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

Nina Bernstein
Reporter, New York Times

Children Lost and Found: Thirty-Five Years After Wilder
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
12:30 - 1:30 (Room C03) (more…)

Attention Students:

Prof. Joe Cutbirth is looking for a half-dozen or so volunteers to work and hang out at Headlines & Headliners, the 13th annual New York benefit for the National Lesbian-Gay Journalist Association.

The event will be emceed by Today Show co-host Meredith Vieira and hosted by Bill Keller, executive editor of The New York Times. It is set for 6-10 p.m.

March 12 at The Times Center, 242 West 41st St.

A big part of the evening is presentation of thousands of dollars in college scholarships from the NLGJA student project to high school students and undergraduates interested in journalism careers.

As appearances by and support from Matt Lauer, Geraldo Rivera, Jeanne Moos and others on the event committee shows (at least Cutbirth thinks) you don’t have to be gay to be part of this star-studded, professional evening.

For more info, go to: http://www.nlgja.org/newyork.htm. E-mail questions and replies to Prof. Cutbirth at jhc2003 at columbia.edu.

Work Block Group Available

Location: Counseling and Psychological Services: Lerner Hall 8th Floor

Day and Time: Monday 1-3PM

For 6 sessions: February 25, March 3,10,24, 31 and April 7

To register or for more information contact Dr. William Sommer at 212 854
2878 or email wgs2@columbia.edu

FROM: The New York Coalition for Professional Women in Arts and Media

Call for entries for the 2008 Collaboration Award

The New York Coalition of Professional Women in the Arts & Media (NYCWAM) will present the second biennial Collaboration Award recognizing Women Working with Women.

The $1000 award aims to encourage professional women in the arts and media to work collaboratively with other women on the creation of new works. Eligible teams are those who have completed a work, are readying a new work, or are continuing a work in progress.

Applicants may suggest any form of creative collaboration. Submissions will be judged on the basis of artistic excellence and clarity of the proposal, with special attention given to those proposals involving more than one discipline and which reflect the goals of the Coalition: to advance women and women’s issues. The team that has been selected, plus two runners up, will be invited to present a portion of their work at an awards ceremony in New York in October 2008. Women outside of New York may send a designee to present their project. NYCWAM does not pay for travel expenses.

Teams of two or more women working together on a creative project may apply for a Collaboration Award. Applicants must be members in good standing of an organization with full membership in NYCWAM. Those organizations are: Actors’ Equity Association, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Dramatists Guild, League of Professional Theatre Women, New York Women in Film & Television, Screen Actors Guild, Society of Stage Directors & Choreographers, and Writers Guild of America, East.

Funding for the 2008 Collaboration Award has been provided by playwright, Elsa Rael, and by Back Stage editor, Sherry Eaker. The first Collaboration Award was presented in 2006 to playwright Jennifer Maisel and director Wendy McClellan for their play BIRDS.

Applications may be downloaded from the NYCWAM website: www.nycwam.org

or by mail by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to:

The New York Coalition of Professional Women in the Arts & Media

P.O. Box 2537
Times Square Station
New York, NY 10108
Completed Applications must be postmarked by May 1, 2008.

For further information after reviewing guidelines and application contact:
Deborah Savadge
Phone: 212-592-4511 or 212-595-2582
E-Mail: Collaboration@NYCWAM.org

The Earth Institute at Columbia University would like to invite you to join them on October 23rd from 4 to 7pm in the Low Library Rotunda for a Columbia University Environmental and Sustainable Development Programs Open House, where you will be able to find out about the many resources available to Columbia students interested in earth systems, environmental policy and sustainable development. From majors in environmental studies to degree programs in Environmental Engineering, Environmental Policy, Climate and Society, Columbia has a great deal to offer.
(more…)

Two J-School students are eligible to serve on the Earth Institute Student Advisory Council whose role is to develop student and academic activities for the campus around the issues of earth systems science and sustainable development.

You will serve for one academic year and will receive a $500 stipend.

Members of the Council will assist in the development of events including: panels, seminars, exhibits, and media screenings. Members will help to foster relations between student groups, departments, and schools on campus. They will also advise and assist in the development of professional resources that will help students gain experience in the field.

If you are interested in joining the council, please e-mail your resume and a brief note explaining your interest in these issues to mgh2@columbia.edu.

DEADLINE: Monday, October 1, 9 a.m.

Melanie Huff
Assistant Dean of Students

A lot of people have asked me about going to the opera. I just purchased a ticket for the Saturday, April 14, 8pm performance at the New York City Opera. They will do Madama Butterfly - and the production promises to be scintillating.

If you are interested, you can purchase a ticket here:

https://www.nycopera.com/
I bought an inexpensive ticket ($25).

If people like, we can have a meeting that week to talk about opera and such.

