UAW Local 2322 is sponsoring a food drive to help local pantries restock their shelves for the winter season. We encourage our members to donate whatever they can to this drive and help us support the needs of our communities.

We will be accepting items in the GEO office, room 201 of the Student Union, until December 18th. We will then send the donations to one or more local pantries where they can be the most help.

Even if you think you can’t give enough, remember that every bit helps. Our membership is over 3,500 strong, if we all were able to donate just one item each think of how many families we could help…

No glass items please

Suggested food items:
• Canned fruit or vegetables
• Canned tuna or salmon-in water
• Baby food & powered formula
• Cereal (high fiber/low sugar)
• Fruit or Vegetable juice (100%)
• Soups, stews & chili
• Pancake/waffle mixes
• Pasta (dry or canned)
• Peanut butter
• Canned beans
• Oatmeal
• Nuts
• Rice

Non-food items:
• Diapers (child & Adult)
• Toilet & Facial tissue
• Toothpaste
• Hand soap
• Laundry soap
• Dish soap
• Toothbrush
• Shampoo
• Deodorant

It’s happening Thursday, Dec. 17th at 6pm.

The UAW Local Membership Meeting & Holiday Social will be held at Open Square’s Cafe. Chuck, the cafe’s owner, will be preparing some delicious food for us to enjoy.

For directions to Open Square visit http://uaw2322.org/how_to_get_here.htm The cafe is at One Open Square Way, Holyoke. Enter from the yellow door in the parking lot marked with the Cafe’s name, go up the stairs and through the door. Slice Cafe will be on your left. Hope to see you there!

Tuesday, December 1 from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. will be the last membership meeting of the semester, and of 2009! We’re meeting in Campus Center room #162-175.  Food will be provided including veggie wraps, humus and tabbouleh.

A number of key committees will be constituted at this meeting, including the personnel, elections, bylaws, and finance committees.  The bylaws committee is open to the entire membership.  The finance committee consists of the Sec/Treas., one member and one steward.  The elections committee needs at least five volunteers, but more are welcome.  The personnel committee is elected by the process outlined in the bylaws.

GEO Membership meeting

Tuesday, Dec. 1, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Campus Center room #162-175

Story by Kristin Palpini from

http://www.gazettenet.com/2009/11/19/health-care-coverage-change-upsets-umass-grad-students

AMHERST – The high cost of health care is taking its toll on University of Massachusetts graduate students.

In an email survey of 500 graduate students, 66 percent of respondents said increased costs and changes to their health care coverage have dissuaded or inhibited them or family members from seeking care this fall.

Of the 135 respondents with children, 72 percent said they had been dissuaded from bringing a child to the emergency room because of an increased deductible.

In August, changes were enacted to UMass’ student health insurance plan in the face of rising costs. The end result was, among other things, a $200 increase by way of an annual deductible, a facet of health insurance that requires a person to pay, in this case $200, worth of medical expenses (excluding co-pays) before the insurer contributes to additional medical costs.

Upcoming Events

What:              Legal Issues Forum for International Students

When:             November 19, 2009, 5:p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Where:           Cape Cod Lounge, Student Union

GEO’s International Student Caucus, in collaboration with Student the Legal Services Office and International Programs Office, presents: LEGAL ISSUES FORUM for International Students on November 19, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Cape Cod Lounge, Students’ Union.

Students are encouraged to submit their questions via email to international@geouaw.org ahead of the event or anonymously by dropping them in the sealed pink box in the GEO office, students union rm 201. You may also ask questions at the forum. The panelists will include immigration and civil rights attorneys, as well as international student advisors.

Click this link for more details: http://www.geouaw.org/?page_id=293

The goal of the forum is to address the many legal concerns that international students have regarding various aspects of their stay in the US, including:

Student immigration issues

·  Student visa types and what they may allow, and how to change them
·  Student spouse and visa stipulations
·  Working (on campus/off campus)
·  Post doc and further academic training, visa and academic statute of limitations
·  Extending student visa, etc

Basic legal/civil rights as non-permanent residents
·  Domestic violence and rights of accused and abused spouse
·  What to do in case of an arrest
·  Rights as tenants (stipulations of lease & legal recourse)

Any other issues you wish to ask about

Thursday, November 19
10:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m.
Cape Cod Room, Student Union

Stop in.  Call Beacon Hill to demand that public higher education be made affordable, which includes funding graduate employee contracts.  Get a delicious cookie!

Thursday, November 19
12 noon — 1:00 p.m.
Cape Cod Room, Student Union

This year marks the tipping point for funding public higher education in the state of Massachusetts.  Previously more than half of UMass’ budget came from the state.  This year marks the first year that the majority of the University’s funding is coming from student fees and tuition.  This is a clear trend toward privatization.

Now you get to share how it affects you. Some students have loans that they can’t pay. Some have found themselves shut out of classes or stuck in overcrowded lectures because of staffing shortages. Some can’t go stay in school because of the cost.  On Thursday 19 November, students, faculty, and staff will come together to tell our stories, learn about the context for the budget crisis, and begin taking action to win back funding for public higher education.

Please send your stories, and any questions, to tippingpoint.phenom{at}gmail.com.

Come to the Health Care Forum Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 1:00 p.m. in CC 101!!

Tuesday, November 17
1:00 p.m.
Campus Center 101

Press conference and rally to discuss the changes to the Student Health Insurance Plan and the closing of UHS from midnight to 8:00 a.m.  The changes to UHS hours and the SHIP, implemented over the summer, together represent a significant burden for UMass students and the larger community.  For example, during the second weekend of the school year, a number of area news outlets reported a record number of emergency calls, and fourteen ambulance calls with a waiting time of over three hours.  The $200 deductible has been the most difficult cost for students to absorb.  Previously, there was no deductible to see someone outside of UHS, so long as you had a referral.  Coupled with the reduced hours, students faced with a medical emergency overnight now have no choice but to go off campus thereby incurring the new deductible.

What can we do about it?  Come hear your colleagues’ stories and share yours.