News2008November

=CCT News=

17 November 08
See also previous news, alum news and exchanges, items for the upcoming news, and [|CCT calendar]. Inform cct@umb.edu if you have news OR want to be emailed when there's a new news compilation (no more than once/month) OR want to be removed from such mailings.

Contents: Student matters, CCT community, CCT events, alums, other events, opportunities, resources, food for thought, humor

__**Student Matters**__ Registration is now open for spring courses (WISER term code 1830) as well as for the winter session (WISER, use term code 1820, course CRCRTH 616 Dialogue Processes). See http://www.cct.umb.edu/spring09.html for course offerings. Contact your advisor for advice, if needed.

Applications for Spring '09 entry to the Program are still being accepted. Non-matriculated students can register for any course (except CCT694) by getting a "non-matriculated student registration form" signed by the Program coordinator.

__**CCT Community**__

President-elect Obama and CCT have a [|connection] that goes way back!

CCT faculty members are being recognized in the annual years of service celebration: Larry Blum, 35 years; Carol Smith, 30 years; Peter Taylor, 10 years. Staff who do a lot to assist CCT are also being recognized: Eleanor Leonard (10 years) and Liz McPhee (25 years) in Grad College of Ed; Peggy Roldan (15 years) and Margie Katz (25 years) in Graduate Admissions/registrar; Ann Holt (20 years) in Continuing Ed.; Frances Schlesinger (30 years) in Healey Library -- thanks!

Guest speakers recently attended CCT classes to enlighten students on creative thinking in the work place and community. Comedians Dana Bein and Maria Ciampa visited CRCRTH 612 on Nov. 4. Dana Bein has performed stand-up comedy throughout New England and is director of the stand-up comedy curriculum at Improv Boston where he began performing in the Micetro/UnNatural Selection cast on Thursday nights. Visit http://www.danajaybein.com for more info. Maria Ciampa does stand up, improv and sketch all over New England. Visit http://www.mariaciampa.net for more info.

__**CCT Events**__

UMass-Boston Annual Graduate Studies Showcase When: Wednesday, November 19, 2008. 4:00pm-7:30pm. Where: UMass-Boston, Campus Center main ballroom Have a friend or colleague who might be interested in the CCT program? Stop by the table for CCT and many other graduate programs at UMass-Boston and get the inside track on graduate studies. Visit http://www.umb.edu/gradshowcase/ for more information and to register.

Later on the same evening, join us for CCT Network event:

Re-membering (with) Michael White: Two CCTer's acknowledge Michael's influence in an introduction to narrative work in our lives and communities," led by Laura Rancatore and Peter Taylor. When: Wednesday, November 19, 2008. 6:30pm-9:00pm. Where: UMass-Boston, Campus Center, Room TBA (look for signs). Participate with us as we explore Michael White's work in narrative therapy and community work, a powerful process for to write and realize alternative scripts (or narratives) to the ones that are limiting their lives. Visit http://cct.wikispaces.com/CCTNetwork for more information on other upcoming CCT Network events.

__**Alum and CCT associates Notes**__

CCT alums who would be available to serve as readers of students' synthesis projects (for a small stipend) should email peter.taylor@umb.edu and indicate their areas of interest. You will get listed on http://www.cct.umb.edu/synthadvisors.html

CCT alum, Ivy Frances turned 50 on November 7th!! Unfortunately, we couldn't throw her a party, because she has been working down in Texas since October 1st, helping in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, and is likely to be there a while. She has been working very long hours, six or seven days a week. Needless to say, she is getting a lot done, but is also very exhausted. Her partner, Mary Kay would like to ask CCT'ers to join her in trying to make her birthday feel special this year. Even if you can only jot down "Happy Birthday" on a Post Card, that would be great. Address: Attention: Ms. Ivy Frances, JFO DR 1791 - TX, 6001 Airport Blvd., Suite # D-200, Austin, Texas 78752

**__Events__**

Race, Culture, Identity and Achievement Seminars held in the Boston community this year, for which UMASS Boston is a sponsor, http://www.achievementseminars.com/seminar_series_2008_2009/seminars.htm

__**Opportunities**__

Organizational Approaches to Transformation and Healing, http://www.plymouth.edu/graduate/oath > This is a certificate program at Plymouth State University (NH) that "challenges traditional models and examines the implications of emerging paradigms for organizational health"

Venture Well "provides venture development and seeds investment to start-ups that will change the world", a new program of the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance. Student entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply online at http://www.venturewell.org/ to be considered as part of the 2009 Venture Well cohort. Deadline for applications is December 19, 2008.

Students: Apply for a Professional Development Grant (PDG) from the GSA! The PDG represents the largest program expenditure of the GSA. The GSA allocates funds to reimburse matriculated graduate students who attend or present their research at conferences and professional meetings related to their field of study. A student presenting a paper or poster can be rewarded up to $500 to aid trip expenses. A student not presenting a paper or poster can be rewarded up to $400 to aid trip expenses. Program details, reward breakdown, and program guidelines and application requirements can be downloaded at http://www.gsa.umb.edu/programs.htm. Deadline is December 1, 2008.

Call for Proposals: Annual Conference on Teaching for Transformation, sponsored by the Center for Improvement of Teaching at UMass-Boston. Deadline is Monday, November 17th, 2008. Seeking proposals for leading a conference session of 75 minutes long, related to any area of "sharing strategies and exploring issues that focus on inclusive teaching, learning, and curriculum change in college classrooms. We encourage proposals for sessions that will engage participants in an interactive way." Contact Valerie Jimenez at valerie.jimenez@umb.edu, 617-287-6330, and see http://www.cit.umb.edu for the proposal application and to view the schedule of last year's conference.

**__Resources__**

The most current UMass-Boston [|Community Front Page].

__**Humor**__

[|Evolutionists Flock To Darwin-Shaped Wall Stain] From The Onion, Sept. 5, 2008.

__**Food for Thought**__

One day, when picketing the White House in opposition to the Vietnam war, a journalist asked A.J.Muste: Why do you demonstrate in the rain? Do you think you will change the country this way? No, replied Muste, I do not do this to change the country. I do this so the country does not change me.

Army of Altruists: On the alienated right to do good David Graeber, from Harper's, January 2007 //A thought-provoking alternative to the idea that blue collar votes for republicans work against the voter's own interests.//

Hapless Wizards //The Wizard of Oz is often interpreted as an economic populist allegory, but here it is interpreted in spiritualist terms//

Financial punditry 2007-08: charts to help you make sense of the economic crisis Graphics articles related to U.S. finance and economics in recent years. From the New York Times