Index

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"Never let formal education get in the way of your learning." - Mark Twain (20030305we)

Getting Started

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To get started, we would recommend that you consider the following:

1. Academic Coach. Find someone to meet with on a regular basis to discuss your academic goals. Your meetings can be weekly, monthly, or even quarterly, depending on your need. The purpose for the meetings is to explore and consider ways you can be more effective. Your coach can offer encouragement or provide suggestions you might not have thought of. Let us know if you need help finding an academic coach. [click here]
2. Academic Services. Consider making regular use of the resources available through Life University.

Let us know if you have any questions.

Our Mission: Tikkun Olam

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We have adopted the Mission of Resources for Life which is "Tikkun Olam." Within Judaism there is a Hebrew word, Tikkun. "Tikkun" is more than just a word or an idea, it is a way of life. "Tikkun" means to repair, heal, or restore. Tikkun Atzmi (repairing oneself), Tikkun Kehilah (repairing one's community), and Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) are all expressions of this idea of Tikkun. This theme of Tikkun (to be a repairer or healer) describes our goal and mission at Life University. It is with this in mind that we continue to develop Life University and broaden our search for more educational tools, products, services, and other resources that will help you grow in your life to become a more effective repairer of the world within your area of specialty and influence. We are pleased to join with thousands of other organizations in this common vision. Click here to view the Tikkun Olam Map of Resources for Life, or click here to visit the Tikkun Olam Resource Group. [Index | Top of Page | QuickLinksİ | Map]

Corporate Sponsors, Endorsements, and Advertising

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These days its commonplace for Universities and even High Schools to sign over much of their educational freedom to corporate sponsors in exchange for financial support. In some educational venues, advertising can even be more prevalent than in any other private or public setting, since corporations have actually purchased the rights to promote their products and services in high traffic and high visibility areas.

Many people who visit Life University are perplexed by the lack of corporate sponsorship, endorsements, and advertising. They ask us, "Where have all the corporate sponsors gone?" Perhaps you are familiar with the old folk song from the 1900s by Pete Seeger, "Where Have All The Flowers Gone?" [reference] Well, at Life University, advertising has gone to the Advertising Quarantineİ [view] according to new Internet guidelines established by Resources for Life [about], and corporate sponsors just don't exists.

We feel that advertising and blatant commercialism are inappropriate in an educational setting which is supposed to foster the freedom of speech and the free flow of information. We believe that commercial influence and bias would undoubtedly hinder the educational process and might establish a means for even more corporate censorship. For example, a course that examines the use of sweatshops in Thailand would most likely not be offered by a University that has a contract with Nike. Another concern is that the classroom, like prime-time television, could soon be reduced to an artificial backdrop for corporate advertising.

Our goal is to eliminate or reduce advertising and commercialism as much as possible. However, when appropriate, we will offer links to information provided by businesses on the Internet for educational purposes. As much as possible, we try to use these links for the benefit of educators and students. For example, we use Amazon.com for book and media references. We apologize that we can't extend the "no advertising" policy to the content providers we use. [Index | Top of Page | QuickLinksİ | Map] [ChrisAndLuke.com - an example of sponsorship gone bad.]

Equal Opportunity Educational Institution

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As much as possible, we try to be an equal opportunity educational institution. However, we feel that it is rude, insensitive, and presumptuous for an institution or organization to claim that it has achieved a kind of enlightened state of complete "Equal Opportunity" for all people.

The phrase "Equal Opportunity" should not be used as an adjective that describes what an institution has become, it should be used as a verb that describes what an institution strives to be. "Equal Opportunity" is an ongoing process that involves utilizing all available resources and technologies so that each person's needs are met in an effort to enhance their ability to reach their goals and dreams. We believe that every new educator and every new student is a unique person with their own combination of special abilities and limitations.

Some educational institutions proudly rattle off a long list of categories they don't discriminate by, such as, "race, national origin, color, creed, religion, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or associational preference." Yet those same educational institutions routinely discriminate and reject students based on entrance exams, economic status, test scores, learning disabilities, grade point averages, recommendations, writing skills, and a host of other criteria. This form of discrimination is designed to create, maintain, and perpetuate a massive minimum wage work force to be exploited by the upper class. Sadly, the few students who are accepted often become indoctrinated into the ideologies of corporations and trained to serve corporate interests. [Click here for more information on Corporate Sponsorship.]

At Life University, our desire is to remove obstacles that exist between students and higher education. Therefore, rather than placing excessive requirements on students for admission, we place the burden on our own institution to make education accessible to anyone. For this reason, we even admit students who do not have a high school diploma. We admit people from Amish communities with an 8th grade level education. Even our Admissions process is easy and free. If you have any suggestions on how we can make our University more accessible, please let us know. [Feedback] [Index | Top of Page | QuickLinksİ | Map]

Admissions

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Because we strive to make education accessible for everyone, our admissions process is simple. Please read our statement on Equal Opportunity for more information on qualifications for admission. [click here] We offer four different methods for applying.

