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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Opportunity: Exchange Program with Sciences Po

Barnard has recently initiated an exchange program with Sciences Po in France, which may be particularly exciting for students interested in majoring in Political Science but which is also open to students in other majors.

If you are a potential Political Science major, it is important to note that the course requirements for both the major and the exchange program are quite heavy. Although you still have plenty of time before you would be applying to the program, you may want to take a look at the requirements noted in the linked document below, in order to plan your next several semesters accordingly (again, these particular requirements would apply to Political Science majors only):

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_44f7gj5phc


Students interested in the program -- no matter what major you are interested in pursuing -- should speak to the Dean for Study Abroad for more details (www.barnard.edu/studyabroad).

Opportunity: Joint Degree with SIPA - Information Session

Calling all future diplomats, international bankers, media moguls, etc.:

There will be an information session about Barnard's joint degree program with Columbia's School for International and Public Affairs on Friday, December 4, at 2:00 p.m., in SIPA Room 1512.

Students with additional questions about the program are welcome to meet with Barnard's Junior Class Dean, who serves as the liaison between Barnard and SIPA.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Opportunity: Davis Projects for Peace

Projects for Peace is an initiative of the Davis United World College Scholars Program that enables students, individually or in groups, to design their own grassroots projects for peace, which they themselves will implement anywhere in the world during the summer of 2010. Davis will select 100 projects for funding at $10,000 each.

For more information about the program, visit their website: www.davisprojectsforpeace.org/qanda.php.

For information about Barnard’s internal selection process, please make an appointment to speak with Barnard's Junior Class Dean (you can find out his appointment schedule at 212-854-2024).

Advance Program Filing: Helpful Tips from your FYF RAs

If you're still puzzled about which spring courses to take, here's another source for ideas: the First-Year Focus RAs have put together a list of courses that they recommend, based on their own positive experiences in the classes. You can find the document -- which includes course descriptions from a variety of departments and disciplines, along with a summary of degree requirements for your convenient reference -- at the following link:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_42fkz7t3f2

Friday, November 13, 2009

Opportunity: Summer Internship with the Department of Statistics

The Department of Statistics will be offering several internships this summer. See the linked announcement for more details:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_40cp4sbbdm

Opportunity: Spring 2010 project with the Guggenheim

The Barnard Art History Department and the Guggenheim Museum are offering Barnard students a unique opportunity to be a work of art next semester. Link to the announcement for more details:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_39g7cmrwfw

Thursday, November 12, 2009

FAQ: Spring Physical Education and Dance Technique Classes

If you are a first-year student who is not currently taking a Physical Education or Dance technique class, then you will need to take one or the other in the spring semester.

P.E. classes:  You cannot sign up for P.E. classes during this advance program planning period. Enrollment for P.E. classes will happen by lottery during the first week of the semester in January, and then you will begin attending the P.E. classes during the second week of the semester.

Dance technique classes: You can put Dance technique classes on your Spring 2010 program at this time, but remember that your enrollment will not be confirmed until the first week of classes in January, when you attend the class and the instructor makes determinations about the size of the class and the level of the participants.

FAQ: Procedures for L-course sign-up

If you will be attempting to add one or more "L-courses" to your advance program and are unsure about the procedures, please review the instructions posted on the Registrar's website:

http://www.barnard.edu/registrar/L_Course_instructions.htm

If you are unable to add an L-course to your program on Nov. 19 or Nov. 20, then you will need to wait until the beginning of the next semester in January to see if space becomes available. If that is the case, then you should have an alternative course to put on your advance program now (one that would be a viable option for the spring semester as well).

Announcement: Detailed Schedule for Final Exams

You should have received an email from the Registrar yesterday, calling your attention to the posted final exam schedule; the message is included again here for your reference. Please note that this posted schedule is merely the final detailed version of the "projected schedule" that has been available since the beginning of the semester (and which was referenced in an earlier post on the Blog here: http://barnardfirstyear.blogspot.com/2009/10/faq-schedule-of-final-exams.html).

Please also note the procedures that you should follow if you have exam hardship.

From the Registrar:

The course-by-course final examination schedule for Barnard is now posted:

http://www.barnard.edu/registrar/EXAMS.HTM

Columbia has also posted the course-by-course exam schedule for almost all departments.

These schedules list the rooms in which exams will be given; there are no changes in days/times from the master university schedule that was posted over the summer.

