A Profile on Patricia Gorman

Patricia Gorman, an assistant professor of the Commonwealth Honors College at the University of Massachusetts, has always loved the Irish culture. Over the years she has written essays and dissertations about their literature and theatre. She has also traveled to Ireland many times.

“I’ve always had an infinity for Ireland,” she said. This passion springs from her family ancestry and being part of the third or fourth generation of Irish Americans, depending on which side of the family. She doesn't know where her family is from in Ireland, but she says that that adds to the "intrigue and mystery" that drew her.

This semester Gorman is teaching the course “Irish Writers and Cultural Context,” which is a class that she created. In the class, Gorman teaches her students about the Irish culture they have likely heard so much about though the medium of plays, short stories, novels, and movies. Plays such as “The Bog of Cats” by Marina Carr, “Eclipsed” by Patricia Burke Brogan, and “Dancing at Lughnasa” by Brian Friel, juxtaposed with the movie “The Magdalene Sisters” and poems by people who partook in political activism during the fight for independence from the English. This knowledge is what she has obtained from years of study and multiple trips to Ireland.

                        Her first trip was in her twenties. While she was there she went to the Yeat’s Summer Program in Sligo, where she did graduate work on Yeats, though she eventually changed her topic to James Joyce, and specifically on "Ulysses." Another one of Gorman's trips to Ireland was academic, earning her Ph.D. in Anglo-Irish Literature and Drama from the University College Dublin in 2008.  Another trip ended up being an extended stay, living there during 1983 to1985 with her husband, Douglas DaRif, and two children, Meghan and Devin.  Though the Irish culture is in a state of “dramatic influx”, she still found the culture widely accepting.

One of the aspects of the culture that was difficult to adjust to was the pub culture, she said. In Ireland, people go to the pub in order to hang out with people, and have a variety of drinks ranging from alcohol to tea. People also commonly brought their children to the pub because it was a place of community, which was a culture shock for Gorman because of the American culture of not bring children into institutions such as bars.

However, Gorman had more trouble adjusting to life in the States when she came back because the pace of life in America is much faster than Ireland. Gorman said that the cities, and even the towns, in the United States, were more fast-paced than life in Ireland.

Her other degrees include a Master's in English, Liberal Arts and Education. This is because she continuously wants to learn and enjoys being on both sides of the desk, she said. “I just want to keep learning in a broad way,” she said in reference to her multiple degrees. When she retires, she wants to learn Thai in order to prove to herself that she can.

She remembers how her father would come home and tell stories from the classroom. “He would then lean over and grab my arm and say ‘And Pattie, they pay me for this.’” Her father’s love for his job inspired her to want to have a job that she loved. This job is teaching. “I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” Gorman said, citing her father as her inspiration.

                        Before Umass, she taught graduate and undergraduate classes at Clark University and Clark's affiliate, Worcester Art Museum. At Clark she created classes that were based in feminism and spirituality in literature.  She liked the unique experience of being able to work and draw from the museum, incorporating the art from the museum with the literature of the class. While there she not only taught, but designed courses as well.

She came to UMass because she wanted to live in a progressive rural area, and the Amherst area gave her that. At Umass she has taught the Dean's book course, "Metaphor and Creativity", "Gender Politics in Representation", an Honors seminar and, of course, the Irish Writers class.

Among her other achievements is receiving the Commonwealth Honors College Distinguished Teaching Award for her work in the class "Ideas That Change the World, an Honor's seminar required for Honors students at Umass. She, and the other winner in 2012, were the first winners of the award. Not only that but she was nominated and selected by students to receive the award. The honors seminar that she teaches is a ground level that most honors kids take. In her version of the class, she starts off with Plato, especially his essay known as “The Cave”, which is a way to teach to her students about questioning everything around themselves.

         She encourages her students to explore what they find interesting. Lena Golick, a sophomore biology major at UMass, says "In Irish Writers she has been allowing us to explore whatever facets of Irish literature most interests us. By doing this, we all learn more because we are actually invested in what we are learning." Instead of creating prompts, she wants students to find out about what interests them, whether that be the music, history, mythology or anything that sparks interest. She lets them pick their own subjects of essays and discussions, and allows them to have a say in the curriculum, something that is unique in the sphere of education. Albert Williams, a UMass junior computer science and math double major, said "Professor Gorman took the indifferent Math student in me and instilled him with compassion."

