UMass Dartmouth goes green

By Aubrey Ramsdell

In just one month, the UMass Dartmouth Pilot Recycling Program collects enough material to cover the length of a football field. That weighs in at approximately four tons! That’s four tons of paper, plastic and aluminum that will not go into the landfill and it only comes from five residence halls on campus. Between what was collected from Ivy, Pine Dale, Roberts, and Maple Ridge last semester, the program saved the school about $5000.

The initiative to “go green” began as a result of various state and federal legislative orders and a general desire to make a more environmentally friendly campus. Last spring, Chancellor Jean McCormack announced her support for the President’s Climate Commitment. Essentially, the university’s compliance with this movement means that UMD will establish action plans to minimize its ecological footprint. The pilot residence halls recycling program is run by Housing Facilities Operations and Services (HFOS), and it is just the first step to a more sustainable campus.

So how does the program work, and what exactly is “single-stream technology”? College students are busy people, be it with school work or socializing. Many want to recycle, but do not have the time or patience to sort materials, and space in the residence halls is tight. With single-stream recycling, students put all of their materials in one container. It is then collected and shipped out to a facility where it is sorted. “We even provide the bag for you,” said Melissa Drainville, the Sustainability and Conferences Manager on campus. “It all goes to the same place, which makes it easier for students.”

Some students are thrilled with the program. “I’m just so excited to see recycling on campus. I love that they’re doing this, and I can’t wait to see what else they’ll do,” said Dylan Cashman, a resident of Pine Dale.

Opinions differ, however, and not all are pleased. “I think it’s a waste,” said Evan Kolenda, another Pine Dale resident, “I mean, you’ve seen the bins. People just throw trash into them.”

Drainville acknowledged this as a legitimate problem, saying, “We moved some of the bins into the lobby to prevent students from depositing trash, and we have seen a reduction in it since then.” When asked which buildings were most guilty, she said, “Pine Dale and Ivy recycle the most material, but they also deposit the most trash.”

The issue is with the students who are not making the effort to keep things clean. Certain things just can’t be recycled—and there is no room to feign ignorance! The recycling bags and containers state right on them what is and is not okay to recycle. Food waste of any type (like those greasy pizza boxes), Styrofoam, electronics, and wood are not acceptable. Clean paper, glass containers, plastic materials (primarily bottles), aluminum, and cardboard are all welcome as standard fare.

The pilot program won’t be a pilot for very long. “By the fall of 2008, all residence halls on campus will be green,” said Drainville. This is a pretty big goal, but the action plan does not stop there. “We’ve got several things that we’re working on, like possible donation drives during check-out’s. We’d also really like to purchase a few electrical cars at some point to be used in the collection of recycled materials. It’s important to us that we make an effort to cut back on emissions,” she added excitedly, “Additionally, we would really like to install a few green roofs on some of the residence halls in the future.” HFOS is looking into the possibility of solar panels, and even maybe some literal greenery. Students could be seeing gardens on their rooftops at some point down the road!

Students can help with the “go-green” initiative by doing something as simple as turning off the light when they leave a room. Every little bit helps! Those who want to go one step further can install fluorescent light bulbs in their lamps, and they can try to only buy energy efficient appliances. Consciously use environmentally friendly products, and really, truly keep tabs on what is being placed in recycling bins—and the trash, for that matter.

For more information regarding this program, you can e-mail HFOSrecycling@umassd.edu or call HFOS Recycling at extension 6000.

The Loop to New Bedford

By Melanie Correia

Now that the semester is back in swing the old complaint, “there’s nothing to do around here” starts again. Well, now there is something to do! The Loop, or the Corsair Downtown Express, is UMass Dartmouth and New Bedford’s non-stop pilot bus program that “loops” from UMD to downtown New Bedford for free!

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Dr. Jean Kim says, “We think the Corsair Downtown Express is a wonderful way to encourage our students to take advantage of the rich cultural, entertainment and shopping opportunities in downtown New Bedford.”

