1. Organize – This could include acquiring a calendar or using a hand held computing device. Write down important dates (exams, assignments, due dates to name a few)

2. Familiarize – Make yourself familiar with the campus. Be sure you can locate the dinning facilities, classrooms, library, security, gym and campus stores. The campus is not all that big, and does not have many buildings; you should be able to find your way around by the end of the first week.

3. Preparation – Prepare for your classes. If they require books, make sure to get the books. If you are assigned reading, make sure you do the reading. Finish all assignments before they are due, and show up to every class on time if not five minutes early.

4. Socialize – Find a group of people to hang out with. College buddies can become life long friends. They are people who you can count on to be there for you and provide a good social “safety net.”

5. Get Involved – Join a club; make a new one if none of the current club interest you. What better way to find like minded people, and people who share in your passions then in a club devoted to it.

6. Study – Don’t wait until the last minute and try to pull an all night cramming session. Professors rarely mind students visiting them during their office hours to ask for clarification. That is why they have office hours in the first place. Visiting them will allow you to get acquainted with them, but more importantly your professors will get acquainted with you.

7. Staff – Get to know the RA’s and RD’s. These are the people most likely to answer all your questions and help you with problems not related to the academic sphere. Most have been around for a while, and it is unlikely your problem is unique only to you. Chances are good that others who came before you had similar problems that the RA’s and RD’s have them with. That puts the RA’s and RD’s in a good position to help you.

8. Health – With no “parentals” looking over your shoulder, you may be tempted to do some things you know you shouldn’t. Eat healthy, exercise regularly, and just take good general care of yourself.

9. Help – Seek out help when you need it. No matter what problem you are dealing with, no matter how difficult it may seem to you, there are people here willing and able to help you.
They won’t know you need help unless you go and ask them for it. Don’t feel ashamed, feel empowered that you are actively taking steps to help alleviate the problem.

10. Enjoy – No matter what anyone tells you, you should have fun in college. That is not a license to disregard all your work and responsibilities, but it is important you enjoy yourself. Make sure to set aside time not just for work and study, but for relaxations and enjoyment as well.

Below is a list of the 2006-2007 academic year student government officers and information on how to contact them (e-mail addresses).

President of Student Government
Amanda Kis
E-mail: Kisa@mville.edu
# * # * #
Chair of Finance Board
Andrew Berman
E-mail: Bermana@mville.edu
# * # * #
Vice President of Academics
Wilma Gonzalez
E-mail: Gonzalezw@mville.edu
# * # * #
Vice President of Student Affairs
Tiffany Pierce
E-mail: Piercet@mvillle.edu
# * # * #
Vice President of Finance
Not filled / representative needed
For information on how to run and the responsibilities of the
position go to the office of Student Activities
# * # * #
Public Relations Chair
Sergio Gonzalez
E-mail: Gonzalezs@mville.edu
# * # * #
Secretary
Sophy Bonnet
E-mail: Bonnets@mville.edu
# * # * #
Senior Class Co-President
Chris Leo
E-mail: Leoc@mville.edu
Senior Class Co-President
Nicole Vourliotis
E-mail: Vourliotisn@mville.edu
# * # * #
Junior Class President
Kristina Cherubino
E-mail: Cherubinok@mville.edu
# * # * #
Sophomore Class President
Megan Ford
E-mail: Fordm@mville.edu
# * # * #
Freshman Class President
Not filled / representative needed
For information on how to run and the responsibilities of the
position go to the office of Student Activities
# * # * #
Athletics Representative
Ikechi Okoronkwo
E-mail: Okoronkwoi@mville.edu
# * # * #
Finance Board Representative
Not filled / representative needed
For information on how to run and the responsibilities of the
position go to the office of Student Activities
# * # * #
International Student Representative
John-Paul Cheluget
E-mail: Chelugetj@mville.edu
# * # * #
Residence Hall Representative
Daniel Parzow
E-mail: Parzowd@mville.edu

Political pundits claim that bias has infiltrated academia, particularly in the areas of history and political science. As much disdain as I have for them, they may be right. In early 2005, Professor Robert Ashkinaze showed his students an article in The New Yorker titled “Columbia’s Middle East War.” Without taking sides, he asked the students “what do you think?” He refused, though, to tell us what to think. The result was a brief debate, albeit an impassioned one. So long as teachers such as Ashkinaze are around, Manhattanville will never have a “Middle East War.” Perhaps if Columbia had more Robert Ashkinazes, its Middle East Wars would come to a much-desired end.

