Drastic Times, Drastic Measures
Read more about economic recovery at: http://my.barackobama.com/sharestories
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1459637/drastic_times_drastic_measures.html
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Let your voice be heard...
Dear Elyssa:
Yesterday, you called your Senators and asked them to pass the economic recovery package and retain its health care provisions. Collectively, you made hundreds of calls in less than 24 hours! But from the feedback I've received from you, it's clear that the phone lines are jammed, mostly with Rush Limbaugh fanatics urging a "no" vote.
We need to take this battle to the next level if we want to ensure health care is included in the economic recovery package - and that this package passes at all.
Can you write a letter to your Senators? We're going to print out every letter you write and hand deliver them to Senate offices to make sure your voice is heard.
We've gotten word that Senators on Capitol Hill are working to gut the health care provisions in President Obama's economic recovery plan.
Meanwhile, people all over the country are losing their jobs and their health care. These people desperately need the protections in the economic recovery package that help them retain their family's health insurance. And the entire country needs this bill to pass so we can create jobs and start turning our economy around.
Click to write a letter to your Senators now! We'll hand deliver your message to their offices.
I know I just reached out to you yesterday, but this is urgent! The fate of not only the health care provisions, but the entire economic recovery package is in jeopardy.
Please take a moment to write a letter to your Senators so we can hand deliver them and make sure your voice is heard!
Thank you for all that you do.
To your health,
Levana
Drastic Times
Drastic Times, Drastic Measures
Read more about economic recovery at: http://my.barackobama.com/sharestories
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1459637/drastic_times_drastic_measures.html
America Needs Economic Recovery
We're often asked how we plan to take this unique moment in history - when a grassroots movement for change elected a president - and turn it into a force that can build stronger communities, block by block. read more... http://change.gov
Drastic Times, Drastic Measures: America in Need of Economic Recovery
http://my.barackobama.com/sharestories
As I was thinking about how to respond to the numerous requests from the Obama Transition Team that has been sent out to numerous community organizers and political activists and agencies across the country, I am reminded of my graduate school days where I lived in what Jonathan Kozol refers to as Manhattan's "Liberal West Side."
During the time I lived there, in the mid-late 1990's, the American Sociological Association (ASA) held its annual conference in New York City. Prior to that meeting, they sent out a fact sheet that may be of interest to ASA members. In this sheet, they too described the same social conditions and asked their members to take note of the changes that occur at 96th Street. I can assure you that the conditions Kozol describes in his book were
not exaggerated.
Oddly enough, the very same area was undergoing rapid transformation and gentrification at the time Mayor Rudolph Giuliani took office. As described in Amazing Grace, the South Bronx is one of the most severely segregated and poorest Congressional Districts in the United States. The members of this community have been segregated into a hell plagued with sickness, violence and despair. Kozol argues that this strategic placement serves to isolate the rich from the realities they have thrust upon their fellow man. New Yorkers do not stroll through the streets of Mott Haven, and taxicabs take no short cuts through Beekman Avenue. Many taxicabs will not even venture past East 96th Street. Out of sight is out of mind.
There is no excuse for the living conditions of these children and their families. No person should be forced into an apartment that has a higher ratio of cockroaches and rats than to human beings.
These children are desperately in need of the best schools, yet we give them the worst. They have few libraries, few safe havens, few doctors, and few role models. They have every reason to believe that they are throwaway children and we have certainly not shown them anything else. The social services we have provided are a bureaucratic nightmare. People in need are treated as sub-human, and made to feel ashamed of being poor.
These are among the sickest children in the world. Americans claim to be dedicated to the children and fool ourselves into believing that we are doing them a favor by providing them with medical care, public education, and public housing. Yet, the quality of their neighborhoods speaks volumes of our sentiment and intentions.
Shortly after the publication of Amazing Grace, managed care rapidly moved onto the New York scene. Around the same time, the Mayor announced he would be closing some of the hospitals that served the poorest of the poor because of financial problems associated with payment and large trauma departments.
Kozol makes the point that people could attempt to gain admissions at a better hospital than Bronx-Lebanon; yet, the privatization of Medicaid made this completely impossible. Further restrictions on medical care are inevitable as a direct result of Medicaid managed care plans. The law is not designed to protect the poor, the fragile, and the disenfranchised.
This was made obvious in a recent conversation I had with a friend who practices emergency medicine on the elite Upper East Side of Manhattan. My friend works as a board certified trauma physician at a private hospital on the Upper East Side. The last black patient he treated at Beth Israel was famed rock singer Michael Jackson.
This is the reality. The best doctors treat the healthy and wealthy instead of the people who have the greatest need. They give no thought to the equitable distribution of services; they just file insurance claims and billing statements. Doctors should consider who stands to could benefit the most from their skill and experience. Perhaps we should invert the payment schedule so physicians and other health care providers should receive a higher rate of reimbursement for treating the most vulnerable populations.
Patients with the greatest need get the worst care.
Great teachers teach great students in great neighborhoods. This makes no sense!
And we wonder why the division between the have and the have-nots continues to grow?
People often ask me why I am so angry about the living conditions of poor urban minorities. My response—how can you not be enraged by the way we treat our own citizens? Children who did not ask to be born into poverty and substandard living conditions. Why aren't you angry? I cannot be the only one who places human kindness, dignity, and integrity above the lure of the almighty dollar!
I have thought for many years that the system is upside down, and I become more and more convinced of that as I grow older. To paraphrase the message of the new Windows Vista commercial, The Mayor's campaign slogan, or any number of economists trying to figure out what to tweak, where, and just how much... clearly there is a level of inter-connectedness that exists between the various sectors of the American marketplace and economy. Give them a real challenge.
Similarly, many different things influence the human condition by upsetting the delicate balance between those who can and those who do. We need to focus on improving the lives of those who might... People who can and do amazing things when given the chance. People who can excel under the right set of circumstances given the right support, the right guidance, the right tools, and the right opportunities. People who may not have the monetary (financial) resources to invest in themselves, their families, or their communities.
We must take action on a number of fronts to create some type of stability in our country, our economy, and the international marketplace. We need to start here, now, in our own communities, schools, and invest in ourselves.
Did it really take a $700 Billion wake up call for our citizens to realize that that all is not well in America. It is time to get real about healthcare. It is time to get real about education. It is time to get real about the cost of education. It is time to get real about this god-forsaken war that we are still in!
This country is in desperate need of a wake-up call, and we must develop a course of action that embraces a multi-dimensional approach and vast restructuring of the laissez faire way of regulating healthcare in the past.
Tell Washington, "HEALTHCARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT!"
Tell our children, "WE BELIEVE IN YOUR FUTURE!"
Tell the people in your community, "WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER!"
Tell the for-profit healthcare industry, "WE ARE NOT FOR SALE!"
I am not for sale, yet my healthcare company pimps me out based upon their ability to negotiate with fat cat for profit healthcare giants like HCA and First Health who are by no means the business to make people well! It does not take a rocket scientist to see the perverse incentive to keep people sick and dependent upon costly medications and treatment protocols.
Look at the facts; if we get healthy, they go broke! So let's shake it up a bit, and turn this sad state of affairs upside down!
If we are to find some resolution to the unprecedented, simultaneous collapse of the economy, the market place and/or government and the collapsing housing market in United States, it seems obvious that people, the economy, healthcare, education confidence and faith in the American people it is time to take drastic efforts to strengthen our greatest asset and hope for the future: Our children!
Drastic times call for drastic measures!
Let's start with education: Next year, I want Harvard to take in the worst students. Take the worst students who would not have made it past the front door of the admissions office. Take the worst students. Students who did not break a thousand on their SATs and barely made it through watered-down high school curriculum. Let them benefit from a first class education.
Guess what Harvard? The smart kids don't need you! They are already ahead of the game. We can sit them in a corner for a year or two because they do not need the Ivy League to succeed. By definition, they are already streamlined for success and they will no doubt be great with or without you!
