the DREAMERS

A revision to the DREAM ACT could potentially affect the number of applicable students attracted to CSULB -- a Hispanic serving institution.

The DREAM ACT stands for the development relief and education of alien minors. First introduced in 2001, the bill continues to lack Senate approval. The DREAM ACT intends to provide citizenship for alien minors if they complete two years of higher education or two years of military service.

“It’s a good thing. That way they [illegal immigrants] can contribute, opposed to being a parasite,” said Aaron Wild, a senior business major.

Florida senator, Marco Rubio wants to change the bill. Rubio wants to grant alien minors a legal status within the country through a nonimmigrant visa instead of citizenship. By changing the bill, Rubio intends to get Senate approval.

“The change is still good because at least it will give them [alien minors] hope,” said Juan Salazar a freshmen political science major. 

check out DREAM activists .

The Changing Face of Liberal Academia

CSULB professor Clorinda Donato recently resided as the chair of a search committee, responsible for appointing a new dean to the College of Liberal Arts (CLA).

The position for dean received 80 applicants. From those applicants 12 participated in “airport interviews,” (quick interviews that take place in a hotel near the airport). These airport interviews allowed the search committee a chance to get face time with each potential candidate.

The pool of 12 candidates dwindled down to five prospective deans. These five candidates then came on campus where forums hosted faculty, staff, and students. The forums gave everyone the opportunity to speak and ask questions.

The top five candidates were:

Bryant Alexander, CSU Los Angeles

Sachiko Matsunaga, CSU Los Angeles

Peter Nwosu, Tennessee State University

Brett Walker, Montana State University, Bozeman

David Wallace, University of Central Florida

Donato said the search committee sought a few qualifications in particular:

The committee wanted a candidate who is a published scholar.

Matsunaga published Japanese research.

Wallace published numerous poems.

And Walker recently published this book:  

                    

Donato said the committee wanted someone with interpersonal communication skills.

Alexander no long teaches but here are comments from his former students.

Donato said it was also important to have a dean with a vision.

Nwosu is currently the Vice Provost at Tennessee State University: 

 Donato said all the top contenders really believed in the CLA and have the foresight to enhance the synergy of the college as well as analyze its strengths and weaknesses.

 “We wanted someone who would be able to roll with the punches because there are definitely going to be a lot of punches,” Donato said.

Ultimately, Wallace accepted the position and will start July 1^st.  

thinking about Our Future

                                                                                                                        





CSULB assistant professor Andrew Ojede hosted the Federal Reserve Bank and a panel of economic students on Friday during CSULB’s Monetary Policy Symposium.

Here’s the flyer: http://www.csulb.edu/colleges/cla/departments/economics/documents/MonetaryPolicySymposium_000.pdf

The purpose of the symposium was to simulate the proceedings of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The FOMC creates the country’s monetary policy. This policy has the power to increase or decrease the number of dollars in the U.S. economy partly through their federal funds rate.

The federal fund rate is the short term interest rate banks charge each other for temporary loans, if one bank may find itself short of revenues. If the federal funds rate rises or falls, other interest rates often move in the same direction.  

CSULB economic students played the role of the FOMC by presenting their own 2013 monetary policies.

The symposium lasted for five hours with a unanimous conclusion that an increase to the federal funds rate is not desirable for the 2013 fiscal year.  

“This event would not have been possible without Andrew’s energy,” economics professor Alejandra Edwards said.