[Exam hardship] A student may request a rescheduling of a final examination only if she has two exams at the same time, or three in 24 hours, or four in 48 hours (in each of those cases, a student must come to this office for a letter to take to one of her instructors), or in case of serious illness or emergency (in which case the student follows procedures to defer the exam and take it in January).

Good wishes for the rest of the semester.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Announcement: TONIGHT's discussion with women leaders from Iran

TONIGHT: The Women of Iran’s “One Million Signatures Campaign"
A discussion with Hoda Aminian and Azadeh Faramarziha, who are fighting to change laws that discriminate against women.

Wednesday, November 11, 6:00 PM
Held Auditorium, 304 Barnard Hall
Refreshments will be served.

Sponsored by The Athena Center for Leadership Studies at Barnard College. For more detailed information about the campaign and the panel discussion, please see the linked document:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_38g4bpb4cv

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Opportunity: MBA Admissions Panel and Discussion for Undergraduate Students

Thursday, November 12th - 3:00-5:00 pm
Location: Columbia Business School, Uris Hall - Room 333, 3022 Broadway
Registration: http://forms.darden.virginia.edu/admissions/fair.htm

Please join admissions representatives from top-ranked MBA programs for a panel discussion about the MBA degree to learn:
- How and when an MBA education can help you develop and achieve your career goals.
- How to prepare a good application for MBA programs.
- How to choose the right MBA program for you.

Time will be reserved to ask admissions representatives questions about their individual schools, as well as any other questions you might have about the MBA. This panel will provide an opportunity to learn from representatives of top MBA programs about the wide variety of possibilities the degree can open up for you.
   
Schools represented:
Columbia Business School and the Office of Admissions, Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan School of Management, Northwestern Kellogg School of Management, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, UCLA Anderson School of Management, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, University of Virginia Darden Graduate School of Business Administration, and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Advance Program Filing: Reminder about English Dept. sign-up

Sign-up sheets for limited-enrollment Barnard English classes will be posted Thursday, November 12th at 8:30 a.m. on the bulletin boards across from 417 Barnard Hall.

For more information on how to enroll in Barnard English courses that require permission or are restricted in size, please visit this page of the department website:

http://www.barnard.edu/english/forms_procedures.php#restricted

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Advance Program Filing: Spring 2010 First-Year ENGLISH Offerings

The list of First-Year English sections offered in Spring 2010 is now available (updated as of Nov. 6). You may view the course listings at the linked document:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_37g2wf68d7

You can see the general reading lists for each First-Year English section at the Reinventing Literary History website:

http://www.barnard.edu/english/reinventingliteraryhistory/

The First-Year English lottery will be available from Monday, November 9 at 9:00 a.m. through Friday, November 13 at 5:00 p.m. You may enter the lottery by logging into your eBear account, going to the "Registrar" tab and clicking on the "New Student" link, then going into the "First-Year English" site. (The First-Year Seminar lottery is in the same area of eBear, so please be sure that you are entering the correct lottery.) You will be asked to submit your top four course choices, in order of preference. Please note that the lottery is not time-sensitive -- i.e., there is no priority given for earlier submissions over later submissions.

Your First-Year English placement will be posted on Tuesday, November 17 at 12:00 noon and will be entered directly onto your Spring 2010 program by the Registrar's office. Be sure that the English class appears on your advance program before your adviser submits her/his approval online.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Advance Program Filing: Spring 2010 First-Year SEMINAR Offerings

The list of First-Year Seminars offered in Spring 2010 is now available. You may view the course listings on the program's website:

http://www.barnard.edu/fysem/spring.htm

or you can view a list of the courses and attached course descriptions in the following linked document:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_364qfrr3gb

The First-Year Seminar lottery will be available from Monday, November 9 at 9:00 a.m. through Friday, November 13 at 5:00 p.m. You may enter the lottery by logging into your eBear account, going to the "Registrar" tab and clicking on the "New Student" link, then going into the "First-Year Seminar" site. (The First-Year English lottery is in the same area of eBear, so please be sure that you are entering the correct lottery.) You will be asked to submit your top four course choices, in order of preference. Please note that the lottery is not time-sensitive -- i.e., there is no priority given for earlier submissions over later submissions.

Your First-Year Seminar placement will be posted on Tuesday, November 17 at 12:00 noon and will be entered directly onto your Spring 2010 program by the Registrar's office. Be sure that the seminar appears on your advance program before your adviser submits her/his approval online.

