12.11.07 / 11.25.07 / 11.07.07 / 10.28.07 / 10.15.07 / 10.02.07 / 09.09.07
In this week's issue:
1. Submit policy papers. Get published!
2. Policy Centers Up and Running
3. Looking for opinion pieces
4. Spring Semester Sneak Peak
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1. Submit policy papers. Get published!
The first deadline for submitting policy proposals is December 20, 2007. Although submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis, members are strongly encouraged to send in their work a.s.a.p., even if they only have drafts. The National Editorial Board will work with you and offer some advice. Remember, if your proposal is selected, it will be published in either the "Roosevelt Review" or "25 Ideas," two highly regarded journals that are distributed to lawmakers, advocacy groups and other think tanks. For further details, please visit http://rooseveltinstitution.org/publications/submissioninfo or contact our Policy Director, Jonathan Alexandratos, at jsalexan@hunter.cuny.edu.
2. Policy Centers Up and Running
We now have 4 very interesting Policy Centers led by 4 excellent Directors. Please visit our website ( http://www.roosevelthc.org ) to see which policy issues each center is currently exploring. If you are interested or want to get involved, please contact the appropriate Director.
Center on the Environment: Liz Suter, lizzysuter@yahoo.com
Center on Immigration: Stella Ma, ssm0012@hunter.cuny.edu
Center on Foreign Policy: Matthew Alhonte, malhonte@hunter.cuny.edu
Center on Human Rights: Ben Mejia, ben.mejia@gmail.com
3. Looking for opinion pieces
In addition to getting our members published in national journals, we also want our ideas to be heard through newspapers both on and off campus. If you have ever written, or would like to write, an opinion piece on a particular political or policy issue, please share it with us and we'll try to get it published.
4. Spring Semester Sneak Peak
We have big plans in store for our chapter next semester! Our chapter will be hosting two major events and will hopefully be traveling to at least one other conference at a different campus.
a) Launch Event: Scheduled to take place on Thursday, February 21, 2008 from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. in the Faculty Dining Room, this occasion is to be the crowning celebration of our new chapter and official announcement to the school, city and nation that we exist! The Launch Event will be an exciting, fun-filled evening and the whole school is invited. Our current list of potential speakers includes Mayor Jason West, Professor Courtney Martin, Tamara Joachim, and former City Council Speaker Gifford Miller. Contact Events Director Cate Nussbaum, at cnussbau@hunter.cuny.edu, if you would like to help organize the event.
b) Conference on Diversity & Participation in the Policy-making Process : The details are very tentative at this point, but the event is currently scheduled for Wednesday, March 5. The conference will focus on the lack of minority representation in the policymaking world, among academics, politicians, and especially among think tanks and policy advocacy groups, and the impact of under-representation in policy decisions. Potential keynote speakers include John Powell, Maya Wiley, Andrea Batista Schlesinger, and members of the New York City Council and State Legislature.
c) For a complete list of ALL the Roosevelt Institution events and conferences taking place this year, please visit http://rooseveltinstitution.org/events.
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From all of us here at Roosevelt, good luck on finals, Happy Holidays, and enjoy the Winter Intersession!
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In this week's issue:
1. FERI Four Freedoms Dinner
2. Official Blog
3. Policy Centers
4. Conference on Community Development
5. Meet the National Staff
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1. FERI Four Freedoms Dinner
On November 6th, Administrative Director Joe Eastman and Finance Director Besuf Alemu attended the Four Freedoms Dinner, sponsored by The Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute. They met with other chapter leaders, Roosevelt family descendants, and other progressive leaders. Among those honored were Senator Carl Levin, Senator Richard Lugar, Bill Moyers, and Barbara Ehrenreich. It was an inspiring evening for those who attended, and for those who didn't, we have pictures! Please visit our photo gallery for photos of this prestigious event. http://studentweb.hunter.cuny.edu/clubs/rooseveltinstitution/photos_fourfreedoms.htm
2. Official Blog
The national blog has been newly re-modeled and contains a plethora of interesting and useful information. Please visit it at http://blog.rooseveltinstitution.org/ and share your thoughts with other Roosevelt Institution members from around the country on current, hot-button political and policy topics. It's also a great opportunity to represent Hunter College within this national forum. If you are interested in contributing, please reply to this email, or send a new message to roosevelthc@gmail.com. For your convenience, we have also included a link to the national blog from our website.
