Annual Model UN Simulation

  On Wednesday, April 18^th 2018, students from PSC 121: International Relations participated in a Model UN Simulation as part of Daemen's annual Academic Festival. Students represented various states in meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)  held to discuss the ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea and vote on the proposed resolution. The countries involved in this simulation were Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, as well as the permanent members of the UNSC (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom(UK), and the United States of America (US)).

 Each country gave a short speech introducing their positions on the issue. The states that had the most to say were China, Indonesia, and the Philippines. China reinforced their claims to the nine-dash line and claimed that the water was “historically” their property noting that several other nations recognized the nine-dash line as valid. Indonesia was the main opponent to China, in that they were disputing the validity of the nine-dash-line as well as China’s claims to the entire region; they were of course backed by the United States as well as the United Kingdom. Indonesia strongly disagreed with China’s “historical” claims to the water, and asserted their rights and sovereignty over the waters in their Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The Philippines delivered a powerful speech as well about negotiating and signing a bilateral treaty with China, and they encouraged other countries (Malaysia, Indonesia, and Japan) to do so as well. The Philippines and China both claimed that their treaty was mutually beneficial, with joint security guarantees from both countries. 

After all the countries delivered their positions on the territorial disputes in the South China Sea, the moderators conducted an open debate; the question that generated the most controversy was “Do any countries have the claim or desire to expand their territory in the South China Sea?”. The Philippines found this question particularly offensive as did China, this resulted in strained arguments among the states creating a tensed and chaotic atmosphere. Another point of note was that China claimed that the nine-dash line and the Law of the Sea were not mutually exclusive agreements and said that they were willing to create treaties with any country that approached them. 

 At the end of the debate the resolution was introduced and each state cast their vote: only two of the eight states voted for the resolution (Indonesia and Russia), one state abstained from the vote (Japan), the rest of the states adamantly voted against the resolution. No amendments were added to the resolution at any point. The moderator and the USG worked hard to synthesize all position papers and create a balanced resolution that would be appealing to all states involved. The main points of the resolution were as follows:

1.   Demands, that any and all nations halt military or other  aggressions towards one another in a timely fashion, this includes intervention by the USA, UK, France and Russia.

2.    Endorses the renaming of the area known as the South China Sea, that it gives the false impression that China is entitled to the area. 

3. Encourages all states to immediately halt their all activities in the area, and acknowledge what they have and what all countries already have. It is also advisable that no state continues with their intentions to build any other islands and enact efforts to preserve the remaining wildlife reefs.

4.     Encourages  a spirit of cooperation between all states with stake in the sea, as laid out in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) Treaty,  to sign a treaty acknowledging each other state's claim to the area as well as indicating they will allow  free and open trade in the area.

5.   Demands, China to denounces the nine-dash line, in exchange they may keep the islands created and  claim the law of the sea from those areas (200 miles off the coast).

6.  Proposes, that any and all nations that lay similar claims to Similar Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) under the UNCLOS Treaty work out additional treaties with each other that are both fair and righteous to both states.

7.     Advocate Support for these treaties, if needed, to be supervised and overseen by a third party (state, NGO, or IGO) with no direct benefit from either state control of more of the EEZ then the other.

8.    Proposes treaty designed to allow shared fishing territories and resources throughout the region, if so desired by state, with predetermined compensation.

Representative from France presenting their position

Speech by the representative of Indonesia

Speech from the representative of Malaysia

Moderator introducing the simulation

Team representing the Phillippines

Speech by Russia

Debate

Debate

Speech by US representative

  Students were particularly excited at having the opportunity to engage in experiential learning. They conducted several weeks of in-depth research on their assigned states and roles before the showcase. While all teams performed enthusiastically, students in the class voted to award the best performance to Team China and Team France/ UK for their outstanding knowledge and performance. A special mention to the Philippines and Indonesia who also received several votes and were runners-up for the best performance award.

Blog post by Kaitlin Kinkade (Served as Moderator in the Model UN Simulation) and Dr. Aakriti Tandon

The History and Political Science Department will once again sponsor the Model UN Simulation to be held during Daemen's Annual Academic Festival. This year we are exploring the territorial disputes and conflict in the South China Sea. Students representing various countries will debate solutions to the territorial disputes in the South China Sea in a simulated session of the United Nations Security Council. Students in PSC 121 - International Relations will be participating in the simulation along with members of Daemen's new Model UN Student Club.  If you are interested in participating, please contact Dr. Aakriti Tandon at atandon@daemen.edu.

March is Women's History Month @ Daemen!

Daemen College invites you to celebrate Women's History Month--join us for events taking place throughout the month of March. 

