DOSA tries to generate political interest in 2008

By Chris Donovan

This semester, students will see many more political events happening at UMass Dartmouth. The Division of Student Affairs (DOSA) has created a programming committee to help bring more to campus. The DOSA Planning Committee is made up of representatives from the Office of Housing and Residential Life, the Peer Health Educators, the SAIL Office, the Fredrick Douglass Unity House and the Women’s Resource Center.

The committee was formed to unify the groups that were already focused on providing this kind of programming. According to the chair of the committee, Juli Parker of the Women’s Resource Center, the goal of the events that the committee organizes are to “be focused on a theme, and this semester is like our first trial run.”

Chris Laib of the SAIL Office, who is also a member of the DOSA Planning Committee said these events are a way to “get information of value to the students, while still being entertaining.”

Byron Hurt, who is a documentary filmmaker, writer, and anti-sexist activist will be doing a presentation entitled “Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes,” which is based on his award winning documentary of the same name. This will occur on Wednesday, February 6, at 7 p.m., in the main auditorium. The event will examine the issues of masculinity, sexism, violence and homophobia in today’s hip-hop culture. Students can get a better idea of what this event will be about by previewing his documentary February 4 through February 10 every hour, on the hour, on channel 77. There will also be a screening at the Fredrick Douglass Unity House on Tuesday, February 5, at noon.

On February 7, Gloria Steinem, a writer and leader of the second wave of the women’s liberation movement, will be moderating a panel focusing on the importance of civic engagement and activism. This event will take place between 2 and 3:30 p.m. in the main auditorium and is open to all students, faculty, staff and the community. She will also be the keynote speaker at a sold out fundraising dinner which will take place later that night.

Comedian and Correspondent for Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, John Oliver will be performing on February 9. He will be doing a stand up act, along with Emmy Award winning co-producer of the Daily Show, Rory Albanese. Their acts will carry a political tone to get students to start thinking about the presidential race which will take place this November.

Parker stated that next week’s events will be “kicking off a series of events which focus on engagement and involvement in citizenship.”

Laib explained that, “We hope to focus on other hot button topics like the environment, war, gay marriage, stem-cell research, the economy, race, abortion and education.”

DOSA will be putting on events this and next semester that will focus on important topics related to this November’s political elections.

Parker said that she “just wants people to come out. These events are big. People may never have a chance to see someone like Gloria Steinem again. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!”

Tickets for John Oliver’s show are currently on sale at both the UMass Pass Office and at FYE in the Dartmouth mall. Ticket prices are $10 for UMass Dartmouth students and $20 for non-students.

Parker reminds, “All the work that the staff is putting in isn’t for us, it’s for you guys, the students.”

Women’s rights leader to visit campus

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass.— As students, we write papers all the time. Imagine if you had to write a paper on women’s issues and the teacher assigned the topic, asking you to write about the experiences of women who are playboy bunnies. That has to be tough. Naturally, I would go online and try to find some biographies of these scantily clad women. Or maybe—if this was a big percentage of my grade—look some up and maybe get an interview with an ex-bunny.

Or … I could become one.

In 1963, Gloria Steinem did just that. Granted it was for her job at a paper and not for a class, but she applied and was hired at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Club. She ended up writing an article entitled, “I was a Playboy Bunny” that garnered national attention and focused on the lives of these women, their experiences, and specifically the way they are treated in clubs.

You might be Googling it even before you are done reading this article. Forget Google. You have to meet her!

Steinem will visit UMass Dartmouth on Thursday, February 7 to celebrate three decades of educating and empowering. This is a two-part event designed to initiate the Women’s Studies endowment for student scholarships, as the minor will become a major in this semester. This endowment fund supports students from the Southcoast region. This event will also support the work of the Women’s Resource Center.

Since her Bunny days, Gloria Steinem has become one of the most important female activists in the United States today. Throughout her career, she has been an influential writer and editor, which include her role in founding the hugely successful Ms. Magazine, where she remains as part of the advisory board and founding editors. She was also the founder of the Ms. Foundation for Women, which gives away a ton of money and does great things. She was an articulate advocate and leader in the second wave of the women’s liberation movement during the late Twentieth Century.