Send an e-mail to cjp2118@columbia.edu

You are cordially invited to a lecture and book signing with author and NBC chief foreign correspondent Andrea Mitchell.

Ms. Mitchell is the author of Talking Back…to Presidents, Dictators, and Assorted Scoundrels, published by Penguin. Her reports are featured on NBC Nightly News, Today, and Meet the Press.

She is the former chief White House correspondent for NBC and has reported on presidential politics since 1972.

Monday, April 30, 2007

8 p.m.

The Joyce B. Cowin Center at Teachers College

Copies of her book will be available for purchase and signing that evening.

RSVP by Friday, April 13 at 212.678.3955

or by email at tcinvite@tc.edu

Headlines and Headliners, the 12th Annual New York benefit for the National Lesbian Gay Journalists Association needs five volunteers to help with logistics and registration for a couple of hours on March 15 (Thursday).

You’ll receive much-coveted complimentary admission to the event.

Anderson Cooper is NOT expected to attend (baby steps…), but many fine well-known journalists who are not gay contribute time and energy to an exceptional program and social evening.

Non-gay volunteers are welcome.

This year, the program includes: Brian Ross, ABC; Meredith Vieira, Today; Soledad O’Brien, CNN; Jason Bellini, CBS News on Logo.

Additionally, Martina, a couple of the Queer Eye guys, and dozens of the usual suspects will be there.

The event is 6:30-9:30 p.m. at ABC Times Square Studio. For more details, go to NLGJA Web site.
http://www.nlgja.org/news/newyork07.html

Contact: Joe Cutbirth, jhc2003@columbia.edu; 212.873.2827.

“POLITICS WITHOUT SOVEREIGNTY?”

DATE: Saturday, February 24

TIME: 12:30-2

LOCATION: Lindsey Rogers Room, 7th Floor International Affairs Building

What is the ‘Unholy Alliance Against Sovereignty’?

Can Sovereignty Be Defended?

Has the sovereign state been superceded by the UN,

EU, Global civil society, or US Empire? Should it?

can we have politics without sovereignty?

Come find out, as the editors of

‘Politics Without Sovereignty: A Critique of Contemporary International Relations’ (Routledge)

Alex Gourevitch (Columbia),

Chris Bickerton (Oxford),

Philip Cunliffe (King’s College London)

discuss their new book with Professor Jack Snyder.

Saturday, February 24th, 12:30pm at Lindsey Rogers Room, 7th Floor International Affairs Building

Discounted copies will be available at the launch.

For more information on the book go to www.said-workshop.org/book.php

The Religion Graduate Students Association of Columbia University is accepting registration now through March 23, 2007 for:

“Pop Goes Religion: Exploring the Relationship between Religion and Popular/Consumer Culture”

Thursday March 29, 2007
Columbia University, New York
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/religion-gsa/

Featured Guests:

Keynote Speaker: Ronald Inden, Professor Emeritus of History and of South Asian Languages and Civilizations, University of Chicago

Closing Discussant:

Laurel Kendall, Curator of Asian Ethnographic Collections at the American Museum of Natural History and Professor of Anthropology at Columbia University.

Description:

This conference will investigate the impact of popular and consumer culture on religious practice, worship, and experience, including how they are shaping and reforming the understanding and self-understanding of different religious traditions and religious practitioners. Also under consideration are the ways popular and consumer cultural practices have influenced scholarship on and the actual teaching methods of religion, particularly in the field of religious studies. Finally, we will likewise explore the impact of religion and religious themes and ideas on popular and consumer culture.

Columbia University Sponsors:

Department of Religion, Department of Anthropology, Graduate Student Advisory Council (GSAC)

For schedules, panel information, abstracts, and bios, please go to: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/religion-gsa/

A Feast of Authentic Chinese Art and Culture Rich with the Spirit of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance!

New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV), a leading Chinese-language network is bringing to life the ancient Chinese heritage led by morality and spirituality with the stunning Chinese New Year Spectacular: “Myths and Legends.” Glimpse into an ancient civilization and magical realm with an international cast of more than 200 distinguished vocalists, musicians, and classical Chinese dance artists in magnificent attire and breathtaking settings to present the most glorious era in China’s 5,000-year history — The Great Tang Dynasty!