There is no doubt that the prevalence of violence in urban neighborhoods affects the ability of children to perform well in school. There is a large body of empirical evidence that demonstrates the effects of chronic stress on memory and the learning process.
Rather than taking the children out of these communities, we have constructed prison like buildings for them to attend school. They routinely have gunfire drills reminding them that danger is never far behind.
Children cannot learn in this environment. This constant stress triggers "hot-memory." Hot memory can be thought of as learning with your heart and not your mind. It is no wonder children perform inadequately in this environment. It is bad enough that children live in such conditions, must we educate in them too. If we want underprivileged children to learn and grow spiritually, we must create an environment that allows their cool memory systems to take over. It is only under these conditions that children will permit themselves to learn and develop their intellectual strengths.
We have failed to create a safe home environment for urban children, but we can give serious thought to creating a school environment outside of the community so they have fewer fear-driven hours each day.
It is any wonder that these children perform poorly in school. By every measure, these children are destined for failure. Their home life is less than enchanting, and they do not benefit from enriched environments and educated parents. Certainly, there are many dedicated parents who care about their children, but is that enough? When I was in school, children frequently asked the teacher, how this would help later in life. As a young girl in a suburban classroom, there was an unequivocal reply, but it could be argued that what children in the South Bronx need to learn cannot be taught in the classroom.
Studies consistently report lower academic achievement in urban neighborhoods like Mott Haven in the South Bronx. Children growing up in urban neighborhoods have a much higher incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most researchers believe this to be the direct result of living in stressed communities plagued with street crime and violence. The potential impact of chronic stress on academic performance and achievement is not known, but reading scores in neighborhoods like Mott Haven certainly seem to indicate some type of causal relationship. There is virtually no research on looking at the long-term effects of this inflated incidence of PTSD among urban populations. It is important to develop an understanding of the effects of fear on the academic performance of urban adolescents so we can begin to dismantle the myths regarding school performance and minority children.
Under these conditions, it is not surprising to learn that students also report pervasive feelings of fear and do not feel secure despite the added presence of security personnel on school grounds. For these students, school is a mere extension of the violent communities in which they live.
Since urban communities have many different sources of stress, it is important to examine how school policies contribute to the learning environment in public schools.
The quick response has been to install weapons detectors and hire school security for urban schools. The presence of school security certainly affects the climate of American public schools and sends a symbolic message to members of the community, the world, and especially the students themselves regarding the role they are expected to play as they mature into adolescents and young adulthood.
The school rules mimic are not unlike those one might expect to find in a state prison. Students are rewarded for obedience and they are taught to follow the rules rather than to think critically. On the back of the No Child Left Behind legislation, we indoctrinate our youngest members of society with "core curriculum" and "Back to Basics." Students across the country are judged on their ability to regurgitate facts on high-stakes standardized tests.
Lesson plans are filled with repetition exercises and workbook pages rather than student projects or classroom discussion. We teach conformity, rules, and limits. We teach kids to be blind followers. The skills we are teaching are better suited for prison rather than the real world. Teachers are teaching the kids to follow rules, to conform, and to reward obedience rather than creativity.
The secured environment is an indication of the roles students are expected to play later in life. This is a lesson they will not soon forget. School rules and core curriculum makes classroom silencing an everyday event in the urban classroom. And as my list of "off-limit" subject matter grows longer each term, the need to bring such things into the dialogue becomes more and more apparent. I actually have a printed list of topics that I am forbidden to discuss in the classroom: The election, politics, race, religion, suicide, pregnancy. The more topics they add, the more relevant they become. The unspoken truth has becomes louder and louder the more we are silenced. There is a big pink elephant standing in the middle of my classroom! There is a big pink elephant in the middle of our community!
By focusing on student behavior rather than student skills, knowledge, and achievement, we are showing all members of the school, the community, and the children themselves that we have already given up. Together, the urban public school and the community it serves are a constant reminder of the perpetual cycle of poverty and the poor living conditions and social reality that continue to plague urban America.
Kozol makes it quite clear that there are several exceptional children in this community. There are probably as many exceptional children here as every other community around the country, yet, so few of them will make it out of the South Bronx. Kozol is careful not to dwell on the exceptional cases of children who successfully navigate their way into the main stream of society. Kozol does this so we do not develop a false sense of hope. If we cling to a few exceptional cases, we may come to believe that what we are giving enough to children like Anthony or Anabelle.
Clearly, we can do more. Failure should be the exception—not the rule. Success should be the norm, and until it is, we should not give up hope for these children.
This is our time to let our voices be heard. Any number of social justice agencies from moveon.org, to Cover the Uninsured, to Families USA, Center for Community Change, Health Care for America Now; have opened the blogosphere so that everyday common folk like you and I can submit our opinions to the Transition Team in Washington. They are begging us to participate, to give our opinions, to let our voices be heard. They need our help. Let us make this the country we are proud to call home. Let this be a new beginning for us all, and let us make this a land of real opportunity.
America claims to be dedicated to equal opportunity, yet equality is not sufficient in a community like Mott Haven. These kids need more. We need to think about equity, not equality. It is not enough to hide them away. Be silenced no more.
Read more about economic recovery at: http://my.barackobama.com/sharestories
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1459637/drastic_times_drastic_measures.html
America Needs Economic Recovery
We're often asked how we plan to take this unique moment in history - when a grassroots movement for change elected a president - and turn it into a force that can build stronger communities, block by block. read more... http://change.gov
Drastic Times, Drastic Measures: America in Need of Economic Recovery
http://my.barackobama.com/sharestories
As I was thinking about how to respond to the numerous requests from the Obama Transition Team that has been sent out to numerous community organizers and political activists and agencies across the country, I am reminded of my graduate school days where I lived in what Jonathan Kozol refers to as Manhattan's "Liberal West Side."
During the time I lived there, in the mid-late 1990's, the American Sociological Association (ASA) held its annual conference in New York City. Prior to that meeting, they sent out a fact sheet that may be of interest to ASA members. In this sheet, they too described the same social conditions and asked their members to take note of the changes that occur at 96th Street. I can assure you that the conditions Kozol describes in his book were
not exaggerated.
Oddly enough, the very same area was undergoing rapid transformation and gentrification at the time Mayor Rudolph Giuliani took office. As described in Amazing Grace, the South Bronx is one of the most severely segregated and poorest Congressional Districts in the United States. The members of this community have been segregated into a hell plagued with sickness, violence and despair. Kozol argues that this strategic placement serves to isolate the rich from the realities they have thrust upon their fellow man. New Yorkers do not stroll through the streets of Mott Haven, and taxicabs take no short cuts through Beekman Avenue. Many taxicabs will not even venture past East 96th Street. Out of sight is out of mind.
There is no excuse for the living conditions of these children and their families. No person should be forced into an apartment that has a higher ratio of cockroaches and rats than to human beings.
These children are desperately in need of the best schools, yet we give them the worst. They have few libraries, few safe havens, few doctors, and few role models. They have every reason to believe that they are throwaway children and we have certainly not shown them anything else. The social services we have provided are a bureaucratic nightmare. People in need are treated as sub-human, and made to feel ashamed of being poor.
These are among the sickest children in the world. Americans claim to be dedicated to the children and fool ourselves into believing that we are doing them a favor by providing them with medical care, public education, and public housing. Yet, the quality of their neighborhoods speaks volumes of our sentiment and intentions.
Shortly after the publication of Amazing Grace, managed care rapidly moved onto the New York scene. Around the same time, the Mayor announced he would be closing some of the hospitals that served the poorest of the poor because of financial problems associated with payment and large trauma departments.
Kozol makes the point that people could attempt to gain admissions at a better hospital than Bronx-Lebanon; yet, the privatization of Medicaid made this completely impossible. Further restrictions on medical care are inevitable as a direct result of Medicaid managed care plans. The law is not designed to protect the poor, the fragile, and the disenfranchised.
This was made obvious in a recent conversation I had with a friend who practices emergency medicine on the elite Upper East Side of Manhattan. My friend works as a board certified trauma physician at a private hospital on the Upper East Side. The last black patient he treated at Beth Israel was famed rock singer Michael Jackson.