The Loop leaves from the Campus Center and drops students off in front of the UMass Dartmouth Star Store College of Visual and Performing Arts Center (715 Purchase Street). This allows students who take classes, or who want to take classes, at the Star Store a means of transportation.

Jill Delfino, a freshman Illustration major says that it is “so much cheaper this way. Before you’d have to pay for gas and parking on the street or in a garage but now we don’t have to. The bus is so comfy, too!” Delfino also stated that the “best part is being able to go to New Bedford. There’s tons of stuff to do there and we can go back and forth for free.”

New Bedford’s Mayor Scott Lang said at a press conference, “The many university students enrolled in classes at the downtown campus have brought tremendous energy to the area, and this new transportation link offers the opportunity for every UMass Dartmouth student to experience the vitality that exists in downtown New Bedford.”

With the launch of this new program many of the restaurants and shops are offering UMD students discounts when they show their UMass Passes. Places like Café Arpeggio (known downtown for their ice cream and open-mic nights) or Gallery X are offering 10 percent discounts. Also with their UMass Passes students can get into the New Bedford Art Museum for $1 and the Whaling Museum for $5 (plus 10 percent off any store purchase) and that is just to name a few.

The Loop runs hourly from UMD to the Star Store. Monday through Saturday it leaves the campus at 8 a.m. and runs until 9:35 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights the bus hours are extended. The last departure from the campus center will be at 10:30 p.m. and the last departure from the Star Store will be at 11 p.m. Sunday’s the bus will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be an extra bus provided on Tuesday and Thursday mornings for CVPA students taking foundation courses at the Star Store.

The Loop also has its own website (http://www.newbedford.is/theloop/index.html)! For a complete schedule, map of downtown New Bedford, or list of venues (including retail, culture, galleries, salons, cuisine and nightlife) you can check the website. For further information or suggestions for improvements, you can email jgoodman@nbedc.org or contact Matthew Morrissey, the Executive Director for the New Bedford Economic Development Council at mmorrissey@nbedc.org or 508-991-3122 x 11.

Memory Holloway: Connecting the community through cooking

By Katie Bresnahan

Memory Holloway, an associate professor of art history at UMass Dartmouth was recently recognized with a UMass President’s Public Service Award.

Awarded for her work with the Salvation Army, Holloway says, “It’s nice to have the recognition, but when you win an award like that, it’s really always about all the people who helped you. And you’re just the one who put them together and organized it.”

“The award came for the cooking and for [service and] teaching in the community,” said Holloway.

Holloway started cooking meals for the Salvation Army because, one day on her way to the Star Store, she saw a line of people standing outside the Salvation Army in the rain, without raincoats or umbrellas. “I thought they’re lined up there, they look so cold, they look so hungry. I can do this. I can go and cook those turkeys. I know how to do it,” she said. At this time she knew that she had to do something for these people.

She attended the next board meeting and told the board that she would cook for the needy people. She says, “When you do something for somebody else there’s something in it for you, too. What was in it was a new sense of belonging to this community.”

Holloway explained that she cooks meals for the Salvation Army on Purchase Street in New Bedford around the holidays and other times throughout the year. This past Christmas, Holloway and her fellow volunteers, students and female inmates from a local prison, created a meal that fed around 370 people. Holloway also makes meals for the Salvation Army at Thanksgiving, Easter and, most recently, the Superbowl.

Each time Holloway prepares a meal at the Salvation Army she encourages her students to help out. The first time Holloway made a meal at the Salvation Army she did not know where to look for volunteers to help her. She was teaching first year students, at the time and invited them to help. After a while she started telling them that they could help her with these meals in place of one of the semester’s tests.

Holloway also believes that cooking meals for the homeless is a good way to educate students about civic engagement. It allows them to see a different part of their community and shows them where they can go to participate in community service opportunities. She says that the students learn what kinds of skills they have. According to Holloway, “Everyone has a skill, and you find out what your skills are when you go and help out. And your skills get better.”