This 30-city, worldwide tour will come into town by showcasing the myths and legends that have shaped Chinese spirituality and culture. Audiences will go on a journey inspired by the traditional Chinese moral values of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance and be transported across centuries and oceans to a world that has not been seen since the days of the great emperors of the Tang Dynasty. Rated the 7th largest show in February 2006 by Billboard Magazine, the Chinese New Year Spectacular is the largest overseas Chinese New Year’s celebration, is anticipated to play to at least 100,000 live audience members in 2007! View the photo gallery and video highlights of previous shows at http://www.BestChineseShow.com

Location: Radio City Music Hall (1260 6th Avenue, New York, NY 10020)

Show Time: 2/14/2007 (Wed.) 8pm; 2/15 (Thu.), 11am, 8pm; 2/16 (Fri.), 11am, 8pm; 2/17 (Sat.), 2pm, 8pm
(2/16 11am show is for group tickets only, call 888 683 4338 for details)

We have negotiated a special price for the Columbia community this year, so you can buy one get one free for February 14 (the Valentine Day) or February 15 shows. Please, stop by the Box Office in Lerner Hall to pick up your tickets before February 9, between 11am and 6pm.

Here are some useful links:
www.shows.ntdtv.com
http://ticket.ntdtv.com/?city=ny&lang=en

You can also contact me directly if you have any questions Thank you!
Kind regards,
Wuyi Liu
liu@phys.columbia.edu

We wanted to alert you to an exciting new international media program…

For three weeks next summer, from July 29-August 18, 2007, 60 journalism students from top universities all over the world will have the opportunity to study global media and global issues in Salzburg, Austria. The prestigious Salzburg Seminar is for the first time
opening its programming to international graduate students and only a
few US schools have been invited to participate.

“The Salzburg Academy Program for Media and Global Change” will have students attending from universities in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the UK, South America and Africa. The faculty will come from the partnering institutions; among those scheduled to participate are Xiguang Li, the dean of Tsinghua University’s school of journalism, and
Stephen Jukes, the dean of Bournemouth University’s school of journalism (and the former foreign editor of Reuters).

This promises to be a dynamic program–its intent is to investigate the roles national and international media play in shaping global events and public policy. Students will jointly work on projects that will compare and evaluate media coverage of issues such as terrorism and climate change–student reporting will live on a dedicated Salzburg
Seminar website that will remain up, live and active after the end of the summer program.

The International Center for Media and Public Affairs (ICMPA) at the University of Maryland will be acting as the gateway for students attending American schools. You can access information about the Salzburg Academy program and the courses that will be offered, as well as an application at this site:
http://www.icmpa.umd.edu/pages/Salzburg_Academy.htm

If you would like to learn more about Schloss Leopoldskron, the 18th century palace where students will live, eat and study–the Schloss was also the location used as the von Trapp family home in “The Sound of Music”– you could go to the palace’s site:
http://www.schloss-leopoldskron.com/ (to read the site in English,
click on the language toggle on the top right of the page).

If you have questions please contact Prof. Susan Moeller (smoeller@umd.edu) who is the ICMPA director and the point person at Maryland for the program.

You are invited to this SIPA event. Eason Jordan will be joined by his
colleague, Anna Shen, J-school 1993 graduate. Anna’s e-mail: annashen[at]hotmail.com

Brown Bag lunch on Thursday, Feb 8, 12:30-1:30PM
International Affairs Building - Room 410
420 West 118th St

“Media, Violence and the Iraq War” with Eason Jordan, Former CNN
executive and founder of the IraqSlogger news site.

Jordan will discuss press coverage of the Iraq War, the dangers
journalists face there and what we can expect as the situation
continues to deteriorate.

A frequent visitor to Iraq, Jordan worked for 23 years with CNN,
where he rose through the ranks to become the network’s Chief News
Executive and President of Newsgathering and International
Networks. Jordan oversaw CNN’s news coverage, global expansion, and
international relations. He orchestrated CNN’s award-winning
reporting of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, former Yugoslavia, and
Somalia. He also directed CNN’s coverage of the September 11, 2001
terrorist attacks, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the 1989
crackdown in Tiananmen Square. He traveled around the world on
behalf of CNN and reported on-air himself from such countries as
Iraq and North Korea. After two of his CNN colleagues were killed
by insurgents in Iraq in 2004, Jordan co-founded and co-chaired the
Iraq News Safety Group, and on behalf of the Group met senior
U.S.and Iraqi officials to address the safety concerns of news
organizations whose journalists report from Iraq.

Sponsored by the International Media and Communications
Concentration

Join the Office of Disability Services for a Coffee Break and Conversation

Feb 7: Disclosure: The Dos and Don’ts of Disclosing
Feb 28: Getting the most out of classroom lectures
Mar 7: Test-taking strategies Part I: Studying for essay exams
Mar 21: Test-taking strategies Part II: Studying for multiple choice exams
Mar 28: Procrastination: Breaking the vicious cycle

WEDNESDAYS, 3-4 PM

LERNER 502

February 2 & 3
New York University
19 University Place - Room 102

***FRIDAY - 6:30 PM - PANEL DISCUSSION*** Translating the World: Engaging Americans in International Journalism

Moderated by: Daljit Dhaliwal - International news anchor for BBC, CNN, ITN and PBS