                        She is currently editing a book on Joyce's "Ulysses." Part of her work with the book is a 400 page dissertation that examines the gender politics in Joyce’s work. By focusing on gender politics, she is able to look at the intersection between paganism and Christianity, two very different religions.

by Lauren McArdle

Speech paper

With Syria broken into factions and fighting each other for power in a "proxy" war, people are fleeing Syria and crossing borders for refuge. The influx of refugees into neighboring countries, especially Lebanon, was one of the central problems Omar Dahi addressed in his lecture "The Crisis of Syria's Refugees in Lebanon," in the Commonwealth College Building, Events Hall -East at 4 pm on Wednesday.

                Dahi, an associate professor of economics at Hampshire College, was born and grew up in Syria and spent last semester in Lebanon and  spoke to 45 people of the problems that are affecting Syria and surrounding countries. He first began by explaining how the crisis was not simply an uprising, like it was at the beginning but is now a "proxy" war involving the many rebel factions, the government, the United States of American, Saudi Arabia and Israel.

                "Lebanon is the most effected, besides Syria," said Dahi. The influx of refugees due to the crisis in Syria has taken its toll on all surrounding countries but especially Lebanon. Most of the neighboring countries have closed their borders, not wanting anymore refugees. Lebanon has not.

                 Before the Syrian crisis, Lebanon was a poor country, but since the rise in population, money has gotten tighter. "They don't have the fiscal ability to take care of these refugees," said Dahi, speaking from his own experience.

                But that has not stopped the flow of refugees into the country.  The population of Syria right now is about 4 million people. Out of that number, 1 million of them are Syrian refugees. That means that 1/4 of the population is Syrian refugees. This number is predicted to rise, resulting in half the population being refugees.

                Dahi says that there were three things that led to this crisis: the Arab uprising, the war against Iran, and the decline of U.S. power in the Middle East. The Arab uprising, commonly known as Arab Spring, started when Tunisia rebelled against their authoritarian government, and other countries in the Middle East followed suit. This uprising, which turned into the "proxy war" that it is now, provided a moral cover for what was happening what is happening in Syria now.

                The war against Iran also helped to deteriorate Syria. The U.S., Saudi Arabia and Israel created economic sanctions against Iran in an attempt to weaken their power in the Middle East. The allies determined that "Syria was viewed as the weakest link." Therefore, Saudi Arabia used the uprising there to push for allegiance and to try to put into government a more supportive government. Iran felt that the Syrian uprising had been hijacked and put money into the Syrian regime.

                The United States' decline of power in the area is a similar concept because of the fluctuating support they give to different opposition groups.  "You have many different sides pushing against each other and reaching a stalemate in destruction," he said.

                The best outcome for Syria would be peace talks which recently adjourned in Geneva, Switzerland. The talks would involve Syria, Russia, The united States, Saudi Arabia and Iran. There are two possible outcomes, either to create an opportunity for a new leadership to emerge or to split up the region. "And the hope," said Dahi, "or the best outcome, is the these processes create a new space for these voices to be heard."

                What can the United States do? Dahi said that United States citizens can contact their delegates to urge them to put pressure on their allies, like Saudi Arabia, for a political settlement. The other part the United States can take is to recognize Iran as a legitimate country and enter talks with Iran to find a peaceful resolution.

                "I felt like I learned  a lot about the current situation in Syria and that it has gone from an internal uprising to a kind of international battleground from Dahi's organized presentation," said Mary Carey, a journalism professor at the University of Massachusetts.

                Morgan Morselli, a sophomore at UMass, said "Dahi did a great job of clarifying why the refugees have a big impact."

by Lauren McArdle

2012-2013 Fencing Season

Fencing Season

UMWET Horse Shows

Hampshire College aims to launch 100 Percent Local Food Challenge

Faculty at Hampshire College are intensifying their efforts to improve the campus’ sustainability by launching the 100 Percent Local Food Challenge, whereby their aim is to get nearly all of the campus’ food from within a 150 mile radius.

The effort is part of the college’s Healthy Food Transition, an initiative aimed at “redefining what the college dining experience can be…by changing how food on campus is produced, prepared, served and consumed,” according to a Hampshire College press release.

“I think the goal is really to use our ability as an educational institution to educate students who will be leaders in the future and to allow them to see how food is produced,” said Beth Hooker, Hampshire College’s director of food, farm and sustainability. She also said that faculty hope to “engage (students) in not just the on-campus community but the local community and the regional community in an effort to promote regional resiliency for the future.”

According to a Hampshire College press release, the 100 Percent Local Food Challenge will be supported by a $50,000 grant from the Henry P. Kendall Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the production of local, healthy, sustainably produced food throughout New England.

