CPU Newsletter

November 10, 2004

CPU EVENTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Reporting from the Front Lines: A Lecture and Student Discussion
with New York Times Writer and Author Alex Berenson (TODAY,11/10)

2. Submit to the CPU's first politically themed art exhibit -
Transitions: The Constancy of Change (deadline extended to late
November)

3. Cosponsored Event: Art Determined by Politics: Is the NEA Good
for America? (TODAY, 11/10)

OTHER EVENTS:

4. Congressional Internship Information Session (TODAY, 11/10)

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CPU EVENTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Reporting from the Front Lines: A Lecture and Open Discussion
with New York Times Writer and Author Alex Berenson

Wednesday, 11/10 from 8:00 to 9:00 pm
Satow Room, Alfred Lerner Hall

Alex Berenson, a writer for the New York Times, covered the war in
Iraq both in the fall of 2003 and again this past summer. When not
in Iraq, Alex is a business writer for the Times. Alex will speak
about the situation in Iraq, his personal experiences there, and
the role of the media in war. There will be an open discussion
following his lecture.

Alex, a 1994 graduate of Yale University, recently published his
first book, "The Number: How the Drive for Quarterly Earnings
Corrupted Wall Street and Corporate America," an explanation and
investigation of the stock market's boom and bust.

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2. Call for Submissions to Transitions: The Constancy of Change

What: An exhibition of political art
When: The Submission deadline has been extended until late November;
the exhibition will be in late November or early December.
Who: Everyone is encouraged to submit their work. Photography,
sculpture, painting, short films, and all other visual media are
eligible. Students should contact Katharine Harlow, CPU Treasurer,
at kjh2003@columbia.edu for more information.

This exhibit takes two basic premises as its foundations: transition
as a perpetual theme of history and politics, and the crucial role
of the arts in the portrayal and criticism thereof.

2004 presents an extraordinary opportunity for the exploration of
this linkage. Change is all around us: a presidential election at
home, the fight for sustainable democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan,
the acceleration and deepening of globalization, and the lingering
effects of September 11th.

As the world grows more complex, the importance of informed
involvement grows. This exhibit aims to spur all of us to
reflection, analysis, and debate. How does our past inform our
future? How are our cultures, societies, institutions, and
governments evolving? Where are we going? Are we going too fast?
Too slow?

This exhibit presents an opportunity for political scientists and
artists alike to confront, criticize, and explore new perspectives
and attitudes. Its interdisciplinary approach promises to renew
and strengthen the dialogue between all Columbia students.

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3. Debate: Art Determined by Politics: Is the NEA Good for America?

Wednesday, 11/10 at 7:30 pm
Room 104, Jerome Greene Hall

Mark Bauerlein, Director of Research and Analysis at the National
Endowment for the Arts (NEA), will argue in the affirmative, while
James Panero, Associate Editor of the New Criterion, will argue in
opposition.

The NEA is the largest annual funder of the arts in the United
States. It is a public agency that describes itself as "dedicated
to supporting excellence in the arts-both new and established,
bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in
arts education." Before the establishment of the NEA in 1965, the
arts were limited mostly to a few big cities. As a result the
NEA claims that the "Endowment has made America a better place to
live." Traditionally, however, conservative political thinkers
have opposed government involvement in organizations that they
believe ought to be controlled either privately or at the state
level, not centralized nationally. Conservatives believe that, writ
large, government support has stifled genuinely creative artistic
development in the modern age, and it is in the interests of
artists not to have their art determined by politics.

Sponsored by The Columbia College Conservative Club, The Philolexian
Society, Postcrypt, Graduate Arts Council, the Federalist Society,
and The Columbia Political Union.

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OTHER EVENTS:

4. Congressional Internship Information Session

Wednesday, 11/10 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm
Satow Room, Alfred Lerner Hall

Come learn about Congressional Internship opportunities both
locally and in Washington, D.C. Information will be presented on
deadlines, resume writing, and more. In addition, hear about the
intern experience from Barnard and Columbia students who
participated this past summer.

Last year students worked for Democratic Senators Hillary Clinton
(D-NY), Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Jon Corzine (D-NJ),and Maria Cantwell
(D-WA), as well as for Republican Senators Kay Bailey Hutchinson
(R-TX)and Peter Fitzgerald (R-IL) and Congressmen Jim DeMint
(R-SC), Tom Davis (R-VA), and Robert Simmons (R-CT). Students
spent the summer living in D.C., working on Capital Hill, and
attending events hosted by Columbia University-including a taping
of "This Week" with Columbia College alum George Stephanopoulos.

If you are unable to attend the meeting but would like to
participate in the program, contact Natalie Webb, Congressional
Intern Coordinator at (212) 854-7009 or congress@columbia.edu.

Sponsored by the Office of Government and Community Affairs.

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