News @ Commonwealth College

You are invited to join us for a presentation of the Don Quixote Ballet at the Wang Theater in Boston on Sunday, October 29th at 2:00pm. Transportation will be provided. Student tickets are only $12. This is a huge savings over the usual price of $48. You can purchase your ticket at the front desk of Commonwealth College. Cash and checks are accepted.

A MOVIE AND DISCUSSION WITH BILL COSBY, OCT 16

Commonwealth College students are invited to a film showing and discussion with Bill Cosby on Monday evening, October 16, at 6:00 in Bezanson Auditorium. The film is Akeelah and the Bee. Following the film, Mr. Cosby will lead a conversation about issues raised by the film. Admission to the event will be only for students holding tickets. Tickets are free. They will be available at the front desk of Commonwealth College beginning at 9:00 a.m. on THursday October 12th. The number of tickets is limited and they may go fast.

Announcements & Activities

WWWORKSHOP - COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING, OCT 11

How to connect learning with action in the community, mentoring, Alternative Spring Break, Citizen Scholars, and more. Learn how to get academic credit too.
Weekly Wednesday Workshops are held every Wednesday evening from 6-7 PM outside of 504 Goodell in the Commonwealth College Lounge. Dinner is provided. Please RSVP to c3@comcol.umass.edu if you are planning to attend. See WWWorkshop page for other dates and topics.

EXISTENTIAL FILM SERIES - A STATE OF MIND, OCT 12

Please join us for our Fall 06 Existential Film Series Thursdays at 8:00pm, 406A Goodell.
Special Dean's Book Course film—open to all but of particular interest to DBC students. A State of Mind, an astounding documentary shot in North Korea, follows two young gymnasts as they prepare for a lavish spectacle called the “Mass Games” involving as many as 100,000 performers.

PIZZA & PROF WITH SIGRID SCHMALZER, OCT 16

Pizza at 5:45
Program starts at 6:00
Place is ComCol lounge, 504 Goodell
Of special relevance to this term's Dean's Book Course:
The night's prof is Professor Sigrid Schmalzer of the History Department presenting “Beyond Scar Literature: Changing the Way We Remember the Chinese Cultural Revolution.” With a doctorate from UC San Diego, Prof Schmalzer focuses on modern Chinese history, the history of science, and popular culture. Come join the feast and fun ... and bring your friends. To reserve a seat and a slice, email pizzaprof@comcol.umass.edu.

MAJORS FAIR, OCT 23-25

Undergraduate Advising, Commonwealth College and Career Services will co-sponsor a Majors Fair and Major Exploration workshops that will take place during the week of October 23rd-25th, 2006 at Campus Center Auditorium and First Floor Area. All current and prospective students are cordially invited to attend. The event will provide an opportunity for undeclared students to explore potential areas of study while allowing current majors to learn about other options they may not know exist at the University.
Don’t miss this once-a-year chance to explore the impressive array of majors and resources available at UMass! Representatives from over 100 different departments will be present to answer questions and provide literature on major requirements and opportunities. For more information about dates and timing please visit our Majors Fair website at http://www.umass.edu/advising/majorsfair.htm.

STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD MEETING, OCT 24

6:30pm
504 Goodell
The Student Advisory Board provides input, feedback, and advice to the dean regarding Commonwealth College programs and policies. Board meetings are open to all Commonwealth College students, and board members welcome your comments and suggestions. If interested in attending please RSVP to Caitlyn Burns at ceburns@student.umass.edu. (For the upcoming SAB meeting agenda and a full schedule of Fall '06 SAB meetings, see the SAB web page.)

Achievements & Opportunities

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE TEACHER?

Then nominate him or her for a Distinguished Teaching Award, the highest recognition of teaching awarded to faculty members and teaching assistants/associates! All you need to do is tell us why your nominee should receive a Distinguished Teaching Award. All nominations must include your name, mailing address, and email address. Only current and former students may nominate faculty members. Teaching assistants/associates may be nominated by faculty members or current and former students. Please submit all nominations by Friday, October 27 to

Distinguished Teaching Award Committee
Office of the Provost
362 Whitmore Administration Building
(413) 545 - 2554
(413) 577 - 3980 (fax)
dta@provost.umass.edu

Check out the DTA monuments in the Campus Center or http://www.umass.edu/provost/award/campus/dta.html to see if your favorite teacher has already won the Distinguished Teaching Award. Faculty members and teaching assistants/associates may only win the award once.

COMCOL POET'S PIECE PICKED BY POET LAUREATE

Commonwealth College faculty member Alex Phillips's poem "Work Shy" will appear in former Poet Laureate Ted Kooser's nationally-syndicated column "American Life in Poetry" on September 28. The column appears in approximately 200 newspapers and online magazines weekly and seeks to "create a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture." Phillips is the Assistant Director of the Dean's Book Course and teaches the Capstone Course "Lifelong Writing." His chapbook Under a Paper Trellis is forthcoming from Factory Hollow Press.

SEEKING COMCOL ARTISTS

Looking for an opportunity to show your work? Commonwealth College expects to have a few opportunities throughout the year to set up displays of student work. On October 20th, we have an opportunity for a one-evening display as part of a reception on Homecoming Weekend. Interested students should send an email to dean@comcol.umass.edu expressing interest. Please attach photos of part of your portfolio, or make arrangements to bring slides or other representations of your work to 504 Goodell.

