Ricardo Miranda Zúñiga

Structural Patterns

Reflections on Art, Technology and Society

Archive for the ‘education’ Category

Amazon Is Funded, CUNY Is Not – Shame de Blasio

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The hypocrisy of the NYC Mayor: today on WNYC’s “Ask the Mayor” de Blasio states that CUNY 2-year grads will be able to get $50K jobs with Amazon (which he declares is a living wage in NYC, I’d like to see de Blasio get by on $50k). Meanwhile CUNY is severely underfunded and falling apart. CUNY state support has declined for decades. In 2017, City Comptroller Scott Stringer testified that “since 2010, CUNY’s cumulative shortfall in State funding is now over $700 million.” The 2018 $200 million “boost” for CUNY AND SUNY (again – a lousy $200 million for both SUNY and CUNY) for a “quality education”, trickles down to nearly nothing in correlation to the decades of underfunding. The fact that Amazon, an over $130 BILLION corporation, is awarded $3 billion in tax credits, abatements and capital grants from the city and state while CUNY is severely underfunded year after year is SHAMEFUL!

As the mayor stated, a rational for this is the job creation that the Queens’ based Amazon headquarters will present to the city population. However, if CUNY continues to be underfunded, if the vast majority of our faculty are underpaid, if classes are over-stuffed with students and education must be watered-down, these jobs will not be filled by CUNY grads. Amazon jobs will be filled by private university grads and grads from across the country that receive a better education than what CUNY can possibly offer on a short budget. And the disparity between privilege and poor will continue to grow – as sponsored by Cuomo and de Blasio.

It is shameful that adjunct faculty must fight and protest for a lousy $7K salary when Amazon is awarded billions of dollars. We all know that Cuomo does not value public higher education, his record clearly shows this, but it’s shameful that the so-called progressive de Blasio does not do more to fight for CUNY.

Written by ricardo

November 16th, 2018 at 8:59 am

The Problem With Trump

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Is that he doesn’t give a shit. He doesn’t care what you think. He doesn’t care what the law says. He doesn’t care about the history of the United States. Trump could give a flying shit about the constitution as well as the Haitians.

The problem with Trump is that he constructs his own reality at intervals. He could give a shit about reality, because he’s never had to live in reality. This is a golden spoon child, given $10 Million dollars to kick off an NYC real estate developer’s career without any clue of how the overwhelming vast majority of people live.

The problem with Trump is that WE ARE ALL SHIT HOLES.

The problem with Trump is that he has gotten the highest public service office in the United States of America without any experience or care for public service. He could give a flying fuck about public service, after all it’s work for shit holes to serve shit holes.

The problem with Trump is that he’s never had to work, he’s never had to earn a living, he’s never had to struggle.

The problem with Trump is that he has no political career to ruin as a shitty president, so he can give a flying fuck whether or not he shits on everything that this country has been built upon such as immigrants.

The problem with Trump is that he made his career as a real estate developer. He made his career as a TV producer and reality TV personality and an ego-maniac.

The problem with Trump is that he could give a flying shit about anyone other than himself and his own. He doesn’t understand public service or governance or the middle class or women or poverty or history or struggle or global citizenry or activism or ethics or morality.

And to all the white supremacist, America First, racist fucks who voted for Trump, if you are not a millionaire, you are a SHIT HOLE and he’s going to make you pay.

Written by ricardo

January 13th, 2018 at 6:31 pm

Available Position as Chair of Film & Media Studies at CUNY Hunter College

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Job: CUNY Hunter College – Assistant, Associate or Full Professor (Chair) – Film and Media Studies

Job ID: 15047
Location: Hunter College
Full/Part Time: Full-Time
Regular/Temporary: Regular

FACULTY VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
The Film and Media Studies Department at Hunter College of the City University of New York invites applications for a tenured full professor to hold the position of department Chair beginning in fall 2017 or as soon thereafter as possible. The department has over 600 full-time students majoring in two programs of study at the undergraduate level, one in Film combining film history and theory with such creative areas as screenwriting, directing, cinematography and editing; the other in Media Studies integrating critical media analysis with creative practice using a mix of contemporary expressive forms (including documentary film making, TV production, journalism, digital imaging and animation, physical computing and game programming). The department also offers a nationally recognized M.F.A. in Integrated Media Arts that seeks to educate multi-disciplinary media professionals who are socially engaged and creatively fluent across contemporary and emerging digital media platforms. The department faculty promotes advanced scholarship and creative expression, seeks to have a positive impact on the diverse communities we serve, and fosters the success of our students in their academic studies and as innovative writers and artists. Located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side near many major cultural institutions, Hunter College offers scholars and creative artists a vibrant and dynamic community within a highly diverse urban setting. As part of the City University of New York, a nationally recognized metropolitan university system, Hunter is committed to active engagement with students and the community at large, and embraces equity, inclusiveness, and global awareness in all dimensions of our work.

