OMSA Spring Quarterly Calendar

Check out all the events that OMSA is working on this quarter.

Born Today in Women's History

Dorothy I. Height
" Godmother of the Women's movement"

Height was born in Richmond, Virginia on March 24, 1912. While in high school, Height was awarded a scholarship to Barnard College; however, upon arrival, she was denied entrance. At the time, Barnard admitted only two African Americans per academic year and Height had arrived after the other two had been admitted. After this disappointment, she subsequently pursued studies at New York University. After college, Dorothy Height worked as a teacher in the Brownsville Community Center, Brooklyn, New York. She was active in the United Christian Youth Movement after its founding in 1935. In 1938, Dorothy Height was one of ten young people selected to help Eleanor Roosevelt plan a World Youth Conference. Through Eleanor Roosevelt, she met Mary McLeod Bethune and became involved in the National Council of Negro Women.

SPOTLIGHT ON: Silk Road Theatre Project's The DNA Trail

THE DNA TRAIL
The World Premiere
March 2 - April 4, 2010
A Genealogy of Short Plays about Ancestry, Identity, and
Utter Confusion

Conceived by Jamil Khoury | Directed by Steve Scott

Presented in Association with: Goodman Theatre

Starring: Jennifer Shin, Cora Vander Broek, Melissa Kong, Fawzia Mirza,

Khurram Mozaffar, Anthony Peeples, and Clayton Stamper

Theatre meets science when a diverse group of playwrights each agree to take a genealogical DNA test and revisit their assumptions about identity politics and the perennial "who am I" question. Self, family, community, and ethnicity are all up for grabs.

SBX: Spring Break '10!

Well the time as come for one and all to pack their swimsuits and sunscreen and head to the beach! Spring Break is here and there is no need to fear—well if you follow these simple tips for a fun, healthy, and safe break!



In continuation to celebrating Women’s History Month, we wanted to take a moment to focus on how women can keep themselves health and safe during their Spring Break. With the shock that Natalie Calloway’s story sparked with her disappearance in 2005, it is important that women know what to do when they are far from home and with strangers.

Tips for Safety:

Be smart: you are all very smart women and can probably dictate a list of safety concerns your parents or guardians have given you since you were 5. But the truth of the matter is that you do not know what you will do in a given situation until you are there. As much fun as you are having, you have to be smart about who you talk to you, who you give your number too, and especially who you let know where you are staying. The same tricks that you know criminals can do in the United States, there are many kinds of cons that can happen aboard or at vacation spots.

Don’t leave your stuff: Just like you would not leave your stuff out in the open at Boarder’s on 53rd street—don’t leave your passport, money, or other personal belongings out in the hotels or resorts you will be visiting. Keep your stuff put away so you are the only one who knows where they are.

Sex and other intimate activities: Know that you know no-one! On vacation, people can put on many different personas—they are having “fun”. It is fine to make friends, but trust that you need stay with the people you came with because you know them more then the people in the new place. Make sure you are smart about engaging in any risky behavior and always use your best judgment to protect yourself and your body by using protection and being smart.

Drink responsibly: It is crucial that you know your limit when it comes to alcohol. The CDC reports on the website the following about drinking:
“Alcohol intoxication can be detrimental to health for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to
• Impaired brain function resulting in poor judgment, reduced reaction time, loss of balance and motor skills, or slurred speech.
• Increased risk of certain cancers, stroke, and liver diseases (e.g.,, cirrhosis), particularly when excessive amounts of alcohol are consumed over extended periods of time.
• Increased risk of motor-vehicle traffic crashes, violence, and other injuries.
• Coma and death can occur if alcohol is consumed rapidly and in large amounts because of depression of the central nervous system.”

Have fun: You have worked very hard the last quarters and do need a break! But if you want to remember your Spring Break, make good, positive, and healthy choices when it comes to meeting people, sex, and drinking. What happens on Spring Break can affect the rest of your life if done stupidly!
Be Safe, Be Smart, and Have Fun! We will see you in the Spring Quarter!


Links more information about alcohol and other healthy measure for young women:
CDC webpage.
Young Women's Health

CDC Spring Break

Safe Spring Break Tips

Safe Spring Break

Spotlight On: Luna Negra Dance Theater's Frida!

 

 

 

 

 

Frida!