This is the reality. The best doctors treat the healthy and wealthy instead of the people who have the greatest need. They give no thought to the equitable distribution of services; they just file insurance claims and billing statements. Doctors should consider who stands to could benefit the most from their skill and experience. Perhaps we should invert the payment schedule so physicians and other health care providers should receive a higher rate of reimbursement for treating the most vulnerable populations.
Patients with the greatest need get the worst care.
Great teachers teach great students in great neighborhoods. This makes no sense!
And we wonder why the division between the have and the have-nots continues to grow?
People often ask me why I am so angry about the living conditions of poor urban minorities. My response—how can you not be enraged by the way we treat our own citizens? Children who did not ask to be born into poverty and substandard living conditions. Why aren't you angry? I cannot be the only one who places human kindness, dignity, and integrity above the lure of the almighty dollar!
I have thought for many years that the system is upside down, and I become more and more convinced of that as I grow older. To paraphrase the message of the new Windows Vista commercial, The Mayor's campaign slogan, or any number of economists trying to figure out what to tweak, where, and just how much... clearly there is a level of inter-connectedness that exists between the various sectors of the American marketplace and economy. Give them a real challenge.
Similarly, many different things influence the human condition by upsetting the delicate balance between those who can and those who do. We need to focus on improving the lives of those who might... People who can and do amazing things when given the chance. People who can excel under the right set of circumstances given the right support, the right guidance, the right tools, and the right opportunities. People who may not have the monetary (financial) resources to invest in themselves, their families, or their communities.
We must take action on a number of fronts to create some type of stability in our country, our economy, and the international marketplace. We need to start here, now, in our own communities, schools, and invest in ourselves.
Did it really take a $700 Billion wake up call for our citizens to realize that that all is not well in America. It is time to get real about healthcare. It is time to get real about education. It is time to get real about the cost of education. It is time to get real about this god-forsaken war that we are still in!
This country is in desperate need of a wake-up call, and we must develop a course of action that embraces a multi-dimensional approach and vast restructuring of the laissez faire way of regulating healthcare in the past.
Tell Washington, "HEALTHCARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT!"
Tell our children, "WE BELIEVE IN YOUR FUTURE!"
Tell the people in your community, "WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER!"
Tell the for-profit healthcare industry, "WE ARE NOT FOR SALE!"
I am not for sale, yet my healthcare company pimps me out based upon their ability to negotiate with fat cat for profit healthcare giants like HCA and First Health who are by no means the business to make people well! It does not take a rocket scientist to see the perverse incentive to keep people sick and dependent upon costly medications and treatment protocols.
Look at the facts; if we get healthy, they go broke! So let's shake it up a bit, and turn this sad state of affairs upside down!
If we are to find some resolution to the unprecedented, simultaneous collapse of the economy, the market place and/or government and the collapsing housing market in United States, it seems obvious that people, the economy, healthcare, education confidence and faith in the American people it is time to take drastic efforts to strengthen our greatest asset and hope for the future: Our children!
Drastic times call for drastic measures!
Let's start with education: Next year, I want Harvard to take in the worst students. Take the worst students who would not have made it past the front door of the admissions office. Take the worst students. Students who did not break a thousand on their SATs and barely made it through watered-down high school curriculum. Let them benefit from a first class education.
Guess what Harvard? The smart kids don't need you! They are already ahead of the game. We can sit them in a corner for a year or two because they do not need the Ivy League to succeed. By definition, they are already streamlined for success and they will no doubt be great with or without you!
There is no doubt that the prevalence of violence in urban neighborhoods affects the ability of children to perform well in school. There is a large body of empirical evidence that demonstrates the effects of chronic stress on memory and the learning process.
Rather than taking the children out of these communities, we have constructed prison like buildings for them to attend school. They routinely have gunfire drills reminding them that danger is never far behind.
Children cannot learn in this environment. This constant stress triggers "hot-memory." Hot memory can be thought of as learning with your heart and not your mind. It is no wonder children perform inadequately in this environment. It is bad enough that children live in such conditions, must we educate in them too. If we want underprivileged children to learn and grow spiritually, we must create an environment that allows their cool memory systems to take over. It is only under these conditions that children will permit themselves to learn and develop their intellectual strengths.
We have failed to create a safe home environment for urban children, but we can give serious thought to creating a school environment outside of the community so they have fewer fear-driven hours each day.
It is any wonder that these children perform poorly in school. By every measure, these children are destined for failure. Their home life is less than enchanting, and they do not benefit from enriched environments and educated parents. Certainly, there are many dedicated parents who care about their children, but is that enough? When I was in school, children frequently asked the teacher, how this would help later in life. As a young girl in a suburban classroom, there was an unequivocal reply, but it could be argued that what children in the South Bronx need to learn cannot be taught in the classroom.
Studies consistently report lower academic achievement in urban neighborhoods like Mott Haven in the South Bronx. Children growing up in urban neighborhoods have a much higher incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most researchers believe this to be the direct result of living in stressed communities plagued with street crime and violence. The potential impact of chronic stress on academic performance and achievement is not known, but reading scores in neighborhoods like Mott Haven certainly seem to indicate some type of causal relationship. There is virtually no research on looking at the long-term effects of this inflated incidence of PTSD among urban populations. It is important to develop an understanding of the effects of fear on the academic performance of urban adolescents so we can begin to dismantle the myths regarding school performance and minority children.
Under these conditions, it is not surprising to learn that students also report pervasive feelings of fear and do not feel secure despite the added presence of security personnel on school grounds. For these students, school is a mere extension of the violent communities in which they live.
Since urban communities have many different sources of stress, it is important to examine how school policies contribute to the learning environment in public schools.
The quick response has been to install weapons detectors and hire school security for urban schools. The presence of school security certainly affects the climate of American public schools and sends a symbolic message to members of the community, the world, and especially the students themselves regarding the role they are expected to play as they mature into adolescents and young adulthood.
The school rules mimic are not unlike those one might expect to find in a state prison. Students are rewarded for obedience and they are taught to follow the rules rather than to think critically. On the back of the No Child Left Behind legislation, we indoctrinate our youngest members of society with "core curriculum" and "Back to Basics." Students across the country are judged on their ability to regurgitate facts on high-stakes standardized tests.
Lesson plans are filled with repetition exercises and workbook pages rather than student projects or classroom discussion. We teach conformity, rules, and limits. We teach kids to be blind followers. The skills we are teaching are better suited for prison rather than the real world. Teachers are teaching the kids to follow rules, to conform, and to reward obedience rather than creativity.
The secured environment is an indication of the roles students are expected to play later in life. This is a lesson they will not soon forget. School rules and core curriculum makes classroom silencing an everyday event in the urban classroom. And as my list of "off-limit" subject matter grows longer each term, the need to bring such things into the dialogue becomes more and more apparent. I actually have a printed list of topics that I am forbidden to discuss in the classroom: The election, politics, race, religion, suicide, pregnancy. The more topics they add, the more relevant they become. The unspoken truth has becomes louder and louder the more we are silenced. There is a big pink elephant standing in the middle of my classroom! There is a big pink elephant in the middle of our community!
By focusing on student behavior rather than student skills, knowledge, and achievement, we are showing all members of the school, the community, and the children themselves that we have already given up. Together, the urban public school and the community it serves are a constant reminder of the perpetual cycle of poverty and the poor living conditions and social reality that continue to plague urban America.
Kozol makes it quite clear that there are several exceptional children in this community. There are probably as many exceptional children here as every other community around the country, yet, so few of them will make it out of the South Bronx. Kozol is careful not to dwell on the exceptional cases of children who successfully navigate their way into the main stream of society. Kozol does this so we do not develop a false sense of hope. If we cling to a few exceptional cases, we may come to believe that what we are giving enough to children like Anthony or Anabelle.
Clearly, we can do more. Failure should be the exception—not the rule. Success should be the norm, and until it is, we should not give up hope for these children.
