The lovers, the dreamers, and you....

Last night, I attended my first "Just Desserts," which is the year-end event of ICTV, VIC and WICB. I walked into Emerson Suites and it was WILD. There had to be 450 people in the room, laughing, shouting above the music (great DJ, wish I knew his name), and eating...well, that's why they call it Just Desserts.

Co-hosts Ed Cohen and Matt Corsetti were not only hilarious, they captured the essence of the moment without missing a beat: nostalgia, hope, and a real appreciation for and love of their fellow writers, directors, producers, directors....you know, it really was all about friends. Lifelong friends.

Corsetti closed the evening with a moving and powerful commentary on what his experiences in student media have meant to him. He urged -- no, demanded -- that his fellow VIC-, ICB-, and ICTV-ers make the most of life, take advantage of every opportunity, and take the time to be kind, thoughtful -- in short, the best they can be.

He closed his remarks with one of my favorite quotes, from everybody's favorite froggy sage:

Life's like a movie, write your own ending, 
Keep believing, keep pretending 
We've done just what we set out to do. 
Thanks to the lovers, the dreamers,
and you. 

My thanks to Matt, Ed, and the rest of the WICB, VIC and ICTV gang for allowing me to share their special evening.

And while I'm at it, here are the folks who earned special kudos last night:

Excellence in Graphics and Editing - Rob Edwards
- Outstanding Technical Achievement - Peter Busa
- Excellence in Directing - Kristin Paciorkowski
- Outstanding On-Air Talent - Ed Cohen
- Outstanding Journalist - Kelly McPherson
- Outstanding Producer - Nate Brown
- Best New Show - The Solarium With Professor Smedley Drake
- Best Show - Bombers Basketball
- Freshman of the Year - Ryan Benton
- Outstanding Commitment - Kristin Paciorkowski & Peter Busa
- Senior of the Year - Kristin Paciorkowski

I know, I know: Where have I BEEN?

OK, so I've been less than diligent about the blog, even though it's one of my absolute favorite things to do...but life around here is CRAZY this time of year.

I mean, I thought I was busy. No. That's not right. I KNOW I was busy. But as we all gear up to bring the school year to a close, we tend to crank up the energy and the excitement between here and that moment that seems forever away...and will be here in a matter of days: Summer.

But I'm going to love every minute of it.

That's because this is the time of year when we get to see and hear and read all of the work students have been working on for the entire semester -- and in some cases, the past four years. It's the point at which we get to celebrate their hard work, their accomplishment, and their victories.

I think I have at least three 'special events' to attend every evening for the next 10 days. Exhausting? Sure. But exhilarating -- for them, and for me.

Hurrah!

Nostalgia and Nintendo: The WIZARD returns

Hey,

Remember The Wizard? That 80's classic movie starring Fred Savage, Christian Slater, and the Mario Brothers? Well, it's time to take another less-nostalgic, more critical view of the film, which sold as many Nintendos as it did tickets.

Now, a group of Parkies are revisiting the popular film, and they're inviting you to join them. Here's their description:

On Sunday, May 1, a group of Park Scholars will be facilitating a media literacy discussion in IC Square. Students will be invited to play Nintendo and watch the 1989 film The Wizard. A discussion will follow to reflect on issues of media
literacy (product placement, corporate-influenced and commercialized narratives, etc.). Anyone is welcome to attend what should be a fun and informal event.

Take a study break to watch The Wizard!

One last time: Let's talk about the Park School -- this year, and next year

Hey everybody,

Next Friday is the last day of classes. How did we get here so quickly?

It seems like only yesterday -- OK, last week -- that I arrived at the Park School, brand new and without a clue.

Eight months later, I'm less new and certainly less clueless -- though I still can't find my way around Dillingham.

It's been an extraordinary year, and most of the best moments were spent interacting with students..in my office, in the production studios, and in our student Advisory Council meetings.

Our final meeting of the year is scheduled tomorrow night at 7 p.m. in 314 Park. We'll talk about what we've accomplished this year, and what we want to do in the year ahead. Please: your opinion matters. Take the time to join us; our conversations really do help make Park a better place.

