This is the OUSA Northern Italy
page of my Website
This is just a very brief summary
of OUSA Northern Italy,
so if you want to know more go
to http://web.tiscalinet.it/ousani/index.html
or
www.ousani.3000.it
our email is: [email protected]
NB: before contacting the OU or anyone from OUSA make
note of what you want to say,.......................... it saves you time
and money!
.........................Latest.......................
Latest - 15th December 2001, 10.30 in front of the
Palazzo Reale (Contact the committee for more details)
Visit to the Picasso exhibition in Milan
Arts Society
The Arts Society will be visiting the Picasso exhibition
in Milan.
Time table etc. is still to be decided but it should be in the morning.
We will also have a brief committee meeting.
This page will be updated very shortly so stay tuned.
ANNUAL POST EXAMS PARTY
held the 9th November
Nice night but with low turnout put off by horrible weather
and incredible traffic jams.
Puerto Slegre is located in Via Borsi, 9.2 (yes,
it is 9.2), Alzaia Naviglio Pavese, Milan, Tel. 02-89420938.
To know more, go to www.puertoalegre.com
Arts Society
Account of visit to S. Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore (Milano) Sat.
28th July
Preface
When I first came across the church of San Maurizio I simply could
not believe that such beauty was hidden away just yards from C.so Magenta,
a very busy and noisy road even by Milan standards. I must admit that the
outside of the church is grummy and like so many other landmarks in Italy
it has been overtaken by the weeds of consumerism i.e. fashion shops, coffee
bars, mobile phone shops and the like.
Yet in a way it exemplifies Italy, that is to say, it is a mixture
of emotion, passion and is totally unexpected.
So even if the restoration work will take ages to complete you simply
don't care because the sentiment you are left with as you leave the church
is one of admiration for God and the wonderful work that man can do if
he puts his mind to it.
A quick Peek at its History
The Church of San Maurizio, situated in the inside of the important
Monastery Maggiore of the Benedictine, was constructed from 1503 and completed
fifteen years later. It was divided into two parts: the first part (the
one that faces C.so Magenta) was dedicated to church goers and the general
public. The second part was reserved only to the nuns of the monastery
(or rather nunnery) who were not allowed to pass the dividing wall. Subsequently
in 1794 the Archbishop gave them the chance to enter in the public half
of the church in order to admire the altar.
The frescoes are the work of some of the most important artists of XVI
century in Lombardia: Paolo Lomazzo, Bernardino Luini and his two sons,
Calisto Piazza and Vincenzo Foppa. However, during the restoration work,
many of the theories concerning the paternity of these works have been
completely re-discussed. Here is an excerpt:
-
The Cappella Besozzi is dedicated to Saint Catherine, a marvellous fresco
showing the decapitation of the Saint.
-
Absolutely spectacular is the dividing wall, attributed to Luini, with
images of S. Ursula, S. Maurice, Alessandro Bentivoglio (the commissioner
of this work) e the painting of Campi with the Adoration of the magi.
-
To the left of the altar, and through the St. John the Baptist and the
Deposition Chapels, you enter in the church, where you will be dazzled
by the wonderful frescoes of the Presbytery.
-
As you move into the rear of the church you will be astounded by the background
of a dark blue sky packed of stars and complete with images of God with
the Evangelists and groups of Angels. Take your time here as the atmosphere
is worth treasuring.
-
On the dividing wall there are images of St. Catherine, St. Agatha, Christ,
the Wedding of Cana and the Climb to Calvary. In the terminal Chapel of
the presbytery, there is another wonderful fresco of the Ecce Homo - look
at the faces of the two rascals that deride Christ.
-
Next there is a very beautiful image of Adam and Eve who receive the sin
fruit from the snake - while on the left you can admire the fresco
of Aurelio Luini, the Noah's Ark's Chapel.
-
The upper part of the church boasts the beautiful women's galleries, entirely
decorated - probably by Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio - with flowers and
faces of nuns and Martyrs.
The church organ was commissioned in 1554 to Giovanni Giacomo Antegnati
and installed 3 years later.
Open University Students Association
Objectives
-
To foster a corporate identity for its members and all students of the
Open University.
-
To defend the principle of equal opportunity and of open access to the
Open University regardless of academic qualifications or financial circumstances.
-
To coordinate the organisation of social and welfare activities for all
its members.
-
To promote and rpresent the educational interests of all students as members
of the University.
-
To promote the influence of students upon the operation and development
of the University.
The Association represents students interests, both in the University
itself and in the wider community. Within the University OUSA has student
representation on all the University's decision-making and consultance
boards and committees, putting forward the student's point of view. Outside
the Open University, the Association lobbies MPs and talks to local authority
education departments.
Who Qualifies to be a member of OUSA
Registered students of the Open University are automatically full members.