Cooking with her students is also a good way to get to know them better, says Holloway. “When you cook with people, you eat with people, and when you eat with people you know them,” she remarked.

Much of the time, Holloway says that freshmen are hesitant to help out with making meals because they do not know how to cook. Yet, she encourages them anyway. She says that they enjoy the experience because some of the students learn how to cook, and they all help people who are less fortunate than them. Holloway added, “At the end of it, they say, ‘can we do this again?’” She also has help from her senior and graduate students.

Holloway also mentioned a group of six students who started cooking with her when they were freshmen and continued to help her prepare meals every year, until they graduated.

But the students are not the only ones who have fun. Holloway likes cooking, as well. It has always been one of her hobbies. While she was working on her Ph.D. she also studied at the Culinary Institute of America, where she studied baking. She studied cooking because she believes that food is related to art and art history and because she wanted to do something physical.

These meals that Holloway and student volunteers cook are big meals. She stated, “You have to be really organized. We cooked 17 turkeys for Thanksgiving.” Along with the turkey, they cooked sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans, broccoli and different kinds of pies for dessert.

Another part of Holloway’s service to the community involves allowing inmates who are either well behaved or who are about to be released from the Bristol County House of Corrections to cook alongside her and her student volunteers. At Thanksgiving they cook with male inmates, and at Christmas they cook with females. This is part of a program run by the sheriff, who brings the prisoners to the Salvation Army in a small van when they are selected to cook with Holloway and her students.

Recently Holloway has added teenagers to her group of chefs, as well as the undergraduate and graduate students and inmates. She says that it is a good thing and that “the community starts to get mixed up” when this happens.

The next group who Holloway plans to cook with is members of the Clemente Program. The Clemente Program is run by a group of UMD faculty who teach low-income people different subjects at the university.

Before teaching at UMass Dartmouth, Holloway taught at Vassar in New York. Coming to UMD, in 1996, was a big change for her. She realized that there was a large Portuguese community in the area and people spoke several different languages, two of which she speaks, Spanish and Portuguese. This came in useful when she saw the people standing in line outside of the Salvation Army, because she could speak to them.

“I love it here,” says Holloway, “I like the community and that’s partly because I’m in the community.” She enjoys teaching in the College of Visual and Performing Arts because CVPA students are there almost all day. She also likes that “it is a small college and we know one another.” She also likes that a lot of the art students are very talented.

Through her cooking, Holloway also met a lot more of the UMD population. When she first started out the Salvation Army did not have a lot of cooking supplies. So, she went to different people in food services and asked them how to buy the different kinds of equipment.

Holloway is also on the board of the Center for Portuguese Studies. She says that this is a very important part of the surrounding community since so many people in the area speak the language.

She has given her three children “this kind of a sense that you have to do something in the world.” One is in the Peace Corps, one is a journalist in England and one is still in high school.

About her President’s Public Service Award and commitment to public service, Holloway concluded, “It’s about putting food together, but it’s really about putting people together.”

Gloria Steinem visits Dartmouth

An hour with Gloria Steinem

By Lama Hassoun and Samantha Coffin

Feelings of anticipation and excitement streamed through many people on campus last Thursday -- those expecting the arrival of Gloria Steinem. In the Women’s Resource Center, staff rushed to prepare: choosing their wardrobes, questioning their appearances, running to the auditorium to prepare and so on. Every detail seemed significant on this momentous occasion.

Outside the auditorium, students, faculty and staff filed in hurriedly, trying to find a good spot. Bystanders laughed in great confusion as we all kept saying, “Oh my God! Gloria Steinem is going to be here any minute now!” The panel members at the front of the auditorium, all successful UMass Dartmouth alumni, were just as excited as everyone else. One stated, “I can’t believe we’re going to meet ‘the Stein’!”

