Category Archives: Major memos

MAJOR MEMO: Year-End Manual 2016

Alumni, Graduation, Major memos, Useful Websites

Dear Graduating Students:

Please carefully read this End-of-Year Manual for information about building access, locker clean out, equipment use, alumni services and more.

Use of Journalism Building Facilities After May 18.

Use of Building:

Members of the Class of 2016 will have access to the building and its facilities through June 30, 2016.

Exceptions include: any area under construction, and any classrooms and computer rooms being used for summer classes or special programs. If you are in one of these rooms when a class is scheduled to begin, please leave immediately. Refusal to cooperate may result in the termination of your access to the building.

Equipment

All current fines must be paid by Monday, May 9 or a hold will be placed on your student account. All equipment must be returned to the Equipment Room (405) by Monday, May 16th. Action will be taken to repossess equipment from outstanding checkouts after May 16. After graduation, students will be allowed to check out equipment (if all bills paid), as available, until Friday, June 10th. Please remember that scheduled summer school classes and master’s project students, as well as necessary equipment maintenance upgrades, have priority for equipment and editing rooms. The equipment room will be operating on summer hours starting Thursday, May 19th from 10am-6pm and will be closed on Graduation Day. 

Please be aware that individual computer rooms will be closed at different times for maintenance and upgrading. Though it is likely, it is not guaranteed that there will always be a computer room or terminal available. Due to maintenance schedules, summer class schedules and the master’s projects, it is possible that you will be unable to use a computer at a specific time.

Student Lockers:

All May graduates must empty their lockers by noon, Friday, May 13.

Continuing part-time students and documentary students may keep their lockers. Graduates who will be working on a demo tape or other approved projects during the month of June may also keep their lockers. To request such a locker extension, please send e-mail to Derek Gano at dg2382@columbia.edu with your name and the reason for your request.

Graduates’ lockers that have not been vacated by noon on Friday, May 13, will be have their locks removed and contents moved to a storage bin and eventually discarded. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GRADUATION CEREMONIES UNTIL YOUR LOCKER IS EMPTIED. All locker questions should be directed to Derek Gano at JSchool-Building@lists.columbia.edu

Student Mail Folders:

The mail folders of graduating students may be used until noon, Friday, May 20. All items remaining in boxes after that date will be discarded.

Computer Account and Class Shares:

Access to J-School computer accounts for all graduating students will remain active until June 30, 2016.

All personal server space and class shares (posted below) will be deleted on May 30. Please be sure to backup all of your files to external media or cloud services (external hard Drives, DropBox, Amazon S3 etc.) before your account is deactivated. These shares will no longer be available to you and the data will be unrecoverable. Even if you are not graduating this May please also note these shares will be deleted as they are for class work only, so do not continue to use them. New shares will be provisioned for summer courses.

Shares:

Photo

City News Room

CNS

DigitalMedia

Radio

OnAir

Video Newsroom

Magazine

Masters

Nightly

Broadcast

TVReporting

August

University Services After May 18

Health Services

You have access to Health Services and are insured through August 15.

University Libraries

Recent alumni will retain full library privileges, including borrowing privileges and access to licensed electronic databases, for a period of three months beyond the degree conferral date. Access information can be found at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/services/lio/access/. Library Services for alumni can be found at http://www.alumni.libraries.columbia.edu/

Dodge Physical Fitness Center (aka the Gym): You may use the gym over the summer with your current CUID. However, you will have to pay the $91 gym use fee. Beginning in September, you will be eligible for alumni gym use. Please see http://www.dodgefitnesscenter.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9610&ATCLID=205330326

Alumni Benefits and Services

A variety of benefits and services are available to Journalism School graduates. This page answers most of your most questions and concerns, from auditing a class at Columbia to updating your address information, from obtaining a transcript of your time here to using Columbia’s recreational facilities – http://bit.ly/alumni_benefits

Please note that you will automatically be subscribed to your class listserv using the real world e-mail address supplied in your graduation survey (more details en route from Career Services). To update any of your contact information with us or sign up for a regional listserv, use this form:

http://bit.ly/cugsj_update

LionMail: You keep this account forever.

