GV PS

President Haas's Editorial

In case you missed it last Friday, August 24, GVSU President Thomas Haas had an editorial published in The Detroit News entitled, "Stop blame game, forge solutions for college."

Here are some interesting quotes from the editorial:

"96.5 percent of our students are Michigan residents and almost 40 percent come from Metro Detroit.

Our graduates take up careers in professions for which there is significant demand. Ninety-seven percent of our most recent graduates are employed or in graduate school.

Of those employed, 88 percent are working in Michigan.

Grand Valley remains affordable, and our students are among the state's best qualified. Our tuition rate places us 13th among Michigan's 15 public campuses; our rate of change is lower than the national, Midwest and Michigan averages.

For 11 years in a row, Grand Valley has been named one of the country's 100 best college buys. In every year that we have increased tuition, we have increased financial aid by at least the same amount -- despite the fact that we rank last in state funding per student."

- Detroit News, August 24, 2007 (see link above for full editorial).

Election Roundtable

Election Roundtable

The members of the Grand Valley State community are invited to attend and participate in a roundtable discussion of the upcoming general elections. Experts from the GVSU Political Science faculty will provide their observations about the gubernatorial elections, the midterm congressional elections, the elections and the impact of the war in Iraq, political advertising and the media, and state ballot initiatives.

When: Monday, October 30th from 4:30-5:45
Where: Pere Marquette Room (Kirkhof Center 204)

Participants:

Professor Erika King
Professor Kevin denDulk
Professor Paul Cornish
Professor Robert Stewart-Ingersoll
Professor Donald Zinman

Sponsored by the Department of Political Science and Pi Sigma Alpha

Election year debates

The GVSU Public Policy Institute is sponsoring several candidate and ballot Forums in October 2006 at the Loosemore Auditorium, GVSU DeVos Campus.

Monday, October 23

7:00-8:00pm: 75th State House District
Rev. Robert Dean, Democratic Candidate
Mr. Tim Doyle, Republican Candidate

The 75th State House District includes that part of NE City of Grand Rapids which lies East of Fuller Ave, and SE City of Grand Rapids which lies East of Eastern Ave.

8:10- 9:10pm: 29th State Senate District
Mr. David LaGrand, Democratic Candidate
State Sen. Bill Hardiman, Republican Candidate

The 29th State Senate District includes the Cities of Grand Rapids, Kentwood and Lowell and Cascade, Lowell, and Vergennes and Grattan Townships

Wednesday, October 25

7:00-8:00 pm: 3rd U.S. Congressional District,
Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers, Republican Candidate
Mr. James Rinck, Democratic Candidate

The 3rd Congesssional District includes Kent, Barry and Ionia Counties

8:10-9:10pm: 28th State Senate District
Mr. Albert Abbasse, Democratic Candidate
Mr. Mark Jansen, Republican Candidate

The 28th State Senate District includes the Cities of Wyoming, Grandville, East Grand Rapids, Walker, Rockford and Cedar Springs and the Townships of Northern, Western and Southern Kent County.

Monday, October 30: A Forum on Ballot Proposals 1, 3 4 and 5

7:00-7:10pm: Explanation of Prop 1: Protection of Conservation & Recreation Funds
7:10-7:20pm: Explanation of Proposal 4: Restriction of Govt. Eminent Domain Powers
7:20-8:00pm: Proposal 3: A referendum to allow hunting of Mourning Doves
8:00-9:15pm: Proposal 5: Require Mandatory funding levels: K-12 & College Education

PLS Professors Appear on To The Point

Dr. Erika King and Roger Moiles of the GVSU Political Science Department made a lengthy appearance on the WOOD TV8 show To The Point on Sunday, October 15. Our very own "political gurus," as described by host Rick Albin, discussed the Michigan gubernatorial race between incumbent Governor Jennifer Granholm and challenger Dick DeVos. King and Moiles analyzed the gubernatorial debates as well as recent campaign advertisements.

GVSU Hosts U.S. Senate Debate

GVSU's WGVU public television station hosted the U.S. Senate debate between U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow and Sheriff Mike Bouchard on Sunday, October 15. 25 GVSU political science and international relations students comprised the studio audience. The debate was broadcast statewide on Sunday night. Check out the story in Detroit News, featuring comments by our very own Roger Moiles.

Changing Law School Curriculum

Harvard Law is changing their curriculum, with a diminished amount of time spent on traditional courses such as contracts, torts and criminal law. Students will now be required to take courses in international law, legislation and regulation, and a legal problem solving course that will focus on resolving client needs. For the full story, check out the story at the New York Times (registration required).

The Lanthorn on absentee voting, with a brief aside about liberal professors

States generally have strict residency requirements for voting (at least compared to other Western democracies), and those requirements have always placed a disproportionate burden on college students who live at some distance from permanent residences.  The argument for such a burden is that students are merely temporary residents in places like Allendale or other college towns (Does that apply to "super-seniors"?), and therefore would not have the enduring, long-term interests of the community in mind if they were allowed to vote locally.  I've also heard that students have impressionable minds that are easily manipulated by liberal professors.  But I'll leave that one alone.

One solution to the residency issue is absentee voting.  This week the Lanthorn did students a service by carrying a front page article explaining the process of absentee voting in the lead-up to November elections (I've also noticed that some student groups have been busily registering voters on campus).  I commend the Lanthorn article to all of you.  But one caveat that was only mentioned in passing at the end of the article and can be the source of great unexpected frustration: College students are often voting for the first time, and in Michigan ALL first time voters must show up physically at their home polling place.  Voters may obtain absentee ballots for subsequent elections after voting in person one time.

The Michigan Secretary of State's office has more information about absentee voting.

Who Is An American?

Who Is an American?  The Immigration Debate After 9/11

GVSU's own Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies is hosting two panel discussions and a keynote address on the timely topic of immigration policy as part of GVSU's Constitutional Day Celebrations on September 19.  For more information about the events, which include our own Professor Paul Cornish and mostly occur at the Allendale campus, please visit the conference site.  This is a free event.

Scholar from Perugia, Italy to visit

GVSU's PLS faculty have been engaged in a faculty exchange program with the political science faculty of the University of Perugia for several years. Perugia, Italy is the sister city of Grand Rapids. This year we are delighted to welcome Professor Anna Baldinetti.

Prof. Anna Baldinetti's public lecture on "Islam and Politics in the North African Maghreb" is scheduled for Thursday, September 14, 11:30-1:00 in the Pere Marquette Room, 204 Kirkhof Center. You may also see Professor Baldinetti presenting in your class. Please give her a warm welcome to Grand Valley and make every effort to attend what promises to be a very engaging lecture.

In May, Professors John Constantelos and Polly Diven visited Perugia.

Here is a photo from the University of Perugia's galleria:

Month in review

We have been around for about a month now, which we hear is a really long time measured by Internet time. So why not a month in review post to catch you up on all the excitement you may have missed while vacationing?

Events and Opportunities
Our fabulous social networking volunteer opportunity featuring drag racing
Constitution Day panel on immigration and Who is an American?
The political science honor society

Internships
Some thoughtful advice from Dr. den Dulk about careers in PLS/IR
Paying for internships
Latest internship information

Students and Alumni
Discover the stories of our students and alumni, including:
Erion Veliaj
Sam Moore
Jenny Ventimiglia
Our students at UM Law
David Johnson
A quick list of alumni updates

Faculty Profiles
Kevin den Dulk
Mark Richards

Pre-Law
How to target the right law schools
Differences in how GVSU and LSAC calculate your GPA
About the pre-law category
From the Law Society President