The UMBC women’s soccer team raised $1300 for breast cancer research during its recent “Fight in Pink” contest on Oct. 14 against Stony Brook. The money will go directly to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a foundation that has become the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.

The Retrievers sold t-shirts prior to the event and held a silent auction throughout UMBC’s matchup with the Seawolves, in addition to accepting donations.

“I have to give credit to all the UMBC women’s soccer players who initiated the pink game,” head coach Leslie Wray said. “It was their idea to have a match that promoted breast cancer awareness and to help raise funds for Susan G. Komen by selling “Fight in Pink” t-shirts, that they designed.

“We would like to thanks the UMBC students, parents and fans who bought t-shirts to help women’s soccer raise money for this incredible cause,” Wray continued. “So many women are affected by breast cancer and for many of us it hits very close to home. I am glad the UMBC women’s soccer team could contribute to helping all the brave women who are fighting this disease.”

This story originally appeared on UMBC Retrievers.com.

Today’s Gazette reports on clergy in Prince George’s County who are encouraging parishioners to vote against the referendum to expand gambling in Maryland and in Prince George’s County in particular. But Laura Hussey, assistant professor of political science, remarks in the article that clergy who talk politics from the pulpit are less common than some might expect.

Hussey suggests that this is in part because the multifaceted nature of ballot questions, such as the gambling referendum, can make it difficult to take a clear religious stance. “It’s an issue that doesn’t lend itself to being easily decided by the average voter,” she says.

Update (10/27/2012): In a later Washington Examiner article, Hussey remarked on the meaning this election’s historic ballot measures have for voters in Maryland, an overwhelmingly Democratic state where presidential and senatorial races are usually a foregone conclusion. Hussey said, “Here citizens have an opportunity to weigh in, to cast a vote that means something.”

By: DonkeyHotey

On Tuesday night, we witnessed yet another ill-timed comment about sexual assault in the face of the upcoming elections. “Even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that is something that God intended to happen,” said Richard Mourdock, Indiana’s Republican candidate for Senate.

To be honest, we’re not surprised.

While there are many issues at stake in this election, rape, contraception, and women’s rights seem to be consistently at the forefront. After Todd Akin’s comments about “legitimate” rape in August, many Americans began to ask questions about the misrepresentation of these issues in the media. But at this point, it’s time to dig deeper.

After Mourdock’s statement, both the Obama campaign and Mitt Romney wasted no time in disassociating themselves from his stance. A few days later, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spent $1.1. million on a television ad in Indiana that will target the GOP Senate candidate right up until election day.

The question is this: How did we get to a point where politicians are capitalizing on the issue of sexual assault in order to get elected?

While there are few people who would disagree that it’s an important issue to consider when voting, it’s offensive (especially to the victims) that rape is being used as a source of fundraising and public shaming.

Both Republicans and Democrats maintain that this election is about the economy and unemployment, however current undecided voters might view it differently.

Democratic strategist Tracy Sefl was spot-on when she said that

“women’s uteri have become the unfortunate mascot of this cycle.”.

What do you think? Will we ever be able to leave the issue of rape alone once and for all?

The California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) is seeking applications for its Fiscal and Policy Analyst (FPA) position and summer internship program. This letter provides information on the LAO, the advertised positions, and the application process. Additional information can be found on our website at www.lao.ca.gov

The Legislative Analyst’s Office

The LAO is the nonpartisan fiscal and policy advisor to the California Legislature. Its mission is to reduce the cost of state government and/or to increase its efficiency. Established in 1941, the LAO is the oldest office of its type in the country, and maintains a national reputation for its nonpartisanship and its high-quality staff and analyses. The office maintains a professional, collegial work environment that strives for an appropriate work/life balance.

The office does the following three main types of work for the Legislature:

·         Analyzes the Governor’s annual budget proposal, testifies at legislative hearings, and conducts legislative oversight throughout the year.

·         Responds to requests from Members of the California Legislature on programs and finances.

·         Produces independent, self-generated reports to assist the Legislature in addressing the major fiscal and policy issues facing California. For example, we have recently published reports on (1) the impact of federal health care reform on California, (2) the insolvency of California’s Unemployment Insurance Fund, and (3) using distance education to increase college access and efficiency.

Positions Advertised

Fiscal and Policy Analyst. The FPA’s primary responsibility is to be the LAO’s expert in a specific policy area. Policy areas are: State and Local Finance; Education; Health and Human Services; and Corrections, Transportation, and Environment. A complete description of the FPA position can be found at:

http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/Careers/job_announcements/general_job_info.aspx.

Summer Internships. The LAO operates a 12-week summer internship program that provides a rigorous analytical experience for individuals who (1) have completed the first year of a two-year graduate program that provides both a quantitative and policy analytical curriculum and (2) are interested in becoming a full-time FPA after graduation. The internship pays $2,650 per month. Additional information on the program is available at: www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/Careers/summer_internships.aspx.

Application Process

Interested individuals should e-mail a cover letter, resume, and three references (names, phone numbers, and relationships only, not letters of reference) to lao.employment@lao.ca.gov. The deadline for receipt of applications is December 21, 2012. We will respond to all applicants by January 11, 2013. As part of this year’s recruiting process, we will conduct a limited number of
on-campus interviews in January and February 2013.

We will review the resumes to determine which schools to visit for on-campus, first-round interviews. The decision will be based on the quality and perceived “fit” of the applicants as indicated by the resumes and whether there are enough interested and qualified applicants to warrant a visit. We will also conduct phone or Skype interviews with those selected for interviews from schools that we will not visit this year.

A second round of interviews, if appropriate, will take place in Sacramento in March 2013. Decisions and offers will be made no later than April 2013. Typically, new hires begin work at the LAO in August or September.

The LAO anticipates hiring from six to eight FPAs during the recruiting cycle and three or four summer interns. At this time, we do not know what policy areas will be vacant when new hires report next summer and fall. Consequently, we are not recruiting for specific policy areas. Our assignment process takes into account existing vacancies, the needs of the office, and the interests of the new hires.

I look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions, please contact me at sarah.kleinberg@lao.ca.gov.

The Public Service Fellows program at the Partnership for Public Service is an opportunity for undergraduate students, graduate students and recent graduates to participate directly in transforming the way government works while developing valuable professional skills.

At the Partnership, fellows are integral to the organization's day-to-day operations, programs and activities. We value the contributions of fellows and work to provide relevant and useful experiences. That's why fellows are assigned substantive and meaningful work to support our wide variety of programs, events, and projects to help revitalize the federal government. Fellows' duties vary across the Partnership, but often include event planning and execution, research, writing and outreach to external partners, such as government agencies and colleges and universities.

Now accepting applications for spring 2013- all majors and backgrounds are welcome! For more information