8/21/2019 CTS Orientation Newsletter - June 2014

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ORIENT TIONNEWSLETTER

CHICAGOTHEOLOGICAL SEMINARY JUNE 2014

8/21/2019 CTS Orientation Newsletter - June 2014

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CTS ORIENTATION NEWSLETTER JUNE 2014 PAGE 2

773.896.2400 1407 E. 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637 ctschicago.edu

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Orientation Weekend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A Students Perspective: Kathy Schuen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Financial Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Health Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

CTS on Facebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

= most helpful for face-to-face students = most helpful for online students

WELCOME

Congratulations! We are delightedthat you will soon be joining the CTScommunity! This is the first of threenewsletters you will receive from theOrientation Team in order to provideyou with several resources that canease your transition to CTS.

In this first issue of the OrientationNewsletter, youll learn about themany ways to interact with CTS onFacebook, get important dates, and

find info about health insurancestudent loans, and orientation.

This newsletter has a lot of valuablinformation, so please take the timto read through this newslettethoroughly. If you have an

questions, email the CTS FacultAssistant. We are excited to seyou in the fall!

ORIENTATION WEEKEND

Please mark your calendars for OrientationWeekend on August 2223. Orientation will takeplace at CTS. The first day of Orientation Weekend(August 22) is an orientation to the building, thelibrary, and other important information for yourstudies here. In addition, on Friday night, newstudents will have dinner with the Dean. Thesecond day of Orientation Weekend (August 23) isa time for you and your cohort to build a communityand get to know one another. Both days are

required for all face-to-face students, but theare optional for online students. Online students arwelcome to come on Friday, but we stronglsuggest that online students attend Saturday

possible so that they can meet the people witwhom they will be learning throughout thsemester. If you are an online student and you neeto inquire about housing assistance for the retreacontact theCTS housing coordinator.

http://www.ctschicago.edu/mailto:facultyasst@ctschicago.edumailto:facultyasst@ctschicago.edumailto:facultyasst@ctschicago.edumailto:facultyasst@ctschicago.edumailto:facultyasst@ctschicago.edumailto:facultyasst@ctschicago.edumailto:facultyasst@ctschicago.edumailto:facultyasst@ctschicago.edumailto:facultyasst@ctschicago.eduhttps://twitter.com/CTS_Chicagohttps://www.facebook.com/CTSChicagohttp://www.ctschicago.edu/

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773.896.2400 1407 E. 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637 ctschicago.edu

A STUDENTS PERSPECTIVE: KATHY SCHUEN

ONLINE CLASSES, ONLINE SUCCESSES

Hello, everyone. My name is Kathy Schuen, and inthe fall of 2013 I signed up for a CTS course taughtcompletely online. I live in Portage, Michigan, anduntil last fall I had no way to access the theologyand philosophy courses that interested me. I am aproud parent of 16-year-old twins, am married to aman who gracefully copes with an extremelydebilitating disease and am a working pastor aswell. I cannot relocate, and a long commute is notpossible at this time, as I juggle roles of pastor,wife, and mother. So, when an online course on myfavorite philosopher, Jacques Derrida, was offered I

immediately signed up. I was starved for deep,intense and vital conversationsin short, a learningcommunitydevoted to exploring the work of thisdifficult, fascinating thinker. I was excited to explorewith others the reality of the virtual, and curiousabout what that would be like.

Ive been asked to share my some of myexperiences and suggestions with those who arenew to the online classroom. Here are a fewrecommendations based on things that worked forme:

Be a virtual presence in your online class! The onlyway your classmates will get to know you if you arenew to CTS is through your posts and/or webcamcheck-ins. The usual classroomvisual cues will be lacking,so your writing has toconvey both yourthoughts and yourpersonality. Post oftenand be creative! Usecharts, video clips, and

images when these illustrate your points. Responpromptly to others. Respect deadlines, especiallthose that require responses from your classmates

And rememberkeep your responses positiveCyber-communications can be easily misinterpretesince the usual conversational cues arent availableso dont hesitate to ask for and offer clarificatiowhen it seems indicated.