3. Policy Centers
Currently, our chapter is focusing on the following five policy centers:
a. Environment and Energy
Director: Liz Suter
Issues: congestion pricing, cleanup of local areas (Newtown Creek, Freshkills), Indian Point Nuclear Plant, alternative energy solutions, global warming and climate change
b. Immigration
Director: Stella Ma
Issues: Domestic policy
c. Foreign Policy
Still in need of a director! Interested?
Issues: Iraq, UN reform
d. Healthcare and Medicine
Still in need of a director! Interested?
Issues: universal healthcare, public health programs, embryonic stem cell research
e. Human Rights
Still in need of a director! Interested?
Issues: women's and children's rights
If you're interested in contributing research to any of the above centers, please contact the appropriate director. Are you interested in directing one of the above centers that are lacking leadership? Let us know at RooseveltHC@gmail.com.
Please continue to visit our soon-to-be revamped Policy Center page for more in-depth information on each of our centers, as well as updates on what each center is researching and what initiatives they are currently tackling.
4. Conference on Community Development
On December 1st, 2007, Tulane University in New
Orleans will be hosting a Conference on Community Development. And you're invited! For more information, please visit their website at: http://tulane.rooseveltinstitution.org/collaborativeconference. For those who attend, all trip expenses will be paid for by the National Office on a first come, first serve basis. Please inform us ASAP if you are interested, so that we can make the necessary arrangements.
5. Meet the National Staff!
Here is a video that was made by the National Staff during a recent staff retreat. They are all very accessible people who would love to hear from you if you have any questions or concerns. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yoef4deI9cc
From all of us here at the Roosevelt Institution, thank you for your continual support!
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In this week's issue:
1. Launch Event Committee
2. Policy Centers
3. Environmental Week
4. New Domain Name!
5. Official Roosevelt Institution Blog
1. Launch Event Committee
Are you still looking for your perfect niche in the Roosevelt Institution? Or, are you already involved in policy, and just want to do more? Either way, the Launch Committee might be just what you're looking for! In February, we are going to throw our Launch Event: the event that will introduce Hunter's chapter of the Roosevelt Institution to Hunter College and the rest of the world. It may seem like it's a long time away, but there is a LOT to be done. We need to get started soon, and could use all the help we can get! If you're at all interested, please email Cate Nussbaum, our Events Director, at cnussbau[at]hunter.cuny.edu. We hope that many of you will respond because, honestly, who doesn't like to throw a party? We promise it'll be a lot of fun!
2. Policy Centers
Based on your interests and feedback, we've narrowed down our list of policy centers to four topics that we'd like to focus on throughout the duration of this academic year.
a. Environment and Energy, directed by Liz Suter. To get involved, email lizzysuter[at]yahoo.com.
b. Immigration and Foreign Policy, directed by Stella Ma. To get involved, email ssm0012[at]hunter.cuny.edu.
c. Healthcare and Medicine, directed by Michelle Yakobson. To get involved, email m.yakobson[at]gmail.com.
d. Human Rights will be focusing on issues such as women's and children's rights. If you'd like to volunteer to direct this center, or just to get involved, email roosevelthc[at]gmail.com.
Finally, if you're interested in a policy area that doesn't quite fit into one of our centers, please send an email to our Policy Director, Jonathan Alexandratos, at jalexan[at]hunter.cuny.edu.
3. Environmental Week
Environmental Week, led by Hunter's USG, officially began this Monday, November 5th, and will last the whole week. Look for information about this exciting event around school! To learn more about Environmental Week, you can visit the Facebook event page here: http://hunter.facebook.com/event.php?eid=18365843280
4. New Domain Name!
On a geekier note, here's some exciting news: we now have our own domain name! If you point your browser to http://www.roosevelthc.org, you'll be brought to our official club website, full of current news and event information! This means no more long and hard-to-remember URLs. (Trust me, we were all having a difficult time remembering http://studentweb.hunter.cuny.edu/clubs/rooseveltinstitution/...) Be sure to visit our site often, and please update your bookmarks!