In addition Affiliate memebership is open to previous full members, students
studying in an institute validated by the OU or for a qualification validated
by the OU. Companion membership is offered to full and part-time OU staff.
Honary memberships can be awarded by the branch, the BCC or the Association
at National Conference.
Structure and Organisation of OUSA
Constitution
A large organisation like OUSA cannot work without structures so its
Constitution, governing the procedures of the Association, is vital for
smooth functioning. Responsibility for this area lies with the Vice President
Constitutions, who chairs the Constitutions Standing Committee and the
Steering Committee which looks after the business of National Conference.
OUSA Conference
The OUSA Conference is the Annual General Meeting of OUSA and its decision-making
body. It examines the constitution, formulates policy and elects the Executive
Committee, including the President, Deputy President and the five Vice
Presidents, for th ensuring year.
OUSA Committee
and Contacts:
Address:
|
Mrs Jane Pollard
|
|
OU Co-ordinator in Italy |
|
C.P. 1141 |
|
20101 Milano |
OUSA
Contacts and Course Info. Links
Do you need advice, help or simply an opinion about OU
courses directly from the horse's mouth?????? then may be the following
list can help.
NB: The people listed are all OU students (past and
present) and have either done or are doing at least one OU course in the
following faculties, hence you can get a first hand account of what to
expect ................and it's free!
Arts
|
Anne Castoldi
|
Tel. 039-2001125 (daytime)
|
|
Paola Domini
|
Tel. 02-2406760
|
|
Silvia Barlassina
|
Tel. 02-22473393
|
|
Sara Hatcher
|
Tel. 0347-4255334
|
|
Ruth Hunt
|
Tel. 039-305313
|
|
Christine Jones
|
Tel. 02-53000025
|
|
Leonardo Ricciardi
|
Tel. 02-8693622
|
|
Ann Yielding
|
Tel. 0371-200472
|
Business School
|
Michele Fadda
|
Tel. 0348-2606480
|
Music
|
Ruth Hunt
|
Tel. 039-305313
|
Languages
|
Sara Hatcher
|
Tel. 0347-4255334
|
|
Ann Yielding
|
Tel. 0371-200472
|
Mathematics
|
Leonardo Ricciardi
|
Tel. 02-8693622
|
|
Dave Ward
|
Tel. 0332-758957 (office hours)
Tel. 02-48705457 (evenings)
|
|
Ann Yielding
|
Tel. 0371-200472
|
Science (incl. Environmental and Computer Sciences)
|
Simone Valtorta
|
Tel. 0331-594509
|
|
Leonardo Ricciardi
|
Tel. 02-8693622
|
Social Sciences and Humanties
|
Yvonne Procyk
|
Tel. 0041-91-9722667 (evening)
|
|
Christine Jones
|
Tel. 02-53000025
|
|
Ruth Hunt
|
Tel. 039-305313
|
Technology
|
Dave Baker
|
Tel. 0546-949257
|
|
Dave Ward
|
Tel. 0332-758957 (office hours)
Tel. 02-48705457 (evenings)
|
Master of Arts
|
Anne Castoldi
|
Tel. 039-2001125 (daytime)
|
|
Silvia Barlassina
|
Tel. 02-22473393
|
Master of Education
|
Silvia Barlassina
|
Tel. 02-22473393
|
Master of Science
|
Simone Valtorta
|
Tel. 0331-594509
|
Research Degrees and Doctor of Philosophy
|
Dave Ward
|
Tel. 0332-758957 (office hours)
Tel. 02-48705457 (evenings)
|
Conference 2002
The next conference will be held at UMIST (University
of Manchester)
5-7th April 2002
Motions so far proposed for 2002
(Motions deadline: 1st Feb.
2002)
Motion 1
Aim
See motion
Motion
The Association urges the University to guarantee the
same level of course fees for a minimum period of 6 years (average minimum
time to obtain degree)
Motion 1a
Aim
See motion
Motion
In the event of any unavoidable changes being made to
the course fees structure the Association urges the University to notify
immediately all students involved in such changes.
Motion 2
Aim
To avoid unnecessary financial
difficulties for students and provide the best financial assistance
during study.
Motion
The Association urges the Open University to provide
funding or interest free financial credit for those students who demonstrate
that they do not have the means to continue their studies either because
of post enrolment increases in course fees or because of changes in personal
financial circumstances.
Motion 3
Aim
Improve and guarantee quality of
service
Motion
The Association urges the University to deduct a proportion
of course fees equivalent to those services (e.g. tutorials, availability
of study centres etc.) that for whatever reason are not provided to the
standard necessary to prepare the student and allow him/her to satisfactorily
complete the course.
Motion 4
Aim
Understand (better) student needs
and study conditions.
Motion
The Association urges the University to assess the financial
conditions (income, benefits etc.) of students in order to ensure that
fees correspond to the real financial capabilities of students and therefore
avoid situations where OU students are discriminated against by assuming
that they are financially autonomous and able to pay continuously increasing
fees.
