############################################################\\ \\######### T h e E l e c t r o n i c N e w s l e t t e r o f \\ \\C S S %=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=\\ \\=%=%=%= ____________ ____________ _____________ \\ N \\ / _____ )) / _________)) / __________)) \\ \\ / // )____)) { ((________ { ((_________ \\ E \\ { || _____ \_________ )) \_________ )) \\ \\ \ \\____) )) __________) )) ___________) )) \\ W \\ \____________// (_____________// (______________// \\ \\ \\ \\ ]]]]]]]]] ]]]]]]] ]]]]]]]] ]]]]]]] ]]] ]]] \\ \ ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]] ]] \\ ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]]]]]]]] ]] ]] ============== ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] No. 94017 ]]] ]]]]]]] ]]]]]]]] ]]] ]]] ]]] _ 1994.12.18 _ %=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%= CSS Today Editorial Board csstoday@iastate.edu %=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=%=
As the year is drawing to the end, it is time for many of you to renew your medical insurance policy to prepare for the needs of the next year. IFCSS is happy to continue to serve you in this regard, and we would like to take this opportunity to introduce to you the 1995 IFCSS Medical Insurance Program.
While the use of a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) is optional in the 1994 plan, it becomes an integral feature of next year's benefits, services and payment schedule. To help you get a better grasp of the difference between the 1995 program and the 1994 plan, especially the benefits and services you will be getting and your out-of-pocket expenses, we have designed a chart that summarizes the benefits under the 1995 plan. This, together with a more detailed description of the coverage and exclusions of the plan will be posted as soon as they are available. And of course you will receive a complete description in the Certificate of Coverage when you purchase the plan. Here, we enclose a list of questions and answers that might gratify your curiosity to some extent.
For those of you who are concerned about the $24 difference in annual premium and whose renewal date is before December 31, 1994, you still have the option of purchasing the 1994 plan for as long as a year. We urge you to carefully compare the two plans and make up your own mind. But for those whose renewal date is after January 1, 1995, you will have to buy the 1995 plan if you wish to renew your policy.
Our "one word of advice" remains the same: if you know you need to have an insurance coverage to waive out of the program recommended by your school, send in your enrollment or renewal form As Soon As You Can; please don't wait till the last minute to enroll! Though IGS can and will make special provision for those who call in the say that they need the proof of enrollment "right now," it cannot always satisfy everyone's demand. To spare yourself the hassle and anxiety the day before the deadline, please do take our words seriously.
Remember, you can always call the toll-free number 1-800-394-2500 to ask just about any questions you have about the new plan. You can be assured that you will be treated with courtesy. Alternatively, please feel free to call or e-mail us whenever you have questions or doubts about the 1995 plan, as our goal is always to help you make smart and well-informed choices, in addition to getting what you are entitled to claim.
IFCSS HQ would like to thank you in advance for choose our plan -- you know you have nothing to lose and you know you have a great year ahead of you.
The IFCSS medical insurance program is the only low-premium and not-for- profit insurance program available to the CSS community today. Each quarter the headquarters allocates up to 40% of the revenue it generates to local CSS associations across the country. We wish to see these activity funds used to help promote students activities on local campuses and communities, and at the same time, facilitate the links between the IFCSS headquarters and its grassroot organizations.
Another important feature of the IFCSS insurance program is that it is stable and very well managed. It has been on market for more than four years, and has earned excellent reputation since its inception. While some other plans with equally attractive low premium have yet to demonstrate whether they are immune to the volatile, high-cost health care industry, being still at the high risk points of their learning curve, our plan has a proven record of steady growth in terms of both enrollment figure and popularity.
The schools or universities listed below are those whose number of enrollment was or has exceeded 10 during the months of July, August and September, 1994. The enrollment number on each campus changes from month to month, as the insurance program itself experiences low and high seasons. All of us certainly expect to keep the number at its all-time high, which would benefit local campuses and contribute to the financial well-being of IFCSS as well. Therefore, we ask all of local CSS associations to make harder efforts to promote IFCSS insurance program, as some have already done with great success.