Professor Ashkinaze is a veteran adjunct in Manhattanville’s History Department. He has around fifty years of teaching experience and also teaches graduate level education courses. His primary area of expertise is Medieval European and Russian History. However, Professor Ashkinaze also offers Wars of The Modern Middle East. It is a comprehensive, fulfilling, and, most important of all, balanced retrospective of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

When it comes to History, especially the Middle East conflict, nonpartisanship is a rare and much-needed element. This is more imperitive than ever, particularly in an era when partisanship has transformed Middle East Studies into a political discipline, rather than an educational one. Like me, he is a strong supporter of Israel. However, he focuses on what can be done to win peace, rather than setting the blame on one party or another for war. This approach also brings the human aspect of the Arab-Israeli Wars to the forefront, while avoiding the hackneyed “left-right” debate that has infected Middle Eastern Studies. Indeed, if it can happen at Columbia, it can happen anywhere.

In all of Askinaze’s courses, students watch videos, ranging from Osama and Lawrence of Arabia to Dr. Zhivago and Reds. They are also assigned trips to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ashkinaze’s energy and charisma also make all of his courses particularly enjoyable. I have taken three courses with him, and recommend him to all History majors and/or minors. Even after fifty years in education, Robert Ashkinaze still continues remaking history for his students. More than just a teacher, he is also a peacemaker.

For a digital copy of the contract template e-mail Andrew Berman (Bermana@mville.edu) and request one.

Roommate Contract

Print Name
Participant A ____________________
Participant B____________________

A) Personal Property

1) What can be shared

2) What is Participant A’s exclusive property

3) What is Participant B’s exclusive property

4) Consequence for violating personal property

5) How should the room space be divided

B) Cleaning Schedule

1) What is considered messy & what is considered clean

2) Who is responsible for cleaning (schedule and/or area)

3) How should the cost of cleaning supplies be split

C) Guest Policy

1) When are guests allowed, both dates (weekdays, weekends, and or specific) and time

2) How much prior notice it required for a guest

3) Are there different rules for male or female guests

4) How guest conflicts will be resolved (what happens if you both want a guest)

5) Is exclusive time with the guest allowed / how much exclusive time is entitled

D) General Room Rules

1) Quiet / lights out time for both weekends and weekdays

2) Sleeping schedules & what are you allowed to do, or must refrain from doing, while the other is asleep

3) Study schedules & what are you allowed to do, or must refrain from doing, while the other is studying

E) Contract Provisions

1) What is the penalty for breaking the contract

2) How can the contract be modified

3) What to do if there is a disagreement not covered in the con-
tract

F) Additional Rules and Provisions (space to add more rules if
needed)

By signing this document I herby acknowledged and consent to
the aforementioned rules and agree to abide by them. Failure
to do so will result in the penalty laid out in section E-1.

Sign Name
Participant A ____________________
Participant B____________________

After a long week of classes, preceptorial lectures and buying hundreds of dollars worth of books, it suddenly has become Friday night. As a new freshman you and your roommate(s) wonder: What is there to do this weekend? The area surrounding Manhattanville has tons to offer plus many ways to get there. The Valiant bus runs on a very convenient schedule right outside of Spellman and there are a plethora of cab companies that you can call to get around or if you’re one of the lucky few you have a set of wheels. Some people say there is “nothing to do in
Westchester” but if you’re creative there are some interesting things to see and do right outside the “Castle Walls”. Plus being a student and on a tight budget money always seems to be an issue.

So here is a list of some things that I have always found interesting to do on campus and off-campus on the weekends:

Go hit a move in City Center, there are also tons of shops such as Filenes Basement, Target and Applebee’s to eat.

The Westchester Mall: it is pricey to park so park in Stop and Shop and walk across the street. Save yourself three dollars to park. Window shop and browse.

If you are 21 there are some great bars on Mamaroneck and Martine. I like The Thirsty Turtle and Dooley’s is a favorite of the Mville crowd.

Gather up some friends for a game of extreme Frisbee on the quad, rent a bunch of DVDS and have a movie marathon in your dorm room.
Make cookies in the Tenney or Spellman Kitchen one night, just ask your RA to get you the key.

I hope that some of these ideas are helpful and that you enjoy your four years here at Mville. From personal experience they years do go by fast.

