Thursday, August 28, 2008

Upcoming Department Events

September 17, 2008 Cl. 2628 noon
Alon Segev. “Hannah Arendt on the Miracle of Losing and Retrieving Conscience”
[Dr. Segev completed a Ph.D (2001) in the philosophy department at Haifa University and was a post-doctoral fellow at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2002-03. He is currently a visiting faculty member at George Mason University.]

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October 28, 2008 Kurtzman Room (William Pitt Union) 2:00 PM
Elke Gryglewski. "Sixty-Five Years Later: The Third Generation and the Past. Teaching the Holocaust and National Socialism in Germany Today."
Co-sponsored by Action Reconciliation Service for Peace, the School of Education, Department of Religious Studies, and the Jewish Studies Program at the University of Pittsburgh and the Holocaust Center of Greater Pittsburgh.

October 28, 2008 Pittsburgh Theological Seminary 7:30 PM
Christian Staffa. "Atonement and Denial: The German Christian Churches in the aftermath of the Holocaust."
Co-sponsored by Action Reconciliation Service for Peace, The Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, the Department of Religious Studies, and the Jewish Studies Program at the University of Pittsburgh and the Holocaust Center of Greater Pittsburgh.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Harvard Divinity School Program

I am following up to a save-the-date email sent in July regarding
> Harvard Divinity School's Diversity and Explorations Program, a new
> multicultural outreach initiative scheduled for October 22-24.
> Inaugurated in fall 2007, the program’s primary aim is to provide
> outreach to students from groups generally underrepresented in
> theological education. The program is available to all students from
> backgrounds which suggest a commitment to issues of diversity and
> social justice and an interest in the fields of religion, theology, or
> ministry. Forty (40) students will be selected from a competitive
> application process and all participants will be provided with travel and lodging for three nights.
> The application deadline of September 19 is quickly approaching and we
> want to let you know that application materials and information about
> the program are now available on our website at
> http://www.hds.harvard.edu/afa/visiting/events.html#diversity. We hope
> you will help us make this year a success by identifying a current
> student or recent graduate who might have an interest in graduate
> theological education. If you have already done so, we thank you!

> This year’s itinerary will include workshops, seminars, and open
> classes to expose participants to the study of religion, theology, and
> ministry, as well as to interdisciplinary opportunities in variety of
> professional, academic, and ministerial careers.
>
> Highlights of the 2008 program include:

> [Image: "*"] A panel on “Why Graduate Theological Education,”
> with speakers from Princeton Theological Seminary; Emory University,
> Candler School of Theology; Union Theological Seminary in the City of
> New York, and Yale Divinity School.
>
> [Image: "*"] Panels on graduate school funding, standardized
> tests, faith and social justice, careers in ministry and professions,
> preparing for doctoral studies, and more.
>
> [Image: "*"] Welcome Reception and Dinner on the evening of
> Thursday, October 23, which will feature HDS faculty speaker Susan
> Abraham.
>
> [Image: "*"] Informal meals with faculty, staff, and students and
> a social outing with current HDS students on final night of the program.
>
> Please contact our office at admissions@hds.harvard.edu or
> 617-495-5796 if you have questions, would like to receive materials in
> the mail, or have an update to your contact information. We look
> forward to hearing from you and hope that you are enjoying the remainder of the summer.
>
> Best regards,
> Angela Counts
>
> P.S. For more information on the 2007 program, please read the
> article, “An Innovative Preview of Life at HDS,” at
> http://www.hds.harvard.edu/news/HDT/2007v3n3.pdf .
> *********************************
> Angela Counts
> Assistant Director of Admissions
> Harvard Divinity School
> Office of Admissions and Financial Aid
> 617-495-5796 phone 617-495-0345 fax
> www.hds.harvard.edu
>
>
---------- End Forwarded Message ----------

From Pitt Arts:

Greetings of Fall Everyone,

It’s that time of year again—time for the PITT ARTS campus briefing! We ask that you send this information out to the appropriate people on your staff and/or faculty and let me know what questions you have so that you and your staff and faculty may confidently answer arts-related questions and serve your students. Over 35,000 students participated formally in PITT ARTS programs last year, including repeaters, so students may be asking you questions about PITT ARTS and our offerings. Some of the information may not be directly related to your department, but some may, so please feel free to cut and paste appropriate information.


1. PITT ARTS has a program called the Cheap Seat Program, wherein we sell to Pitt people greatly reduced tickets to cultural venues. Several times a year, starting this fall, we will send you a flyer with the current shows for sale. You can post and distribute this. Cheap Seats are available to Pitt students of all kinds and almost always to staff and faculty, and they may buy up to four tickets per show (there are some exceptions), and they may even buy tickets for non-Pitt people if the purchasing Pitt person attends. We take exact cash, checks, debit and credit cards. Lastly, this is a self-serve ticketing service; students, faculty and staff can reserve tickets anytime the Union is open—the instructions and reservations forms are located outside our office at 929 William Pitt Union in a very prominently marked display.