Although a Standard Times article a few days earlier showed that few students knew who she is, there was a huge turnout to the afternoon discussion panel. People were being sent up to the balcony as the lower part of the auditorium became saturated.

After she was introduced, Ms. Steinem spoke, discussing her “aha” moments: instances when she learned a new fact about women in history. She discussed the role played by Native Americans during the suffrage movement, and possibly even earlier, during the struggle to end slavery. Most of this knowledge is unknown to the world, and is not taught to anyone.

Ms. Steinem requested that she be addressed as Gloria, although few of the panelists or questioners were able to comply. As individuals rose to ask questions, they helped emphasize various aspects of the feminist movement. One may have thought that the audience consisted only of liberals or feminists, but it was easy to see that the crowd was diverse, particularly when different questions were proposed. Many of the panelists gave their insight on the issues, which included religion, international feminism, as well as marriage and divorce. One questioner, discussing the high percentage of divorce rates in the United States, asked whether ‘feminism’ had a solution. Gloria answered politely, describing how divorce is not always a bad thing and marriage is not always a good thing. Audience members were in awe of her all throughout, hanging on every word she said, all of it making absolute sense.

After the discussion panel and the media frenzy, Ms. Steinem went to the Women’s Resource Center to check her e-mail and relax. Even there, she continued to be receptive to students, answering questions and joking. She laughed and smiled, making all those around her feel amazing and honored.

A few of us (students) sat down with her and asked a series of questions, receiving major feedback on issues that concerned us. The first thing we asked her is what she thought about the fact that very few students knew who she was and how we could increase awareness. Ms. Steinem immediately replied, “Well, that’s not important. The important question is not whether you know who I am. The important question is: Do you know who you are? That’s really what the feminist movement is all about.” She continued by stating that women need to discover themselves and give birth to their own lives, before they give birth to another life, if they choose to do that.

We talked about the individual young woman’s struggle with balancing a career or school with a family. Gloria stated that she believed that as women grow more equal, we will reach a point where men will have that struggle within themselves, too. She said that although men are becoming more equal partners in marriages and rearing children, we still have quite a way to go. Her major clarification was that men should not be stay-at-home dads and women shouldn’t be stay-at-home moms. By having an equal and loving relationship, they could share responsibilities and pursue careers.

We discussed our fears of confronting people on racist or sexist remarks, as well as the issues of women internationally and at home. When asked what she thought was the biggest issue for young women in America today Ms. Steinem said, “That is not for me to determine. That is something that young women must determine themselves.” She continued to say that there are issues that are widespread such as attaining reproductive freedom, but also issues that are more personal and local.

After our little discussion, Ms. Steinem’s great warmth and security surrounded us as we stood with her arms embracing us to take a memorable snapshot. We all went to the dinner that night, heard her speak once again, as nearly 27,000 dollars was raised for future scholarships.

Personally, many women’s studies students and Women’s Resource Center staff felt that Gloria Steinem’s presence provided us with a renewed vigor to pursue female equality. It has become so important to us to make strides in this endeavor, hand in hand with other groups who have similar desires, to continue to make a change.

Honoring ‘Three Decades’ of women

By Megan Gauthier

On Thursday, February 7 the Office of the Chancellor, Women’s Studies Program and Women’s Resource Center hosted “Three Decades of Educating and Empowering” to celebrate the newly approved Women’s Studies Major at UMass Dartmouth. The event, sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences, the Division of Student Affairs and the Student Senate Lecture Series, honored feminist activist and writer Gloria Steinem.

Steinem is most famous for her stint as a Playboy Bunny in the name of journalism, as well as for her creation of the feminist publication “Ms. Magazine,” which she began in 1972 and continues to work with today.

Steinem also helped found the Women’s Action Alliance, “New York Magazine,” the Voters for Choice political action committee, the National Women’s Political Caucus and the Ms. Foundation for Women.