 

 

 

MAJOR MEMO: Instructions on Submitting Your M.S. Master’s Projects

Checklists, Getting Things Done, M.S. Program, Major memos, Master's Project

The deadline for submitting your finished Master’s Project is Monday, March 21, at 10 a.m.

We will begin accepting completed projects as of Monday, March 7.

All projects must be submitted to Chanel Roche and Evelyn Corchado in 207A.

You will be required to sign your name on the Master’s Project submission log when you turn in your final project. Only those students who received a formal extension from your faculty adviser and the Dean of Students Office have permission to miss this deadline. 

There are multiple sections of the submission instructions. The portion marked General Instructions applies to all students. There are also sections with specific additional instructions for Hybrid/Video, Hybrid/Photo and Audio projects.

 

General Instructions:

Please submit your piece (and any other materials as specified by your type of project) in a 9 ½ by 11-inch envelope. This copy will be given to the library. Label the envelope with your name, your class year, the title of your project and the name of your Master’s Project adviser.

Please e-mail a final copy of your project to your adviser. Ask your adviser if he or she also wants a hard copy.

This final version of your project will be available in the Columbia Library, so it must conform to the specific formatting guidelines.

Formatting: Margins and Numbers: The print version must be double-spaced on one side of white paper, leaving a 1½- inch margin on the left-hand side and a 1-inch margin on all other sides. Pages must be numbered. No binding or staples, please.

Title Page: Include a separate title page with the following information: Your name, class year, the title of your project, the name of your master’s adviser, and, at the bottom of the page in the center, add:

Copyright 

(Name of Student) 

(Year)

Source List: Submit a complete source list for your project at the end of your project. If you are not certain about the best way to cite a source, consult with your adviser. Be aware that source lists and your entire project, including the “P.S.” portion, will be available for reading and copying by all Journalism School library visitors. If you have confidentiality concerns about sources (i.e. names, phone numbers, personal addresses, etc.), you are responsible for removing the source list from the copy submitted to the Dean of Students Office for the library.

Post Script: At the end of your project, include a first-person narrative describing how you discovered, researched and reported your story. This will help future students see what goes into the making of a successful master’s project. This “P.S.” should be included with all copies of your project after the source list, and should run no longer than 1,000 words. Remember that this post script will be available along with your project in the library.

 

Hybrid/Video Project Instructions

One copy of your print piece per the instructions above for print projects. Please e-mail one final copy of your project to your adviser. Ask your adviser if he or she also wants a hard copy. Include a Post Script and Source List as described above.

One DVD of the video portion of your project. Provide a second DVD directly to your adviser. Label all your DVDs and accompanying materials with complete project information (author(s), title, adviser).

 

Hybrid/Photo Project Instructions

One copy of your print piece per the instructions above for print projects. Please e-mail one final copy of your project to your adviser. Ask your adviser if he or she also wants a hard copy. Include a Post Script and Source List as described above.

One DVD of either your audio slideshow or jpgs. If your project includes both, please submit a separate DVD for each presentation.

Provide a second DVD (s) directly to your adviser. Label all your DVDs and accompanying materials with complete project information (author(s), title, adviser).

 

Audio/Print Hybrid Instructions

One copy of your print piece per the instructions above for print projects. Please e-mail one final copy of your project to your adviser. Ask your adviser if he or she also wants a hard copy. Include a Post Script and Source List as described above.

One copy of your project on audio CD for Dean of Students Office, and a second for your adviser. In addition, provide your adviser a copy of the .wav file (i.e. the final mix “bounce,” on a data CD).

Label all your CDs, tapes and accompanying materials with complete project information (author(s), title, adviser). Indicate whether CDs are data or audio.

 

Audio Project Instructions

One copy of your script for the Dean of Students Office, email a second to the adviser, plus a hard copy to the adviser if he/she requests it. Include a Post Script and Source List as described above.

One copy of your project on audio CD for Dean of Students Office, and a second for your adviser. In addition, provide your adviser a copy of the .wav file (i.e. the final mix “bounce,” on a data CD).

