Thursday, May 31, 2012

Presidential race a dead heat?


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/31/obama-romney-polls-nbc-marist_n_1558671.html?1338468676?ref=@pollster&icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl1|sec1_lnk1%26pLid%3D165711  






James --

We’ve gotta wake up.

Everywhere I go, people are telling me that "Obama has it in the bag." Newsflash: nothing is in the bag.

We’re being attacked by Republicans from every which way. Americans see the President out there fighting for the middle class, but they’ve got the Koch Brothers’ Super PAC hollerin’ in one ear and Karl Rove’s Super PAC squawkin’ in the other.

We’ve gotta go on offense, talk about how the middle class is in a struggle for its very existence, and hold these wingnut Republicans in Congress accountable.

Midnight Match Deadline: Donate $3 or more before tonight's FEC deadline to help Democrats go on offense against radical Republicans. Here's the best part: Your donation will be matched 2-to-1, tripling your impact >>

I promise you: we can win this in November, but not if Democrats sit on their hands.

It starts today -- donate $3 or whatever you can to defeat these radical Republicans.

http://dccc.org/Go-On-Offense

C’mon now!

James



The Money Squeeze: Could this be a good thing?

Pitching in to help grandma:

http://www.npr.org/series/150002308/family-matters

Family mattered during the Great Depression.  Families stuck together.  In my wife's family, there was an old aunt who didn't seem to fit into the family tree.  When I inquired, I learned that she was an orphan whom the family took in during the Great Depression, even though they had very little to spare themselves.   One of the real downsides of the Affluent Society of the second half of the 20th century was that it funded the fragmentation of families.  Grand parents could be warehoused.  Nuclear families could fragment even further, thanks to lenient divorce laws.  Kids catered to the four winds. More and more Americans live alone:


LIVING ALONE

A new chart topic related to this map has been added to the website but the Charts & Trends list has not yet been updated. Click here to view the new chart topic at the national level. As with all CensusScope maps, you can also click on a state in the map below.
Missouri Iowa Minnesota Oklahoma Kansas Nebraska South Dakota North Dakota Colorado New Mexico Illinois Wisconsin Arkansas Louisiana Mississippi Alabama Tennessee Georgia South Carolina North Carolina Indiana Kentucky Ohio Viginia West Virginia Maryland Delaware Pennsylvania New York Maine New Jersey Connecticut Rhode Island Massachusetts Vermont New Hampshire Arizona Utah Wyoming Montana Hawaii Alaska Michigan Florida Texas Nevada Idaho Washington Oregon California
Factors contributing to the living arrangements of the aged population are age, sex, and race. A lower proportion of the oldest old population (age 85 and older) are living alone compared to the younger aged persons (age 65 to 74.) Because women live longer than men on average, women are more likely than men to live alone. The ratio of women living alone to men living alone increases with age within the 65 and older population. A higher proportion of aged Whites and Blacks live alone compared to Hispanic persons.

Furthermore, the ability for aged persons to live alone is often coupled with a low incidence of mobility difficulties. Yet, some aged persons are unwilling to give up their independence, wishing to remain alone in their own homes. People living alone often remain in their hometowns in order to be close to family.

The large populations of aged persons in retirement hotspots such as the Southwest and Florida consist of highly mobile aged persons. Percentages of aged persons living alone in these regions tend to be low. A possible explanation for this may be that aged persons who move to these areas tend to relocate with their spouse. Nationally, about 50.1 percent of the population over 65 is married and living with their spouse. The rates are higher in popular retirement areas: Florida, 56.0 percent; Arizona, 58.4 percent; Utah, 61.1 percent. For more information on this topic, please see our chart topic on the marital status of persons 65 and older.


Many may like it.  But is it the best thing for American society?

Might our economic troubles be a cloud with a significant silver lining?