Motion 5
Aim
To ensure that all courses that
students have taken or are taking are considered valid for the named
degree profile chosen by the student. This is to avoid circumstances
where students have taken or are taking course(s) that have subsequently
been judged inappropriate for a specific named degree rpofile.
Motion
The Association believes that in the event that a course
is no longer found appropriate i.e. judged inadequate by an external advisor
or body for a specific named degree profile, the University be not only
obliged to act appropriately e.g. provide written confirmation and explanation
to the affected students but also offer adequate compensation.
Compensation alternatively (at the discretion of the
student) may be monetary (reimbursement) or the choice of an alternative
course or courses with the same credit standing at no extra cost.
Motion 6
Aim
To ensure that students incur no
extra charges (fees or otherwise) simply because the University has decided
to make mandatory on-line connection for all students.
Motion
This Assication recognises the OU’s plan to ensure that
all students are on-line as from 2003-4 but also calls upon the University
to guuarantee that this does not imply an increase in student fees or cause
unneccesary discrimination and therefore exclusion from distant study.
Conference 2001
All three of our motions were
passed!
This is great news and we should
be be proud of the work done by the committee.
************************************
A very important emergency motion
was discussed at the end of conference and ask you all to pay particular
attention over the coming months regarding eventual developments of this
motion.
The motion was presented concerned
fees and was worded follows:
'This association deplores
the decision of the Arts Faculty to raise the fees for its 2nd and 3rd
level cources by 12.5% in 2002.
The Association further instructes
the Executive Committee to launch an urgent and vigorous campaign to revrse
this decision and ensure that the fees for 2nd and 3rd level Arts courses
in 2002 do not rise by more than the 3.75% increase adopted by other facilities.'
The motion was reformulated (after
a procedural motion) as follows:
Part A
This association deplores
the decision of the Arts Faculty to raise the fees for its 2nd and 3rd
level cources by 12.5% in 2002. The Association further instructs the Executive
Committee to launch an urgent and vigorous campaign to revrse this decision.
this motion was carried and will
be put forward to the University.
Official Motions to be presented at Conference 2001:
Section One: Motions relating
to Education
42M(PO)
1. This Association is concerned that, even after repeated complaints,
inadequate tutors are retained for the remaining years that the course
is offered. It therefore urges the University to replace such tutors.
Aim: to minimize the possibility that a student will
be allocated to a tutor who has been the subject of repeated complaints
by students, and therefore whom the University staff knows to be below
the acceptable standard for quality.
this supported directly by
the executive committee
63M(PO)
2. Delete policy B17.10 from the 2000 Register of Decisions and replace
with:
This Association requests that extra reading lists be made available
to students before the start of courses.
Aim: to emphasize the importance of allowing students
to prepare for their course by reading appropriate and recommended texts
before the study period begins.
Section Two: Motions relating
to Student Support
94M(PO)
3. This Association urges the Open University to investigate ways of negotiating
a more affordable price for the purchase of graduation gowns.
Aim: to enable graduates to buy gowns at an affordable
price, which an organization of the size of the OU should be able to obtain
Conference 2000 Motions
Education section
32M(PO) Conference urges the Open University to ensure that all tutors
of Open University students have the facilities and the training to accept
electronic submission of TMAs. >> carried after re-count
Student Support section
102M(PO) Conference encourages the Open University to continue exploring
all avenues for keeping fees at an acceptable level. >> grouped, ie. carried
101M(PO) Conference urges the Open University to invest more resources
in marketing in CWE in order to improve enrolment and, in consequence,
services to students in mainland Europe, whose already significant fees
continue to rise due to withdrawal of HEFCE funding. >> carried
91M(PO) Conference urges the Open University to ensure that all countries
in CWE have a full-time co-ordinator. >> defeated after Jane Harvey went
to speak
100M(PO) Conference urges the Open University to offer language exams
in all exam centres in order to avoid the inconvenience and expense of
excessive travel. >> referred to Executive Committee to re-word and re-propose
to Conference in 2001
Character, Organization and Procedures
section
112M(PO) Given that the Open University is constituted as a 'Distance'
body and that consequently written communication is of prime importance
for remote students, Conference recommends that no limit be posed on the
size of branch newsletters. >> defeated
***
Disallowed motions:
16M(CA) We recommend that motions and constitution be written in "easy
speak" in order to save precious Conference time.
verdict: incapable of being incorporated in the Constitution.
