Monday, April 30, 2007

Happy Blogday to We

This weekend marked the one year anniversary of the UPS Politics and Government Blog. Just over six hundred posts in that time--now I know where all my time went. Thanks to everyone who contributed, read, and put up with the blog. It's been great getting in touch with former students we taught, alums we didn't know, and students who've been on campus and off.

Keep reading and keep in touch! Let us know how you are, where you are, what you're up to.

Senior PG Majors: We Need Your Exit Survey!

Seniors! Among all the other things you get to do over the next couple of weeks, nothing could possibly be more important than completing the department's exit survey. Your feedback helps us to plan and think about the future and serve future generations of students better. A great weight rests on your shoulders. Please return the survey to Ms. Lim as soon as you have a chance. And free ice cream will be your reward.

Blogging the UN

A piece in today's New York Times on an accredited journalist who blogs the UN on a full-time basis--the only one to date--and the tensions that has generated with the otherwise rather staid institution. The article is here; the site itself is Inner City Press.

Friday, April 27, 2007

Graduation Reception!

pg grad invitation card 07_cover

All seniors who fail to attend will have their degrees summarily withdrawn. Seriously, we hope to see you there--we'll be there to honor you, meet your family, and toast your achievements.

Your Friday Roundup of Opportunities Takes a Nap

As we move into summer our normal roundup of opportunities will go into economy mode, and we'll just be posting particularly timely or otherwise too good to pass up opportunities.

But just to remind you...

There is always more on the university MonsterTrak (get the password from CES; it is available to students and alums) and on Hillzoo (Congress) and Idealist.org (NGOs). And don't forget that there are numerous local internship opportunities with elected officials, city government, and other agencies/non-profits. Ask me (Professor O'Neil) if you want to know more.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Political Mashups

From Wired. Thanks to Randy Thornton, Instructional Technologist at The University of Puget Sound, for passing this along to me. Excerpt:

Tread carefully, politicians -- concerned citizens are watching your every move on the web. Their tools? Custom data mashups that use public databases to draw correlations between every vote cast and every dollar spent in Washington.

Take this report about the widely debated and bitterly fought California SB217, which would have banned clear-cutting in ancient forests.

Generated by the nonpartisan MapLight.org website, the report clearly shows that the logging industry, which opposed the bill, gave nearly twice as much money to politicians as environmental groups did. The bill was defeated.

Sites like Maplight.org, Opensecrets.org and Follow the Money, along with wiki-based political reporting resources like Congresspedia, are increasingly giving ordinary citizens the ability to easily document the flow of special-interest money and how it influences the legislature...

Read the whole thing here.

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Congrats to Cat Fish '08, Matelich Scholar!

Congratulations to Cat Fish '08, who was nominated by our department for the university's Matelich Scholarship. Cat made it through the initial cut to face the dreaded interview with the Faculty Scholarship Committee, and clearly impressed them (though Cat says that she didn't feel quite so sanguine). The award was established by 1978 UPS alum George Matelich in honor of his father, and emphasizes the recipients' potential for future leadership. The award is for $12,000.

Way to go, Cat!

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Blow Glass

So, you've got family or friends coming into town and you want something fun and different to do. Another drive through Point Defiance? A walk on Ruston Way? They've already seen the Museum of Glass...

Why not make your own bit of art? Tacoma Glassblowing Studio is just off of Pacific downtown, a few blocks south of UWT. They have weekend glassblowing events, Saturday or Sunday (or weekdays by appointment). You get to work in a small space with glass artists, blow your own paperweight, be part of the process rather than a spectator. $65. Check it out here.

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Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Facebook: We Are Up and Running

So as I've mentioned before I've set up a PG Facebook group to encompass students and recent alums. It can be found here, and we've got about 40 students and alums on it. Since we have over 170 majors and minors, I'm hoping to ramp that up.

The current strictures on Facebook are such that alums outside of the UPS email address who are P.F.E. (Pre Facebook Era) can join Facebook itself but can't join our PG group. So for most alums, my apologies--I hope that Facebook will create more flexible mechanisms for people to opt in to groups in future, or I may reconstitute the PG group on a "global" setting if there is in fact much interest in it. For now, if you are on Facebook but outside our network, please link to me directly. My personal Facebook profile is here.

To that end, I had an interesting time asking students in one of my PG102 Introduction to Comparative Politics sections about the social differences between Facebook and MySpace; they made really thoughtful observations about age and even class differences that can cut across these groups. Facebook reminds me of a more freewheeling LinkedIn, and I remain convinced that these kinds of online social networks will just get more powerful in future. My hope is that Facebook, like LinkedIn, will help generate webs of connections between our students and alums that can be tapped for support during and after college.

Thoughts, suggestions, let me know.

Them Boys is at it Again

From Professor Share--

Dear Friends of the DownTown Mountain Boys:

Spring has sprung and our new recording, Big Darlin' is in the final stages of production. It features original compositions by Paul Elliott, Dave Keenan, and Terry Enyeart. We'll have the new CD at our next two concerts, so please mark your calendars:

Friday, May 18, 2007. Late Night at the Market Concert Series, Crossroads Shopping Center, Bellevue, WA. This is a great, free, kid-friendly venue to see the band. See http://www.crossroadsbellevue.com/musicandevents/music.htm for more details and directions.

Sunday, May 20, 2007, 7:30 p.m.. We'll play a concert with our good friends in Lost in the Fog at the Columbia City Marquee Theatre, 4916 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle, Washington. This should be a wonderful venue with excellent acoustics. More details will soon appear on our website

Meanwhile, check out www.downtownmountainboys.com for information about the band, including some sound clips from the new recording project, and some new contributions to the photo gallery. You can also find a link there for those of you who want nothing more than to own a genuine DownTown Mountain Boys t-shirt (who wouldn't want one?).

The Boys,

Paul Elliott
Terry Enyeart
Dave Keenan
Tom Moran
Don Share

Reminder: Seema Sueko '94 Performance on Campus

A reminder that tomorrow Seema Sueko '94 will be on campus, with performances of her work "remains" at 4 pm in Trimble Forum. There's also a "meet the author" on Thursday at 9:30 a.m., Jones Hall Room 203. If you want to know more about her transition from PG major to political graduate students and from there to the theater, you can find out more in our earlier blog post here.


Monday, April 23, 2007

German State Parliament Fellowship

How's your German?

FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY IN GERMAN STATE PARLIAMENTS
PLEASE PASS ON IMMEDIATELY TO PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
DEADLINE: May 11, 2007
CDS International, Inc. (CDS) is currently accepting applications for the Émigré Memorial German Internship Program - German State Parliaments (EMGIP).
EMGIP provides American and Canadian students the opportunity to intern at the Landtage - German State Parliaments. This is a great opportunity for individuals hoping to pursue careers at a regional level of government in the US or Canada, or who are interested in specific policy issues such as the environment, education and/or healthcare. Participants on the program gain practical work experience with a state parliament, utilize their German skills and experience German culture firsthand.

Participants complete an one- to three-months internship at a Landtag and receive a stipend of up to Euro 500/month ($650/month) to cover their living expenses during the program. For detailed information and applications, please visit <http://www.cdsintl.org/fromusa/sipsp.htm> http://www.cdsintl.org/fromusa/emgip.htm.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
- American or Canadian citizenship
- undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled at American or Canadian colleges and universities may apply
- maximum age is 30
- high-intermediate German skills (oral and written) are required
- at least 2 years of study in a field related to International Relations, Public Administration, Political Science, Law, Economics, European Studies with an emphasis on Germany, German or German Studies, if applicants have a minor in one of the above fields
FEES
- There is no application fee to this program. Candidates who are accepted will be required to pay a $300 administration fee.
We appreciate your support and thank you for passing this on to prospective students!
Best regards,
Katerina Holubova Sonja Du Bey
Program Officer Assistant Program Officer
Tel.: (212) 497-3515 Tel.: (212) 497-3523
E-mail: kholubova@cdsintl.org E-mail: sdubey@cdsintl.org

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Ron Davison '85 Comes to Campus

RonDavison85
In previous posts we've spoken of Ron Davison '85, who has largely been in DC since graduating from UPS. Last week Ron was in the area for business and took the time both to have dinner with me and to come onto campus to meet with a few of our students about life and work in the Beltway. Ron's done really interesting things in the area of disaster recovery, most recently at BeckDR, and he was able to share his experiences and thoughts about life after graduation. One observation he did make that struck me was the way in which disaster (and general risk) management work in future will likely take more direct consideration of environmental issues--in other words, helping to mitigate damage before it gets done. As global warming becomes a more prominent issue, I suspect that environmental, disaster, and even national security risk management will overlap to an ever greater extent. Thanks to Ron for taking the time to share, and inspire, our students.

