Thursday, March 19, 2009

The Center for Civic Engagement and Service

The Center for Civic Engagement and Service at FAU is an organization that establishes connections between the school and the community. The Jupiter branch is the most recent to join in with the likes of the other campuses. the Boca Raton center was established in 1996, by Daniel Weppner.

The organization helps to find students volunteer activities on and off campuses. The organization tracks the students volunteering and once the student has completed their degree here at FAU the hours are logged onto the students transcript and the will be receive proper recognition and in some cases, possibly even an award.

The center host programs throughout the year such as food and blood drives, adopt a child or family for the holidays and alternative spring breaks, to which the students travel outwards to help those who are less fortunate. The center has worked along side Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity. So if you are looking for another way to stay in touch with the community, while getting credit for it, then check them out.

GO OWLS!

Dinning Hall Survey

I have spoken with many of my fellow classmates since my earlier post on the Cafeteria. We all like what the dinning hall serves up on the Boca Raton campus, but when speaking with them I find the issue is that the dinning hall has a survey box and the students who are taking the time to fill it out are not giving the cafeteria the best scores.

The survey box is located on the opposite counter from the cash registers. The survey is short and to the point. When I was in the dinning hall the other night I filled one out, taking a few extra seconds to make sure I was giving them the proper ratings. I then slipped it in the box and headed off to class.

If you enjoy eating at the cafeteria and you enjoy all the service and options they provide for us, then take 2 minutes and fill one of these guys out so that our dinning hall can know that we have taken note in their efforts and that we are pleased with them!

GO OWLS!

Study Abroad


Italy, a place that is known for its fantastic food, wine, art and history. I personally have been to Italy and I instantly loved it and I cannot wait to go back.

Italy, Venice and Orvieto to be exact are two locations that FAU is offering for study abroad programs this summer. They are no longer taking applications for the Venice trip, but they are still taking applications for the Orvieto trip through May 27th, 2009. The website listed above also provides you with financial aid information for the study abroad programs.
The study abroad application provides you with a checklist of everything you will need to fill out and send in, to be able to participate in these types of courses.
If the same classroom day after day is wearing you thin, then you should definitely try studying abroad this summer. Oh, and you will love Italy!
GO OWLS!



Brogan's Promise

When logging onto My-FAU students will come across a new message from President Frank Brogan. This message does not provide new vital information that differs from the frequently updated Budget Q & A page.

however in this message to FAU's students Brogan clearly states the following:

"At the outset of this difficult process, I want to make three pledges to you:

-I will always be honest with you, even if that means delivering bad news. We are going to continue to face this crisis together, and all members of the University community need to be fully informed if we are to make good decisions both for ourselves individually and for the institution we serve.
-Your input will be welcome every step of the way. We must come together in the effort to chart a new course for the University and bring fresh thinking to bear on defining FAU's role in the 21st century.
-Every decision that is made will be aimed at protecting the core academic functions of the University and ensuring that FAU emerges from this process of reinvention not only leaner but stronger".

Hopefully the choices he implements through these cut backs continue to support the needs of the students first and foremost.

GO OWLS!

Class Schedule

I know that within my department that I have found it hard to obtain the classes I need, when I need them. I often have had to wait till the next semester to get into a class that I wanted to be enrolled in now.

When looking over the new course schedule for Summer and Fall, I am once again concerned. I know that I will not be here in the fall, but for the rest of you that will be here these are issues that need to be addressed from the students. That being said please know that I have voiced my thoughts, but this is something that will not change from one student writing a letter.

With the economy going through this hardship we all know that there will be cutbacks. What we need to do is make sure that these cutbacks do not affect our need for classes. Instructors being laid off is not okay. I am sure there are plenty other ways that President Frank Brogan and the board members can cut back.

This is a university and its job is to provide students with an education that meets the needs of the students who are paying for these degrees. As students we should be always be checking on our status within the school, so that we can monitor our own path at FAU. Thus when the school does not offer the proper classes when they are needed this becomes a set back for the individual student, you, and for the school.