Panelists:
Cynthia McFadden - Nightline Anchor
Jonathan Stack - Oscar-Nominated Filmmaker Stephen Segaller - Director of News and Public Affairs Programming, Thirteen/WNET Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews - CBS News Foreign Editor & NYU Alum Philip Littleton - CNN Senior Photojournalist

RECEPTION TO FOLLOW

***SATURDAY — FREE DOCUMENTARY FILM SCREENINGS*** Documentary films produced by the 2006 Graduates of the NYU Department of Journalism

11:00 AM: Good Morning, Dangme – produced by Takaya Kawasaki Radio Ada, the first community radio station in Ghana, is a powerful engine of social change in this poor rural area. By broadcasting in the local language, Dangme, this radio station has helped a predominantly illiterate and patriarchal society cope with its education and gender problems. With the support of the UN and international organizations, Radio Ada now serves as a role model for many African countries.

12:00 PM: MD-RN – produced by Barnaby Lo With 50,000 U.S. immigrant visas guaranteed for foreign nurses, nursing has become the profession of choice for Filipinos in the past six years. This includes doctors – 5,000 of whom have left the country. The exodus has caused more than 100 hospitals to close, and many to operate without a doctor.

12:30 PM: Going Home – produced by Natalie Jimenez In a neglected building in Harlem, tenants face the devastating effects of water leaks, mold and a system that does not enforce fast repairs. One woman fights to correct these outstanding violations, but her fight comes at a cost.

1:00 PM: Toys Are Us – produced by Brian Stillman They’re created by artists. They sell for hundreds of dollars. And they’re made of plastic. Enter the colorful, sophisticated and often challenging world of designer vinyl toys, where art and commerce collide, and enterprising do-it-yourselfers prove that making toys isn’t just kid’s stuff.

1:30 PM: The Cost of Sharing – produced by Sarah Nasr It is suspected that more than 200 million people are infected with Hepatitis C (HCV). Experts claim that Egypt has the highest rate of HCV in the world. This film focuses on a village in the Nile Delta where residents are hardest hit. It explores the ironic way that this virus was spread, its consequences and the inadequate prevention and treatment campaigns in Egypt and other developing countries.

1:50 PM: Growing Concerns – produced by Crystal Fisher With advances in modern medicine, parents face new dilemmas. Growth hormones are now offered as a possible solution to meeting society’s harsh physical standards. But, what should parents consider when they have the option to genetically alter their child’s body and future?

2:20 PM: The Unscored Goal – produced by Christos Gavalas In the summer of 2006, Ghana shocked the world with its performance at the World Cup in Germany, fueling Ghanaian kids’ passion for soccer.
One of them, Okyere Missah, a 16-year-old boy from Accra, is spotted by an unlicensed agent who urges him to leave Ghana to pursue his soccer dream in Europe. How much of an illusion can such a dream be?

3:00 PM: School Girls, Lane Girls – produced by Carielle Doe After years of civil war, the smallest West African nation of Liberia was ripe for change. In 2006, they welcomed Africa’s first female president as their new head of state. Her agenda included creating new opportunities for Liberian women. Many young girls in Liberia want to take advantage of the opportunities by going to school.
Unfortunately the girls’ methods of funding an education may do them more harm than good.

3:40 PM: Native New Yorkers – produced by Liu Changying New York City is a beacon of cultural diversity and a symbol of modernity. But Native American New Yorkers strive to maintain their ancient cultural heritage and a sense of who they are in a city that embraces people from all over the world.

4:10 PM: The Money Stone – produced by Stuart Harmon 400 feet below the soil of Ghana, thousands of young men risk their lives digging deep below the surface to extract one of Earth’s most precious resources: gold. Known locally as “galamsey,” most suffer greatly due to the hard work and dangerous conditions, but some manage to struggle their way out. This is the story of three young men who bet everything in search of not only better lives, but also, the money stone.

5:10 PM: A Global Price – produced by Jacqueline Reeves What is the cost of our increasingly interconnected world? This film explores the ripple effect of globalization on Ghanaian poultry farmers, highlighting their day-to-day struggle to compete with the rest of the world.

5:40 PM: Ladies of the Land – produced by Megan Thompson As small family farms continue to disappear from the American landscape, a new group of farmers grows dramatically: women. The film tells the stories of new women farmers in Pennsylvania and Minnesota, exploring the ways they challenge traditional agricultural models, the difficulties they face, and the reasons why they love the land.

6:15 PM: Born in JAHpan – produced by Minako Kurasawa Split legs, flashy clothes, colorful makeup. Today, many young girls in Japan study and perform Jamaican style reggae dancing. In a society filled with social pressures and expectations of women, reggae dancing has become a tool for many young girls to break free and express themselves and their sexuality.