The American Dream: Two Views

The Right:

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/31/154005722/right-fears-entitlements-are-killing-american-dream

The Left:

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/30/153994202/obamas-own-story-defines-his-american-dream

And some thoughts about American "exceptionalism":


The Generation Gasp
By Claire and Jim Castagnera
June 2, 2012
Lake Wobegon
JIM:
In writer Garrison Keillor’s fictional Minnesota town of Lake Wobegon “everyone is above average.”  I was reminded of this during President Obama’s speech at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s graduation ceremony last week.  (My nephew, Claire’s cousin, Alex Zubey – one of Tamaqua High’s greatest track stars – graduated and was commissioned a second lieutenant; I was pleased and proud to be there.)  The Prez touted America’s “exceptionalism” and predicted that the 21st would be a “new American century.”  (He also shook the hands of all 1017 graduates, Alex included; I have the picture to prove it.)
Wikipedia, that Internet fount of all knowledge, informs us, “American exceptionalism is the theory that the United States is different from other countries in that it has a specific world mission to spread liberty and democracy. In this view, America's exceptionalism stems from its emergence from a revolution, becoming ‘the first new nation,’ and developing a uniquely American ideology, based on liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, populism and laissez-faire. This observation can be traced to Alexis de Tocqueville, the first writer to describe the United States as ‘exceptional’ in 1831 and 1840.  Historian Gordon Wood has argued, ‘Our beliefs in liberty, equality, constitutionalism, and the well-being of ordinary people came out of the Revolutionary era. So too did our idea that we Americans are a special people with a special destiny to lead the world toward liberty and democracy.’"  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_exceptionalism)
The notion got a bad rap during the late, great George W administration, when it was invoked to justify America’s aggressive incursion into Iraq.  Whether or not, as Dr. Johnson suggested, patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel, certainly American exceptionalism was Mr. Bush’s last refuge.  After the WMD and Al Qaeda rationales for the invasion proved to be smoke and mirrors, the Bush White House was left with only a self-proclaimed American mission to jam our “unique” brand of free-market democracy down everybody else’s throats.
Some three years ago, President Obama explained what he personally means by American exceptionalism.  "I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism.  I see no contradiction between believing that America has a continued extraordinary role in leading the world towards peace and prosperity and recognizing that that leadership is incumbent, depends on, our ability to create partnerships because we create partnerships because we can't solve these problems alone." (Washington Post, April 5, 2009)
His Air Force Academy speech was consistent with that statement.  He emphasized the need for strong alliances around the world.  I think most young Americans would agree.  I suspect that, being more widely traveled than their elders were at their age (except for those of my era who got a free trip to Southeast Asia in the sixties), and more likely to take diversity for granted, they see themselves in a hard race among equally matched opponents for what was once considered to be, uniquely, the “American Dream.”  They know they don’t live in Lake Wobegon.
CLAIRE:
            I hate to quibble with President Obama (since I tend to agree with him), but as I get older I’m finding America, and my fellow Americans, less and less exceptional.  Everywhere I go I encounter people who can’t seem to do even the simplest tasks, tasks they are paid to do, without griping.  Then they do those tasks poorly, to boot.  College was a constant surprise; I was surprised that the many of my fellow English majors had never read a single one of the assigned books, for example.  I’m not sure if the fact that they still passed the classes reflects more poorly on those students, my professors, or me.  Lest you think I’m only haranguing my own generation, let me point out that I have friends with co-workers in their forties and fifties who can’t make it through a workday without complaining, or a workweek without taking a “mental health day.”
            What ever happened to taking pride in one’s work?  What happened to Bruce Springsteen’s working class hero?
            It seems a thing of the past.  Is it the fault of our parents and teachers?  They told us we could be anything we wanted.  What they failed to mention is that there actually is a limit on the number of artists and astronauts a country can sustain, and in lieu of our dreams there’s always a need for more trash men, more waitresses.  Or is laziness and discontent simply a disease that has overtaken the country?
            That seems a bit simplistic, though.  There are reasons, hard as they may be to pin down, and harder still to fix.  Poor education.  Overpopulation.  The film “Idiocracy” doesn’t seem far off if in summation of the downfall of the human race.
            I’ve dismissed the idea before that young people of my generation are brought up to believe we are “special snowflakes” who deserve nothing less than the realization of our absolute dreams.  I’m going to take that back, to a degree, right now.  While I don’t think it’s a generation-specific malady, I do think that Americans as a whole have grown to believe we are all the exception: Sure, the world needs janitors, but that’s not me!  I’m exceptional; I deserve to be a best-selling fiction author, despite the fact that I’ve never taken the time to write a manuscript.  I may be working-class now, but just you wait.
            It’s the American dream, to be able to become anything if you work hard enough.  But it’s a warped dream, because so many of us have forgotten about the “if you work hard enough” part.
            On the other hand, I’m happy to have a president who believes in the traditional definition of American exceptionalism.  After all, somebody needs to.  A great teacher believes in the potential of his students, and inspires his students to believe in their own potential.  President Obama does this, but he can’t do everything for us.  After so many of us have reached the step of believing in ourselves, we need to move on to the next part: working our potential into action.