5. Official Roosevelt Institution Blog
The national blog has been newly re-modeled and contains a plethora of interesting and useful information. Please visit it at http://blog.rooseveltinstitution.org/ and share your thoughts with other Roosevelt Institution members from around the country on current, hot-button political and policy topics. It's also a great opportunity to represent Hunter College within this national forum. If you are interested in contributing, please reply to this email, or send a new message to roosevelthc@gmail.com.
As always, thanks again for your support!
Sincerely,
Mayde Smith
Communications Director
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Hello members and friends of the Roosevelt Institution at Hunter College. As always, we have more exciting news to share with you!
1. 21st Century Activism For Young Voters
On October 24th, Roosevelt Institution National Director Nate Loewentheil and New York City Councilman John Liu spoke at the Youth Activism event we co-sponsored with Hunter's USG. Both men provided excellent advice for students, a great deal of insight into what it means to get involved, and inspired all that attended. After the event, our Admin Team had the wonderful opportunity to meet with Nate Loewentheil, who told us about his plans for the Hunter Chapter of the Roosevelt Institution. We discussed hosting a major event in the spring, focusing on the importance of diversity and racial inclusion in the political process. Leaders from prominent non-profits and progressive organizations like the Drum Major Institute, the Center for Social Inclusion, and several others will hopefully attend and speak at this event. While we are still in the very early planning stages, we hope that you'll all look forward to attending along with the Hunter Chapter's Admin Team and Nate Loewentheil himself.
2. Looking for an internship? We have one for you!
The Roosevelt Policy Academy is a program presented by the national office that matches highly qualified members of the Roosevelt Institution with academic-year internships at prominent, progressive organizations and with elected officials. In particular, the Center for Social Inclusion internship program is looking for Hunter Students to fill their New York positions. If you would like to learn more about this great opportunity, please contact Spencer Sherman, the national coordinator for this program, at spencer@rooseveltinstitution.org, check out the program's website at http://rooseveltinstitution.org/opportunities/academy , or visit http://www.centerforsocialinclusion.org/ for CSI-specific information.
3. Policy Centers
Our chapter of the Roosevelt Institution is proud to represent a wide variety of policy centers, including Human Rights, Urban Planning, Healthcare, Environment and Energy, Education, Law and Crime, Foreign Policy, Economy and Labor, and Civil Liberties. We know that we can make a different in each of these fields, but we need your help! Each center requires a director to oversee research and compile reports. Additionally, each center requires writers, researchers, and volunteers to contribute time and effort. If you are at all interested in any of the above issues, please visit the directory at http://studentweb.hunter.cuny.edu/clubs/rooseveltinstitution/policycenters.htm and contact either the appropriate center director, or our overall policy director Jonathan Alexandratos today!
4. National Challenges
In addition to our local policy centers, we would like to submit essays for the Roosevelt Institution's 3 National Challenges. For the 2007 – 2008 academic year, they are:
a. Responsible community development
b. Making democracy work
c. Strong communities through equal justice
If you would like to work on any of the above initiatives alongside faculty and fellow students, please contact us today!
5. Environmental Week
Beginning on November 5th, and lasting for several days, Hunter will be celebrating Environmental Week, and we'd like to be involved! Look for information about this exciting event around school, sign up to help out, and look for our name on flyers around campus! To learn more about Environmental Week, you can visit the Facebook event page here: http://hunter.facebook.com/event.php?eid=18365843280
6. Speaking of Facebook...
Did you know that the Hunter College chapter of the Roosevelt Institution has an insanely awesome, thoroughly elaborate, and frequently updated Facebook group that anyone can join? You didn't know?! Well, now you do! So go sign up, log in, search for "Roosevelt Institution @ Hunter College," and click on "Join this Group." What are you waiting for?!