“We chose to support this initiative at Hampshire because colleges are key levers for change in the food system,” Kendall Foundation Executive Director Andrew W. Kendall is quoted as saying in the press release. “They are able to create a meaningful impact on the production and consumption of local food through their purchasing capacity. Longer-term benefits result from the learning and engagement of students, faculty and the broader community.”

Having received the grant in December, Hooker said that the money will fund student agricultural internships as well as collaboration within the Five College system, expanding their efforts to improve sustainability throughout the region.

In addition, Hampshire received a $240,000 grant in February from the Lydia B. Stokes Foundation which supports sustainable agriculture and the development of local food systems. Hooker said the grant will fund agricultural research performed by students and faculty.

Hooker considers Hampshire’s cooperation with the two foundations to be a great opportunity that will help the college reach its goals in agricultural sustainability.

“We’re just really fortunate to have the support of these foundations whose philosophy and goals are aligned with ours and so we’re happy to be partnering with them,” she said.

Thus far, Hampshire’s efforts towards sustainability have been extensive. The 800-acre college is able to offer 200 shares in the vegetables grown on their farmland through the Community Supported Agriculture program. Once students and faculty purchase shares, they are able to pick up a box of vegetables each week at the campus’ CSA barn throughout much of the fall semester.

According to Hooker, about half the shares are sold to students, 30 percent of them are sold to faculty and the remaining 20 percent of the produce is sent to the dining hall. A share can typically feed four to six people.

The vegetable operation, which accounts for 15 acres of the college’s land –not including an additional 50 acres which is leased out to local farmers– is run by CSA Program Manager Nancy Hanson. Livestock and Pasture Manager Shannon Nichols oversees the animals and the 65 acres of pasture and hay. Animals on the campus farm include dairy cows, pigs and chickens.

Hooker explained that the pigs support the dining hall as well as a meat version of the CSA program, while the chickens provide the dining hall and the Bridge Café marketplace with eggs. She and other faculty members are working to come up with a new CSA model specifically for egg shares in time for the fall semester.

In addition, the college also operates its own sugar shack and beehive sanctuary, providing them with maple syrup and honey respectively. An on-campus greenhouse also provides the Bridge Café marketplace with lettuce and spinach to sell throughout the winter.

Although Hooker is optimistic about the 100 Percent Local Food Challenge and its future at Hampshire College, she acknowledges potential roadblocks to its ultimate success that she said need to be addressed, such as an obvious inability to grow crops during winter and discerning how to obtain food not easily grown locally.

In order to find solutions, Hampshire faculty are currently exploring a range of technologies that would aid in expanding the growing season and increasing efficiency, as well as further promoting sustainability.

“We have a grant application in to the National Science Foundation. Part of that would fund movable greenhouses that would use heat-pump technology to heat them in the winter and cool them in the summer,” Hooker said. “We’re also looking at some innovative ways of keeping squashes and root vegetables for longer periods of time after our harvest.”

Furthermore, she added that faculty members are looking to convert one of the college’s gasoline powered tractors into an electric tractor.

Regardless, there are several items that can’t be grown locally that the college must have shipped in, such as coffee and citrus fruits. They also intend to get their fish from within a 500-mile radius, according to a Hampshire College press release.

Aside from promoting regional sustainability, Hooker hopes that the 100 Percent Local Food Challenge will effectively educate Hampshire students about the food system, allowing them to see that local food is delicious and doesn’t have to be overly expensive. She believes the program is “a way that we can help begin to educate the students on what their future choices can be like and how they can be part of changing and transforming the food system.”

by Shelby Ashline

The Student Debt Problem

Colin Diederich graduated from the University of Massachusetts last may with a degree in

computer science. He is now an associate software engineer at CA Technologies, but college is not a

distant memory. He paid for college mostly through loans and grants, and though his mom paid off the

interest while he was still in school, he still has to pay off the actual loans. "Instead of putting money

into the economy, I'm paying off an obviously good decision for five years or longer," said Diederich.


Many college graduates are facing the same kind of financial trouble. According to the American

Student Assistance, a nonprofit that tries to help students and alumni manage and repay their college

loans, nearly 20 million American attend college every year, and of those 20 million, 60 percent borrow
annually to help cover costs. In March 2012, the amount of student loan debt first exceeded $1 trillion

according to fastweb.com, a website that posts daily about the scholarships that are out there. Since

then it has risen to $1.1 trillion. Student debt is the second highest type of consumer debt, behind only

mortgages. It can take anywhere between 10 and 25 years to pay off student loans and payments start

coming in six months after you stop taking classes.