Naomi Parker Fraley (1921-2018), inspiration for iconic Rosie the Riveter poster

 
Monday, March 5

7:00pm-9:00pm, RIC120

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Film and discussion by Dr. Serife Tekin

An African-American woman becomes an unwitting pioneer for medical breakthroughs when her cells are used to create the first immortal human cell line in the early 1950s. 2017 film, based on the book by journalist Rebecca Skloot.

* Discussion led by Dr. Serife Tekin (Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies)

Daemen Film Series

* Light refreshments provided

Thursday, March 8

7:00pm-8:00pm, RIC120

Redirecting the Gaze: Self-Portraits by Female Artists

Lecture by Dr. Yvonne K. Widenor

Yvonne K. Widenor is Visiting Assistant Professor and Program Director for the Art History program at Canisius College

* Sponsored by the Sister Jeanne File Art History Lecture Series

Tuesday, March 20

10:00am-11:20am, DS219

Poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Open Classroom: Victorian Women as Social Activists

Lecture/discussion by Dr. Nancy Marck

Victorian female poets wrote about more than love and romance. Join Dr. Marck's LIT204 open classroom to learn about Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem, “The Cry of the Children,” which explores the use of child labor in British factories.

Wednesday, March 21

7:30pm – 9:15pm, RIC (3^rd floor)

Readings in the RIC: Women’s Poetry

Join Buffalo poets Jennifer Campbell and Janna Willoughby-Lorh, for readings of their poems, at the March meeting of “Readings in the RIC” poetry series.

* Light refreshments provided

Thursday, March 22

6:00pm – 8:00pm, RIC120

Miss Representation

Film & panel discussion

Miss Representation asks, Why are women so underrepresented in positions of power and authority in America? How is women’s low status and power related to the distorted portrayals of women in the mass media? This powerful 2012 documentary connects the dots, arguing, “You can’t be what you can’t see.” 

The PANEL DISCUSSION after the movie features members of the AAUW Student Organization. Students on the panel and in the audience will discuss the issues of media representation and political participation explored in the film.

* Sponsored by the AAUW Student Organization and Daemen’s Women’s Studies Program

* Light refreshments provided

Wednesday, March 28

6:00pm-9:00pm, (RIC101)

Suffragette…and Suffragetto!

Watch the film…and play the board game!

SUFFRAGETTE
A century ago, British women were fighting (literally!) for the right to vote. The 2015 drama Suffragette features a young working-class woman
(Maud Watts, played by Carey Mulligan) who is drawn into the increasingly radical British suffrage movement, led by the dynamic Emmeline Pankhurst. Secret meetings, terrorism, and police suppression endanger Maud’s status as a worker, wife, and mother.
 

BONUS: SUFFRAGETTO!
After the film, we will pair off to play the vintage 1908 board game Suffragetto! In this two-person board game, radical suffragettes try to enter the British House of Commons while dodging arrests by the police barring their way.

* Sponsored by the AAUW Student Organization & Daemen’s Women’s Studies Program

* Light refreshments provided

COMING ATTRACTIONS (April):

Sunday, April 15

8:30am to 5:30pm

Day trip to Seneca Falls Women’s Rights National Historic Park (NPS)

Visit the birthplace of the Woman’s Rights Movement in the US on a day trip to Seneca Falls. Tour the Wesleyan Chapel and Women’s Rights Museum, with options to visit the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Home and other sites in historic Seneca Falls. 
* Tickets are only $10 per person (includes transportation and snacks; admission to the museum is free).    
* Deadline to sign up is April 7
Purchase your ticket here:  https://daemensenecafallstrip.eventbrite.com

* Sponsored by the AAUW Student Organization & Daemen’s Women’s Studies Program

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

See Academic Festival schedule for location/time

Acknowledgement of World Hijab Day

The hijab is a type of religious covering worn by many Muslim women across the world. Have you ever wondered what it really means to wear a hijab? Or how to put one on? Or what you'd look like covered? Join Daemen's American Association of University Women (AAUW) to explore the answers to these questions.

* Sponsored by the AAUW Student Organization 

** All events are open to the public**

** For more information about any of these events, contact Dr. Penny Messinger Women’s Studies Program Director, at pmessing@daemen.edu **

Pre Law Student Association (PLSA) Mock Trial

2016 Mock Trial Simulation

On April 20, the Pre Law Student Association (PLSA) hosted its 14th Annual Mock Trial Simulation. Participants are provided with a case packet consisting of witnesses statements, a stipulated fact pattern, and applicable law.  From these raw materials, the teams must develop a strategy and prepare everything from the opening remarks, direct and cross examination of witnesses, to the closing arguments on their own. The teams practice separately, forcing them to anticipate their opposition's case until the day of the actual trial.  For witnesses this is especially challenging -- they are practice their direct questioning with their team's counsel but are not subject to any practice cross-examination until the day of the big event.  The case materials, moreover, are written to give both sides a fair chance at prevailing, with a few curve balls and obstacles thrown in for good measure.  The jurors -- student volunteers from related political science courses -- render a verdict at the conclusion of the event.