After graduating from Smith College, Steinem went to India, where she participated in nonviolent protests against government policy. Upon her return to the United States in 1960, she worked as a writer and journalist in New York City, where she eventually published her Playboy Bunny article. After this, her writing became more politically charged and her strong feminist values began to emerge. In 1971, along with Betty Friedan, Bella Azbug and Shirley Chisholm, she founded the National Women’s Political Caucus and by December 1971 the first issue of Ms. Magazine appeared as an insert in an issue of “New York.”

In the late nineteen seventies and eighties, most of her work was with political organizations and her role in the women’s liberation movement continued to grow. She helped found the Coalition of Labor Union Women, Voters for Choice and Women Against Pornography. Her publications include “Moving beyond Words” (1994) and “Revolution from within: Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions” (1983). She also wrote a book about Marilyn Monroe called “Norma Jean” (1997).

A panel discussion, moderated by Ms. Steinem will be held in the Main Auditorium from 2 to 3:30 p.m. as the first major part of her visit, which will be geared toward students. The panel will be composed of four alumni of the UMass Dartmouth Women’s Resource Center and Women’s Studies department. These alums will address the importance of civic engagement and activism and how their experiences working at the Women’s Resource Center and taking women’s studies classes prepared them for their lives today. It is open to all students, faculty, staff and the community and because it is free, everyone is encouraged to attend this great opportunity.

Ms. Steinem will also be the keynote speaker for a fundraising dinner that evening.

This afternoon talk is sponsored by the Student Senate Lecture Series, the Division of Student Affairs Programming Committee, the Women’s Resource Center and the Women’s Studies Program, while the evening event is sponsored by the Office of the Chancellor, the Women’s Studies Program, the Women’s Resource Center, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Division of Student Affairs and the Departments of English, History, Portuguese, and Sociology/Crime and Justice Studies.

For more information, including information on tickets, contact Dr. Juli Parker at jparker@umassd.edu or Dr. Jen Riley at jen.riley@umassd.edu.

HOUSING

Changes on the way

By Stephanie Luz

Whether it’s ripping up rugs, putting down tile, or bringing back the common rooms, great changes are springing up all over campus.

First year resident halls (Roberts, Chestnut, Maple Ridge, and Elmwood) are currently the target of some of these improvements. Summer renovations include ripping up old carpets currently covering the floors of all hallways and rooms. New tile will be installed in place of the carpet. The Office of Housing and Residential Life (OHRL) staff including Victor Culatta, Director of Housing and Residential Life, Shelly Scott, Associate Director of Residential Life, and other Housing staff members hope that these changes will improve aesthetics and reduce allergens such as mold and dust. In addition, the walls will be given a new coat of paint.

Common rooms are also making a comeback. There are plans to create thirteen new multipurpose spaces in the first-year student residential halls. After the original common rooms were converted into living spaces to accommodate three residents, many students were lacking space to study or get together.

“Despite our objections two years ago, administrators chose to eliminate the common space in the first year halls. After walking into that mess, a genuine advocate for student interests has worked to reconcile the blunders of the Housing Department. As residents, we are more than fortunate to have Shelly Scott on campus,” said Evergreen resident Bryan O’Brien.

Resident Assistant (RA) staffs are changing. One of these major improvements includes the removal of some RAs from the Woodland Community and the addition of more RAs to the first-year halls. There will be a total of 14 RAs in the first year halls while the Woodland apartments will have a total of eight RAs as opposed to the 12 RAs this year. The OHRL staff has expressed that first year students generally require more assistance than third and fourth year students.

RAs will also be compensated for late night desk duties. Desk Attendants (DAs) are students paid to sit at desk and check-in guests and perform other tasks. For many years, RAs were required to sit at desk without pay if a DA did not make their 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. shift. This semester, RAs will be offered the same amount of money as DAs.

DAs are also feeling the changes. Desk attendants’ hours have been reduced to 7:30 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. Previously, DAs worked as early as 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

TOPICS IN MENTAL HEALTH

How to deal: Different people, different grief

At some point in our lives, we will all lose someone we love. When a family member, partner or close friend dies, it is normal and healthy to grieve and there are many different ways to do this. Acknowledging and expressing our grief generally makes this process easier and more helpful in strengthening ourselves and our remaining relationships.

The term grief refers to the emotional and physical changes that occur in response to the loss of someone you love. Some of the emotional reactions that people often experience are denial or disbelief, sadness, anger, loneliness, despair and even depression. Certainly people miss the presence of their loved ones, often finding themselves looking for the person, expecting him or her to arrive and thinking about both past times together as well as lost opportunities.