FAU has been around since 1962 and we the students need to voice are thoughts and needs so that we can succeed through FAU! Taking this path of higher education means knowing what you want and how you want to get it. After all, isn't that what you are doing at FAU in the first place?

GO OWLS!

FAU on YouTube

I enjoy being on YouTube, mostly for the never ending supply of music videos. I get all excited when I can find a song on YouTube that I researched because the one line I heard of that song from the radio, I liked.

While I was on YouTube the other day I decided to see what kind of videos were posted for FAU. There was mostly stuff for our sports teams. There is a lot of FAU football videos about the games, good plays, the player's and so on.

I did however find two videos of our sports teams that I thought were well made. One of the videos being all about the FAU football team, but as a general overview tied in with a nice song. The other one being about sports teams in general within FAU. The general sports video has a nice 'rap' song about FAU that I found enjoyable. I hope you do too! Check them out!


GO OWLS!

What Not To Wear To The Dinning hall

My friend and I eat in the dinning hall on the Boca Raton Campus almost every Wednesday before our evening class. Last night we were enjoying our pizza and fries when we saw this entire group of girls walking around the cafeteria with see through cover ups and bikinis underneath them.

First off, this is only okay to wear if you are near a body of water. This is not appropriate for the the cafeteria. My friend and I were not the only ones making comments. A table next to us was saying things such as "what? do they think that is attractive to wear here" and my friend said "Do they realize that the attention they are getting from the guy's is not the right kind".

This look was disrupting dinner for my table and a few other ones as well. These girls in the bikinis are walking around flaunting their goods and I can tell you exactly the two types of looks they were getting.
Girls- What are they wearing? They look easy
Guy's- Nice! How can I get me some of that

Neither one of these remarks are good. Ladies please realize that the way you dress in certain places affects the way people view you. You can be sweet, smart, talented and beautiful but when you walk around the dinning hall with your breasts and butt hanging out then the only thing people see is nothing good at all.

GO OWLS!

Graduation Requirements

I know there are many requirements for graduation for each of the departments and colleges, but these requirements apply towards the Multimedia Journalism majors within the College of Arts and Letters.

I have been visiting the adviser's for our department making sure that I have lined everything up for my undergraduate graduation in August. So through this process I figured I would share some of the first steps you need to make towards graduation.

First off for Summer 2009 graduation you must have all your paperwork filled out and into the office by May 29, 2009. Once the paperwork is filled out you must perform a graduation audit with Vada Taylor, and then you must perform a degree audit with Student Academics. Taylor will go over your requirements from your major and give you the approval for the next step which is the degree audit. In this part of the process Student Academics will review all of your records from day 1 in college to make sure that you have everything required for an undergraduate degree.

Vada Taylor's office is located in the Social Science building, second floor. Student Academics is located in the Arts and Humanities building, second floor room 213. You will need to set up an appointment with Student Academics, they do not take walk-ins.

Good Luck and GO OWLS!

Pleasure Reading


With all the crazy reading assignments our professors give us, I understand that is hard to find time to do some pleasure reading for yourself. I am an avid reader and I always try to find time to squeeze a book of my own into my busy school schedule.


The other day I was in Starbucks on the Boca Raton campus and I over heard this group of girls discussing and book series called the House of Night Series. This series now consist of 5 books total, the fifth book being released just last week. I was excited to hear this conversation occurring because I had just finished the fifth book, while having already read the previous 4 books.


The stories are about a group of vampyre fledglings who exist in world where humans know of vampyres and where we know they too exist among us. The series is quick and easy to read. The books are written together by P.C.Cast and her daughter Kristin Cast.


In this series each vampyre is Marked, which ironically is the name of the first book in the series. The mark shows up on their foreheads and for the fledglings the mark is just outlined and it will only be filled in once they have changed into a full fledged vampyre.


The picture is of me and my friend Nina, I am on the left. While I was looking at the website they have a place where you can download your own picture and 'Mark' yourself, so we did.


GO OWLS!