Civitas Associates
Gateway Model United Nations Newsletter )
VOL. II, No. 4 January 28, 2003
In this issue....
  • World Federalist Conference Theme Changed
  • Final MUNUC Prep Session Held
  • 8th Grade News
  • Frivolous Model U.N.
  • New Poll

  • Dear Arthur,

    On the high school front, our participants finished their third and final preparation session last Saturday. On the eighth grade front, we are moving at full throttle with class visits. All this, and more, in today's newsletter!

    In addition to reading our newsletters, you may also want to visit our web site by clicking here. We have a good deal of current information, and through the year we will be working on building up our archives from previous years.

    World Federalist Conference Theme Changed

    The previously announced World Federalist Association conference has changed its them. Previously the topic was the "Dangers of Unilateralism." It is now "FINDING GLOBAL SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL PROBLEMS." The theme is different, but the dates, process for applying, and everything else remains the same.

    The conference will be Thursday, March 27 - Sunday, March 30, 2003 in Washington, DC. The World Federalist Association of Greater St. Louis will provide transportation, registration, meals, & lodging at the Capitol Hill Suites Hotel for a college student or a high- school junior/senior to attend this national WFA convention.

    If you want to be a contestant for this subsidized trip, write a 3-5 page typed essay (double-spaced) consisting of two parts. In the first part tell us about your background and why you would be a good person for us to send to this meeting. In the second part share with us your thinking about the problems our world community faces and how we might deal with them more effectively.

    In exchange for this subsidy the St. Louis WFA expects you to give us a brief written report about the conference & what you learned from it. (This helps us raise money for next time.)

    You can access more information on the conference by clicking on the link below.

    Information on WFA Conference on "FINDING GLOBAL SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL PROBLEMS"

    Final MUNUC Prep Session Held
    The third and final preparation session for MUNUC (Model U.N. of the University of Chicago) was held on Saturday, January 25 at Crossroads School. We reviewed final details for the trip and used the following simulation as a warm-up for the conference:

    The Bush Administration is proposing to drill for more oil in Alaska. Doing so would give the United States more "energy independence," but it would also do considerable damage to the ecology of Alaska. For the sake of this simulation, let's" say that the Bush Administration wants to open up 10,000 square miles (100 miles by 100 miles) of Alaskan land for drilling with a pipeline running 800 miles at a width of half a mile. Your job is to discuss, debate, possibly amend, and vote on this proposal. In the process, your group can write one or more "working papers" on the issue. We need people to take the following roles:

    1. President of the United States
    2. Secretary of State
    3. Secretary of Defense
    4. Administrator of E.P.A.
    5. Secretary of Interior
    6. President of BP-Amoco
    7. President of Sierra Club
    8. President of General Motors
    9. Representative of St. Louis Coalition for the Environment
    10. Representative of St. Louis MetroLink
    11. Chief of OPEC
    12. Governor of Alaska
    13. Representative of fisherpersons of Alaska
    14. Prime Minister of Canada


    Discussion was excellent; two caucuses formed to work on varying working papers, and non-committed figures such as the governor of Alaska or the fisherpersons in Alaska were available for politicking. We extend our congratulations to all delegates who prepared so well!

    If you have still not submitted your "Permission & Emergency" Form as well as your MUNUC liability form, please do so immediately and send them to us!

    Finally, if you have any remaining payment due, please submit that as well.

    Directions to Crossroads School

    Detailed MUNUC Update
    Sample MUNUC Position Paper

    Guide to Writing a MUNUC Position Paper Here

    8th Grade News
    In the past week, we have visited St. Dominic Savio School, Our Lady of Fatima School, Mary Queen of Peace School, and Cathedral School. Next week, before leaving for MUNUC, we'll visit Ridgewood Middle School in Arnold. Three other schools are on our agenda prior to the February 24 teacher meeting (rescheduled from yesterday). If you are an 8th grade teacher and would like us to make a first or second classroom visit prior to the February 24 meeting when resolutions for each session are selected, please call us at (314) 367-6480 or E-Mail us at [email protected].

    We extend our congratulations to all the students who have excelled so far in these visits. We seem to have a very knowledgable group of students who will be participating in this year's sessions.

    We have several changes in the rosters. Mary Queen of Peace School is going to bring 60 students on April 2. In the meantime, Maplewood-Richmond Heights is moving its forty-seven students and fifteen countries from April 30 to April 16. Special thanks to Carolyn Jackson for making the move and eliminated all country conflicts with other schools on the 16th.

    For up-to-date information on what schools are representing what countries on each date, please click on the link below.

    8th Grade Country Rosters



    Frivolous Model U.N.
    This year's high school Frivolous Model U.N. is Saturday, February 15 from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM at Crossroads School. More details will follow in next week's newsletter!

    New Poll
    In last week's poll, eleven respondents rated George W. Bush's performance as "less than average;" six rated it as "better than average." Tonight (Tuesday, January 27, 2003), the president delivers his "State of the Union" address.

    Our question has nothing to do with the content of his message. It has to do with the custom of members of the audience (the House of Reps., the Senate, the Supreme Court, and the Cabinet -- minus one member in hiding for security reasons) interrupting the presidents' speeches with dozens of rounds of applause. Our question is as follows:

    Would you favor a system in which applause (and/or jeers) for the president's "State of the Union" address was withheld until the end of the speech?

    1. Yes
    2. No
    3. Not Sure

    Link to Poll

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