Label all your CDs, tapes and accompanying materials with complete project information (author(s), title, adviser). Indicate whether CDs are data or audio.

 

Your Copy

Keep a copy of your project for yourself. Neither the Journalism School nor the Journalism Library is able to provide on-demand copies of your work.

 

Congratulations!

Major Memo: Smoking Prohibition Policy

Building Issues, Community Citizenship, Healthcare Issues, Major memos
To All Students and Journalism School Community:
This is a reminder about the Columbia University policy on the prohibition on smoking in campus buildings, AND immediately by doorways/entrances to buildings. That includes the entrance to Pulitzer Hall, where you are not permitted to stand while smoking. This is more than just a matter of courtesy, but also a policy established to safeguard the health of non-smokers entering and leaving the building, and those affected when smoke drifts into offices and classrooms.
The policy states:
Policy – Smoking Prohibited
“Smoking is prohibited in any indoor area, in all University vehicles, and outdoor seating or viewing areas of sports arenas and recreational areas, such as those at Baker Field.  Smoking is also prohibited outdoors within 20 feet of all University buildings.”
The full University policy can be reviewed here, including provisions for disciplinary process for violations.
Columbia University Public Area Smoking Policy
Map of Designated Smoking Areas ( including the walkway PAST the steps in front of Pulitzer Hall)
Please observe this policy.
Ernest R. Sotomayor, Dean of Student Affairs
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism

MAJOR MEMO: Journalism School Graduation Ticket Distribution

Graduation, M.A. Program, M.S. Program, Major memos, Part-time Students, PhD

Dear Graduating Students:

READ CAREFULLY – Graduation Tickets

Journalism School Graduation tickets are now available.

To receive your tickets you MUST complete the graduation survey at https://fs7.formsite.com/cu_jschool_careers/GradSurvey15/

The survey is used to create a class directory (both your class list serve and the alumni database), employment statistics and a database of employment information indicating the types of position openings in which you are interested. This is very important in determining how we can better help graduates find the best jobs as quickly as possible, and how the school can help make that happen by also collecting feedback on career services. You willingness to allow career services to circulate your resume is also indicated on the survey.

 The survey is also used to gather feedback on other aspects of your Journalism School experience that cannot be captured through course evaluations.

 You may pick up your tickets from Chanel Roche or Evelyn Corchado in room 207A once you have completed your online graduation survey

They will verify receipt of the survey and have you sign for your ticket envelope containing your tickets to the Journalism School Graduation.

Only those who registered that they are attending graduation and requested tickets receive tickets.

The survey can done 24/7, but the office is open for ticket pick-up on weekdays from 9 am-5 pm only.

If you are a part-time student and it is impossible for you to come in, you may contact Chanel Roche about having tickets mailed. Survey receipt verification is still required.

REMINDER: You must be in compliance with the Assessment System and Sexual Respect Initiative requirements to graduate.  Those who do not submit their materials by the May 15 deadline will be removed from the list of graduating students.

DEADLINE TO PICK UP TICKETS: MAY 19, 5 P.M.

MAJOR MEMO: End-of-Year Manual

Graduation, Knight Bagehot, M.A. Program, M.S. Program, Major memos, Part-time Students, PhD

Dear Graduating Students:

Please carefully read this End-of-Year Manual for information about building access, locker clean out, equipment use, alumni services and more.

Use of Journalism Building Facilities After May 20.

Use of Building:

Members of the Class of 2015 will have access to the building and its facilities through June 30, 2015.

Exceptions include: any area under construction, and any classrooms and computer rooms being used for summer classes or special programs. If you are in one of these rooms when a class is scheduled to begin, please leave immediately. Refusal to cooperate may result in the termination of your access to the building.

Equipment
All current fines must be paid by Friday, May 8 or a hold will be placed on your student account. All equipment must be returned to the Equipment Room (507) by Friday, May 15th. Action will be taken to repossess equipment from outstanding checkouts after May 15. After graduation, students will be allowed to check out equipment (if all bills paid), as available, until Friday, June 6th. Please remember that scheduled summer school classes and master’s project students, as well as necessary equipment maintenance upgrades, have priority for equipment and editing rooms.