The College experience is not one you experience in a vacuum. Your parents are likely effect in some way as well. You, their precious child, is moving out. No longer will you come home every night where your parents can keep a close watch on you ensuring your safety. You are out in the real world now, and your parents might have some trouble dealing with that. This become especially true if you are the first child to go to college or the last, but middle children don’t get off to easily, so don’t feel unfairly picked on if you are the oldest or youngest.

Don’t cut yourself off from your family. They have been there all along and are people you can count on to continue to be there. That said, boundaries must be set. That is right, you get to set the boundaries for your parents.

Let them know when and how they can and should contact you. If you want them to call you at night, tell them. If you prefer an e-mail instead, that’s fine too. As long as your parents have the technical capacity to do what you request of them, few will complain. Instead they will be happy to see you are setting aside some time for them.

Some parents, for purely altruistic intentions, will call you or email you seemingly every five minutes. Know they are doing it because they care. Know also that unless you want that type of monitoring to continue throughout your adult life, you have to tell your parent in a nice way that they need to give you some space.

Tell your parents what you want. Do you want advice, a friendly ear, support, news updates from home? Give your family a framework to deal with. It becomes much easier when everyone is on the same page and knows what everyone else wants and expects.

Don’t leave your parents hanging. Cliff hangers are good in movie and novel scripts, they are not good in real life with your family. If you are having some problems and decide to talk to your parents about them, be sure to let them know how things went. Don’t just call them about negatives things. Let them share in your happiness when something good happens. If you only tell them one side of the story, that is the only side they will know. Make sure your family doesn’t have a skewed view about your college experience and they won’t worry as much.

Show your family the appreciation they are entitled to. They have likely supported you your entire life, and may still be supporting you. Don’t get so caught up in this new world of college that you forget about your parents back home. It doesn’t take much to give them a call or drop them an e-mail, but it can do wonders to brighten there day.

Perhaps the biggest gamble when starting college is your roommate. You have some semblance of control over your classes, your extra curricular activities, and who you chose to “hang out” with. Your roommate on the other hand, is usually someone chosen at random. Best case scenario, you and your roommate mesh perfectly and you become instant best friends for life. Does it happen; sure, but so does the worst case scenario. That is you and your roommate are complete opposites that can’t stand to be in each other’s presence.

More likely, your situation will be somewhere in the middle. You are going to be spending a lot of time with your roommate (after all, you do live together), so it is important you can at least get along civilly.

Often the most overlooked step is the most important; talk to your roommate. If something bothers you, let them know. You can’t blame them for repeating an annoying habit if you never bothered to tell them it is annoying. Prevention is usually the best policy when dealing with roommate issues, so try whenever possible to prevent problems before they rear their ugly head. This is easier to accomplish than many imagine.

The biggest mistake people make is playing things by ear. Don’t assume everything will fall perfectly into place. Act proactively to prevent problems by drawing up a roommate contract. If that sounds to legal and fancy, call it a roommate agreement form. What should be included in this form; a sample contract / agreement is on the adjacent page which you can feel free to cut out and use or use it as a guide line to make your own.

A few important guidelines when dealing with roommates in general; be courteous, respectful, and willing to compromise. Being courteous tends to have a contagious effect. Be polite and your roommate will likely follow suite. If you yell and scream at them, how do you think they will respond; not favorably. Offer to help them when you can, and wish them luck when you can’t. It doesn’t take much, but helps a lot; and the offer is usually reciprocated.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T. This one goes both ways too. Mutual respect goes a long way. Couple it with compromise, and you can generally institute civil “quick fixes” for most of your problems. If you can both see things from each other’s perspective, develop a mutual understanding, and learn to compromise, you should be in for some fairly smooth sailing. You don’t have to be best friends with your roommate, but you do have to be able to get along.

As freshmen and transfer students, you are about to begin a new and exciting adventure at Manhattanville College. Your first week will be filled with one orientation session after another until the college feels that you are fully acquainted with all of the “ins” and “outs” of campus life. This orientation is part of the process of setting you off on the right track and reducing the anxiety of being in a new and challenging environment.

Naturally, you are here for one primary reason – to excel in academic pursuits to the very best of your ability. The main mission of the college is to provide you with the course study to accomplish this mission. At the beginning you will have to take a certain number of required courses to lay the groundwork for the time when you will be able to begin the selection process and zero in on a more defined course of study – your major.

This is an exciting time, but it can also be scary and challenging. You are now, “on your own.” There will be nobody watching over you to tell when to get up, when to go to bed, when to study. The only person watching you is you. You will have to learn to budget your time, to get to classes on time, to do your homework, to hand your assignment when they due. All of this is part of the excitement and challenge of initiating a college career.