This is our time to let our voices be heard. Any number of social justice agencies from moveon.org, to Cover the Uninsured, to Families USA, Center for Community Change, Health Care for America Now; have opened the blogosphere so that everyday common folk like you and I can submit our opinions to the Transition Team in Washington. They are begging us to participate, to give our opinions, to let our voices be heard. They need our help. Let us make this the country we are proud to call home. Let this be a new beginning for us all, and let us make this a land of real opportunity.
America claims to be dedicated to equal opportunity, yet equality is not sufficient in a community like Mott Haven. These kids need more. We need to think about equity, not equality. It is not enough to hide them away. Be silenced no more.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
"Liberal Hell?" Hardly!
Elyssa Durant at 6:41pm February 23
Judson, let me clarify that statement since it was not intended to be a be astatement about finance. By definition, Harvard and the other Ivy's seek out the most talented individuals through the admissions process. Historicallly the Ivy League diffeentiated themselves by refusing to look at other criteriaq for admissins such as sports ability.... it seems only fair that ability to pay should be removed from the talent search process. By suspending admissions for one year is not intended to "screw the wealthy" and given their historical search process should not be viewed or perceived that way. Unfortunately, that is not really the case as we know due to other sociological factors, edcuational attainment is often linked to SES. Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, Penn, Columbia, Yale and Brown seek out the best students, who are already slated and identified to be successful. Sort of like the "gifted" programs that will be successful without the added benefit ....
Elyssa Durant at 6:47pm February 23
of esteemed professors. (sorry-- ran out of room) I'm not talking about the redistribution of wealth, I al talking about providiging an equitable system of educational reform. When the Ivy's take only ttyhe best students that have been identified as heving those qualities that will make them successful, then it seems a bit redundant. There are many people who could benefit from an excellent education, among them are student who do not have the necessary home environments that create a culture of success. I don't think our society will suffer if we ask the most talented among us to do a minimal service requirement by teaching and sharing the intelelctual gifts that have been bestowed upon them.... edd
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Bredesen for HHS?
February 12, 2009
There are widespread reports that Phil Bredesen of Tennessee is being considered for a position with the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, DC.
As someone who has lived and voted in the state of Tennessee since 1996, I have witnessed several shifts in policy, both on the local and federal levels. I am a recipient of TennCare, Social Security, and I a member of the Daniels Class. Governor Phil Bredesen has no place in Washington. Please remove his name from consideration for a cabinet position with HHS.
Governor Bredesen is currently "holding off in spending" until he learns what federal aid will become available to the residents of Tennessee. I am urging you to take immediate action. PLEASE sign the economic recovery package before it is too late.
Even under of the best of economic circumstances, the state has often been reluctant to release state monies until they are in physical receipt of all federal matching dollars. This delays program implementation and compromises the integrity of the research design. Consistency is a critical component of effective program development and design.
Governor Bredesen had decided to hold back state funds until the final details of the stimulus package worked out, were finalized. Anyone who has followed the healthcare crisis in Tennessee will tell you, Bredesen is not the champion of healthcare we once hoped he would be.
If we hold off on making decisions about the state budgets until the details of this enormous, comprehensive package are finalized, our current programs will suffer as a result.
We cannot wait for a determination regarding federal funding before we to determine our state budget while before we of the programs we already are suffering financially.
Let me assure you that when it comes to withholding critical items like food, housing, social services, it adds up exponentially. Withholding medical care simply because of procedure and bureaucratic red tape, is shameful and cruel. The money is there, but it seems there should be a certain level of oversight and accountability if we expect it to be used effectively without delay and without excessive administrative delay and costs.
How do I know this? Because I used to work for the state during the time when they not only made the as they were transitioning to during the transition from I used to work for TennCare,
We need to have some level of accountability to ensure the timely and proper disbursement of funds. In my experience, there is little recourse for person’s individuals who are caught up in the complicated payment arrangements, complicated language, and the systematic, procedural delay when it comes to the processing and payment of claims.
Let me personally assure you, that there is a very real human cost here as well... and unless there is immediate intervention, much more than just money will be lost. Please sign the bill before any more jobs, homes, and future are ruined by because help did not fast enough. Please release the funds, because we are running out of time.
I am 36, and my spinal cord is damaged from years of delayed, sub-standard medical treatment as I attempted to navigate a system that simply does not work. I owe the federal government $179,982.00 in student loans. When I am able to work, I make $10.46/hour as a substitute teacher in MNPS. That job comes with no security and no benefits.
I have an advanced master’s degree from an Ivy League Institution. I am nine credits shy of a Ph.D. in public policy. Despite having maintained a 3.83 grade point average while earning my masters, and just over 3.2 during the three years I was enrolled full time in a doctoral program.
Despite having comparable coverage, the insurance company refused to give me COBRA and would not cover my pre-existing condition even through both Columbia and Vanderbilt Universities used the same underwriter for student medical insurance: Chickering US HealthScare.
I had no break in coverage, and even purchased a private HMO (Oxford) plan that cost several hundred dollars each month just so I could prevent becoming uninsurable before my 25th birthday.
Wrong. Not only did I continue to pay for all three policies, I also had to pay for treatment and STILL wound up on TennCare and Medicaid.
Despite doing all the "right" things, I was still unable to transfer benefits from one graduate school to the next.
When I was twenty-two years old I developed a medical condition, and it quickly became obvious to me that it would be a lifelong struggle to cope and adapt to having physical disability. I purchased three independent policies, and was still covered under a terminal liability clause under a major medical ERISA (federal) plan. As someone who also needed to turn to federal funds and intervention in a crisis, I know that if or when help does arrive, it usually too late.
Where is the safety net? Where is the American Dream that I so diligently chased after for so many years? What was the point of investing so much in a future that I can never enjoy? How can anyone justify spending so money much on an education that will never be used? I understand the how; I just don't understand why.
Maybe one of these days Vanderbilt University and the Department of Education will realize it might just be cheaper to hire me that harass me. I need a real paying job now, but with the skyrocketing unemployment rate, it looks as though I will have a lot of competition.
Throughout the three year process of filing medical appeal after the next, I acquired over 1/4 million dollars in debt in unreimbursed medical care and student loans. I was fortunate enough be able t keep my TennCare that time—only because the state mandated a 30 hour work week, because at 32 hours, your benefits kick in.
Even while in the states employ, I witnessed a pattern of behavior that was reckless and harmful to the citizens of Tennessee. In fact, there were so many changes during short time I was there the time I was there that even my colleagues in the office of consumer affairs did not know about them until we were a formal complaint had been filed by a consumer in crisis.
There was so much chaos in the system because consumers and were not given sufficient information and the state was completely unprepared to respond to the large number of people who their benefits terminated, limited, or transferred. It took several months to update the medical database used to verify insurance coverage, and many more to get that information in sync with pharmacies and providers. Recipients were left in the dark, probably because it was easier that way.
Although I doubt many people, I Tennessee would the harsh policies enacted during the Bredesen administration, his endless assault on the state’s poor and infirm is not the kind of man we want in DC. He has demonstrated a wanton disregard for the welfare of his own constituents should not be rewarded with a cabinet position in the new administration.
Now, again, I face losing my healthcare coverage once again. Please do something, and do it quick. I would not wish this experience on my worst enemy,
Unemployment rates in the state of Tennessee are at an all-time high, yet welfare roles have remained stable. This tells us that despite the financial crisis and sad state of the Tennessee economy, people are not able to access emergency aid that we would expect people to receive in times of economic hardship.
What will happen when the state begins the 150,000 members of the Daniels Class? DHS has not been able to process the applications already on file. As the unemployment rate continues to go up, we need to be sure that applications for emergency assistance are processed within a reasonable period.
I have no idea how they intend t handle the growing number of unemployed, uninsured, people in need of emergency assistance given that they are already overwhelmed by the number of applications already on file. Is it a really a good time to start the recertification of the 150,000 members of the Daniels Class.?
Let us hope not, or we are all in trouble.