DEADLINE: for the online lottery for Psychology lab and stats courses

Remember that the lottery for Psychology department laboratory and statistics courses is currently open. If you want to enter the lottery for Spring 2010 courses, you must submit your rankings by 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 8. To find more detailed instructions and to enter the lottery, log into your eBear account, click on the "Registrar" tab, then go to the "Psych Lab/Stat" link. Please contact the Psychology Department Administrator if you have any questions about or problems with the lottery.

FAQ: Spring 2010 Offerings for FY English and FY Seminar

As noted on the timeline posted after the program planning meetings (see below), the Spring 2010 Offerings for FY English and FY Seminar will be posted no later than Monday, November 9 (the opening of the week of the lotteries). When the listings are available from the respective programs, they will be posted here on the FY Blog.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Advance Program Filing: Limited Enrollment Courses (distinct from L-courses)

The Registrar has posted a list of Barnard-taugth Spring 2010 Limited Enrollment Courses -- i.e., those that require a lottery, audition, writing sample, application, sign-up on a department list, instructor permission, etc. Be sure to review this list of courses carefully to see if you need to go through additional steps to enroll in any of the courses:

http://www.barnard.edu/registrar/BCLIMIT.HTM

Note: These courses are not general “L-courses." L-course sign-up will take place via eBear, April 20-24. The courses on this list require separate procedures and have varying deadlines.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Advance Program Filing: Planning Your Spring Semester (continued)

As you will have read in the email from the Registrar's office, you will be able to start entering courses for Spring 2010 through eBear on Wednesday, November 4. You'll have a new sub-tab under the "Registrar" titled "Spring 2010," and the same add/drop boxes that you saw during the first two weeks of the semester. Remember that you'll only be able to add open enrollment courses for the first few weeks.

In the meantime, be sure to read the memo from the Registrar's office, which contains information applicable to all Barnard students for advance program planning:

http://www.barnard.edu/registrar/PROGRAMSPRING.HTM

Monday, October 19, 2009

Advance Program Filing: First Steps in Planning Your Spring Semester

Following the program planning meetings held for all first-year students on Oct. 19 and Oct. 20, here are some materials for reference as you begin to plan your spring semester.

A timeline for the rest of the semester (recently updated on Oct. 29):

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_27hn7jm2cx

A checklist to plan how you might fulfill General Education Requirements (Nine Ways of Knowing):

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_28fnsrghcz

A list of the upcoming program planning meetings for individual academic departments:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tYW92rrrWqagO9fPIHFIpgw&output=html

Advising: Academic Department Fair

The Barnard Department Fair will be held Friday, October 23rd, in the James Room, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Come talk to representatives of the varous programs, departments, and majors on campus to learn more about the classes that will be offered next semester and to hear more about requirements and electives. You'll be able to learn a little bit in a short amount of time and identify some departments and programs of interest; you can then attend the individual departmental program planning meetings over the next few weeks to meet more faculty and to learn more specifics.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Opportunity: Spelman College/Howard University Exchanges

Barnard participates in an exchange programs with Spelman College, an historically Black college for women in Atlanta, Georgia, and with Howard University, an historically Black college in Washington, D.C.. If you're interested in learning more about these exchange programs, come to an information session on Monday, October 19, 5:00-6:30 p.m. in 318 Milbank. Light refreshments will be served.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

FAQ: Preliminary Schedule for Final Exams

Although the schedule for final exams will not be finalized and confirmed until November, you can view a preliminary schedule in order to start making some plans for the end of the semester.

First, read through the information posted on the "Exam" page of the Barnard Registrar's website (notice in particular the scheduling exceptions for certain Barnard classes):

http://www.barnard.edu/registrar/EXAMS.HTM

Then follow the links from that page to find the Projected Exam Schedule for all classes within the Columbia University system.

Please remember that this information should be used for preliminary planning purposes only. Schedules may need to be adjusted for the needs of a particular program or a particular professor, so when the confirmed schedule is posted in November, you should review it carefully to ensure that you know the exact days and times of your final exams.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Advising: Important Information about Advance Program Filing

The First-Year Class Dean will hold program planning meetings for the entire First-Year Class on both Monday, October 19, 5:30-6:30 p.m. and Tuesday, October 20, 5:30-6:30 p.m. in Held Auditorium (304 Barnard Hall). All first-year students are required to attend one of these meetings.