Event Details:
Deconstructing Terrorism Using Socioeconomic & Geopolitical Lens

Date: 28th Nov 2006; Time: 6pm to 9pm

Location: Alfred Lerner Hall, Party Room

Details: RSVP Required; Dinner provided for Round table discussion

Speakers: Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka; Council of Foreign Relations (3 Speakers), Center on Terrorism, John Jay College (2 Speakers), Columbia Uni(4 Speakers), Drew University.

Event Format: Brief Intro of Speakers & Round table discussion w/dinner.
RSVP & More info at www.deconstructterrorism.com

Creativity and Personal Mastery

We are pleased to be able to offer our students ,in conjunction with the Creativity and Personal Mastery Institute, the opportunity to take Professor Srikumar S. Rao’s popular course - Creativity and Personal Mastery - this Spring.

The course is given on nine Sundays beginning in January 2007 and includes one full-weekend retreat. The detailed schedule is at http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/students/life/creativity.html.

Enrollment is by application only. Applications are due November 17th. However, early applications are given preference. The application process is explained at http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/students/life/creativity.html.

The course is not-for-credit. Tuition is $2000 for students and $4500 for alumni. This includes all materials, breakfast and lunch on class days and the weekend retreat. It does not include transportation to the retreat center or any lodging expenses.

Dear Students:

Save the Date!

Annual Town Hall on Socially Responsible Investing at Columbia
Tuesday, November 14, 2006, 6:00 – 8:00 pm.
Davis Auditorium - Room 412, Schapiro Engineering Building (CEPSR), 530 West 120th Street, Morningside Campus

Are you concerned about animal welfare, sustainability, human rights and global labor standards, EEO, or any other social or ethical issue confronting Columbia University as an investor of its endowment? Come to the Annual Town Hall of Columbia’s Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing to share your views on these topics. The Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing was established in March 2000 to deliberate upon issues of corporate social responsibility confronting the University as an investor and to advise the University Trustees. The Advisory Committee invites all members of the Columbia community to share their views on these issues at its Annual Town Hall.

Please read the full text of the official Notice of the Town Hall below:

NOTICE of ANNUAL TOWN HALL

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE INVESTING

The University’s Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing will hold its annual Town Hall on Tuesday, November 14, 2006, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., in the Davis Auditorium, Room 412 CEPSR (Schapiro Engineering Building), 530 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027. At this Town Hall, students, faculty, alumni and staff of Columbia University, and other affiliated individuals, are invited to present their views on the University’s ethical and social responsibilities as an investor of its endowment.

The Advisory Committee welcomes comments and looks forward to hearing from all members of the University community. The Town Hall will be conducted as follows:

The Chair of the Committee will preside. Speakers may address the Committee for a maximum of five (5) minutes each. Speakers are asked to focus their comments on the issue(s) of concern and to recommend, in his or her opinion, the action(s) to be taken. Speakers are also invited to submit written materials and questions to the Office of Shareholder Responsibility before or after the Town Hall. Presentations may be followed by a brief period during which Committee members may ask questions of the speakers to elicit additional information or clarify statements made.

*** PLEASE NOTE ***

All students, faculty, alumni and staff of Columbia University and other appropriate individuals who wish to speak during the Town Hall are asked to forward to the Office of Shareholder Responsibility (at the email address provided below) an email specifying his or her University affiliation, if any, and the specific topic(s) that will be addressed, no later than 5 p.m., Monday, November 13, 2006.

Individuals wishing to speak are strongly encouraged to read the Committee’s 2005-2006 Annual Report in order to better understand the work of the Committee and to discover how issues of concern were addressed last season. The Annual Report is available for pick-up in 314 Low Library and for viewing on the Columbia SRI website at: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/secretary/SRI/.

The Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing was established in March 2000 to deliberate upon issues of corporate social responsibility confronting the University as an investor of its endowment and to advise the University Trustees. The final decisions on these matters rest with the University Trustees. To learn more about the Committee and to view the 2005-2006 Annual Report, please visit the Columbia SRI website at: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/secretary/SRI/. A listing of the University endowment’s public equity holdings as of June 30, 2006 is available for pick-up in 314 Low Library by affiliates presenting a valid Columbia University ID.

Shareholder Responsibility
Columbia University
314 Low Library, MC 4328
shareholder@columbia.edu

Ending the Darfur Crisis and Preventing the Next One
a conversation with
Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute at Columbia University
and Jonathan Ledgard, Correspondent, The Economist.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006
10:30 am to 12:30 pm

Columbia University Morningside Campus, Alfred Lerner Hall, Room 555, 5th
Floor
Open to the public. RSVP recommended.

