The Daily Plan-it / Dean of Students Blog, Columbia J-school

THE VERITAS FORUM-EXPLORING TRUE LIFE

Conversation between Nicholas Kristof and Kaign Christy

Monday, September 21, 2009
Roone Arledge Auditorium– 8:00 pm, doors open at 7:30 pm

Fighting Modern-Day Slavery:

Two Activists Share Stories from the Trenches
In nearly every nation of the world women are enslaved within the multibillion-dollar sex trafficking industry. Thanks to writers and activists, their plight is being told and growing numbers are being set free. Come and hear a prize-winning journalist and attorney tell of their respective journeys into—and work within—the tumultuous world of front-line activism. Presentations by Nicholas Kristof and Kaign Christy, followed by a moderated discussion with J-school professor, Mirta Ojito, and audience Q&A.

Nicholas Kristof
The two-time Pulitzer Prize winning columnist for The New York Times has reported on six continents and traveled to over 140 countries. Mr. Kristof’s heart is revealed in his columns in which he often draws attention to health, poverty and gender issues in the developing world—including his prominent reporting of the Darfur genocide. He and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, have just released “Half the Sky: From Oppression to Opportunity for Women Worldwide,” a book that documents the bravery of women around the globe who have survived sexual exploitation.

Kaign Christy
The Director of Operations for Southeast Asia at International Justice Mission, Mr. Christy is an attorney with years of experience advocating on behalf of modern day slaves—in particular, women ensnared in the international sex-trafficking industry. While stationed in Cambodia, he helped local authorities to arrest over 100 traffickers and rescue nearly 300 of their victims—actions that won him the Commander Medal of Sahametrei—the highest award given by the Government of Cambodia to foreign nationals for service to the nation of Cambodia.

Mirta Ojito

Ms. Ojito, now assistant professor at the Journalism School, earned her reputation as a newspaper reporter, first at The Miami Herald & El Nuevo Herald, and later at The New York Times, where she covered immigration, among other beats, for the Metro Desk. She has received numerous awards, including the American Society of Newspaper Editor’s award for best foreign reporting in 1999, and a shared Pulitzer in 2001 for a series about race in America. Her first book, Finding Mañana: A Memoir of a Cuban Exodus, was released in 2005.

For more information visit www.veritas.org/columbia

The Institute for Research on Women and Gender (IRWaG) invites graduate students to join us for an informational kick-off:

*~*~*IRWaG’s Grad Student Welcome & Cocktail Hour*~*~*

*Thursday, Sept. 17th, 2009*

*5:00 - 6:30 pm*

*The IRWaG seminar room, 754 Schermerhorn Extension*

COME for free food & drink; STAY to discover the resources IRWaG has to offer graduate students …

— to learn about fellowship and grant opportunities, workshops to enhance your research, and the Graduate Certificate in Feminist Studies …

— to see old friends and colleagues and meet new ones …

— and to share YOUR input for the 2009-10 programming at the Institute!

ALL graduate students interested in questions of gender and/or sexuality - of all stages, departments, and disciplines - are welcome. Come and join IRWaG’s diverse and interdisciplinary intellectual community!

—

The Institute for Research on Women and Gender Columbia University
763 Schermerhorn Extension MC5508
1200 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10027
212.854.1556
212.854.7466 (fax)
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/irwag

“The Dark and the Light of the Internet”

at the Italian Academy at Columbia University

“The Dark and the Light of the Internet,” a symposium sponsored by the Marconi Society and Columbia University, features experts on national security and terrorism, privacy, technology and society, and journalism to discuss the societal impact of the Internet and the challenges it poses. General admission $50; free to university students and faculty.

Chaired by Columbia Professor Joseph Traub, speakers include: William Grueskin, Dean of Academic Affairs at the Columbia School of Journalism; Georgia Tech Professor Seymour (”Sy”) Goodman, Columbia Professor Steven M. Bellovin; FBI Assistant General Counsel Sean M. Wash; Marconi Fellow Robert G. Gallager, MIT Professor Daniel J. Weitzner; University of Massachusetts Professor David Jensen; and Herbert S. Lin, Chief Scientist of the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board at the National Academies.

Advance registration required. Go to www.marconisociety.org or visit http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=176388 to register online. Call Hatti Hamlin at 925.872.4328 for more information.

Please join Dean Nicholas Lemann, the class of 2009 and J-School alumni

Columbia University Association of Black Journalists present:

Panelists:

Frankie Edozien: Director, NYU Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute’s Ghana ‘Reporting Africa’ program, co-founder, African Magazine, 2008 Kaiser Foundation Fellow, former reporter, New York Post.

Allan Dodds Frank: President, Overseas Press Club of America, contributor, the Daily Beast, former investigative and legal correspondent, Bloomberg Television, former Business Investigative Correspondent, CNN’s “Moneyline with Lou Dobbs”, former Business Investigative Correspondent, ABC News, former Senior Editor, Forbes, Columbia J-school Grad.