Please be aware that individual computer rooms will be closed at different times for maintenance and upgrading. Though it is likely, it is not guaranteed that there will always be a computer room or terminal available. Due to maintenance schedules, summer class schedules and the master’s projects, it is possible that you will be unable to use a computer at a specific time.

Student Lockers:
All May graduates must empty their lockers by noon, Friday, May 15.

Continuing part-time students and documentary students may keep their lockers. Graduates who will be working on a demo tape or other approved projects during the month of June may also keep their lockers. To request such a locker extension, please send e-mail to Derek Gano at dg2382@columbia.edu with your name and the reason for your request.

Graduates’ lockers that have not been vacated by noon on Friday, May 15, will be have their locks removed and contents moved to a storage bin and eventually discarded. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GRADUATION CEREMONIES UNTIL YOUR LOCKER IS EMPTIED. All locker questions should be directed to Derek Gano at JSchool-Building@lists.columbia.edu

Student Mail Folders:
The mail folders of graduating students may be used until noon, Friday, May 22. All items remaining in boxes after that date will be discarded.

Computer Account and Class Shares:

Access to J-School computer accounts for all graduating students will remain active until June 30, 2015.

All personal server space and class shares (posted below) will be deleted on May 30. Please be sure to backup all of your files to external media (CDs, DVDs, flash media, iPods, etc.) before your account is deactivated. These shares will no longer be available to you and the data will be unrecoverable. Even if you are not graduating this May please also note these shares will be deleted as they are for class work only, so do not continue to use them. New shares will be provisioned for summer courses. 

Shares:

Photo
City News Room
CNS
DigitalMedia
Radio
OnAir
Magazine
Masters
Nightly
Broadcast
TVReporting

University Services After May 20

Health Services
For graduating students we are offering a one-time-only extension of the plan so that it affords a full 52 weeks of coverage. The extension is available upon request and enrollment must be complete no later than August 14, 2015. Details are on our website at health.columbia.edu/insurance

University Libraries

Recent alumni will retain full library privileges, including borrowing privileges and access to licensed electronic databases, for a period of three months beyond the degree conferral date. Access information can be found at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/services/lio/access/. Library Services for alumni can be found at http://www.alumni.libraries.columbia.edu/

Dodge Physical Fitness Center (aka the Gym): You may use the gym over the summer with your current CUID. However, you will have to pay the $91 gym use fee. Beginning in September, you will be eligible for alumni gym use. Please see http://www.dodgefitnesscenter.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9610&ATCLID=205330326 

Alumni Benefits and Services

A variety of benefits and services are available to Journalism School graduates. This page answers most of your most questions and concerns, from auditing a class at Columbia to updating your address information, from obtaining a transcript of your time here to using Columbia’s recreational facilities – http://bit.ly/alumni_benefits

Please note that you will automatically be subscribed to your class listserv using the real world e-mail address supplied in your graduation survey (more details en route from Career Services). To update any of your contact information with us or sign up for a regional listserv, use this form:
http://bit.ly/cugsj_update

LionMail: You keep this account forever.

MAJOR MEMO: Columbia Health – Student Health Insurance

FAQ, Healthcare Issues, M.A. Program, M.S. Program, Major memos, Newly-admitted students, Part-time Students
Greetings Students,

The warmer weather has finally arrived and change is blooming around the city.  With that in mind we wanted to take a moment to share three positive changes and address one change-related concern regarding the Columbia University Student Health Insurance Plan.

Positive Changes

New, Dedicated E-mail Address.  Please write to us at studentinsurance@columbia.edu.  Please also update any publications or webpage to reflect this new address.