Dianne

Erase the Hate! A new beginning at Ithaca College

Greetings,

This afternoon, I was one of more than 500 students, faculty and administrators who joined together around the Free Speech rock to take a stand against the ignorance, racism and hatred that has characterized a series of events at Ithaca College in the past few weeks. President Peggy Williams was clearly livid -- LIVID -- about the events and the cowardice they represent. And she was far from the only one.

But underlying that fury and that outrage emerged a new energy and determination to fight discrimination and hatred wherever they appear. It was a day of hope as much as a day of anger.

One of the most compelling speakers today was a student named Joseph Gaskins, who stood before the crowd and spoke with dignity, grace and integrity -- not just about the wrongs of yesterday, but about the hopes of tomorrow. He announced a new collaboration between faculty and students to address the issues that recent events have raised -- and I encourage you, all of you, to become involved and to dedicate your energy and your talent to this most-important cause.

I asked Joseph if I could have permission to republish his remarks here. He has graciously agreed. And I present them to you because I believe that it is this kind of intelligence, resourcefulness, and clarity of thought that prepares us -- enables and empowers us -- to be the best we can be:


Today we are presented with a choice, given the opportunity to be unequivocal in our decision and unmovable in our belief. It is simple. This is as black and white as the world will ever be: We can stand silent in the face of our challenge, or we can counter the actions of a few with action true to our cause and rife with purpose and clear objectives.

Those who resort to scribbling hateful sentiments on walls like cave men under the veil of night are not our greatest enemies, nor are the cowards that stole the gay pride flag, a symbol of strength and unity in the face of societal indifference. Rather, we must now fend off apathy, apathy borne out of the illusion of futility, the predilection that nothing can be done to change our present condition.

Specifically, these most recent incidents are markers, signifiers of a deeper, farther reaching dilemma that we as students, scholars, and members of this assemblage of minds must take steps in our every day lives to unravel.

This rally is not an end in itself, but rather the means to encourage political and intellectual reinvigoration, materialized not by the actions or policy of the administration, not by the faculty, but by us, the students.

We must go far beyond this rally, eradicating our internal prejudices and re-evaluating our behavior so as not to perpetuate the conditions that enable the ignorant and the bigoted to affect our surroundings, and to insure that they know that we will not stand for their kind in our community.

It is with this in mind that I will take this opportunity to announce a fresh initiative between the faculty and student body. A forum, coupling these two entities, has been created to systematically understand, and identify the arenas, the institutional processes, structures and relationships that foster or create feelings of alienation among students. The hope is to provide concrete evidence, and solutions to the broader, subtler predicament that minority students, face here at Ithaca College, something that has yet to be done.

The challenge is this, colleagues: with every opportunity, make your voice heard for whatever cause. Engage, defend, challenge, speak up, and do not let silence strangle this new movement for change. Y

ou need not bang down the doors of the administration; one can affect change in our everyday surroundings, our dorms, as scholars in classrooms, and with friends. Be committed, and change will come.

It will not be easy, it will not come quickly, but it will come.

Celebrate the greatest faculty on earth (really, no contest)

Greetings,

We're having another party in the Park School, this one to celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments and achievements of the faculty. We'll present their work in all of its many forms: you name it, we've got it. And it's all amazing.

Please join us Thursday, April 21, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Park School lobby, 220 and auditorium. This is an opportunity to acknowledge and applaud the school's greatest asset: the scholars and artists who not only are extraordinary teachers and mentors, but who model for our students what it means to be engaged and passionate about our life's work.

I hope to see you all there.

Dianne

Deadlines!

Greetings,

Sorry to clutter up the blog, but I wanted to remind ALL of you that April 15 is the deadline for applying for the NBC Olympics Internships AND the Travel Writing course in Antigua AND the computer gaming course over at Cornell.

If you're interested in the NBC Olympics internship, you should stop by my office and pick up an application form (if you don't already have one), and return it to Bonnie Ryan (my assistant) by Friday. When you drop it off, be sure to sign up for an interview appointment (NBC is returning to campus May 2 and 3).

If you're interested in the Antigua course, you should head over to the Study Abroad office to fill out the application form.

And if you're interested in the gaming course at Cornell next fall, you should stop over to the Office of Continuing Education and Summer School to fill out the reciprocity form with Cornell. You don't have to pay any additional tuition to participate in the course; your IC tuition covers it. But we do need to file the paperwork, and I need to know how many of you will need transportation to and from campus every day.

