Ahhhhh.Winter. The lack of snow!  Temperatures in the 60s (at least yesterday)!  The Giants and Tom Petty! Ticker tape parades!    20-minute Golden Globe telecasts!  The warm winter glow of light emanating from your local H&R Block office!  Barack, HIlary, John (M, not E), Mike, Ron, Mitt (Oops.  Scratch the last one)!

What better time to remind you to file your FAFSA?
(Doh! Such a buzzkill, I know, however…)

If you (a) are a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident and (b) want to be considered for federal aid next year, you must (more…)

FREE PIZZA and SOFT DRINKS: For all SoA Students

The Artists’ Resource Center presents:

An Introduction to the ARC Website:
Finding Scholarships and Grants

We put the “Fun” in “Funding!”

Wednesday, February 13th, 1pm, Dodge Hall 413

Learn how to navigate the hip new Artists’ Resource Center Website for grants and scholarships; find out about important upcoming application deadlines; get to know the staff of the ARC and all they have offer!

Are you planning to attend? Do you have questions that you want answered? Please RSVP at arc@columbia.edu


Columbia University School of the Arts
Artists’ Resource Center
arc@columbia.edu

To All Second-Year SoA Students:

First of all:   I hope you had a fantastic break.  Welcome back!

Now for some business: This is a fairly long posting, so please take a minute or two to read it and save yourself from some angst later on.

1.    A reminder that registration for 1st and 2nd year students takes place from TUESDAY, AUGUST 28 -  THURSDAY, AUGUST 30.   Note that you must be registered for at least 12 points to qualify as a full-time student.   This means that if you are registered for FEWER than 12 credits, your insurance, your loans, and your access to campus facilities will be non-existent , and your bill will be incorrect by around $10,000 because the system will be "reading" you as part-time (NOTE: This does not apply to those teaching in the Undergraduate Writing Program or those in "Research Arts" status, although both categories require registration that should be verified by those students).   

Note: Some of you may have already registered during the pre-registration period last April.  Please make sure to double-check your existing registration on line to make sure it is accurate. PLEASE READ ON… (more…)

The TuitionPay Payment Plan, administered by Sallie Mae, enables students and their families to pay tuition and fees billed through the University over several months, rather than in one payment.  The payment plan is not a loan.  While there is an application fee, there are no interest charges or credit checks. 

For more information, read on… (more…)

This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list is designed to help SoA students make the transition from coursework into what we call “Research Arts” status.

What is “Research Arts?” (more…)

To All Potential October 2007 Graduates:
(If you are not planning to graduate in October, you may stop reading).

First off:  Premature congratulations to each of you.

The posting appearing below this one contains a very important FAQ list that contains useful information on most issues surrounding October graduation.  Please take a moment and read it thoroughly so that you’re not left out.

The three most critical issues are:

1.      The official date of October graduation is October 17, 2007.

2.      If you have even the slightest thought that you may be graduating in October, you MUST complete a graduation application and get it to me by August 15, 2007.  Forms can be found here and can be mailed to me (ASAP) at the following address:   Dave Beeman / Columbia University School of the Arts / 305 Dodge Hall, MC 1803 / 2960 Broadway / New York, NY  10027.   You may also fax it to (212) 854-1309 if you prefer.  If you’re on campus, you can drop them by my office in 305 Dodge, as well.   Again, I must have them by Wednesday, August 15.

3.      Be aware that your Columbia (Chickering) Health Insurance Coverage will terminate on August 31, 2007 (yes, that’s the end of this month).  For more information (you guessed it), please see the previous posting detailing October graduation FAQs.

In any event, I hope all is well. 

Dave Beeman

To All Potential October 2007 Graduates:

Congratulations!  You are (hopefully) soon to be a graduate of the School of the Arts, Columbia University in the City of New York.  I thought you might have some questions about what it means to be an alum, so I’ve put together the following FAQs and their respective answers: (more…)

To All SoA Students Who are Receiving Federal and/or Private Financial Aid:

This Friday, May 11 is the last day to request a Budget Increase to cover summer educational expenses.   Please note that Budget Increases can only be requested to cover the cost of EDUCATIONAL expenses  incurred over the summer months (film projects, head shots, project travel, etc.).  Because the School of the Arts does not have a summer session, summer personal expenses (rent, medical expenses, etc.) cannot be covered under requests for summer Budget Increases.

Reminder:  You are not required to file a budget increase and we discourage you from doing so if you can avoid it.  

For information regarding summer funding, click here. 

For information regarding Budget Increase (as in "What is a Budget Increase?"), click here.

As a reminder to students regarding potential Summer funding, I’m reposting this entry that was originally posted on March 1.

————————- 

A forward-thinking student recently e-mailed me the following question:

"I have some questions for you regarding the summer. how do most students afford the summer? i assume most get jobs which i am actively seeking – but i wonder if there is a back-up plan? is there loan money available?...I am trying to be proactive and get organized ahead of time…and i just am still trying to familiarize myself with NYC and Columbia and all the possibilities for income or funding available…I’m looking into all of my options (whether i use them or not)."