Hosted by The Economist and The Earth Institute at Columbia University.
For further information regarding this event, and to register, visit
http://redir.targetx.com/cgi-bin/email/redir.cgi?id=0000351261-59502658

WHY VOTE?

October 21st, 10:30-5pm
Skylight Room, CUNY Graduate Center
34th St and 5th Ave

Against the War on Terror announces a new teach-in in anticipation of the upcoming mid-term elections. Why Vote? will examine what voting means and what it’s worth in an age marked by terror and diminished expectations. How do we think about voting when the options seem so narrow but few alternative forms of political action seem available? Nobody wants to be mistaken for the merely apathetic non-voter, but voting for the ‘least worst’ option is hardly an inspiring use of our ballot. Can one be against voting in the name of real democracy, or is that a substanceless, radical pose that makes a mockery of hard won political rights?

Speakers will include

Stanley Aronowitz professor of sociology at CUNY Grad Center and director of the Grad Center’s Center for the Study of Culture, Technology and Work,

Dan Cantor Executive Director of the Working Families Party,

Justin Krebs co-founder of Drinking Liberally www.drinkingliberally.org and Cosmopolity

The Editors of Against the War on Terror www.againstwot.com.

Sessions will include :

Are the Democrats An Alternative?
Is This Democracy Worth Your Vote?
Why the War on Terror is The Issue.
and more.

Each session will contain short presentations by two speakers, followed by a period of open discussion from the floor. WHY VOTE? Will be held in conjunction with CUNY Graduate Center’s the Center for the Study of Culture, Technology and Work (http://web.gc.cuny.edu/csctw/), and the Center for Place Culture and Politics (http://web.gc.cuny.edu/pcp/ ) Also, visit Against the War on Terror’s website at www.againstwot.com. This is a FREE event. For more information on the Teach-In including registration information, email the editors at editors@againstwot.com

New York and the News: Three Voices
The Bernard and Irene Schwartz
Distinguished Speakers Series
Tuesday, October 10 at 6:30pm

Over the course of the last three centuries, the role of the press has shifted dramatically, from openly advancing partisan politics to idealizing objective reporting. This panel will discuss the evolution of the press
from the 18th century to today and the active role that New York played in the maturation of American journalism.

Eric Burns is the host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox News Watch” and the author of Infamous Scribblers: The Founding Fathers and the Rowdy Beginnings of American Journalism. Clyde Haberman writes the NYC
column for The New York Times, where he has also served as a foreign correspondent and as an editor in the Week in Review section. Michael Schudson is Professor of Communication in the Graduate School of
Journalism at Columbia University and Distinguished Professor of Communication at the University of California, San Diego. He wrote Discovering the News: A Social History of American Newspapers.

Presented in collaboration with Columbia University
Graduate School of Journalism

All Columbia Journalism School students, faculty, adjuncts and staff get to go for free (regular admission is $10 for students & educators)! Just show up with your CUID!

170 Central Park West at 77th Street
New York NY 10024
(212) 873-3400
www.nyhistory.org

[ Another in our “Notes From…” series - short notes by volunteers summarizing various events around the school, to help those of us who didn’t/couldn’t attend. Watch for several other “Notes From…” throughout the year. If you have one, send it in! Or let us know in advance that you’d like to do one; or after the event, too. ]

Below, notes from a special event at the Council on Foreign Relations that a few of our students got to attend through one of our “Offers.” Many thanks to volunteer notes-taker John Whitaker, J2007. Feel free to drop him note or post a comment below (free, one-time registration required).

Notes From… CFR event with Sen. John Danforth
By John Whitaker
E-mail: jcw2137[at]columbia.edu

NYC, SEPT. 19, 2006: Ordained priest and former Republican Senator John Danforth has a message for America: “The use of religion to divide us may be a great strategy, but it cannot stand the light of day.”

Danforth, 70, spoke at the Council on Foreign Relations on September 19, 2006, to mark the release of his book, “Faith and Politics: How the ‘Moral Values’ Debate Divides America and How to Move Forward Together.”

Interviewed by Newsweek editor Jon Meacham, Danforth said the exploitation of religion for political ends has turned religion into a wedge, rather than a means of reconciliation.

The problem, in his view, is that politicians have stopped competing for the center; their efforts to energize the base have only divided the populace. He believes a renewed focus on the center, more open religious dialogue, and a commitment to keep church and state separate would help restore America’s health.

1. On religion:
“Religion is obviously a good part of the problem in the world… I think that it’s worth putting the question to people of all faiths: Do you believe that your religion calls for you to kill in the name of God? What is your view of the concept of just war?

“The purpose of religious dialogue should be to isolate extremist and violent views.”

