LANGUAGE AND THINKING PROGRAM 2016 August 6-24
Welcome to the Language and Thinking Program 2016! The clean character of the printed paper schedule in your hands indicates that you are yet at the beginning of your three-week journey through the Language and Thinking Program and the start of the academic year at BCB! This schedule will serve as your guide throughout the upcoming weeks. The theme of the Program is Finding Your Way in the World. The Program seeks to unlock creativity, lift the pressures associated with academic work, and develop the skills needed for reading, understanding and analyzing visual, literary and philosophical material. We will find our way through a great variety of texts and media. We will begin to find our way through the city of Berlin, becoming familiar not only with its streets but also its history and its place on the world stage. We will think about what it means to find one s way in the world, as part of an international community on campus and beyond, by exploring some of the cornerstones of social life: politics, art, culture. We ll hear many of the forty or so languages spoken on campus, read texts and watch films that span the globe, and discover the ways that the liberal arts help us to understand ourselves, our communities, and our roles as global citizens. Throughout the program, we do our best to ease the transition to student life at BCB. If you have any questions, just ask: faculty and staff are happy to help!
Guide to Orientation Sessions Health Insurance All BCB students must have health insurance valid in Germany. During this session you can sign up for public health insurance through the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) or you can bring evidence of health insurance valid in Germany. You will have short individual meetings during this session to assess your particular situation. Those who wish to sign up for German public health insurance TK should bring: a passport-size photograph, 35 x 45 mm passport information about previous health insurance: name of the provider, coverage dates, type of insurance (public/private/other) Those who already have health insurance valid in Germany should bring: the original insurance policy/card two photocopies of the above Photo Sessions Students need their pictures taken for their student IDs. On Sunday, August 7th, Andrea Riba will meet all students living on campus in the K24 Common Room to take their photos. On Monday, August 8th, Andrea will meet all off-campus students on the upper floor of the Cafeteria. In Germany you are required to register your address with the local municipal office (Bürgeramt). In this session, Xenia Muth, Admissions and Recruitment Officer, will help you fill out this form. You can register with the Bürgeramt on your own or the College can take care of your registration for you. If you would like the College to help you, the form will be delivered to the Bürgeramt and you will need to submit your passport along with it. Please be prepared to submit your passport for about one week for this registration process. You will receive a confirmation of your registration (Anmeldebestätigung). This form is mandatory in Germany for many occasions such as working in a student job, opening a bank account, applying for a visa extension/residence permit, etc. Bring a pen and your passport.
Residential Life and Safety Orientation At this session you ll meet with Zoltan Helmich, Residential Life Coordinator, and Lars Köhler, Site Manager, who will go over information you need to know about all aspects of residential life, including what to do in emergencies. This session is required for all students, whether living on-campus or off-campus. Spok Orientation (optional) Studying at BCB includes a membership at Spok, a nearby fitness and sports complex, which offers exercise classes, fitness equipment, soccer, badminton, beach volleyball, and more. Residential Assistants Bisera and Oscar will meet you at the Cafeteria and walk over to Spok with you and give you a tour of the facility. Those interested can stay for a badminton tournament. Title IX/Gender-based Misconduct and Disability Orientation Anke Sharma, Student Affairs Officer and Internship Placement Officer, will go over gender-based misconduct policies and procedures as well as the process for registering a disability. Trip to U-Bhf Pankow for Passport-Sized Photos (optional, as needed) Students signing up for German health insurance will need to submit a passport-sized photo. If you do not have any passport-sized photos with you, tell one of the Resident Assistants (RAs) or a member of the Residential Life team. They will organize quick trips on Saturday, August 6th and/or Sunday, August 7th to the nearest place where you can get a passport-sized photo. Times and meeting place will depend on student need. Welcome Dinner You ll have a chance to meet your L&T instructors after a long day of orientation sessions! Welcome Session Members of the BCB administration will introduce themselves and their roles at the College. We will go over important information for the remaining orientation sessions.
Cafeteria Opening Hours (unless otherwise specified) Breakfast 8:00-9:00 Lunch 12:00-13:30 Dinner 18:00-19:30 Brunch (weekend) 10:00-13:00 2016 Language and Thinking Program Activities in bold typeface are required of all students. Activities in regular typeface are optional and encouraged. Saturday, August 6 8:00-20:00 Student Arrivals Meet the Residential Life team at Waldstraße 15. 10:30-14:00 Brunch (extended hours) (Cafeteria) Sunday, August 7 8:00-20:00 Student Arrivals 10:30-14:00 Brunch (extended hours) (Cafeteria) 17:00-18:00 Photo Session: On-Campus Students (K24 Common Room) All students living on campus must have their As needed photos taken for their student IDs. Trip to U-Bhf Pankow for Passport-sized Photos Residential Life team will organize trips if you need a passport-sized photo.