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Whip It UK Style

From Professor Share in London:

As part of the British Politics class I’m teaching at our London program I recently took my students to see a new political comedy, Whipping it Up! The play is a biting comedy about the role of parliamentary whips, the top party leaders in the UK who are responsible for making sure that members of parliament vote according to the wishes of the party leadership. Whips play a far more crucial role in the UK than in the US because party discipline is more important in a parliamentary legislative-executive system. The chief government whip is a top cabinet minister and is in constant contact with the head of government. One of the crucial jobs of the whip is to make sure that their party members show up for key votes. When a party member is ill or unavailable, the whip seeks a “pair” with another party whip, essentially making sure that an absence from one party is cancelled out by an absence from an opposing party.

Whipping it Up! is set in the near future under a Conservative Party government with a slim 3-seat majority, led by a young, charismatic, but lightweight leader (read David Cameron) who faces constant rebellion from within Tory ranks. An absurd attempt to levy a tax on tents (used by gypsy caravans and circuses, but also boy scouts) sets off a backbencher revolt while the prime minister is in the United States playing golf with the president. The hysterical play examines the various tactics employed by the whips (from both the governing Tories and the Labour Opposition) to win the vote. The pro-Tory Daily Telegraph called the play the “brightest comedy of the year,” though its reviewer lameted:

There's mixed news for the Tories in Steve Thompson's superbly entertaining new play at the Bush. On the plus side, he is the first dramatist I can recall who has dared to depict the Conservatives back in power. On the downside they have a majority of only three under their energetic young leader, and are portrayed, as is traditional in British theatre, as a bunch of shamelessly devious bastards. Couldn't Thompson have had a good pop at the bad faith, posturing and stupidity of Blair, Brown, Prescott and Blunkett before New Labour bites the dust? The poor old Tories, after all, are still a long way from Number 10.

The pro-Labour Guardian was also impressed, calling it:

the funniest political satire since Alistair Beaton's Feelgood, which attacked New Labour spin doctors. Like that play, it not only lifts the lid on the process but exposes the fact that politics today is as much about short-term, tactical gains as it is about long-range vision.

Yesterday I took my class to watch a parliamentary debate about the failure of numerous private pension schemes. The government bill to remedy the situation was brutally attacked by the Tories, the Liberal Democrats, and quite a few Labour backbenchers, and together they proposed an alternative bill. The government was clearly on the defensive, and we watched the Labour parliamentary whips wheel and deal to amend the original legislation so that the government would not be defeated on the motion. In the end the government survived, but 15 rebel Labourites voted against the government.

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Friday, April 20, 2007

Your Friday Roundup of Opportunities

Always more on the university MonsterTrak (get the password from CES; it is available to students and alums) and in DC on Hillzoo. And don't forget that there are numerous local internship opportunities with elected officials, city government, and other agencies/non-profits. Ask me (Professor O'Neil) if you want to know more.

1. Wilson Center Internships, DC
A whole lot of internships:
Africa Program
2007 Africa Program Internships
Brazil InstituteSpring 2007 Internship Announcement
China Environment Forum Internship Opportunities Available with the China Environment Forum (CEF)
Cold War International History Project
2007 Internships
Development Office Development Office Internship
Environmental Change and Security Program
Internship Opportunities Available with ECSP


2. Internship, Foster Care to College Mentor Program, Pierce County Alliance
Outreach Case Aide for the Foster Care to College Mentor Program. Outreach case aides will talk with community members about becoming mentors for young adults ages 16 to 20 are in foster care. This will include going to community businesses, community events and schools in order to educate people about educational outcomes for foster youth and recruit for mentors. Innovative recruiting strategies will be a priority.

Qualifications: Energetic, motivated, committed college students who are able to communicate well with others. Must have an outgoing personality and willingness to work with young adults of all races, genders, socioeconomic status, and sexuality.

Requirements: Must be able to pass background check; Must have lived in Washington for three years or more. Must have a car with insurance. Must work 8 hrs/wk minimum.

Benefits: Learn what it is like to work in one area of the social services field. Various training will be provided (CPR, SECURE, HIV/AIDS education, etc.) Build skills in working with people. Earn a resume builder. Find out if this is the kind of work for you or just help your community.
Contact: Debra Jackman
Contact Phone: (253) 502-5435
Contact E-Mail: jackmadl@p-c-a.org
Offered: Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer


3. Carnegie Council Ethics & International Affairs Intern New York, New York
Description:
Ethics & International Affairs seeks a full-time summer intern. The goal of the journal is to bridge the gap betwe! en theory and practice by integrating rigorous thinking about principl es of justice and morality into discussions of the practical policy dilemmas that frequently arise in global politics. The journal publishes articles in three broad theme areas: ethics, war, and peace, global social justice, and religion in politics. The selected candidate's tasks will include:

* Managing peer-review process
* Assisting with administrative duties (e.g., ordering and tracking books for review; corresponding with authors regarding biographical notes and abstracts; drafting and mailing postproduction correspondence with journal contributors, publishers of reviewed books, and advertisers; identifying and tracking potential peer reviewers)
* Researching information on topics relevant to manuscripts for publication in the journal or program materials
* Depending on skill level, suggesting revisions of manuscripts for publication
* Proofreading revised manuscripts (journal articles, prog! ram reports and event summaries, Web site contents)

Requirements:
Candidates must be graduate students in International Affairs, Political Science, Philosophy, International Law or related areas; have a solid understanding of normative and empirical issues in international relations, global policy, and economics; excellent writing skills; attention to detail; strong Web and electronic database research skills; and excellent familiarity with Microsoft Word. Candidates are strongly encouraged to gain general familiarity with the substance of the journal and the program.

The intern is an integral part of the editorial team and receives a place on the journal's masthead. Please send us a resume and a short cover letter to Marina Oyuela (moyuela@cceia.org) explaining your motivation and qualifications for the internship.

Terms and Conditions:
This is an unpaid internship. School credit can be arranged and! a transportation stipend of $15 a day will be provided. We require a minimum commitment of 25 hours a week during the summer period.
To apply online, please visit the following site: http://www.cceia.org/about/jobs/position_data/0005

4. Paid Internship, Pacific Lifestyle Homes Public Affairs Department
Pacific Lifestyle Homes, a Vancouver WA based homebuilder, seeks a 20-30 hour intern beginning in May, ending in August. Pacific Lifestyle Homes is a top 10 homebuilder in Oregon and Washington, working in more than 18 local jurisdictions. Pacific Lifestyle Homes Public Affairs Department offers the unique opportunity to work actively on land use, population density, transportation and infrastructure policy issues on a local and regional level.

Position Description:
The ideal candidate for this position has an interest in public policy and its affect on housing markets in the Portland/Vancouver/Salem Metropolitan area. The position will include some clerical work, evenings and a willingness to take responsibility for critical, short term projects assigned by the Public Affairs Director.

Likely Responsibilities Include:
• Attending public meetings and reporting on relevant land use and development issues before public entities throughout the Portland/Vancouver Metropolitan Area.
• Developing and maintaining a comprehensive database of jurisdictional contacts throughout the Portland/Vancouver Metropolitan Area.
• Developing and maintaining a land use and development policy issue based filing system for Public Affairs/Public Relations.
• Developing in conjunction with the Public Affairs Director a set of model ordinances relating to model homes, clubhouses, pools and signs for jurisdictional adoption.
• Researching and providing recommendations for improving current sign codes throughout the Portland/Vancouver Metropolitan Area.
• Providing support for a variety of public relations related functions, including site tours for elected officials.
• Providing support for coordination of schedules and meetings with local officials.
• Providing additional research support for the investigation of lands with acquisition potential; provide support on pre-feasibility research regarding lands with acquisition potential.
• Research the development of a database of land use decisions in local jurisdictions throughout the Portland Metropolitan Area as a reference guide for Acquisition, Development and Legal.

