBC information Create an Event Search for your GSO or Program name When prompted for a chart string number, write “GSA funded organization Scheduling will email confirmation to your UMBC email Tutorials on how to use 25Live are made available through the website

10. Approved Catering GSOs are responsible for contacting caterers and placing orders for events. GSA will pay caterers directly, which eliminates upfront costs to your GSO. Please forward any invoices you may receive to gsa@umbc.edu. You may only use these approved caterers to order food for your event: Chartwell’s: Mr. Tom DeLuca (443) 612-3463 Chartwell’s Glenmore Caterers: Mr. Scott Parry (410) 455-5930 Glenmore Caterers Classic Catering People: Mr. Larry Frank (410) 356-1666 Classic Catering People Linwood’s Catering: Ms. Taliya Adelstein (410) 581-4920 ext. 26 Linwood’s Catering Main Street Catering: Ms. Kerri Clark (301) 805-2508 Main Street Catering ROUGE Fine Catering: Ms. Jean Wade Mayer (410) 527-0007 ROUGE Fine Catering GSA can also pay directly for: Giant Peapod Orders Skylight Room True Grits

11. Payments and Reimbursements Submit a post-event form Include a flyer or e-mail advertising the event and a sign-in sheet of ALL attendees Submit all original, itemized receipts Submit invoices from UMBC vendors Submit Google Map directions (travel reimbursement) If off-campus: ALL liability forms from all UMBC students

12. Sample post event form After any event, submit post-event form packet within 10 days which includes: -Post event form -Flyer/email -Original receipts -Catering invoices (if applicable) -Sign-in list of all attendees -If off-campus: -Liability forms of -Google map directions (to be reimbursed for mileage) Electronic signature allowed

13. Updates Extravagant Expenses GSA Executive Board has the right to review approval of funds if the expenditures are thought to be excessive Estimated Attendance will be considered when approving events Out-of-State or Overnight Travel Must submit names, travel dates, departure and destination locations, and mode of transportation For reimbursement purposes, out-of-state restaurant meals have the following per person limits: Breakfast $9 Lunch $11 Dinner $25

14. Processing Your Documents Once completed and approved by Community Liaison and Executive Administrative Assistant, all reimbursements are processed through Accounting Caterers are paid directly Particular Items must be shown on all paperwork Allow 5-6 weeks for payment Delivered via check to your address If Direct Deposit: “State of MD- Vendor Payment”

15. Contact Info Deanna Cerquetti GSA Community Liaison gsa@umbc.edu (In subject line include “Attn: Deanna/Community Liaison”) 410-455-2773 GSA Office Hours Monday- Thursday* 9:00a.m.- 4:00 p.m. * The GSA Community Liaison will be in on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Feel free to schedule a specific time and day to meet.

16. Were you paying attention? What do GSOs have to submit in order to have active status? What do inactive or new GSOs have to do to become active? How many weeks before an event do you need to submit your co- sponsorship forms? Who has access to scheduling events in 25Live? Do students ever pay out of pocket for catering? How long after an event do you have to submit post event forms?