Sincerely yours,
Elyssa Durant
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Creating a Service Nation
I. Creating a Service Nation
Are we in this together? Or are we simply changing the faces by installing a new regime with another agenda?
This is our time to let our voices be heard. President Obama has opened the blogosphere up so that everyday common people, like you and I, can submit our questions, concerns and opinions to regarding the economic recovery plan. They are begging us to participate, to ask questions and to voice our concerns. Sign up at My.BarackObama.com. Volunteer to host or attend an Economic Recovery Plan Meeting. Share your stories at http://my.barackobama.com/sharestories
It is incumbent upon us to participate in the democratic process. This is no time to allow a few loud voices to drown out the chorus of other voices that are a rich part of the social fabric. We need to take ownership and responsibility for ourselves by welcoming everyone into the discussion. If we expect people to be held accountable for their circumstances by acting independent of government intervention, then we need to involve them in the process.
If America is truly dedicated to equal opportunity in this unprecedented time of economic crisis, we need to act big, and we need to act fast. We should be thinking in terms of equity, remembering that this is no time to allow the free market and the American people go any further into poverty and despair. All of our systems are collapsing on top of each other, and if we do not take swift and certain action, who will be left to pick up the pieces? The economic stimulus plan may be big, but drastic times call for drastic measures. With each passing day, more and more Americans lose their employer based health coverage and move closer towards indigence and indignity. This dangerous, vicious cycle bleeds people of their sense of self-efficacy, and move closer into the state of despair and indifference.
As someone who is actually ahead of the curve when it comes to being unemployed in and in a permanent of economic crisis, I was thrilled to see the grassroots movement come to the forefront of the political action and community service. However, I recently had an experience that was so disturbing and “transparent” that I am almost considering registering as a Republican in the next election.
What could possibly make a lifelong Democrat change her stripes so quickly? Read on, and maybe later I will revise this note since it has become as much a thorn in my claw, and I fear my health insurance may not cover character assassination…
Long-term viability of a grassroots effort depends only upon their ability to transform themselves into an independent, self-sustaining community through partnerships with the business and faith based communities. Inter-organizational partnerships are only viable if volunteer activities and recognized and graciously accepted as a valid form of contribution without reservation, and welcome whatever contribution an individual person or agency is of willing to make.
By imposing limits on membership or by excluding others by through the strategic placement of gatekeepers is not just politically incorrect, it is self-promoting and transparent. Are we in this together? Or are we simply changing the faces by installing new guards for another agenda.
This contradicts the mission and purpose of a legitimate grassroots movement and serves only to raise questions about the legitimacy of what now appears to be a self-promoting, transparent agenda. Discouraging participation of any member of the community, no matter how small is a mistake. However, to do that it in terms of a formal, exclusionary policy, you not only de-value the individual, but you make a mockery of the democratic process and grassroots effort.
Each contribution that is made should not only be welcomed, but also celebrated. Long-term viability relies upon our ability to create a culture of giving and public service. In order to create effective policies, one goal should be to shift the focus on “volunteer” efforts through community partnerships that serve to empower individuals by legitimizing their volunteer activities and supporting those efforts.
Current policies mandate a certain number of work credits if a person is to remain eligible and in receipt of public funds. Well this just does not work anymore, because there simply are no more jobs to be found. It is important to recognize that everyone has different strengths and if we expect to function as a community, we must allow everyone to contribute and feel as though they have a role in formulating the communities we are building.
By minimizing past efforts or requiring that participants meet a certain criteria, you risk losing whatever contribution he or she may be able to make-- now and in the future. There is more at stake than just the immediate economic crisis. We need to establish a culture of giving by allowing people to take ownership in themselves and their communities. If we are truly to become a service nation, we must recognize volunteer activities as a legitimate contribution and recognize that there are many ways a person can help to build strong communities.
We need to create a way to formulate policies to include a component of good-faith efforts as a measure independent of membership dues to reflect a more progressive movement towards unity, youth empowerment, and recognize outreach efforts to both empower and promote the disenfranchised and the poor. Strategic alliances are built upon a number of independent, informal networks of people that not only cross-promote, but self-promote independent efforts and affiliations.
Right now, we need to gain access through whatever means necessary, and go banging on doors that have previously been closed to us. We must draw in those who are disenfranchised, and not chastise them for being that way. We need to open our doors and be prepared for whatever walks in, whenever it walks in. This world is changing quickly for some, but too slow for others.
Formalizing current arrangements requires recognizing the both formal and informal outreach efforts by reinforce the partnerships and alliances that currently exist. We want to engage, involve, encourage participation from all people… not just those on the forefront of the political landscape, but also those who are just now emerging as a sign of the times.
We must reach out to people from all walks of life regardless of religion, race, financial, social and political standing
Political strategists must abandon the “divide and conquer” routine. Efforts to and destroy the opposition must now be replaced with a culture of understanding and acceptance through mutual respect and admiration. This is not the time to point fingers, take sides or calculate risk.
The writing is on the wall, folks. We have already lost too much. Now it is time to rebuild.
Sustainability and viability of any emerging political, community, and values-based partnerships will not thrive unless truly embrace the culture of change; you must embrace the concept the concept not just in public, but in private as well.
Of this, I am sure.
Community action and empowerment requires more than just the ability to raise funds or get media attention. The attention needs to refocus and reorganize to include the public who are seeking more than just 15 minutes of awareness. There are in fact people out there who believe in the grassroots movement as one of social awareness and awakening, rather than one that looks just too a little too much like political ambition.
Grassroots activism is a way of life. It is a movement that by its very definition will only pass muster by reaching out to all people, not just those who can support your cause. There is more than one way that people can contribute to support of individuals and is not all about money.
Many things factor in when we consider theories of motivation; most people will never know or reveal the reasons that compel others to change. It is not always the decision to act, but the decision not to that leaves many of us without a safety net.
I received an e-mail in response to a volunteer commitment I had made only to learn that my voluntary contribution of “time” was not necessary. Not only was it unnecessary, but it was in fact, unwelcomed.
Holy Crap, did that one take me for a loop.
Let me assure you that in one fell swoop, this sentiment did more than discourage my participation and commitment to change; it devalued the fundamental message of empowerment you [the agency] claims as their own.
Without provocation, such a statement managed to kill and pervert the core message of the grassroots movement. It will likely prevent me from embracing the new “culture of change” since it devalues the fundamental belief the grassroots movement and function in this new administration. By rejecting donations, or only accepting donations that come with a pledge of financial aid, question the sincerity behind or ability to effect a change without actually believing in it. So I now moved a place of hope to a place of change… right out of the “grassroots” movement.
Actions speak louder than words, both in theory and in practice.
You would be smart to tap into the rich array of community resources by identify, embrace, and encourage sources of raw talent by recognizing the great potential that may already exist in its various forms throughout community. These are the individuals, the untapped resource, often with their finger on the pulse of the city because they have learned by doing. We should by no means minimize their efforts by rejecting their contributions as a valid and legitimate effort.
Are we in this together? Or are we simply changing the faces by installing new guards for another agenda. By publicly rejecting any one idea or contribution of a potential donor, such a statement will discourage others to volunteer. Such a statement is self-promoting and transparent.
II. Posturing for Power
This summarizes my experience working with the best of the best and the worst of the worst. When it comes to my experience working as a volunteer, I have been an outreach specialist for longer than I can remember. I do have several small affiliations tangential to the mainstream politics; however, this is my experience as an independent, volunteer, and a foot soldier in the battlefield of life, poverty and unemployment, I developed transitional affiliations to the city’s mainstream when they seek to redefine themselves by posturing for power. In the midst of this economic crisis in the “spirit of change”, many locals are lining up to be the next great leader or trying to maintain their footing in this new era of community empowerment and change.
