Last Thursday, Lang Student Senate member Corey Mulle attended the first informal meeting of the university student senate where they discussed their individual goals for the ongoing academic year. The meeting was intended to highlight the immediate issues that are affecting the student community around the university, discuss their future plans, and to spread the voice of the resources available through the student senate.
The meeting was held at a local coffee shop near the school where the entire student senate of the university came together to prioritize the issues that are affecting most of the student population. “Among the many things that need to be done at Lang alone,” Corey Mulle explained, “I first want to inform the Lang and entire New School community that the student senate has the power and the funding to advocate for its students.” Mulle claims that the student body is not aware of the resources, support and power that the student senate possess, which is at the disposition of the students. He additionally added that “informing the Lang community thoroughly about the role of the student senate is vital for the oncoming projects.”
The student senate was officially recognized on April 2007 and since then it has undergone numerous structural changes. This is the fourth student election since it was officially legitimized and to date, there are students who claim that it has done poorly in improving the experience of the students. Jay Taylor, a sophomore at Lang, claims that the student senate members “become only false promises…you can’t point out anything they have done that truly benefit the student community.” Among these false promises falls the failure of the student senate to lower the food cost in the school cafeterias last year.
Of course this is only one student account; nonetheless it raises considerable questions as to what the student senate has achieved in the past 3 years. Mulle assured all students that he is committed to serve the students and will work to change the negative perception that students might have through achievement.
Corey Mulle, a sophomore in the Urban Studies program, first became interested in becoming a student senate member while writing for the school press. Mulle shared during the conference that his experienced as a writer in the school press and being also a student in the school made him quite aware of the issues and problems that are increasingly affecting students, but are merely talked about. Among theses issues, he emphasized the need of a functioning and assessable printer at the Lang building for which, according to Mulle, funding can be easily allocated, as well as a working library of the school with adequate space to study.
Mulle surely has won the support of Lang student Gizela Aponte who shared the need of a printing machine at the Lang facility. “We pay a lot of money to come to this college,” Aponte commented while doing her homework in the computer lab at 65 W 11th St building, “and we have to move back and forward just to print. It is annoying.” Mulle proposes to work on these types of issue, which he believes will make a huge difference for the Lang students.
It has only been one week since this first informal meeting was held, and the student senate agenda is already up and running at their website. There is no scheduled meeting at this time, thus the student senate declared that they would start working in the most urgent issues immediately.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Column: A Silent Conversation - Second Draft
In a city where so much diversity exists, it is often hard to find something that, in one way or another, connect us to the rest of the people that surrounds us. Not only cultural differences such as customs, race and language divides us from others, but also the overwhelming routine that the average New Yorker most fulfill everyday. As you might imagine, finding communalities in such a heterogynous population is a challenge. Nonetheless, there are unique hobbies that create a connecting tissue across cultural differences and increasingly exhausting routines. Whether at your home or at the theater, movies has became a unique tool to improve our multi-cultural relationships and a way to re-evaluate our persona.
Movies has long been a part of our culture and with the huge technological advances in the film industry, today more than ever, movies have become an integral part of our society. We all know that not all the movies are five starts movies; nonetheless there are numerous films that are worth watching it that bring us closer toward a more conscious and more accepting society. One fascinating aspects about movies is that it reaches numerous places at the community, city, state, and country level and even across nations. It is just incredible the distances movies can travel and even more fascinating, the diversity of people that get to watch them.
There is not doubt that movies are primarily a source of wealth and entertainment, thus its content play a big role in informing, nurturing, inspiring and even uniting people. One fascinating film that goes beyond entertainment is Forrest Gum, a 1994 American comedy/drama film acted by celebrity Tom Hanks. Forrest Gum is the story of a child who seems physically and mentally impair, but whom overcome numerous challenges through his journey in life. The film is not only entertaining, but demonstrates how segregation, poverty and cruelness still greatly alive in our society. Forrest Gum is a movie that does a terrific job in balancing fiction and reality in a comedy while quietly exposing truths.
