The Chicago Mayoral Election will take place on Tuesday, February 22, 2011. As University of Chicago students, you are eligible to vote for the next Chicago mayor.
To vote you must:
Be a United States Citizen
Be at least 18 years old
Live in your election precinct at least 30 days
Not be convicted and in jail
Not claim the right to vote anywhere else
The last day to register to vote in this election is January 25, 2011. However, there is a grace period for registration which lasts from January 26 to February 15. To register to vote, complete the voter registration form. This form can be mailed to your County Clerk or Board of Election Commissioners. County Court/Board of Election Commissioners listings can be found here.
Student Government is helping you get home for Winter Break! Below is the shuttle schedule and link to the sign-up form. Hurry up! Slots go quickly! (Numbers listed in front of time slots are shuttle numbers)
Chicago – SG is running free shuttles to both Chicago airports at convenient times Thursday through Saturday of finals week!
Good luck with Finals from OMSA at 5710! If you're sticking around for winter break, below you can find the winter interim hours for your favorite places to eat! If you're planning to get back in shape to prepare for the inevitable hibernation of winter quarter, you'll find the winter break hours for the university's athletic centers as well!
You can find a flyer summarizing the dining information below here.
5710 S. Woodlawn Ave
M-F: 9am - 5pm
Reynold's Club, 5706 S. University Ave
M-F: 7am - 5pm
Midnight Breakfast Presented by: Office of the Reynolds Club & Student Activities (ORCSA) 11:55 PM – 12:55 AM Marketplace of Reynolds Club, 5706 S. University
Last night I had a provoking conversation with a recent college graduate in Chicago. The conversation was based on our lives and mostly our differences in opinions when it comes to politics, economics, and most importantly social issues. While I am always excited about and welcome dissenting thoughts, by the end of this conversation it was clear the difference in our praxis. My recent job was working with at-risk youth in the inner city encouraging them to get involved in the political systems in which they live. His most recent job was at an advertisement firm and in his words “working 12 hour days to make sure the companies bottom-line is continuously better.” I challenged him to exist in the business world not only with an individualistic-capitalist paradigm, but to invest in people just as much as stock. He challenged me to watch a documentary on Netflix “Babies” that explored the international differences in socio-economic upbringings.
This multifaceted yet casual conversation is a symbol of the interactions that should take place more often, both within the University but also in atmospheres that go beyond the academy. This is in essence an articulation of minds emerging, thoughts clashing against each other, and theory being forced to walk among practice. These conversations do not occur in the name of deliberate friction, but in the firm belief that understanding and tolerance is more than necessary. Especially if we are going to navigate to find solutions to the social issues that many would rather sweep under the rug than confront head-on. To disrupt the habit of avoiding the subjects that are most “touchy” we felt the need to create a space where these topics are tackled, interrogated, and dissected.
This is why I am excited about a new initiative that I along with several others (specifically Sarah Yu and the OMSA Staff—Rosa Yaidra Ortiz & Ronnie Rios) are launching, The Emerging Minds Project. This is not a “stop in when you feel like it” initiative. The first accepted cohort of students went through an application process that encouraged them to articulate what their views are on issues like identity, what they have experienced in the past, and why this project is important to them. Unfortunately we could not accept everyone, but it is important to form a community that has an ultimate goal of understanding and respect, regardless if friction occurs in the process.
I look forward to meeting the first cohort of students and helping facilitate these conversations, not as someone who is any wiser than anyone else, but as someone who truly hopes to understand. I want to revisit what I “think I know” and redefine my view of the world. I want to decipher through the problems many choose to ignore. Most importantly, I am excited about the artistic development that will come from the cohort at the end of the project.
In my heart I believe life is too short to let it pass without fixing something. Some avoid these issues to make life for them-selves easier; The Emerging Minds Project faces these issues because we understand ignoring them only makes life more difficult for everyone. Choose to participate.
“From the Struggle for Labor Rights to the Struggle for Life:Workers' Rights, Feminicide and the 'War on Drugs' in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico”
Presented by: Human Rights Program, the Center for Latin American Studies, and the Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America.