My outreach efforts and volunteer activities are often undervalued and criticized by others who view my work as “hobbies” or “play” My impact to and abilities are often perceived to be of little value or consequence. I work as a foot soldier who is trying to get by on a total monthly income $615.00. In a feeble attempt at self-preservation, I “work” as a volunteer in the community to maintain trying to empower the others, to enhance and enrich the lives of others, and have tried to debunk the myth that all people on welfare are “like this,” or “like that”
I am not paid. I do not get donations. I do not get special privileges or access. I get information.
This has allowed me to understand the nuances that can build a person or destroy a city and they are very much interrelated and equally important.
If the grassroots movement is to survive, it must transition from a community force in action and should acknowledge the fact that it is easier to get the public’s attention than it is to retain. To gain and establish independence, a group or agency must be able to target, identify, and engage persons with legitimate professional interests by installing a network of people that both support and legitimize each other in the various public forums. Membership and involvement depends upon both the legitimacy and integrity of the structure, as well as the ability to translate social theories into legitimate social constructs that compels others to "buy in" to the community.
Evolving into an independent agency through community partnerships is more difficult than launching a campaign based on outrage and emotion. Immediate actions must now be replaced with a permanent fixture and institutional structure that encourages long-term participation independent of the intermittent conflicts that serve to disrupt the political process.
To deny people membership or access is more than just rude, it can be hurtful.
It discourages individuals from participating in the political process, which translates apathy and complacency. Furthermore, taking ownership of one’s successes and failures is a critical component of both personal and professional accountability. It allows for finger pointing and scapegoating, and just makes you look like an ass.
It benefits all of us to graciously accept whatever contribution people are willing or able and able to make. It does not reflect well on a "grass-roots movement" to take a "members only position" by excluding, condemning or refusing service or time commitments from volunteers.
Minimizing contributions and efforts of those not in, a position to give debunks the very thing you are selling, “$x.oo,” That notion that any contribution, no matter how small is not welcomed.
Volunteer efforts are a critical and valuable to involve them in the process of so that we can empower those who will be affected by whatever policy is developed for economic recovery.
Do not silence me. Do not silence others. I personally want to encourage each one of you to voice your concerns. It is imperative for us to be heard.
Obama need our help. America needs our help. Let us make this the country we are proud to call home. Let this be a new beginning for us all, and let us make this a land of real opportunity.
-end-
Elyssa Durant says :: February 11th, 2009 @ 4:25 pm EST
Twitter/theseminal
Please be sure to get the word out quickly while we still have a voice in how the money will be spent as they put finishing touches on the economic recovery package. We need to stay informed and in contact while congress decides how and where the money will be spent.
COBRA is not a viable option for most people losing coverage. We need a alternative transitional plan to help those who are at risk of losing coverage in the midst of chaos resulting from the economic crisis.
In our efforts to provide an expedient response to an urgent and growing problem, let’s not be too hasty by falling back on those systems already in place that have been not worked for us in the past.
We need a BIG fix to a broken system, and the economic recovery stimulus will not be enough. Consider the options carefully…
Elyssa Durant
Nashville, Tennessee
Twitter/theseminal
Please be sure to get the word out quickly while we still have a voice in how the money will be spent as they put finishing touches on the economic recovery package. We need to stay informed and in contact while congress decides how and where the money will be spent.
COBRA is not a viable option for most people losing coverage. We need a alternative transitional plan to help those who are at risk of losing coverage in the midst of chaos resulting from the economic crisis.
In our efforts to provide an expedient response to an urgent and growing problem, let’s not be too hasty by falling back on those systems already in place that have been not worked for us in the past.
We need a BIG fix to a broken system, and the economic recovery stimulus will not be enough. Consider the options carefully…
Elyssa Durant
Nashville, Tennessee
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Petition: Forgive Student Loans
PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION BY CLICKING ON THE FOLLOWING LINK:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Real-Economic-Stimulus-Forgive-Student-Loans
Please circulate to any or everyone you know who may be burried underneath a pile of debt in a really bad job market. Unless Congress can agree on an economic recovery plan soon, we will all be in big trouble. I urge you to contact your Senators and compel them to take action before it is too late.
______________________________
# 9271: Feb 10, 2009, Elyssa Durant, Tennessee
I am 36 years old. My spinal cord is damaged from years of delayed, sub-standard medical treatment. I owe the federal government $179,982.00 in student loans. When I am able to work, I make $10.46/hour as a substitute teacher in an urban school district. That job comes with no security and no benefits. It does however offer the flexibility I need to receive the bi-monthly epidural injections and other procedures necessary to manage my pain and alleviate the numbness I feel because of the damage to my nerves. I have an advanced masters degree from an Ivy League Institution. I am 9 credits shy of a Ph.D. in public policy. Despite having maintained a 3.83 grade point average while earning my masters, and just over 3.2 during the three years I was enrolled full time in a doctoral program. The graduate school I will not grant me any leniency by extending the amount or time permitted to complete my degree-- or allow me to transfer those credits towards another program at the same institution. Vanderbilt will not even transfer any of the credits I paid for (in spades) towards another degree at the same university since they no longer have the program I was initially enrolled in. I think it goes without saying that I do not have the financial resources available to finish my last semester, take the GREs over again, or pay the associated application fees necessary to make the time spent there worth while. Throughout the three year process of filing appeal after appeal after appeal, I acquired well over 1/4 million dollars in debt due to uninsured medical expenses and student loans. My life will never be the same. My heart will never be the same. So after all this-- now I face losing my healthcare once again. Where is the safety net? Where is the American Dream that I so diligently chased after for so many years? What was the point spending so much on an education that will never be utilized? I understand the how; I just don't understand why. Maybe one of these days Vanderbilt University and the Department of Education will realize it might just be cheaper to hire me that harass me, because unless I find a real paying job soon, their collections department will no longer be able to reach me on that extravagant lifeline my friend, Mr. Brian Lapps, refers to as a luxury.
Elyssa Durant, Ed.M. Nashville, Tennessee (former doctoral student in public policy)
Reply to: ed70@columbia.edu
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Real-Economic-Stimulus-Forgive-Student-Loans
Please circulate to any or everyone you know who may be burried underneath a pile of debt in a really bad job market. Unless Congress can agree on an economic recovery plan soon, we will all be in big trouble. I urge you to contact your Senators and compel them to take action before it is too late.
______________________________
# 9271: Feb 10, 2009, Elyssa Durant, Tennessee
I am 36 years old. My spinal cord is damaged from years of delayed, sub-standard medical treatment. I owe the federal government $179,982.00 in student loans. When I am able to work, I make $10.46/hour as a substitute teacher in an urban school district. That job comes with no security and no benefits. It does however offer the flexibility I need to receive the bi-monthly epidural injections and other procedures necessary to manage my pain and alleviate the numbness I feel because of the damage to my nerves. I have an advanced masters degree from an Ivy League Institution. I am 9 credits shy of a Ph.D. in public policy. Despite having maintained a 3.83 grade point average while earning my masters, and just over 3.2 during the three years I was enrolled full time in a doctoral program. The graduate school I will not grant me any leniency by extending the amount or time permitted to complete my degree-- or allow me to transfer those credits towards another program at the same institution. Vanderbilt will not even transfer any of the credits I paid for (in spades) towards another degree at the same university since they no longer have the program I was initially enrolled in. I think it goes without saying that I do not have the financial resources available to finish my last semester, take the GREs over again, or pay the associated application fees necessary to make the time spent there worth while. Throughout the three year process of filing appeal after appeal after appeal, I acquired well over 1/4 million dollars in debt due to uninsured medical expenses and student loans. My life will never be the same. My heart will never be the same. So after all this-- now I face losing my healthcare once again. Where is the safety net? Where is the American Dream that I so diligently chased after for so many years? What was the point spending so much on an education that will never be utilized? I understand the how; I just don't understand why. Maybe one of these days Vanderbilt University and the Department of Education will realize it might just be cheaper to hire me that harass me, because unless I find a real paying job soon, their collections department will no longer be able to reach me on that extravagant lifeline my friend, Mr. Brian Lapps, refers to as a luxury.