Saturday, March 27 at 8:00 pm
Harris Theater in Millennium Park-205 East Randolph Drive, Chicago

Tickets $25-$55. Call 312-334-7777 or visit www.harristheaterchicago.org

Luna Negra Dance Theater celebrates Mexico with a passionate and colorful program revealing the complexity and richness of Mexico's cultural influence on contemporary Latino choreographers. The program features the world premiere of Frida! by Michelle Manzanales, inspired by the art and life of Frida Kahlo, Quinceañera by Eduardo Vilaro, and Plight by Edgar Zendejas.

Founded by Eduardo Vilaro in 1999, Luna Negra Dance Theater has established itself as a significant and vital component of Chicago’s arts and cultural community. Since its beginning, the company has served as a springboard for Latino contemporary choreographers to give expression to their stories and bring new life to the cultures of their communities. Steering away from stereotypes and folkloric representations, Luna Negra brings to audiences modern Latino expressions with energy, power and passion, reflecting through dance the immense cultural shift that is shaping America in the 21st century.

Find out more at: http://www.lunanegra.org/

Spring Break Hours

University of Chicago Spring Break Hours

5710 S. Woodlawn
M-F: 9am-5pm

Reynold's Club, 5706 S. University
M-F: 8am-5pm
Saturday & Sunday: Closed

Hutch (Inside of Reynold's Club)
M-F: 7am-10:30am (Continental Breakfast)
10:30am-2:30pm (Lunch)

Midway Cafe, 6031 S. Ellis
March 20th-27th: 11am-3pm

Ratner Athletic Center, 5530 S. Ellis Ave.
M-F: 6am-9pm
Saturday & Sunday: 8am-7pm

Henry Crown Field House, 5550 S. University Avenue
M-F: 7am-7pm
Saturday & Sunday: 10am-6pm

Regenstein Library, 1100 E. 57th Street
M-Th: 8am-8pm
F-Sat: 8am-5pm
Sunday: 10am-5pm

Crerar Library, 5730 S. Ellis Avenue
Sun-Th: 8am-1am
Fri-Sat: 8am-10pm

Harper Memorial Library, 1116 E. 59th Street
CLOSED

Guest Blogger: Charlette Seward

In honor of Women’s History Month, 5710 student assistant Brittany Little is featuring one of the most important women in her life.

Charlette Seward

A Broadway veteran, award winning musical theater performer, legendary performing arts instructor, mother, wife, daughter and my personal mentor, Charlette Seward is a woman to be reckoned with. A woman with a flair for story telling and dramatics, her personal story is filled with adventure and mystery. Born and raised in Florida, Charlette (or Tee to her closest family members) grew up singing in her church choir before going on to Edward Waters College. At Edward Waters she earned a degree in English and honed her performance skills. Before long the lights of Broadway became too great to ignore and she moved to New York to follow her dream of being a star.

March 12 - 18

Friday, March 12

Global Voices Author Series: Chang-Rae Lee
Hosted by: International House
Time: 6:00 –8:00 PM
Location: Assembly Hall of the International House, 1414 East 59th Street

Monday, March 15

Nosh at Night Student Study Break
Hosted by: NSIT Solutions Center
Time: 9:45pm
Location: 1116 East 59th Street

Wednesday, March 17
Jim Yong Kim, President of Dartmouth College - Why We Can’t Wait: Building a Science of Health Care Delivery Update on Relief and Recovery Efforts in Haiti
Hosted by: Center for Health and the Social Sciences (CHeSS))
Time: 4:00 –6:00 PM
Location: Room 1103 of the, Knapp Research Center, 924 East 57th Street

Guest Blogger: Nancy Kasvosve

In honor of Women's History Month, we invited guest blogger Nancy Kasvosve from Zimbabwe to tell us what her experience has been as an international student at the University of Chicago.


By Nancy Kasvosve

Flipping Through My Clean Passport,
“Are you sure you have not been to America yet?”
“Yes I am sure…why??”
“Well I have lived there for ten years and I do not speak like you.”

This was a line of conversation I had through all the immigration points on my way to America. I became the girl with the pretty accent from a country that nobody knew unless they watched a lot of news or were an Econ major. Then at some point I was not only the girl with a pretty accent, I was a colour; black. This is where my real struggle has been.