Thanks!

Dianne

And Another One: Doc Research Film Best Student Doc in the Northeast!

ANOTHER AWARD?

You got it.

The Society of Professional Journalists has just named Mad Cow Crusaders, a documentary produced by students in Dr. Ben Crane's Doc Research course, as the best student documentary film in the Northeast.

The film will now go on to national competition in Las Vegas in October.

Can you BELIEVE this place?!? Me, either!

Dianne

HURRAH! Another banner year in the Park student media!

Please join me in congratulating all of the editors, reporters, photographers, producers and crew of our amazing newspaper and television station for winning -- yet again -- a whole slate of extraordinary honors and awards this year. I am constantly amazed by the talent and accomplishment in the Park School, and while we don't need external validation of that excellence, it sure is nice when it happens!

Hurrah!

NEW YORK PRESS ASSOCIATION AWARDS

The Ithacan has been named “Best College Newspaper in New York State” for 2004 by the New York Press Association. The award was presented on April 9 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Albany during the NYPA’s spring convention.

The paper competed against both weekly and daily newspapers in New York State for the honor. While The Ithacan has placed first in the state against other weekly newspapers for four of the five previous years, this is the first year the dailies and weeklies were combined in the contest.

The paper also bested the competition in the following categories:

• First Place for General Excellence
• First Place for Design

In addition, individual staff members received the following awards:

• Charlie Ellsworth ’04, First Place for Feature Writing
• Jim Hawver ’07. Second Place for Column Writing
• Rebecca Gardner ’05, First Place for Photography
• Rebecca Gardner ’05, Second Place for Photography


SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS REGIONAL AWARDS

On the same afternoon, The Ithacan was also presented with several awards at the Region 1 meeting of the Society of Professional Journalists, held in Stamford, Conn. The paper received the Mark of Excellence Award, Third Place, for Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper in the Northeast Region.

In addition, the following staff members received individual awards:

• Jim Hawver ’07, Mark of Excellence Award, Second Place for Sports Column Writing
• Jim Hawver ’07, Mark of Excellence Award, Honorable Mention for Sports Writing
• Anne K. Walters ’05, Mark of Excellence Award, Third Place (tie) for General News Reporting
• Christa Lombardi ’06, Mark of Excellence Award, Third Place (tie) for General News Reporting

Broadcast Education Association's 2005 Festival of Media Arts
Las Vegas - April 21, 2005
Promotional
First Place (Tie)
Producer Robert Edwards,"Studio Walk," a thirty second promo for ICTV programs

Studio Production
Third Place
Producer Chris Caccioppoli, "30 Minutes," a sketch comedy show.
Awards will be made April 21 at the Las Vegas Convention Center as part of the BEA's annual convention.

Society of Professional Journalists Regional Competition
April 9, 2005
Television Spot News Reporting
First Place
”Manhunt Ends” – Kelly McPherson & Michael Geller
First place winners are entered into the SPJ national competition

Television Non-Daily Newscast
Second Place
Newswatch 16

Television Feature
Second Place
”Ice Fishing” – Adam Aurand & Peter Busa

Television Feature
Third Place
”Calvin Rothermich” – Kyle Clark & Michael Geller


Associated Collegiate Press – Apple Award
Spring National College Media Convention, New York, NY - March 19, 2005
Best Television Newscast
Newswatch 16 of Feb. 22, 2005

Travel Writing in Antigua: Our meeting, rescheduled

We had to cancel the first organizational meeting of the travel writing course to Antigua two weeks ago (I was sick, my apologies), and we've rescheduled it for

Tuesday night
6 p.m.
Park School Conference Room
(Dean's office, 3rd floor)

About two dozen of you have contacted me to say you're interested; if you're still thinking about joining us, stop by and we'll talk about the process, the costs, and the benefits.

Thanks.
Dianne

What a Week!

Greetings,

I know you guys are all used to it, but last week in the Park School has to be one for the records...