Elyssa Durant, Ed.M. Nashville, Tennessee (former doctoral student in public policy)
Reply to: ed70@columbia.edu
Internet Broadband and Economic Recovery
THE BEST PART OF THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY!!!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/business/economy/10corporate.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
My favorite part of the economic recovery plan: Broadband and Wi-Fi! It's about time!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/business/economy/10corporate.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
My favorite part of the economic recovery plan: Broadband and Wi-Fi! It's about time!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
Vanderbilt University slashes student loans
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Vanderbilt University slashes student loans
Updated: Nov 1, 2008 04:49 PM CDT
http://www.wkrn.com/Global/story.asp?s=9108181
Going to Vanderbilt University is about to become more affordable.
The university announced it's doing away with millions of dollars worth of student loans.
There will soon be no more need-based loans at Vanderbilt University, but instead grants and scholarships that students won't have to repay, according to University Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos.
"The way this all works is that anybody that applies to Vanderbilt is admitted regardless of your financial need," explained Zeppos.
Not only will the new financial aid initiative save some students thousand of dollars it will allow anyone to attend the prestigious university.
"If you hard working, great kid...and you want to be at Vanderbilt, it's affordable," Zeppos said.
The money for the program comes from fundraising efforts.
$200,000,000 in scholarship funds has already been raised and there is a goal to raise another $100,000,000.
"It's really the combination of the years of hard work and leadership of a lot of people taking us to the next level of where Vanderbilt needs to be," Zeppos said.
This years graduating class will have their need-based loans waved in the spring.
The program will open up to all undergraduates in the fall of 2009.
In what Universe does this make sense...????
If this policy is intended to open the door to all students, then why does the University require students to disclose their parent’s income? The last time I checked, the application to the graduate school required a financial statement of disclosure-- not just from students, there parents too. This always seemed odd, especially for graduate students over the age of 18.
If financial need is no longer a factor, then presumably the University has waived all fees associated with the application process, right? Perhaps this statement was issued in anticipation of the HUGE, HUGE, loss of the endowment fund???
I guess that makes some people believe the University is more focused on learning than with earnings, well, then...I hope you have a more convincing argument than this!
Who knows, maybe they might even cut you a little slack in light of the disastrous financial disclosures. I truly hope you do call me when you launch your next “giving campaign. “ I would rather donate it to sharks..
To say that “hard working, great kids ...who want to be at Vanderbilt," will be able to attend for free, makes you sound like an idiot. It also sounds like a public relations disaster just waiting to happen.
Now c'mon Zeppos-- I thought you were one of the good guys? Don't be saying stupid things like that!
No wonder you guys are going broke.
Updated: Nov 1, 2008 04:49 PM CDT
http://www.wkrn.com/Global/story.asp?s=9108181
Going to Vanderbilt University is about to become more affordable.
The university announced it's doing away with millions of dollars worth of student loans.
There will soon be no more need-based loans at Vanderbilt University, but instead grants and scholarships that students won't have to repay, according to University Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos.
"The way this all works is that anybody that applies to Vanderbilt is admitted regardless of your financial need," explained Zeppos.
Not only will the new financial aid initiative save some students thousand of dollars it will allow anyone to attend the prestigious university.
"If you hard working, great kid...and you want to be at Vanderbilt, it's affordable," Zeppos said.
The money for the program comes from fundraising efforts.
$200,000,000 in scholarship funds has already been raised and there is a goal to raise another $100,000,000.
"It's really the combination of the years of hard work and leadership of a lot of people taking us to the next level of where Vanderbilt needs to be," Zeppos said.
This years graduating class will have their need-based loans waved in the spring.
The program will open up to all undergraduates in the fall of 2009.
In what Universe does this make sense...????
If this policy is intended to open the door to all students, then why does the University require students to disclose their parent’s income? The last time I checked, the application to the graduate school required a financial statement of disclosure-- not just from students, there parents too. This always seemed odd, especially for graduate students over the age of 18.
If financial need is no longer a factor, then presumably the University has waived all fees associated with the application process, right? Perhaps this statement was issued in anticipation of the HUGE, HUGE, loss of the endowment fund???
I guess that makes some people believe the University is more focused on learning than with earnings, well, then...I hope you have a more convincing argument than this!
Who knows, maybe they might even cut you a little slack in light of the disastrous financial disclosures. I truly hope you do call me when you launch your next “giving campaign. “ I would rather donate it to sharks..
To say that “hard working, great kids ...who want to be at Vanderbilt," will be able to attend for free, makes you sound like an idiot. It also sounds like a public relations disaster just waiting to happen.
Now c'mon Zeppos-- I thought you were one of the good guys? Don't be saying stupid things like that!
No wonder you guys are going broke.
Health Care for America NOW!!!!
Don't forget to call your Members of Congress and ask them which side they are on:
http://healthcareforamericanow.org/call
The Answer Is Still No
Dear Elyssa:
Yesterday, you called your Senators and asked them to pass the economic recovery package and retain its health care provisions. Collectively, you made hundreds of calls in less than 24 hours! But from the feedback I've received from you, it's clear that the phone lines are jammed, mostly with Rush Limbaugh fanatics urging a "no" vote.
We need to take this battle to the next level if we want to ensure health care is included in the economic recovery package - and that this package passes at all.
Can you write a letter to your Senators? We're going to print out every letter you write and hand deliver them to Senate offices to make sure your voice is heard.
We've gotten word that Senators on Capitol Hill are working to gut the health care provisions in President Obama's economic recovery plan.
Meanwhile, people all over the country are losing their jobs and their health care. These people desperately need the protections in the economic recovery package that help them retain their family's health insurance. And the entire country needs this bill to pass so we can create jobs and start turning our economy around.
Click to write a letter to your Senators now! We'll hand deliver your message to their offices.
I know I just reached out to you yesterday, but this is urgent! The fate of not only the health care provisions, but the entire economic recovery package is in jeopardy.
Please take a moment to write a letter to your Senators so we can hand deliver them and make sure your voice is heard!
Thank you for all that you do.
To your health,
Levana
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Thank you for donating.
http://www.actblue.com/page/chipin
With the 2008 election results in the statehouse, new party leadership at the state level, and important upcoming 2010 elections for governor and state legislators, the Tennessee Democratic Party needs our support more than ever.
Tennessee progressive bloggers are launching an online “Chip in” fundraising blog-a-thon with the goal of raising $2000 for the Tennessee Democratic Party. This is a grassroots effort and we are not associated with the TNDP. All contributions made through this ActBlue page go directly to the Tennessee Democratic Party.
Please “chip in” a little or as much as you can to help Tennessee Democrats take back the House and keep a Democrat in the Governor’s office.
UPDATE: We met our original goal of $1000 in a little over four hours, so we have raised it to $2000. Thank you Tennessee Democrats!
The participating Tennessee progressive bloggers are:
• Russ McBee
• NewsComa
• Left Wing Cracker
• Joe Powell
• Silence Isn’t Golden
• Vibinc
• RoaneViews
• Sean Braisted
• Progressive Nashville
• Sharon Cobb
• KnoxViews
• BlountViews
• WhitesCreek Journal
• Resonance
• Benintn at Daily Kos
Tennessee State Democratic Committee - Federal Account
Raised on this page: 47 1,984
Raised across ActBlue: 49 2,269
$
Paid for by ActBlue (www.actblue.com) and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Contributions to ActBlue are not tax deductible.
With the 2008 election results in the statehouse, new party leadership at the state level, and important upcoming 2010 elections for governor and state legislators, the Tennessee Democratic Party needs our support more than ever.
Tennessee progressive bloggers are launching an online “Chip in” fundraising blog-a-thon with the goal of raising $2000 for the Tennessee Democratic Party. This is a grassroots effort and we are not associated with the TNDP. All contributions made through this ActBlue page go directly to the Tennessee Democratic Party.
Please “chip in” a little or as much as you can to help Tennessee Democrats take back the House and keep a Democrat in the Governor’s office.
UPDATE: We met our original goal of $1000 in a little over four hours, so we have raised it to $2000. Thank you Tennessee Democrats!