Weekly Schedule March 5 - 11

Friday, March 5

Mixed Race in the Age of Obama
Hosted by: Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture (CSRPC)
Time: 9:00am – 6:00pm
Location: Home Room of the International House, 1414 East 59th Street

Personal and Ethnographic Filmmaking in South Asia: Friends in High Places - The Art of Survival in Modern Day Burma
Hosted by:Southern Asia at Chicago
Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Location: Room 103 of Foster Hall, 1130 East 59th Street

We Give You The Praise
Hosted by: Soul Umoja
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Hyde Park Union Church, 5600 S. Woodlawn Avenue

Beyond Flamenco Festival: Finding Spain in Music
Hosted by: Chicago Presents
Time: 7:30pm – 9:30pm
Location: Mandel Hall, 1131 East 57th Street

Taste of Africa & African Cultural Festival
Hosted by: African-American Student Association at the School of Social Service Administration
Time: 6:00pm – 10:00pm
Location: Lobby of the School of Social Service Administration, 969 East 60th Street

UPDATE: University Community Forum on March 2

To: Members of the University Community

From: Kimberly Goff-Crews, Vice President for Campus Life and Dean of Students in the University

Date: March 4, 2010

Re: Update on the Community Forum, March 2, 2010
I am writing to update you on continuing dialogue and actions following the arrest last week of a student in the Regenstein Library.

First, I appreciate the large number of students, faculty, and staff who turned out for Tuesday evening’s forum. I want to acknowledge the deep feelings many of you expressed; my colleagues and I take your concerns seriously. I am grateful for your time, your commitment, and your many thoughtful comments. I also appreciate the open and honest participation of my colleagues who represented the different units of the University involved in the incident.

Because many members of our community were unable to attend, I would like to share some of the feedback we received, the concrete actions that have already been taken, and actions Campus and Student Life, the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD), and the University Library will be taking as we move forward.

Students Organize Relief Efforts for Chile Earthquake Victims

The Latin American Business Group at the Booth School of Business and Latin America Matters at the Harris School of Public Policy have joined forces to collect funds for donation to disaster efforts in Chile. Donations will be accepted online at Chicago Helps Chile, a website set up by the two student organizations.
Proceeds will be donated to a forthcoming charity drive. For additional information, please contact Latin America Matters at jbellolio@uchicago.edu or the Latin American Business Group at eperez1@chicagobooth.edu.

For additional news please see the University News Office's Chilean Earthquake release.

Kicking off National Women's History Month

The University of Chicago and the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs begins the month of March in celebration of women’s history. National Women’s History Month originated in the year of 1857 when a group of women from New York City started a protest against working conditions in factories. In 1981 Congress approved National Women’s History Week to be commemorated in the second week of March. Congress extended the week to a month in the year of 1987. Since then, the President has given a proclamation and congress has passed a resolution for Women’s History Month every year.

Motherhood

82.8 million
Estimated number of mothers of all ages in the United States.
Source: Unpublished data from Survey of Income and Program Participation.
1.9
Average number of children that women 40 to 44 had given birth to as of 2006, down from 3.1 children in 1976, the year the Census Bureau began collecting such data. The percentage of women in this age group who had given birth was 80 percent in 2006, down from 90 percent in 1976.

Education

29.4 million
Number of women 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or more education in 2008, higher than the corresponding number for men (28.4 million). Women had a larger share of high school diplomas, as well as associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. More men than women had a professional or doctoral degree.

29%
Percent of women 25 and older who had obtained a bachelor’s degree or more as of 2008.

Student Leadership Awards

Each Spring, the University and the College honor a select number of student leaders for their contributions to the campus community. Decisions will be based in part on the extent to which the student's contribution exceeds what is normally expected of an active participant.

Students can be honored for contributions to any part of campus life, including: work with student organizations, intercollegiate athletics, house governments, orientation programs, community service campus arts organizations, graduate activities, the Prospective Students Admissions Committee, etc. The Student Leader Awards Committee will accept nominations from students, staff, and faculty, including self nominations, unless otherwise stipulated in the award description.

All nominations are due by Wednesday, March 10, 2010 at 5pm.

Once a student is nominated, if they meet the requirements for nomination, they will be contacted by ORCSA no later than Monday, March 15, 2010, and be asked to submit supporting materials by midnight, Sunday, April 4, 2010.

The Student Leader Awards Selection Committee, made up of a wide variety of campus administrators, will select the award recipients in April. Winners will be announced on April 29, 2010.

If you have any questions about nominations or the processes involved with the awards, please email ORCSA.

As a general note, please be aware that upon successful submission of materials (nominations, letters of support, or student supporting materials) you will receive a confirmation email from ORCSA. This email is sent to your uchicago email account. If you do not receive this email, please attempt your submission again or contact ORCSA.