Milton Allimadi: Founder, publisher and Editor-In-Chief, The Black Star News, former stringer, The New York Times and The City Sun, author, The Hearts of Darkness, Columbia J-school Grad, ’92.

Arlene Getz: Senior Editor, Newsweek Worldwide Special Editions, former Deputy Editor & Foreign Editor, Newsweek.com, former foreign correspondent, Gemini News Service, St. Petersburg Times, the Sydney Morning Herald of Australia, first vice-president, Overseas Press Club.

Howard French: professor, Columbia University, freelance reporter, the Washington Post, former Metropolitan reporter, the New York Times, former bureau chief; Central America and the Caribbean, West Africa, Japan, the Koreas and China for the New York Times, former columnist, the International Herald Tribune, author, A Continent for the Taking: The Tragedy and Hope of Africa.

Q & A with panelists to follow. This is the only event
of this kind this year…don’t miss out!

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION with Prof. Joe Cutbirth

Room 607B

Prof. Joe Cutbirth, who founded the Texas NLGJA chapter in 1992 and represented Texas at the organizational meeting of the NLGJA board of directors at the first national convention, will lead a seminar style discussion about how a group like NLGJA separates journalism from political activism, and some of the unexpected challenges new journalists often face covering lesbian-gay issues when they get outside the 5 large media markets and into more localized community-based coverage.

The discussion is open to all students, especially those interested in cultural affairs, human rights reporting, politics or anyone who expects to take a job in a smaller market, where these issues often present greater challenges to reporters and editors.

Please feel free to bring lunch.

BOOK TALK WITH PROF. HELEN BENEDICT.

Tues, March 24, 6:30-8:30 pm; Lecture Hall

BOOK TALK: Prof. HELEN BENEDICT discusses her new nonfiction book, THE LONELY
SOLDIER: THE PRIVATE WAR OF WOMEN SERVING IN IRAQ. Benedict’s play based on the book, THE LONELY SOLDIER MONOLOGUES, is being performed in New York City at The Theater for the New City from March 5-22, and at La MaMa on March 17.
Ticket
information: http://lonelysoldierplay.com/ and book information:
http://www.helenbenedict.com

Praise for the book: “The Lonely Solider is an important book, a crucial accounting of the shameful war on women who gave their bodies, lives and souls for their country.” –Eve Ensler, playwright, performer, activist and author of The Vagina Monologues

NYT review of the play:
http://theater2.nytimes.com/2009/03/10/theater/reviews/10lone.html

Listen to a Columbia J-school webcast with Prof. Benedict:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ColumbiaJournalism/2009/03/03/Helen-Benedict-au
thor-of-book-and-play-about-female-American-soldiers

The Alliance Program, the Middle East Institute and
the Institute for Religion, Culture, and Public Life present:

Light lunch will be served.

Democratization in the Arab World: In this seminar, Jean Leca will analyze current global political dynamics in reference to his landmark 1994 article in which he first outlined the concepts and hypotheses of uncertainty, vulnerability, and legitimacy. Leca will use case studies of democracy and democratic processes in the Algerian context to make a more specific argument. A professor Emeritus of Political Science at Sciences Po, Paris, Jean Leca is a renowned specialist of political philosophy and political sociology, with specific interest in the Arab world and the Mediterranean. Jean Leca is the former President of the International Political Science Association (1991-1994) and of the French Political Science Association (1990-1991 and 1998-2005). He has consulted widely regarding Arab foreign relations and was a member of the Joint Committee on the Near and Middle East. Jean Leca has held various visiting professor positions in the US, including Stanford, Princeton, Dartmouth, and University of Wisconsin, Madison.

The Alliance Program is a joint venture between Columbia University and three French partner institutions, the Ecole Polytechnique, Sciences Po, and the Universite Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne. For further information, please visit: www.columbia.edu/cu/alliance.

The Office of the University Chaplain hosts

Peabody Award winning journalist Krista Tippett is the host of the nationally syndicated “Speaking of Faith” program of “religion, meaning, ethics, and ideas”. A leading voice in talk radio, Ms. Tippett has interviewed luminaries such as Thich Nhat Hanh, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Prof. Karen Armstrong, Gov. Mario Cuomo, theologian Martin Marty, and writer Annie Lamott. Ms Tippett’s most recent venture, “Repossessing Virtue is part of [an] ongoing series exploring the moral, spiritual, and practical aspects of the economic downturn”

[http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/first-person/repossessing-virtue/].

Seating is limited. Contact COMMONMEAL@COLUMBIA.EDU

Enhancing Your Relationship:
A Workshop for Couples

Do you already have a strong foundation for your committed relationship, but want to see it get even better? This might be the workshop for you!