Philly jury gets the Catholic "abuse" case after lengthy trial

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/31/154012169/catholic-abuse-case-going-to-jury-in-philadelphia

A personal note:

I look back on my 12 years of Catholic education and my 6 or 8 years as an altar boy, and I cannot recall a single instance of anything approaching sexual abuse... neither involving me or any of my friends, to the very best of my knowledge.  I look back,a s well, on an incident here at my university, just a handful of years ago, when our Catholic chaplain was accused of a sexual assault, allegedly having occurred when he was a young priest.  Charges were dropped when the woman who made the accusations turned out to be crazy.  Surely some of these accusations are accurate, and where Church officials covered up and moved molesters around from parish to parish, prison is too good for them.  In other instances, however, a dose of healthy skepticism may be in order.  Here's a little something I wrote a few years back that may be  pertinent to that point:





The Abuse Excuse: One Size Fits All?

By James Ottavio Castagnera - United States


         Perhaps it’s Clarence Darrow’s fault.  The famous trial attorney, best known for the Scopes Monkey Trial immortalized in “Inherit the Wind,” also represented the thrill killers Leopold and Loeb.  That 1924 trial inspired at least four feature films: Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rope” (1948), “Compulsion” with Orson Welles in the Darrow role (1959),  the kinky “Swoon” (1992), and most recently “Murder by Numbers” (2002).  Called the crime of the century at the time of the trial, the murder of teenaged Bobby Franks by two wealthy college boys in Chicago has fascinated us down the decades.

        Realizing that no jury would find his two privileged and brilliant clients not guilty by reason of insanity, Darrow entered a “guilty” plea on the capital crimes of kidnapping and murder.  He then mounted a three-month-long hearing before the trial judge, known to be a softy, for mitigation of the sentence.  A dizzying succession of psychiatrists and other experts painted a picture of two disturbed young men who had been ignored by their parents and placed at the tender mercies of nannies who engaged them in sex games.  Summing up this weird array of witnesses, Darrow made one of his most famous assertions:

      “Why did they kill little Bobby Franks?  Not for money, not for spite, not for hate. They killed him as they might kill a spider or a fly, for the experience. They killed him because they were made that way. Because somewhere in the infinite processes that go to the making up of the boy or the man something slipped, and those unfortunate lads sit here hated, despised, outcasts, with the community shouting for their blood.”

          As a defense attorney, Darrow was a genius.  His argument is one-size-fits-all.
 
          “Why did President Bill Clinton engage in sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky?  He did it as he might open his fly, for the experience.”

          “Why did New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey appoint his gay Israeli lover to a key homeland security post?  Because he was made that way.”

           The once-disgraced Governor McGreevey is well on his way to reconstruction (as the Chinese Communists used to term it).  Earlier this year he published a mea culpa memoir.  In his 2004 resignation speech qua leap from the closet, he proclaimed, “I am a gay American.”  The press, of course, had a field day. The May 2006 book brings onto the light of the printed page his sordid peccadilloes from his personal perspective.  The whole debacle was the result, he writes, of his agonizing effort to juggle a “man’s man” image, via strip clubs and pub crawls with his cronies, with his clandestine gay love affair.  Poor media-abused Jimmy… his publisher has reportedly consoled him to the tune of a $500,000 advance on sales.

           Now former-Congressman Mark Foley has joined the queue for his turn.  Having recently resigned in disgrace from the U.S. Congress, following disclosure of sexually explicit emails sent by him to teenaged Congressional Pages, Foley was reportedly under consideration by the U.S. Justice Department for related criminal charges.  Once, ironically, the chair of a House committee dealing with Internet predators, his downfall looked like it might bring the Republican ascendancy to an end in the November mid-term elections.

      Two weeks ago his attorney released a claim that Foley, between ages 13 and 15, was abused by a clergyman.  How convenient for Mr. Foley that he was raised Roman Catholic.  By now the media have persuaded most of America that every Catholic priest for the past 50 years was a sex fiend.  Poor little Mark… those salacious instant messages weren’t his fault at all.  The prelate made him do it.