From the beginning you will start to explore the infinite possibilities of course studies. You may find areas of concentration that never occurred to you and subjects that you have never heard of. There is a vast and wonderful world out there and it is waiting to be discovered. Your curiosity will, hopefully, draw you into courses beyond your wildest expectations and excite your sense of adventure.

There is, however, one aspect of college life that can “fall through the cracks,” and without it you will have failed to capitalize on your college days. Some students get so caught up in their academic studies that this is all they do. As primary as your studies are, they do not constitute the totality of your campus experience. Lurking out there are vast opportunities of clubs, student activities, and communal service programs. These will offer you an outlet of self-expression and involvement, and will provide direct application to what you are learning in the classroom.

The possibilities are numerous and the opportunities as varied as the world in which we live. No college education can be considered complete without your participation in these outside activities. You will see posters all over campus announcing an infinite variety of activities. Stop and take a look at them. There is something there for you. Stop by at the Club Fair and check out the numerous clubs. Drop by at the Duchesne Center and learn about the variety of communal service opportunities. Listen to your voice mail announcements, there is a message there for you.

College is a great adventure and the challenges are here for you. These will be some of the happiest days of your life. I urge you to make the most of them and leave these hallowed halls firm in the knowledge that you have reaped the field clean and taken away everything that will sustain you in the world beyond Manhattanville.

On a nice day professor Bowling can often be found sitting at the top of the quad. Next time you see him there, stop by and introduce yourself. He has been here at Mville for a long time and is a good person to be acquainted with. He knows what he is talking about, and you would do well to listen to his advice.
No matter how good your high school experience was (or was not), college represents not only a new start, but also taking it to the next level-”it” referring to your life, in all its aspects. More than ever, you really are entering into adulthood. You will be calling more of the shots as to how you live day-to-day as you go about shaping your future life.

Be sure, first of all, to take care of business. You have chosen to attend college-good move. College isn’t cheap; be sure to obtain the proper return on your investment. Your business in college, of course, is learning. Manhattanville is a great place to take care of the all-important business of improving yourself intellectually, reducing your ignorance, enhancing your literacy. That’s why you’re here.

Having fun is something everybody should always do, and so that certainly goes for the time spent in college. We are located very close to one of the world’s great cities. Get to know it, or know it better, while here, and how to get around it most effectively. Besides the many well-known institutions and places, N.Y.C. is full of surprises and opportunities of all sorts, meaning you’ll never, ever even come close to experiencing them all (but give it a try). And closer to Purchase, Westchester, Fairfield, and the Hudson Valley are full of places to see and things to do. Get out there and do them.

You have made the excellent decision to attend a small college, a distinctive kind of institution. Here talk about a community feeling has a better shot of turning into reality. As one who has been here for some time, I can attest that rock-solid friendships made here can and do last a lifetime, and I hasten to add that these are the very best kind of friends one can enjoy having. Participate in campus life, make things happen, play and define your part in the collective Manhattanville story. You get what you give.

Above all, interact with people. Your teachers, coaches, administrators-we’re all here not only to help you out, put pressure on you to become what, in your heart, you really want to be, point you in the right direction–but also to become people you know and trust. And of course there are your peers, your fellow students-all sorts of people, from all over, all of them individuals with their own stories. Enjoy getting to know them, and letting them get to know you.

College-the best four years of your life? Why not?

So as a new member to the Manhattanville you community, your starting to wonder. What goes on here? What is this place all about and what are the traditions that take place here? Manhattanville has many traditions that are a rich part of the school and overall community. These range from parties to ceremonies for seniors right before graduation. Each event brings the campus community together as a whole and makes people feel that they are part of something much larger.

I am going to list for you some of the main traditions and what their about:

200 nights: This is the Halloween party for the school and it means a lot to the senior class, 200 nights before their graduation.

Fall Jam: A celebration for fall that takes place on the quad of music and fun for the entire day, but it seems to rain every year.

100 nights: A party celebrating 100 nights before the senior’s graduation.

50 nights: Another party celebrating the senior’s graduation fifty nights before graduation.

Winter/Spring Formal

Quad Jam: This is the Mother of all traditions at Mville. The school basically shuts down the weekend before finals. Everyone goes out on the quad, listens to music and this is usually the weekend of the Spring Formal. It is a not miss for any freshman.

These are some of the traditions that Manhattanville has hopefully with each class the list will continue and more will grow.