"Thought Prove It! was over...It's just beginning."

This year marks the first time that the SGA has permitted the general student population to directly propose and provide feedback on a way to improve campus life. In its "Prove It!" campaign, the SGA is promising up to $50,000 to implement the winning student-submitted proposal.

The 22 students or groups which submitted Prove It! proposals will have their work reviewed by a committee of students and university staff members. The finalists' projects will be presented to the student body online in the next few weeks. At that time, it is vital for the undergraduate student body to get involved. Watch the videos describing each proposal. Post your questions and comments. Support the project or projects you believe would best strengthen and inspire pride in the UMBC community.

The Prove It! committee's final funding decision will be made based heavily on student comments. On a purely financial level, since your student fees will be supporting the implementation of the winning proposal, it is in your best interest to let the committee know how you feel. However, on a deeper level, this is your university! Instead of complaining, take advantage of this opportunity. Since the campaign's ultimate goal is to improve campus life, this is your chance to truly help make a difference for present and future students at UMBC.

Since the SGA is not certain whether the Prove It! campaign will continue in future years, this may be the student body's only opportunity to dictate how SGA money is used to improve the campus.

Keep your eyes on myUMBC for your chance to help "Prove It!"

By Elizabeth Silberholz
Editorial Staff

Planning has begun for the next phase of the SGA's "Prove It!" campaign, which will provide up to $50,000 to execute a project aimed at strengthening and inspiring pride in the UMBC community.

Prove It! committee members representing the SGA, The Retriever Weekly, SEB, Office of Student Life, Honor's College, Facilities Management, Office of Institutional Advancement, Alex J. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship and UMBC faculty have submitted scores for each of the 22 Prove It! proposals submitted.

Proposals were judged based on their benefit to the community, originality, and feasibility.

According to Elani Odeyale, SGA vice president and committee head, videos detailing the finalists' proposals, as selected by the Prove It! committee, will be posted on myUMBC by the last week in February. Odeyale indicated, "This process will not be a vote, rather an opportunity for students to comment, ask questions, and declare support.

Though student response will play a key role in the committee's final decision, the Prove It! winner will be selected by the committee. According to Odeyale, this is the case "to keep Prove It! from becoming a popularity contest, where students could campaign for votes.&"

A brief summary of the 22 proposals submitted follows:

-Improve the Library Pond's sanitary and maintenance system, landscape the area around the pond, and add a deck area.

-Hold a community-building arts festival over the summer in Erickson Field.

-Install flat-screen video monitors in various locations across campus to advertise upcoming events.

-Host a "Retriever Bowl&" football tournament to increase school spirit and raise money for charity.

-Establish a Student Creative Center where students could have 24/7 access to art supplies and tools.

-Move the campus bookstore to the University Center and convert the free space in the Commons into a student lounge.

-Create a First Year Seminar to teach students about the school's programs, events, and departments.

-Hold an annual goofy "Universal Genius&" competition with students from other Baltimore-area schools.

-Use magnetic poetry-like t-shirts at Welcome Week to better mix incoming students.

-Build a new parking garage for freshmen students only.

-Add dining and lounge options to the Study Place.

-Partner with the Women's Center to promote respect for women on campus.

-Add a ropes and challenge course on campus to encourage team-building and leadership training.

-Implement a student-run television station on campus.

-Add smoking huts across campus to serve as protected smoking areas.

-Add a community leisure center on campus complete with an arcade, lounge, karaoke room, and movie area.

-Create a green space near the Fine Arts building.

-Improve drainage and prevent erosion campus-wide.

-Begin a campaign to increase campus awareness of minority achievement.

-Provide 100 bicycles for student use across campus.

-Replace landline dorm telephones with mobile phones that can be carried with students.

-Improve homecoming week.

The SGA is still discussing whether to continue Prove It! in the future. Odeyale said, "The revival of this initiative is completely at the discretion of next year's leadership, especially considering the size of this expenditure. Still, many SGA members have stated that they would like to see Prove It! happen every year on a smaller scale, or something that every UMBC student experiences at least once during their undergraduate career.&"

By Anne Verghese
Senior Staff Writer

The "Prove It!" campaign that began in November of 2007 has reached its final stages. The program organized by the Student Government Association gave students the opportunity to come up with a winning idea on how to further improve our campus.

Although the initial deadline for submitting proposals was December 31, there was an inflow of requests to postpone the deadline, so the "Prove It!" committee extended the cut-off date to January 13. As a result, 22 submissions were received ranging from transforming the study space and cleaning the pond to making a smoking shelter.

During the past few weeks the "Prove It!" Selection Committee has been busy at work reviewing and judging the submissions. The committee, according to Elani Odeyale, the Vice President of the SGA and head of the "Prove It!" committee, consists of eight students representing the SGA, The Retriever Weekly, the Student Events Board, and the First Year Council. The committee also includes seven campus staff and administrators who represent the Office of Student Life, Faculty, Facilities and Management and other campus departments.

These individuals combined perspectives and access to information will not only ensure that a quality proposal is chosen but will also assure its ability to be implemented, Odeyale said.

The selection committee is looking at specific criteria for each proposal and the fact that there have been several good submissions has made their decision-making difficult.

The committee's purpose is to thoughtfully select a winning proposal, according to the criteria of campus benefit, originality, feasibility and student response, that exemplifies student ingenuity at its finest and represents a significant contribution to the UMBC community, Odeyale said.

The choice for the top proposals will be made in mid-February and will be posted via myUMBC for students to view and comment on. The winning submission will be chosen in early March.

For more information visit http://sga.umbc.edu/proveit/faqs.php.