Responsibilities: The Chair of the Film and Media Studies Department will provide the vision and leadership to guide a dynamic and growing department. In addition to teaching, the duties include strategic planning; curriculum and program development; personnel procedures including overseeing recruitment, tenure, and promotion; shared governance; faculty mentoring; staff supervision and development; budgeting; and course scheduling. The Chair will work as a collaborative team member with the department faculty and staff, as well as with the senior administration of the college.

QUALIFICATIONS
Ph.D. in area(s) of experience or equivalent. Also required are the ability to teach successfully, demonstrated scholarship or achievement, and ability to cooperate with others for the good of the institution

The ideal candidate will have a terminal degree in an area of academic or creative work related to essential aspects of film or media studies, along with a record of successful college-level teaching, extensive administrative experience, proven grant-getting ability, and significant artistic, scholarly, or professional achievement. The record of scholarship and/or creative activity should merit an appointment at the level of full professor.

COMPENSATION
CUNY offers faculty a competitive compensation and benefits package covering health insurance, pension and retirement benefits, paid parental leave, and savings programs. We also provide mentoring and support for research, scholarship, and publication as part of our commitment to ongoing faculty professional development.

HOW TO APPLY
From our job posting system ( http://www.cuny.edu/ ), select “Apply Now”, create or log in to a user account, and provide the requested information. If you are viewing this posting from outside our system, access the employment page on our web site and search for this vacancy using the Job ID or Title.

Candidates should provide a CV/resume and statement of scholarly interests.

CLOSING DATE
Open until filled with review of applications to begin October 1, 2016.

JOB SEARCH CATEGORY
CUNY Job Posting: Faculty

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
CUNY encourages people with disabilities, minorities, veterans and women to apply. At CUNY, Italian Americans are also included among our protected groups. Applicants and employees will not be discriminated against on the basis of any legally protected category, including sexual orientation or gender identity. EEO/AA/Vet/Disability Employer.

Written by ricardo

September 7th, 2016 at 5:06 pm

El II Seminario Transmedia y Narrativas Audiovisuales

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Next week, I will be presenting a keynote talk on web documentaries – what works and does not along with several examples. I will also do a two-day techinical workshop on constructing a web documentary, using bootstrap and HTML5 video properties as the primary tools.

II Seminario Transmedia y Narrativas Audiovisuales

El II Seminario Transmedia y Narrativas Audiovisuales, Bogota , Colombia

Written by ricardo

October 6th, 2014 at 7:37 am

AccioBook – Young Adult Book Finding Site Is Live

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accioBook

AccioBook is a Hunter Honors Thesis Project by Cialina Ngo

Hunter Honors student Cialina Ngo has completed her honor’s thesis – “AccioBook” a book discovery website built on WordPress to discover and learn about young adult literature. What is significant about this literature site is that Cialina along with other editors has created a taxonomy for the site based on the reading of the books and careful consideration of how a book may be indexed and easily found by the site’s users.

As Cialina describes the project:

Unlike other book discovery websites that are based on algorithms, my website will be based on metadata created by a human who has actually read the book. AccioBook will be similar in format to Pandora. Users will be given a list of recommendations based on the title of a book that they recently enjoyed. The list of recommendations will be based on a database of metadata. I will develop a database of book metadata based on plot, characterization, setting, and romance using approximately 100 young adult novels.

Written by ricardo

May 15th, 2014 at 4:29 pm

The Adventures of Dorrit Little by Monica Johnson

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Dorrit Little

Dorrit Little Opts Out of Student Debt


Artist Monica Johnson created the online graphic novel “The Adventures of Dorrit Little” to bring some transparency to the mechanisms of the student debt system in the United States. According to the About page, the average undergraduate student loan debt is $27,000 and the average graduate student loan debt range is $30,000 to $120,000. This country has effectively created an educated population in indentured servitude.

The graphic novel is a quick read, however in eight chapters, the artist presents a concise and clear history of the origins of the student debt system and why it continues to prosper. If you live with student debt it is a very worthwhile read! Go to The Adventures of Dorrit Little by Monica McKelvey Johnson!

Written by ricardo

December 31st, 2013 at 9:14 am

Think Tank – Support Lab on Wheels via indiegogo

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A Macaulay College student, Tyler Alterman that once took a class of mine (Intro to 2D Animation) is working on his senior project – a cognitive science lab in a truck. Watch the video, it’s the type of project that I can’t help but to support due to it’s good energy and idealism. It would be great to see an ice cream type truck with a giant brain buzzing around New York City!