In addition to the usual demands of fall registration,
-- we hosted our Jessica Savitch speaker, Mara Liasson, political correspondent at National Public Radio;
-- many of our students participated in the Whalen Symposium (including the Park Scholars, for the first time);
-- we welcomed a group of visitors from Antigua, including the Minister of State;
-- we hosted the inaugural Occupied Spaces symposium, which I am told is the first scholarly symposium in the Park School;
-- and we debuted a new and (I'm also told) much-improved version of Ithaca Today, which drew more than 800 people to Park on Saturday.

And each event was its own huge success story.

The Park School is an exceptional learning community, and it doesn't happen by itself. My sincere thanks to the hundreds of students, faculty and staff who step up, pitch in, and help to make this the amazing place that it is.

And speaking of amazing:

Dr. Sandra Herndon, professor and chair of the graduate program in OCLD, will speak at 7 p.m. tonight in Park 220. "Seeing Organizations through Metaphor: 'Little Boxes' versus Webs and Weather" will be Dr. Herndon's final public presentation before she leaves Ithaca College this summer on a one-year sabbatical preceding her retirement. Please join us.

Computer Games at Cornell: The Process

Greetings,

I have emailed all of you who have expressed interest in the Cornell computer gaming class next fall, but I wanted to let you know that you can register for the course by picking up a form at the Office of Continuing Education and Summer Studies (120 Towers), and submitting it.

When you do that, PLEASE contact Bonnie Ryan, my assistant, and let her know that you've actually enrolled. We need to figure out how many students we'll be transporting back and forth next fall.

Thanks!
Dianne

VOTE (updated and corrected....)

You're old enough to vote. You're smart enough to vote. And you've got lots of reasons to vote in this year's Student Government Association elections -- not the least of which is that you're a member of the IC community.

Come on: do your civic duty, and find out which SGA candidates stand for what you believe in. Check out the candidate profiles at www.ithaca.edu/sga under the "Elections" topic.

PS You may notice that this looks a little different than it did this morning. That's because some of the candidates who happen to be Parkies emailed me last night and asked me to blog about their candidacy. Which I did. But which turned out to be a problem of sorts since there are election rules about advertising (this blog apparently counts) and I didn't realize that there are several Parkies running for office. And obviously you can't vote for all of them.

So: good intentions. Bad execution. And mea culpa.

Bottom line: Figure out who represents your ideas and vision of IC, and VOTE! (Please...)

Thanks.

I LOVE IT! Take a look at the new ICTV.org

If you haven't seen the new ICTV Web site, you have to take a look. It's incredible -- exactly what a media site should be: interactive, immediate, responsive and flashy (literally). Congratulations to Pete Berg and his team of designers; you make us all look good!

Here's Pete's blog entry describing the new site and its features:

It's been a long time coming, but the new and entirely-redesigned ICTV.org has launched!

ICTV.org has moved off the Ithaca College server onto its own independent host, and now we are set to offer dynamic content and multimedia like never before. Additionally, through the new forums, photo gallery and polls, ICTV fans and staff can now easily communicate through the web -- and build an online ICTV community.

Now each ICTV show has its own section and news blog, where you can find out about the program, the cast/crew and the latest happenings on set. Producers will also have the ability to add custom content to their section in the future.

Also, in the coming months, we will begin offering Video on Demand of special clips, behind-the-scenes video and even full episodes of your favorite ICTV shows. For a sneak peak, check out The Solarium with Professor Smedley Drake's section, where you can see the first two episodes of this hit sketch comedy show online.

More great things are in store for this website in the coming months, so be sure to keep checking back.

Enjoy your visit!
www.ictv.org

Gaming course at Cornell: Details, details....

Hi everybody,

Registration begins tomorrow, and I want to clarify where we are with the gaming course over at Cornell. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, take a look at the blog archive for March; there are at least two entries that describe the course.)

The course is being offered this spring as well. To get a sense of it, take a look at the course Web site: http://www.cis.cornell.edu/courses/cis300/2005sp/index.php.

As many of you know, we met with the Cornell faculty to talk about the schedule and logistics. They say that every one of you who want the course can get into the course. IC has a reciprocity agreement with Cornell that allows you to take credits at Cornell for courses not offered at IC; this one meets that standard.

The course will establish teams of programmers and 'creative' talent-- including storytellers, artists, and multimedia producers -- to create video games. CU students will do the programming; Parkies will do the rest.