2. On religion’s place in politics:

“At its best, religion provides a sense of humility and a sense of understanding and a sense that we are not the sole possessors of God’s truth, and therefore an ability to deal with each other… So I think religion can bring a lot to the world of politics. But when it becomes ‘My way is God’s way, and God’s way and my way or the highway’ – which is how it’s presented today – it becomes a bad thing.

“Madison recognized the divisive power of religion; we had seen this in Europe; the framers of our constitution had fought this battle in Virginia.

“There’s a lot to be said for understanding the difference between religion and politics. The church is not the state and shouldn’t become the state.

3. Today’s politicians appeal to the base, not the center

“There has been a trend in both political parties not to try to compete for the center. About a third of the electorate was up for grabs. But now they don’t talk about the center. They talk about energizing the base. The base of the Republican Party is now the Christian right. So it turns out, instead of being the ministry of reconciliation, it is now the wedge.”

Toward the end of his Senate career, during which he represented Missouri from 1976 to 1995, Danforth saw declining interest in bipartisanship: “It became a matter of positioning and taking hard edges in positions so you would have clarity in the next round of 30-second commercials… Republicans saw [their] base as being the Christian conservatives, and they saw the Christian conservatives as adding something to traditional Republicans. They would say that traditional Republicans are losers; that’s our history. They would say this has been great. But once the American people get wise to this, it’s not going to work very much longer.

“So what happened to the center? It fell silent. The time has come for the center to speak…

“I think that the answer to the present state of American politics is greater participation by a lot more people.”

Has George W. Bush’s attitude toward religion been divisive?

“I think that getting into that particular question would not further my efforts.

“What other question can I evade?” Danforth said, to the audience’s amusement.

Meacham rejoined: “The truth will set you free, father.”

4. On Religion and participation in the world:

“I think there’s a religious obligation to participate positively in the world. I think where religion gets into problems is when people think… ‘I am God’s true representative; I’ve got the ability to translate God’s will into my political agenda… So my political agenda is God’s, and yours isn’t.’

5. Recommendation for the United Nations

“There should be a direct dealing with religion, and not pretend that this really isn’t religious or there’s no religious component. I think it’s important to face up to the fact that a good part of the problem is a religious problem. It means trying to create understanding. Where are the counter voices within and without Islam?”

Ted Sorensen, the speechwriter for John F. Kennedy, rose to ask a question. He had been invited to speak at an international conference in Rome, he said, and had asked what he should speak about. “They said, ‘Tell us about the good America,’” Sorensen said. “They weren’t speaking on religious terms. But they were talking about a very different kind of America when the President of the United States said, ‘The world knows America will never start a war.’ When…church and state were separated, religion was flourishing…under our bipartisan foreign policy, which was based to a large extent on our moral authority. Now our foreign policy is based largely on our military power, not our moral power. And now we’re known around the world for torture, indefinite detention. What’s happened to this country?”

Without pausing Danforth responded: “We’re facing a threat that we’ve never faced before, and we don’t understand how to deal with it. And we haven’t really had the discussion internally to face up to it. I think the American people are fair and decent people, but I also think they’re scared. And they have every right to be scared.”

-30-

Thanks to I-Ching Ng, J2007, for the alert.

On Friday, September 29, 5 pm, the Met is holding a private screening
of the new Spike Lee documentary “When the Levees Broke: A Requiem
in Four Acts.” There will also be a special appearance by Wynton
Marsalis, the first jazz musician to win the Pulitzer Prize, and a special viewing
of the show “New Orleans After the Flood: Photographs by Robert
Polidori.”

This is a free event just for college students. Spots are limited,
so RSVP to metcollegegroup@metmuseum.org. Each person must RSVP
separately.

The J-school is co-presenting a major new exhibit at the New-York Historical Society: ““Suspicious Truths: Politics and the Press in American History.” It features exhibits from 19th Century newspapers and a short video produced by Columbia alumni Amy Rubin and Stefan Knerrich. The exhibition continues through Dec. 17 at the New-York Historical Society, 2 West 77th Street, Manhattan; (212) 873-3400; nyhistory.org.

Here’s an excerpt from the NYT review at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/20/arts/design/20yell.html

“Presenting the news objectively,” reads the introductory text, “was often only an occasional and tangential goal.” The show (and brief video commentary from Nicholas Lemann, the dean of Columbia’s journalism school) argues that complaints about newspapers have often been the same as they are now, and — just as often — both justified and unjustified.

Dear students and faculty:

If you are interested in receiving news about UN programmes related
to tolerance, genocide and Holocaust, please send your name and
e-mail address to UNchronicle[at]un.org with a copy to holocaustremembrance[at]un.org. Please tell them about your J-school connection.

A recommendation from Deena Guzder, J2007, who suggests this event about one of the most influential radio shows on the air right now.