1. If you are reading this text as a web page, then you probably have access to shelter, electricity, a computer, and the Internet. This means you are most likely among the top 1/10th of 1% of the wealthiest people in the world. Congratulations! We hope you will use the blessings and gifts that you have to help improve the lives of the other 99.9% of the people in the world who are less fortunate that you are. Please take a moment of your leisure time to visit the Hunger Site and help provide food to people who are dying of starvation before proceeding to the Admissions process. Click here for the Hunger Site then Click here to fill out our Feedback and Admissions form.
2. If you are reading this text as a printed page, and do not have a computer, contact the person who gave you this page (see description #1 above) and ask them to let you use their computer. If they will not let you use their computer, shame on them! Find a public library and use an available Internet terminal to visit our web site at: www.resourcesforlife.com/groups/lifeuniversity/ and then fill out our Feedback and Admissions form. [click here]
3. If you do not have an appropriate ID, your local library may not let you use an Internet terminal. Or, maybe your library doesn't have sufficient funding for an Internet terminal. Or, maybe there are no public libraries where you live. In any case, please send your name and contact information to us at the address listed on the bottom of this web page.

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We also offer global one-on-one or group training. Let us know if you would like the additional benefit of having an instructor available on site. Some destinations may require additional fees to cover international airfare. No destination is too difficult. Please let us know if you have electricity, food, water, and shelter available. Travel into or through dangerous, unstable, or infectious areas may cost more depending on Travel Advisory and Intelligence reports. Travel to areas with no access to roads or airstrips will most likely require a helicopter or air drop, additional fees may apply. Our journalists, researchers, and instructors have traveled to the ends-of-the-earth through various venues including:

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Tuition

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Our tuition varies depending on your level of study and what campus resources you would like to access. The following is provided as an example of what the typical costs might be for a 12 month period compared to a typical University.

We recognize that $800 exceeds the annual income of most people in the world. The chart above is provided as an example. We have educational opportunities that are more economical. Contact us for more information. [Index | Top of Page | QuickLinksİ | Map]

Course Catalog

Free Courses

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As we strive to be more effective as an equal opportunity educational institution, we are always looking for ways to remove obstacles between students and higher education. We hope to make equal access to education a reality for everyone. With this in mind, we now offer free courses for those who can't afford an education. For more information, please review our course catalog, click here. [Index | Top of Page | QuickLinksİ | Map]

Study Abroad

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We currently recommend the study abroad programs available through the Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs. Click here to visit their website. [Index | Top of Page | QuickLinksİ | Map]

Campus Map

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At Life University, the world is our campus. However, our Main Campus consists of the Resources for Life domain which has been mapped from a Tikkun perspective. The campus expands outward from there to the ends of the earth. Click here to view the campus map now. [Index | Top of Page | QuickLinksİ | Map]

Our Library

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We use the Resources for Life Library as the starting place to find various types of information media such as books, tapes, CDs, DVDs, magazines, newspapers, and online reference materials. Click here to visit the Resources for Life Library. [Index | Top of Page | QuickLinksİ | Map]

Campus Shopping Mall

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As you might imagine, today, traditional student bookstores have expanded to meet the needs of today's students. We acknowledge this need and have developed a complete online Campus Shopping Mall where you can access hundreds of merchants and vendors to purchase millions of products and services including: computers, software, clothing, food, music, books, office supplies, and more. Click here to visit the Resources for Life Direct Shopping Center and Advertising Quarantine. [Index | Top of Page | QuickLinksİ | Map]

Job Placement

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We use the Career Management Resource Group to assist our students with job placement. Click here to visit the Career Management Resource Group. [Index | Top of Page | QuickLinksİ | Map]

For Educators

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If you are an educator who would like to offer your services through Life University, please let us know. Click here to fill out our Feedback form. [Index | Top of Page | QuickLinksİ | Map]

The Meaning of L'Chaim

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You might have noticed L'Chaim at the top of this web page. L'Chaim is a Hebrew phrase often used as a Jewish Toast. Here is one Rabbi's definition:

"L'Chaim" means not "to life" as it is commonly translated, but "to lives" in the plural. No one could live life by themselves. We all need someone else. So there's no point in toasting life, because life that is not shared is unlivable. -- Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, a Hasidic Lubavitcher Rabbi, author of The Wolf Shall Lie With the Lamb: The Messiah in Hasidic Thought. Click here for more information on The Wolf Shall Lie With the Lamb. [Index | Top of Page | QuickLinksİ | Map]

Thank You

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Thanks for visiting Life University. Please let us know if there is any way we can serve you. Click here to fill out our Feedback form. [Index | Top of Page | QuickLinksİ | Map]

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Copyright İ 1964-2002 Resources for Life | Revised: Friday, 21 March 2003 11:11:36 Central Time US