Last year we sold 11,000 Cheap Seats to the following eleven organizations:

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, $12 for students and $17 for faculty and staff
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, $12 for students and $17 for faculty and staff
Pittsburgh Opera, $16-$33 for students and $26-$43 for faculty and staff
Pittsburgh CLO, $12 for students, $14 for faculty and staff
CLO Cabaret, $12 for students, $14 for faculty and staff
Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, all of Pitt, $5.50-$34.50
Pittsburgh Public Theatre, $15.50 students, $25.50 for faculty and staff
Quantum Theatre, students $15, $22-$25 for faculty and staff
Guitar Society of Fine Arts, students $10-$20, $14-$25 for faculty and staff
MCG Jazz, $20-$25 students, $30-$35 for faculty and staff
Renaissance & Baroque Society, $10 for students, $15 for faculty and staff

In addition, this year we offer FIVE Pitt Nights, which for a great price (only $12 for Pitt Night at the Pittsburgh Symphony for Sarah Chang and Rachmaninoff on October 10th, only $17 for Pitt Night at the Ballet for The Great Gatsby on November 1st, as low as $18 for Pitt Night at the Opera for Grapes of Wrath on November 15th, Pitt Night at the Pittsburgh Public Theater for Metamorphoses on January 30th, and Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Pitt Night for DRUMLine Live on February 18th costs only $17 Pitt students, faculty and staff can get optional free transportation with us, enjoy a free dessert reception, and meet the cast and Artistic Directors. These events are splashy and exciting. People celebrate their Pitt pride and their love for the arts by participating.

2. Don’t miss Attack of the Cheap Seats on September 10th. Not only will there be great entertainment, but also you can buy cheap tickets for the entire season (or any parts thereof!) to the Opera, Ballet, Symphony, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Public Theatre and the Pittsburgh CLO—and it’s cheaper than subscribing! Get your Spamalot tickets there. It takes place from 12-3 PM in the William Pitt Union Assembly Room.

3. PITT ARTS sponsors its 10th annual Arts Fair on September 17th in the William Pitt Ballroom. Stop by for a free lunch starting at 11:30 AM and visit with contacts from over thirty arts organizations. Win prizes, and chat with great people as you find out all about what is happening in the arts this academic year.

4. Free Visits: All Pitt students with valid Pitt ID’s, part-time, full-time, grad/undergrad, get in free during the academic year and over holiday break to: The Andy Warhol Museum, the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History, the Mattress Factory, the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, and our newest partner, The Senator John Heinz History Center! All students need to do is swipe their ID at the admissions desk. Check out www.warhol.org, www.cmoa.org, www.clpgh.org/cmnh, www.mattress.org or www.pghhistory.org for more information. Free visits are suspended during the summer months.

5. Artful Wednesdays: PITT ARTS and Student Life have been lively partners for a fantastic program that takes place nearly every Wednesday in the fall from noon to 1 PM in Nordy’s Place on the lower level of the William Pitt Union, and includes a free lunch and a free exciting performance. Here are but two of the ten features from Artful Wednesdays this year. Come up to the PITT ARTS office at 929 WPU to pick up the complete brochure.

September 24, Flamencos en El Aire
From Spain via Washington, D.C., these flamencos include dancers, musicians, and the beautiful costumes that bring this fiery Spanish art to life.

October 1, Elie Kihonia & Wacongo Dance Company
This traditional ensemble of master drummers, musicians and dancers from the Democratic Republic of Congo perform the ancestral songs and dances of Central Africa. Enjoy the dance, drumming, and rich tapestry of vocal music from Wacongo!

6. We have MUCH in the way of literature regarding current arts information, including quite literally, hundreds of press releases, and promotional information about current shows in the arts community. Every two months we send pertinent/ applicable information to you through interoffice mail or every so often via email. If you have a student with an arts-related question, and you don’t know the answer, feel free to:

Call us at 4-4498

Go to our website at www.pittarts.pitt.edu, which has tons of information.

7. Free Arts Encounters

PITT ARTS is not a club and students do not join our organization; however, Pitt undergraduate students can sign up to be on our email distribution list by visiting our website at www.pittarts.pitt.edu and signing up to be on our D-List by clicking the “Get Involved” button to register. Students will then receive our weekly e-calendar of events from which they can choose to participate simply by going on-line to register for a program. They will subsequently be notified about their RSVP status and will be given program confirmation details. We will offer 110 free arts programs to undergraduates this year, ranging from symphony to film to ballet, to opera, and so on, all fine arts. Transportation, food and tickets are pre-arranged and are COMPLETELY FREE to the undergraduate student.