Steinem’s visit was a landmark event for UMass Dartmouth, as Steinem is currently 72 years old. Despite her age, Steinem’s youthful exuberance shined through during her first event of the day, a public discussion panel on civic engagement and activism, which was held in the Main Auditorium at 2 p.m.

Nearly 500 audience members showed up to listen to Steinem speak. Jen Riley, Director of the Women’s Studies Department and Juli Parker, Director of the Women’s Resource Center, kicked off the event by showing a slideshow depicting important faces and events in women’s history. The slide show included clips of Susan B. Anthony, the Suffrage Movement, the Nineteenth Amendment and the Griswold vs. Connecticut court case.

Steinem was then introduced and received by the audience with a standing ovation. Steinem spoke of women’s history, gender roles and our culture, which she claimed adheres to the policy “If it doesn’t exist, it can’t exist.”

She discussed women’s education and how women’s self esteem declines the longer they remain in school because they are often absent from history. However, she noted that things are finally starting to turn around: “We are beginning to name the ways in which we’re present...We’re not crazy. The system is crazy.”

After Steinem took her seat, the panel members had a chance to speak about their involvement in activism and women’s studies. Humanities/Social Sciences major Washawn Jones talked about her involvement and passion for justice. She talked about her experience working at the Women’s Resource Center and how it taught her “the way in which to speak…the language to become an activist.”

Jones is currently an account executive at the Boston Globe and admitted that, even though her job doesn’t deal directly with women’s rights, “It’s really important to take whatever you feel to wherever you are.”

Diane Hitchock, a sociology major, spoke next. As a result of obtaining a minor in Women’s Studies, she has become very involved in domestic violence work, and has volunteered at the Katie Brown Educational Program and currently works for Peers Building Justice, an educational program that deals with sexual violence, harassment and oppression.

Nicole DiFabio, an Anthropology major, shared that women’s studies “offered a journey” for her, unlike her other classes. As a result of her involvement in women’s studies, as the editor for Siren and the women’s studies newsletter, DiFabio began to question “normative behavior” and has since become very involved in activism.

Steinem joined the three alumni and an audience question and answer session followed. The first question asked of Steinem was what her “AHA!” moment was? Steinem replied that she first knew she cared deeply about women’s rights activism when, as a columnist in the nineteen sixties, she went to cover a hearing about an abortion law and the panel was made up of 11 men and one nun.

Another audience member brought up the fact that an African American male and a woman are both contenders in the upcoming election, to which Gloria responded “It’s a great cause for celebration! We’re finally enlarging the tiny talent pool from which we’ve been choosing Presidents!” She added, “Whenever people ask me who I’m voting for, Obama or Clinton, I say ‘YES!’”

The panel, which lasted a mere hour and fifteen minutes, could have very well gone on for hours, as many eager audience members were turned away due to time constraints.

Following the panel, Steinem was honored with a private reception before the 6 p.m. dinner in the Woodland Commons. Over 200 attendees had bought or donated tickets for the dinner, which cost a whopping $100 a seat.

Riley and Juli Parker kicked off the dinner ceremonies, as well, offering thanks to those who had made the event possible and introducing the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Dr. Jean Kim. Kim spoke about Steinem’s activism and outreach, which she said, had a “transformative effect on my life.”

William Hogan, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences spoke next, calling Steinem’s visit “one of the most memorable experiences on this campus in the last 30 years,” and praising her as “the woman who has changed a whole generation and touched millions of lives.” concluded, “This has been a very touching and generous gift of her time that she has given us.”

Chancellor Jean MacCormack also attended the dinner and discussed the endowment. Throughout the course of the event, a total of $26,000 was raised. The Chancellor offered to contribute all of the money to make up for what the event could not raise in order to ensure that the scholarship could start off at the proposed $1,500.

When Steinem took the stage, she quipped that she had only known Jean MacCormack for a few hours, but thought that she should run the world.

