News @ ComCol 9/27/07

Commonwealth College will kick off the Fall Film Series: Understanding Terrorism on Thursday, September 27. Our first movie will be Paradise Now.
Directed by Hany Abu-Assad This (2004) Drama tells the story of two close friends, Palestinians Said and Khaled, recruited by an extremist group to perpetrate a terrorist attack in Tel-Aviv, blowing up themselves. In Nablas on the West Bank they receive word it will be tomorrow - the cell's first operation in two years. They're shaven and shorn, in black suits to pose as settlers in Tel Aviv for a wedding. Something goes wrong at the crossing, they're separated, and the action is postponed, long enough for renewed questioning of what they're about to do. (Arabic with English subtitles)
Film Series showings take place Thursdays at 8:00pm in 504 Goodell. Films are free and open to all Commonwealth College members and their friends. Refreshments provided!

THE DEAN'S BOOK COURSE PRESENTS UNDERSTANDING TERRORISM, A SYMPOSIUM, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 4:30 - 6:30PM, IN THE BERNIE DALLAS ROOM OF GOODELL

UMass faculty will explore issues related to Terror in the Name of God from perspectives across the disciplines. Their short presentations will be followed by a question and answer period and open discussion with the audience. Refreshments will be served. The symposium is open to the College and University community. See pdf for more information.

WEEKLY WEDNESDAY WORKSHOP, "FROM ER TO THE BAR " OCTOBER 3

Explore the possibilities for medical and law school with a panel rich in tips for preparation and knowledge of relevant resources on campus.
Please RSVP to c3@comcol.umass.edu if you are planning to attend. See below for specific dates and topics.

HOMETOWN NEWS FORM

Commonwealth College would like to send a news release about your awards and achievements to your hometown newspaper. Please fill out this form completely, and then mail, fax or email it to our office. We will write and distribute a news release.

Student Announcements & Activities

CAREER SUMMIT, WOMEN LEADERS SPEAK ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY GENDER GAP, "MIND THE GAP" SEPTEMBER 27 FROM 10AM - 4PM

Limited Seats—Register now! Visit the website to find out about the issue For more information about the event, please visit the event webpage FREE LUNCH, COOL GIFTS, Career Pavilion Sponsors Event Sponsors AGENDA (See Website Above for Panel Details) 10 AM, Community College Transfers 1PM, Technology Trends Industry Panels 11AM—Keynote, Mary Finlay CIO, Partners Healthcare 2:30PM, Career Path Next Steps 12 PM—FREE LUNCH !, Overcoming the Technology Gender Gap Panel 2PM -4PM, Career Networking Pavilion Thursday, September 27, 10am - 4pm, UMass Amherst Campus Center Auditorium. See attached flyer pdf.

GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING TRAINING SPONSORED BY SGA

The Student Government Association is sponsoring a FREE training for student organizers on campus NEXT WEEKEND, SEPTEMBER 28th-30th in the Campus Center. The GROW (Grassroots Organizing Weekend) is an awesome three day program that trains students in how to effectively organize campaigns on campus. No matter what issue you are passionate about, the GROW training will give you tools that will allow you and your group to organize more effectively. Come to build your own organization or get involved in student organizing on campus! Please RSVP by WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26th to sga@stuaf.umass.edu

STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD MEETING, OCTOBER 2, 6:30 to 7:30, 408A GOODELL

We will be revising our current constitution to reflect changes discussed at our last meeting. Student Advisory Board is an organization that presents student opinions to Dean Clarkson, and voting membership is open to any Commonwealth College student that comes to this meeting, so please join us! Dinner from Antonio's will be served, so if attending, please RSVP to Caitlyn Burns at ceburns@student.umass.edu by Monday, October 1st.

