Perpetual Learner- The adventure of going back to school

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Beginning of a portfolio



I had so wanted to have more done on my portfolio before going to residency, however, I don't think that is going to be possible, as I have a ton of work to do before I leave. It is also not expected. I have heard that an outline will be necessary at residency and I am excited to be starting on that this morning.

As I had mentioned in previous posts, I am using the software program Scrivener for this project. I'll try to document the process of using this software in case anyone else is interested.

Scrivener is a Mac program and can be purchased for $45. There is a Beta version for windows as well.

There is a cork board view for your outline as well. I'm trying to figure both of these out. Though I have had scrivener for over a year and wrote my novel on it, I rarely used the outline.

If you click on the pictures in this post they will come up larger so you can see what Scrivener has to offer. More posts about this as I proceed.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Goddard is all about sustainability.

This is a recent post sent to me from Goddard

To all students, staff, and faculty

June 15, 2011

Background

The sustainability team was formed in 2007 when Goddard’s then president Marc Schulman signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. We conducted a carbon inventory, created a climate action plan, and began working to reduce emissions and to integrate sustainability into all aspects of college activities. The carbon inventory, climate action plan, resources for creating a carbon reduction plan, and previous progress reports are on http://gnet.goddard.edu/ under Goddard Community, College Planning, Sustainability. Our goal is to be carbon neutral in fuels burned on campus and electricity usage by 2020, with additional reductions in emissions from transportation. To keep the community informed of our progress and to invite participation, we have been sending a report every six months.

Biomass Heating Facility

The Board of Trustees has approved construction of a biomass heating facility that will heat the campus using locally sourced wood chips and waste wood, and has contracted with Community Biomass Systems of Montpelier to be the project manager. The boiler will be located off the upper parking lot, construction is planned to begin this summer, and the system will begin heating the campus in the winter of 2012 – 2013 by producing hot water for heat, showers, and cooking and piping it underground to the buildings.

We found in our carbon inventory that 93% of our campus based carbon emissions come from burning heating oil. Similar biomass projects at other colleges replace up to 90% of heating oil used each year. At Goddard, that would mean replacing about 56,000 gallons of heating oil and reducing emissions by 627 tons of CO2 per year. We will be able to measure our results as we start using the system. This will be a big step towards our goal of carbon neutrality by 2020.

There is additional information about our biomass project in the below attached article from the June 8 Barre-Montpelier Times Argus.

Energy Efficiency

We are continuing to increase the energy efficiency of our buildings by adding insulation and replacing windows. So far, we have completed retrofits in Dewey, King, Aiken, Kilpatrick, Giles, Flynn and the Manor, and the 2nd floor offices and part of the backstage area of the Community Center. Currently, we are insulating the hay barn, completing retrofits on Pratt dorm, and completely insulating the Clockhouse. Last year, retrofits enabled us to use 10 – 15% less heating oil.

Food Service

· IBA student Patricia Coughlin continues to supply the kitchen with organic vegetables and herbs from the Goddard vegetable garden with help from staff members Scott Blanchard, Dave Palmer, and Kelly Ross, and students at each residency. If you would like to help with the garden during residencies or throughout the growing season, please let us know by replying to this email. There are photos of last season’s garden and harvest at:http://goddardgreenhouse.blogspot.com/.

· The kitchen is purchasing some of its food from the Farm to Table program at Food Works in Montpelier as well as directly from local farms.

· We continue to participate in the Meat Free Mondays movement by making all meals served on Mondays meat free. For more information on the reasons for this, see: http://www.eatveg.com/realities.htm and http://www.meatfreemondays.com/index.cfm

· Staff member Dave Palmer composts all the kitchen food wastes, and the compost goes back into the Goddard garden or is sold.

Travel to Campus

There is information about public transportation options on www.goddard.edu under About Goddard, Directions; and there is a ride share board athttp://gnet.goddard.edu/ride_share.

Bikes

There are bikes available at the helpdesk for local riding during residencies.

Sustainability Listserv

The sustainability listserv begun in Spring 2008 to share news and resources about climate change and sustainability challenges and solutions now has 268 members. Articles are sent once a week. If you would like to be added, just reply to this email.


HOPE THE LINKS WORK


Saturday, June 11, 2011

WOW- this is my last semester at Goddard!

This residency will be my last full residency.

This semester is my last semester at Goddard- Lord willing an if the creek don't rise!