She then launched into the common theme of the day: women’s exclusion from history. She noted that the first time she ever got angry was when she found out Mozart had had a sister who was a genius, yet was overshadowed by her brother. A book of Mozart’s correspondence to his sister reveals that he credits her as the “talent in the family,” and Steinem was angry that no one will ever know whether or not Mozart received the praise for his sister’s compositions.

However, her study of women’s silence has also inspired her: “Studying the hidden part of history informs all of us and transforms all of us.” She urged audience members to examine their own families and the history of the women who are related to them, ending with the reminder: “Without a sense of being part of history in the past, we cannot have a sense of making history now.”

One thing is for certain—Steinem’s visit will certainly go down in UMass Dartmouth history.

As the Director of the Women’s Studies Department, Jen Riley, reports the event was a great success, raising enough money to establish the endowment fund, which will continue to build up to a projected $100,000. Riley adds, “The event exceeded our expectations. […]. The response to Gloria Steinem was amazing and she was wonderful in how she talked to everyone and took time with people who were so excited to meet her.”

Look for more Women’s Studies events coming this spring. The next scheduled event is a visit from acclaimed poet Louise Gluck, who will be joining the department at the launch party for the women’s literary journal, “Siren” on April 24, 2008.

“Siren” is currently accepting all poems, poetry, prose, photography, paintings and digital media in accordance with the theme “In Celebration of Women” at Siren@umassd.edu. Submissions will be accepted through March 14, 2008.

TOPICS IN MENTAL HEALTH

Assertiveness: Knowing when and how to speak up

Do you find yourself agreeing to do things that you really don’t want to do just because someone asked you and it was hard to say no? Do you feel like other people take advantage of you? Do you find yourself getting really frustrated in these situations and sometimes even have trouble controlling your temper? Do you feel like people should be able to know what you need, want or feel without you saying it, if only they would pay closer attention? If you answered yes to these questions, you might benefit from learning some ways to be more assertive.

Assertiveness is a term that describes the ability to clearly, directly, and honestly express your rights, opinions, thoughts and feelings in a way that does not attack, blame, or infringe on the rights of others. I will give some examples of assertive communication later on in this article, but here I will just say that assertiveness tends to involve speaking from one’s own opinion (and taking ownership of it), sticking to facts when expressing displeasure (instead of judging), and not overreacting to or personalizing others’ responses to what you’ve said. It requires self-reflection, honesty, openness, and a willingness to listen.

While these are qualities that we would all most likely espouse, there are many of us who are not assertive in our interactions and struggle with the negative effects of unassertiveness. Lots of people are taught that it is wrong or selfish to consider our own needs before considering the needs of others. As children (and even as adults) we might have been told not to “rock the boat” or that we should just ignore people who say or do things we don’t like. Though it is certainly useful to be able to choose to ignore someone or to consider someone else’s needs first in some situations, the key to this is that it is a choice, not a reflex.

When you think of someone else first ALL the time and try to ignore other people walking all over you instead of addressing it with them, you will likely begin to feel resentful and angry at others for taking advantage of you. You may even start to feel depressed (as this anger gets directed inward) leaving you feeling helpless and with no control over your life and relationships. This kind of resentment or depression can lead to frustration, hostility, and even violence in some cases. If you feel unassertive and unable to control or manage relationships, you might find yourself feeling increasing anxiety and a desire to avoid people altogether.

These responses (resentment, depression, anger, and anxiety) can lead to very problematic relationships in which you find it exceedingly difficult to tell people how you feel, what you think, or what you need. And predictably, the relationship problems that stem from this difficulty in expressing yourself lead to further feelings of depression, hopelessness, and resentment.

If you recognize these kinds of behaviors and relationship problems from your own life, don’t worry—you’re not alone. Because so many people struggle with these issues, I’m going to talk about how to be more assertive. I will first review the three main components of any assertive statement, and will then outline some specific strategies for being more assertive (and thereby improving your relationships).