At the meetings, you'll learn important information about the timeline for the remainder of the semester, including the process and procedures for advance program planning for the spring semester (e.g., upcoming deadlines, lottery sign-ups, course enrollment, departmental program meetings).

FAQ: the Pass/D/Fail option

The First-Year Class Dean will discuss the Pass/D/Fail option in detail during the upcoming program planning meetings on Oct. 19 and 20, but if you are already curious about the policies and procedures, follow the link for more information:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_22gqbd67db

Although your adviser's approval is not required before you can declare a class Pass/D/Fail, it's a good idea to discuss the option with your adviser and/or your class dean. Some classes cannot be taken Pass/D/Fail, and other classes should not be taken Pass/D/Fail, depending on your academic goals, so you want to ensure that you make the most informed decision possible.

Note that the deadline for declaring a course Pass/D/Fail through the Registrar's office is not until November 19, so you have plenty of time to consider the option. In the meantime, if you are having difficulty in a particular course, talk with your professors and TAs during office hours and appointment times, and utilize the academic assistance opportunities available on campus:

http://barnardfirstyear.blogspot.com/search/label/academic%20assistance

Monday, October 5, 2009

Advising: Study Abroad Information - Financing Your Study Abroad

Trying to imagine how you will fund your study abroad experience? Attend the next information session by the Dean for Study Abroad to learn more about scholarship opportunities: Thursday, October 8, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., 227 Milbank.

DEADLINE: for dropping a course

The deadline to drop a course from your Fall 2009 program is Tuesday, October 13 at 4:30 p.m.. To drop a course from your current program, you must pick up a drop form from the Registrar's office (107 Milbank), complete it, have your adviser sign it, then submit it back to the Registrar's office. The course will then be removed completely from your Fall 2009 program.

Note: If you are considering the idea of dropping a course, talk to your adviser and/or your class dean before making the decision, to ensure that you've considered all of your options. Also, remember that you must be working toward the completion of at least 12 points of credit this semester; if dropping a course would leave you with less than 12 credits and yet seems like your only option, you must see the First-Year Class Dean for special permission.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Academic Assistance: Barnard Writing Center

The Barnard Writing Center is open for business! Writing is difficult, and the challenge to be a better writer is never-ending. At the Writing Center, Barnard students in all disciplines can meet with Writing Fellows to discuss their writing process and their current assignments. Columbia students enrolled in courses taught by Barnard faculty are also welcome to discuss their writing in Barnard courses.

The philosophy of the Writing Center is that every writer needs a reader. Located in 18 Milbank, the Writing Center is staffed by Barnard's trained peer tutors, the Writing Fellows, who are seasoned readers of undergraduate writing across the curriculum. To meet with a Writing Fellow, sign up for a conference time through the Writing Center website: www.barnard.edu/writing. Please note that conference times fill up quickly, so plan ahead!

Monday, September 28, 2009

Academic Assistance: Science Workshop Rooms

The Science Workshop Rooms are now up and running for Fall 2009. These Workshop Rooms provide free tutorial assistance for students in CHEM BC2001 (General Chemistry I), CHEM BC3231 (Organic Chemistry II), or PHYS BC2001 (Physics I: Mechanics). The schedule for each Workshop Room is as follows:

Workshop Room for CHEM BC2001 General Chemistry:

Tuesdays: 7:00-9:00 p.m. (237 Milbank)
Wednesdays: 6:00-8:00 p.m. (302 Milbank)

Workshop Room for CHEM BC3231 Organic Chemistry II:

Mondays: 5:30-7:30 p.m. (237 Milbank)
Wednesdays: 7:00-9:00 p.m. (237 Milbank)
Thursdays: 7:00-9:00 p.m. (237 Milbank)

Workshop Room for PHYS BC2001 Physics I

Mondays: 7:30-9:30 p.m. (237 Milbank)
Tuesdays: 6:00-8:00 p.m. (225 Milbank)

Academic Assistance: Barnard Peer Tutoring Program

The Academic Assistance Program, a Barnard-student peer-tutoring Program, is now underway for the Fall 2009 semester. The program provides tutoring for Barnard students experiencing difficulty in specific math, science, economics and foreign language courses.

Before requesting a tutor, you are strongly advised to attend your professor's office hours, your Teaching Assistant's office hours, and/or any help sessions that are available for the course to see if these alternatives sufficiently help you.