First of all, congratulations.  You are taking an important first step by thinking about these things well in advance.  These are obviously important questions, so in order to help clarify options for summer funding, I’ve created the following FAQ list.  Enjoy! (more…)

Pssst.  Here’s a secret:  Columbia can occasionally seem big and decentralized.  Getting an answer to your question should not be hassle, right?  While we at the Daily Dish do our best to provide you with all of the information you need, some things may not yet be covered. While we hope you’ll contact us regarding these questions and/or suggested topics for this site, here’s another secret:  Did you know that the Columbia Office of Student Services has created an online question and answer resource to help students navigate everything from registration, health services & insurance and billing to Commencement information?

It’s called "Ask Us," and it can be found at http://askus.columbia.edu.   Chances are, if you’ve thought of a question, there have been others who have asked it before you, and Ask Us posts these answers in a searchable format.  In addition, if the question has not been answered, you may  e-mail them and they will either answer your question or point you in the right direction.  Pretty nifty, right?  Don’t forget to search the Daily Dish pages first, though, using the search feature on the upper left-hand side of this screen.  These pages are obviously geared toward SoA MFA students.  Remember that you’re always free to contact us, too. We like hearing from you.

While we hope that you’ll continue to use yours truly as a primary source of SoA-specific information, it’s good to know that another resource exists in the event we’ve left something uncovered. 

To All Potential May 2007 Graduates:

Congratulations!  You are (hopefully) soon to be a graduate of the School of the Arts, Columbia University in the City of New York.  I thought you might have some questions about what it means to be an alum, so I’ve put together the following FAQs and their respective answers: (more…)

Show it!  Take part in Columbia’s annual Student Lobby Day in Washington D.C. Student Lobby Day in Washington, DC - Mar. 28, 2007
Participation is free; transportation, meals and lodging provided.

The Office of Government Affairs invites Columbia University and Barnard College students to help advocate in support of Federal student aid programs.  A group will travel to Washington, DC to visit Congressional offices.  This year, "Lobby Day" will be held jointly with Cornell University. (more…)

A forward-thinking student recently e-mailed me the following question:

"I have some questions for you regarding the summer. how do most students afford the summer? i assume most get jobs which i am actively seeking – but i wonder if there is a back-up plan? is there loan money available?...I am trying to be proactive and get organized ahead of time…and i just am still trying to familiarize myself with NYC and Columbia and all the possibilities for income or funding available…I’m looking into all of my options (whether i use them or not)."

First of all, congratulations.  You are taking an important first step by thinking about these things well in advance.  These are obviously important questions, so in order to help clarify options for summer funding, I’ve created the following FAQ list.  Enjoy! (more…)

This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list is designed to help SoA students make the transition from coursework into what we call “Research Arts” status. (more…)

Did you miss the last issue of the ARC Newsletter: Tuesday’s Treasures? It’s now archived on the School of the Arts web page! 

What kind of treasure? Tuesday’s Treasures is a list of upcoming deadlines for scholarships, grants and other artists’ resources.
It’s all about finding moulah, cash and even residencies to support your education and career.
Click here for THE ARCHIVES.

Please support the ARC by letting Ms. Treasure Trove know when you receive awards: grants, scholarships and other artists’ resources.

If you are currently "maxed out" on your financial aid budget, there may be ways to increase the amount you are eligible to borrow (Common sense caution: Not to sound parental, but I should remind you to be extremely diligent in monitoring much debt you’re accruing and take whatever steps you can to minimize it). Budget increases should be considered only in cases of genuine, pressing need.

That said, there are two basic types of budget increases and each has their own set of steps required in order to make you eligible to receive more in the way of financial aid: (more…)

A student recently e-mailed me the following query:

"My computer is dying fast and I unfortunately think I’ll need to buy a new one soon. I’ve been looking online through the Columbia Apple website for discounts. I heard a rumor that there are computer loans available to students so I thought I would inquire about the specifics."

Good question!

Owning a computer or upgrading your present computer can be a real asset, but it’s a decision that should not be taken lightly. Did you know that Columbia SoA students are entitled to discounts on computer purchases, software and peripherals? Be sure to visit the following links to find out more: (more…)

Open call for SoA students: THE ARTISTS’ RESOURCE CENTER is here for YOU!
Mission: to assist SoA students with finding and applying to outside funding. Apply for Scholarships, Grants, Fellowships, Residencies, Workspaces and so much more!

Use the ARC guide to start your search for outside scholarships, grants and resources.

Schedule an appointment with Ms. Treasure Trove, Marjorie R. Orcel-Cozart, who says, "Please feel free to stop by."
Coordinator, Artists’ Resource Center, Phone 212.854.2761 mro2105@columbia.edu

Visit the Treasure Trove Library:
A library of arts service organizations, scholarship and grant writing resource. Some of the titles in our library:

• Shaking the Money Tree
• Foundation Grants to Individuals
• The Foundation Center’s: Guide to Winning Proposals

Sign up for computer time on the ARC computer to look for supplemental funding!

Under construction:
Stay tuned for Art-related Funding and Career Workshops.
Watch for the New Artists’ Resource Center website due to launch in late Spring 2007!