Physical responses to grief can include digestive problems, sore or tight muscles, fatigue, headaches, chest pain or pressure, and many others. Often people complain of a feeling of heaviness in their bodies; interestingly, the word grief comes from the French word grève which means heavy burden.

There are as many different ways to grieve as there are people who experience loss, and the particular form your grieving takes may be based on any one of the following things: the way the person died, your relationship to the deceased, your personality and coping style, the available support you have from others and the traditions of your family or culture.

The particular way that your loved one died can have a big effect on the ways that you find yourself grieving. If someone is sick for a long time for example, you may experience some anticipatory grief during their illness. This does not take away from the level of distress that you might feel when the person dies, but it may allow you to recover sooner. If someone dies suddenly and unexpectedly, you might be more likely to experience denial or shock as a first stage of grief. Having a loved one die by suicide can elicit many painful questions, such as: Is there anything that I could have done to prevent this? What will other people think or say? Shame, guilt, and blame can complicate the grieving process making it long and difficult to resolve. This can be particularly problematic for those whose religion or culture views suicide as shameful or immoral.

In addition to the particular way that your loved one died, your relationship to that person can affect the way you grieve. Losing a family member or partner can mean losing someone who had a daily presence in your life, which can lead to a different kind of adjustment process than losing someone who you saw less frequently. Additionally, the closeness and amount of conflict you experienced in the relationship can have a profound effect on your grieving, with conflictual relationships often intensifying and complicating grief reactions.

Another factor that affects the way you grieve is your own personality and coping style. If you are someone who is prone to depression and/or has a lot of stress in your life, you may find it more difficult to cope with a loss than someone who has less stress and tends to be resilient in managing stressors. Additionally, if you have a history of serious trauma or past experience with losses of other people close to you, your grief reaction can be very complicated and can elicit a lot of unresolved pain from your past.

It is nearly universally true that people who grieve with support from others seem to feel better sooner than those who grieve alone. Having other people around to listen and to take your loss and feelings about it as seriously as you do can help you to feel understood and loved at a time when you may be feeling sad, alone, and acutely aware of your loss. It is important to find people to support you who can appreciate the importance of your loss. In terms of grief, it doesn’t matter who you lose; what matters is that you are grieving and need support. Others need to understand and respect this.

The way you grieve can also be determined by your religion or cultural background. Some religions and cultures dictate how long the outward mourning process will last, what you wear while mourning, ways to honor your loved one, and what kind of ceremony will mark your loved one’s passing. While these rituals or traditions may determine the outward expression of grief, they cannot always determine your internal reaction or recovery time.

Given that there is no time-table for grieving and some people might feel more hopeful in a matter of weeks or months and others might take years, how can you tell the difference between a normal grieving process and depression? Many times someone grieving can experience some symptoms that are typical of depression. These can include crying, profound sadness, low mood and physical changes. One of the key issues in determining the difference between normal grieving and depression is the degree to which feelings interfere with functionality. Nonetheless, it is frequently hard to tell the difference and you may need to consult a professional.

Grieving is painful and requires support from other people. This may mean involving a professional mental health counselor and it may mean leaning on friends and family for extra support. Even if you are someone who does not typically like to talk about your feelings it is important that you do so when you are grieving to help yourself feel less alone, understood, and accepted in your grief. Friends and family who knew your loved one can reminisce with you about times you shared with the deceased. They can offer you some physical comforts during your grieving process like meals, shoulders to cry on or back rubs. Many people also find support in groups. There are lots of local support groups for people who are grieving and some of them are even specialized for people who have lost a parent. If you are involved in a religious practice, you may also find support from your place of worship or religious community. What matters is not where you find support, but that you find it.

In addition to getting social support while grieving, there are some other ways to cope. Some people find it helpful to express their feelings creatively through writing, art work, scrapbooking, planting a garden or building a memorial.

Taking care of yourself physically is important. Getting enough sleep, exercising, eating well, and avoiding substance use can make a big difference in how you feel and cope.

You may want to plan ahead for ways to take care of yourself on holidays, birthdays, anniversaries or other special days that may elicit more grief for you. Planning something special for yourself on these days (something that includes social support) can make a big difference in how much the day destabilizes you emotionally.

There is no way to dictate how you grieve. Whether you find relief by watching dumb movies, crying, writing or getting angry at the person who died, it is okay. Telling yourself (or listening to someone else tell you) to “get over it” is likely to make you feel more upset rather than less so. The most important thing is to allow yourself time, space, and support to cope with your grief.