The August Extension.  For graduating students we are offering a one-time-only extension of the plan so that it affords a full 52 weeks of coverage. The shift in plan dates led to some concerns and we are happy to make this available.  The extension is available upon request and enrollment must be complete no later than August 14, 2015.  Details are on our website at health.columbia.edu/insurance

Early Arrival Coverage For All. As you may remember, a major driving force for changing the plan start dates was the number of students on campus before September 1st.  Now that the Student Health Insurance Plan begins on August 15 we have eliminated the Early Arrival Plan.  One notable benefit of this change is that it provides coverage to many new students during orientation without the need to sign up for a supplemental plan.

Change-Related Concern

Related to changes two & three above, we want to reiterate that there will be no gap in coverage for continuing students.  The current plan year runs September 1, 2014 to August 14, 2015 and the new plan year will begin on August 15, 2015.  While we have been sharing this with students, your help is assuaging concerns is most appreciated.

Thanks so much for your continuing collaboration and do reach out with any questions.  As always, please let us know how we may continue to be your partner in supporting students in the achievement in their personal and academic goals.

In health,
Catherine, Janelle, Michael, Stephanie, & Steve

Student Health Insurance

503 Alfred Lerner Hall
212-854-3268
studentinsurance@columbia.edu

Immunization
Compliance

503 Alfred Lerner Hall
212-854-7210
immunizationcompliance@columbia.edu

MAJOR MEMO: Graduation Registration Memo

Graduation, Knight Bagehot, M.A. Program, M.S. Program, Major memos, Part-time Students, Registration

Dear Graduating Students, Just Graduated Students, Spencers, & 3rd semester doc students:

This year’s graduation information page is now live at: http://bit.ly/CUJ15Grad

It is important that you visit the information page as well as read and follow the instructions below carefully.

To graduate and participate in the two ceremonies (Journalism School Graduation & CU Commencement), you must complete a number of tasks:

  1. Diploma Application form – This was due back in December for May 2015 graduates. To double check that yours was received, please visit SSOL and look for the diploma application status box. If yours has not been received, please fill out the form, ASAP.

Spencers do not have to do this.

October 2014 and February 2015 grads have already received diplomas.

Currently enrolled 3rd semester docs do not have to do this yet.

  1. Journalism School Graduation Registration/Ticket Request: http://fs8.formsite.com/cjdos/gradprogram/

All those graduating must complete this form even if they will not be participating in either ceremony.

Graduating Journalism students are required to register online for the Journalism School Graduation ceremony (at a different link than the one for the university ceremony), where they will also be able to request up to three (3) guest tickets for this ceremony. Graduating students do not need tickets for themselves. Tickets for the Journalism ceremony will be hard copy and available for pick-up in 207A beginning on May 8 for those who both registered to attend and who have completed the online graduation survey which will be available as well on May 8.

Part-time students can contact Chanel Roche at cr2586@columbia.edu about having tickets mailed, if necessary.

Registration Form Submission Deadline: Monday, April 20

  1. Columbia University Commencement Registration/Ticket Request: http://columbiacommencement.universitytickets.com

Only those who will be participating in this ceremony need to complete this form. PhD Graduates need to complete this process through GSAS not Journalism.

Graduating students are required to register online to attend the Columbia University Commencement ceremony, where they are also able to request guest tickets (up to three). Graduate school degree candidates may request up to three (3) guest tickets. Graduating students do not need tickets for themselves.

Your Commencement guest tickets will be electronic tickets and will be available to you upon completion of registration. Please choose only one option to receive your tickets (printing the tickets yourself or sending electronically for your guests to print) to distribute to your guests. Each ticket has a unique QR code that can be scanned only once. Distributing your tickets via both options will cause confusion for guests when they reach the admission entrance. Please make sure that each guest has one numbered ticket which contains a unique QR code. Only the first guest arriving with that unique ticket will be allowed entry to the ceremony. Any additional copies of the same ticket will be turned away at the gates.

Please be sure to send or give your tickets to your guests prior to Commencement Day as it will be nearly impossible to navigate from upper (degree candidate procession area) to lower (guest seating area) campus on the day of the event. Each ticket must be printed out in advance and will be scanned for admission into the ceremony. This will reduce lines at the General Admission gates.