Position Requirements:
• Reliable transportation and a willingness to travel in and around the Portland/Vancouver/Salem Metropolitan area.
• Demonstrated proficiency with standard computer functions and programs including MS Word, MS Excel, MS Outlook and MS Access.
• Strong communications skills, verbal and written, that allow clear, concise communication of often complex issues to variety of audiences including h fellow employees, local governments and elected officials.
• General understanding of land use planning and local government operations.
• Ability to manage critical, time sensitive assignments.

Monthly Stipend Available
Please Contact:
Joe Keizur
Public Affairs Director
Pacific Lifestyle Homes
360-448-8550
joek@pacificlifestylehomes.com


5. STAFF ASSISTANT OPENING, D.C.
Congresswoman Hilda Solis seeks a Staff Assistant. Responsibilities include answering phones, greeting visitors, sorting mail and faxes, Capitol tours, hiring and supervising interns, drafting constituent correspondence and assisting staff with various projects. Qualified applicants will have strong writing skills, be extremely organized, detail oriented, and able to perform many tasks simultaneously. California ties and fluency in Spanish are strongly preferred, but not required. Interested applicants should email a resume and cover letter to don.lyster@mail.house.gov.


6. Paid Internship, Innovation Network, DC
We provide program planning and evaluation consulting, training, and Web-based tools to nonprofits and funders across geographic and programmatic boundaries. We want to make evaluation accessible to all nonprofits, so they have the knowledge and skills to:
* Manage their internal matters, programs, and services effectively;
* Gain a stronger understanding of what is happening in their programs, and how those programs are affecting people and communities; and
* Collectively raise a strong voice in funding and policy decisions.
To find out more, go to http://www.innonet.org/?section_id=2&content_id=15


7. AFSC Interns New York, New York
Summary: Join us as we work together, to share with you our principles and the strategies and programs we use to advance social change. Together we can make a difference in the welfare of o! thers and move us all closer to a day of peace and economic and social justice for all!

Our director has a number of diverse and exciting ideas for short term projects. In our Immigrant Rights Program you could assist an immigrant worker to be understood and to understand court proceedings or work with immigrant communities on leadership development skills and surveying on attitudes toward immigration policy. Working with the Criminal Justice Program with clients whose lives have been impacted by the "criminal justice system" would be eye-opening, enraging, depressing and rewarding. You might help them write a resume and find a job or read their letters from "the inside" and work with staff to find a helpful way to respond to them. You could study the status of incarcerated children and youth. With the Conflict Resolution Program, you can be a part of helping people rebuild community ties, or you might work on addressing the root causes of community violence. Other Options to Military Recruitment will engage you in working with those who work with young people to help them examine the realities of military service. Advocating for alternatives may stretch your creativity and put you in touch with activist groups, the media and elected officials.

Compensation: These internship opportunties are not paid Staff positions, however there is financial compensation offered to all Interns participating in the program in the New York, NY and Newark, NJ offices. AFSC offers this stipend as a way of providing Interns who need to earn something over the summer with an opportunity to experience an AFSC Internship with us.

Contact: Anne Wright, Internship Coordinator, 15 Rutherford Place, New York, NY 10003. Telephone: 212-598-0950. Email: NYMRORecruit@afsc.org.

For more information on any of these internship opportunities please visit the following site: http://www.afsc.org/volunteering/intern278.htm

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Thursday, April 19, 2007

Face(book) The Music

As I mentioned earlier, I'm experimenting with a Politics and Government/Political Science Association Facebook group as an alternative way of sending out information to our majors/minors and linking them to one another. So students and alums with Facebook pages, please look up the group and join (you may have to "make me your friend" first).

Upcoming talk: Hamas and Al Qaeda

hamas alqaeda

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Social Networking Alternatives

A few days back I wrote about LinkedIn, and suggested to students (especially those getting ready to graduate) that this was a resource they should consider using. This morning on my way to work there was an interview on the radio with someone taking a critical view of MySpace, and speaking to the general power of social networks. I noticed today that the IPE program has set up a Facebook page. Given the difficulty (I find) of getting students to read email, I wonder if that is a smarter way to feed information to students--and I'd be very interested in getting feedback from students on that. Email me or comment below, and I will tinker with a Facebook page.

Some time back I proposed to the university that in fact UPS needs its own social network software that would link prospectives, students and alums. We'll see what comes of that.

Congrats Jon Roberts, Cain Scholarship Recipient

Congrats to PG major Jon Roberts who has been award the Harry Cain Scholarship administered by the School of Business and Leadership. The Cain Scholarship "was established to support students who plan to enter the field of public administration or public service. Applicants should have a deep commitment to service to the community and proficiency in public speaking."

As important, we want to thank alum Mark Smith '61, who not only was central in creating this scholarship, but also making certain that it was made open to all students, irrespective of major. Mark was himself a family friend of former Tacoma mayor and US Senator Harry Cain, and while an undergraduate wrote a impressive thesis on Cain's political career (I've got a copy if anyone would like to borrow it).

As is so often the case, we are indebted to our alums for both creating opportunities and directing our students to them.

Students, what are you doing this summer?

Students, here is one of my periodic naggings to remind you that summer can be a great time to do an internship, attend a summer workshop or otherwise round out your education and get out of the campus bubble. It may be late for many opportunities, but here are a couple of general resources:

Summer programs:
http://del.icio.us/upspolitics/summerprograms
A collection of over 30 summer opportunities across the country and world. Most deadlines have passed, but note the ones you might like to do next summer.

Internships:
http://del.icio.us/upspolitics/internships
We can also help place you in politics and government-related internships in town or around Seattle if you are interested and want to combine interning with part time work or school in the area. If you are heading home, most likely there are internships there as well, still waiting to be filled--or created. City government (offices of economic development, city council) and local offices of congressional representatives are good places to start. Remember, just because they don't have an internship listed doesn't mean they won't be happy to accept someone who is looking to gain experience.

As always, the best opportunities go to those who plan ahead--so start thinking about summer '08.

Laurel Bandy '07, Mountbatten Finalist

Congrats to Laurel Bandy '07 who has been selected as a Mountbatten finalist. She'll head to San Francisco during Finals Week for an interview and if accepted, is off to London after graduation. The Mountbatten Programme "offers a carefully designed 12 month training program that provides an opportunity to learn about British and International business techniques, and to experience the rich cultural diversity of London. Successful completion of the Programme leads to the Certificate in International Business Practice".

Who is eligible? You need to have your bachelor's degree in hand by the time you start the program, so it is a perfect opportunity for graduating seniors and young graduates who are looking for career opportunities. Interestingly, though it is a 12 month program, there are both fall and spring application periods.

PG alum Ashley Vroman-Lee '01 was a Mountbatten Intern after graduation, and spoke to Laurel about the program in advance of her application, providing advice on how to apply as well as recommending her to the program coordinators.

Good luck on your interview, Laurel, and thank you, Ashley, for providing your insight on this program and helping our students expand their opportunities.

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Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Student Conference: Bridging the Partisan Divide

Student conference in DC, and almost all expenses paid:

Each year the Arsalyn Program sponsors a national conference designed to serve as a respectful, neutral forum where diverse individuals promoting youth civic and political engagement can meet as collegues. In addition to opportunities for networking, Arsalyn’s national conferences enable participants to look at ways to get involved in the democratic process and develop a sense of common purpose in working toward their goals.

Arsalyn's national conferences are open to individuals and organizations that identify with Arsalyn's mission and are working to promote youth civic and political engagement. Arsalyn provides funding for participants’ travel, lodging, food, and conference materials. To optimize interaction between participants attendance is usually limited to 120 people.

This year’s national conference will take place in Washington DC the 9th through 12th of August and will be entitled “Bridging the Partisan Divide: Rediscovering Deliberation.” The goal is to bring young people together so they can discuss how people with differing opinions can deliberate to solve common problems through the political process.

Find out more here.