If you or someone you know is grieving and/or depressed after a loss and could use some support, please do not hesitate to contact the Counseling Center at x8650 for professional help. If you have questions or comments about the information presented in this article, please direct emails to rachel.lively@umassd.edu.

Rachel Lively, Psy.D.
Counseling Center

Bill Russell to speak at CMR scholarship dinner

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass.— Bill Russell, Basketball sports icon of the Twenieth Century, will be at center court as the keynote speaker at the 2008 annual Celebrity/Scholarship Dinner for the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s Center for Marketing Research on Thursday, March 27, 2008, at the Venus de Milo in Swansea, MA.

The legendary star’s public appearance represents a rare chance for Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island residents to have face-to-face interaction with the world-renowned champion who led the Boston Celtics to an unprecedented 18 championships in 21 years of basketball.

The dinner and scholarship presentations— an annual event for The Center whose students do market research for firms throughout the region— begin at 6 p.m. at the restaurant. Mr. Russell will also be available at a special VIP reception at 5 p.m. to sign his book, “Russell Rules,11 Lessons on Leadership from the Twentieth Century’s Greatest Winner” and have photos taken with purchasers.

Tickets for the dinner and the VIP reception are $75 for each event. (Contact Ava Lescault at 508-910-6435 or email alescault@umassd.edu for more information.)

On and off the basketball court, Bill Russell defines the word “champion.” “Sports Illustrated” called him “the greatest team player on the greatest team of all time.” HBO Sports hailed him as “the greatest winner of the Twentieth Century”; and former President Bill Clinton said simply, “We are a better nation for his honesty.”

His feats with the Boston Celtics are stamped in the record books: nine NBA championships as the Celtic’s captain between 1957 and 1967, including eight in a row, the longest streak of consecutive championships in U.S. sports history; plus two more championship as the team’s player-coach, which he accomplished without an assistant, in 1968 and 1969.

The heart and soul of the Celtics’ dynasty, as well as a five-time league MVP and 12-time All Star, he revolutionized basketball through his uncompromising defensive play, a style marked by ferocious athleticism, stunning analytic prowess, and an indomitable will to win-attributes he began to hone at Oakland’s McClymonds High School, where he helped the basketball team capture three state championships. He guided the University of San Francisco to two consecutive NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956 (and was named the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in 1955). He also captained the United States Olympic basketball team to the gold medal at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.

In 1967, Russell was named the Celtics’ coach, a milestone that made him the first African-American coach not just in the NBA but in all major league sports. Already an aggressive advocate for civil rights, he marched with Dr. Martin Luther King in 1963 and attended his famous “I Have A Dream” speech the same year in Washington, D.C. In 2006, he participated in the ground-breaking ceremony for the Martin Luther King Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The NBA and U.S. State Department tapped him to serve as a Global Ambassador of Basketball on visits to Africa, where he was the first NBA player to visit in 1959. Twenty years later, he made his first trip to China. Altogether, he has hosted clinics in over 50 countries on six continents. For sharing his love of the game and zest for life, Mr. Russell received the NBA’s first Civil Rights Award.

“His record as basketball’s greatest winner will stand for many years, perhaps forever, but the attractive thing about Bill Russell is how he has worn his accomplishments,” said former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley. “That, even more than his achievements, makes him worthy of our admiration.”

Russell has authored three bestselling books, including “Second Wind” with Pulitzer Prize winner Taylor Branch and the more recent “Russell’s Rules.” He is a popular motivational speaker and has numerous corporate relationships, among them AT&T, Pfizer and Reebok. He also sits on the Board of Directors of the National Mentoring Partnership. vInspired by a passion for living, known for his integrity, compassion, humor and intellect, Russell once wrote, “Life is a journey, not a destination,” and it’s a statement that continues to fuel his interests and activities today.

A key feature of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s Center for Marketing Research is the dynamic activity between the Center, the students, and the business community. This interaction is fostered by the rich and vigorous research environment intrinsic to CMR’s operation; providing students a unique advantage in transitioning from college into the work force and business surroundings. In 2007 the CMR generated 12 scholarships, donated by local business leaders, for both graduate and undergraduate students.

Sustainability office to host teach-in

Two-day seminar provides global climate change information

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. — Beginning yesterday and lasting through today, the Office of Campus and Community Sustainability at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is hosting a two-day teach-in called Focus the Nation.

