President Joseph Subbiondo Outlines
Student-Centered Approach
by David Weinstein, Student

Representatives from the Student AllianceÑSabrina Geshay, Marty Cooper (Alliance Communications Coordinator), and David Weinstein (Assistant Communications Coordinator)Ñmet with President Subbiondo on October 4 to exchange ideas about his vision of the CIIS community and how students see their place within it. The meeting was very productive and laid the groundwork for a continuing dialogue. Communications and Marketing Director Pam Chaloult also attended the meeting, and she stressed the importance of communication at all levels of the community.

Joe requested a monthly meeting with students so that he can effectively communicate administrative issues and hear student input on potential institutional changes. Our new president stressed his desire to hear student concerns and ideasÑon whatÕs working as well as whatÕs not! He also initiated "student walk-in hours," which will be rotated to accommodate studentsÕ schedules. During November, hours will be on Thursdays from 3:00-4:00 p.m. In the same spirit, the deans from both schools will be posting walk-in hours for students as well. (Janis Phelps, Dean of the School of Consciousness & Transformation, has announced hours on Mondays from 3:00-4:00 p.m.)

Monthly Student Alliance meetings with the President will be held. The first meeting will be on Thursday, October 28 at 6:30 in the Student Lounge on the third floor. Subsequently, meetings will be held on the first meeting will on the first Monday of each month, same place and time. Students who would like to attend these meetings with the President should sign up at the regular Student Alliance meetings, which are held on the second Thursdays of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Lounge on the third floor (or another room as posted on Lounge door). JoeÕs priorities and leadership style stem from a deep belief in the value of communication and a student-centered community.

Our new president seems genuinely interested in listening and developing constructive channels of communication; this should help insure an atmosphere of frank but caring dialogue on the many, sometimes difficult issues, that arise. We came away from the meeting with a renewed sense of the trust and community which has for so many of us inspired a love for the Institute.

Gala Benefit for CIIS

Enchanting music of Japanese koto players, a Tibetan opera singer, and a jazz band drifted through the Asian Art Museum on October 1, as the extended CIIS community celebrated the InstituteÕs second annual Gala. Featured speaker Dr. Rachel Naomi RemenÑa member of the CIIS Council of Sages, and a pioneer in the mind-body-spirit health movementÑinspired those present with a message for the millennium. The eveningÕs program closed with a poignant prayer from new WomenÕs Spirituality faculty member Arisika Razak.

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for your participation in and support of the Rededication and the Gala as we celebrated the founding ideals and core values of the Institute. We are fortunate to be the beneficiaries of the vision of committed and perseverant founders. Our challenge is to build on their work, advance the vision, and create a legacy for the next generation.

Three weeks ago, I presented a paper at the International Conference on the History of Language Sciences at the University of Paris. My paper treated Owen BarfieldÕs theory of the relationship between the history of language and the evolution of consciousness. Many scholars indicated to me that they are increasingly drawn to the study of consciousness. There was much conversation about an international conference on consciousness and linguistic theoryÑit would be a first. This past week, I was a member of the regional accreditation team that visited Reed College, a national liberal arts college in the Northwest. Many aspects of the College impressed me, but discovering that the course in Asian religions is among the most sought after courses in the College impressed me most. Another member of the team indicated that the same is true for his college.

These examples of growing interest in areas of study integral to the core of the Institute indicate that the intellectual and cultural shift we are leading is finding its way into a full range of academic disciplines and institutions. Clearly, our courses of study, with their integration of Asian and Western faith traditions, are becoming increasingly attractive to students seeking profound insight and intellectual engagement. This growing movement also affirms that we must preserve and advance our distinctive vision. To this end, we will have a series of town forums that will focus on the seven ideals of the Institute. Each forum will be devoted to one of the ideals, starting with "commits to cultural diversity" in November (date TBA). Also, we will use the seven ideals as goals of our new strategic plan, and our town forums will inform the strategic plan.