8. For Faculty, Staff and Grad Students:

We have a weekly “Hotlist” e-calendar for Pitt graduate students, faculty and staff to let them know about free and inexpensive arts happenings about town. These members of our community also register to receive the weekly Hotlist by clicking on the “Get Involved” button on our website and noting their status at the University.

9. If Pitt Oakland faculty plan to take a group of students to the Carnegie Museums of Art or Natural History, please call the Group Visits office at the museum at 412-622-3289 to arrange your class visit.

10. PITT ARTS does not sell: Pitt Theatre tickets, Pitt Theatre semester passes, Kuntu Repertory Theatre tickets, Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre (PICT) tickets or Music Department tickets of any kind. Students can call 624-PLAY for theater tickets, 4-4125 for Music tickets, and 624-7298 for Kuntu tickets. PICT tickets can be purchased by calling ProArts Tickets at 412-394-3353.

11. The #61, #71, #500 and #501 buses run back and forth from Pitt to the downtown Cultural District. We have a great directions sheet in our office on how to get to and get around in the Cultural District and to the amenities of the North Side.

12. Please encourage students to take advantage of what PITT ARTS has to offer.

If you have any questions about this campus briefing, feel free to call me directly at 4-4462.

With Kind Regards,

Annabelle Clippinger, M.F.A.
Director

PITT ARTS
929 William Pitt Union
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260

Tel: 412-624-4462
Fax: 412-624-1662
Cel: 412-862-9736
www.pittarts.pitt.edu

Scholarship – Pitt Alumni Association Graduate Student Tuition Scholarship

This $5,000 scholarship is a one-time, merit based award open to both continuing grad students and those just entering graduate study in any of the University’s schools or colleges. The student must have received an undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh; have a minimum 3.5 GPA (undergraduate and graduate); and submit a statement of personal and professional goals, three letters of recommendation (one from the department chair or dean), a resume (not to exceed two pages) and transcript of undergraduate work and any graduate courses to date (if applicable). Applications are available in room 140 Thackeray Hall. For more information contact Laraine Hlatky at Laraine.Hlatky@ia.pitt.edu or 412-624-5589.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Use your Pitt e-mail, please

Sometimes, due to the spam blockers on the various servers, Pitt e-mail that is forwarded to gmail, or Comcast, or Verizon or other domains is blocked. So if you forward your Pitt e-mail to another account, be aware of this and check your Pitt in-box (you can do this through Webmail on the my.pitt.edu portal) often.

Extended office hours this week

Adam Shear, your friendly Director of Undergraduate Studies will be available:

Tuesday, August 26, 9:30-11:30 am
Wednesday, August 27, 1-2:50 pm (usual drop-in hours)
Thursday, August 28 11 am-1 pm
Friday, August 29 1:30-3:00 pm

International Week

Mon. thru Sun.., 22 - 28 Sept: International Week at Pitt: Celebrating Cultural Diversity. International Week aims to expand the awareness of and interest in global learning opportunities by celebrating the intercultural diversity of campus life. This annual event also promotes collaboration of various divisions and departments as well as student groups on campus and strengthens Pitt as a center for international education. Experience the diversity, taste new foods, listen to new music, and dance to a new beat. See http://www.ucis.pitt.edu/global/internationalweek for more information. Asia-related events are noted in this calendar. Most events take place in the William Pitt Union.

Jacob Javits Fellowships for Graduate Study

J a c o b J a v i t s F e l l o w s h i p

The information for the Jacob Javits program has been announced. This program provides fellowships to students of superior academic ability—selected on the basis of demonstrated achievement, financial need, and exceptional promise—to undertake study at the doctoral and Master of Fine Arts level in selected fields of arts, humanities, and social sciences. It is for undergraduate students about to enter graduate school and for graduate students who have not completed their first year of study. Awards are made across all divisions and students must be US citizens or nationals, permanent residents, or citizens of any one of the Freely Associated States. Here is the link for the eligibility requirements: http://www.ed.gov/programs/jacobjavits/eligibility.html

Based on the financial need of the awardees – Javits fellows receive a stipend of $30,000 for up to the lesser of 48 months or the completion of their degree. Students also receive a partial tuition amount that is quoted at $12,891. As in the past if Pitt has a student in Arts & Sciences that receives a Javits fellowship, the Dean’s office will pay the difference in tuition for the fellowship recipient. The deadline for the transmittal of applications is October 3, 2008. Here is the link for the application information: http://www.ed.gov/programs/jacobjavits/applicant.html.