Films such as Forrest Gum go beyond entertainment by exposing social realities and creating awareness of issues. They can also be inspiring giving self confident to the viewer. Another fascinating aspect of well done films is the ability to bring the unfamiliar and exposing it to us quietly making us more tolerant to what is unknown to us. Films have conveniently and efficiently wide spread information bringing culture together in an intimate way. Films sure have drastically transform and impacted society in variety always.
In a constantly changing environment, films have giving us a unique way to capture the past, expose the present and explore the future. Nonetheless, one most always be critical and open minded as to what you take out of film. Just as it illustrates good things, it can also influence negative ones. Thus, there is not doubt that films have provided a public space to communicate with the rest of society in an intimate way.
Movies has long been a part of our culture and with the huge technological advances in the film industry, today more than ever, movies have become an integral part of our society. We all know that not all the movies are five starts movies; nonetheless there are numerous films that are worth watching it that bring us closer toward a more conscious and more accepting society. One fascinating aspects about movies is that it reaches numerous places at the community, city, state, and country level and even across nations. It is just incredible the distances movies can travel and even more fascinating, the diversity of people that get to watch them.
There is not doubt that movies are primarily a source of wealth and entertainment, thus its content play a big role in informing, nurturing, inspiring and even uniting people. One fascinating film that goes beyond entertainment is Forrest Gum, a 1994 American comedy/drama film acted by celebrity Tom Hanks. Forrest Gum is the story of a child who seems physically and mentally impair, but whom overcome numerous challenges through his journey in life. The film is not only entertaining, but demonstrates how segregation, poverty and cruelness still greatly alive in our society. Forrest Gum is a movie that does a terrific job in balancing fiction and reality in a comedy while quietly exposing truths.
Films such as Forrest Gum go beyond entertainment by exposing social realities and creating awareness of issues. They can also be inspiring giving self confident to the viewer. Another fascinating aspect of well done films is the ability to bring the unfamiliar and exposing it to us quietly making us more tolerant to what is unknown to us. Films have conveniently and efficiently wide spread information bringing culture together in an intimate way. Films sure have drastically transform and impacted society in variety always.
In a constantly changing environment, films have giving us a unique way to capture the past, expose the present and explore the future. Nonetheless, one most always be critical and open minded as to what you take out of film. Just as it illustrates good things, it can also influence negative ones. Thus, there is not doubt that films have provided a public space to communicate with the rest of society in an intimate way.
Friday, February 5, 2010
News: Earthquake is felt in the Dominican Republic - Second Draft
On Tuesday afternoon, January 12, the Dominican Republic was also impacted by the seismic activity that destroyed the capital of Haiti putting to test their ability to deal with such circumstances and their capacity to provide help simultaneously. Citizens of the Dominican Republic where also significantly impacted by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake provoking a wave of despairs, chaos and above up, compassion for the people drastically affected in Haiti.
There is no comparison to the many lives lose that day and to the many structures that were brutally turned down by this catastrophic phenomenon. Nonetheless, one cannot ignore its impact in the Dominican Republic, which caused insecurity and fear. Before the news was widely spread, a resident, Fausto Nunez, of a small town called Cebú in Santiago demonstrated concern for his poorly built house, which was tremble for about 10 seconds, according to his observations.
The response given by the government of the Dominican Republic, other nations worldwide, individuals, organizations and private donors to help the damaged in Haiti have been outstanding. The Dominican Republic alone donated RD$486 millions without considering services provided such as medics, cooks, food, and transportation for the damaged to hospitals in the Dominican Republic. Nonetheless, many residents of Cebú feels that, to the date, there has been a weak response by its government in providing support for those that had a traumatic response to the seismic activity, especially in the area of a Cibao where the earthquake was felt with the great intensity.
Fausto Nunez, a 36 years old father and husband, demonstrates the despair he went through while his poor house built out of wood shacked back and forward. He explained that “despite the short durability of the movement, I am extremely concern about whether or not the house can resist another movement of that magnitude.” Nunez claimed to be one of the many residents in this little town that feels insecure after the earthquake. He feels that the government should take action and prioritize this matter since there is not guarantee that another earthquake of even greater magnitude won’t occur.
