Community

Take a Prof to lunch–for free!

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Dear Students,

Our faculty-student free lunch program has been successful in fostering informal faculty-student interaction outside the classroom, and I am pleased to announce the continuation of the Daniel Family Commons Free Lunch Program for the rest of this semester.  We have again provided each faculty member with vouchers that enable them to take small groups of students to lunch at the Daniel Family Commons in the Usdan Center.

If a faculty member has not yet asked you to lunch, it is time for you to take the initiative!  Stop by my office (220 North College) during business hours to pick up a voucher.  Each voucher covers the cost of lunch for a faculty member and up to three students, and vouchers will be good for the remainder of the current academic year.

Please consider inviting your favorite faculty member to lunch.

Best, Dean Mike Whaley

Day of Uplugging Friday, 2/11-Sat., 2/12

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Our Dear Wesleyan Community,

Have you ever spaced out staring at your computer screen, feeling your eyes glaze over as you come back to reality to realize that fifteen minutes have gone by during which you have no idea what happened?

Have you ever been in the middle of an intense discussion with a friend when all of a sudden one of you gets a text message, abruptly stopping the conversation and leaving you both wondering what could have been?

Have you ever wanted some time alone to relax with your thoughts and a guitar but weren’t able to because of incessant facebook messages, facebook chats, facebook posts, calls, texts, emails, BBMs, and gchats that all claimed to be the most important thing in your life?

Well, we have and we think it’s about time we do something about it.  This coming weekend, from Friday night to Saturday night, February 11-12, we are encouraging the whole Wesleyan community (i.e. YOU!) to join us for a Day of Unplugging—to go electronics-free for 24 hours to reconnect with people on a human, face-to-face, no distractions level.

We will be tabling in Usdan all this week to give everyone an opportunity to sign a personal pledge to unplug with us. If you pledge and give a donation (however much you can) to Oddfellows Playhouse, you will receive a voucher for a very snazzy t-shirt (promise!) that is redeemable at the beginning of the opening ceremony, which will be held on the main floor of Usdan on Friday at 6 pm.

When you sign up, you will also receive a list of suggested activities that you can do sans electronics on the day itself, including meditating outside (it’s supposed to be relatively warm!), attending a jam session at Earth House at 4 pm on Saturday (no musical talent required), and cooking for the potluck dinner that will be hosted at Earth House at 6 pm on Saturday as an end to the Day of Unplugging.

Here is a link to a video we made to give you an idea of what some of your fellow Wes students think about unplugging:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MLPOptQt94

We hope you enjoy your stress-free day and we look forward to seeing you all!

Lots of love, Just Some Wesleyan Students

ResLife: Want to be a CA or RA?

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Want to be part of a dynamic staff team?  Want to develop great leadership skills? Want to help your peers and shape the residential experience?  Consider becoming a resident advisor (RA) or community advisor (CA).   Learn more at an information session this week:

Monday, January 31, 2011: 8:00-9:00 p.m. in Nicolson Lounge

Tuesday, February 1, 2011: 8:00-9:00 p.m. in Butt A Lounge

Wednesday, February 2, 2011 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. in Fauver Apt Lounge (CA applicants ONLY)

Thursday, February 3, 2011 12:00-1:00 p.m. in Usdan 108

You can also check out the website for more information at http://www.wesleyan.edu/reslife/student_staff/selection/welcome1.htm .  The deadline for all applications is Monday, February 7 at 4:00 p.m..

Note from Dean Brown: J-transfers, Major Declaration, Oversubscription, Study Abroad & Musical Madness

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Hey Class of 2013–Welcome back!  I hope that you all are looking forward to a great spring semester!  With the snow and sleet today, I’m sure you’re looking forward to sunny warm weather as well!

  J-TRANSFERS:  There are 14 January transfers joining the Wes community, 11 of whom are in the Class of 2013.  They are coming from places as diverse as Bowdoin, USC, the University of Iowa, Bunker Hill Community College, and Washington University.  Please WELCOME THEM and make them feel at home as part of your incredible, smart, talented and capable class (really, truly).

DROP/ADD:  This period begins with the start of classes on Thursday, January 20 and concludes on Wednesday, February 2.  Make sure your grading mode selection is correct!

 MAJOR DECLARATION:   As you look at your course schedule for the spring, make sure that you have the courses and pre-requisites needed to declare your major between Thursday, February 3 and Friday, March 4.  Departments and programs will sponsor Open Houses between February 7 -25.  I will send you the schedule once that has been confirmed.  The Open Houses are a great opportunity to check out a major, meet the faculty, and ask questions.   Also, Jim Kubat of the Career Resource Center will be doing another workshop on “Choosing Your Major” on February 2 at 7 p.m . in Usdan 108.  Check out as well http://www.wesleyan.edu/deans/major_declaration/ .