Make sure you have internet access! This soundlike a duh, but I live in an area subject to poweoutages. I needed a plan B, and some of my post

were sent from a nearby librarys computer terminawhen our power went out. CTS Moodle is extremelwell-managed. Questions are promptly anthoroughly answeredso dont be afraid to askSome things were common knowledge for others ithe class, but were not obvious to me. So, asYour classmates and instructor wont biteguaranteedafter all, its virtual!

Be prepared to put in the time . . . for me this wathe hardest part. The level of discourse in the claswas amazingly high, and I had to work hard on m

essays and responses. In an online course thresponses can be more considered and in-deptthan in a traditional classroom. The disadvantage ishowever, that this becomes a tacit expectation. Itmuch easier to keep up than to catch upand thiis doubly true in an online course where it i

impossible to claim the dog ate your paper.

One more thing: be prepared to be amazedawed, and delighted at the worlds you and you

classmates will uncover together! The instructobecomes a valued companion on youexplorations rather than a dominating classroom

presence, and your learning community cabecome a place of growth, renewal and creativ

engagement. Have fun!

Kathy Schuen, Distance Scholar

http://www.ctschicago.edu/https://twitter.com/CTS_Chicagohttps://www.facebook.com/CTSChicagohttp://www.ctschicago.edu/

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773.896.2400 1407 E. 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637 ctschicago.edu

FINANCIAL AID

There are two financial aid issues that may or maynot be of concern to you.

1. If you want to use federal student loans(Direct Loans) in the upcoming year to helpwith your seminary expenses, download theCTS Student Loan Fact Sheet (PDF) fromthe CTS website. This fact sheet explainsthe federal student loan program at CTS andexplains the necessary steps to arrangestudent loans.

2. Please feel free to call the Financial AidOfficer Howard Nelson with any questions or

concerns about seminary expenses,financial aid, student loans or anything elserelated to the costs of your education at(773) 896-2412 orhnelson@ctschicago.edu.

HEALTH INSURANCE

CTS students are required to carry major medicalinsurance. If you are not already covered, you may

purchase health insurance through the University ofChicago, through the insurance exchanges, or from anindependent vendor. If you want more information aboutmedical insurance, contact Registrar Elena Jimenez atejimenez@ctschicago.eduor (773) 896-2471.

CTS ON FACEBOOK

As just one example of how CTS strives to beforward-thinking, you should know there are manyways to interact with your school on Facebook.

Besides the official CTS Facebook page, if youhavent already, join the 2014 incoming studentsgroupand meet the people that you will be sharingclasses and sharing life with for the next few years.This group has been remarkably active, with peopleposting news, prayer requests, and pictures, as well

as some helpful tips and updates from CTS stamembers.

In addition, we have a freecycle page to help witthe moving process. If you are already in thChicago area and have something to get rid of oneed some cheap (or free!) furniture, our freecyclpage is a great place to share what youre lookinto give away and see what others are giving awayCheck it out!

CHECKLIST

So youve been accepted. Now what? By nowyou should have received a message from me

in your personal email account containingimportant information on how to log in to youraccounts and what forms to send in. Thatmessage contains all you need to know, but tohelp you keep track of it all, heres a checklistof what you need to complete:

Access your CTS emailand send theFaculty Assistant a test email. Feelfree to forward your CTS email to yourpersonal account.

Access Moodleand go through theorientation process there.

Fill out and return the New StudentInformation Form.

Snail mail a passport photofor yourCTS ID card.

Send a copy of a government ID, suchas a drivers license.

Fill out and return the ImmunizationForm.

Add Orientation Weekend (August2223)to your calendar.