 Though some students have help from parents and guardians, not all do. Shelby Ashline, a

sophomore as UMass, has no help from parents, though she says she isn't paying for college by

herself. "I can't say I'm paying for college myself because I depend on a lot of people, my boyfriend

Roland especially. He works full time while I'm in school and this year, after all the loans and grants

and scholarships I could possibly get, we paid $1150," said Ashline. Her boyfriend, Roland Brock, is a

construction worker.


The beginning of this semester was especially hard for Ashline. She had applied for the

Massachusetts Native American tuition waiver last semester because she has Abenaki blood. One of the
requirements is that she be a resident of Massachusetts, so she sent them a copy of her lease for her

apartment, and she was accepted. This semester, UMass told her that she was not actually eligible

because she had not lived in Massachusetts for over a year which is the school's standards for being a

resident.


"So not only would I lose the waiver for this semester, but I would have to make it up because

they were going to take away from last semester. It was news to me that they can take away money

from previous semesters. I really wonder where the money went after that," said Ashline.


Scholarships can be hard to come by as well. According to an article published by Lynn

O'Shaughnessy on the CBS website, only .3 percent of full-time college students enrolled at a four-year
college receive enough grants and scholarships to cover the full cost of college. A study called the

National Postsecondary Student Aid Study surveyed more than 80,000 undergraduates and found that in

2003-2004 school year only 9.6 percent of undergraduate students at four-year colleges received private

scholarships worth $2,184 on average. And though good grades matter, only 19 percent of high schools
students with an average of 3.5 to 4.0 get awards.


Matt Mourovic is an assistant director at Financial Aid Services. He says that is hard for students

to get scholarships because "there are a lot more applicants than there is money." Though there is only

a small amount of money to go around, not a lot of people are taking advantage of the resources around

them. Scholarships can be found through the academic departments and through local groups from a

student's home town. At UMass, the Commonwealth Honor's College also offers scholarships for non-
honors students. It is also important to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or as it is

more commonly known, FAFSA. And in case all of that seems overwhelming, there are people like

Mourovic to help you, though he says on average, the office only sees about 20 to 30 percent of the

student body. His advice, "Apply earlier than you think."


The question, though, is whether college is worth it. With all this money that has to be paid and

the amount of debt students have to pay off later, is it worth it? There are some people who can't go to

the school of their choice or the most prestigious in their field because of money. "I feel bad for the

many people who have their dreams and in a way their chances ruined because they can't afford to go

to college. Education should be a right, not a privilege," said Ashline.


Ryan Wells, an assistant professor in the Higher Education Concentration, said "For any one

individual, is it worth it? Maybe? Overall, on average, it is." On average, according to Mourovic, poeple

who hold a Bachelors Degree make about $45,000 with a median annual of $17,500 higher than a

person without any type of degree. Wells also brought up the point that minimum wage is low and hard

to live on. College allows people to find jobs that are not in minimum wage.


"It is very alarming when you hear the dollar amount people are coming out with," said Wells.

Though the school gets money from the state, if it is a state school, it is usually the first thing to get cut

because it has other sources of revenue. So to compensate in the cut of state funds, schools will rise the

cost of school. This can be frustrating when in places like Sweden and Norway, college is free. But look

at the culture.


Their taxes are some of the highest in the world and they believe that sending people to college

is a public good. In America, the individual is the key, this country is very much an individualistic

community in which someone should go to college for their own personal gain, said Wells. However,

these countries are shifting over to the American model of college.


But why is tuition high? The sticker price that people get when applying is rarely the amount

people pay after everything is said and done. The net price, or the price a student actually pays, is a lot

lower. The money that students pay go to many things.


"College is expensive because you are paying for what you get," said Mourovic. This includes the

maintenance of the buildings, salaries for various people, and amenities. College is a business, said

Mourovic. Also many schools, UMass especially, are having construction done, what Wells calls an "arms

race" of buildings that can lead to greater prestige. Plus, as Mourovic put it, people are willing to pay for

it. Students and parents, despite complaining about the cost, are still saving up to put students through

college in any way possible.


Is the price of college going to go down? Is there going to be less debt for students in the future?

It is starting to be recognized as a big problem among graduates. Wells said that having student loans to

pay off can lead people to put off other big milestones in life, buying a house, starting a family, and

eventually retirement. However, Wells said, "I don't' see a dramatic culture shift that will change this,

not to sound pessimistic."



by Lauren McArdle