You may request a tutor for the following courses: MATH 1101 (Calculus I), MATH 1102 (Calculus II), BIOL 1500 (Introduction to Organismal & Evolutionary Biology), ECON 1003 (Introduction to Economic Reasoning), ECON 1007 (Mathematics Methods for Economics), ECON 3033 (Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory), ECON 3035 (Intermediate Microeconomic Theory), and elementary or intermediate foreign language courses.

To request a tutor (i.e., Academic Fellow), visit www.barnard.edu/dos/support.html and click on "Tutee Packet" to access and print the application forms. Please read all of the information on the forms carefully before you submit your application. Once your completed application and contract is received, you will receive the name and contact information of a tutor, so that you can contact her to set up a mutually convenient time to meet. Depending upon tutor availability, it may take at least a week before you receive the name and contact information of your tutor.

Once you are assigned a tutor, you will be receive a two-hour tutoring session, one day per week, and you will most likely be tutored in a small group of two to three students. There is a fee for the tutoring service, and the amount of the fee is determined on a sliding scale (depending on financial need), so that the fee can range from $15/hour to $7.50/hour to $0/hour.

If, after carefully reading and reviewing all of the information in the online Tutee Packet, you have any questions, please contact Dean Adjua Starks in the Office of the Dean of Studies. You may make an appointment with her by calling the office at 212-854-2024 or by signing up on her schedule sheets in 105 Milbank. You may also contact her by email at astarks@barnard.edu.

Advising: Study Abroad and International Opportunities Fair

Come explore some of the many opportunities to study, work, teach, and volunteer abroad. Representatives from all over the world will be on hand to talk to you about their programs. All undergraduate students are welcome!

Friday, October 2, 12:30-3:30 pm
Roone Arledge Auditorium, Lerner Hall (Columbia campus)

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Opportunity: Creative writing courses (non-credit)

Columbia's School of the Arts is sponsoring the INTRO program, a series of free, non-credit creative writing courses taught by their graduate students. Follow the link to find our more detailed information:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_21cvf5jtc9

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Advising: Financial Aid

Beginning this week, the Financial Aid Office will hold Open Walk-in Hours, during which students may drop by to talk with a financial aid counselor. The Financial Aid Office is located in 11 Milbank, and the Open Walk-in Hours are as follows:

Monday through Thursday: 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Friday: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Students can walk in during these times to discuss all questions regarding financial aid matters, including study abroad, loans, jobs on campus, and financing options.

Students will continue to have the option of scheduling an appointment at other times; you may make an appointment by calling the office at (212) 854-2154.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Advising: Information on Study Abroad

Just beginning to consider a semester or year abroad? Come learn the basics with Study Abroad Dean Gretchen Young at one of the upcoming information sessions:

1) Tuesday, September 22, 5:00-6:00 p.m., 304 Barnard (Held Auditorium)
2) Wednesday, September 30, 12:00-1:00 p.m., 328 Milbank
3) Tuesday, November 17, 12:00-1:00 p.m., 328 Milbank

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Advising: Lunchtime Workshops for First-Year Students

Strategies for Successful Students:
Lunchtime Workshops for First-Year Students - Fall 2009

Adjusting to your college schedule and workload can be tough. So for the next several weeks, we'll be offering a series of workshops designed to help first-year students at Barnard adjust to their new academic environment. Eat your lunch while Barnard faculty, deans and directors talk with you about some of the challenges involved in handling large amounts of reading, preparing for exams, adjusting your study habits, producing essays, organizing your days and weeks, and managing your stress levels. This lunchtime workshop series is sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Studies, ASEP, Furman Counseling Center, HEOP Scholars, and the Writing Center.

All workshops will be held on Tuesdays, 12:00-1:00 p.m., in the Weber Lounge (118 Reid). Please bring your own lunch.

Sept. 22: Making the Most of Your Classes (reading and notetaking strategies, class participation)
Sept. 29: Time Management
Oct. 6: Preparing for Exams
Oct. 13: Stress Management
Oct. 20: Writing Papers

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Opportunity: Activities, Clubs and Organizations (Part 2)

Tomorrow (Thursday, September 17) is the Barnard Activities Fair! Between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., the Barnard-based clubs and organizations will set up tables around Lehman Lawn, and they're excited to share information with you and invite you to join in. Make time to stroll by in between classes.