This semester I write my thesis/portfolio

I'm a G5

I will graduate in the winter of 2012.


MFA-IA new students? WELCOME.

We will need to vamp up the welcoming committee again. I guess I'll be sending out e mail's soon. I can't help but wonder how many excited people there are who are filling out their applications for the Master of Fine arts in Interdisciplinary ARts at Goddard and waiting to hear? How many people are wondering, "did I get into the MFA-IA program at Goddard?"

If you are a new or prospective student in the MFA-IA program at Goddard-welcome. You will find lots of information on this blog. It is my personal journey of going through the semesters in my graduate studies at Goddard and my undergraduate studies at Vermont College.

Coming to an end? More about course equivalents

School should be coming to an end for this semester. Everyone is on the SIS ( Student Information System) and filling out their semester evaluations. Then the instructors will then fill out their student evaluations. Another semester comes to a close. It feels odd that our semesters are so different from everyone else's in the world. Other friends are just beginning a summer class at the local university and I am here ending mine.

My one hold up, before ending my semester is my traditional course equivalents. Not everyone at Goddard asks for these, and I have many blog posts about this subject. ( Search blog posts for details.) I often will send my CE to my advisor to see what they think before pressing submit on SIS. Reason for this is- if I have to change something I have to call the school to unlock my SIS so I can change something. Erica, my advisor this semester is looking over them and getting back to me on Monday. Not every advisor does the CE the same way. Some, I feel, are against CE all together. But I have to have CE here in the South. Others, I feel, have made me write my CE in a way that I don't think fits the concept of CE. The CE road has been a difficult road. This is probably my easiest semester with CE.

My suggestions for those who come after me.

  • Put it in writing. In your study plan state that you need CE. Or CE and Goddard narrative transcripts, which is what I get.
  • Submit your CE to your advisor written up in your Packet 4, remind them again in packet 5.
  • Look at your entire time at Goddard with both what you want to accomplish and how this translates into CE. I had mine in a spreadsheet.
  • AS others about your advisor, how do they feel about CE? if you can anticipate trouble, then maybe you can head it off.

My hope is this, those who come after me and need CE, know that it is through the difficulties of the students that came before you that paved the way to make this a bit easier.

Tuesday, June 07, 2011

School loans? UGGGG

As I get closer to graduation- 6 months away. I am forced to look at the hard facts of school loans. UGGGG.

Of course I won't have to start paying on these for an entire semester. Looking at them encourages me to beg, borrow, or steal, but not to take out any more loans for this new semester.

Through undergraduate and graduate studies I had VSAC as my loan provider. then the government came in and said no more, and took over. Now my loans, as I am sure most everyone else's are with:

DEPT OF ED/GREAT LAKES

PO Box 530229

Atlanta , GA 30353-0229

(800) 236-4300

www.mygreatlakes.org


However, if you are interested in really taking a hard look at your total loan debt to date you can go to this website- The national Student Loan Data System Put in the info and see what you are in for!

This FinAid page has some interesting thoughts about loan debt for students.

Here is an article that talks about Graduate loans by state.

Check out this article in USA today- in debt before you start.

"In 2004, nearly 8% of graduating seniors carried student loans of $40,000 or more, according to the Project on Student Debt, a non-profit advocacy group. In 1993, even adjusted for inflation, only 1.3% of college seniors had debt that large, says Robert Shireman, director of the project.

About 11% of graduates of private, non-profit colleges have loans of $40,000 or more vs. 5.5% for public colleges and universities, Shireman says."


The article refers to the Project on Student Debt here is the link to their website.


It is all something to consider. And my debt? I'm embarrassed to say, but I am near the 2004 percent mentioned in the USA article. It is a difficult thought, How long will I work must to pay off loans? Will there be work in this economy? I know several students who are homeless and going to school. I know many classmates who had others paying for their schooling. Some did so with a work agreement. They played it smart. I wish I could have done that.


So graduates? Was it worth it? I find my self asking this questions to others who have graduated.


ADDENDUM to this post.

If you are considering undergraduate work this is a no brainer. DO IT! There are so many grants available to undergraduates. If you work or country helps to pay for your education DO IT!

Also check out this blog. I have had numerous ways such as cleps and credits for work experience that helped me to save money with my undergraduate loans. There are also many scholarships available. DO IT!

Graduate students? how do you weigh in?