This hands-on, sequential 3-session workshop will provide practical tools for couples who wish to strengthen their relationship. Topics include:
- Understanding Relational Expectations and Beliefs
- How to Nurture the Positives in the Relationship
- How to Improve Problem Solving Ability and Communication Skills

When?
Tuesdays: April 14, 21 and 28, 2009
What time?
5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

Where?
Counseling and Psychological Services
Alfred Lerner Hall, 8th Floor
Conference Room

For: Couples only (one member of couple must be a Columbia student who
has paid the health services fee)

To reserve a spot or for more information, please e-mail:

Dr. Yaniv Phillips at py2120@columbia.edu
or
Dr. Lakeasha Garner at lg2418@columbia.edu

Columbia Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and
Office of The Pulitzer Prizes (http://www.pulitzer.org)

* Meet many of the newspaper editors and writers who judge the Pulitzer entries. Just to name a few they include managing and executive editors from The Austin-American Statesman, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Detroit News, Miami Herald, The Newark Star-Ledger, Poynter Institute for Media Studies.

The European Institute

RSVP to Myrisha Lewis, msl2155@columbia.edu

Jeffrey D. Sachs “Promoting Global Understanding of Sustainable Development”

BIO: Jeffrey D. Sachs is the Director of The Earth Institute, Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development, and Professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University. He is also Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. From 2002 to 2006, he was Director of the UN Millennium Project and Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the Millennium Development Goals, the internationally agreed goals to reduce extreme poverty, disease, and hunger by the year 2015. Sachs is also President and Co-Founder of Millennium Promise Alliance, a nonprofit organization aimed at ending extreme global poverty
He is widely considered to be the leading international economic advisor of his generation. For more than 20 years Professor Sachs has been in the forefront of the challenges of economic development, poverty alleviation, and enlightened globalization, promoting policies to help all parts of the world to benefit from expanding economic opportunities and wellbeing. He is also one of the leading voices for combining economic development with environmental sustainability, and as Director of the Earth Institute leads large-scale efforts to promote the mitigation of human-induced climate change. In 2004 and 2005 he was named among the 100 most influential leaders in the world by Time Magazine, and was awarded the Padma Bhushan, a high civilian honor bestowed by the Indian Government, in 2007. Sachs lectures constantlyaround the world and was the 2007 BBC Reith Lecturer. He is the First holder of the Royal Professor Ungku Aziz Chair in Poverty Studies, at the Centre for Poverty and Development Studies, University of Malaya.
He is also author of hundreds of scholarly articles and many books, including the New York Times bestsellers Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet (Penguin 2008) and The End of Poverty (Penguin, 2005).

Preview of the National Geographic Documentary
“T Rex Walks Again” - Feb 24th @ 5:15, Lecture Hall

Message from Prof. Marguerite Holloway,

My friend, Thomas Lucas, will be previewing his new National Geographic documentary on Tuesday, February 24th, here at the journalism school! It is called “T.Rex Walks Again.” Here is a short description: “”How could a tiny Tyrannosaurus rex baby grow into a six-ton super carnivore? Dinosaur builder Hall Train and renowned paleoartist Jason Brougham team up with some top scientists to attempt to bring a new vision of T. rex to life. Will they be able to uncover the truth about this fascinating animal and create the world’s most accurate, fully skinned, mechanical replica of a walking juvenile T. rex?”

Filmmaker Thomas Lucas and two of the film’s subjects—Hall Train of Hall Train Studios in Toronto and Jason Brougham of the American Museum of Natural History—will be available after the film to answer students’ questions about making science documentaries, modeling dinosaurs and other related topics.

The film will start at 5:15 in the Lecture Hall.

Discussion will run from 6:15 until 7:00.

Thanks very much,

Marguerite

Dear J-School Students,

President Bollinger holds annual “Fireside Chats” with undergraduate students, providing an informal venue for students to engage with him and ask questions about the university, administration, student life, and other topics.

This spring he is holding the very first “Fireside Chat” for graduate students on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at the President’s House.

Given the limited number of slots for this event, only three students from the Graduate School of Journalism are invited to attend. The three students will be picked at random through a lottery.

For a chance to be one of the lucky three, simply click on the registration link at the bottom and fill out the required information.

The deadline for registration is Monday, February 9 at 7:00am.

Please only submit your name if you are able to attend the event on March 4th from 6-8 pm at President Bollinger’s Residence on the Morningside Campus.

Students will be selected and notified via e-mail by mid-February.

Register for Fireside Chat: https://calendar.columbia.edu/sundial/webapi/register.php?eventID=29339

View Event Details: https://calendar.columbia.edu/sundial/webapi/get.php?vt=detail&br=default&id=29339

As can be seen by the photos, yesterday’s excitement was felt throughout the Columbia community.

Nowhere was it more noticeable than at Low Plaza.
Some got to Low Plaza early, braving the cold, just to park themselves in front of the Jumbotron.

One by one, classmates, friends and others in the community came by to watch yesterday’s historic inauguration.

Hope you enjoy the slideshow,

Claudia Castillo - Student Affairs