Over 100 students have participated in the event since mock trial's debut at the 2003 Academic Festival as attorneys, witnesses, and jurors.  Many of those students have gone on to law school or careers in related fields and recall moot court as a fun experience that allowed them to practice their oral advocacy and presentation skills.  

This year's case was a criminal matter involving two counts of disorderly conduct and assault with a criminal enhancer for a "hate crime."  The case placed a high school senior on trial for an altercation where the victim was allegedly chosen for her sexual orientation.  The presentation of the case was followed by a "talk-back" session where participants and audience members could discuss the case and jury's verdict. 

What was unusual about this year's event was that it was the first time where the participants were all female -- and the gender of the participants in the role became as much a topic of discussion as did the LGBT issues during the talk back -- whether the gender of the students playing the character roles impacted the jury's perceptions of the legal claims or facts in dispute.  

In the end, the jury returned a split verdict, finding the defendant guilty of disorderly conduct but declining to convict on the assault. The jury failed to find that a hate crime had taken place, determining instead that the altercation was the consequence of adolescent disagreement in which both the victim and alleged perpetrator bore responsibility.  

Presiding over the event was Special Guest Judge, Sarah Rodman, who graduated from Daemen College in 2012 with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Pre Law. While at Daemen, Sarah organized a musical show-case event, Raise Your Voice, in order to bring awareness to LGBTQ bullying issues.  Her legal field interests are Intellectual Property law as pertaining to the fashion and design sector, as well as Copyright Law in the Entertainment sector. Her interest in the entertainment sector stems from her extensive musical and theatrical background. With over 16 years of private vocal training, both in Buffalo and NYC, she is trained in classical/opera and Broadway. Sarah is currently interning with the Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project. She will graduate from the University at Buffalo School of Law in May 2016.

The Prosecution

Representing the state and carrying the burden of proof in this criminal matter were: 

Assistant District Attorney: Jessica Maulucci (2016, Political Science) is a Student Alumni Ambassador. She has minors in Pre-Law Studies, Criminal Justice, Psychology, and General Business. She is interested in becoming a criminal prosecution attorney and will be attending law school in the fall. She has been accepted to Albany Law School, St. John's University, University at Buffalo, and Stetson University.  

Assistant District Attorney: Jasmine Favors (Political Science 2017) has an interest in becoming a criminal prosecutor. She plans on attending law school in either the New York City vicinity or out of sate after Daemen College.

Witness (Officer Bugg Winchester): Jenil Bell (Political Science 2017) is interested in going to law school and becoming a lawyer after graduating from Daemen College. 

Witness (Pat Walters): Brooklyn Crockton (Political Science and English ) likes to eat ice cream while watching court room dramas. She is considering law school as one of several options upon graduation.

Witness (Tina O’Reilly): Hannah Gerber (Political Science 2018) is a member of the Pre-Law Association. She is interested in becoming a criminal lawyer and plans to attend law school after graduating from Daemen College.

The Defense 

Defense Attorney: Imani Evans (Political Science 2018) is involved in Pre-Law association and is highly interested in politics, preforming arts, and communications. Her dream is to host her very own talk show.

Defense Attorney: Sassy Fernandez (Business Administration 2016) is specializing in International Business with a minor in Pre-Law. Her interests are economics, politics, and fashion. Sassy has played tennis for five years including one year on the Daemen Women's Tennis Team. She is currently interning for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) in downtown Buffalo.

Defense Attorney: Taqiyah Gibbons (History and Political Science 2018) is the Vice President of the Black Student Union and a member of both the Pre-law club and the History and Government Club. In the future she is planning on becoming both a Historian and a Lawyer.

Witness (Vice Principle Faye Zelleger): Fati Haruna (Political Science 2018) is captain of the step team, as well as a member of many different clubs on campus that promote diversity and creativity. She has always had an interest in the court system and attended Moot Court last spring at the academic festival as a juror.

Defendant (Carson White): Shamella Jeffers (History and Political Science 2018, minor in Black Studies) is the Sophomore class president, Historian of Cynergy and Secretary of Club Caribana. She wants to be an A.P. U.S. History teacher after being in the classroom for a few years. She also wants to work for the Department of Education to change the history curriculum.

Witness (Dana Reuter): Kayla Stannard (Physical Therapy BA:2018 DPT:2020) is a sister of Sigma Omega Chi sorority and is in the Honors Program and CRU as well. She participated in Moot Court throughout high school and was in the event at Daemen last year as a juror.
in schools.

Faculty Sponsors of the Event included: Dr. Lisa Parshall, Associate Professor of Political Science & Pre Law Advisor (PLSA Advisor), Dr. Jay Wendland, Assistant Professor of Political Science, and Dr. Heike Peckruhn, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies.