VOLUME 7 NUMBER 2
NOVEMBER 2014
the pedant
\’pe-dant\: A scholar; one prone to ostentatious displays of learning; a learned academic; a nit-picker.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Sometime around June when the spring rains ceased, dry weather and clear skies
felt like a reprieve. But as summer dragged on and welcomed warmth turned to
oppressive sweltering, what just months before had felt like a break from rain
began to feel like a lack. This summer and early autumn’s drought began, for
many, to take an emotional toll. Our connection to time is so enmeshed in the
patterns of the seasons that without their expected vicissitude we feel slightly
askew, perhaps stunted in the ease with which we would normally move forward
in our annual routines.
But on the night of November 20, it not only rained, it poured. And with that
tempest came not the dread that often accompanies the coming winter months
but a sense of relief in the renewed synchronization of time and nature.
Though the metaphor may be a stretch, this issue of the Pedant also focuses
on realigning expectation and reality (the anxiety that results when there is
a schism between the two is delightfully encapsulated in the German concept
of weltschmertz). Students have been coming to us these past few months
with questions, uncertainties, and anxiety and we aim to close those gaps: We
formally introduce the new dean of students, Chris Bass, to the student body,
give a status update on the annual student conference (page 3), go in-depth into
worries students have been expressing over financial aid (page 4), and include
an editorial by GSC president Kevin Campbell on the state of student advocacy at
CGU.
But this issue also focuses on moving forward and honoring the season we are
in. The feature explores the science and morality of giving (page 6) while La
Bonne Vivante takes us into the [now] snow-capped peaks of Mt. Baldy for a local
winter sojourne.
Whether or not the rains continue in their deluge, autumn has not only come but
is now on its way out. There’s nothing more enchanting than the City of Trees
and PhDs this time of year, so make sure to behold the changing colors before
they, too, submit to the season.
Cheers,
Rachel Tie
Editor, the Pedant
in this issue
2 campus news
4 student life
6 feature: serving up good vibes
8 la bonne vivante: comin’ round la montagne
10 student achievements
12 events calendar and more
the Pedant
Volume 7, Number 2 November 2014
Many thanks to Chris Bass, Laura Hernandez, Aracely Torres, Beverly Green, Kevin
Campbell, the Graduate Student Council, Jean Lipman-Blumen, and Danielle Brecher.
Rachel Tie, Editor-in-Chief
Emily Schuck,Writer
Megan M. Gallagher, Contributor
For questions or comments, e-mail pedant@cgu.edu
2 Otium cum dignitate
All About That
Bass
On August 7, 2014, CGU
announced in an e-mail to
staff and faculty that Chris
Bass (pronounced like the
fish), former manager of
student housing, had been
appointed as the new dean of
students and campus life at
CGU. Bass is replacing interim Dean of Students Patricia
Easton, who had been filling in since the November 2013
departure of Fred Siegel.
Bass comes to the position with a background in student
housing, first as director of housing services at California
State University, Los Angeles, and most recently as housing
manager at CGU.
In addition to continuing to oversee student housing, Bass
is overseeing inclusivity and diversity training for faculty
and staff, and plans to focus his work on programming and
community building.
“Talking with the Office of Student Life and Diversity
(OSLD) we’re finding that students are looking for more
social programming,” said Bass. “So we’re looking for ways
to engage across colleges and enhance our collaboration
with the GSC.”
The job description for the dean of students and
campus life is to serve as the primary advocate for and
liaison between students and the CGU administration.
Additionally, Bass will oversee the Office of Student Life
and Diversity (which includes the Graduate Student Council
[GSC], new-student orientation, and the Minority Mentor
Program).
“I see my role as the voice of students to the
administration,” said Bass. “When I’m at the table [with
the administration], I need to be making sure the students’
needs are considered.”
Students are encouraged to come to Bass with ideas and
concerns. You can e-mail chris.bass@cgu.edu or stop by his
office in the student services building at 150 E. 10th Street.
Claremont Graduate University
campus news
Student Conference Takes Sabbatical
CGU’s annual student conference and its attendant publication, Lux,
will be put on hold for the 2014-2015 academic year.
The conference, which had for years been billed as a way for students to
practice academic presenting, is being retooled to better serve students
and the university as a whole.
“We are taking this year to assess the function of the conference and
see if the format was really working,” said Aracely Torres, director of
student life and diversity and who currently oversees the conference.
Ultimately, the shape of the conference will be the decision of the
Faculty Executive Committee (FEC). Early in the semester, the Office of
Student Life and Diversity made a proposal to the FEC that suggested
several changes for the conference.
Ideas included implementing a peer-review process for paper proposals
(in the past, CGU staff members—rather than faculty—had reviewed
papers); having different formats at the conference geared towards
students at different levels in their studies (for instance, having
a “round-table” format for greener students still developing their
ideas, versus a traditional presentation format for advanced doctoral
students); and potentially opening up the conference to the larger
scholarly community.
to hire a graduate assistant (GA) program coordinator. The GA is
responsible for assisting in program coordination, event planning,
occasional student-organization advising, and frequent e-mail/phone
conversations with students. For more information about the job and to
apply, contact Aracely Torres at aracely.torres@cgu.edu.
While both positions require some related experience, don’t let a lessthan-robust CV dissuade you; both jobs are perfect opportunities for
cutting your administrative teeth, and highly motivated students with
great organization and the ability to lead their peers are always good
candidates.
Google Glass free to rent
It may not change the world, but it will definitely change the way you
interact with it.
Since last March, Honnold/Mudd Library has had Google Glass—
eyeglasses with a built-in computer and head-mounted display that
respond to the users’ voice commands and eye movement—for rent to
Claremont students, faculty, and staff.
The library originally acquired Glass to investigate its application in the
classroom—both as a teaching tool and a discussion piece—as well as its
potential as a study aid for students.
At the time of this writing, the FEC has yet to respond to the proposal.
Though the transition is still too new to have a formal student-advisory
committee for the conference, students who have questions or who are
interested in providing input should contact aracely.torres@cgu.edu. To
see past issues of Lux, visit scholarship.claremont.edu/lux.
For individuals to rent Glass for one week, they have to submit a project
proposal describing how Glass will be used and then submit a written
reflection of the experience after the rental period is over.
All in a day’s work
Now, eight months into the project, and over 40 Glass trials successfully
completed, Honnold/Mudd is learning a bit about how people use Glass,
what works and what doesn’t, and where to take the project moving
forward.
They say that the love of money is the root of all evil. Here at the Pedant,
we believe that money is the root of good times and SOUND FINANCIAL
PLANNING (see page 4). Couple that with valuable work experience in
higher education, and you’ve got yourself a winning combination.
Currenly, two highly coveted student positions are hiring. In midNovember, the Claremont University Consortium (or CUC, the central
coordinating and support organization for the 7Cs) posted a job for a
part-time community services and activities coordinator. Feeding the
wallet and the soul? Check.
The gist of the job is to plan and organize locally based communityservice engagement projects and activities; to foster interfaith
understanding through community service, dialogue and reflection;
and to work with community service directors across the Claremont
Colleges to publicize community service opportunities and maintain
a central calendar. Visit www.jobs.cuc.claremont.edu/postings/601 for
more details and to apply. If service is your jam but not your money
maker, find out about other ways to get involved on page 6.
“In teaching, it has mostly been used as a discussion piece (in terms
of surveillance, ubiquitous technology, etc.),” said Danielle Brecher,
instructional design and technology librarian at Honnold/Mudd.
For information on how to acquire Glass and details about project
proposals, visit www.libraries.claremont.edu/glass.asp.
Library staff poses with Google Glass
For those looking to enhance student life right here at the home
campus, the Office of Student Life and Diversity (SLD) is looking
Leisure with dignity 3
Claremont Graduate University
student life
The Financial Times
Rumors have been circulating about financial aid policies at CGU,
from a referendum on PhD-student work/study eligibility to changing
policies about grant, fellowship, and loan disbursement. But according
to Director of Financial Aid Beverly Green, nothing has changed at an
institutional level and there are no impending changes on the horizon.
Student discontent was palpable at the start of the semester with the
delay of loan disbursement and the late payout of grant and fellowship
money (in late November, some students were still waiting for their
refunds). At the September 25 Graduate Student Council (GSC) meeting,
students commiserated over not being able to pay rent or buy books
because of lack of finances.
“Grant and fellowship money that comes from the school has always
been disbursed after the drop/add period,” said Green. In terms of loan
disbursement, CGU adopted new software this year that did indeed
delay the disbursement of loan refunds, but it should be worked out by
spring.
Students have also expressed concern over satisfactory academic
progress timelines, or SAPs. SAPs are federally mandated limits
for MA and PhD students to receive financial aid—not CGU created
but guidelines which CGU must enforce. Timelines for financial-aid
eligibility are roughly five years for MA students and six years for
doctoral students (for a full explanation, visit www.cgu.edu/pages/5081.
asp).
“The reason the government put SAPs into place is to ensure that the
institution is helping the student to graduate, to keep [students] from
continuing to borrow money and never get a degree,” said Green, who
added that if a student hits the deadline they may file an appeal.
In terms of work/study, nothing has changed: Work/study is awarded to
students on a financial-need basis with an annual award of $5,000—an
amount based on the total amount of money the school receives from
the federal government for work/study. There are currently 80 work/
study positions on campus. The amount of work/study funds the school
receives is based on a national average; in proportion to the number of
students CGU has its award is quite high. The 2015-2016 allocation is
expected to approximate that of the 2014-2015 school year.
To avoid misconceptions in the future, the Office of Financial Aid hopes
to drastically update its website and more directly communicate with
students, especially in regards to SAPs.
“This office wants to reach out in any way it can, we want a partnership
[with students]: we’re not here to not give students money,” said Green.
“Our office has an open-door policy. I encourage all students to visit if
they have any questions about their financial aid.”
The office of financial aid is located in the student services building
at 150 E. 10th Street. Information about financial aid can be found at
www.cgu.edu/finaid.
4 Otium cum dignitate
Student loan rates increase
Effective October 1, 2014, federal student loans, including
Direct unsubsidized loans as well as Grad PLUS loans,
increased their loan fees and interest rates.
Loans disbursed before October 1 remain at the 2013-2014
rates; however, spring loans and any loans taken out after
October 1 will be subject to the following new rates:
Direct unsubsidized loans (like Stafford) will jump from 5.41
percent to 6.21 percent with the loan fee going from 1.072
percent to 1.073 percent. For Grad PLUS, interest rates will
jump from 6.41 percent to 7.21 percent, with the loan fee
increasing from 4.288 percent to 4.292 percent.
This may not sound like much, but consider this: The increased
interest and loan fee amounts to the difference between
paying $82,824 and $88,380 for a $50,000 Direct loan over
the life of the loan (20 years), or the difference between
paying $92,815 and $98,796 for a PLUS loan.
Student debt can be inevitable; but the best way to protect
yourself is to stay abreast of student-loan policies and
legislation, keep on top of your own finances, and make a plan
for repayment. For help understanding and managing your
student loans, contact finaid@cgu.edu.
Claremont Graduate University
GSC President’s Notebook
“I am in the world to change the world.”
Those were the first words I read when
I received the brochure for Claremont
Graduate University over six years ago.
Two years prior to that, I was the youngest
account executive to have ever worked for
the subprime arm of Lehman Brothers and
a top ten producer for my division in the
country. I was making over $200,000 a
year, had a million dollar home in Ventura
County, and I was completely miserable. As
counterintuitive as it may sound, when the
subprime market collapsed and my career
went to pieces, it was the best thing that ever
happened to me. What does any of this have
to do with the work of the GSC? Everything.
After leaving the financial industry I sought
out to find what really makes people happy
and where I fit into the world. After a long
journey of self-discovery I learned about
positive psychology and the work of Mihaly
Csikszentmihalyi. Based on what I learned,
I made the decision to go back to school and
attend CGU. The only reason I completed my bachelor’s degree was to
come here, to CGU. After spending a year with Google, I left a wellpaying job because I wanted to partner with CGU in changing the world.
In my time here I have discovered that my story is far from uncommon
for our graduate students. Among my classmates is a successful former
employment attorney, business owners, an affluent venture capitalist,
and a multitude of students with undergraduate degrees from some of
the best schools in the world. Yet, for some reason, our enrollment and
our participation rates (the percentage of alumni that donate to the
school) have recently started to take a slight dip. Part of the role of the
Graduate Student Council is to provide student feedback that may help
explain why that is and assist with providing some possible solutions.
The reasons most often provided by the administration is that (a) as the
economy improves people become less interested in graduate school
and (b) that given such a large population of commuter and fullyemployed students, there is less of a connection to the school. While
there is some truth to that, I would like to suggest a rival hypothesis:
The way graduate students feel treated during their time at CGU has a
real impact on enrollment, alumni giving, rankings, and the future of
CGU.
CGU is expensive, and without an undergraduate population to
supplement tuition for graduate programs, that is not going to change.
Luckily, that is not really an issue for a large portion of CGU’s graduate
students. Nobody likes that tuition is high, but we recognize that the
opportunity to work with CGU’s renowned faculty is incalculable.
Besides, anyone that knows CGU knows that the rigor of our training is
unmatched.
Furthermore, most students do not mind that tuition finances the
lion’s share of CGU’s operations. What CGU’s students do mind is when
that fact goes seemingly unacknowledged by a few of our staff and
administrators. This does not necessarily mean that graduate students
are asking for more money to be spent on student-life initiatives
student life
(although that would be
nice), but that customer
service has a lot of room
for improvement. More
specifically, there is some
perceived inequity in the
procedures that CGU uses
to arrive at decisions, the
sensitivity with which
news is delivered, and the
explanations given for
decisions. In organizational
behavior we call this
perceived procedural,
interpersonal, and
informational justice. One
of the more robust findings
on perceived organizational
justice is that people care
more about procedures and
communication than they
do outcomes. For instance,
when the enforcement
of financial aid policy
changes, it is not just the change that matters. What matters is the
way that change is communicated, if at all. Even if the official policy
remains the same, changes in enforcement should be communicated in
a timely and consistent way. When unofficial verbal communications
do not match what is said through formal channels it creates a lot
of undue frustration and mistrust among the student body. Similar
scenarios have played out with changes to student event policy, the
availability of gyms, the quality of our dining service, the funding of
travel awards, the continued issues relating to CGU e-mail, the hiring of
new administrators, and even support for identity-based associations
for underrepresented groups.
Fortunately, the majority of CGU’s staff and administrators recognize
the need to make changes and are happy to work with us in that effort.
The GSC is working hard on drafting resolutions—recommendations
for positive changes—that will help sustain CGU’s standing as a worldclass institution, but we need your help. As I mentioned before, the
student body of CGU has a wealth of knowledge and experience, and
we acknowledge that your recommendations are essential to CGU’s
continued success. Rather than just complaining about what is wrong,
we want to provide actionable solutions to make things right.
Monday, December 8 at 7:00 PM we will be having a town hall in
Albrecht Auditorium and you are invited to attend. If you cannot
attend the event itself, please participate by e-mailing us your ideas
for positive change. E-mail any and all of your concerns, questions,
and solutions to caroline.carpenter@cgu.edu who will confidentially
compile your responses for the town hall event.
CGU is already an incredible institution, but there is always room for
improvement. Let us build on the strengths that we have—our worldclass professors, engaged student body, and unique program offerings—
to get even better.
Kevin Campbell
President, Graduate Student Council
Leisure with dignity 5
Claremont Graduate University
Serving up good vibes
The litany benefits of community engagement
by Emily Schuck
Between the interminable hours you spending studying, writing, doing research, and teaching, graduatestudent life is generally bursting at the seams. Sometimes you’ll go out for a drink with your friends (or
several); now and then you’ll catch up on the latest episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians (no shame).
But whereas the average graduate student probably lacks the skills to balance a sparkling alcoholic beverage
on their derrière, the balancing act that we do do is just as (if not more so) impressive. (1)
Research and teaching, though, simply isn’t enough. I once heard a
CGU professor remark, with a slightly mirthful undertone, that “the
worst thing about the academic profession is going to department
meetings.” Though there is some truth to this, the scholarly
requirement of performing service—and gratis no less—might just be
more than bureaucratic bull.
Jean Lipman-Blumen, professor at the Drucker School and author
of Connective Leadership, told the Pedant that even serving on
committees at the graduate level can be helpful for your career in
academia.
“Serving on a university committee with faculty and staff offers
graduate students an ‘insider’ view of the institution, something that
is hard to glean any other way. Discovering the inner workings of
academia, or any institution, is always tantalizing and empowering,”
she said. “Graduate students can discern how to create a positive
impact on their university, as well as whether or not they would like
to spend their professional lives in this milieu.”
It doesn’t end the summer you plan on spending in Paris doing
“research” on the Proustian metropole or discovering the algorithm
that will stop Facebook ads from reminding you of your marital
status. Service is an integral part of being in the academy. But
whereas some professors find it tedious, it turns out that it is actually
good for you. And not just the over-ambitious-CV-line-adding you, but
the after-hours you. The non-graduate-student (gasp!) you.
Service helps your well-being in at least three ways. A group of
researchers from the London School of Economics compared
happiness and volunteering and they found that people who
volunteered every week were 16 percent happier than those who never
volunteered. That is comparable to the happiness growth level that
comes from moving from a $20,000 salary to a $75,000 one.
It’s also good for your health. A 2003 longitudinal study showed lower
rates of mortality in older adults. It can also combat depression and
boost self-confidence. (2)
Finally, it’s good to make connections, even if they’re outside of
academia. Winning friends and influencing people goes far beyond
the ivory tower, as it should.
Okay, okay. So we don’t all have time to save the world or write our
own version of the “I Have a Dream” speech. This is true. But, even in
the small suburbanite Claremont, opportunities abound—several that
only take a couple hours a week, if not fewer.
The Claremont Colleges’ own Chaplain’s Office has offered several
service opportunities, ranging from a day of service and soldier care
packaging to blood drives and participation in the LA AIDS walk. This
semester, they added an LA river clean up to the roster.
The surrounding community also offers a variety of opportunities.
You can get involved with Claremont’s senior program and do things
like serve lunch, stuff envelopes, or even start a class (if you really
want your oxytocin levels to soar). Foothill Family Shelter—located
in Upland—also accepts volunteer mentors, for childcare, and office
duties, among other things. For animal lovers, local animal rescue
efforts are also an option: both Upland Animal Shelter and an
independent kitten-rescue program at Petco Unleashed (on Foothill
6 Otium cum dignitate
CGU and 5Cs students at the spring “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event, a march to stop rape, sexual assault, and gender violence.
“We have the luxury of a liberal arts education (and indeed, it is a luxury), let us use it. Let us take our lofty
humanistic ideals and put theory into practice where they can be appreciated . . .”
and Mountain) consistently have a need for volunteers. And by
becoming a foster parent to a kitten, you might just relieve some of
that grad-student stress anyway. Who doesn’t love kittens?
Kittens aside, we have the luxury of a liberal arts education (and
indeed, it is a luxury), let us use it. Let us take our lofty humanistic
ideals and put theory into practice where they can be appreciated on a
very human (or kitty) level.
We now must ask the question: Is service good for the sake of itself? Or
the sake of your CV?
With perhaps that very sentiment in mind, William Deresiewicz,
author of the hot-off-the-press Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of
the American Elite and The Way to a Meaningful Life, wrote that he
noticed a terrifying trend in the academy: that service, among other
things, has merely become a way to pad the college-ready resume and
give students a formulaic answer for entrance essays. The façade of
success in the Ivy League system, he argues, has nothing to do with
actual goodness; it focuses instead on making money and becoming
affluent.
This is where he identifies the problem. Students engage in service
to get the best job, get into the best college, or make the best money.
Deresiewicz asks:
“Why is it that people feel the need to go to places like Guatemala to
do their projects of rescue or documentation, instead of Milwaukee
or Arkansas? When students do stay in the States, why is it that so
many head for New Orleans? Perhaps it’s no surprise, when kids are
trained to think of service as something they are ultimately doing for
themselves—that is, for their resumes. ‘Do well by doing good,’ goes the
slogan. How about just doing good?” (3)
Whereas Deresiewicz’s piece is mostly focused towards the elite
undergraduate, elite undergrads often turn into the elite graduate
students. Isn’t it our goal, as scholars—like scarecrows—to be
outstanding in our fields (get it?)? Perhaps even leaders?
Leadership, it turns out, is related to service. In 1970, Robert Greenleaf
wrote a seminal essay, “The Servant as Leader” in which he puts
forth a theory unknown at the time to leadership studies, which was
essentially that in order to lead, one must first learn to serve. Whereas
“servant leadership” is a bit outdated in current leadership studies, no
theory of leadership has forgotten its influence. Leaders necessarily
have to serve their followers in some way or another—whether that is
leading a march for civil rights or promoting universal healthcare.
The answer to our paradox is, of course, both. But when the reason
behind our service tips too far into the CV direction, we risk becoming
excellent sheep.
This certainly isn’t to say that if you don’t serve at the soup kitchen
on a weekly basis or foster a litter of kittens during spring fever that
you are a sheep. Most certainly not. The work that we do as graduate
students is work that is worth doing, and, we hope, will ultimately
make the world a better place.
In the meantime, use service as a way to happiness, or just to lower
blood pressure. If we are—as CGU is wont to say—“in the world to
change the world,” why not start now?
(1) The opinions expressed here are solely of the writer of the Pedant and do not
necessarily represent the views of Claremont Graduate University or higher
education in general.
(2) Brown, S., Nesse, R. M., Vonokur, A. D., & Smith, D. M. (2003). “Providing Social
Support May Be More Beneficial than Receiving It: Results from a Prospective
Study of Mortality.” Psychological Science, 14(4): 320–327.
(3) Deresiewicz, William. “Don’t Send Your Kid to the Ivy League.” New Republic
Online. 21 July 2014. Retrieved July 30 2014.
Leisure with dignity 7
Groupons verified and printed in hand, sensible shoes on our feet, and
motion sickness medication well in our system, we made our way up
Mountain Avenue in Upland (what locals refer to as “Big Mountain,” not
to be confused with “Little Mountain” in Claremont). The turns become
increasingly hairpin the closer you get to your destination but the
vistas and pines are worth the effort.
The road ends at a gravel lot with a trailer. As you unclench your hands
(and other things you didn’t even realized you had clenched) from the
steering wheel and begin celebrating the 20 degree temperature drop
you will make your way towards the nearby trailer. This trailer is where
your Groupons become ski lift passes and meal vouchers (or if you are
going rogue and not bothering with a social media coupon this is where
such items are purchased).
Tickets in hand, the reason you wore those sensible shoes becomes
incredibly clear as you make your way towards the ski lift. You’ll notice
your party gets quieter and quieter during this steep leg of the journey.
La BonneVivante
by Megan M. Gallagher — writer, teacher, epicurean,
PhD student in English
Bonne Vivante, French: 1) a person having
cultivated, refined, and sociable tastes ; 2) a woman
As part of the Pedant’s mission to enhance student life, La Flâneuse
about town; 3) a pleasure-seeking hedonist.
features goings-on about town outside of the moated ivory tower that is
CGU. This month: Thinkin’ and drinkin’ in Claremont.
“Au milieu de l’hiver, j’ai découvert en moi un invicible été” – Albert
Camus
[In the depths of winter, I discovered there was in me an invincible
summer]
It’s not you, it’s the thin air. That’s what you’ll tell yourself—at least
twice. You would tell the others in your party that too, if you could.
You, however, cannot give up! (I mean, it’s paid for.) This is the moment
Honnold Library’s yearlong elevator repair prepared you for. You aren’t
even carrying your usual absurd amount of books in the slightly-toocreaky-for-comfort seven storey suspended cage that houses the best
study carrels for Arts & Humanities students. After these 20 yards are
over you have a choice: stairs to the left or go right and continue up the
steep incline. Uneven, cobblestone stairs have never looked as inviting
as they do in that moment.
You do that oh-god-breathe-through-your-nose-and-smile-so-you-don’tlook-THAT-out-of-shape sort of walk/limp for a few moments in the ski
lift line until it’s your turn.
I cannot recall a recent time where I have experienced such silence.
Being sandwiched between the 10 and the 210, the buzz of the village,
and the constant hum of fans and air-conditioning units registers
Claremont with at least an orange-level noise pollution. As time wears
on, you probably don’t even realize the stress that being surrounded by
constant hustle and bustle adds to your workload. There is something
restorative in that thin, quiet air that lets your shoulders settle back in
their sockets and causes you to sit up a little straighter.
Clearly, Camus was spending winter in the Inland Empire when he
penned this quote.
You’ve done it. You’ve made it to the top.
During a crisp, 94-degree autumn morning, I finished my pumpkin
muffin, put down my tall, extra-shot, soy, pumpkin-spiced latte with
whip, and blew out my vegan, non-GMO, soy, pumpkin-spiced candle
ready to greet the day. Eager to trade in sweaty weather for sweater
weather, I decided I needed a little fresh air and significantly cooler
temperatures: What I needed was an afternoon on Mt. Baldy.
Annnnnd you are inexplicably starving (it’s probably that thin air).
Lucky for you, the ski lift drops you off at the bar and grill where you
brandish your meal vouchers for food and drink (and they have all kinds
of drink). You pay for anything over the cost of your vouchers (plus a
tip) and can sit outside for a beautiful view of Claremont (well, it’s down
there somewhere) and the Los Angeles area. If the day is clear enough
(and this is a BIG IF) you can see the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island.
There are several ways one can enjoy an afternoon on the mountain.
Some fancy a hike (nope), others a bike (nope), and there are those of us
who prefer finding a Groupon or Livingsocial meal and ski lift deal.
It cannot be overstated: If you are going to Mt. Baldy on a weekend
do not forget to first Google “Mt. Baldy Groupon” or “Mt. Baldy
Livingsocial” to see if you can find a deal. It so happens this weekend I
managed to find round-trip ski lift passes and lunch for 3 for $43 (plus
$5 parking) on Groupon the night before. For a little more than $14/
person we had a relaxing 15-20 minute ride up the mountain, a $10
meal voucher for each of us at their bar and grill The Top of The Notch
Restaurant (where food and drink items ranged from $6-$15), and
another picturesque ride back down the mountain after our lungs had
had enough fresh air and began to ache for air thick enough to see.
8 Otium cum dignitate
You have a few options after your meal. You can rent (or bring) discs
for the free disc golf course, tromp up to the actual top of the mountain
(a cool three more miles uphill and across a ridge what is terrifyingly
refered to as “Devil’s Backbone”) and over-saturate your Instagrams to
your heart’s content, or get back on the ski lift (that dissertation won’t
write itself). There is also an option to hike a couple miles to the other
side of the mountain to get a better view of the desert. Now, I’m sure
people do this (there is a trail after all) but I have yet to see a film or
read a text where people are gleefully hiking towards the desert rather
than desperately trying to hike out of the desert. So unless you want to
gnaw off your own arm and end up at four different graduate schools
like James Franco, I suggest you at least take a buddy.
For Mount Baldy visitor information visit www.mtbaldyskilifts.com.
Mount Baldy ski lift to the Top of the Notch restaurant. Photo courtesy of Chris Wyman.
student achievements
Jessica Smith
School of Social Science, Policy, and
Evaluation
MA, Psychology and Organizational Behavior
and Evaluation
Last summer, Smith interned at Pacific
Sunwear (PacSun) at their headquarters in
Anaheim for the Learning and Organization
Development Department. She was given the
opportunity to perform in role, present to the
executive team with a group of other interns,
and to present her own ideas to the senior vice president of HR.
Andi L. Ruybal
School of Social Science, Policy, and
Evaluation
PhD, Applied Social Psychology and Health
Behavior Research
Ruybal received a Western Psychological
Association Regional Travel Grant from
Psi Chi, the international honor society
in psychology. This award was to attend
the Western Psychological Association
Convention in Portland last April. The award
is given to students attending a regional convention who plan to share
the benefit with others by making a positive impact on their local Psi
Chi chapter through the experience. Ruybal was part of a symposium,
Increasing The Provision of Assistance to People with Depression:
Social Psychological Approaches. Other symposium members included:
Dr. Jason T. Siegel (Chair), Cara N. Tan, Brianna A. Lienemann, and
Amanda R. Keeler. Dr. William D. Crano served as discussant for the
symposium.
Qing (Helen) Yan
School of Social Science, Policy, and
Evaluation
PhD, Positive Organizational Psychology
Yan attended the Western Psychology
Association (WPA) Conference in Portland
this past April, where she presented her
research paper, “Absence Makes the Errors
Go Longer: How Laissez Faire and Aversive
Leaders Inhibit Learning from Mistakes.” As
first author of this paper, she also received
the WPA Student Award. This research is approved for publication in
Journal of Psychology (Zeitschrift für Psychologie).
Jillian Strobel
Drucker School
MBA, Management with a focus in Arts Management
Strobel recently obtained the position of curatorial assistant for the
Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions (LACE) and Pitzer College Art
Galleries collaborative exhibition, Juan Downey: Radiant Nature, for
the Getty Foundation’s 2017 Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA initiative.
She will serve as a program coordinator and curatorial assistant for the
research phase of the exhibition which will focus on the Chilean-born
artist Juan Downey’s early performance work.
10 Otium cum dignitate
Alonzo Campos
School of Education Studies
PhD, Teaching, Language, & Culture
Campos was selected as the 2015 chair-elect
for the Graduate Student Fellows Program
(GSFP) for the American Association of
Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE). This
leadership position is a two-year commitment
that will allow him to help facilitate the
Fellows Program at the annual national
conference in the spring of 2015. AHHE-GSFP provides Latino doctoral
students interested in entering the professorial ranks the opportunity
to attend the annual national conference. Graduate Fellows are provided
mentorship, professional development, and networking opportunities.
Iliana G. Perez
PhD, School of Educational Studies
Perez was selected to participate in the American Evaluation
Association (AEA) Graduate Education Diversity Internship (GEDI)
Program. The GEDI program works to engage and support students
from groups traditionally underrepresented in the field of evaluation.
Perez will intern at Harder + Co. Community Research throughout the
academic year and will attend various evaluation conferences including
the Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment
(CREA) conference in Chicago and the American Evaluation Association
(AEA) conference in Denver.
Faiyaz Farouk
Drucker School
MBA, Executive Management
Along with business partner C.H., Farouk founded the nation’s first
industrial gas brokerage focused on liquid nitrogen (LP) gas, oxygen,
nitrogen, and medical gases. The business is currently only focused on
commercial sector, however they plan on taking this model national
within the next 24 months. They want to help provide a neutral point
of contact for manufacturer and logistics who use industrial gases like
LP gas, oxygen, nitrogen, and medical gases and provide the best rates
based on their collective buying power with the supplier.
Soua Xiong
School of Educational Studies
PhD, Higher Education
Xiong was a guest editor for the summer 2014
issue of the Journal of Progressive Policy and
Practice. In this special issue on advancing
the success of men of color in the community
college, he also co-authored the prefatory with
Drs. J. Luke Wood and Frank Harris III from
San Diego State University. In addition, he
has been selected to serve as a graduate student representative to the
Research on the Education of Asian and Pacific Americans and student
board member-at-large for the multicultural/multiethnic education
special interest groups of the American Educational Research
Association.
Theresa A. Yugar
School of Arts and Humanities
PhD, Women’s Studies in Religion
In November, Yugar’s book, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz: Feminist
Reconstruction of Biography and Text was published through Wipf
and Stock, www.wipfandstock.com. The book reconstructs a her-story
narrative through analysis of two primary texts that Sor Juana wrote en
sus propias palabras (in her own words): El Sueño (The Dream) and La
Respuesta (The Answer).
Meghana A. Rao
School of Social Science, Policy, and
Evaluation
PhD, Positive Organizational Psychology
Meghana A. Rao chaired the 1st Western
Positive Psychology Association (WPPA)
Conference on September 7, 2014 at Claremont
Graduate University. She also received the
Rising Star Award granted by the AS&F
Foundation at CGU. Rao also started her
adjunct faculty position in the Management
and Human Resources department at Cal Poly Pomona this fall.
Tommy Stoughton
PhD, Botany
Stoughton recently had a manuscript published in which he describes
a new species. This new species is restricted to the alpine zone of San
Gorgonio in the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California
(it grows nowhere else in the world). It is a very special issue for the
California Fish and Game Journal, #100, and the first ever all-botany
issue for the journal. Additionally, he successfully raised $7,170
to support his research in the field in Idaho, Montana, and Yukon
Territory, Canada this past summer. Along with Dr. Jordon-Thaden, he
successfully raised this money using crowdfunding through a website
called experiment.com.
To submit your recent
achievement of the
academic or vocational
variety, please send your
name, department, degree
seeking, and achievement
of no more than one
paragraph in the format of
the achievements on this
page to pedant@cgu.edu.
You may also include a
professional quality, highresolution head shot.
Congratulations to the
2014 Friedman Grant
Recipients
The School of Arts and Humanities offers an annual grant
competition made possible through funds from a generous
gift to the school from the estate of Albert B. Friedman,
nationally renowned scholar and long-time professor
of English at Claremont Graduate University. Currently
enrolled students in the School of Arts and Humanities may
apply for grants between the amounts of $500 and $2,500.