"RETHINKING THE LATIN INTELLECTUAL ECOLOGY"

October 11 and 12 (Dodd Center/Rome Ballroom), The Puerto Rican and Latin@ Studies Institute at the University of Connecticut at Storrs will host an interdisciplinary conference to discuss the intersections of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, class, and sexuality, as well as the landscape of interdisciplinary knowledge and scholarship. Participants include: Tomás Almaguer (Ethnic Studies, San Francisco SU), Elsa Núñez (President of Eastern Connecticut SU), Ilán Staváns (Spanish, Amherst C), Carlos Decena (Women's and Gender, Rutgers U), Jossianna Arroyo Martínez (Spanish, U of Texas--Austin), Stephen Pitti (History, Yale), and María Josefina Saldaña Portillo (English, Rutgers U).
Special performance by MacArthur Fellow, Guillermo Gómez Peña. To register, visit conferences.uconn.edu/
Contact Anne Theriault (anne.theriault@uconn.edu; 860.486.3996) or Wendy Wilbert (wendy.wilbert@uconn.edu; 860.486.0229) for more information.

STUDENT ALUMNI ASSOCIATION (SAA) EVENT CALENDAR

-September 26th - FREE Senior Pancake Breakfast 8:30-11:30am - Memorial Hall
-October 2 - Campus to Career Program: Etiquette Dinner, 5:30PM Cape Cod Lounge, Student Union $8 per person.
-October 3 - Campus to Career Program: Positioning Yourself for Career Success, 5:30PM Memorial Hall. This Event is a FREE event, with FREE PIZZA and FREE REFRESHMENTS!!
-October 30 - Campus to Career Program: Ultimate Money Skills, 5:30PM Memorial Hall This Event is a FREE event, with FREE PIZZA and FREE REFRESHMENTS!!
-November 14 - Campus to Career Program: Protecting Yourself form Identity Fraud, 5:30PM Memorial Hall. This Event is a FREE event, with FREE PIZZA and FREE REFRESHMENTS!!
December 5 - Campus to Career Program: Options, You've Got Options (Young Alumni Career Panel), 5:30PM Memorial Hall. This Event is a FREE event, with FREE PIZZA and FREE REFRESHMENTS!!
More information and the links to registration can be found at UMassAlumni.com/students.

ADVISING APPOINTMENT CHANGES

Advising at Commonwealth College has converted to an appointment system year-round.
- Walk-in advising will no longer be available during Pre-Reg
and Add/Drop
- Standard appointments will be 30 minutes throughout the year
(20 minutes during Add/Drop)
- Same day appointments may be scheduled if there are
openings available with an advisor
Please plan ahead to ensure that your needs are met. To schedule an appointment, call our appointment desk at
(413)545-2483.

Academic Opportunities

JUDICIAL HEARING BOARD MEMBERS WANTED

The Dean of Students Office is looking for students to serve as judicial hearing officers during the 2007-2008 academic year. A great experience for students who... are interested in student leadership, wish to enhance communication skills -want to build their resume, want to learn about the University's judicial system.
For undergraduates to be eligible, they must be full-time, have at least a 2.0 cum (this requirement does not apply to first semester students), nor currently be on judicial sanction. All students must complete an application and training session coordinated by the Dean of Students Office. This year the training sessions will be held on in 911 Campus Center from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday, October 2 and Wednesday, October 10. They will also be held in 370 Whitmore from 1-3 p.m. on Wednesday, October 3 and Thursday, October 11. Only one training session is required.
Applications are available in Residence Hall Cluster Offices, the Student Government Association Office, and the Dean of Students Office. The deadline for submitting applications to the Dean of Students Office is 5:00 p.m. Friday, September 28, 2007. If you have any questions, please contact Paul Vasconcellos or Ashley Dixon at 545-2684 or doso@stuaf.umass.edu.

LABORATORY RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY

Laboratory research in microbial food safety in the Dept of Food Science; prerequisite: previous lab course(s) in microbiology. Work deals with growth, inhibition and characterization of foodborne pathogens. Contact Ron Labbe at Dept. of Food Science by email: rlabbe@foodsci.umass.edu if you are interested.

