Re: HOPE Nicaragua January 2013 PLEASE REVIEW

[MICHAEL AR CIPOLETTI]

Joe and Campus Ministry Team

Over the past several weeks the board has taken time to process your e-mail. While we understand the decision that was made and why it was made we are as an organization a bit disappointed with how this process was handled and wanted to go on the record in saying so as we need to view this as an opportunity to grow and learn. 

FriendsNE is dedicated to building a strong relationship with the College and seeks to provide opportunities for Stonehill students to walk in solidarity with the poor. We all feel strongly that we are working together toward attaining that goal but one of the keys to this relationship is clear and prompt communication. FNE seeks to be viewed as a professional organization and we want our programs to be viewed as serious viable impacting experiences for participants; this is what Stonehill desires and what the HOPE program requires, in order to do so we need to receive detailed expectations from HOPE early on so preparations can be made to satisfy the colleges needs.

No one board member can make decisions on trips and we need time to sit down and discuss things as a group. We need to receive communications in a timely fashion to enable that to happen and the more detail you share with us the easier we are able to have a meaningful discussion. Again we seek to be able to satisfy the needs of all trip participants and the easiest way to do this is through outlining what is expected strong organization and solid pre-trip preparation leads to a smooth trip and a satisfied group. The board is working closely to streamline the trip layout and to build a program that we can offer to other schools we see Stonehill as a critical component in making that happen.  

Lastly I think it is important to reiterate the fact that FNE is an entirely volunteer operation the hours we put into preparation of schedules, the time we spend sending emails, reviewing proposals etc are hours donated to our dedication to this work. In the future before we are asked to prepare for a trip that trip should have a green light so our board can maximize its productivity. 

Thank you for continuing to work with us and we look forward to the March 2013 trip.

Sincerely 

Michael Cipoletti and the FNE Board

On Oct 19, 2012, at 5:20 PM, Miller, Joseph R. wrote:

Dear Anna, Michael, Travis, and Mo:

 

Once again, I thank you for all of your work in working with us to strengthen the Stonehill – FNE relationship.  

 

After consulting with Anna and Michael (separately) after the board’s meeting the other day and with Fr. Hugh Cleary, our Campus Ministry director here at Stonehill; I have decided not to move forward with a January Stonehill trip to Nicaragua.  Allow me to elaborate why below.

 

1)      FNE’s relationship with Stonehill.  It is clear that it’s a mutual desire to have strong relationship between FNE and Stonehill.  As director of H.O.P.E., I want to make sure that we at Stonehill make sure that we put you in a position to succeed with our Nicaragua trip.  Therefore, in light of some clear areas  of improvement outlined and reviewed by both Stonehill and FNE, it seemed that it would be best not to run a Stonehill trip concurrent with another group.  Whether or not it’s something that FNE could do; I think we all need to ask if (legally, liability-wise, etc.) it is something we should do.

 

2)      Stonehill’s 1^st winter trip:  Similar to the above concerns, this would have been the first time H.O.P.E. offered a winter trip.  We’ve come to the conclusion that for many of the same reasons outlined above, it’s perhaps not prudent to move forward for a January trip.

 

3)      Numbers: there were 5 students who could go to Nicaragua only during January.  All others could go during our regular March trip, and can be accommodated in that group; and these five can mostly be accommodated in other groups as well.  Considering the amount of careful planning and scheduling this would require, my instincts are telling me that it’s best to wait and do a winter trip another year when there’s a full group (which is what we were expecting, but didn’t have).

 

Finally, for my part, I realize that I have not been as punctual as I need to be (i.e., sending the ‘expectations/objectives’ document) to make sure that a concurrent trip can run successfully in the context of the Nicaragua trip review we were already engaged in.  In order for our relationship to work, you need better communication and I should have been more careful about my own limitations around the planning for January and review; along with the 10 other sites I’m already managing! J  With such a large program, I have to always have in mind the greater good for the H.O.P.E. program as a whole.  In this case, I think that greater good means being more firm about doing only the trips we have set up now well; and trying to implement a winter trip in another year.

 

Again, I thank you all for your work and your understanding with this.  I look forward to continuing our relationship together in the coming year.

 

With peace,

 

Joe Miller

 

Joe Miller, M.A.

Campus Minister for HOPE

Stonehill College

508.565.1220 (o)

jmil...@stonehill.edu

 

Connect with Campus Ministry on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Campus-Ministry-at-Stonehill-College/167705243312509

 

 

 

From: Miller, Joseph R. 
Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2012 5:40 PM
To: 'michael cipoletti'
Cc: Anna Desousa; Travis Kumph; Mo Weinhardt
Subject: RE: Response to Feedback document.

 

Dear Michael and FNE board,

 

I do hope this note finds you well. 

Attached please find a document of objectives/desired learning outcomes for Stonehill’s HOPE trips to Nicaragua in 2013.

 

I based these off of the objectives of the overall H.O.P.E. program; and have provided those for you in the last pages of this document.  Specific to the Nicaragua trip, I highlight parts of these objectives and offer suggestions from past schedules that, based on my limited first-hand experience of this trip, could be appropriate for fulfilling these goals.

 

Thanks again for your diligence in working to strengthen this HOPE site!

 

Sincerely,

 

Joe Miller

 

Joe Miller, M.A.

Campus Minister for HOPE

Stonehill College

508.565.1220 (o)

jmil...@stonehill.edu

 

Connect with Campus Ministry on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Campus-Ministry-at-Stonehill-College/167705243312509

 

 

 

From: michael cipoletti [mailto:ike...@me.com] 
Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2012 10:45 AM
To: Cappelleri, MaryAnne; Miller, Joseph R.
Cc: Anna Desousa; Travis Kumph; Mo Weinhardt
Subject: Response to Feedback document.

 

 

[Trav]

Sounds great.

Trav

Sent from my iPhone

[MICHAEL AR CIPOLETTI]

no edits?

[Trav]

I only read it once but I didn't see anything

Sent from my iPhone

[MICHAEL AR CIPOLETTI]

ok