Lastly, this issue contains a summary of the Board of Trustees meeting. The meeting opened with a faculty/student presentation so that the members of the Board could focus on the educational mission of the Institute as the sole reason for their deliberations. I look forward to seeing you at the town forum.

Cordially,

Joseph L. Subbiondo
President

MADONNA AT CENTER
OF CONTROVERSY
A PCC Perspective
By Charlene Spretnak

In an uproar over a painting titled "Holy Virgin Mary" by a young British artist, Chris Ofili, New York's Brooklyn Museum of Art has recently been the target of expressions of outrage from Mayor Giuliani and church officials who object to "the desecration of religious symbols."

Three aspects of the painting are considered objectionable: the Virgin's distorted face, the presence of clumps of elephant dung, and numerous cut-outs of genitalia from pornographic magazines. Certainly the fact that the Virgin's skin is black should pose no problem for church officials since black Madonnas are enshrined at many of the most famous pilgrimage sites in Europe. The facial features might be considered merely artistic interpretation; after all, her gown is colored the traditional burnished gold of a Byzantine icon. As for the clumps of elephant dung, Ofili began adding them to many paintings after his "roots journey" to Zimbabwe, where the fertility of fields-and hence the sustenance and viability of humans-depends on elephant dung. No dung, no life.

What is left as objectionable, then, are the pornographic cut-outs of genitals and orifices floating around the Virgin's head and even alluded to in the pattern of her gown near the hem. Although Ofili has refused to explain the painting since the furor broke, he said in an earlier interview that he had noticed in viewing some paintings of the Virgin Mary "how sexually charged they are."

What might have been the church's response, rather than condemnation? How about a statement somewhat like the following: "Of course Mr. Ofili perceives the erotic dimension in painters' depictions of the Blessed Virgin Mary! All dimensions of beauty, allurement, and profound communion are present because she is the great matrix, the compassionate advocate with her arms outstretched inviting all to come to her. But that Mr. Ofili can only make a straight line from this full, cosmological allurement to pornography is literally pathetic and is a sign of our barren times. We pray that Mr. Ofili, a creative and religious person, will come into the fullness of the Virgin Mary's spiritual presence."

Charlene Spretnak teaches in the Philosophy, Cosmology, & Consciousness Program. For the full text from which this article was adapted, go to http://pcc.ciis.edu. To inquire about her proposed course on The Spiritual Dimensions of 19th & 20th Century Art, call 415-575-6100, x426.

Institute Community Invited to PCC Celebration/Colloquium

Monday, November 1, 3:00-6:00 p.m.

The Institute's Loft - FREE EVENT

Presented by the Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness Forum

All members of the community and friends of the Institute are invited to a free event that will celebrate ten Philosophy, Cosmology, & Consciousness student presenters at a recent International Society for Systems Sciences conference. The combination celebration/colloquium will be held Monday, November 1, from 3:00-6:00 p.m. at the Institute's loft, President Joseph Subbiondo's residence at 190 7th Street, Apt. #2, on the northwest corner of Howard and 7th (within walking distance of CIIS).

Molly Dwyer and M.J. Zimmerman, who won the Joffrey Vickers award for the best student papers, will read from their works, "The Emergent Feminine: A Cosmological Inquiry into the Role of the Feminine in the Evolution of the Universe," and "The Imagination as a Spiritual Path: Wordsworth's Integral Way of Knowing," respectively. Other students being honored are Karen Barrows, Camella Bontaites, Jim Fournier, Rye Huber, Heather Parrish, Bill Street, Regula Wegman, and Eric Weiss. Call 415-575-6270 for additional information, or go to http://pcc.ciis.edu

You're Invited to
Thanksgiving Dinner
All-Institute Thanksgiving Dinner

Saturday, November 20, 5:00 p.m.,
4th floor

Families, friends, and children all welcome.
Table settings, beverages, and turkey will be provided.
Please bring a dish to share.

For tickets ($3 each), see Front Desk.