4:00 – 5:00 PM
Room 201 of the Social Science Tea Room, 1126 E. 59th Street
The OMSA Advisory Board meets bi-monthly to address the concerns of UChicago's multicultural community. It is an important asset in helping to ensure that OMSA is effectively meeting the needs of the diverse student body. In order to make sure the broader campus community is aware of the concerns the Advisory Board are addressing, the OMSA Blog will now include meeting highlights!
Meeting Date: November 16, 2010
Special Guests:
James (Jim) Nondorf - Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid
Rose Martinelli - Assistant Vice President for Enrollment
Colin Johnson - Sr. Assistant Director, Director of Multicultural Recruitment
This meeting was all about enrollment and admissions at the University of Chicago. Students on the OMSA Advisory Board expressed a wide array of concerns in regards to these topics.
Did you complete the University Dining Survey? Whether you are more likely to eat everything in sight, or you identify as vegetarian, pescatarian, vegan, Kosher, Halal – we want to hear from you! All students were emailed the survey starting on Tuesday this week, and the University cannot complete a thoughtful appraisal without your input. It will only take a few minutes!
5710 will be closed beginning at 2 PM on Wednesday, November 24. The building will remain closed on Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26 in observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday. Regular hours will resume on Monday, November 29.
Friday, November 19 Baila Con OLAS Presented by: Organization of Latin American Students 7:00 PM 5710 South Woodlawn Avenue
Internship Advice from 4th Years Presented by: Career Advising & Planning Services 5:00 – 6:30 PM West Lounge of Ida of Noyes Hall, 1212 East 59th Street
Latke-Hamantash Debate Presented byUniversity of Chicago Hillel 7:30 – 9:30 PM Mandel Hall, 5706 South University Avenue
Wednesday, November 24Zen meditation at Rockefeller Presented by: Rockefeller Chapel's Spiritual Life Office, in conjunction with Ancient Dragon Zen Gate. 5:00 – 6:30 PM Rockefeller Chapel, 1156 East 59th Street
The OMSA Advisory Board meets bi-monthly to address the concerns of UChicago's multicultural community. It is an important asset in helping to ensure that OMSA is effectively meeting the needs of the diverse student body. In order to make sure the broader campus community is aware of the concerns the Advisory Board are addressing, the OMSA Blog will now include meeting highlights!
The OMSA Advisory Board meets bi-monthly to address the concerns of UChicago's multicultural community. It is an important asset in helping to ensure that OMSA is effectively meeting the needs of the diverse student body. In order to make sure the broader campus community is aware of the concerns the Advisory Board are addressing, the OMSA Blog includes meeting highlights!
Board Members presented a wide array of concerns to which Kim offered various initiatives going into consideration. Note that most of these ideas are tentative. These involved:
Greater retail, grocery, and hotel options in Hyde Park.
The plausibility of a “student center.”
Efforts are being made to streamline and make SCC more effective, including a director specifically in control of SCC.
Board Members expressed possibility of more housing.
Board Members expressed Bookstore availability concerns.
House Made of Dawn (1969) - N. Scott Momaday
This novel is widely cited as leading the way for subsequent Native American literature. The novel is based on Momaday’s personal experiences on Jemez Pueblo. The protagonist of the story, Abel, grows up on the outskirts of society and lives on different reservations after serving in World War II. Abel eventually learns the importance of upholding his family's traditions as a way to preserve his heritage. The novel earned a Pulitzer Prize in 1969.
Ceremony (1977 )- Leslie Marmon Silko
This novel is considered one of the seminal pieces of Native American literature. Silko tells the story of Tayo, a young, mixed-race, World War II veteran who returns to his reservation with severe shell shock and emotional and psychological damage. He battles alcoholism but is later redeemed with the help of Betonie, a local priest, who, through ceremonial processes, helps Tayo see his place in the world.