Monday, August 8 8:00-9:00 Breakfast (Cafeteria) 9:00-9:30 Welcome Session (Lecture Hall, P98A) Group A Group B Group C Group D Group E Group F 9:30-10:30 Health Insurance (P24) 9:30-10:30 (Lecture Hall) 11:45-13:00 Residential Life and Safety Orientation (K24) 10:30-11:30 Health Insurance (P24) 11:45-13:00 Residential Life and Safety Orientation (K24) 9:45-11:00 Residential Life and Safety Orientation (K24) 11:30-12:30 Health Insurance (P24) 9:45-11:00 Residential Life and Safety Orientation (K24) 11:30-12:30 (Lecture Hall) 9:45-11:00 Residential Life and Safety Orientation (K24) 11:30-12:30 (Lecture Hall) 9:45-11:00 (Lecture Hall) 11:45-13:00 Residential Life and Safety Orientation (K24) 12:30-14:00 Lunch (Cafeteria) and Photo Session for Off-Campus Students (Cafeteria) 10:30-11:30 (Lecture Hall) 13:30-14:30 (Lecture Hall) 13:30-14:30 Health Insurance (P24) 14:30-15:30 Health Insurance (P24) 15:30-16:30 Health Insurance (P24) 17:00-17:30 Title IX/Gender-based Misconduct and Disability (Lecture Hall) 18:00-20:00 Welcome Dinner (Cafeteria)
Tuesday, August 9 See your group assignment for location. Wednesday, August 10 19:30-21:30 Film Screening: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Mitchell 2001) (Lecture Hall) Thursday, August 11 15:30-17:00 Student IDs available for pick-up in Katharina Pretscher s office (Student Center, K43) Friday, August 12 17:00-18:00 Student Performance Garden outside the Cafeteria or Factory if raining 20:00-23:00 Freiluftkino Night: Victoria (Schipper 2015) Watch a film at one of Berlin s open-air theaters. Meet Riya outside of Kuckhoffstraße 24 at 20:00. Sign-up Required. Tickets provided. Bring money for refreshments if you like.
Saturday, August 13 10:30-12:30 Tour of Kreuzberg/Treptow with Aya Soika Sign up required. Participants will receive an email with meet-up instructions. (Alternate location in case of rain: Jewish Museum) 14:00-16:00 Tour of the Altes Museum with Geoff Lehman Sign up required. Participants will receive an email with meet-up instructions. 14:00-16:00 Museum Island Tour with Laura Scuriatti Sign up required. Participants will receive a map with meet-up instructions. Sunday, August 14 10:45-12:30 SPOK (fitness center) Orientation (K24) Meet Bisera and Oscar at Cafeteria to walk to the fitness center. 13:30-17:00 Trip to the Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer and to the Mauerpark Flohmarkt with Florian Becker Sign up required. Participants will receive a map via email. Meet at the corner of Bernauer Straße and Brunnenstraße. 16:00-17:00 Tour of the GDR Exhibit at the Kulturbrauerei Sign up required. Participants will receive a map via email. Meet in front of the Kulturbrauerei, Knaackstraße 97.. Mon, August 15 9:00-19:00 Excursion Day! Each group will hold some or all L&T sessions somewhere in Berlin, followed by dinner in town.
Tues, August 16 19:30-21:00 Film Screening: Wings of Desire (Wenders 1987) (Lecture Hall) Wed, August 17 Thurs, August 18 Fri, August 19 10:45-17:00 Museum Visit: Hamburger Bahnhof Your Group Leader will let you know about the specific meeting place & time for your trip. Sat, August 20 10:00-18:00 Excursion to Liepnitzsee Meet in the Cafeteria to pick up packed lunches. Sun, August 21 All day Meetings with Writing Tutors Sign up on Friday for a one-on-one session with a Writing Tutor about your upcoming final essay.
Mon, August 22 10:45-12:15 L&T Special Session with Clare Wigfall Tues, August 23 Wed, August 24 10:45-12:45 L&T Session 17:00-18:00 Final Group Video Presentation Meet in the Cafeteria.
Please note, as indicated by the Student Handbook (p. 6): Successful completion of the Language and Thinking program is required of all BCB and Bard College first years, as well as Academy Year students. The expectations regarding attendance and preparation in the Language and Thinking Program are identical to those during semester time. Attendance is required at all sessions of the program. Assignments must be completed according to the deadlines and specifications set by the instructors. Non-attendance at a session, failure to participate adequately, or failure to complete assignments will be reported to the Dean and may result in a student being asked to leave the program. Students who do not complete the Language and Thinking program are given the opportunity to re-enroll the following year.
Useful Contacts L&T Coordinator James Harker j.harker@berlin.bard.edu Residential Life Coordinator Zoltan Helmich +49 157 71493 481 z.helmich@berlin.bard.edu Student Affairs Officer, Internship Placement Officer Anke Sharma +49 30 43733 126 a.sharma@berlin.bard.edu Student Life Assistant Katharina Pretscher +49 30 43733 130 k.pretscher@berlin.bard.edu Health Services On-Campus Doctor Dr. Sabine Regling Student Center, Kuckhoffstraße 43, upper floor Office Hours On Campus: Tuesday 15:30 17:30 Office Hours Off Campus: Monday 14:00-18:00 Tuesday 8.00-13.00 Wednesday 8.00-12.00 Thursday 9.00-12.00 and 16:00-18:00 Friday By appointment Tuesdays 15:30 1 Dr. Regling's off-campus practice is located at Schliemannstraße 13 10437 Berlin Telephone: +49 (0) 30 48 49 35 03 Counseling Services On-Campus Counselor Anja Voss Student Center, Kuckhoffstraße 43, upper floor counselling@berlin.bard.edu Office Hours On Campus: Monday 16:30-18:30 Thursday 12:30-14:30 E-mail appointments are recommended, but it is also possible to drop in without an appointment.