INSIDE THIS WEEK’S NEWS@COMCOL (details below)
** Commonwealth College Notices **
+ DONATE YOUR BOOKS FOR HURRICANE RELIEF!
+ SUMMER 2006 CLASSES
** Course & Internship Announcements **
+NEW - CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN NORTHEAST NORTH AMERICA
+ NEW – COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING DEAN’S BOOK COURSE
+ FULFILL THE CAPSTONE REQUIREMENT AS A SERVICE COORDINATOR
+ OPPORTUNITY AT SEA FOR MID-YEAR GRADUATES
+ SCERA OFFERS INDEPENDENT STUDY CREDITS
$$ Scholarships, Fellowships, & Other Opportunities $$
+ WINTER BREAK TUTORS NEEDED!!
+ DOES YOUR STUDENT GROUP NEED MONEY?
** Other Announcements & Events **
+ TAKE A STUDY BREAK!!! DEC 15
+ SCERA DIRECTOR SEARCH OPEN FORUMS, DEC 15
+ OPERATION SECRET SANTA NEEDS YOU!
** Student Life **
+ UMASS CHESS CLUB WELCOMES ALL PLAYERS
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** Commonwealth College Notices **
DONATE YOUR BOOKS FOR HURRICANE RELIEF!
The community service club S.H.A.R.E is organizing a book drive to collect the books that the school will not buy back—and other books you’d like to donate. The book drive is taking place Dec. 15-22. Students can drop off books in various collection boxes located in the campus center. The drive is to benefit the National Center for Family Literacy's Hurricane Relief projects (http://www.famlit.org/). See the book drive flyer for complete information.
SUMMER 2006 CLASSES
It's not too early to start thinking about what to do next summer! Commonwealth College will be offering several Interdisciplinary honors courses, as well as sections of Dean's Book, during the two summer sessions of 2006. You can find course descriptions in the honors course guide (http://www.comcol.umass.edu/courses).
**Session I, June 5-July 13**
Honors 292F The American Family
TuTh 1-5:00 p.m., Gen Ed I U, 4 cr.
Instructor: Martha Yoder, marthay@history.umass.edu
Honors 292P American Portraits
TuWTh 1-3:30 p.m., Gen Ed I U, 4 cr.
Instructor: Anthony Ratcliff, aratcliff@afroam.umass.edu
Honors 191D, 291D, 391D Dean's Book
Sec. 1F, TuTh 9:30-11:30 a.m., Gen Ed I, 1 cr.
Sec. 2F, TuTh 6-8 p.m., Gen Ed I, 1 cr.
**Session II, July 17-August 23**
Honors 292C Contemporary Readings: American Popular Culture
TuWTh 1-2:30 p.m., Gen Ed I, 3 cr.
Instructor: Tabitha Morgan, tabmorgan@english.umass.edu
Honors 292M Metaphor and Creativity
TuWTh 10-11:30 a.m., Gen Ed I, 3 cr.
Instructor: Esther Cuesta, ecuesta@complit.umass.edu
Honors 191D, 291D, 391D Dean's Book
Sec. 3S, TuTh 9:30-11:30 a.m., Gen Ed I, 1 cr.
Sec. 4S, TuTh 6-8 p.m., Gen Ed I, 1 cr.
** Course & Internship Announcements **
NEW COURSE - CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN NORTHEAST NORTH AMERICA
Honors 292J, Class# 58650, 3 Credits, TuTh 11-12:15, Prof. Jean S. Forward, Gen Ed IU
This course is an interdisciplinary case study examination of the colonization and development of specific ethnic communities in the Northeast corner of North America. Cross-disciplinary modes of inquiry such as historical source criticism, archaeology, history, ethnography and various forms of literary analysis will be used to explore the experiences of Mi’kmaq, Wampanoag, English Puritan, French Catholic, African American, Irish Catholic, Scottish Presbyterian, Puerto Rican and Cambodian population groups in the past and in the current multicultural situation. Small group research projects will focus on ethnic topics in the area of each campus. This course is constructed with interactive Distance Learning classroom discussions with classes on other campuses in the 5-college area, Massachusetts or the greater Northeast.
NEW COURSE – COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING DEAN’S BOOK COURSE
This spring, Commonwealth College will offer a new 3-credit Dean's Book Course (Honors 291R) that covers both Honors 191D and 291D in a single semester and connects coursework to community service.
In addition to the Dean’s Book Course curriculum, students complete 20 hours of community service in local organizations devoted to real-life issues raised in the text. In class, time is given to reflecting upon the service performed and discussing how it relates to the books.
Honors 291R is a semester long and carries 3 credits. Students read two books -- the text chosen for regular DBC sections and a second book, chosen by the instructor. Open to second-semester freshmen and above, the class meets TH 4:00-6:00 with instructor Carol Soules. Registration is through the Office of Community Service Learning in 610 Goodell.
FULFILL YOUR CAPSTONE REQUIREMENT AS A SERVICE COORDINATOR
The CSL Office offers a way to fulfill the capstone requirement by serving as Community Service Learning Service Coordinator for the special Dean's Book Course service-learning sections. Get a head start on your capstone by beginning this spring working on the new entry-level service learning Dean's Book Course, Honors 291R. As coordinator you will take on the role of finding service placements for students in the class and more. A modest stipend accompanies this position. Applications are available in 610 Goodell. Questions? Feel free to contact the current coordinator Catie Newman (cenewman@student.umass.edu).