          In 1994 Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz, best known for the book and film “Reversal of Fortune,” published The Abuse Excuse… and Other Cop-Outs, Sob Stories and Evasions of Responsibility.  Since its publication the book has spawned no major motion picture.  But perhaps it should.  Or perhaps a new TV series awaits discovery in its pages.  Says Dershowitz, “From the Menendez brothers to Lorena Bobbitt, more and more Americans accused of violent crimes are admitting to the charges -- but arguing that they shouldn't be held legally responsible. The reason: They're victims -- of an abusive parent, a violent spouse, a traumatic experience, society at large, or anything else -- who struck back at a real or perceived oppressor. And they couldn't help themselves.”

       I wonder what Darrow, who died in 1938, would make of this state of affairs?  He doubted the existence of free will.  However, he didn’t attempt to obtain an acquittal for Nathan Leopold and Dicky Loeb.  He only argued, successfully, to save them from the hangman’s noose.  His clients received life sentences.  I hope he wouldn’t endorse the abuse excuse as a “Get Out of Jail Free” card.

      Rather, I hope he would recognize that the whole of our criminal law is based upon the belief that all but the truly insane can see the difference between right and wrong and have sufficient self control to choose the former over the latter.

      Replace that principle with a one-size-fits-all alibi and we might just as well tear down our courthouses and replace them with clinics.  Hopefully, even you lawyer-haters out there don’t endorse that.

Council on Undergraduate Research "Proposal Writing Institute"

Dear James:

The deadline to apply for CUR's Proposal Writing Institute is this Friday, June 1. 

This CUR Institute will be held July 15-19, 2012 at the University of Wisconsin - River Falls.

The institute will bring together faculty and administrators interested in preparing proposals for submission to external funding agencies. This four-day institute will consist of one-on-one work with a mentor, small group discussions, writing and critiquing of proposals, and plenary sessions. The institute has been developed to assist novice to experienced proposal writers in drafting complete proposals for submission. Deadline is June 1, 2012.

More information available by visiting: http://www.cur.org/institutes/proposal.html.

MeLisa Zackery
Director
Conference and Meeting Services
Council on Undergraduate Research
734 15th St, NW, Suite 550
Washington, DC 20005
http://www.cur.org/
mzackery@cur.org
(202)783-4810x204
(202)783-4811 fax

Live in Upper Darby (PA)? Support Obama? Here's how to get involved:

James --

Mitt Romney's locked up the Republican nomination, and he's already campaigning hard, so it's time to gear up.

Together, we've been building a strong grassroots organization, but this is the moment to take the next step -- especially here in Pennsylvania, where our votes could help decide the election.

That's why we're kicking off the summer with a canvass in Upper Darby on Saturday. We'll be knocking on doors, talking with folks about what's at stake in this election, and building the support President Obama and other Democrats need to win in November.

Election Day will be here before we know it -- so I hope you'll step up now.

Can you make it? Here are the details:

What: Go door to door in Upper Darby

Where: 1891 S. State Road
Upper Darby, PA 19082

When: Saturday, June 2nd
Shifts start at 10:00 am

RSVP now

Folks like you have done amazing work here in Upper Darby and across the country. Volunteers have had more than 1 million conversations with voters -- on the phone and face-to-face -- about protecting the progress we've made together.

We've spent more than a year building the largest grassroots organization in history. And we've done it from east to west, neighborhood by neighborhood, person by person. We've got field offices all across Pennsylvania and a presence on the ground in all 50 states.

Mitt Romney runs a different kind of campaign. While we've been steadily growing at the grassroots level, our opponents have been pouring money into negative ads. As Romney turns his attention to the general election, he and his allies are taking over the airwaves in key states like ours to try to tear down the President and his record.

We have the edge in the ground game -- that's why it's so important we build up our grassroots strength here in Pennsylvania right now.

So if you've been waiting to get involved, this is the perfect time to join fellow supporters in Upper Darby -- and if you're a veteran volunteer, you already know why it's important to pitch in now.

Come join the canvassing event in Upper Darby on Saturday:

http://pa.barackobama.com/Pennsylvania-Summer-Canvass-Kickoff

See you out there,

Allison

Allison Zelman
Pennsylvania Field Director
Organizing for America -----
Can't make it to this event? Help grow the campaign now by making a donation.

