LOWELL HOUSE NEWSLETTER Monday, 2 November 2009 Volume 33, Issue 10 CALENDAR Monday, November 2 *HIGH TABLE, 6pm Masters' Residence. 6:30pm, Dining Hall (sorry, no interHouse this evening) Wednesday, November 4 *Round Table Dinner with Professor Michael Puett | 6-7pm, Small Dining Room *Gov advising office hours | 7-8pm, Dining Hall *Meditation with Dorothy Austin | 9-10pm, Tower Room *"Glee" Study Break Sponsored By Queer-Straight BGLT Tutor Alliance | 9-10pm, JCR *Physics table | 9:30-10:30 pm, Dining Hall Thursday, November 5 *Masters' Teas | 5-6pm, Masters' Residence *German Table | 6-7pm, Dining Hall *Lowell Poemical Society | 6:45-8:30pm * Lowell Charity Auction! 9-11 pm -- All proceeds go to the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter (To volunteer to be auctioned off, please email Julia Fifer (jfifer@fas) or Katrina Welch (kwelch@fas) Sunday, November 8 *WELLNESS: Chair massages! | 8-10pm, SCR *Lewin Musicale | 10-11pm, Library *Milk and Cookies | 10pm, Library Monday, November 9 *HIGH TABLE, 6pm Masters' Residence. 6:30pm, Dining Hall (sorry, no interHouse this evening) Tuesday, November 10 *Round Table Dinner with Professor Gregory Mankiw 6:00-7:00 pm, Small Dining Room Wednesday, November 11 *UNIVERSITY HOLIDAY, House Office closed *Gov Department Sophomore Advising Dinner | 5-7pm, Small Dining Room *Meditation with Dorothy Austin | 9-10pm, Tower Room *"Glee" Study Break Sponsored By Queer-Straight BGLT Tutor Alliance | 9-10pm, JCR *Physics table | 9:30-10:30 pm, Dining Hall Thursday, November 12 *Masters' Teas | 5-6pm, Masters' Residence *German Table | 6-7pm, Dining Hall *Resident Tutor Meeting 7-9pm, SCR *Lowell Poemical Society | 7:00-8:30 pm, Small Dining Room *Round Table Dinner with Professor Steven Levitsky | 6-7pm, Small Dining Room * COFFEE HOUSE! 9-11pm in Lowell JCR Sunday, November 15 *Milk and Cookies | 10pm, Library ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ FROM THE RESIDENT DEAN * Brett Flehinger, Allston Burr Resident Dean Room A-22, 5-2283 (lo-abrd@fas.harvard.edu) -OFFICE HOURS CONTEST. Last week’s office hours contest brought lots of people around to A-22, so I’ve decided to continue it through Thanksgiving. I’ll mark down a point for your entryway each time you come by my office, even if it is just to say hello.1 I’ll total up the points over Thanksgiving break, announce the winner and provide an entryway-wide prize (think baked goods) when you get back for the final week of classes. For now, office hours are Monday from 2:00-3:30 and Tu-Fr 11:00-12:00. If the drop-in hours don’t work, just contact me for an appointment (5-2283, lo-abrd@fas.harvard.edu). --THE DAYS OF YOUR LIVES. With the new calendar final exams are coming up faster than they have in the past. Last year when you dressed up as Maverick from Top Gun, Sarah Palin, or Simon Legree on Halloween, there were sixty-two days until Reading Period started. This year thirty-four days remain until the last day of classes, so please note that you’ll want to stay on top of your work throughout November. This also means that now is the time to check your schedule and make sure you don’t have any exam conflicts. If you do, please contact me this week and we can talk about your options. --DON’T PLAGIARIZE. O.K. you probably knew that, but with paper-writing season upon us, it is worth highlighting the slightly more exotic forms of academic dishonesty that exist. So, here are just a few things to avoid: • Self-plagiarism/ dual submission: If you’ve turned in work for one class, you can’t submit the same work for another class without approval from all faculty members involved.2 • Plagiarism’s not just for the humanities: Computer programs, problem sets, and other submissions need to be your own work, and you should be in touch with your instructors to clarify what, if any, collaboration is allowed in the course. If you don’t know what the collaboration policy is, assume none is allowed. • For the full policy on academic honesty (and its evil twin academic dishonesty) please see p. 71 of the Handbook for Students (on-line at http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/ugrad_handbook/current/ugrad_handbook_single.pdf). 1. Double points for first time attendees 2. John Fogerty (whom spell check wants to rename “John Forgery”) is the patron saint of this kind of copying. He was sued for copyright violation for copying his own song. Please see http://cip.law.ucla.edu/cases/case_fantfogerty.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASK BETH, the HOUSE ADMINISTRATOR * Beth Terry, A-22, 5-2283 (lo-admin@fas) Dear Beth, I am writing from another House (to remain anonymous) and I am dying to get into Lowell, the land of crystal chandeliers, Operas, tuxedos and Teas: how soon can I apply? How can I increase my chances? Signed, an Outlaw Dear Outlaw: Well, if you are not in Lowell, I am not sure how you will ever read this reply, but here goes (and this applies to all the undergrads): The Interhouse Transfer process was revamped a few years ago to be fairer to all students. But it doesn't change the ultimate equation which is that House switches are constrained by the ratio of bodies departing to bodies entering. In truth, the biggest caveat to mid-year interHouse transfers this year is the new calendar: anyone approved for transfer will have to actually move to their new House and room between 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. of Tuesday, December 22 -- no ifs, ands or buts. Even if it means gently moving along the current occupant to their awaiting plane, train or automobile (so bring candy and a cattle-prod!) The applications are available now on the OSL website: http://www.orl.fas.