OVERSUBSCRIPTION:   One thing to keep in mind is the University’s regulation about oversubscription.  In order to promote a liberal arts education, the faculty put into place a regulation that limits the number of credits in each department that can be counted towards graduation.  The maximum number of credits is 16.00.  If you have over 16.00 credits in any one department, you will be “oversubscribed” in that department and those additional credits (not necessarily those particular courses) will not count towards graduation.  If courses are cross-listed, i.e., listed in more than one department or program, they will count towards oversubscription in all departments in which they are listed.  This means that if you enroll in an AMST course that is also cross-listed as a HIST course, it will count in the HIST department as a credit for purposes of oversubscription.  See the academic regulations at http://www.wesleyan.edu/registrar/AR.html .  As long as you have as many credits over 32.00 as you are oversubscribed in a department, you are okay.  However, you need to remain alert to where you are vis a vis the 16.00 credit limit in a department.   Any questions?  Come see me, and you will be hearing more about this from me as time goes on.

STUDY ABROAD:   Check NOW for programs and deadlines that you have the slightest interest in.  Due dates for apps are sooner than you think and it takes TIME to investigate all your options for the fall and/or spring of next year.  Think about how where you go and how the courses offered may play into your potential major.

MUSICAL MADNESS:  Yes, 2013 rocks and will prevail over all others at the third annual musical competition between the classes on Thursday, February 24 at 7 p.m.  The entry forms are on the class blog–https://classof2013.blogs.wesleyan.edu/.   Enter solo or as an ensemble for an acoustic, electric or a capella set with an original or cover of any musical genre—from jazz to opera, from rock to hip hop.  A faculty/staff/student panel of judges will award prizes for Best in Class and Best in Show.  Get your act together and feel the love!  Entry deadline is February 17.

COME SEE ME!:  As always, don’t hesitate to come see me with any questions or concerns you may have—or just to chat—as you move forward into your fourth semester—or  fifth semester for those of you who are December Completions 2012.  I’d love to hear what you’ve been up to and what you have been thinking about.

Glad you are back!  Best, Dean Brown

“Better Together” Campaign — this evening

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Wesleyan Asks What IF?
aka how to push social justice and action to a new level

we replaced religious intolerance with cooperation? What IF… we used our differences to work together? What IF… people of different faith traditions come together and change the world?

Come learn about the “Better Together” Campaign, which empowers students to speak out about the power of interfaith action, mobilizes students from all faith backgrounds (and lack thereof), and sustains service work on campus. There will be a guest speaker, discussion, and FREE DINNER!

When: Monday, Nov. 22, 5-7PM
Where: Daniel Family Commons
Why: because interfaith is awesome!

Reflection Speaker Needed for January’s MLK Celebration with Geoffrey Canada

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Dear Students:

We are currently looking for someone to deliver the Student Reflection Speech at this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Keynote Celebration to be held on Friday, January 21, 2011. Geoffrey Canada, head and founder of the Harlem Children’s Zone, is this year’s Keynote Speaker. His work focuses on educational inequality afflicting inner-city and urban youth.  Currently, he also can be seen in the new documentary Waiting for Superman.

Any student interested in Geoffrey Canada’s work or with similar interests in education may apply.  Please submit a page long paper explaining why you would like to deliver this year’s MLK Keynote Student Reflection to stuact@wesleyan.edu by December 8 at 5PM. 

Sincerely,
The MLK Keynote Speech Committee
Social Justice Leadership Conference Planning Committee

National Coming Out Day Reception — 10/11

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National Coming Out Day Reception

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and queer friendly students, faculty, and staff are invited to meet, mingle, and talk about coming out and being out!

Monday, October 11, 2010

4-6 p.m.

Daniel Family Commons, Usdan

Light refreshments will be served.

 Sponsored by the Queer Resource Center and Student Affairs Office.

The Green Fund Committee — Apply!

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Dear Students,

Last year, students, the WSA, and the administration teamed up to create the Wesleyan Green Fund: a student-elected, student-financed, and student-managed pool of money which will sponsor sustainability initiatives on campus.

Critical to the Green Fund’s success is the Green Fund Committee, a group of five students who will seek out, review and approve project ideas. This is the first year of the Green Fund and the Green Fund Committee, and joining the committee is a great opportunity to engage with environmental issues and shape the future of Wesleyan.

We are now seeking applicants for the committee, and we encourage students in all class years with an interest in sustainability to apply. Attached is the full application. Applications should be emailed to Josh Levine at jslevine@wesleyan.edu by no later than Sunday October 3rd.

If you have any further questions about the application process or the green fund, feel free to contact us. We look forward to reading your applications.

 Cheers, Josh Levine,WSA Sustainability Coordinator & Zachary Malter, WSA Finance and Facilities Chair