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Crack Worthy Email

I'm still on my quest to provide better information to those of you out there reading your email on mobile devices like cell phones or Crackberries. To hear tell, while the link-only weekly email might be good for us regular PC users, having links--and only links--aren't the best way to get info from the department on a mobile.

Here's an alternative. From Feedburner, you can subscribe to get a daily email with the text of that day's blog postings from the department. Sadly, it can't be configured to a weekly aggregration, so the trade-off is that you get an email a day, which may be too much for your taste.

If you are interested, subscribe by clicking on the link Daily Email Update (text) here or over on the right column.

If you give it a try, do let me know what you think.

UPDATE: I've been using it as a test, and so far the emails seem pretty clean, at least on my PC. Again, I'll be interested in hearing from anyone who gets them sent to their mobile gadget.

New Organizing Institute: Summer Boot Camp

From NOI:

Graduating this spring? Want to work in progressive politics?

The NOI's Summer Campaign Boot Camp might be for you. At NOI's Summer Campaign Boot Camp, you'll spend one intensive week learning the fundamentals of traditional political campaigning... plus how to leverage technology to maximize a campaign's fundraising and organizing potential.

During the day, you'll learn from Dean, Kerry, Clark, Lamont, and MoveOn alums; leaders from current presidential campaigns; experts in voter files, microtargeting, paid advertising, and earned media; top bloggers and respected authors; and experienced professionals working in this field. In the evening, you'll work in teams to put the lessons of the day to work on a mock campaign.

Don't miss this opportunity to receive ALL EXPENSES PAID training in the nation's capital, from top experts in the field.

Apply here; deadline is April 30.

And this is pretty cool--they have their own job list.

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Pelosi in Town

Late last week Nancy Pelosi was in Seattle, and thanks to the good offices of Congressman Norm Dicks (and intern Ryan Dumm '07) several of our majors were able to go up and attend the event. A professional photographer took some nice "meet and greet" shots; here are a few (you may have to register to see them:

with Katie Rose '05; with Econ major Ana O'Neil, and our majors Sarah Glancy '08 and Cat Fish '08; and with Brie Coyle '09 and Ali Edwards '09.

Thanks to everyone who made this opportunity possible.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Torey Holderith '09: Summer Intership, Merchant Marine Academy

As we draw closer to summer student plans are firming up. Congrats to Torey Holderith '09 who has been invited to intern at the US Merchant Marine Academy in New York. Among other tasks, he'll be helping coordinate John McCain's address to the 2007 graduating class.

Just as important is to recognize that this internship was made possible through the help of Kevin Billings '77. We appreciate all the advice, opportunities, and connections that he and so many of our alums have provided in the short time since we've been up and blogging.

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Professor Share on Muslim Council of Britain

Professor Share writes from London:

My British Politics class was fortunate to have a recent visit from Dr. Daud Abdullah, the Deputy Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain (the chief umbrella group representing British Muslims.

Abdullah


Dr. Abdullah provided a brief overview of Muslims in the UK, noting that there about two million Muslims in the UK (about 3% of the total UK population), concentrated largely in London (where 1 out of every 7 residents is Muslim). The 2001 census was the first to identify respondents as Muslim, allowing Abdullah to paint a picture of British Muslims as the UK’s most marginalized group that face endemic poverty, high unemployment, low life expectancy, job and housing discrimination, and political marginalization (only 5 members of the lower house are Muslims).

Much of Dr.Abdullah’s talk described the growing hostility against British Muslims, a trend that he contends started before 9/11, but that has certainly exploded since then. He argued that measures aimed at isolating Islamic fundamentalists have been implemented in ways that alienate the bulk of British Muslims, and that are therefore counterproductive. Indeed, a headline in today’s Times of London noted that the UK’s intelligence agency, MI5, has launched a program to track Islamic fundamentalists modeled on the system in place to track sex offenders. Abdullah noted that of the over 12,000 arrests of British Muslims since 2001, only 43 convictions have resulted, the vast majority of which are unrelated to terrorism. Dr. Adbdullah blamed the UK media for fanning the flames of anti-Muslim hysteria.

There has been much controversy in the UK about the right of women to wear the niqab, a face veil favored by a tiny minority of UK Muslims (though no French-style controversy over the headscarf). In October 2006 Jack Straw, Labour leader in the Commons, stated that, ”the increasing trend towards covering facial features was "bound to make better, positive relations between the two communities more difficult,” referring specifically to doctor-patient relationships and other interactions in the public sphere. In February 2007 the UK’s highest court upheld the right of schools to ban the wearing of the niqab in UK schools, on the grounds that the niqab prevents teachers from viewing facial expressions of students. While admitting that the niqab is a source of division within the UK Muslim community, Dr. Abdullah argued that the British Muslim Council favors a policy of tolerance, unless public safety is clearing compromised. He views the debates over clothing as a smokescreen for a larger societal attack on the British Muslim community.

When asked about the major political parties, Dr. Abdullah noted that while British Muslims traditionally vote Labour, many view Labour as having taken their votes for granted. And while the Liberal Democratic Party has opposed the Iraq war and has consistently supported civil liberties in the face of domestic security legislation, Abdullah thought that Muslims would not likely vote for the LDP until it appeared that the Liberal Democrats had a realistic chance to take power.

In preparation for Dr. Abdullah’s visited I assigned (among other materials) a provocative article from the National Review (here). You can read an article by Dr. Abdullah in the Guardian (link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1924197,00.html

Professor Share provides a second relevant article here.

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Friday, April 13, 2007

Your Friday Roundup of Opportunities

Always more on the university MonsterTrak (get the password from CES; it is available to students and alums). And don't forget that there are numerous local internship opportunities with elected officials, city government, and other agencies/non-profits. Ask me (Professor O'Neil) if you want to know more.

1. IFES Freelance Editor, Flexible Location
IFES (www.ifes.org) is an international, nonprofit organization that supports the building of democratic societies. IFES provides targeted technical assistance to strengthen transitional democracies. Founded in 1987 as a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, IFES has developed and implemented comprehensive, collaborative democracy solutions in more than 100 countries.

Consultancy Description: Support IFES' Communications department through freelance editing. The successful applicant will edit (proofread, copyedit, or substantively edit) internal and external IFES publications, including project reports, proposals and possibly marketing materials. The position is part-time with no set hours and all work will be done offsite.

To find out more about the kinds of documents you might edit, you can search our publications database located here: www.ifes.org/pubsearch_results.html. We are looking for an editor for the kinds of documents listed under "Surveys" and "Reports."

Qualifications:
· BA from an accredited college or university
· Excellent writing/editing/organizational skills
· Strong grammar and copyediting skills (ability to edit for clarity, accuracy and limited space)
· Experience editing the work of non-native speakers of English
· A commitment to meet mutually agreed upon deadlines
· Knowledge of international development a plus
· Knowledge of AP style a plus
· Experience using MS Word (including its "track changes" function) a plus

How to Apply/Express Interest:
IFES maintains a consultant database of development experts with the technical skills and expertise to implement our programs. If you are interested in this consultancy please visit www.ifes.org/consulting.html and create a consultant profile. When creating your profile you will be asked to upload a resume (in a single .doc, .rtf or .pdf file) please include a cover letter and two versions of a text you edited (before/after) with your resume file.

2. Mercy Corps- Summer Intern- Washington, D.C. (Mercy Corps also offers internships in Portland--Prof. O'Neil)
Mercy Corps is seeking a well qualified, committed intern to support the advocacy and policy work of our Public Affairs team in Washington DC during the summer. Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities. The agency works amid disasters, conflicts, chronic povert! y and instability to unleash the potential of people who can win against nearly impossible odds.

Since 1979, Mercy Corps has provided $1 billion in assistance to people in 94 nations. Supported by headquarters offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, the agency's unified global programs employ 3,200 staff worldwide and reach nearly 13.5 million people in more than 40 countries. For more information about Mercy Corps, please visit our website at www.mercycorps.org. Through our Washington DC public affairs team, we seek to influence U.S. government policy through public and private advocacy and policy work on regions like Africa and the Middle East and issues, such as foreign aid and strategic approaches to conflict and post-conflict environments. Our policy and advocacy activities focus on the U.S. Congress, U.S. government agencies - including the State Department and USAID - and the UN and our supporters around the country.