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k11447&pageid=icb.page62470 The deadline to apply is Monday, November 16 at 5:00 p.m. If you are a native Lowellian trying to transfer out, bring it to my office for signature first (and I’ll get the thumbscrews out). And remember, Lowell isn't all candelabras and cognac. We have a devoted tutorial staff, unparalleled pre-professional committees and a motivated House Committee. And you will get to write to me way more often! ~Beth ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ FROM THE FELLOWSHIPS TUTORS * Susanna Mierau (smierau@fas.harvard.edu) * Josh Goldman (jdgoldm@fas.harvard.edu) * Courtney Peterson (cmpeters@fas.harvard.edu) LOWELL HOUSE FELLOWSHIPS WEBSITE The Fellowships section of the Lowell House website features an annotated list of common fellowships designed to make it easy to find fellowships that will fund whatever it is that you're hoping to do. Check it out at http://lowell.harvard.edu/fellowships LOWELL FELLOWSHIPS MAILING LIST Want to know what fellowships are out there? Want to know about them before the deadlines appear in the newsletter? Want more information on the fellowships listed below? Subscribe to the fellowships mailing list to get notices about once every week or two of upcoming deadlines and things to think about (relevant for sophomores, juniors, and seniors). To subscribe, go tohttp://lists.hcs.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/lowell-fellowships . OFFICE HOURS We hold office hours on Sunday--and this week Wednesday--evenings in the dining hall, during which we'd be happy to discuss your plans and look over your application essays. To visit us during office hours, you need to sign up at least one day in advance on the sign-up sheet next to the fellowships bulletin board, right next to the entrance to the JCR. If you have specific questions, please email us at any time. * * * UPCOMING FELLOWSHIPS * * * FOR GRADUATE STUDY AND/OR OTHER POSTGRADUATE ACTIVITIES: - 2 Nov, 7:30 PM: Weissman International Internship Program Informational, Leverett JCR - 9 Nov, 4:30 PM: Kawamura Fellowship Informational - 02-12 November (depending on field): NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Funds 3 years of graduate study in any field of science or engineering, including economics, psychology, and history of science. See http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=6201&org=NSF FOR UNDERGRADUATES: - 2 November: Goldwater Scholarship. Prize for outstanding sophomores or juniors in science/math/engineering. Also comes with funding toward your remaining undergraduate years. FOR MORE INFORMATION: See the Lowell House fellowships website. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ FROM THE WELLNESS TUTOR Brodi Kemp (bkemp@fas) MEDITATION @ LOWELL SUNDAY November 8th, CHAIR MASSAGES in the SCR 8-10pm. There will be signups for 15-minute massages to get you relaxed and ready for the week. See you then! WEDNESDAY November 4th, 9-9:30pm MEDITATION WITH DOROTHY AUSTIN. Tower Room. WEDNESDAY November 11th 9-9:30pm MEDITATION WITH DOROTHY AUSTIN. Tower Room. MONDAYS November 9th - December 14 8-9pm YOGA in the dance studio. Sign up at http://cw.huhs.harvard.edu/programs/yoga.html), The cost is $10.00 per student for the entire course. (The remainder of the cost is covered by the Center for Wellness.) You must supply your own yoga mat & towel, and must be affiliated with Lowell House. Students of all levels are welcome. LOWELL RUNNING CLUB I have spoken to many of you about running the BOSTON MARATHON 2010! It's time for a meeting so we can discuss training plans and marathon logistics. Even if you're NOT interested in running the marathon but would like to learn about training for endurance sports (and running in particular) please join us. WEDNESDAY November 4th, 8pm SCR ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ FROM THE GOVERNMENT TUTOR Brodi Kemp (bkemp@fas) Sophomores: we are having a dinner with the Government Department Director of Undergraduate Studies, Cheryl Welch, on Wed November 11th. Cheryl and I will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about the concentration. Please grab dinner from the dining hall and join us! (You're welcome to drop in for five minutes or two hours) WEDNESDAY November 11th from 5-7pm in the Coolidge Room ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IM'S THIS WEEK Monday 11/02 @ 7pm @ Stadium: Soccer vs. Currier Playoff game Wednesday 11/04 @ 7pm @ Stadium: Frisbee Playoff game Your IM reps: Katrina (katrinawelch4@gmail.com), Brian (bkaufman@fas), and Joe (jalin@fas) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ FROM THE BUREAU OF STUDY COUNSEL: The Bureau serves students in many capacities, includeing academic and personal counseling, peer tutoring, groups and workshops, and the Reading Course. Pre-group consultations are required for some groups. Please call 617-495-2581 to register or for more information. We also have our Cranium Corner Library, replete with free study strategy printed materials. Our website: bsc.harvard.edu. Perfectionism: A Double-Edged Sword with Jennifer Page One session: Wednesday, Nov. 4, 1:00-2:30 p.m. Many students struggle with the fine line between striving for excellence vs. suffering from perfectionism. Through discussion and practical exercises, this workshop helps students begin to distinguish motivation for healthy achievement from perfectionism and overcome some of the pitfalls of perfectionism. To register, email Jennifer Page (jpage@bsc.harvard.edu). What Should I Do? A Workshop for Friends, Lovers, and Roommates of People with Eating Disorders with Sheila Reindl & Craig Rodgers One session: Wednesday, Nov. 4, 4:00-5:30 p.m. This workshop offers support and guidance to students who think someone they know has an eating disorder and who are concerned about how to speak with that person, as well as what their responsibility and role regarding that person should be. No registration required. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM THE EDITORS Got an item for the newsletter? Email it to lohonews@fas. Items received by noon on Saturday will be in Mondays newsletter, space permitting. Do not despair; all submissions will be included in the online edition.