Talk to Howard Nelson about financialaid (optional).

http://www.ctschicago.edu/mailto:hnelson@ctschicago.edumailto:hnelson@ctschicago.edumailto:hnelson@ctschicago.edumailto:ejimenez@ctschicago.edumailto:ejimenez@ctschicago.eduhttps://www.facebook.com/CTSChicagohttps://www.facebook.com/CTSChicagohttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1442598082646178/https://www.facebook.com/groups/1442598082646178/https://www.facebook.com/groups/1442598082646178/https://www.facebook.com/groups/402401373117822https://www.facebook.com/groups/402401373117822https://www.facebook.com/groups/402401373117822https://www.facebook.com/groups/402401373117822https://www.facebook.com/groups/1442598082646178/https://www.facebook.com/groups/1442598082646178/https://www.facebook.com/CTSChicagomailto:ejimenez@ctschicago.edumailto:hnelson@ctschicago.eduhttps://twitter.com/CTS_Chicagohttps://www.facebook.com/CTSChicagohttp://www.ctschicago.edu/

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CTS ORIENTATION NEWSLETTER JUNE 2014 PAGE 5

773.896.2400 1407 E. 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637 ctschicago.edu

HOUSING IN HYDE PARK

If youre a face-to-face student planning on movingto the Chicago area, youll probably want to find aplace to live. Finding housing in Chicago can seemlike a daunting task, especially if you cant find timeto visit apartments in person, but not to worry! Eventhough CTS doesnt have its own housing, we havelots of resources to help in home hunting.

Where do you start? First, think about location.Anywhere in Hyde Park or in north Woodlawn willget you pretty close to your school, to the Universityof Chicago and other seminaries, and to some goodrestaurants. Also, think about price. Expect to pay alittle more than youre used to.

Think about what featuresyour apartment needs tohave. Do you have pets? You need an apartmentthat allows them. Do you have a car? You need anapartment with either street parking or a parking lot.Do you have kids? You need to check out the localschools to see where your kids will be studying.

Think about what features are dealbreakers in anapartment, and what would simply be nice to have.Many Hyde Park apartments are a little on the olderside, so dishwashers and central A/C are not

standard in this area, butrefrigerators and gas stoves/ovenstypically are. If you like hardwoodfloors, youll find plenty of them,and there are lots of sunrooms,too, if youre into that.

Once you know what you want,youre ready to start searching! Thebest place to start isCTS housingpage on our website. Youll find alot of resources there. One great

option is to rent a U of C apartmentthrough CTS. CTS rents a numberof apartments each year from the Uof C, and then we sublet thoseapartments to our students. Itsreally convenientyou pay rentright at CTS. In order to get a U ofC apartment through CTS, fill out

the application on the housing page and snail mail with the (refundable!) $300 fee to CTS, and the U oC will get in touch with you with some apartmensuggestions. For more information, look under CT& University of Chicago Graduate Student Housingon the CTS housing page.

Another good option is to look at resourceprovided by other schools. Some of the seminariein the Hyde Park area offer housing to seminarianat other schools, so check to see what they offer. Iaddition, take a look at theU of C Marketplace.

As youre searching, ask what is included in th

price of rent. In this area, frequently the heating iincluded in rent, but gas and electricity arent.

Finally, this can be a lot to absorb and think aboubut CTS is here to help. The Faculty Assistant heris also the Housing Coordinator, so shoot him aemail,and hell help you on your quest for housingHell even go out and take pictures at a prospectivapartment if youre out of the area. Housing comeand goes quickly in the Hyde Park area, but werhere to help. Happy hunting!

http://www.ctschicago.edu/http://www.ctschicago.edu/students/student-and-campus-life/housinghttp://www.ctschicago.edu/students/student-and-campus-life/housinghttp://www.ctschicago.edu/students/student-and-campus-life/housinghttp://www.ctschicago.edu/students/student-and-campus-life/housinghttp://marketplace.uchicago.edu/http://marketplace.uchicago.edu/http://marketplace.uchicago.edu/mailto:facultyasst@ctschicago.edumailto:facultyasst@ctschicago.edumailto:facultyasst@ctschicago.edumailto:facultyasst@ctschicago.edumailto:facultyasst@ctschicago.edumailto:facultyasst@ctschicago.eduhttp://marketplace.uchicago.edu/http://www.ctschicago.edu/students/student-and-campus-life/housinghttp://www.ctschicago.edu/students/student-and-campus-life/housinghttps://twitter.com/CTS_Chicagohttps://www.facebook.com/CTSChicagohttp://www.ctschicago.edu/