Nunez claim raises considerable concerns about the efficiency of the Dominican government in time of need. There is no doubt of the crisis that was swamping Haiti at the moment and with the Dominican Republic being the first country in its rescue, makes it difficult to held them accountable for inefficiency. Despites this there are residents like Nunez who belief that the government of the Dominican Republic first should address its population and then should they immediately send help to Haiti, where the impact was significantly greater.
The Dominican Republic rapid action is something remains open, thus there are those who, like Nunez, strongly believe that some type of support should be provided in a tamely manner. Others believe that this should be a time to seriously consider the resources and the services available in such circumstances. Maria Ramirez, a 26 years old mother and resident of Cebu who was also impacted by the earthquake, remembered her traumatic experience in the little town’s hospital and the incapability of its personal to deal with situations that entails despair, nervousness and spontaneous reactions. “I was brutally clam down,” she claimed, “as personal in the hospital tried to stabilize and get me to comeback to normal condition. They weren’t prepared to deal with such circumstances.”
Only a few weeks have passed since the earthquake and not detailed assessment has been done regarding the Dominican Republic’s reaction to the phenomenon that transformed a nation forever. However, it is clearly stated by Nunez and Ramirez that its government should provide trained personal to give support emotionally and additional personal to re-evaluate structural damages to reinstall security among the people.
By José A. Morán
There is no comparison to the many lives lose that day and to the many structures that were brutally turned down by this catastrophic phenomenon. Nonetheless, one cannot ignore its impact in the Dominican Republic, which caused insecurity and fear. Before the news was widely spread, a resident, Fausto Nunez, of a small town called Cebú in Santiago demonstrated concern for his poorly built house, which was tremble for about 10 seconds, according to his observations.
The response given by the government of the Dominican Republic, other nations worldwide, individuals, organizations and private donors to help the damaged in Haiti have been outstanding. The Dominican Republic alone donated RD$486 millions without considering services provided such as medics, cooks, food, and transportation for the damaged to hospitals in the Dominican Republic. Nonetheless, many residents of Cebú feels that, to the date, there has been a weak response by its government in providing support for those that had a traumatic response to the seismic activity, especially in the area of a Cibao where the earthquake was felt with the great intensity.
Fausto Nunez, a 36 years old father and husband, demonstrates the despair he went through while his poor house built out of wood shacked back and forward. He explained that “despite the short durability of the movement, I am extremely concern about whether or not the house can resist another movement of that magnitude.” Nunez claimed to be one of the many residents in this little town that feels insecure after the earthquake. He feels that the government should take action and prioritize this matter since there is not guarantee that another earthquake of even greater magnitude won’t occur.
Nunez claim raises considerable concerns about the efficiency of the Dominican government in time of need. There is no doubt of the crisis that was swamping Haiti at the moment and with the Dominican Republic being the first country in its rescue, makes it difficult to held them accountable for inefficiency. Despites this there are residents like Nunez who belief that the government of the Dominican Republic first should address its population and then should they immediately send help to Haiti, where the impact was significantly greater.
The Dominican Republic rapid action is something remains open, thus there are those who, like Nunez, strongly believe that some type of support should be provided in a tamely manner. Others believe that this should be a time to seriously consider the resources and the services available in such circumstances. Maria Ramirez, a 26 years old mother and resident of Cebu who was also impacted by the earthquake, remembered her traumatic experience in the little town’s hospital and the incapability of its personal to deal with situations that entails despair, nervousness and spontaneous reactions. “I was brutally clam down,” she claimed, “as personal in the hospital tried to stabilize and get me to comeback to normal condition. They weren’t prepared to deal with such circumstances.”
Only a few weeks have passed since the earthquake and not detailed assessment has been done regarding the Dominican Republic’s reaction to the phenomenon that transformed a nation forever. However, it is clearly stated by Nunez and Ramirez that its government should provide trained personal to give support emotionally and additional personal to re-evaluate structural damages to reinstall security among the people.
By José A. Morán
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