[*Similar motion: 126M(PO), Ayrshire Branch: Conference instructs the Executive
Committee to bring to the next meeting of Conference motion(s) which will
make the Constitution of the Association more user friendly. >> grouped,
ie. carried]
17M(CA) In the event of a motion for a Biannual Conference being carried,
Conference expects the nebulous alternative intended to replace the missing
Conference to be explained in a convincing manner.
verdict: incapable of being incorporated in the Constitution
-
T-Shirt competition: Declaration of winner (expires
31st Jan. 2001)
-
Annual Induction meeting for new students: Scuola
d'Interpreti, Galleria, Milan, Sat. Jan. 20th 2001
-
21st Feb. OUSA social evening at the Matricola
pub, Milan, near Piola metro station (green line),
meet in pub at 20.00. Get in touch with a committee member to know more.
"bring a friend and enjoy the
atmosphere"
-
24th Feb. OUSA meeting at Leo's house (including
pot luck lunch)
-
10th March Humanities Society outing (details
pending)
-
24th March OUSA Northern Italy AGM
-
OUSA Conference: 6-8th April (Bournemouth,
UK)
Dave and Ruth were our reps
this year
-
Study Skills days: 21st April and 15th
September
-
OUSA Annual General Meeting: 24th March
(14.00 onwards)
Scuola Superiore per Interpreti
e Traduttori, Via S. Pellico 8, 20101, Milano.
-
Humanities Club: Milan walk and Talk outing: meet
in front of Duomo, Milan, 10.30, Sat. 28th April.
-
OUSA Committee metting: Sat. 28th April
at Leo's house.
-
OUSA Committee metting: Sat. 26th May at
Leo's house
-
Open Evening: at the Hotel Auriga on May 31st. from
17.30 to 19.30.
-
Chagall exhibition: in Lugano, Switzerland, on Saturday
9th June, organised by the Arts Society.
-
Social outing: Canelli (Sunday June 17th, Cantina
Gancia, 11.00) - see our main website for more details
-
Visit to S. Maurizio: Corso Magenta, Milano, 28th
July, 16.00.
-
Course choice event: 15th Sept. in Milan
at Scuola Superiore per Interpreti e Traduttori,
Via S. Pellico 8, 20101, Milano (near Piazza Duomo, metro station DUOMO).
-
Mid. October onwards: Exams!!!!!!!
-
Post exams Party:
at the Puerta Alegre, Alz. Naviglio, Milan, Friday, 19.30, 9th Nov.
-
OUSA Committee metting: Sat. 15th Nov. at Leo's house,
14.00
-
Next OUSA Committee meeting: Sat. 15th Dec. after
Picasso exhibition (venue TBD)
-
Italian Graduate Ceremony: TBD
-
1st Feb. 2002: Motions deadline
-
15th March 2002: Delegate attendance confirmation
-
5-7th April 2002: Conference 2002 at UMIST
General Venues for Seminars,
Tutorials, Presentations and Meetings:
-
Scuola Superiore per Interpreti e Traduttori,
Via S. Pellico 8, 20101, Milano (near Piazza Duomo).
-
Regent Italia, Via Fabio Filzi 27,
20124, Milano (near Staz. Centrale).
-
Hotel Auriga, Via G.b. Pirelli, 7,
Milano (near Staz. Centrale).
Tutorials Info. (updated 12th March 2001)
Jeremy Hayne (A103)
28 April 13:00-16:00
15 Sept
13:00-16:00 (SSIT)
Amanda Lowe (DD100)
24 Mar
10:30-12:30 (end time uncertain)
12 May
10:30-12:30
9 June
10:30-12:30
23 June
10:30-12:30 (mock exam)
14 July
10:30-12:30
15 Sept
13:30-15:30
Amanda Lowe (D317)
12 May 12:45-14:45?
14 July
12:45-14:45?
15 Sept 12:45-14:45?
(SSIT)
Sue Cane (DSE202)
31 Mar 11:00-14:00
(& ED309*)
21 Apr
11:00-14:00
6 Oct
11:00-14:00
All tutorials are in the Regent School except for 15 Sept.
(venue TBD). Tutorials in order of date are as follows:
24 Mar (DD100)
31 Mar (DSE202/ED209)
21 Apr (DSE202/ED209)
28 Apr (A103)
12 May (DD100/D317)
9 June (DD100)
23 June (DD100)
14 July (DD100/D317)
15 Sept (A103/DD100/D317)
6 Oct (DSE202/ED209)
Provisional Calendar 2002
Jan Induction Day
(TBC)
OUSA NI committee mtg.
Feb. OUSA NI committee mtg.
First week Feb. Motions deadline
March OUSA NI committee mtg.
OUSA NI - AGM
April OUSA NI committee mtg.
5th-7th Conference 2002 Manchester
May OUSA NI committee mtg.
June OUSA NI committee mtg.
Course choice day (TBC)
July OUSA NI committee mtg.
Sept. OUSA NI committee mtg.
Exam skills day
Oct. OUSA NI committee mtg.
Exams
Nov. OUSA NI committee mtg.
Post exams party
Dec. OUSA NI committee mtg.