The OMSA Advisory Board meets bi-monthly to address the concerns of UChicago's multicultural community. It is an important asset in helping to ensure that OMSA is effectively meeting the needs of the diverse student body. In order to make sure the broader campus community is aware of the concerns the Advisory Board are addressing, the OMSA Blog will now include meeting highlights!
Date: October 5, 2010
Overview:
Advisory Board Members expressed concerns over career fairs and the resources they provide.
Sadiqa Saleem: Rights of Afghan Women
Presented by: Center for International Studies: Outreach 12:00 – 1:30 PM Tea Room of the Social Science Research, 1126 East 59th Street
On Wednesday, November 10, the University of Chicago Program on the Global Environment, the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture, the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs and the Environmental Law Society will host the viewing of “The Return of Navajo Boy.” In this documentary, director Jeff Spitz examines the remnants of environmental hazards, such as uranium contamination, in Navajo land as a result of the atomic age. The movie chronicles the tale of Elsie Begay, a Navajo grandmother. Here is a trailer from the film:
The story of Elsie Begay was also told in Judy Pasternak’s recent book, "Yellow Dirt: An American Story of a Poisoned Land and a People Betrayed.” Judy Pasternak discusses the concept of “yellow dirt” in the following:
Beyond Waiting for Superman: How Do We Overcome Inequities in our Urban Schools?
Beyond Waiting for Superman
Tuesday, November 9th at 6:00pm
5710 S. Woodlawn Chicago, IL 60637
Community Lounge
The challenge of providing excellent education for students in urban communities is not new. As this Time magazine article states: "Education history is littered with big promises, national commissions and task forces, summits, and surprisingly little change." However, the recent paradigm shift towards a global economy has called even more attention to the educational gap that exists between American students and many of their international counterparts. Complicating the issue even more are the disparities that have always existed between American students in urban environments and students in suburban communities. This multi-layered issue of American education has spurred the documentary Waiting for Superman , which is a pretty interesting commentary on the educational challenges facing the United States, and highlights many of the disparities that exist between suburban and urban schools.
This panel discussion will feature current educational experts such as Tim King, Founder and President of Urban Prep Academies a highly successful system of charter schools for African American men, Dr. Timothy Knowles, the John Dewey Director of the University of Chicago's Urban Education Institute (UEI) a research institute at the University of Chicago dedicated to providing the framework to allow Chicago public school systems to be improved, and Elliot Ransom, Performance Manager at the Chicago Public School Office of New Schools.
Come join us as we discuss how to solve the educational inequities plaguing public schools! Refreshments will be served!
Native American Heritage Celebration Events in the Chicagoland Area
November 9
Native American Student Luncheon Presented by Office of Multicultural Student Affairs 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM 5710 S. Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, IL
November 10
Navajo Boy and Yellow Dirt: Uranium Contamination in Navajo Nation Presented by: the Program on the Global Environment, the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture, the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs and the Environmental Law Society. 6:25 – 8:25 PM Laird Bell Law Quadrangle, 1111 E. 60th Street, Chicago, IL
November 11
Multicultural Conversation and Lunch Discussion on “Native Nations” and American Indian & Alaskan Native Ministries Presented by: Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago 11:00 AM Room 201 of Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, 1100 E. 55th Street
Family Wellness Night Presented by the American Indian Center Wellness Department and American Indian Health 6:00 PM 1680 W. Wilson, Chicago, IL
November 20 and 21
57th Annual Pow Wow Presented by the American Indian Center 10 AM t0 9 PM on Saturday 10 AM – 5 PM on Sunday $12 for Adults, $6 for children and senior $2 student/group discount Navy Pier Grand Ballrooom, 600 East Grand Avenue
Sunday, November 7
FILM: Islam: Empire of Faith, Part I Presented by: Oriental Institute - Museum Education Office
2:00 – 3:00 PM