In most assertive communications there are three main parts. These are: empathy and validation, statement of the problem, and specific request. An assertive person might say, “I know that you had a really tough day and are really stressed about school right now. I would guess that cleaning the apartment is the last thing on your mind. But when I get home and see that you left dirty dishes in the sink and dirty laundry on the floor, I get really frustrated and feel like I have to clean them up. Then I get mad at you and we end up fighting. Would you be willing to wash the dishes and put the laundry in the hamper before I get home? I think it would help change this pattern so we can get along better.”

In this statement the empathy and validation part is “I know you had a really tough day and are really stressed....” When you start by showing sensitivity and understanding of what things might be like for someone else, you quickly reduce their defensiveness and help them to listen to the rest of what you’re trying to say. It shows that you’re not trying to pick a fight, but that you want to work together to improve your relationship in some way.

The next part of our example demonstrates a clear statement of the problem. (“But when I get home and see you left dirty dishes in the sink and laundry on the floor, I get really frustrated and feel like I have to clean them up. Then I get mad at you and we end up fighting.”) These two sentences clearly and concisely state what the problem behavior is and what the emotional consequence is for you. They are statements of fact rather than opinions or judgments about the other person. This part of an assertive communication sets the stage for you to ask for a change from the other person.

Asking for change involves making a specific request. In the above example, this is the last two sentences beginning with “Would you be willing....?” This request outlines the specific behavior that you would like the other person to change and provides a brief explanation of how you think this would be helpful (“I think it would help change this pattern...”).

There are some very specific strategies you can use to ensure that you communicate assertively and structure your conversations to include these three components. For example, using “I statements” can be helpful in this regard. If you’re careful to start statements with “I feel...”, “I think...”, or “I’d like...” it is easier to express yourself clearly without judging or blaming someone else. This keeps the focus on the part of the interaction that is a problem for you—and sticking to communication about how something feels for you leaves very little room for argument. A general sentence structure that promotes this is, “I feel _____ when you ____. Would you be willing to do ______ instead?”

Another related strategy for communicating assertively is sticking to facts, not judgments. The difference between the two might look something like this: “Your hair is sticking up” versus “You are a total mess; I can’t believe you’re going out like that!” Another piece of sticking to the facts is staying focused on one topic instead of bringing in other things you’re upset about. If the person you’re talking to starts bringing up other issues or criticizing and blaming while you’re trying to communicate assertively, you might say something like, “I understand that there are other things that you’re upset about. I’d like to finish talking about ___ and then would be happy to hear about ____ that upsets you. Could we get back to ____ now?”

Sometimes the person you’re speaking to will have a lot of resistance to listening, even when you’re communicating assertively and clearly. In that case you might try using a “broken record” technique in which you keep repeating your point in a calm, pleasant voice. If this doesn’t help (or if it seems to aggravate the situation), you can comment on that by saying something like, “This conversation doesn’t seem to be going very well. Maybe we can start over.” You may also just decide that the time is not right and that you (and the other person) just need some time to cool off before talking about a heated issue.

Changing the way you talk to and relate to others can be difficult and generally requires a lot of practice in order to feel comfortable. It can be easier to practice assertive communication with people who you don’t know very well as this can feel less scary (you have less at risk if strangers get angry with you). However, in general, people don’t get angry and usually respond well to this kind of communication. More than that, being assertive in close relationships can actually help people feel more connected and closer to one another. People will trust you more because they know that you will speak your mind clearly and honestly. Assertive communication can also improve your own self-esteem. If you feel empowered to speak clearly and directly, share your thoughts, and work on your relationships, you’re bound to feel better about yourself.

If you or someone you know needs help in being more assertive, please feel free to contact the counseling center (x8650) for assistance. If you have comments or questions about specific information presented in this article, please direct emails to rachel.lively@umassd.edu.

Rachel Lively, Psy.D.
Counseling Center

CAREER CORNER

Encouraging internships

The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars is a non-profit educational organization that works with over 1,000 colleges and universities to provide students with opp ortunities to work and study in Washington D.C.