Please note that University Commencement is held on Low Plaza and the processional route for students includes stairs. Those graduates whose disabilities limit their ability to walk or negotiate stairs should contact Disability Services at 212-854-2388 (Voice/TTY) or email access@columbia.edu to arrange for accessible seating by Friday, May 8.

Commencement Registration Form Submission Deadline: Friday, May 8.

  1. Assessment: By May 15, all M.S. and M.A. students must have submitted the required work to the Assessment System: http://bit.ly/CUGSJ_Assessment
  2. Sexual Respect Initiative: By May 15, all graduating students must have completed the requirements of this program: http://bit.ly/SexualRespectCJS
  3. Graduation Survey: To be cleared to pick up the Journalism School graduation ceremony tickets you requested above (item 2), you must complete this survey. The link will go live and be distributed on May 8.

There will be multiple graduation info sessions in April at which you can ask all of your questions. The dates are listed at http://bit.ly/CUJ15Grad

University Life: Sexual Respect and Community Citizenship

Community Service, Healthcare Issues, M.A. Program, M.S. Program, Major memos, Notes From, Part-time Students, School requests

From: Executive Vice President Suzanne Goldberg, Office of University Life

“Join the Conversation.” This is what the Sexual Respect and Community Citizenship Initiative poster urges. Hopefully you have seen it on College Walk or in buildings around campus. With a handful of days left before spring break—and the March 13 deadline for the Sexual Respect and Community Engagement conversation, I am writing with some updates and thoughts about how the Initiative is going.

For starters, I want to remind you that the Sexual Respect Initiative is one part of a broader University-wide focus on what it means to be a member of the Columbia University community. A central aim of this particular initiative is to encourage learning, thought and action on the link between sexual respect and community membership here.

So far, student response—in workshops, the arts, and all other options±has been impressive and inspiring. Thousands of students across the University have attended workshops, trainings, and film screenings through student organizations, academic departments, and sessions listed at http://bit.ly/SexualRespectCJS, with many more to come this week.

More than 200 submissions have come in through the Arts Option, which invites students to creatively express their understanding of “sexual respect” in the context of Columbia. The submissions are quite extraordinary –thought-provoking poetry, prose, visual art, plays, video, and more, accompanied by deeply thoughtful statements about what motivates or underlies the work.

We see the same in the serious thought and care given to reflections submitted as part of the “video and reflection” option. I just finished reading a large set of de-identified reflections and am impressed, again, by the profound ways in which so many students are considering the role of sexual respect in their own lives at Columbia. In the coming weeks, we will post faculty members’ responses to these reflections as another part of continuing this conversation.

For some students, complaints about the initiative have been the path to engagement, prompting important conversations about what sexual respect has to do with community citizenship at all.

With permission, I will quote from one student’s comment: “I’m embarrassed to admit it but I walked in with the attitude that these types of educational seminars, while well-intentioned, don’t do anything to fix the problem. All the education in the world won’t convince a rapist not to rape and everyone else who gets dragged into it feels like they’re wasting their time. But I realize I missed the point completely. The important thing is to educate the average person about the dangers of sexual assault and to create a culture of prevention. If we can learn how to recognize the warning signs that an assault might occur and encourage intervention, instead of feeling awkward about it, we as a community can prevent assault before it begins.”

Dissent, at its best, is yet another path to engagement. For me, it is especially exciting to see dissent inspire creation, as has happened repeatedly though students proposing ideas for new workshops, becoming trained as facilitators, and creating new forms of art that might be used to educate and engage others.

The Initiative provides many additional ways for students to weigh in, add suggestions, and make recommendations. Every student receives an evaluation survey after completing the “affirmation of participation” on CourseWorks, and the Sexual Respect website invites your narrative comments.

Hundreds of evaluations have already come in, and these will be used, along with research on learning theory, sexual violence prevention and more, to develop future programming. Wonderfully, too, many students have indicated that they want to become more involved; if you are interested, please share your contact information on the otherwise anonymous evaluation form.

I could go on, but in the interest of time, I will close by referring back to this Initiative’s core principle:

This initiative focuses on the ways in which an ethic of sexual respect is integral to University community membership. The programming and public conversations place the University’s core commitment to mutual respect alongside other bedrock University commitments, including intellectual exchange and ethical leadership. Through your engagement, both in thought and action, we can create a community and campus in which all can participate freely and fully in the robust, pluralistic life of this great University.

I look forward to your participation.

MAJOR MEMO: M.S. Spring Planning

Deans' Events, M.S. Program, Major memos, Part-time Students, Spring Prep

SPRING SEMESTER PREP (updated several times a week) Here’s the schedule for Spring Semester Prep – events and dates to help you prepare for the Spring Semester. All the information will be available electronically, but you are encouraged to attend any events/briefing sessions you can. Please note we are offering events on a variety of dates and times. All this is subject to change, so please check back often.

The deans will be available throughout November to discuss your options and help you plan for the Spring.

PLEASE NOTE: This information is for M.S. students. There will be an M.A. briefing session on November 19, at 2 p.m., in the Lecture Hall. Tali Woodward and Melanie Huff will go over Spring Semester questions and dealing with Fall final evaluations.

  • Friday, Nov 7, 8a.m.,Stabile Student Center: BOOK WRITING SEMINAR – Preview & Application Instruction session with Prof. Sam Freedman.
  • Week of Nov 9: M.S Spring Curriculum released. Link will be emailed to students.
  • Monday, Nov 10, 1-2pm., Lecture Hall: Spring prep meeting with focus on Spring Semester questions and dealing with Reporting final evaluations.
  • Monday, Nov 10, 6-7p.m., Lecture Hall:  COVERING RELIGION. Preview & Application Instruction session with Prof. Ari Goldman.
  • Wednesday, Nov. 12, 5-6p.m., Stabile Student Center: Spring prep meeting with focus on Spring Semester questions and dealing with Reporting final evaluations.
  • Thursday, Nov. 13, 6:15p.m.-7:15p.m., 601B: SPORTS JOURNALISM – Preview  session with Prof. Sandy Padwe.
  • Monday, Nov 17, 5 p.m.: Applications due for COVERING RELIGION.
  • Monday, Nov 17, 6:15-7:00p.m., World Room: Preview of MANAGING THE 21st CENTURY NEWS ORGANIZATION with Prof. Grueskin.
  • Tuesday, Nov. 18, 6-7:30 p.m., Lecture Hall: Spring Preview Session – an evening when professors who teach Spring Seminar & Production courses are invited to present three-minute previews of their classes. Typically, most professors present and all M.S. students gather for this session. Please note that only a handful of classes have individual briefing sessions (as listed above), so it is critical that you attend this large gathering
  • Wednesday, Nov 19: Preview of RADIO WORKSHOP with Prof. John Dinges and Prof. Kerry Donahue
  • Friday, Nov 21: Preview of VIDEO STORYTELLING with Prof. Lisa Cohen
  • Monday, Nov 24: Students notified of application results for Book Writing and Covering Religion.
  • Monday, Nov 24, 1-2p.m., Room 607B: Preview of COVERING EDUCATION with Prof. LynNell Hancock.
  • Monday, Nov 24, 5-6p.m., Lecture Hall: Preview of NIGHTLY NEWS with Prof. Lennart Bourin
  • Friday, Nov 28: Deadline for students to accept offers for application classes.
  • Monday, Dec 1: Online Registration via SSOL
  • Dec 15-Jan. 20: Winter Break; work on Master’s Projects for M.S. students (first draft due Tuesday, Jan. 20)
  • Jan 5-Jan 30: Add/Drop period
  • Tuesday, Jan 20: M.A. and other University classes begin.
  • Wednesday, Jan. 21, 9:30-5:00: ALL-CLASS EVENT: SPRING PREP DAY: “An annual day of academic, career and writing/reporting tips and advice, before the semester formally begins. Brought to you by Student Affairs, Academic Affairs and Career Services “ – mandatory for all full-time MS students and MA students (except those MA students whose outside classes begin then); all others welcome. Presented by Student Affairs and Career Services.
  • Thursday Jan. 22: M.S. classes begin

 

 