Qualifications: We are looking for a graduate school student in an accredited educational program , with a strong interest in and knowledge of international humanitarian and development issues. Strong research and writing skills are a must. A good understanding of Washington politics and policymaking is also important.

Terms: This position is unpaid. Minimum of 16 hours per weeks in the Mercy Corps office. Additional hours are welcome.

Responsibilities: Undertake long and short-term research projects. Attend meetings and briefings - including on Capitol Hill - and prepare written summaries for Mercy Corps staff. Track legislative developments relevant to priority Mercy Corps countries and issues. Assist the Public Affairs team with web advocacy strategy and initiatives.
Deadline for Applications: April 13th.
Contact: Nathaniel Hurd, Public Affairs Associate
E-mail: nhurd@dc.mercycorps.org.


3. ISHR Intern, New York
Job Title: United Nations Monitor for Women's Rights Treaty-body Meeting
International Service for Human Rights (NY Office)

Description: The New York Office of the International Service for Human Rights' (ISHR) seeks an intern to monitor and report on the 38th session of the Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) at United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York to be held from 14 May to 1 June 2007. The internship offers a unique opportunity to view the UN human rights system at work in New York.

The CEDAW was adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, and is often described as an international bill of rights for women. Consisting of a preamble and 30 articles, it defines what constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination. A country becomes a State party by ratifying or acceding to the Convention and thereby accepting a legal obligation to counteract discrimination against women. The Committee monitors the implementation of national measures to fulfill this obligation. For further information, please see: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/38sess.htm
For previous ISHR report on CEDAW see: http://www.ishr.ch.

Duties:
The interns' main responsibilities are to:
. Monitor the meetings of CEDAW, which take place from 10am-1pm and 3pm-6pm.
. Prepare an analytical narrative report on the session for our web and print-based journal, the Human Rights Monitor. The report is due two weeks after the close of the UN session.
. Liaise with Committee members, non- governmental organizations NGOs, and intergovernmental organizations for relevant information.
. Carry out other duties as required, including assistance with preparation and promotion of ISHR- sponsored side events.
Qualifications:
Exceptional writing and editing skills in English.
Knowledge of CEDAW and women's rights.
Ability to work in a team, organized with excellent attention to detail.
Education: BA or equivalent in Law, International Affairs or other relevant field. (Preferred JD, LLM or Masters in relevant field)

Salary: Unpaid
Closing Date: 4/18/2007
Contact Information: Applicants should send a resume and a cover letter to kobi.leins@ishrny.org or fax to 212-490-1396 by April 18 2007. ***IN THE SUBJECT LINE PLEASE WRITE: CEDAW INTERNSHIP 38th SESSION*** Unfortunately our organization is not in a position to offer financial assistance to interns. Also due to the large number of applications received, the Office will only be able to respond to shortlisted applicants. Email: kobi.leins@ishrny.org
URL for more information: http://www.ishr.ch

4. MPAC 2007 SUMMER INTERN Los Angeles/Washington D.C.

Are you, or someone you know, interested in working for the Muslim American community, bridging the gap between Muslims Americans and decision makers, understanding how policy gets shaped, and gaining experience in the non-profit sector? The Muslim Public Affairs Council is now accepting applications for its Summer 2007 Internship Program in Washington, DC and Los Angeles, CA.

THE MPAC INTERNSHIP -- Education. Experience. Service.
MPAC interns gain hands-on education, experience and skills in media, community, and government relations. You won't just be filing, you'll get to use your creativity and initiative to enhance or even create effective projects that help fulfill our mission. We are looking for team players who are self-motivated and enjoy working hard.

On any given day, MPAC Interns keep up-to-date with local and national politics and media, write reports and analyses, have an opportunity to interact with government officials, attend press conferences and organize events. The MPAC-DC office is located across the street from the Supreme Court, Capitol Building, and all of the Senate Office Buildings, allowing interns to experience the political atmosphere of Washington firsthand. MPAC-LA is located in the center of one of the nation's media capitols, and regularly engages with media and government professionals as well as interfaith dialogue, hate crime prevention, and community outreach.

HOW TO APPLY FOR AN INTERNSHIP (Deadline: April 30, 2007)
Applications for the Internship Program are now available by visiting www.mpac.org. The Summer Internship is an 9-week program, which runs from June 18 to August 17. There are limited internships available, so act now! For more information, please contact Communications Coo rdinator Zabie Mansoory at zabie@mpac.org.
[CONTACT: Edina Lekovic, 213-383-3443, communications@mpac.org]

5. Internship, Rep. Denny Rehberg, DC
Republican Representative Denny Rehberg of Montana seeks summer interns in his Washington D.C. office. This is an exciting and challenging experience designed to give individuals first-hand Capitol Hill experience. Candidates should possess excellent written and oral communication skills, have the ability to work in a fast-paced environment, and be detail-oriented. Intern responsibilities include constituent correspondence projects, giving U.S. Capitol tours, aiding legislative staff in conducting research, answering phones, and other administrative duties. This is an upaid internship, but there is opportunity for college credit. Preferrable candidates will be entering their Junior or Senior year of college. Exact dates and times of internship are negotiable. Please send resume to Molly Sweeney at molly.sweeney@mail.house.gov and add “summer internship” in the subject line.

6. Summer Internship, Congress, DC

New York City Democrat seeking responsible, goal oriented individuals for SUMMER internships in Washington, DC. This position will provide individuals the chance to work in a fast-paced Congressional office and receive hands-on political experience. Daily tasks will include: responding to constituent correspondence, working closely with other Capitol Hill offices, and aiding press, legislative and administrative staff. This position is both exciting and rewarding. Interns will gain knowledge of the inner workings of the legislative process. If interested, please email a cover letter and resume to InternJob@Hotmail.com.

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Thursday, April 12, 2007

Crack that Feed

I received an email today asking if there were a way to get the UPS blog on a mobile device, like a Blackberry (also commonly called a "crackberry" for its addictive properties). I'm not all that hip to things like RSS feeds and the like, but I did find that you can use Google Reader on your mobile (or your PC) to get each and every morsel of our blog as they come out of our Politics and Government test kitchen:

https://www.google.com/reader

And on using this on a mobile device:

http://googlereader.blogspot.com/2007/04/go-go-reader-gadget.html

Would someone out there with web access on a mobile device let me know how this works?

College, Unmasked!

A piece in today's New York Times about how students and parents are using more online resources to learn more about colleges they are considering. I hadn't visited Collegeconfidential.com before. No anonymous reviews of UPS, as with other schools--don't know if that's bad or good. However, I did find some interesting threads from parents discussing whether their child should come here, the relative costs and benefits of private versus public school, even a comparison of their kids' SATs and GPAs and financial aid offers. Lurk worthy if you've got a minute and are interested in getting a different perspective on getting in and choosing a school. Another interesting piece from Michelle Slatalla who we've blogged about before (and who commented back on our comments).

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TAM with a Taiwanese Take


If you've not been to the Tacoma Art Museum, here's a short video on YouTube, complete with an introduction in Chinese (Mandarin, I'm guessing).

Link Me

Professor Weinberger has been recently exploring the world of LinkedIn, which is a great social network for professional opportunities in particular. Both he and I have set up profiles; mine is here; Professor Weinberger's is here. Alums, if you're out there, let's link; students, you should think about joining up as well. Let's build those online communities.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

World Affairs Summit

Tacoma will host its first World Affairs Summit April 19-21. Lots of things going on, various speakers (including UPS and UWT faculty), films, music and other events on a wide array of topics. And it's all free. Find out more here.

Unclutter

Tired of all the flotsam and jetsam that has built up around you? If you're looking for ways to pare down and tidy up, here's just the blog for you: www.unclutterer.com. All kinds of interesting posts here; practical ways to make things tidy and get rid of what you don't need, discussions of the psychology of clutter, how to keep more stuff from entering into your life.

Hat tip to Jayne (my wife) for pointing this site out to me.

MA in Conflict and Dispute Resolution at UO

FYI:

I'm the director of the Masters degree program in Conflict and Dispute Resolution at the University of Oregon. I will be visiting the University of Puget Sound briefly next Tuesday, April 17th. Leah Vance has been helping to arrange an opportunity for students to learn more about the field of conflict resolution and about our graduate program here. I'll be meeting with interested students at 4:00 p.m. in McIntryre 309.