UPDATE: Because of the rain, the Activities Fair will be held in the James Room (4th Floor of Barnard Hall) today.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

DEADLINE: Fall 2009 Final Program Filing

Remember that the deadline for finalizing your Fall 2009 program and receiving your adviser's approval online is this Friday, September 18 at 4:30 p.m. If you have not already received your adviser's approval, be sure that you have made an appointment with your adviser or have plans to drop by your adviser's office hours before the end of the week.

Before your adviser submits her/his approval online, you should make sure that your "List of Courses" includes everything that you are taking this semester for credit, including P.E. classes, Dance technique classes, music lessons or groups, credit-bearing arts performances, etc. Also, if your science lab or discussion section has a separate call number from the lecture course, be sure to include it as well, even if it carries no additional point of credit.

Once your List of Courses is complete, your adviser will submit approval online, after which every course listed should carry a check in the "Status" column. The checks will originally appear red, but will turn green after they have been processed by the system. As long as the red checks appear by the deadline, your program will be set for the semester.

If there are questions about program filing after the deadline, please contact your adviser and visit the Registrar's office (107 Milbank).

Friday, September 11, 2009

Program Filing: PE Lottery

Remember that the P.E. lottery closes at 12:00 noon today (Friday, September 4). If you want to take a P.E. class this semester, be sure to enter the lottery through eBear by then.

Any questions about your placement by the lottery should be directed to the P.E. department (206 Barnard Hall). Also, if you missed the close of the lottery and still want to take a P.E. course, you should (a) visit the P.E. department on Monday to find out which classes still have space available and/or (b) visit the first meeting of a class to see if space is available.

For more instructions, please see the previous post about Enrolling in a Physical Education course:

http://barnardfirstyear.blogspot.com/2009/09/program-filing-enrolling-in-physical.html

Remember that you will need to add the P.E. class to your List of Courses before your adviser submits her/his final approval on your fall program. Note: When first added to your eBear program, the course will appear with zero credit, but after the program filing deadline has passed, the Registrar's office will review programs to adjust for P.E. and Dance technique credits, and the credit will be added to your program.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Opportunity: Activities, Clubs and Organizations

Today is Columbia Activities Day! Between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., over 300 clubs and organizations based at Columbia will set up tables along College walk on the Columbia campus, hoping to introduce themselves to you. Drop by to learn about all of the extra-curricular activities open to you during your years at Barnard.

Also, the Barnard Activities Fair will be held next Thursday, September 17, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., when the clubs and organizations based on Barnard will set up tables around Lehman Lawn. So you'll have even more activities to consider next week.

And remember that you don't have to fit in every interesting activity this semester or even this year! One or two may be plenty as you get your schedule settled..

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Opportunity: Dance Performance - Fall Productions

If you are interested in performing in any of the dance productions staged by the Dance department this semester, follow the link below to visit their website to see the schedule of auditions and the performance dates:

http://barnard.edu/dance/

and to read the biographies of the choreographers:

http://barnard.edu/dance/calendar_bios.html

Opportunity: Theater Performance Classes and Fall Productions

If you are interested in taking a theater performance class for credit, or if you are interested in participating in any of the theater productions that will be staged by the Theatre Department this semester, please follow the link for more information about auditions this week:

http://www.barnard.edu/theatre/news.html

Opportunity: Perspectives in Mathematics (course)

V2001: Perspectives in Mathematics

Are you interested in exploring mathematics beyond calculus? This one-credit course will discuss a variety of mathematical topics that are not usually in the beginning undergraduate curriculum, such as topology, probability, and symmetry. It is a fun course (with P/D/F grading) intended as a supplementary course for first- and second-year students, and it can be taken concurrently with other Math courses.

The course will meet on Wednesdays, 6:10-7:25 p.m., in Milbank 202, and will be team-taught by the faculty of the Barnard Mathematics department, with some guest lectures. The first instructor will be Professor McDuff; please direct any questions to her during the first class meeting or by email (dmcduff@barnard.edu).

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Program Filing: GER Worksheet

Follow this link for a worksheet that can help you plan ahead for your General Education Requirements:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_20d5hkd7hc

FAQ: First-Year English Topics

If you were placed into BC1201 First-Year English this semester, you can determine the topic of your class my finding your section number in the list below. Please note that, due to scheduling and space limitations, we were not able to give every student her top preference, but every class will cover fantastic works of literature.