The participating Tennessee progressive bloggers are:
• Russ McBee
• NewsComa
• Left Wing Cracker
• Joe Powell
• Silence Isn’t Golden
• Vibinc
• RoaneViews
• Sean Braisted
• Progressive Nashville
• Sharon Cobb
• KnoxViews
• BlountViews
• WhitesCreek Journal
• Resonance
• Benintn at Daily Kos
Tennessee State Democratic Committee - Federal Account
Raised on this page: 47 1,984
Raised across ActBlue: 49 2,269
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Are You Freakin' Kidding Me???
Elyssa,
I am sorry if you feel that paying $7.50 for an article is too much. The reason as to why we charge for an article is because we offer breaking news before any other publication in Nashville. We have a three-month trial subscription for just $19 if you would like to purchase that. It is only $11.50 more than a single article and you will have full access to our site as well as receive emails alerting you of breaking news.
Please let me know if I can help you.
Thanks,
Allison Anderson
Circulation Coordinator
Nashville Post
624 Grassmere Park
Nashville, TN 37211
(615) 301-9228 (desk)
My Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
________________________________________
From: elyssa.durant@columbia.edu [elyssa.durant@columbia.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 4:32 PM
To: feedback
Subject: NashvillePost.com Feedback from Elyssa Durant
I think it really sucks that I can't read the article posted in account login and password. I have enough of those.
I wasted enough money at Vanderbilt. I should not have to pay $7.50 to read about someone else who feels the Powers That Beat are playing a sophisticated game of bait and switch.
Will someone please forward the text of this article to me online?
http://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2009/2/3/former_vu_student_sues_university
Thank you in advance!
Elyssa
I am sorry if you feel that paying $7.50 for an article is too much. The reason as to why we charge for an article is because we offer breaking news before any other publication in Nashville. We have a three-month trial subscription for just $19 if you would like to purchase that. It is only $11.50 more than a single article and you will have full access to our site as well as receive emails alerting you of breaking news.
Please let me know if I can help you.
Thanks,
Allison Anderson
Circulation Coordinator
Nashville Post
624 Grassmere Park
Nashville, TN 37211
(615) 301-9228 (desk)
My Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
________________________________________
From: elyssa.durant@columbia.edu [elyssa.durant@columbia.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 4:32 PM
To: feedback
Subject: NashvillePost.com Feedback from Elyssa Durant
I think it really sucks that I can't read the article posted in account login and password. I have enough of those.
I wasted enough money at Vanderbilt. I should not have to pay $7.50 to read about someone else who feels the Powers That Beat are playing a sophisticated game of bait and switch.
Will someone please forward the text of this article to me online?
http://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2009/2/3/former_vu_student_sues_university
Thank you in advance!
Elyssa
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
This economy sucks.
www.healthcare.com/tags/sample-of-personal-statement-for-pharmacy-school/
Maybe the application essay I wrote might work better for someone else. I didn't get get the job or an offer of admission.
Go figure. Maybe for once in my life, I am right on time and right on target. Or perhaps the rest of the world has finally caught up... So for all of you folks who have been there with me, don't forget this...
"If you walk behind me I may not lead, and if you walk before me I may not follow... but if you stand beside me, I'll be your friend."
Maybe the application essay I wrote might work better for someone else. I didn't get get the job or an offer of admission.
Go figure. Maybe for once in my life, I am right on time and right on target. Or perhaps the rest of the world has finally caught up... So for all of you folks who have been there with me, don't forget this...
"If you walk behind me I may not lead, and if you walk before me I may not follow... but if you stand beside me, I'll be your friend."
NAACP Files A Civil Complaint Against MNPS
NAACP Files Civil Rights Complaint Against MNPS
If MNPS is found to be in violation, MNPS stands to lose as much as
67 million dollars in federal funding.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1430172/naacp_files_civil_rights_complaint.html
The NAACP Files a Civil Rights Complaint Against MNPS
Elyssa Durant
Nashville, Tennessee, January 26, 2009. The Nashville affiliate of the NAACP has filed a civil rights complaint with the Department of Education over the pending rezoning of Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. Keith Caldwell, community member and parent filed the complaint on January 20, 2009 just minutes after President Obama was sworn into office as the first Black president in the United States of America.
This announcement, made Monday morning, January 26, 2009 at the NAACP headquarters of the local affiliate as the media and several members the community watched. Reverend James Lawson, civil rights activist who worked with Martin Luther King Junior, and Marilyn Robinson, president of the Nashville NAACP, joined Caldwell. In a statement, Rev. Lawson stated that he believes the rezoning plan is “immoral, unethical, and wrong.” Mr. Caldwell fears that the already segregated neighborhoods of Nashville will suffer as a result of a return to neighborhood schools. Both look towards the landmark Brown vs. Board decision as an example of how separate but equal is inherently unequal, however there a several well- known and established members of the Black community who disagree.
Pastor Enoch Fuzz, community leader and activist, notes that a return to neighborhood schools will encourage parent involvement and brings with it large federal subsidies to provide students and their families with much needed financial resources in the poorest sections of Nashville. Karen Johnson, elected member to the school board also points out that the plan includes comprehensive plans to allow significant choice that includes transportation for children who are not performing well in their current school environment.
The rezoning hearings took place in an open environment and involved a Task Force made of up of community members and parents. The Task Force, the majority of who are African-American unanimously supported a return to neighborhood schools in favor of the rezoning plan. The plan allows for choice with transportation.
The Civil Rights branch of the DOE investigates discrimination complaints for institutions that receive federal funding and will investigate the claim.
If MNPS is found to be in violation, MNPS stands to lose as much as 67 million dollars in federal funding. Caldwell’s children attend magnet schools and are not at risk of being transferred back to their locally zoned schools, however, Caldwell hopes that this investigation will prompt MNPS to halt the implementation of the rezoning plan.
If MNPS is found to be in violation, MNPS stands to lose as much as
67 million dollars in federal funding.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1430172/naacp_files_civil_rights_complaint.html
The NAACP Files a Civil Rights Complaint Against MNPS
Elyssa Durant
Nashville, Tennessee, January 26, 2009. The Nashville affiliate of the NAACP has filed a civil rights complaint with the Department of Education over the pending rezoning of Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. Keith Caldwell, community member and parent filed the complaint on January 20, 2009 just minutes after President Obama was sworn into office as the first Black president in the United States of America.
This announcement, made Monday morning, January 26, 2009 at the NAACP headquarters of the local affiliate as the media and several members the community watched. Reverend James Lawson, civil rights activist who worked with Martin Luther King Junior, and Marilyn Robinson, president of the Nashville NAACP, joined Caldwell. In a statement, Rev. Lawson stated that he believes the rezoning plan is “immoral, unethical, and wrong.” Mr. Caldwell fears that the already segregated neighborhoods of Nashville will suffer as a result of a return to neighborhood schools. Both look towards the landmark Brown vs. Board decision as an example of how separate but equal is inherently unequal, however there a several well- known and established members of the Black community who disagree.
Pastor Enoch Fuzz, community leader and activist, notes that a return to neighborhood schools will encourage parent involvement and brings with it large federal subsidies to provide students and their families with much needed financial resources in the poorest sections of Nashville. Karen Johnson, elected member to the school board also points out that the plan includes comprehensive plans to allow significant choice that includes transportation for children who are not performing well in their current school environment.
The rezoning hearings took place in an open environment and involved a Task Force made of up of community members and parents. The Task Force, the majority of who are African-American unanimously supported a return to neighborhood schools in favor of the rezoning plan. The plan allows for choice with transportation.
The Civil Rights branch of the DOE investigates discrimination complaints for institutions that receive federal funding and will investigate the claim.
If MNPS is found to be in violation, MNPS stands to lose as much as 67 million dollars in federal funding. Caldwell’s children attend magnet schools and are not at risk of being transferred back to their locally zoned schools, however, Caldwell hopes that this investigation will prompt MNPS to halt the implementation of the rezoning plan.
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