7. The Roosevelt Institution is on YouTube!
The National Office has uploaded a truly awesome video to YouTube that fully encompasses everything that the Roosevelt Institution stands for. Whether you still want to learn more, or whether you'd just like to be inspired, please watch this short, 5 minute video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7M54NcWedI
Thank you again for all your support, and we hope that you enjoy watching our chapter grow and achieve success! As always, keep an eye on our website and Facebook group for upcoming events and meeting times, and we'll be sure to continually keep you informed.
Sincerely,
Mayde Smith
Communications Director
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Hello members and friends of the Roosevelt Institution at Hunter College.
I hope you all are having a fun and productive fall semester so far; I know we are! The Roosevelt Institution administrative team has been hard at work to make this club a success and we truly appreciate the support and participation you've all shown. Today, we have a lot of exciting information to share with you:
1. Meeting with President Raab
Chapter Admin Director Joe Eastman, Policy Director Jonathan Alexandratos, and Roosevelt House Coordinator Fay Rosenfeld recently met with the President of Hunter College, Jennifer Raab. She has taken a strong interest in our organization because she believes it dovetails beautifully with the Roosevelt House Public Policy Initiative that she has been spearheading here at Hunter.
At the meeting, President Raab explained her vision of having our chapter being an integral part of the Roosevelt House, which is scheduled to open in Fall of 2008. In addition to providing some office, meeting, and event space for our chapter within the house, one of her major goals is to set up a Policy Research Fellowship program through our chapter. This program would allow a certain number of our chapter's members to have the opportunity to do public policy research with professors at the Roosevelt House while receiving stipends or course credit for their work. Plans are currently in the works to draft a proposal for this project.
2. Speaker Series Event on 10/24
In cooperation with the Hunter USG, we will be co-sponsoring an event in TH105 on October 24th. NYC Councilman John Liu and Nate Loewentheil, the Executive Director of the Roosevelt Institution, will be speaking about local and national youth activism. Come enjoy this event with free food and refreshments while learning how you can become more involved! Further information can be found here:
http://hunterusg.org/component/option,com_jcalpro/Itemid,31/extmode,view/extid,15/
3. Roosevelt Policy Academy
The Roosevelt Policy Academy is a program presented by the national office that matches highly qualified members of the Roosevelt Institution with academic-year internships at prominent, progressive organizations and with elected officials. In particular, the Center for Social Inclusion internship program is looking for Hunter Students to fill their New York positions. If you would like to learn more about this great opportunity, please contact Spencer Sherman, the national coordinator for this program, at spencer@rooseveltinstitution.org, check out the program's website at http://rooseveltinstitution.org/opportunities/academy , or visit http://www.centerforsocialinclusion.org/ for CSI-specific information.
4. Admin/Policy Directors Meeting
This Wednesday, we will be having an Admin Team and Policy Director meeting in HW 407 from 2 - 3 pm. While not specifically intended for general members, it will be a public meeting that all are welcome to attend. If you are interested in furthering your involvement or taking on a leadership role in our chapter, we particularly encourage you to stop by. Please continue to check our website, Facebook group, and your email for further information.
5. Official Chapter Website
As always, please continue to check our official chapter website at http://studentweb.hunter.cuny.edu/clubs/rooseveltinstitution/ for frequent updates and current information. And, if you haven't done so yet, please visit the Roosevelt Institution's national website at http://www.rooseveltinstitution.org and register as an official member of the Hunter College chapter.
Again, I'd like to thank you for your continual support and we hope to see many of you at our upcoming meetings and events. As always, you can contact us at RooseveltHC@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or suggestions. Public policy papers or research contributions are also welcome at the above address.
Thanks again, and continue to have a wonderful semester!
Sincerely,
Mayde Smith
Communications Director
The Roosevelt Institution at Hunter College
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Dear Roosevelt Institution Members and Advisors:
First of all, we would like to thank you for expressing interest in the Roosevelt Institution at Hunter College. The Roosevelt Institution is the first national network of college-based public policy student think tanks. Its members conduct policy research on pressing political issues facing our world. As that work comes to fruition, the Roosevelt Institution produces sound and progressive proposals to all levels of government based on studiously conducted research.