TRANSITIONS ON BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The October 2 meeting of the CIIS Board of Trustees began with a video/slide presentation by PSY Professor Frank Echenhofer and student David Stukey on the Psychology Doctoral Program's Consciousness and Physiology Lab's work in integrating Asian meditation practice and Western neuroscience. Then President Subbiondo, in his report, outlined some of his recent initiatives, including building community within the Institute, gathering information on enrollment procedures and retention of students, planning a more student-centered class schedule, and working to improve faculty and staff compensation. He introduced Tamar March, Dean for Educational Programs at Radcliffe (Harvard), and former member of the CIIS Educational Policies Committee, who has agreed to join the Board. The President also thanked Lawrence Chickering, who is retiring from the Board.

The Finance Committee pointed out that net assets doubled since 1997 (now at $3,700,00), and liabilities have decreased, resulting in a dramatically improved balance sheet. Robert Graham is retiring as Chair of the Finance Committee, and Joan Majerus was appointed Chair. Joan, also our interim Controller, has been chief financial officer of four other institutions, including Hastings College of Law and Golden Gate University, as well as controller at California State University, San Jose. Lionel Chan, Ph.D., an expert in the field of technology and finance, has also joined the committee.

Donna Blakemore presented the Development Committee's report, announcing that Robert Graham is stepping down as committee Chair but staying on as a Board member, and that Judie Brown is the new committee Chair. Diana Stark will assist staff in development and public relations. Over 200 graduates have responded to an alumni questionnaire, and a Friends Event is being planned.

Student representative Mark Thomas reported student concern about further improvements needed in the dissertation process, including a call for Institute-wide guidelines and grievance procedures. Faculty representative Don Hanlon Johnson advised that CIIS be inspired yet careful in seeking funding for health initiatives at a time when there are many excellent proposals. Staff representative Michael Korson commented on a rejuvenated sense of positive feeling among staff as a result of the President's recent initiatives, including the Institute's renewed participation in a pension fund for employees.

ALUMNI OF NOTE

Thomas Armstrong '87, EWP, who has written numerous books, was recently featured on a KQED radio talk show on work and careers. Tom also will be on a panel on "Prenatal Communication and Intrauterine Learning," at the Association for Pre- and Perinatal Psychology and Health in December.

Busaba Paratacharya '98, Ph.D., ISD, concentrated in Indigenous Studies at CIIS, and is the coordinator of the Curriculum Review Project, a traditional knowledge program of the worldwide Indigenous Science Network.

Faith A. Robinson, '94, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, received the 1999 Montery County (CA) Psychologist of the Year award from Consumer Business Review. Her most recent publication is "Dissociative Women's Experiences of Self-Cutting," in Phenomenological Inquiry in Psychology.

Bob Stahl '89, Ph.D., Philosophy & Religion, runs mindfulness-based stress reduction programs at hospitals in Mountain View, San Jose, and Santa Cruz.

On September 24, international students representing countries including Austria, Canada, Colombia, Germany, Israel, Japan, Mexico, and the United Kingdom gathered with CIIS Admissions staff and other guests at my home to celebrate the multicultural diversity of the Institute through food, music, and dancing. The highlight of the evening was a performance of beautiful Spanish guitar music.

We are fortunate at the Institute to have students who come from around the world. Diversity increases our awareness and allows us to learn from other cultures, and it is an important part of the value of an 'integral' education at CIIS.

Watch for upcoming events for international students in Inner Eye.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH STUDENT ALLIANCE & INSTITUTE

Welcome to the new Student Alliance column, which will appear in each issue of Inner Eye. All students, by virtue of matriculating at CIIS, are members of the Student Alliance. The Student Council (consisting of interested Alliance individuals) invites all students to keep in touch with their ideas, concerns, suggestions, and comments on aspects of experience at the Institute so that we can better serve the student body.

