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Swarm and Nest: Week 4

March 25, 2009

On Tuesday, we went to Educational Sciences to organize, and despite our low post-spring break numbers, our 6 organizers had 12 conversations, in 19 organizer hours. We found 1 new TAA steward, and signed up 4 new members.

For the semester, that makes 25 different organizers, working 119.5 hours, 115 member contacts, 34 new organizers, 50 future activists, and 15 members.

Next week we will be going to Van Hise and SoHE, on Wednesday, April 1st. We'll meet in the lobby. The following week, on Monday, April 6, we'll go to Vilas and Humanities.

To meet our semester goals, we'll need to up our turnout in the next few weeks. We need your help to do this! Let's make these next two S&Ns the best so far, and help ensure the TAA will be stronger next year than it is now.

Please take a minute, and send an email to Tim to sign up for a 1 or 2 hour shift for one of these days, anytime between 10-4. You'll be paired with an experienced organizer, and you can learn on the job largely by watching and listening.

The semester's getting over the hump, and now's the time to participate in building a stronger TAA!

posted by Tim Frandy

Tax Tip for UW Students

March 16, 2009

Do you live in Dane County or one of the counties affected by the floods last year? Did you have tuition-related expenses last year? If so, you may be eligible for a larger tax credit via the life time learning credit than you typically would be.

While reading the instructions for IRS form 8863 (the Hope and Lifetime Learning Credits form), one of our members noticed special instructions for students living in midwestern disaster areas. The form and the instructions are available in pdf form and understanding of the instructions is that if you live in one of the affected counties and were a student last year you may be eligible for an additional tax credit. You may be eligible to recieve a 40% credit not just on tuition and fees and books, but also on the allowance for room and board determined by the university, which is $7700.

This is in no way professional tax advice, or even amateur tax advice, but rather a friendly note that this extension of the lifetime learning credit may be worth looking into.

posted by Tim Frandy

Swarm and Nest: Medical Sciences

March 11, 2009

We had a low-key organizing Monday in an uncomfortably warm Medical Sciences building. We had 6 organizers work 22 hours, talking to 15 members. We signed up 2 new members, and found 5 new organizers. Though we had smaller capacity than other weeks, the progress was still good for our smaller organizer numbers.

For the semester, that makes 23 different organizers, working 100.5 hours, 103 member contacts, 34 new organizers, 49 future activists, and 11 members.

A strong union is a union that is always organizing, talking with members, and encouraging co-workers to think and work together to solve work-related problems. We'd love to train all our members as organizers, with the skill set to chat with co-workers about work, to find common interests, and to encourage others to play their part and take action for the good of workers everywhere. We just need you to join us for an hour or two at a Swarm and Nest, and you can stop wanting to help, and start working for progressive change. No experience is needed! We team you with an experienced organizer, so you can learn as you are mentored. It couldn't be easier!

We'll be meeting in the Teachers' Education Building lobby (with excursions into Educational Sciences and Noland) on Tuesday, March 24rd. And in the Van Hise lobby (and the School of Human Ecology) on Wednesday, April 1st. Let Tim (your co-pres) know you're interested by writing him an email at twfrandy@gmail.com.

posted by Tim Frandy

Swarm and Nest Results from HC White

March 4, 2009

TAA Swarm-n-Nesters descended upon Helen C. White, North, and Science this past Tuesday, the 3rd. We had 17 TAA organizers working a total of 42.5 working hours between 10-4. We had 45 conversations with members, recruited 13 new organizers who agreed to do Swarm and Nest this semester. On top of that, we found 5 additional likely activists, and 4 new members.

Here's our semester totals for S&Ns: 21 different organizers, 78.5 hours organizing, 88 documented conversations, 29 new organizers, 44 likely activists, 9 new members. This is very good progress in developing a more mobilize-able, stronger TAA for next year. Let's keep up the good work.

Next week, on Monday, March 9th, we'll be setting up our base camp in the lobby of Medical Sciences (go in the main entrance on University). (Medical Sciences is on the corner of Charter and University.) We'll be organizing from 10-4. We'll be doing excursions to Chamberlain and Psychology.

The week after spring break, we'll be heading to Educational Sciences, and sojourning out to Teacher's Education and Noland. Look for the table in Ed Sci.
The number of organizers for our S&N in Medical Sciences are a little low (only 7 organizers so far!). Do consider joining us, if you have an hour or two free next Monday, 3/9. Just send me an email at twfrandy@gmail.com, and sign up for a shift. As always, no experience is needed. Everyone will be paired up with an experienced organizer, and you can learn on the job.

Hope to see you Monday!

posted by Tim Frandy

 

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