With 7,000 students across America involved in this organization, you now have the opportunity to play a pivotal role in a well-established institution. Hunter College is a prime site for a thriving and prominent chapter of the Roosevelt Institution given its strong historical connection to the Roosevelt family. This is best exemplified by the newly renovated Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute. Because of this, our chapter will be looked at with a particular interest nationwide. We must live up to our expectations.
The first way to do this is to attend our upcoming meeting. It will take place on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2007 from 2:00-3:00 in HUNTER WEST ROOM 407. Here, you will receive an introduction to what has happened so far, and what is soon to come. You will learn how your policy work—whether you have written papers, given talks, taught/attended classes, or just have a general interest—can manifest itself at national Roosevelt Institution conferences and/or appear in nationally and locally distributed publications.
We on the Roosevelt Institution's Administrative Board especially look forward to your attendance. This will be an outstanding networking event, a great way for you to distinguish yourself, and, indeed, a fun way for a vast number of people to come together and discuss common interests. The atmosphere will be casual, and the conversation open to all.
We would also like to encourage you to visit our newly created chapter website at http://studentweb.hunter.cuny.edu/clubs/rooseveltinstitution/index.htm and join the Hunter College chapter page on the Roosevelt national website at http://rooseveltinstitution.org/_joinroosevelt . Our website will be updated regularly, so please check it often for information about our latest activities. You have our deepest gratitude for expressing interest even now, as the Hunter College chapter of the Roosevelt Institution is just passing infancy. Thank you.
Truly yours,
Joe Eastman, Administrative Director
Jonathan Alexandratos, Policy Director
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Hello, everyone! How are you?
As Hunter's Roosevelt Institution Internal Communications Coordinator (ICC), I just wanted to quickly introduce myself and to give you a few updates on what we've been up to.
First of all, my name is Mayde Smith, I'm a junior at Hunter majoring in Computer Science with minors in Math and Media, and while I'm currently living in the Brookdale dorms, I'm originally from New Jersey. As ICC, it's my job to occasionally send you emails like this one, letting you know what's going on with the Roosevelt Institution. As members, it's your job to stay informed, and soon you'll be able to do so once our chapter website is up and running. In the meantime, keep checking your Inbox.
Already this semester, the RI has held several meetings and we've started to plan our first events. On September 19th, the Hunter USG will be holding their annual club fair on 69th Street, between Park and Lexington, from 12 noon - 5 pm, and we already have our spot reserved! If you can be there to help spread the word, we'd love to have you! If you can't make it, there's still plenty you can do to help. In the next week or so, we'll be creating fliers for the event and getting the word out around campus. If you have any ideas for these fliers (slogans, taglines, quotes, pictures, anything!), please let us know!
After the club fair, we'll be focusing all of our attention on the next big event: our launch party! Tentatively set for mid-November, this event is going to be our chance to really show Hunter what we're all about! If you have any connections to potential speakers (politicians, activists, professors, etc.), please let us know. If you have ideas for banners, fliers, or other means of advertising, send ideas our way! We would love to hear from you!
Finally, we'd like you to consider what the Roosevelt Institution is really all about: our policy centers. Policy Director Jonathan Alexandratos is currently looking for papers written by students that focus on a particular policy issue, or a proposed solution to a growing problem. If you've written a paper that you'd like to submit, please send it to us! Also, if you're interested in being a policy center director, or contributing research to a policy center, don't hesitate to volunteer! We need people who are passionate about making a difference to let their voice be heard!
If you've made it this far in the email, thanks for reading, and for supporting our new chapter of the Roosevelt Institution. We know that we can achieve great things, but we need your help! You can send any ideas or contributions to this email address ( rooseveltHC@gmail.com), and we'll look forward to hearing from you! In the meantime, keep checking Facebook for our next meeting dates, and try to get your friends involved.
Have a good day!
- Mayde
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