It would be great to meet you while I'm there and to answer any questions you might have about our program. I know it's late notice but if you have time, let me know.

Tim Hicks
Director, Graduate Program in Conflict and Dispute Resolution
University of Oregon
1221 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403
conflict.uoregon.edu
phone: 541-346-1604
cell: 541-915-9606
fax: 541-346-1564
timhicks@uoregon.edu

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Congrats Emma Green '08

Emma Green '08 has been selected as a Richard Bangs Collier Scholar for summer 2007. This university research award will allow Emma to pursue her research project, "Using International Organizations as a Tool to Fight HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa: Exploring Patterns of Transmission, Policy, and Capacity." Professor Ferrari will serve as her research advisor. Emma's research will be based both in the US and Africa, so we look forward to hearing more about her work as it unfolds. Congrats, Emma!

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Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Everybody's Jet-Setting But Me.

Professor Weinberger was just in Japan and is soon off to Israel.
Professor Ferrari was in Oman and is soon off to Africa.
Professor Share is in London.
Professor Bonura is in Thailand.
Professor Hansen is heading to Germany (ok, that's because he's going home, but still).
Even one of the Americanists--the Americanists!--is heading to Berlin in July.
And this week Professor Fields is off to Japan.

Oh the injustice of it all (cue undeserved pity here).

Have a great trip, Professor Fields, and take lots of pictures for the blog.

Professor Hansen Article on Radical Islamism


Recently Professor Hansen published a piece titled "Radical Islamism and Totalitarian Ideology: a Comparison of Sayyid Qutb's Islamism with Marxism and National Socialism" in the journal Totalitarian Movements and Political Religions. If you are interested, the article is online; you can find it here.

He's also been asked by that same journal to join their editorial board; congratulations, Professor Hansen, for that honor!

Professor Ferrari in Oman

Recently Professor Ferrari returned from a trip to Oman where she evaluated a study abroad program for the university. She also returned with some great pictures and stories. I've posted some below with Professor Ferrari's informative captions; you can find more of her pecitures on our Flickr site here.

IMG_0321_0093
This is a view of the Grand Mosque in Muscat, the capital of Oman. Oman is an authoritarian society, ruled by the (relatively benign) decree of the Sultan. In the 1990s, the Sultan had this mosque built, using his personal funds, as a gift to the people. It is the largest mosque in Oman, and can hold something like 15,000 worshippers. Every element, from the shoe cubbies to the five minarets to the magnificent gardens is lovingly and exquisitely detailed. This is a working mosque, with daily prayers, and is open to tourists only three mornings a week (between prayer times). This is important, since most Omani mosques, unlike those in some other countries, generally are closed to non-Muslims at all times. The Grand Mosque complex also houses a good-sized public library.

IMG_0333_0082
This is a view of the Men’s Prayer Hall at the Grand Mosque. The chandelier is the largest in the world. The carpet is the largest in the world to be woven in a single piece. As I took this photo, I was facing Mecca; so this is the view a worshipper might have of the room during prayer time.

IMG_0344_0074
This is the Men’s Reading Room in the library at Sultan Qaboos University, the premier national university in Oman. Men and women take classes together, but generally sit in different sections of the classroom. Dormitories are single-sex, and I believe women are required to live on campus. The library stacks are open, and both genders share them. However, reading rooms, carrels, and even circulation desks are segregated by gender. So here are the guys reading.

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Women’s Reading Room in the library at Sultan Qaboos University. I had to get special permission from the librarian (a man) to photograph the women. He obviously was uncomfortable having me do so, but was reluctant to say no to a guest. Because I am female he relented, but on the condition that I take a wide enough shot that no one’s face would be clearly visible. I also asked whether students are required to wear traditional attire on campus, and was told that it is a norm rather than a rule.

IMG_0440_0003
Floating in the harbor you can see a juxtaposition of old and new Oman. The old-style dhow sailboat floats in front of a modern 21st Century port. Just to the left of this dhow was a huge cruise liner bringing European tourists into town.

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Monday, April 09, 2007

Summer Institute on Conflict Resolution

Deadline is coming quickly if you are interested in this.

Alliance for Conflict Transformation

Summer Institute on Peacebuilding & Conflict Resolution (IPCR)
June 9, 2007 - July 7, 2006
Santa Cruz, Bolivia

The Alliance for Conflict Transformation (ACT), in partnership with Nur University, is pleased to announce the Summer Institute on Peacebuilding & Conflict Resolution (IPCR). IPCR is an intensive 4-week, 6-credit residential program intended to build the capacity of current and future professionals in a variety of fields to make a critical difference in furthering peaceful relations in the world. IPCR will be held in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, with travel to La Paz and surrounding communities.

We are currently accepting applications for participation from English speaking professionals, graduate and upper-level undergraduate students in peace and conflict resolution, international affairs, political science, Latin American studies, anthropology, development and related fields.

At IPCR, students enjoy a supportive learning environment where experienced trainers and faculty combine brief lectures, case studies, field trips, role-plays, and simulations, with the experiences of local and international peacebuilding practitioners.

IPCR offers a stimulating integration of theory and practice, bringing together innovative academic analysis with practical, hands-on training and skills development. Participants will learn about these topics and more:
* Conflict analysis & assessment
* Conflict resolution and peacebuilding practices
* Cross-sectoral approaches to peacebuilding and conflict resolution (i.e., with development, human rights, etc)
* Post-conflict reconstruction and reconciliation
* Skills development in negotiation
* Case studies - community, intra-state and international conflict
* Career opportunities in peacebuilding and conflict resolution

"In addition to gaining a basic understanding of conflict analysis and a set of practical skills applicable to a variety of fields, I truly benefited from having access to real-world practitioners and the exposure to an insider¹s view of regional conflicts. IPCR is practical, hands-on, and
highly recommended for anyone interested in pursuing a professional career in conflict resolution, peacebuilding, or related fields." Michael Pankow, employed at Human Rights Watch

APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 15, 2007
Note: Applicants must live in countries with a Bolivian Consulate/Embassy in order to get a travel visa.

To see the complete program description, visit the ACT website:
http://conflicttransformation.org

For more information contact:
Nike Carstarphen, Ph.D.
Co-Founder/Senior Partner
Alliance for Conflict Transformation
PO Box 9117, Alexandria, VA 22304
Phone: (703) 461-3650
Email: ipcr-bolivia@conflicttransformation.org

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2020 Vision: Energy Security Student Workshop

A chance to do training on energy issues in DC this summer, on their dime.

2020 Vision

High Gas Prices, Conflict in the Middle East, Global Warming.

It's Time to Kick the Oil Habit and start an energy revolution!

Get a free trip to Washington-help lead a national advocacy group and bring the energy security debate to your campus.

2020 Vision is committed to engaging the public on how America's dependence on oil is undermining our security, environment, and economy. Our advocacy, media and web outreach campaigns bring these issues home to vast audiences across the country and activate tens of thousands of people each month.

An Opportunity of a lifetime
In 2005, 2020 Vision launched an innovative new program to create a student-led Regional Director's Council to bring energy security and global warming to campuses across the country. 10-15 energetic participants from colleges and universities across the US will be chosen as Volunteer Regional Directors to come to Washington, D.C. in July of 2007 free of charge for an intensive week of hands-on training in non-profit advocacy and field organizing. During this one school-year term, participants will be our point of contact for a non-partisan debate on energy security policy and related issues on their campus.

Leadership, not internship
Unlike most internships, this is real work experience with a minimal time commitment. Instantly, you will become one of our top people in the field bringing new interest into the organization on the issues you care about. We understand that students like you are busy people and cannot always commit to a full-time internship. This promises to be fun and exciting leadership opportunity and you will learn skills that will benefit you in virtually every career track.

The PowerShift National Tour (http://www.power-shift.org) is just one campaign our current Regional Directors are heavily involved with. Our group has also passed many initiatives from Hawaii to Florida and currently with several United States Senators, Members of Congress, celebrities and experts on the issue.