On Thursday, October 28, from 4:00-7:00 p.m., in the third floor Student Lounge/Café, an "Open Space Forum" will be held. Students are invited to meet with President Subbiondo to talk about their ideas, concerns, and visions for the Institute's future. Refreshments will be served. At 7:00 p.m., after the Forum, a meeting of the Student Alliance will be held.

On Wednesday, November 3, from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m., representatives from the Student Alliance will again meet with the President. (After that, there will be meetings with student representatives and the President on the first Monday of each month at 10:00 a.m.)

To create discussion opportunities and to keep you informed, we have created a student-only forum on the CIIS listserve, located at the InnerGate portal. Students are encouraged to subscribe to the "Student Discussion" bulletin board and enter into a dialogue on any subject of student life at CIIS. To subscribe to the discussion board and to the "All Students Bulletin Board" (which contains Institute related information), follow these steps:
o Log onto Netscape or any other Internet provider (except AOL)
o Type mail.ciis.edu in web browser and choose Bulletin Board from InnerGate
o Type in your name and E-mail address (any provider), then click on the circle to the left of Student Discussion and All Students
o Click on Submit Changes

Students may also leave a message for the Student Council at 415- 575-6290. A Student Alliance representative will respond. You may also drop a written note in the Student Alliance mailbox which will be affixed to the wall under the Alliance bulletin board (located outside Namaste Hall, third floor) in the near future. Another way to contact us is through the Alliance E-mail address: ciisstudentalliance@yahoo.com

ON CAMPUS

On the Page, On the Stage
If you have recently missed our announcements of publications and presentations by members of the CIIS community, please be reassured that we will be continuing this tradition in a new form-a special insert in Inner Eye once each semester. Look for it!

Book Returns
The InnerLight Bookstore will be returning all remaining Fall semester '99 textbooks to publishers on November 8. Be sure to purchase your textbooks before that date.

Project Acts to Heal Racism
Faculty and students in the School for Consciousness & Transformation, created the Cultural Consciousness Project in 1998, which actively addresses issues of White supremacy and racism. Individuals interested in becoming involved in the project should contact Linda Sartor at lsartor@tmn.com or 707-538-5123, or sign up for the school's Spring semester course on Cultural Consciousness. Attention Psy.D. Students If you wish to apply for APPIC internship sites, please visit the Field Placement Office in the next few weeks. The new 1999-2000 APPIC Directory is available, as is staff assistance to help you apply. Note: Application deadlines for these sites range from November 15 to December 31, 1999. (If you plan to apply to local CAPIC sites only, the CAPIC Directory should arrive by the end of October; application deadline for these sites is March 6, 2000.)

Financial Aid for Teachers
Students who plan to teach at a California college or university are invited to apply for a "Graduate APLE," part of the California Student Aid Commission's loan assumption program. The program offers to pay up to $6,000 of outstanding student loan debt in return for three consecutive years of service as a full-time faculty member at any accredited California college or university. To pick up an application, stop by the Financial Aid Office in Room 402.

COMINGS & GOINGS

Farewell:
Jon Dockery, who briefly served as Maintenance Assistant, who decided to return to his former job.

Robert Ransom as Lead Janitor.

Carlton Rounds, Admissions Officer, who has left to assume a position as Director of Undergraduate Studies at the College of Notre Dame.

Welcome:
Dr. Jorge Ferrer as Visiting Professor in the East-West Psychology Program.

Jennifer Mitchell as Administrative Assistant to the Library. Jennifer, an ICP student, formerly worked in the Admissions Office.

Una Starbuck, as Receptionist, recently moved to San Francisco from New York. Una, who is from Hawaii, is passionate about modern dance and butoh.

Transitions:
Magdelleno Lopes has been promoted from Janitor to Lead Janitor.

Alfonso Montuori, formerly Assistant Dean in SCAT, continuing as adviser on faculty development, and new Assistant to the President for Special Projects.

Bahman Shirazi as Chair of Graduate Studies in SCAT.

Vanissar Tarakali is transitioning to EWP Program Assistant.