If you find your campus on the following list, please remind the leaders of your association to fill out the application form attached at the end of this message and mail it to us to claim your due.
Thank you for your enrollment in the IFCSS insurance program, and thank you for your invaluable support of IFCSS.
School Enrollment Activity Fees($)
Northern Arizona Univ 18 118.08 Arizona State Univ 176 1097.86 CSU/Los Angeles 15 120.38 Stanford Univ 40 266.78 U of Southern CA/LA 13 101.76 Acad of Art College 16 109.44 Geo Wash Univ 11 80.64 Georgetown Univ 12 113.28 U/Florida/Gainsv 312 2695.62 Florida State Univ 77 529.06 U/West Florida 20 184.90 U/South Florida 44 497.28 Florida Atlantic Univ 59 717.50 Emory Univ 21 155.71 U/GA Athens 17 214.85 Savannah Col/Art Design 19 186.05 U/Hawaii/Honolulu/Manoa 18 159.65 U/Chicago/Chicago 10 70.08 Northwestern Univ 10 107.14 Purdue Univ 393 2891.39 U/Iowa/Iowa City 67 490.66 U/Kansas/Lawrence 14 96.77 Kansas State Univ 17 100.80 U/Louisville 30 174.56 U/Kentucky/Lexington 29 266.91 Tulane Univ 38 272.45 Louisiana State Univ 54 349.25 U/Maryland/College Park 23 178.59 John Hopkins Univ 82 601.06 Brandeis Univ/Waltham 23 184.32 Newton North 11 86.40 Mississippi State Univ 34 355.97 St Louis Univ 11 64.32 U/Missouri/Kansas City 20 142.66 U/Missouri/Columbia 10 45.70 U/New Hampshire/Durham 10 87.74 Monmouth College 12 77.18 Univ of MEd and Dent of 11 73.28 U/N Mexico/Albuquerque 35 248.00 NM State U/Las Cruces 24 175.87 Columbia Univ 11 78.34 New York Univ 11 111.55 CUNY-Baruch College 17 113.86 Cornell Univ 84 659.52 Duke University 49 322.56 U/N Carolina/Chapel Hil 92 453.12 East Carolina Univ 23 140.54 Kent State Univ 61 407.33 Ohio State Univ 76 520.80 Univ of Akron 61 377.28 Case Western Reserve Un 14 109.63 Univ of Cincinnati 13 161.73 Medical Col of OH/Toled 22 132.48 Oregon State Univ 34 239.90 U/Pennsylvania 29 240.77 Temple Univ 10 69.70 Lehigh Univ 33 327.58 Brown Univ 11 88.51 Vanderbilt Univ 13 104.06 U/Tenn Memphis 18 129.98 Rice Univ 43 381.50 U/Houston/Clear Lake 11 114.82 Houston Community Coll 12 96.96 U/Houston/Houston 22 177.12 Utah State Univ 20 143.81 U/Utah 61 392.93 VA Tech and State Univ/ 80 601.82 U/VA/Charlottesville 58 579.26 Old Dominion Univ 13 88.22 George Mason Univ 26 263.62 U/Washington/Seattle 10 73.73 Marquette Univ 20 140.26
Local CSS Activity Fee Application Form
1. Institution: _________________________________________________ 2. Name of Organization: _________________________________________________________________ 3. Registered in Your School Yes __ No __ 4. Approximate number of members: ________________ 5. Local CSS Email Network: Yes __ No __ If answered yes, list the address: ___________________________ 6. Current President: Name: _______________________ Telephone __________________ (o) Fax: _______________________ Telephone __________________ (h) Email: ______________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________ 7. Vice-President: (or regular contact person) Name: _______________________ Telephone __________________ (o) Fax: _______________________ Telephone __________________ (h) Email: ______________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________
8. Time of Re-election _______________________ 9: Representatives to Previous IFCSS Congresses: 10. Make checks payable to: __________________________________ 11. Address send checks to: _________________________________ 12. Signature: President _____________________ Treasurer __________________
Documents to accompany application: A: You must attach an official letter from your school verifying that your organization is a registered organization. B: Local CSS directory. C: Local CSS Newsletter if any.