Learn and use valuable skills
While in Washington, we will provide you with training from nationally recognized professionals and our seasoned staff at 2020 Vision. You can expect to walk away with skills in the following areas:

* Media relations
* Community organizing
* Organizational development
* Issue advocacy

In addition, you will learn how to take the lead in producing a fully funded event on global energy security on your college campus. We will provide you with all of the necessary resources, several coalition partners, round-the-clock support, and top-notch, nationally renowned speakers for the events. Not only that, but you will be continuing to shape an exciting new program at an innovative advocacy organization in Washington, D.C.

Qualifications
* A demonstrated commitment to global security, renewable energy, the environment, social justice or other progressive causes or ideals
* Strong people skills, a passion for quality leadership, and the ability to multi-task
* An ability to commit to a yearlong program that includes: promoting the organization year-round, attending regular event calls, reporting progress, and managing the project on campus
* Current enrollment in a college or university
* Experience in community organizing, political campaigns, or involvement in campus or local politics

Join us and help enact real change!
Become a Regional Director for 2020 Vision and turn your passion and enthusiasm into an agent for change in America. It's the opportunity you'll remember for a lifetime-work together with others to create a safer, cleaner future; build friendships you'll enjoy for years to come, and gain unique experience in non-profit advocacy. Energy security is one of the most challenging global issues of our times. Be a part of something big as we create a voice for all Americans in this vitally important public policy debate.

Application instructions
* Submit an up-to-date resume complete with at least two references
* Submit a two- to three-page writing sample

Send to:
Email (preferred to save paper): vision@2020vision.org with "RD Search" in the subject line.
US Mail:
2020 Vision
Regional Director Search
8403 Colesville Road
Suite 860
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Fax: 301-587-1848

Application process
2020 Vision is accepting applications until May 15th, 2007. Telephone interviews will be conducted beginning June 1st and we anticipate finalizing our decisions by June 10, 2007. The training in Washington DC will coincide with our Nation Summit on Energy Security held at the National Press Club in Washington DC on July 12, 2007.
Questions, call us at 800-669-1782 or visit our website at http://www.2020vision.org

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Etiquette Comments

My post last week regarding the English Department's campus etiquette document generated a good bit of feedback that is worth reading. There are comments from students in PG and English, an alum currently in grad school, and one professor outside of the department.

Here's one small comment I would make regarding student etiquette that I've mentioned before, which is that I find it very difficult to get students to answer emails. They may be bombarded on their end with various missives, but some students tell me they don't check their email very often. This is a particular concern when I am trying to set up events or meetings and am unable to get responses from students whether they will attend.

So a small observation is that email works both ways, and students should be in the habit of using it and responding to queries from their professors or department.

Friday, April 06, 2007

Your Friday Roundup of Opportunities

Always more on the university MonsterTrak (get the password from CES; it is available to students and alums) and on Hillzoo.com And don't forget that there are numerous local internship opportunities with elected officials, city government, and other agencies/non-profits. Ask me (Professor O'Neil) if you want to know more.

1. Paid Internship, Congressman Pomeroy, DC
Congressman Pomeroy's office is looking for someone to fill a paid internship position starting immediately. If you have qualified applicants, please have them send their resume to me. Thanks!
Stacy Austad Scheduler
Congressman Pomeroy's Office
1501 Longworth House Office Building
Washington DC 20515
(202)225-2611
Fax (202)226-0893

2. Internship, Senator Kennedy, DC
Senator Kennedy’s Education Policy Office and Investigations Office, of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, are currently taking applications for intern positions starting immediately. The interns will be responsible for conducting research, answering phones, assembling briefing books, preparing materials for the Senator, and other administrative tasks as needed. This is a great opportunity for a recent graduate or college undergrad, with an interest in politics, education policy, and/or law. Please send a resume and cover letter to demhelpintern@gmail.com. In your cover letter, please indicate your availability and proposed start date. Full-time interns preferred, but we can work with your schedule. No phone inquiries or drop-bys please.

3. Internship, Global Impact, DC
A Global Impact internship provides you with the opportunity to learn about devel opment and fundraising techniques in a friendly and professional environment. You will be introduced to the leading not-for-profit U.S.-based international relief and development organizations and gain exposure to issues such as poverty, hunger, HIV/AIDS and refugees.

Global Impact is based in Alexandria, Virginia, along the Potomac River and is metro accessible to the District of Columbia.

Opportunities to interns may include one or more of the following assignments:
*Assist the communications and corporate development departments in researching, writing and/or editing.
*Develop informational databases.
*Assist regional director with campaign events, charity fairs, etc.
*Assist in researching new development opportunities.

The following qualifications are required for consideration:
*Education: Course work towards a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, preferably in international studies but not required.
*Experience: Efficiently use the Internet for research purposes; effective writing and editing skills; strong attention to detail; and proficiency in Microsoft Office.

Although the position will be unpaid, Global Impact will provide a local transportation stipend for travel to and from work. Global Impact does not place interns overseas.
Interested parties should e-mail intern@charity.org. Include a copy of your resumé and a letter of interest.

4. Seeds of Peace - Development Internship - New York
Seeds of Peace, a non-profit, non-political organization dedicated to empowering teenagers from regions of conflicts with the leadership skills required to advance reconciliation and coexistence, is looking for full-time and part-time interns to work its Development department.

Full-time positions include a weekly stipend and part-time positions are unpaid. The internship duration is from June 1 to August 31, 2007, though dates can be flexible.

Requirements: Must be current college student or recent graduate with experience working in an office environment. Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and internet research are essential. Knowledge of Raiser's Edge a plus. Applicants must have excellent writing skills, a pleasant phone manner, pay good attention to detail, be very organized, and be an independent worker. Knowledge of the Middle East preferred, Hebrew or Arabic language skills a plus.

Applicants who intend to receive college credit for this internship must make arrangements with their college/university. Seeds of Peace is not responsible for acquiring academic credits for interns.

The intern will work directly with staff members of the Development department in the New York office. Responsibilities include researching potential donors and foundations using online search engines, assisting with writing grant proposals and follow-up reports, and drafting correspondence, including cover letters and letters of inquiry.

One full-time and multiple part-time positions available.
Application instructions:
No phone calls please. E-mail resume, cover letter (indicate whether you are applying for the full or part-time position) and 2-3 page writing sample to ellen@seedsofpeace.org or mail to:
Seeds of Peace
Attn: Summer 2007 Internship
370 Lexington Ave., Suite 401
New York, NY 10017

Thursday, April 05, 2007

Chatting With Clay Loges '68 on Web Wonders

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to be able to spend some time with Clay Loges '68, who was on campus to meet with folks over in the Business Leadership Program and also interview one of our PG majors who is interested in interning at his web start-up, Yodio.

We blogged about Yodio last fall; the service allows you to combine your photos or images with audio, the nice bit being that you simply dial in from a phone to make those captions. There's a lot of possibilities here; making audio tours, or creating audio/video "postcards," the latter of which would be really great for travel abroad.

Clay and I also talked about his experiences in Russia in the 1990s, when he ran an FM radio station that introduced classic rock to a country that had been all but cut off from Western popular culture. He's got some fascinating stories of that tumultuous time, and how the success of his station eventually attracted the unwelcome attention of those in power (see: Russia, Failure of Democracy).

Finally, we talked about Global Positioning Systems, or GPS. What will the intersection of GPS, cell phones, portable media players and the web do for information collection? Clay gave me the perspective that GPS helps "ground" information, allowing us to do things like link photos or text to places. We think of the Web as being virtual, but in reality it often references very real locations that GPS can help tag, organize, sort, and inform.

Here's an example of this at work: http://www.waymarking.com/

My only regret is that we didn't have enough time to talk. Clay, like so many of our majors, is a great role model, someone who started with a PG degree, moved from politics to media to overseas and back and now is playing a role in changing how we create information and build online networks. Thanks, Clay, for taking the time to share your experiences with us.

Tags:

Joost up

I finally got access to the beta of Joost. Created by the folks that brought you Skype and Kazaa, this provides streaming video channels to your computer--fullscreen, high quality, and real content (unlike the tiny clips we now enjoy on YouTube).

Wow.

Want to know more? An article from the LA Times that describes the business model is here; and you can sign up for a beta yourself.