The center offers the program year round, and internships are available for all majors. Information sessions for The Washington Center program, hosted by UMass Dartmouth alumna Natascha Tretter, will be held on Tuesday, February 19, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. and Thursday, February 21, 2008 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Library Browsing Area.

Past UMass Dartmouth participants gained experience in programs pertaining to majors including accounting, biochemistry, English, management and political science. Last semester, five UMass Dartmouth students participated in the program, and their jobs ranged from interning at “America’s Most Wanted” to the White House.

For more information regarding internships or the Washington Center program contact the Robbin Roy of the Career Resource Center at x8674 or at roy@umassd.edu.

Colleen Foley
Career Resource Center

GREENING THE CAMPUS

Minimzing our carbon footprint

What’s a carbon footprint? It’s a measure of how much carbon dioxide you emit through your daily activities over the course of a year. The measurement was developed as an acknowledgement that climate change is caused by human activity and that each of us has contributed to the problem of Greenhouse Gas accumulation in the atmosphere. Each of us likewise has the responsibility to shrink our carbon footprint through changes in our individual and collective behavior. Many experts believe we need to reduce our carbon dioxide output by 80 percent in order to avoid the direst consequences of climate change.

The United States has one of the highest per capita carbon footprints in the world, with the average citizen producing twice as much carbon as an average European and thirteen times more than the average Indian.

Some of our activities that add to the carbon in the atmosphere are driving cars, flying in airplanes, our use of electricity and oil in lighting and heating our homes and other buildings, eating food that is grown across the globe, using other products that are manufactured elsewhere or in an unsustainable manner, and using and throwing away products—including their packaging—in a mindless way.

Shrinking our carbon footprints mean finding substitutes for some of these activities. It means choosing to walk or bicycle or use public transportation rather than jumping in our cars to take short trips. It means curtailing your flying or choosing to use the train. In your daily life, activities like turning off your computer when you leave your desk, turning off your lights when you leave the room, and turning down your thermostat rather than opening your dorm windows when you are too warm. It even means buying local produce at farmers markets and recycled goods, including furniture and clothing.

Some of these activities bring financial rewards, but shutting your dorm window and turning off classroom lights won’t necessarily put money in your pocket. Making these decisions means we have to do the right things even when no one is looking and when the rewards seem far away and elusive.

If you eat too much your belly aches and, if you continue the behavior, you begin to gain weight. If you smoke cigarettes, you shorten your breath and may develop cancer. If you drive your car to class, you’ve likewise created consequences for the earth’s air and temperature, but the feedback you’ll get is long-term and seemingly diffuse. This transition to the future is going to involve millions of us choosing to do the right thing even if it causes us temporary discomforts.

The rewards are in the kind of character you develop as you begin to make daily choices that lead you toward a sustainable life. These choices help you begin to consider yourself as a citizen of a community and of the earth. They help you to become conscious of your connections to the people who live on islands that are being engulfed by rising seas, and even to your future grandchildren whose lives are at the mercy of what each of us chooses to do today.

Thankfully, many others are already on the path, including Chancellor Jean MacCormack, who last year signed the American University President’s Climate Commitment, committing our campus to regular reductions in emissions. The commitment reads, in part, “Reversing global warming is the defining challenge of the 21st century. We face a crisis that threatens society’s very viability. Eliminating this threat successfully will mean transforming our economy, our institutions, our daily lives within a generation, a challenge of massive proportion. Higher Education has a moral and social responsibility to rise to this challenge.”

Some ways our campus is rising to the challenge is through a commitment to purchase only Energy Star Appliances and to build our future buildings to LEEDS certification. We’re also ramping up recycling, engaging in energy conservation measures, and exploring a bike and walking path. Each of these will help us reduce our common carbon footprint. To discover others, visit www.Plant-A-Tree-Today.org.

Susan Jennings
Interim Director
Office of Campus and Community Sustainability