The Americas: Sections 12, 18
Legacy of the Mediterranean: Sections 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17
Women and Culture: Sections 4, 5, 8, 10, 14

FAQ: eBear Fall Programs - "Comments and Reminders"

The "Comments and Reminders" section of your eBear Fall 2009 program shows special instructions for enrolling in certain courses. In most cases, these are not procedures that you need to follow because they were done during the summer placement process.

If a course is listed on your eBear program and has a blue check next to it, you are officially enrolled in that class. If there are additional steps that you need to take regarding discussion sections or labs, they will be explained to you in the first class meetings.

Remember to attend the eBear Essentials session on Friday, September 4, either at 12:00 p.m. or at 1:00 p.m., in Held Auditorium (304 Barnard Hall) to learn more.

Opportunity: Biology Journal Club (course)

The Biology Journal Club is a special class (not an extracurricular activity), designed for students who are particularly interested in Biology, to supplement their work in BIOL BC1500/1501. Follow the link to learn more about this special opportunity:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_18m3qqz2g7

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Academic Assistance: Barnard Writing Center

It's never too early to learn about the Barnard Writing Center and how it might help you during your first semester of college. Visit their website to learn more about the services they offer and how you can sign up to take advantage of them, once the semester gets underway and the Center is open:

http://www.barnard.edu/writing/

Program Filing: Advice on Math Courses

Professor Walter Neumann of the Mathematics Department will be holding extra office hours during Orientation to advise new students on placement in Math courses. Students may visit him in his office in 616 Mathematics on Thursday, September 3, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Students who may be duplicating coursework in Mathematics (e.g., enrolling in Calculus I after taking AP Calculus) or who are unsure which higher level of Calculus may be appropriate are especially encouraged to talk with him.

Also, there will be an open house for the Barnard Mathematics Department on Thursday, September 3, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. in the Math Workshop Room, 333 Milbank. All students considering math courses or math-related majors are welcome to attend.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Policies: Transfer Credit for Previous College Coursework

Follow this link for instructions on receiving credit for previous college coursework:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_3gz7v65gz

Program Filing: Varsity Athletes

If you are participating on a Varsity athletic team in the fall semester, follow this link for instructions on how to receive Physical Education credit:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_1w22q7fhn

Program Filing: Enrolling in a Dance technique course

Follow this link for instructions on enrolling in a Dance technique course in the fall semester:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_0cm68q9gv

Program Filing: Enrolling in a Physical Education course

Follow this link for instructions on enrolling in a Physical Education course in the fall semester:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_15cdbh49cg

Orientation: First Adviser Meeting - Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

On Wednesday, September 2, at 10:00 a.m., you will have your first meeting with your new adviser, along with all of the other first-year students assigned to that adviser. At this group meeting, you will learn some initial information about your adviser and about your preliminary programs, then you will each schedule a follow-up appointment with your adviser to discuss your fall program in further detail.

To find the name of your adviser, log into eBear, click on the "Students" tab, then the "Registrar" link, and look for the sub-tab titled "Fall 2009." Your adviser's name will be listed below your list of courses.

To find the room assignment for your first meeting with your adviser, follow the link below and look for your adviser's name:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhd5cvt3_17cbdg7sgz

Be sure to map the location of your meeting on campus so that you can find the room and arrive at the meeting on time.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Opportunity: Music Performance Classes and Groups at Barnard and Columbia

Instrumental:

If you are interested in taking instrumental lessons or joining an instrumental group, you must audition with the Music Performance Program at Columbia during the first week of classes. Visit the department's website to see dates and instructions for signing up for auditions (look to the left of the page under "Performance at Columbia" and also to the right of the page under "Events"):

http://music.columbia.edu/

Vocal:

If you are interested in auditioning for vocal groups or for individual voice lessons, voice auditions will take place on September 9 and 10, 6:00-10:00 pm in 405 Milbank. You must visit 319 Milbank ahead of time in order to obtain an audition form and sign up for a specific audition time. For your audition, you may sing a song of your choice in any style or language; an accompanist will be provided.

All students are welcome to join the Barnard-Columbia Chorus; no audition is necessary. The Chorus will begin its meetings on Tuesday, September 15, at 6:00 p.m. in 405 Milbank. This semester the Chorus will be singing Elijah by Mendelssohn.