Though modern democracy has well established in the human developing history due to its great contribution to modern civilization, the debate about its definition and conditions has never come to an end. It is not only because the explanations about democracy, as those about all other processes in human societies, may carry some subjective views, but more importantly, the democracy itself rejects any authorized theory in its principle as described by Carl Cohen in his famous book "Democracy".
Today, having lost its traditional enemy, the communism in Eastern Europe and former USSR, democracy faces the challenge no less than ever when America as a postmodern society is declining and the developing countries are encountering some intrinsic difficulties in their democratic practices. Meanwhile, many people including those who do not understand and those who do not need democracy are carrying the flag of democracy around. It makes people more confused about concepts of democracy which already need to be measured for thorough overhaul.
In our Chinese community, we can see the debate about if China has possessed the conditions required for democracy going on wherever there is a Chinese forum. This may be one of most important questions for democracy and China today.
The final measurement on the conditions for democracy could only be accomplished in practicing democracy in China. However, these debates themselves are kind of practice of democracy from which we may have some idea about if we have the most fundamental conditions for democracy - the psychological condition. The psychological condition means the character and common sense the member of a democratic society must possess according to Cohen. The willing to make compromise is one of them. Cohen said:
"Some people insist that making compromise as a a political means is morally wrong. They said, if you know or at least believe your principle is right and fair, but you still want to make compromise, that would be a shame and wrong. Your principle failed because you did not insist on it. Any intention to make compromise would hurt the insistence."
Whom are Carl Cohen talking about? Can we see ourselves from the mirror? I surely do and fail to see why it is wrong until read following explanation:
"This stand is a threat to the democracy presupposing the society. ... ... If the conflicting aspects consider upholding their stands is more important than upholding the society in which they are. This society will be destroyed without question. Though it is possible to rebuild an "alliance" by force, the war must be brutal. Rebuilding a real society will be slow and painful. "
What a stricking comment! May I add that the rebuilt society will face the exact same problem very soon.
The psychological condition is also referred as "democratic spiritual status". Holmes described those who do not want to make compromise as: "the cavalier in the romantic stories, if you only admit his lover is a good girl, that is not enough. You have to admit she is perfect and matchless, otherwise he will go to you for a decisive fight."
Having grown up in a depressing society and now living in a self-indulgent one, we may have some excuse for our spiritual status whatever it is. But if we want to promote democracy, we really have to improve our spiritual status.
The South Florida Chinese Science, Economics and Culture Association (CASEC), a newly established CSS organization, is registered with the Florida State government as a nonpolitical, non-profit organization. The Association's members are professionals involved in academic research, economic management, finance, law and social science.
The Association's aims are: (1) To promote the exchange of professional information among members and assist in the development of the activities of Chinese in the South Florida; (2) To strengthen the ties between the community of Chinese professionals here and China by improving communication cross the fields of science, technology, and business; (3) To offer a setting for Chinese in the South Florida to share information and friendship, (4) To support scientific and economic collaborations between United States and China, and (5) to further develop the outstanding traditions of the Chinese people.
The Executive Committee is composed of Matthew He (President, Tel: (305) 752-0374, Email: hem@polaris.nova.edu), John Yu (VP), Frank Zhang (VP), Jason Yan (VP), Phillip Gao (Secretary-General), Peng Lu (Treasurer), and Linfeng Zhou (Legal Advisor).