ACADEMIC HONESTY BOARD RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS

If you have reached your sophomore year and are able to be impartial the Academic Honesty Board needs you. You need your class schedule to fill out the schedule form here in our office. The hearings USUALLY last about an hour, but some may be longer than that. When a hearing is scheduled, your schedule is considered for availability. If you are interested please contact Kay Politella in the Ombuds Office at 545-0867 or by email at dkp@ombuds.umass.edu or umbuds@ombuds.umass.edu

DATABASE ASSISTANT NEEDED

Student(s) needed to assist with design, implementation and data entry for a database to catalog gravestone data from the West, North and South cemeteries here in Amherst. The data consist of handwritten field notes and photographs made by UMass Amherst alumni and a plot map prepared by a former Town Engineer. The plan is to merge these bodies of data in an accessible, user friendly database. (Web accessibility an option to be discussed).
This is a volunteer opportunity, however, students may opt to seek academic credit via Honors Independent Study or Capstone Experience, depending upon their needs and extent of database work. Students seeking academic credit will need to acquire a faculty sponsor for their work. Contact Bob Drinkwater at bocaetc@yahoo.com for details and requirements for the project. Contact Sarah Madison at madison@comcol.umass.edu to discuss academic credit potential.

DEAN'S BOOK COURSE TO READ TERROR IN THE NAME OF GOD

Senior Dean's Readers chose Jessica Stern's Terror in the Name of God as this fall's DBC book selection. The fourteen capstone seminar students made the choice because Stern’s first-hand interviews with both US and foreign religious extremists offer such powerful insights into today’s pressing issues.
Dr. Stern will speak on the evening of Oct. 15. Her visit will be preceded by a series of related films and a symposium on "Freeing Ourselves from Fear: Understanding Terrorism," featuring experts on the topic from the UMass faculty. All events will be sponsored by Commonwealth College and open to the campus community.
DBC classes begin the second week of the semester, allowing students to use the first as a reading week to complete the book and prepare for class. Terror in the Name of God is on order at Amherst Books, 8 Main St, Amherst. It can be purchased at the store or from Amherst Books online. See the DBC website for more course information.

VIRTUAL CENTER FOR SUPERNETWORKS ISENBERG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

The UMass Amherst INFORMS (Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences) Speaker Series lineup for Fall 2007 is now available. The talks take place on scheduled Fridays at the Isenberg School of Management in Room 112 from 11:00AM-12:00PM (except where noted), and are open to the public. The series is organized by the UMass Amherst INFORMS Student Chapter, whose Speaker Series Coordinator is Ms. Trisha Woolley and whose Faculty Advisor is Anna Nagurney, the John F. Smith Memorial Professor. This is the seventh semester of this Speaker Series, which is multidisciplinary in nature. For more detailed information on the series, download pdf or
VISIT: here

$cholarships and $upport

COMMONWEALTH COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS

Commonwealth College provides many different scholarship opportunities, applications are usually due in the early spring. Please visit the financial support section of our website for more information.

OFFICE NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP ADMINISTRATION ADVISEMENT (ONSA)

The office of National Scholarship Advisement is located in Commonwealth College. Application and contact information is available on our website. Please visit ONSA or e-mail Shirley Archambault.

Upcoming Deadlines for Scholarship Applications
Fulbright - September 17, 2007
Marshall - September 17, 2007
Rhodes - September 17, 2007

— CAMPUS & COMMUNITY—

Internships

THE AMHERST CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS RECRUITING STUDENT INTERNS FOR THE SEMESTER

The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce is a fast paced, centrally located visitor's center, which also functions as a networking hub for the area's local businesses. We provide referral services and information by phone, printed publications and website. We sponsor special events, develop tourism to the area, work with schools, town government, provide counseling and resources to the business community and develop programs for our members and the business community at large.
   Interns are a prominent part of the Chamber's day-to-day activities. They are responsible for answering phones, meeting and greeting guests, updating website listings, printing out and putting together packets for members and the general public, assisting with events, and general office work. Depending on the individual intern's interests and skills, special projects may be assigned such as compiling data, creating signs, surveys, postering, etc. Tasks vary daily. Projects will be focused on tourism development, economic development and membership benefits. Students with interests in public relations, communications, marketing or organizational development are encouraged to apply.
    Requirements: 1. Resume, coverletter 2. Basic familiarity with computers and MS Office programs (especially Word, Excel, Outlook, etc). 3. Good people skills 4. Minimum of 8 hours per week required. This could be a full or part time position.
   Contact Donna at 413-253-0700 or email: officemanager@amherstarea.com. For more information on the Amherst Chamber of Commerce visit:www.amherstarea.com