Major Memo: Covering Religion Info Sheet & Application

M.S. Program, Major memos

INFORMATION SHEET AND APPLICATION FOR “COVERING RELIGION” SPRING 2015

“COVERING THE RELIGIONS OF INDIA”

PROFESSORS ARI L. GOLDMAN & YOGI TRIVEDI

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

“Covering Religion” aims at preparing students to write about religion for secular media outlets. In the Spring 2015 semester, the class will focus on the diversity of religious faiths found in India. Thanks to a generous grant from the Scripps Howard Foundation, the course will include a 10-day study-tour of North India at virtually no cost to students. (The minimal expenses that students will incur are described below.)

The study-tour will take place over spring break, with the weekends before and after the break used for travel. The first seven weeks of the course will be spent reporting on the relevant religions in the greater New York area. At the beginning of the term, each student is assigned a faith or a sect of a faith in which to specialize. While a primary focus of the semester will be on the major faiths of India, especially Hinduism and Islam, the class will also look at minority faiths, such as Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity and Judaism. In addition to writing assignments, each student will make an oral presentation in class about his or her assigned faith. While still in New York, students will select and begin to report on the stories that they want to cover while abroad. Students will be assisted by the faculty to develop contacts in India before they depart for the trip.

The class will visit the capital city of New Delhi, the Sikh holy city of Amritsar, the early modern Mughal capital of Jaipur and the shores of the Ganges in Haridwar and Rishikesh. A trip to Ahmedabad, Gujarat is also being considered. It is timely considering the rise of Narendra Modi to the seat of Prime Minister earlier this year. The city is also well known for its historical religious syncretism of Hindu, Muslim, Jain, and Sikh communities. At each stop, we will meet religious leaders and visit houses of worship and shrines. “Reporting days” are also included in the schedule so that students can work on their projects. Religion manifests itself in an extremely distinct way in South Asia. The political, social, and cultural realms are pervaded by the sacred in ways unseen in America and Europe. Several guest speakers—journalists and academics—will also provide insight on historical, political, and ethnographic norms to help prepare students for the trip and the completion of their projects. It is important to note, however, that the focus will be on religion, religious sites and religious communities.

During the 2015 trip, the class will maintain a website that includes daily updates from our travels. Each day on the trip, one student will be responsible for reporting on that day’s activities and posting the story on the Web. In addition, two students serve as Webmasters and others coordinate photographs, videos and social media. Upon returning from the study-tour, students will complete and post their major reporting projects from the trip. (The Websites from previous years can be found at www.coveringreligion.org.)

Here are a few additional points —

  • Class size: the class is limited to 16 students.
  • Dates for the trip: The trip roughly takes place over spring break, making use of the weekends before and after for travel time.
  • Full-time and part-time students in the MS Program are invited to apply
  • Requirements: Full-time students accepted in the class must submit the final draft of their Master’s Project to Dean Huff no later than March 12th, which is 10 days before the regular deadline. In addition, all students must be up-to-date on assignments for all other classes. No student on academic probation or academic warning will be allowed to go on the trip.
  • Composition of the class: We are looking for a group of students that will reflect the diversity of the school in terms of gender, language skills, international travel experience, region of the United States and country of origin. No prior travel experience is necessary.
  • Health insurance: Students are responsible to be sure that they are covered while on the trip.
  • Cost to students: The foundation pays for airfare, hotels, transfers and two meals a day. Students should bring enough money for one meal a day plus money for any personal items or gifts they wish to purchase. Students are responsible for getting their own passports in order and for paying for any visa fees. Students also have to cover the costs of any inoculations necessary for the trip. Students will have to arrange their own travel to and from the airport in New York.
  • Application process: Please fill out the on-line application

    http://bit.ly/CUJ_religion

    It asks for a 500-word essay on why you would like to be considered for the class. It should include personal information as well as a statement about what contemporary religion story you would cover in India if you had the opportunity. If you have done any religion writing in the past, you can include links to those stories.

 

Good luck. We look forward to reading your application.

DEADLINE: November 17, 2014, 5 p.m.