Advising Reminders & Information

THINKING OF GOING TO LAW SCHOOL?

Meet with the Pre-Law Advisor, Aaron Lorenz, in E-26 Machmer. You may contact him at prelaw@acad.umass.edu. For office hours and more information about the Pre-Law Advising Office, see the Pre-Law Flyer and website < www.umass.edu/prelaw>.

— CAMPUS & COMMUNITY—

Academic Opportunities

WINTER BREAK IN MEXICO, PERU OR SENEGAL

As the weather begins to get chilly, it is a good time to begin thinking about where you will spend the semester break. UMass offers several classes during the break for students who want to experience living and learning about sustainability in an ecovillage and earn 4 credits. We offer 3 week courses in Mexico, Peru and Senegal, each related to some aspect of Sustainability Studies. Please have a look at these programs on the Living Routes web site.

Employment & Other Financial Opportunities

PROGRAM ASSISTANT FOR THE N.E. NEWS COUNCIL SOUGHT

http://www.newenglandnews.org
The New England News Council is a collaboration among news professionals, citizen journalists and the public to promote vigorous, trusted, accountable journalism -- and accountable government. Funded Sept. 1 with a $75,000 seed grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the council is based in the journalism program at UMass Amherst and is gradually launching services during the fall of 2006 and the spring of 2007.
The program assistant will work approximately 16 hours a week on a flexible schedule through June 15, 2007, to help with website management, and assure the smooth launch of workshops, forums/hearings, member services and fund-raising efforts of the council. This job requires significant personal contact with members, users and donors by phone, email and in person. The ideal candidate is super detail-oriented, with excellent telephone and personal-interaction skills.
Exceptional students and non-students will be considered. A full position description is available.
The candidate should have demonstrated concern for the future of media and democracy at the local, civic level. For information and to apply contact Bill Densmore (BDIC '75),Executive Director The New England News Council, 108 Bartlett Hall, densmore@journ.umass.edu or (413) 458-8001.

HEALTH & NUTRITION DIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS, SP '07

The Department of Nutrition at UMass seeks to identify qualified and enthusiastic students who will receive support and funding ($6000) through the Health & Nutrition Diversity Scholars (HANDS) Scholarship Program. For qualifications, see the HANDS online flyer. For more information, contact:
Dr. Nancy Cohen, Dept. of Nutrition
215 Chenoweth Lab, UMass
545-1079
cohen@nutrition.umass.edu

Events & Activities

HOLOCAUST PERFORMANCE PREMIERES AT UMASS, OCT 11

Time: 8:00 p.m.
Place: Student Union Ballroom
The Office of Jewish Affairs and Stonewall Center are proud to present the western Mass premier of “Monday Night in Westerbork,” a one-person show by Northampton performance artist S. Bear Bergman, about a cabaret troupe formed inside the Westerbork concentration camp in the Netherlands. The piece explores themes of identity, art, persecution, and resistance, and draws on Bergman’s experiences growing up Jewish among Holocaust survivors, visiting the concentration camps, and coming out as queer. Free and open to the public.

K-RECORDS’ CALVIN JOHNSON & COMMUNITY BUILDING, OCT 12

4:00-6:00pm
Goodell 406A
Calvin Johnson, former member of the seminal inde-rock band Beat Happening, and founder/owner of K records in Olympia, WA, will be appearing at UMASS to speak about community building. As a guy well experienced in bringing people together from many different places through artistic mediums, mainly music, Calvin is quite an influential figure when it comes to independent music. His record label, K, has recently been remodeled to resemble more of a Warhol-esque "Factory" type building, where artists and their friends can live, work, create, and communicate with each other. As the options of student activities continue to grow ever so rapidly here at UMASS, it truly is important to realize that commonalities between people ought to be nourished and can, in fact, lead to amazing personal connections in the future. Please come to this event, organized by a ComCol student. Also, Calvin will be performing solo at Hampshire College Thursday night. [Check it out.]

JUBILAT/JONES READING, OCT 15

Amherst's Jones Library and jubilat are pleased to announce the upcoming jubilat/Jones Reading with poets Caroline Knox and Evie Shockley:
Sunday, October 15th, 3 p.m.
Trustees Room at Jones Library
43 Amity Street, Amherst, MA
The reading will be preceded by a poetry swap at 2 p.m., hosted by Dara Wier and Heather Christle. Bring a poem to read and discuss--your own or someone else's. Following the reading, the audience is invited to participate in an informal Q&A session with both Caroline Knox and Evie Shockley. We hope to see you there. [Click here for more on these two poets.]

Student Life & Organizations

UMASS POLICY DEBATE TEAM INFO SESSION, OCT 10

The UMass-Amherst Policy Debate Team will hold its second informational meeting of the season on Tuesday, October 10.
Campus Center Room 911-15
7:30pm
NO EXPERIENCE IS NECESSARY!
This is a great opportunity for students of all majors to develop their analytical and public speaking skills in a fun, educational environment … Come check it out & feel free to bring your friends! [Download flyer]