OFFICE OF NEWS & INFORMATION: STUDENT INTERNSHIP

Student Internship Interns develop a variety of skills while working with communication professionals who promote the achievements of UMass Amherst, explain its policies and enhance recognition of its accomplishments as a national research institution and the state's flagship public university. Through an internal communications program and cultivation of local, regional and national media, the Office shares information in a timely and accurate manner, leveraging the latest technologies. In collaboration with other campus communicators, our results offer points of pride vital to the success of fund-raising and student recruitment strategies, and create the foundation for improved alumni, legislative and community relations. Interns work at least 15 hours per week, and with approval of the Field Experience Program can earn academic credit. Internships can also emphasize a particular disciplinary interest, such as Science Writing and Communications.
For more information: studentjobs or Contact: Ed Blaguszewski, Office of News and Information, 200 Munson Hall. Call 413/545-0444, or e-mail edblag@admin.umass.edu.

Student Life

RSO INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL EXPERIENCE(ICE) SEEKING TO FILL LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

International Cultural Experience (ICE) is an RSO that facilitates interaction among students from different cultures. ICE is currently recruiting outgoing and competent leaders to fill positions for for the 2007-2008 academic year. Interested candidates should send an email to ice@stuaf.umass.edu stating what they feel qualifies them for a leadership position.

DOES YOUR STUDENT GROUP NEED $$$$$?

The UMass Amherst Alumni Association provides grants to RSO's and other student organizations to help fund projects that will improve and enhance student life. Awards are limited to $2,000 per applicant group per academic year.
Visit www.UMassAlumni.com for an application and grant guidelines today! Or contact the Alumni Association at 545-2317 for more information.

DOESN'T MASSACHUSETTS DESERVE THE FINEST EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY

Massachusetts invented the idea of universal public education, but doesn't adequately fund our public colleges. It’s shameful that… 1) Massachusetts spends more jailing its citizens than on its public colleges and universities. 2) 40% of Massachusetts families would need to spend half their income to pay public 4-year college tuition. 3) Massachusetts spends only $3 per capita on public higher education; New Hampshire is the only state that spends less.
Now is the time to wake up the sleeping giant of Massachusetts politics -- the 500,000 people who make up the Massachusetts public higher education community -- and get the resources to create the public higher education system we and our children deserve. For more information visit PHENOM's website.

Employment

TUTORS NEEDS FOR ATHLETES, ALL SUBJECTS

The Athletic Department is searching for tutors in any subjects for this upcoming school year. The rate of pay is $9/hour and the hours are flexible. We will be having a mandatory orientation session for all tutors. The dates of these meetings are Thursday September 6th at 5:30 and Monday September 10th at 5:30. Both will be held in Boyden 255. Students only have to come to one of these meetings.
You may visit Boyden 246 to fill out an application or for more information contact Bryanna Nelson at bnels1@admin.umass.edu.

STUDENT EDITORIAL ASSISTANT NEEDED AT COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS-$8/HR

Responsibilities: assists Communications Manager with newsletter, updates Web pages, uploads digital photos, other editorial assistance as needed.
Experience required: excellent writing and editing skills, attention to detail, ability to follow through on projects. Experience using graphic design software desirable. 3 short writing samples and 1 reference required. $8/hr. for 6-10 hrs/week. Contact Elena Sharnoff, sharnoff@nsm.umass.edu.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & PARTNERSHIP COORDINATORS/AMERICOPRS*VISTA POSITIONS AVAILABLE ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS

Facilitate change in higher education and become a life-long leader, join a diverse group of individuals committed to civic engagement, gain experience and skills with faculty, staff, students and community partners. For more information open up attached pdf or visit www.americorps.gov.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNTIES

PEER MENTOR POSITION: Peer Mentors are undergraduate students who live-in first year residence halls and assist first year students with their transition into college. Amongst
other aspects of their job, Peer Mentors work closely with students to help them find academic resources throughout
the university. The Peer Mentor application packet and recruitment info can be found here

APARTMENT LIVING ADVISOR POSITION: Apartment Living Advisors (ALAs) are live-in, part-time, student staff members in the North apartment buildings. ALAs are community leaders, educators, counselors, friends, change agents, advisors, policy enforcers, and team players. This position is very similar to the RA position. More info about the ALA position can be found here