DEMOCRACY NOW! 10th Anniversary:
WHERE: Cooper Union Great Hall, Astor Pl - 7th St at 3rd Ave
WHEN: Mon, Sept 11 Event @ 7:30 PM, Reception @ 5:30 PM
DESCRIPTION:
Join AMY GOODMAN, JUAN GONZALEZ, DAVID GOODMAN and BERNARD WHITE.
The evening features a special performance by actor SARAH JONES, folksinger DAR WILLIAMS and jazz legend CHARLIE HADEN and his LIBERATION MUSIC ORCHESTRA. The event is a DN!/WBAI benefit, The event will be preceded by a reception with Amy, Juan, David, Bernard, Charlie Haden and other special guests. Reception tickets include event admission, one personally signed copy of book, dinner and wine.
TICKETS:
Get tickets online or call 212-431-9090 x822
$20 event tickets
$100 reception tickets (includes event)
212-431-9090
MORE INFO: Call 212-431-9090
http://www.democracynow.org

From: Cassandra Vinograd, J2007 - csv2113:
There’s a really amazing photojournalism conference put on by the VII photo agency (VII was formed by seven of the world’s top photojournalists) taking place on Sunday, Sept 17, 2006 (down at NYU). I’ve already convince one other jschooler to come with me and thought others might be interested as well. There’s also apparently a prize for the school/program that sends the most students? Not sure what that is but hey, prizes are fun.
The website for info is: http://viiphoto.com/event.html.
If anyone is interested, we can coordinate getting down there the morning of, etc. Thanks and let me know if you have any questions.

RICHARD M. SMITH
Editor-in-Chief, Newsweek

MARK WHITAKER
Editor, Newsweek

cordially invite you to

THE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION

with special guest panel moderator
BRIAN WILLIAMS, Anchor and Managing Editor, NBC Nightly News

and special guest luncheon keynote speaker
THE HONORABLE MARK WARNER, Former Governor of Virginia

TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 2006
10:30 A.M. Panel Discussion
12:00 P.M. Lunch

The Rockefeller University, Caspary Hall, 1230 York Avenue at 66th Street, NY, NY

RSVP to Erin Gill at erin.gill-rsvp@newsweek.com or 212-445-4156

CPJ has kindly set aside two seats for J-school students for this event. If you would like to attend, you MUST follow the instructions at the bottom. There is a chance they will be able to accommodate one or two more people closer to the event.

CPJ Luncheon: The Crackdown on the Private Press in Ethiopia

Following antigovernment protests last November, the Ethiopian government blocked most private newspapers from publishing; raided newspaper offices, confiscating computers, documents and other materials; expelled two foreign journalists; and issued a “wanted list” of editors, writers, and dissidents. Fourteen journalists were arrested and charged with genocide and treason, offenses punishable by death. Two more are in jail after being convicted of “press offenses” under Ethiopia’s restrictive media law.

On March 3, CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Julia Crawford, Nairobi-based editor Charles Onyango-Obbo, and CPJ Board Member Charlayne Hunter-Gault traveled to Addis Ababa to pressure authorities to release Ethiopian journalists jailed in the massive crackdown. The CPJ delegation met with Ethiopian journalists, lawyers, diplomats, and top government officials, including Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. CPJ was also allowed to visit Kality Prison, on the outskirts of the capital, where dozens of opposition leaders and at least 14 journalists are being held. The delegation spoke for close to an hour with several of the imprisoned journalists, all of whom professed their innocence.

CPJ is pleased to host a luncheon with Julia Crawford to discuss CPJ’s work in Ethiopia. Advance copies of a special report on the delegation’s findings will be available.

Friday, April 28
12:30-2 PM (light lunch served)
CPJ offices
330 Seventh Avenue (b/w 28th and 29th streets)
11th Floor

Below is a link to some of our recent work on Ethiopia:
http://www.cpj.org/regions_06/africa_06/africa_06.html#ethiopia

TO RSVP, please follow these instructions carefully:

If you haven’t registered on this site earlier, follow these instructions to post a comment - in this case, your interest in attending. If you have already registered, just go ahead and log in and indicate your interest, using your full name and Columbia e-mail address.

* To register for this blog (you only have to do this once for all future comments), go to http://deanstudents.blogsome.com/wp-register.php (once you are registered - includes a password being sent to you via e-mail), go to step 2.

* Click on the “Comments” at the bottom of this post and fill in your FULL NAME - first and last - and Columbia e-mail address (just fill it in once, typing in just “N/A” in the URL section if you don’t have a site.
Your name WILL NOT show up there immediately, but will be there when we approve the comment within a few hours.

If more than two people RSVP, those three and higher will form the wait list for any dropouts. There may also be more seats available closer to the event.
Confirmations will be e-mailed to those who will be attending by the day before the event.

Cheers, Deans Sreenivasan & Huff