The course meets *every* day. To give us time to get you there (I'm providing a bus or a van), you'll need to keep your schedule open as follows:

MWF Class is scheduled from 12:20 to 1:15, so you'll need to be free from noon to 1:40
T/TH Lab is scheduled from 12:20 to 1:10, and from 1:20 to 2:15. So you'll need to be free from noon to 2:35. (If you want to drive yourself, you would only have to be at Cornell for one of the lab sections T/TH.)

Although many of you have expressed interest, I appreciate that the logistics are such that the majority of you may not be able to participate. If you are still interested in the course, please contact Bonnie Ryan at bryan@ithaca.edu so we can get an accurate count, and I'll know whom to contact with more detailed registration directions and information.

Thanks,
Dianne

Interested in long-form journalism? Consider Magazine Writing next fall

This just in from the Writing Department:

Fall 2005 course:

377-34000-01    Magazine Writing   HU LA     3 credits        TuesThurs 1:10 p.m.  Williams 314
 

This course provides students with experience in researching, writing, and marketing magazine articles, with an emphasis on features. We'll study various types of articles and analyze a wide variety of magazines for their content, audience, and editorial policy and slant. Students learn advanced reporting, research, and interviewing techniques, as well as how to write query letters to editors.

All students write for the particular magazines of their choice (4 features -- two shorter and two longer, plus one sidebar story), with an emphasis on revision for focus, development, and style. Publication is encouraged but not required.

Basic interviewing and journalistic research skills are assumed.

Prerequisites:
• junior standing or above
• 377-33100 Feature Writing  or 227-11100  Introduction to Journalism or
        permission of instructor (students without course prerequisite need to show evidence of journalistic experience)
 

Why IC? An IPod Photo, for starters....

This just in (well, OK, not JUST in, but pretty recently in) from the college's Marketing Department:

WIN AN IPOD PHOTO: PRODUCE THE BEST SHORT VIDEO OR FLASH-ANIMATION THAT ANSWERS THE UNIVERSAL QUESTION: WHY DID YOU COME TO ITHACA COLLEGE?

Here's an excerpt from the site that describes the competition and the rules (www.ithaca.edu/whyic):

When you're through waxing poetic about that party on Hudson or the hottie in your bio class, we’d like you to tell us what really brought you here. We’re looking for video or flash animation shorts — say, a minute or so — all about why you came to Ithaca and why you’re happy you did. If we select your project, you’ll win a spanking new iPod Photo, not to mention the adoration of millions (well, a few of your classmates at the very least).

You don’t need to be the Rembrandt of stick figures— heck, you don’t even need to be an art or film major. Just show us what you’ve got and you could wind up famous and properly accessorized.

DEADLINE: APRIL 11, 2005
PRIZES:
First place—iPod Photo
Honorable mentions (3)—iPod Shuffle

Winners will be announced on April 27.

For more info, try the Web site (again, www.ithaca.edu/whyic). And then get GOING! If a Parkie can't walk away with the grand prize on this one, WHO CAN?

Why IC? An IPod Photo, for starters....

This just in (well, OK, not JUST in, but pretty recently in) from the college's Marketing Department:

WIN AN IPOD PHOTO: PRODUCE THE BEST SHORT VIDEO OR FLASH-ANIMATION THAT ANSWERS THE UNIVERSAL QUESTION: WHY DID YOU COME TO ITHACA COLLEGE?

Here's an excerpt from the site that describes the competition and the rules (www.ithaca.edu/whyic):

When you're through waxing poetic about that party on Hudson or the hottie in your bio class, we’d like you to tell us what really brought you here. We’re looking for video or flash animation shorts — say, a minute or so — all about why you came to Ithaca and why you’re happy you did. If we select your project, you’ll win a spanking new iPod Photo, not to mention the adoration of millions (well, a few of your classmates at the very least).

You don’t need to be the Rembrandt of stick figures— heck, you don’t even need to be an art or film major. Just show us what you’ve got and you could wind up famous and properly accessorized.

DEADLINE: APRIL 11, 2005
PRIZES:
First place—iPod Photo
Honorable mentions (3)—iPod Shuffle

Winners will be announced on April 27.

For more info, try the Web site (again, www.ithaca.edu/whyic). And then get GOING! If a Parkie can't walk away with the grand prize on this one, WHO CAN?