The IFCSS Consultation Service Committee(CSC) consists solely of volunteers who are willing to devote their time and knowledge to help other Chinese students and scholars here in the U.S. Basically, the CSC members try to answer every question related to immigration, legal, financial, tax, health, visa, and other miscellaneous questions related to CSS's daily lives. CSC is publishing the CSC Journal twice a month. During the special seasons (like the period before the April tax due date) it has special releases to meet those needs. CSC's archive publications are stored on the IFCSS ftp site: ifcss/services/consultation, or on the mirror image of the CND.ORG ftp site. CSC would like to thank all of the volunteer members who make its Journal a success, and particularly to Mr. Guang Hong's contribution to the CSC in answering questions and editing the forthcoming issues of the journal, as well as his valuable advice to the rest of the CSC members. HONG Guang joined the Committee just early this summer Yet without him, CSC Journal could not have been published on time and up to the standard expected by our readers.
Currently, CSC has close to 25 members who are readily available to serve the CSS community. Most of members are about to leave school to start working, or have already a successful career or profession. CSC is very fortunate to have them serve on our Committee. However, CSC needs more volunteers, especially in the field of law, which is one of the weakest area and has the largest demands. Of course, CSC always welcomes people from all walks of life to join it to contribute their expertises. During the previous couple of months, it is great to have the following fellows to join our Committee: 1. Frank Xushan Fang: specialty -- job hunting and related matters. 2. Chu Hai-guang: specialty -- banking and investment matters. 3. Ye Fei: specialty -- general investment matters.
One of the committee member, Mr. Marc Forino, is leaving to pursue his career overseas. During the time he served on the Committee, Marc offered many valuable suggestions and recommendations especially on the VISA issues. He spent a great deal of his time on proofreading every out-coming issue of the CSC Journal. We all wish him the best in his future career. CSC is mainly service and demand-oriented. The committee receives inquiries and tries to answer them to the best of our knowledge and capacity. Generally speaking, some of the questions can be answered by consulting the resources available in the library. For some others, especially immigration related questions, they are difficult to answer because of limited experiences. In this case, CSC will provide a reference that hopefully would lead to further clues. CSC intends to attach several articles on job-hunting skills in the following CSC Journals. If it is possible, the Journal will carry some articles on VISA application. CSC is looking for people who are willing to join the Committee. CSC especially hopes that those who just left school to start a career would volunteer to share their knowledge and experience with the rest of CSS community. And as always, if any of you have questions that CSC may help you with, please don't hesitate to e-mail WANG@uwyo.edu. By all means please feel free to write CSC any suggestions or comments to help in doing the job more efficiently. (WANG Xiaohan is the coordinator of the IFCSS CSC.)
Dear Editor:
I was surprised to read the first item of IFCSS HQ Work Review (November), which said that an IFCSS HQ officer attended a reception in PR Embassy. As every body knows, IFCSS has been labeled as a counterrevolutionary organization by Chinese Government. It's inconceivable that a representative from a "counterrevolution" organization was invited to a party by CG. Anybody from IFCSS can clarify this issue. Has the CG changed its policy or something else happened?
= = = = = = = = = = Editor's Note:
According to IFCSS HQ, Mr. YANG Jie went to the Chinese Embassy representing the local CSS organization at University of Maryland. Taking advantage of the event, Yang made effort to introduce IFCSS. By the way, to our knowledge, IFCSS has never been formally labeled as "counter- revolutionary" organization.
############################################################################ | Editor of this issue: WU Yegang Deputy Coordinator: DING Yungui | | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - | | CSS Today is a publication of the CSS Today Editorial Board devoted to | | the CSS community for your right to know. What CSS Today carries does | | not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editors. | | ________________________________________________________________________ | | | | CSS Today welcomes contributions, comments, questions, criticisms and | | anything concerning a healthy establishment of the CSS community. For | | question, please inquire to: | | | | csstoday@iastate.edu | ############################################################################