Slam Jam

Just in from Sam Kussin-Shoptaw '09. Students, faculty, form a team and hit the court.

I am putting on an event this weekend entirely thought up by two PG majors. Max Harris and myself have organized a three on three basketball tournament sponsored by ASUPS (I am a current Senator, he used to be one). The tournament is this weekend on Sunday from 1-4pm. Each team entry is 20 dollars (teams can have up to 4 members) and all the proceeds benefit Pierce County AIDS Foundation. We'd love to involve as much faculty as possible and I know it is easter sunday and all but do you happen to know of anybody within the PG Dept. or in the Wyatt building who'd be interested? We are taking team entries until Friday at 5 and would love any publicity at all (ie blog mention or word of mouth around the dept.). Let me know if you can help out at all.

Thanks a bunch,
Sam Kussin-Shoptaw

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Remembering Bosnia


Retro-Perspectives Bosnia: 1992-2007
At the University of Puget Sound
Tacoma, Washington
April 9, 2007
6:00
Wheelock Student Center - Rotunda
Free Admission
(With reception to follow)

This event will highlight the work of several Bosnian NGOs overseen by Jean-Claude Carreau, founder of the Land of Friendship and Peace outside of Sarajevo, Bosnia. Mr. Carreau’s son was killed in 1995 while serving as a UN peacekeeper in Sarajevo. In memory and tribute to his son, Mr. Carreau has dedicated his life to developing this foundation that specializes in recreational and therapeutic horseback riding for children who have suffered from post-war trauma.

The event will include a brief movie about the war in Bosnia, testimonials from war victims and personal friends of Mr. Carreau, an introduction to the Patton Plusczyk Foundation of Bosnia, and an overview of Genesis: Sarajevo, a therapeutic dance program working out of LFP and a speech by Mr. Carreau on the creation and continuing projects of LFP.

There will be a brief question and answer session at the end of the event, followed by a catered reception during which students can meet Mr. Carreau and the other members of the panel. Students will be able to ask questions about involvement in the many projects of the foundation and engage in conversation about the nature of peace and reconciliation programs for children.

In addition, artwork and photography from the foundation will be on display throughout the Wheelock Student Center on Monday the 9th (and at the reception) for viewing and silent auction. All proceeds will go to the Land of Friendship and Peace and affiliated programs.

Speakers will include: Ismet Lisica (representing the Patton Plusczyk Foundation - created by Helen Patton), Mona Muratovic (cofounder of LFP), Senada Pekaric (a volunteer at LFP), Maja Hadziomerovic (former project manager for the Dance Intensive program 2005), and Amy Danielson (founder of Genesis: Sarajevo).

This program promises to be an inspirational tribute to peace in war torn areas, as well as highlight the importance of programs helping children of diverse ethnic backgrounds deal with trauma and loss.

For more information please contact Tara Horn, ASUPS Lectures Programmer, or Drew Cameron, event co-coordinator.
Tara: thorn@ups.edu; asupslectures@ups.edu; office – 253.279.3295; cell – 509.251.5031.
Drew: dcameron@ups.edu; cell: 253.232.2657.

Campus Etiquette?

It came to my attention yesterday that the English Department has crafted a document for students regarding etiquette. I don't know the genesis of this work (though I'll be finding out more next week during a discussion on the issue), but it's clear that the department has felt it necessary to instruct students in what is and is not appropriate in and around class.

Alums and students, what do you make of the document? Does PG need something similar? Should there be a single campus-wide policy? Any thoughts? A sample from the document is below.


Do not behave as if the common courtesies, customary guidelines, and the expectations of a course apply to others but not you. In other words, do not behave as if you think you are better than everyone else. Upholding the common courtesies, following customary guidelines, and meeting expectations of a course help insure the quality of teaching and learning.

Do not leave your cell-phone on during class. Never take calls, make calls, text-message, or otherwise use your cell-phone in class. The same principle applies to blackberries and other electronic equipment. For instance, do not privately listen to music in class—with or without headphones. Do not wear headphones in class, ever.

Do not whisper to or otherwise converse with another student while the professor or another student is talking.

Do not pass notes in class, ever.

Do not behave as if you are desperate for attention. The classroom is a shared, collaborative space. Do not monopolize discussion, raise personal issues not relevant to the work of the class, or dominate the discussion time. If you have private questions for the instructor, make an appointment.

Do not leave the room during class unless it is an emergency or at least a matter of genuine urgency. During 50-minute or 80-minute classes, you should almost never need to leave class. If you often find it difficult to sit through 50-minute and 80-minute classes without leaving the room, you are probably not ready for college. Do not leave class to take or make a phone-call or to smoke a cigarette, for example.

Do not ever wear pajamas, slippers, or other sleepwear to class. Doing so signals you are not ready for college. The classroom is a public, professional space; proper attire and grooming signal your preparation for and attitude toward the professor, the course, and other students.

Do not sleep in class, and do not put your head on the table or a desk. If you are ill, see a physician and don’t come to class. If you are too exhausted to participate in class, do not come to class, and get more sleep. If you are in class, stay alert.

Do not eat or drink in class unless the professor has explicitly given you permission to do so. Assume that it is not appropriate to eat or drink in class.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Hansard Scholars Program(me)

Study British politics at LSE and do a parliamentary internship. Even if they do spell funny over there.

Dear All,

Just a short note to let you know that the deadline for the Autumn 2007 Hansard Scholars Programme has passed and we are now accepting applications for the Spring 2008 Programme (January 12th – April 5th, 2008). Therefore, if any of your students are interested in studying British politics at the London School of Economics and doing an internship in Parliament or other prominent political organisation in January, please let me know.

Full details about the Hansard Scholars Programme can be found on our website at: www.hansardsociety.org.uk/programmes/study_programme

I am also delighted to say that the Hansard Society has appointed Fiona Booth as our new Chief Executive. Fiona is currently Director of the Hansard Society’s Citizenship Education Programme and has previously managed the education departments of several charities. She is a qualified primary and secondary school teacher, and sits on several advisory boards including the UK Government’s Department for Constitutional Affairs Education Information & Advice working group, UNESCO’s Associated Schools Project Network and the UK Youth Parliament Competition steering group. She is also trustee of the UK’s Association for Citizenship Teaching.

Fiona, who starts her new position in early May said, “the Hansard Scholars Programme is central to the Hansard Society’s core aim of promoting a greater of understanding of democratic processes. I very much look forward to working with our university colleagues in North America and Australia, and to welcoming more outstanding students onto the Programme”.

Should you need any further details on the Hansard Society or the Hansard Scholars Programme, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Best wishes,

Alex Boughton
Director, Study & Scholars Programme
Hansard Society
40-43 Chancery Lane
London WC2A 1JA
Direct Line: +44 207 438 1213
Hansard Society: +44 207 438 1222
Fax: +44 207 438 1229
www.hansardsociety.org.uk

Favor Fulbright?

Along with the Watson, it's time also to think about applying for a Fulbright. Deadline on campus is May 1. Get more details here. Excerpt:

Created by the U.S. Congress in 1946, the Fulbright Program aims to foster mutual understanding among nations through educational and cultural exchanges. Each year the program allows more than 800 Americans to study or conduct research in over 100 nations.

The U.S. student program is designed to give recent B.S./B.A. graduates and master's and doctoral candidates opportunities for personal development and international experience. Students plan their own programs. Projects may include university course work, independent library or field research, classes in a music conservatory or art school, special projects in the social or life sciences, or a combination. Recent projects have involved business administration in France, entomology in Madagascar, and Chinese theater in Taiwan.

Selection

Is made on the basis of the student's academic record, language preparation, the feasibility of the proposed study project, and personal qualifications. Among other factors, selections are affected by:

1. extent to which the candidate and the project will help to advance the program aim of promoting mutual understanding among nations;
2. ability of the supervising agencies abroad to arrange supervision;
3. requirements of programs in individual countries;
4. ratio between the number of awards offered in a given country, and the number of applications received.

Application Procedures

All students who are interested in applying for a Fulbright Grant will fill out a Letter of Intent with the Fellowships Office and begin working on their applications in the spring semester of their junior year. There is a Spring Campus Deadline of May 1 when both the Letter of Intent and a draft of the application must be turned in to the Fellowships Office.