Applications for this year’s competition are due by Friday,
February 13, 2015. For information and to apply online, visit
www.cgu.edu/ pages/8159.asp.
Whitney Braun
Andrea Breiling
Jen Buck
Maria Lenor Cadena
Alan Clark
Christina Danko
Jodi Davis
Ciara Ennis
Thomas Evans
Matthew Fisher
Melissa Gholamnejad
Joshua Jensen
Jacqueline Johnson
Lalruatkima
Daniel Lanza
Anjeanette LeBoeuf
Abdul Mazid
David Olali
Kelsey Picken
Robert Rowland
Ashley Shew
Jennifer Smith
Christopher Smith
Daniel Solarz
Kyle Thompson
Angela Tilley
Mario Tofano
Jeff Turner
Caeli Waldron
William Walker
Lauren Znachko
Foothill: a journal of poetry
“Piled Higher and Deeper” by Jorge Cham
www.phdcomics.com
Leisure with dignity 11
Claremont Graduate University
calendar
December 2 Join DBOS (Department of Behavioral and Organizational
Psychology) for a Tuesday talk with Dr. Pierre Englebert from Pomona
College at 11:45 a.m. in Albrecht Auditorium (925 N. Dartmouth Avenue).
December 4 The Student Council for CGU Arts & Humanities will hold
a finals survival party with food, prizes, and finals-apocalypse grab bags
that will help ease the stress of the end of the semester in the IAC Library
(1031 N. Dartmouth Avenue) at 4:00 p.m.
Rocío Zambrana from the University of Oregon will give a talk titled
“Adorno & Horkheimer, Castro-Gómex, and Quijano on Rationality,
Modernity, Totality” at 4:15 at the Humanities House (740 N. College
Avenue).
The Minority Mentor Program will host a networking event in Harper
Courtyard (150 E. Tenth Street) from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Contact aracely.
torres@cgu.edu for more information.
The PFF workshop, Pedagogy for Technology Integration, will explore
teaching and learning opportunities and challenges that come with
integrating technology tools into pedagogy. The workshop will be held in
Burkle 22 (1021 N. Dartmouth Avenue) from 4:00 to 6:50 p.m. E-mail
pff@cgu.edu for more information.
December 6 This Saturday-intensive PFF workshop will cover two workshop
topics for those that have difficulty making it during the week. It will cover
pedagogy for technology integration and web 2.0 for collaborative learning
in Burkle 26 (1021 N. Dartmouth Avenue) from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Lunch will be provided.
December 8 The GSC invites you to participate in a CGU-wide town hall
(see page 5 and event in focus to right).
December 9 For the last Tuesday Talk of the semester, join Robert Dekle
from USC at 11:45 a.m. in Albrecht Auditorium (925 N. Dartmouth
Avenue).
December 15–19 Finals week is your opportunity to prove that you actually
learned something this semester, and whether that’s writing too late into the
evening or studying until your eyeballs fall out, gear up to show your stripes.
December 20 Last day of the semester—you have a full month off before
you have to return to the grad-school grind; celebrate the holidays (and
yourself, for making it through another semester), and we’ll see you next
year!
Fall degrees awarded; congrats grads!
January 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Day; campus closed
January 20 Sharpen your pencils and your wit: spring semester starts today.
12 Otium cum dignitate
EVENT IN FOCUS
December 8:
Student & Administration Town Hall
Graduate school is hardly a democracy, but that doesn’t
mean that your opinion doesn’t count. The Graduate
Student Council (GSC) is hosting a town hall with the CGU
administration to address student-submitted questions. The
town hall will take place in Albrecht Auditorium (near the
corner of 10th Street and Dartmouth) at 7:00 p.m.
To submit your question or concern, (which will remain
anonymous) e-mail caroline.carpenter@cgu.edu. All
students are encouraged to attend the town hall, which will
address issues such as financial aid, institutional concerns,
and other areas of concern for CGU students.
graduate tips
CGU Professor David E. Drew
and the late Professor Paul Gray,
authors of What they Didn’t Teach
You in Graduate School: 199 Helpful
Hints for Success in Your Academic
Career, have been kind enough to
allow us to publish one helpful hint
from their book in each issue. This
is so that one day you don’t raise
your fist in the air and curse CGU
for not teaching you that . . .
81. SECRETARIES . . . ARE A SCARCE RESOURCE. Treat them
as such. Most universities pay secretaries below market wages
and expect them to gain psychic income from the academic
environment. They often work in physical spaces you would
not accept even as a graduate student . . . . By any standard,
they are an exploited class. If you develop a good relationship
with them, they will work miracles for you. They know every
arcane administrative procedure needed to get things done.
They can say nice thins about you to people who mattter in the
department. Remember, however that if they don’t like you,
they can kill your reputation.