Guest Article: 10 most powerful higher-ed lobbies

http://www.onlinecolleges.net/2012/05/30/the-10-most-powerful-lobbies-behind-higher-ed/

Notre Dame University sues to avoid providing the pill to its co-eds and female employees

http://verdict.justia.com/2012/05/31/notre-dame-sues-the-federal-government-in-order-to-avoid-providing-reproductive-services-to-its-female-students-and-employees?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=notre-dame-sues-the-federal-government-in-order-to-avoid-providing-reproductive-services-to-its-female-students-and-employees

Fighting Irish(men)'s suit is just one of about a dozen filed in the past two weeks:

http://www.lifenews.com/2012/05/21/catholic-colleges-hospitals-sue-obama-admin-over-mandate/

A boycott has been launched against the South Bend (IND) school:

http://www.change.org/petitions/boycott-notre-dame-until-they-drop-their-birth-control-lawsuit

And a petition is being circulated on the web:


Notre Dame has filed a lawsuit over the birth control mandate in Healthcare Reform. This is just another example of big organized religion (supported by money from the right wing in an election year) trying to infringe on Women's Rights. Healthcare Reform doesn't mandate that they TAKE birth control, it only mandates that the employees' insurance covers it. Religious Freedom does NOT trump Women's Rights. Birth control effects women's health, we all know this by now.
►See a Video and Article: http://huff.to/KsEV5R
►Join in on our Event: http://www.facebook.com/events/296402790452514/
We must boycott Notre Dame until they drop this lawsuit. We need to hit them where it hurts, money and public opinion.
►Don't buy Notre Dame merchandise.
►Don't go to Notre Dame sporting events.
►Don't watch their sporting events on television
►If you are a student there... PROTEST!
►Sign this petition and the letter below will be sent to the leadership of Notre Dame. (feel free to add your own thoughts or make changes to your letter.
Get involved, this is a ridiculous use of religion as politics and we aren't going to stand for it! Religious Freedom is not at stake here, Women's Rights are.
Letter text written by Jason Pfister
Greetings,
This is a notice to inform you that, until Notre Dame ceases and desists their assault on reproductive freedoms via suing to block the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's birth control mandate, I gladly join other concerned Americans nationwide in boycotting your school. Under no circumstances shall my money, time or investment incorporate even one second's worth of an endorsement behind any Notre Dame sponsored event, whether that pertain to sports (sad, given how a dear childhood friend played football at your institution) or fundraisers or anything justifying an obviously regressive mission hindering today's feminist cause. As a woman, I'm sure you understand why birth control access yields beneficial results (re: curtails unintended pregnancies, prevents disease escalation), plus has been used at least once by 99% of women per recent statistics. Given our nation's history at being less than receptive towards basic gender liberties, especially on Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton's legacy movement spanning almost a century all to simply enter a voting booth, it's time for places, including private universities, to respect women's hard earned autonomy. Also, as the mandate requires that basic reproductive services be through insurance policies that students pay for themselves, this lawsuit's not only counterproductive but meaningless, as your tax dollars won't spend a penny on services for which you or Notre Dame's administrative staff may object to on moral grounds.

Please consider forgoing this court action. Until that day commences, expect at least thousands of Americans not to partake in a policy lying incongruent with all schools' emphasis: advancing education. An enlightened public literate on health care safeguards better shapes a society as opposed to restrictions excluding basic medicinal care. After all, multiple studies indicate that abstinence only programs pervading numerous secondary education facilities increase teen and/or unwanted pregnancies likely to expand taxpayer expenses due to years worth of housing, food, medical care and other miscellaneous expenses (research indicates how an abortion today has a similar value to during the 1970s. Those unable to finance an otherwise inexpensive operation are likely to qualify for welfare assistance. How best to prevent this scenario? Avail YOUNG students to birth control access). Besides, aren't we all pro life to the extent of not subjecting innocent children to an sometimes burdensome domestic lifestyle run by parents who likely view them as an inconvenience? Denying birth control coverage, as Notre Dame currently does, buttresses most these tragic consequences surrounding limited medicinal remedies.

Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Your Name

The number of signatures is pretty low so far:

http://www.change.org/petitions/boycott-notre-dame-until-they-drop-their-birth-control-lawsuit

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Thought for the Day

IMG_3396
IMG_3396 (Photo credit: Ajay Tallam)
"The astronomical growth in the wealth and cultural influence of multi-national corporations over the past 15 years can arguably be traced back to a single, seemingly innocuous idea developed by management theorists in the mid-1980s: that successful corporations must primarily produce brands, as opposed to products." --- Naomi Klein, NO LOGO: 10th Anniversary Edition, at page 5.

This in turn has created the hot new major in B-schools: Global Supply Chain Management.


What is Supply Chain Management?

Supply chain management (SCM) is a process used by companies to ensure that their supply chain is efficient and cost-effective. A supply chain is the collection of steps that a company takes to transform raw components into the final product. Typically, supply chain management is comprised of five stages:

Program Objectives

The objectives of the GSCM program are to help students:
  • become familiar with components of global supply chains (e.g., manufacturing, production, distribution, sales) and issues related to the management of global supply chains.
  • understand the similarities and differences, as well as the strengths and weaknesses, of different business operating models.
  • see how organizations operate and adapt to cultural and regional norms, address border issues, and comply with local, regional, and international laws governing the conduct of business.
  • understand the connections between disciplines related to GSCM (e.g., Operations, Marketing, Information Systems, International Business).
  • gain hands-on experience with global supply chains through a required co-op or internship experience.
  • develop an in-depth knowledge of current and future career opportunities within GSCM.
The Global Supply Chain Management (GSCM) program is intended to provide students with an understanding of the impact this important field is having on the conduct of domestic and international business. This is an interdisciplinary program that merges coursework from Operations, Marketing, Information Systems, and International Business. Students learn to see and understand connections between the different supply chain-related disciplines. Students learn about different operating models used in today’s businesses and will also gain understanding of how businesses operate among different cultures and regions of the world.


--- http://www.rider.edu/academics/colleges-schools/college-business-administration/undergraduate-majors-programs-0/global-su


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New guidance on disability accommodation in higher education

http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2012/05/15/new-guidance-disability-accommodation

NAFSA's 2012 Management Development Program

Manage More Effectively in International Education.
Register Now for the Summer
Management Development Program.
Leading an international education office requires greater management acumen than ever before. The NAFSA Management Development Program will prepare you to apply your greatest strengths to the task.

You'll take a close, objective look at your own leadership style, take inventory of your natural political skills, and conduct an "environmental scan" of the outside forces that may impact campus internationalization.
Whether you were recently promoted to a managerial position, have led a staff group for years, or see management in your future, you simply can't afford to be without this type of strength-based managerial training.
Grow in Competence and Confidence
Over the course of 20 hours and seven modules, you'll see what it takes to manage the current challenges in all areas of international education. And you'll come to appreciate that you have what it takes.

Register online or download, complete, and return the registration form along with appropriate payment via fax or mail. 

Questions? E-mail: professionallearning@nafsa.org 
 
2012 Summer MDP Schedule

FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES: "AN UNDERWHELMING APPROACH TO IRAN'S NUCLEAR AMBITIONS"

http://www.defenddemocracy.org/media-hit/an-underwhelming-approach-to-irans-nuclear-ambitions/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Atomic_bombing_of_Japan.jpg

Follow Uni-Global on Twitter

Dear Dr. James Ottavio,

You can get up-to-the minute news from UNI on Twitter.
Now you can get the latest UNI news and opinions by following @uniglobalunion. You'll find out what UNI and our affiliates are doing around the world to organise the global service sector workforce
and ensure respect and dignity in the global workplace. You will get info on our campaigns at multinationals and our solidarity support for our member unions. And you can tweet us to get more details or ask more questions.

Follow @uniglobalunion today!

UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings is also on Twitter, providing insight and updates on the global union movement at: @pjenningsuni.

Are you on Facebook? Now you can also get news about UNI on Facebook.

UNI global union

Kalamazoo Valley adjuncts unionize

http://chronicle.com/article/Kalamazoo-Valley-Part-Time/132032/?sid=pm&utm_source=pm&utm_medium=en

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2012/05/part-time_instructors_vote_in.html

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2012/05/part-time_instructors_forming.html

AGs want to Congress to close loophole that enables exploitation of vets

http://chronicle.com/article/Attorneys-General-Urge/132030/?sid=pm&utm_source=pm&utm_medium=en

Some Congressmen agree:

http://chronicle.com/article/Senator-Takes-Aim-at/130426/

http://chronicle.com/article/Congress-Looks-to-Safeguard/131722/

Webinar: developing an effective advising protocol for veterans

  
 
Military veterans returning as students to the campus environment need a certain level of support as well as key academic services to help ensure that they have a successful, long-lasting experience. Academic advising is one very critical part of the picture.