Breasted Hall at the Oriental Institute, 1155 E. 58th Street
OMSA kicks off Native American Heritage Celebration with a panel discussion on the state of Native American Studies
November is Native American Heritage month and OMSA will host a panel discussing the state of Native American studies in the United States. Panelists will include:
Scott Stevens, Director, The D'Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian and Indigenous Studies
Megan Bang, PhD, Director of Education, American Indian Center
Joseph Podlasek, Executive/Technical Director, American Indian Center
Scott Bear Don’t Walk, PhD Student, Committee On Social Thought, University of Chicago
Greg Nance, College, Political Science, University of Chicago—Moderator
Reynolds Club Halloween Festivities
Presented by Office of the Reynolds Club & Student Activities (ORCSA)) 3:00 – 6:00 PM McCormick Tribune Lounge in Reynolds Club, 5706 South University
Fast-a-Thon
Presented by Muslim Students Association 5:30 PM Assembly Hall of International House, 1414 East 59th Street
Students in Revolt
Presented by Platypus Affiliated Society 6:00 – 8:00 PM 5710 South Woodlawn Avenue
Halloween Java Jive 8:00 PM – 12:00 AM Third floor theatre in Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 East 59th Street
Beyond the Bricks Town Hall Meeting
Presented by The Black Youth Project and the International House Global Voices Lecture Series and the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture
11 AM
Assembly Hall in the International House, 1414 East 59th Street
A queer Chicana poet, activist, educator, and radical thinker, Gloria Anzaldúa stood proudly at the intersections, the borders and lands beyond them, the in between and the previously unwritten about. She contributed greatly to queer and feminist theory as a woman of color who grew up quite literally at the border where South Texas and Mexico meet and blend.
Anzaldúa was one of the first queer women of color to bring the theory of intersectionality to the forefront, a critical concept developed and worked on by many contemporary scholars today. Along with Cherríe Moraga, Anzaldúa co-edited the groundbreaking anthology This Bridge Called My Back: Writings By Radical Women of Color, which featured various women, genderqueer, and gender-non-conforming authors of color writing about their personal experiences as people occupying multiple, intersecting (oppressed) identities.
Caras Dream Night Workshop: In Honor of the DREAM Act
Presented by: Center for the Study of Race, Cultural and Politics, Organization of Latin American Students, Puerto Rica Student Association, Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc., University of Chicago Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Office of Multicultural Student Affairs and National Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán. 5:00 – 6:00 PM 5710 South Woodlawn Avenue
Caras de America:Dream Night
Presented by: Center for the Study of Race, Cultural and Politics, Organization of Latin American Students, Puerto Rica Student Association, Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc., University of Chicago Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Office of Multicultural Student Affairs and National Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán. 5:00 – 11:00 PM Hutchinson Commons in Reynolds Club, 5706 South University
Coming Out Monologues
Presented by Queers & Associates 6:00 – 7:00 PM First Floor Theatre in Reynolds Club, 5706 South University
Check out their official music video of "Libertad" on YouTube.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Diversity in the Workplace: Real Leaders. Real Stories. Real Life.
Diversity in the Workplace is an annual multicultural & LGBTQ career conference that provides undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students with the opportunity to network with a diverse group of University of Chicago alumni who have entered rewarding careers in a variety of fields. The program consists of a brief keynote address, a panel discussion and a networking reception, all of which will provide a forum for students to share and ask questions on the role and meaning of diversity in today’s changing workplace.
Monday, October 25th 5:30-7:30pm Chicago Booth School of Business 5807 S. Woodlawn Avenue, Room 104 A&B
Business Casual Attire Required!
Need networking tips? 5710 is hosting Making the Most of Diversity in the Workplace with CAPS and advanced undergraduate students in an hour-long prep session for Diversity in the Workplace! This session will be held at 5710 South Woodlawn Avenue on Thursday, October 21, 2010 from 4:30-5:30pm.