Written by ricardo

February 12th, 2013 at 9:59 pm

Winners for Arts Writer Program 2012 Announced

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From the Creative Capital Foundation: http://artswriters.org/

Articles
Jennifer Krasinski, A Rain Check to Oblivion: A Dispatch from the Jill Johnston Archive (Los Angeles)
Daniel R. Quiles, Counterpublic Access: “The Live! Show” and “TV Party,” 1978-1984 (Chicago)
Rebekah Rutkoff, Lillian Schwartz: Light Pen/Paintbrush (Brooklyn)

Blogs
Caryn Coleman, The Girl Who Knew Too Much (Brooklyn)
Farrah Karapetian, Housing Projects (Los Angeles)
Meg Onli, Black Visual Archive (Chicago)
Harbeer Sandhu, Critical Condition (Houston)

Books
Negar Azimi, The Shahbanou and the Iranian Avant-Garde (New York)
Eva Díaz, The Fuller Effect: Contemporary Art and the Critique of Total Design (Brooklyn)
Jennifer Doyle, The Athletic Turn: Contemporary Art and the Sport Spectacle (Los Angeles)
Elena Filipovic, David Hammons’s Bliz-aard Ball Sale (Brussels)
Ara H. Merjian, Pier Paolo Pasolini and the Politics of Art History: Heretical Aesthetics (New York)
Alan W. Moore, Art Squats (Madrid)
Zabet Patterson, Visionary Machines: USCO, Techno-Utopia and Technocracy (Brooklyn)
Abigail Solomon-Godeau, Photography in the Age of Catastrophe (San Francisco)
Michael Taussig, Twilight of the Idols (New York)
Stephen Zacks, A Beautiful Ruin: The Generation that Transformed New York, 1967-1985 (Brooklyn)

Short-Form Writing
Quinn Latimer, Basel, Switzerland
David Rimanelli, New York
Patricia Tumang, Quezon City, Philippines
Harry J. Weil, Brooklyn

Written by ricardo

December 3rd, 2012 at 2:01 pm

New York Arts Practicum Announcement

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New York Arts Practicum is an experiential summer program in New York City where advanced undergraduates, recent graduates, and graduate students participate in artmaking and intellectual culture outside of the traditional confines of the art school. The program centers around an internship with an active artist, a studio seminar, and weekly site visits to artist studios, galleries, and museums.

Through the intensive process of working with an artist on a day-to-day basis, students gain a view of their near futures as artists, learning models for negotiating a creative life outside of school in an expanded field of art prduction. The Practicum mentors are as follows (with three more to be added shortly): David Horvitz, Eva and Franco Mattes, Mark Tribe, Caroline Woolard, and Ricardo Miranda Zúñiga.

The critique/seminar and site visits reinvigorate the art student’s conventional modes of study.

Critique: Participants develop alternate strategies for creating work for critique without institutional studio facilities
Seminar: Visiting Faculty lead seminar on a set of readings related to their own practice. Visiting Artists in the seminar are: Steve Lambert, Trevor Paglen, Penelope Umbrico, and The Yes Men.
Art History/Contemporary Practices: Program Director Michael Mandiberg guides visits to galleries and museums, many of which will include conversations with curators and gallerists. Art and its contexts will be encountered and engaged with directly.
The 8 week New York Arts Practicum begins June 25th and ends August 17th, 2012. Application review begins April 2nd; application deadline April 16th.

Tuition is $2900, with some need-based financial aid available.

Academic credit is earned through arrangements with students’ home institutions.

For general questions please see the FAQ, and please contact us with specific questions.

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Written by ricardo

February 8th, 2012 at 3:28 pm

Apply Immediately: Full Time New Media Position at Hunter College

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Job Title: Assistant, Associate or Full Professor – Film and Media Studies

Job ID: 2389
Location: Hunter College
Full/Part Time: Full-Time
Regular/Temporary: Regular

GENERAL DUTIES
Performs teaching, research, and guidance duties in area(s) of expertise as noted below. Shares responsibility for committee and department assignments, performing administrative, supervisory, and other functions as may be assigned.

CAMPUS SPECIFIC INFORMATION
Hunter College’s Department of Film and Media Studies, which combines analytical and theoretical analysis with creative practice using an interdisciplinary approach to media, seeks applications for a scholar and practitioner of new media. The position calls for a candidate who has an understanding of the cultural effects of new media and Internet technologies.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Ph.D. degree in area(s) of expertise, or equivalent as noted below. Also required are the ability to teach successfully, interest in productive scholarship or creative achievement, and ability to cooperate with others for the good of the institution.

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS
A record of publications related to computer and Internet technologies and a mix of theory and practice is desirable. Extensive teaching experience is essential. A PhD, M.F.A. or professional equivalent are required.

COMPENSATION
Commensurate with rank, education, accomplishments and experience.

BENEFITS
CUNY offers a comprehensive benefits package to employees and eligible dependents based on job title and classification. Employees are also offered pension and Tax-Deferred Savings Plans. Part-time employees must meet a weekly or semester work hour criteria to be eligible for health benefits. Health benefits are also extended to retirees who meet the eligibility criteria.

HOW TO APPLY
ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY MAIL or E-MAIL. DO NOT APPLY ON LINE AT THIS JOB BOARD.
Include letter of application with teaching/artistic/professional philosophy, curriculum vitae, list of three references sent to:
digitalmediasearch@hunter.cuny.edu
-OR-
Professor
James Roman, Chair
Department of Film and Media Studies
Hunter College, CUNY
695 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10065

CLOSING DATE
Open until filled with review of resumes to begin November 15, 2010.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity Employer which complies with all applicable laws and regulations, and encourages inclusive excellence in its employment practices.

Written by ricardo

October 21st, 2010 at 11:03 am