The national organization, Focus the Nation, is hosting a countrywide teach-in through today, in which campuses and communities across the nation will meet to participate in panels and workshops in an attempt to brainstorm global warming solutions. UMass Dartmouth is one of many campuses in the country participating in the two-day seminar.

The Focus the Nation event began with a meeting for local students. At 6:30 p.m., students met at UMD’s Woodland Commons to discuss how student groups at the school can work together to actively combat global warming and climate change. The meeting was followed at with a live webcast, “The 2% Solution,” which features actor and clean energy advocate Edward Norton.

Today the event begins at 9:30 a.m. in UMD’s Library Browsing Area. At that time, Susan Peterson of SRPEDD, Representative Antonio Cabral and former New Bedford Mayor John Bullard will speak about climate change and how local communities can get involved. At 11 a.m. Bullard will also present a version of the slide show, “An Inconvenient Truth,” which includes new groundbreaking science from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Throughout the afternoon, a variety of panel discussions will take place. At 12:30 p.m. the Chancellor’s Climate Commitment panel will share with students and faculty alike what UMD is doing to ensure they become a responsible steward in this time of change. At 2 p.m., a faculty panel will reveal their disciplinary perspectives on climate change and at 3:30 p.m., a panel consisting of UMD students will offer information on how students can address the climate change.

Later in the evening, from 6 to 9 p.m., the Pachamama Alliance will host the “Awakening the Dreamer: Change the Dream” symposium. The multi-media symposium will explore the link between three of humanity’s most critical concerns: environmental sustainability, social justice and spiritual fulfillment. The symposium is open to local students, faculty, staff, and residents from surrounding communities.

For more information on the Focus the Nation teach-in, please contact Susan Jennings at 508-910-6484 or sjennings@umassd.edu.

Horizons for Homeless Children looks for volunteers

Giving just two hours a week of your time can make a world of difference for the children living in family homeless shelters in Barnstable, Bristol, and Plymouth Counties. Horizons for Homeless Children is looking for volunteers to play with some great kids for two hours per week. A commitment of six months and attendance at a training session are required. The next training will be on February 9. Contact Lindsay Fulton at (508) 999-9454 or at southeast@horizonsforhomelesschildren.org for more information and an application, or fill one out online at www.horizonsforhomelesschildren.org.

If interested in learning more or pursuing a story on Horizons for Homeless Children’s local programs, please contact Colette O’Neill, Communications Specialist at 617-445-1480 or coneill@horizonsforhomelesschildren.org. Interviews and photo shoots available upon request.

CAREER CORNER

New technology launched at the CRC

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass.— Optimal Resume and e-Recruiting is a new innovation offered by the UMass Dartmouth Career Resource Center to help students find and obtain jobs.

Optimal Resume is a resume building software that will enable students to create a presentation of skills which may draw attention from potential employers.

Already have a resume? Not a problem! Optimal Resume will allow students to upload an existing resume and tailor it to specific employers or jobs. This cutting-edge technology will be available for student use on February 8, 2008. Log on using your UMass Dartmouth email account and your student ID number as the password to create a profile and enter the world of job opportunities! UMass Dartmouth student Kelly Channell has already done so, she said, “I was able to customize my resume for amazing opportunities that applied directly to me.”

Students who are interested but are not sure how to use Optimal Resume are welcome to join CRC’s training sessions available on Tuesday, February 12, Wednesday, February 27, and Wednesday, March 26 from 2 to 4 p.m. in Group I, Room 216. There will also be another training session on Tuesday, March 25 from 5 to 7 p.m.

The Career Resource Center has a new program called e-Recruiting that will help ensure great jobs for students. It will be available February 15, 2008. Freshman marketing major Patty Diegel tried searching marketing jobs and came up with 500 jobs with a click of the button. She said, “This is better than monster track or resume rabbit. Each of these jobs [was] tailored to my specific major and experience.” Jump on board and use your UMass Dartmouth email account and student ID number as the password. vTraining sessions for e-Recruiting will take place on Tuesday, February 26 and Wednesday, March 5, in Group 1, Room 216 from 5 to 7 p.m. There will also be a training session on Wednesday, February 20, from 2 to 4 p.m.

For questions regarding Optimal Resume, e-Recruiting or general information about the services the Career Resource Center provides, please call 508-999-8661 or stop by our office which is located in the Group I Building, Lower Level.