What are truly normal human responses to traumatic experiences may actually cause severe symptom formation resulting in academic struggles, potential failure and lower retention rates. If we identify and understand these responses and build programming that addresses the needs of students with traumatic life experiences, we can increase success and retention.

This webinar will focus on the development of a protocol for academic advisors providing services to military veterans. This protocol takes into consideration military culture, life experiences of military veterans, previous military training, deployment issues, family issues and traumatic life experiences.
Webinar Speaker

"Any person who experiences a traumatic event will be permanently changed, however they do not have to be permanently damaged."
Roger P. Buck, Ph.D., is a retired Navy veteran with 22 years active duty serving during the Vietnam War era. Dr. Buck is a licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, a Doctoral Addictions Counselor, and a retired U.S. Navy Veteran. He earned a Ph.D. in Counseling and Human Development Services from Kent State University in August 1998, an M.Ed. in Community Counseling from Georgia State University in March 1984, and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Toledo in June 1975. Dr. Buck has extensive advanced training and research in human responses to Trauma and the study of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He also has extensive experience as a counselor, teacher, consultant and administrator spanning a professional career of nearly 30 years.

 
A Veterans Resource Center (VRC) is a powerful way to assist those who defend our country and help them transition successfully to college once they return home. From applying for GI Bill benefits to veterans-only classes and veteran-to-veteran mentoring programs, a VRC plays an important role in the future of a community's veteran population.
This webinar will show you how to create a Veterans Resource Center (VRC) on your campus: how to staff it, how to get your local veteran community to help run it, and most importantly, how to fund it. We will show the financial and human impact that these centers have had on campuses and communities. We will provide data for over 11,000 student veterans on over 30 campuses on the impact of a VRC.
Webinar Speaker

"Once you show the community the potential impact they can have on the veterans in their region - they will be your eyes and ears and financial backers for your VRC."
Dr. John Schupp founded the SERV Program, a two-semester program at Cleveland State University designed just for veterans. These two semesters are just what the veterans needed to increase the freshmen retention graduation rates. Under his direction, the program helps veterans apply for GI bill benefits and offers veterans-only classes that help ease the transition back into the classroom for many veterans who have not been in a classroom for years. He works with the veterans to navigate VA issues and offers a veteran-to-veteran mentoring program. The Sunday New York Times, National Public Radio, all the Armed Forces media, and the Chronicle of Higher Education have taken an interest in SERV. John Schupp loses no chance to spread the word at conferences and conventions around the country, as he continues to remind us of our responsibility to those who've served.





Upcoming Webinars
May 30 -The Completion Agenda: Engaging, Retaining, & Graduating Community College Students

June 5 -Building A Cost-Effective Online Orientation: Best Practices, Essential Components, & Practical Applications

June 6 -Removing Suicidal Students From Campus: The Significance Of Recent Changes In Federal Policy

June 12 -"Mad" Or Bad? Helping Faculty To Recognize & Manage Student Mental Health Issues

June 12 -Assessing The Effectiveness Of Programs For At-Risk Students: Strategies That Work

June 13 -Tracking and Retaining Commuter Students: How To Engage Your Off-Campus Population

June 13 -The Future Of Community Colleges: Focusing On Skills Training, Transfer Support & Workforce Development In Today's Economy

June 14 -The Jones Effect: Attracting Students To Your Academic Support And Co-Curricular Programs

June 14 -Creating & Implementing An Online Orientation Program From The Ground Up

June 27 -Providing Comprehensive Student Support Services Online

June 28 -Developing An Effective Academic Advising Protocol For Military Veterans

July 11 -Veterans Resource Centers On Campus: How To Create, Staff & Fund A Thriving Center

July 18 -Addressing Invisible Wounds: Helping Students Manage Trauma & Achieve Success In College

August 1 - Threat To Self, Threat To Others: Navigating Involuntary Medical Withdrawals

Innovative Educators

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Boulder, CO 80301
303-955-0415
Kristen@ieinfo.org 
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