Thursday, August 07, 2008

New "Outside the Classroom Curriculum" Press Release

Pitt to Offer Students Opportunity to Develop Professional Skills Through
Extracurricular Experiences in a New Program
Outside the Classroom Curriculum to be implemented this fall

PITTSBURGH-Beginning this fall, the University of Pittsburgh will
introduce the Outside the Classroom Curriculum (OCC), a Universitywide
initiative that includes a structured series of extracurricular programs
and experiences designed to complement students' academic studies. It is
designed to help students develop important personal attributes and
professional skills needed for future success.

The OCC is based on the ideals of the Pitt Pathway that emphasize a
student's journey to academic, personal, and professional success. OCC
will engage participating students in a curriculum that focuses on nine
key areas: leadership development, career preparation, communication
skills, healthy lifestyle, understanding diversity, a sense of self,
community participation, appreciation for the arts, and service to others.
Derived from goals for undergraduate students established by Pitt's Office
of the Provost, OCC was developed by a campuswide committee.

Students who complete the OCC requirements will receive an Outside the
Classroom Curriculum "transcript" that will document their participation
in the events and programs of their choice; they also will receive a green
cord of distinction to wear at commencement. Most importantly, students
will have numerous opportunities to gain and sharpen skills that will make
them more successful as students and Pitt graduates.

According to Pitt Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor James V. Maher, when
employers and admissions officers at graduate and professional schools are
surveyed, they consistently respond that they are seeking graduates who
write and speak well, have excellent computer and mathematical skills,
demonstrate sophisticated quantitative reasoning, think clearly, read
critically, make good decisions, and understand the diversity of our
society in the United States as well as in cultures of the world.

"In short, they are looking for a sophisticated, well-rounded person,"
said Maher. "What excites me about OCC is that our campus collaborated to
develop a structured way for students to accomplish this goal. This
enhanced Pitt Pathway is flexible, yet intentional; it is designed to
encourage and challenge. It provides a platform that allows students to
explore and take risks, yet at the same time be recognized for doing
things they naturally do and like to do. We look forward to positive
results as students embark on their academic journey."

"We want to help students maximize their Pitt experience and gain a
competitive edge in whatever field they choose to pursue," said Kathy
Humphrey, Pitt vice provost and dean of students. "From the moment
students arrive on campus, we want them to be thinking about their
future-what skills and attributes they should be developing both in and
outside the classroom. Mostly, we are eager to help students be
transformed into the men or women they want to become. OCC will complement
Pitt's world-class education by offering a structured way for students to
develop holistically-intellectually, culturally, socially, emotionally,
and professionally."

Incoming freshmen will be introduced to OCC at orientation training
sessions. In addition, resident assistants will conduct training sessions
on each floor of the residence halls to help students determine which
programs and activities are best suited for them. Several of the
orientation programs fulfill OCC requirements, giving freshman a
jumpstart. Second-year students and upperclassmen are being encouraged to
join the program as well.

Pitt's undergraduate schools, who participated in designing OCC, will
provide support through administrators who will encourage students to
chart a course of action to maximize the benefits of the various programs
within their units. In addition, many schools offer programs that will
satisfy the requirements of OCC.

The University will use a software package customized by Pitt's Computing
Services and Systems Development that will be accessible through
my.pitt.edu. The software will enable students to track their progress by
using a checklist for each goal category. Students will have the ability
to register for programs, track their attendance through the use of a
swipe card system, and ultimately generate a transcript.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Advising for the beginning of fall term

Yes, summer is almost over and the fall term is almost here.

Please note: I will be out of the country the week of August 18 at a conference and doing some library research. This means that I will not be available to meet between August 18 and August 22 and my e-mail access may be limited.

IF YOU HAVE NOT REGISTERED FOR THE FALL TERM, GET IN TOUCH WITH ME ASAP to schedule a meeting next week, the week of August 11, if you are in town, or via e-mail, if you are out of town. If you have not registered (and you were not on study abroad last spring), you will have to pay a penalty fee. However, yuou must be registered by Monday August 25 (the first day of classes).

If you need other advising, feel free to e-mail anytime between now and the beginning of the term and I will try to answer your question. But keep in mind that I may not be able to answer you during the period August 16-24.

My regular drop-in office hours in the fall term will be Wednesdays, 1-2:50 pm. However, I will have additional drop-in hours during the first week of the semester as follows:

Monday August 25: 1-3 pm
Tuesday August 26 9:30-11:30 am
Thursday and Friday -- TBA

Enjoy the rest of the summer.

Fall courses

If you are still looking for Fall term Religious Studies courses:

There are seats remaining in Religion in Early America, Wisdom, Modern Israel (check recitations), and Japanese Religious Traditions.
A few seats for Religions of the West that had been held for freshmen will be released this week.

Feel free to e-mail me if you would like to add one of these course--or fill out an add/drop in the Registrar's office. (Advisor's signature is not required for an add-drop.)
 

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