Afro-Latina Reader Presentation and Discussion
Presented by Afro-Latin@ Institute of Chicago
7:30 PM
San Lucas United Church of Christ, 2914 West North Avenue
Contact Carlos Flores (773)430-5929 or e-mail: cflores49@sbcglobal.net
Saturday, October 16
Nochede Luna Gala 6:30 PM Performance at the Harris Theatre
8:30 PM Gala at the Chicago Cultural Center
Blues 'N' Ribs
Presented by: Council on University Programming 9:00 PM – 1:00 AM West Lounge of Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 East 59th Street
Human Rights Minor and Internship Information Session
Presented by the Human Rights Program
12:00 PM -1:30 PM
Room 201 in the Social Science Tea Room, 1126 East 59th Street
OUTober is a month-long celebration of LGBTQ History Month and National Coming Out Day at the University of Chicago! OMSA joins the Office of LGBTQ Student Life in celebrating the success and progress of the LGBTQ community.
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Coming Out Project Art Gallery
October 11-October 29
All Day Event
Coming Out is never easy, and is a pivotal moment in LGBTQ life. Come and read the coming out stories of faculty, students, alumni, and staff on the 3rd floor of 5710!
The purpose of the Emerging Minds Project is to create a space for intentional discussion between students, focused on issues that are encountered daily in current society.
Participants of this program will engage in facilitated discussions on topics including, but not limited to: disabilities, abilities, religion, language, immigration, class, access, power and privilege, white privilege, sexuality, gender.
On Monday, OMSA and the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture will host professors Ramon A. Gutierrez, Raul Coronado, Agnes Lugo-Ortiz, Julie Saville, Matthew Briones, and Mario Small. They will engage in a conversation about the experience of scholars of color and share their journeys to their present positions at the University of Chicago. They will also discuss topics including obstacles faced by scholars of color, isolation affecting scholars of color, stereotyping of research conducted by scholars of color, and sources of personal motivation.
Ramon A. Gutiérrez
Preston & Sterling Morton Distinguished Service Professor in United States History and the College; Director of the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture
Gutiérrez, one of the nation’s leading Latino scholars, has received numerous academic awards, including a MacArthur Foundation Prize Fellowship (“genius” grant), the John Hope Franklin Prize from the American Studies Association and the Frederick Jackson Turner Prize from the Organization of American Historians.
He is a specialist in Mexican-American history, Indian-White relations in the Americas, social and economic history of the Southwest, colonial Latin America and Mexican immigration. In addition to two monographs and numerous articles, he has edited, co-edited or co-authored 10 books.
Autumn Mixer Latin Dance Party
Presented by: Ballroom and Latin Dance Association
7:30 PM
McCormick Tribune Lounge in the Reynolds Club, 5706 S. University Avenue
Sunday, October 3
Mariarchi Vargas de Tecalitlán
Presented by: the Symphony Center
3:00 PM
220 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago
Las Soldaderas
Presented by: Aguijón Theatre
Through Sunday, October 9
Check the website for production times
2707 N. Laramine, Chicago
The Research Initiative Grant is intended to assist undergraduate, graduate, and professional students of color by providing financial support for scholarly projects exploring the multifaceted nature of race, race relations, ethnicity, and/or culture within the University of Chicago, the larger City of Chicago community, and/or Higher Education.
If you have ever thought of conducting original research, need helping with preparing for your BA thesis, want support to finish that really important chapter—the Research Initiative Grant is for you!!
Grant proposals are due Friday, October 15, 2010.
For more information, please contact Rosa Yadira Ortiz at ryo@uchicago.edu. There will be two Office Hours opportunity to ask questions regarding the grant.
Wednesday, October 6 from 11:00am -12:00pm
Monday, October 11from 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Please visit the website for the complete description and the application.
Join the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs and the University of Chicago in our Latina/o Heritage Celebration aka Caras de América.
The Caras de América events calendar is full of events ranging from lectures, to movie nights, to a comedy show to celebrate the diversity of culture, histories, social and political issues in Latino and Latin American heritage. Please see our Caras de América calendar for campus events as well as the blog to learn more about events that was not on the printed calendar.
CAPS Meet and Greet for First-Years
Presented by: Career Advising & Planning Services
11:30 AM – 2:45 PM
CAPS Resource Center, 3rd Floor of Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 East 59th Street
Welcome Back Party
Presented by the Family Resource Center
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Third Floor of the Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 East 59th Street
RSVP to lizannep@uchicago.edu