OPPORTUNITY AT SEA FOR MID-YEAR GRADUATES
SEA Education Association (SEA) offers college students a semester overseas that challenges them intellectually and physically by combining a sailing adventure of a lifetime with the study of the deep ocean. SEA has two remaining spaces for their winter term, 12/27/05—3/17/06. Special funding available to help last minute students afford SEA Semester on such short notice. For more information, contact Philip "PJ" Petrone at PJPetrone@sea.edu or visit the SEA website at http://www.sea.edu/.
SCERA OFFERS INDEPENDENT STUDY CREDITS
Are you interested in campus organizing, but just can’t find the time? You can receive up to 3 independent study credits for working with SCERA. The Student Center for Educational Research and Advocacy (SCERA) is a powerful and progressive advocacy agency often known as the “activist branch” of the Student Government Association. SCERA’s current efforts include: a "Racial and Economic Justice" task force that is working to increase recruitment and retention of working-class students and students of color; a "State-Wide Student Networking and Affordability" task force that is calling for increased public funding to increase the University’s quality and affordability; Helping to coordinate a "Tent State University" for the Spring of 2006. For more information, or to sign up for independent study credits through SCERA, email us at scera@stuaf.umass.edu.
Volunteers are also always welcome. Note that SCERA frequently has paid positions available. Working as an intern or volunteer at SCERA is the best way to get your foot in the door; plus, working at SCERA is a fantastic way to get real life organizing experience essential for a strong resume! We especially encourage interns with the following skills and/or interests: grassroots organizing; public policy; web and/or design; Research and/or writing; increasing the University’s diversity, democracy, and accessibility. In the past SCERA has secured tuition and fee rollbacks and freezes, helped jump start advocacy agencies for underrepresented students, and increased public support for higher education. This past semester, SCERA organized a "mini" Tent State University and Poetry Slam that called for Free Higher Education, organized a "Trick or Treat for Accountability" and a Grassroots Organizing Weekend, and worked with the Associated Students of Massachusetts. For more info, contact scera@stuaf.umass.edu.
$$ Scholarships, Fellowships, & Other Opportunities $$
WINTER BREAK TUTORS NEEDED!!
If you are looking for a flexible job over winter break: become a tutor! The Student Academic Support office in the Athletic Department needs tutors in all subjects to work with student-athletes. Specifically, we need tutors for Accounting 221, Management 301, FinOp Mgt 301, HT-Mgt 100, Sociology 241, Res Econ 211 and Marketing 301. If you are not going to be on campus for winter break but are interested in tutoring in the Spring, please contact me as well. If you are interested, please contact Caroline Joy at 413-545-2919, caroline@admin.umass.edu or stop by Boyden 246.
DOES YOUR STUDENT GROUP NEED MONEY?
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 http://www.umassalumni.com/ for an application and grant guidelines today! Or contact the Alumni Association at 545-2317 for more information.
** Other Announcements & Events **
TAKE A STUDY BREAK!!! DEC 15
UMASS's premier co-ed a cappella group, THE VOCAL SUSPECTS is throwing its end of semester concert DEC 15 @ 8PM CAMPUS CENTER BASEMENT. Games, give-aways, and rockin' a cappella. Come listen to what you've been missin'! $2 suggested donation. SEE YOU THERE!
SCERA DIRECTOR SEARCH OPEN FORUMS, DEC 15
The Student Center for Educational Research and Advocacy is one of the Student Government Association's few advocacy agencies. The office has been without a director for the past several years, however, this summer a search was started for a SCERA director. We are pleased to announce that we have selected several finalists for this position.
We invite you to join us for open forums with these candidates on Thursday Dec. 15 (reading day) in the Dukes Room of the Student Union:
Sara Littlecrow-Russell - 9:00 a.m.
Paul DeMarco - 10:00 a.m.
Liliana Rodriguez - 11:00 a.m.
The candidates' resumes will be available at the forums, where you will be asked to fill out a comment/feedback form for each candidate. Coffee, Tea, Juice, Fruit and Bagels will be provided.
OPERATION SECRET SANTA NEEDS YOU!
Make Christmas brighter for children affected by Hurricane Katrina.
This weekend while doing your holiday shopping, why don't you pick up a Visa or WalMart giftcard to donate to the youngest hurricane victims?
The mother-in-law of a grad student here is a second grade teacher at Cherokee Elementary in the coastal town of Pascagoula, MS. The majority of the students and staff at her school lost EVERYTHING in the hurricane and have been rebuilding their lives over the past 3 months. Their limited financial resources have been channeled towards purchasing sheetrock, etc. to rebuild their homes and most of them have no idea of how they are going to bring Christmas to their children.
In light of this, we are collecting WalMart and Visa/Mastercard gift cards to send down to Cherokee Elementary. These will be distributed to the children's parents on a need basis, allowing them to purchase toys, clothes, or whatever the kids want for Christmas. Since we have a local connection, they know the parents and can handle this most effectively. To see pictures of the children and for more information, check out operationsecretsanta.blogspot.com or search for the Operation Secret Santa Facebook group.
Please feel free to e-mail us (OperationSecretSanta@gmail.com) with any questions or concerns that you may have. You can drop gift cards or monetary donations at Rebecca's office in Conte Building (Department of Polymer Science and Engineering), Office A627. The cutoff date has been pushed back to Wednesday, December 14, 2005. We also need people to help flyer campus and get the word out as we only have a short time to get donations in!
** Student Life **
UMASS CHESS CLUB WELCOMES ALL PLAYERS
The Club meets Fridays, from 4-8pm in the Campus Center, and is open to players of all skill levels. More information is at our web site: http://www-ims.oit.umass.edu/chess/chess1.shtml