Inside Higher Ed: "Recently, a series of reports and criticisms have emerged suggesting that NSSE is a flawed instrument upon which to build corrective actions even for use within a single campus. References to effective practices related to student learning saturate NSSE's literature and provide the 'scientific' foundation for many of its claims. However, a surprisingly large number of these assertions are built on correlational studies from the 1970s and 1980s, and many of NSSE's assertions have not been subject to rigorous analysis."

The Allen Ginsberg Library, Paramita Library Services Desk, and Naropa University Archives will all be closed over the Thanksgiving weekend. See everyone Monday!

Global Voices Online: "An ad hoc choir 'Singing Skopjans'...consists of citizens of Skopje who express their opinions on social matters through songs."

Via Rachel Leow:

"The Impact of Censorship on Modern Cambodian Literature."

"The Conference brought together current and recent Lenz Foundation grant recipients as well as a diverse group of Buddhist practitioners and teachers from around the country and world. For four days, attendees came to the Nalanda Campus of Naropa University to meditate, listen to speakers and panels, engage in interactive teaching sessions, watch films and listen to music...Principal speakers Professors Jan Willis, Robert Thurman, and Judith Simmer-Brown all addressed the conference theme of American Buddhist diversity. Videos of their lectures and copies of their papers (where available) are provided."

"The Boulder Arts Commission’s Dance Bridge won the statewide Colorado Dance Award for Service to the Field (for Organizations) on Saturday, Oct. 24. The Colorado Dance Awards are held annually by the Colorado Dance Alliance to recognize excellence in the dance community."

"In an uncertain economy and changing world, local food security is an essential element to becoming sustainable in this emerging Green Economy. Food Forests Across America is a loosely affiliated group of permaculture designers organizing around the initiative to transform lawns, parks, gardens, and empty spaces into thriving edible landscapes that are beautiful, regenerative, and produce an abundance of delicious, locally grown food!"

"As the Jewish delegates strolled to the opening of last week’s interfaith conference on the environment at Windsor Castle, one in particular would have caught your eye: a man with a white beard, black hat and a multi-coloured tallit. Its wearer is one of the true innovators in contemporary Judaism, the neo-Chasidic rebbe who gave birth to the Jewish Renewal movement, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, over here on a rare visit here from the United States."

Inside Higher Ed: "While many higher-education institutions have been affiliated with particular religions since their founding, there has been a broad movement in recent years to accommodate religious diversity by enlisting additional chaplains to serve different faith groups, such as Muslims, Jews, Hindus and various Christian denominations that might not have been present at institutions' foundings. Now an organization of non-religious students at Tufts University is saying: Hey, what about us?"

Danny Fisher: "Today’s quote comes to us from my former Naropa University professor Dr. Reginald A. Ray...'The spiritual path is not based on who we want to be, but who we already are. Actually, who we are is far richer, more joyful and satisfying than anything we could possibly want to be.'"

Naropa University presents a new series of “Walk the Talk”, a web-exclusive talk show hosted by Waylon Lewis, founder and editor-in-chief of “elephant journal” and Naropa alumnus, to be held on Thursday, November 12, 2009, at 7:00pm at Naropa’s Performing Arts Center, 2130 Arapahoe Ave. For more information please go to www.naropa.edu or www.elephantjournal.com, or email talkshow@elephantjournal.com.

The premiere show, a VIP/Rehearsal showcase with surprise guests and live music by the Dovekins and “anti-eco materialistic comedy” by author Kelly MacLean. The show focuses on environmental sustainability, conscious consumerism, and the arts using the classic format of the talk show to address topics in an entertaining, engaging, yet fundamentally serious manner.

This free event will be open to elephant journal Facebook members and the Naropa Community. For entry to the event the public is invited to join elephant journal’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/elephantjournal or Naropa University’s pages at www.facebook.com.

The first fifty attendees will be treated to free eco giveaways including Pangea soap. Doors will open at 6:30 and taping will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Being exclusive to the web, this show will be available for viewing on twenty websites reaching a total of 1,000,000 unique viewers.

After the first dress rehearsal taping, “Walk the Talk” will open its doors to the public as a monthly event.

This is my internship semester, and it has been going well. Now I am co-facilitating a group called MADRES or "Mothers." This group is for Latinas who are struggling with the demands of being mothers, especially in this country were they are minorities. We bring cultural aspects of Mexico so they can think of how they are using the traditions of their culture to empower themselves. My role is to bring a mindfulness exercise to the group. I enjoy the fact that we are teaching them very concrete parenting skills, but also mindfulness exercises so they can develop awareness on their behaviors as mothers.

I am also taking a Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) training and having six individual clients. I am planning to write a paper on how to use evidence based practice like SFBT without compromising my contemplative approach to therapy. By meditating and maintaining an open mind when I am in session is one of the ways I feel I am accomplishing this goal.

Vail Daily: "Amy Pates doesn't consider herself to be an artist, but The Art Center near Costco in Gypsum, is her masterpiece in the making...When she moved to Eagle County seven years ago from Boulder, she noticed there was no art center for children or adults."

"The Allesee Dance and Opera Resource Library is the official library and archive for Michigan Opera Theatre, and specializes in research materials specific to dance, opera, and MOT's forty year history...From performance reviews, to photographs, to an immense recording collection, MOT is proud to offer this unique resource online..the library is currently cataloging and digitizing the MOT archives, both helping to preserve the history of dance and opera in Michigan, and provide experience to the next generation of information professionals."

Via Rachel Leow: "the contibutions and the influence of the Persian language in spreading Islam in China."

The New Yorker: "A complete performance of 'Our Lady of Late' — Monk vocalizing hypnotically over a droning wineglass — can be found in the Internet Archive, courtesy of Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado."

Today is Election Day: Boulder County, Jefferson County, Weld County, Larimer County, Arapahoe County, Broomfield, Denver.

Buddhist Geeks podcast: "Shambhala acharya and Naropa University professor, Judith Simmer-Brown...joins us today to discuss four areas, which she learned about while at Colombia University in the late 60's, that help determine whether or not Buddhism will take root in a new country."