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How will you serve your community?
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 Message from the Dean Friends and Colleagues:
This is written on Sunday, after Colin Powell's powerful and profound endorsement of Obama, and before the 7th game of the ALCS. I know conflating sports and politics mixes the trivial with the momentous, and the urgent with the absurd. But it is funny how they are similar, as we sit up night after night watching debates, playoff games, election returns, with such enormous stakes, each in their context. We can't really impact either outcome; we are spectators of both; we are fascinated by both (not all of us; and I realize the gender disparity I am ignoring in this, not to mention the totally bizarre self-absorption this must seem like to our international colleagues!); we think we can comment intelligently on both. Somehow they both give us an outlet for hopes, fantasies, aspirations, and of course despair. Maybe sports--like Marx characterized religion--are an opiate too. But I guess I am a willing participant in the illusion. And in the satisfaction of communal participation that even sports provides, even if our politics so routinely lets us down.
Anyway, Red Sox and Patriots aside, the political stakes today are certainly as high as any time in my life-and I was born BEFORE victory in Europe and Japan, before the Cold War even began. The leadership challenge will be so immense for our next President-to try to remedy the moral, economic, political, and international morasses we have created, that it is almost impossible to believe one man could have those skills. I actually believe there was a time about 8 years ago when John McCain could have been such a man. Not today. But if you read Dreams of My Father, written before his political life began, and listen to the (now rare) moments when he can reflect, it is just possible that Barack Obama could be such a leader. I certainly hope so, for all our sakes.
Anyway, philosophic musings aside, the economic morass I referred to above has hit UMass Boston, and McCormack Graduate School. All of the UMass system has been given a cut of 5% of its state appropriation (which makes up about a third of the total UMB budget); senior administrators are now deciding how that should be allocated, but we are assuming we will get our pro rata share. And our new Collins Center for Public Management got a 10% cut.
None of this will affect our core work. But it does cause serious distraction, coupled with a re-focus on that core work, to be sure we are strategic in our cutbacks. Onward and upward.
Go Patriots. Go Barack!
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Job Opportunities of Interest
OPPORTUNITY FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS TO TEACH ON CAMPUS WITH A $300 STIPEND
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UMass Boston is looking for instructors for the fall of 2008 to teach non-credit courses for 5 to 6 weeks. OLLI is a Lifelong Learning Program for people 50 and older. The topics of interest include literature, foreign languages, digital photography, Basic computers, history, potitics, science, and many more. We will provide a $300 stipend per course. To learn more about the program, please visit our website at www.OLLI.umb.edu. For more information on teaching a course and a course proposal email Mary.McCarthy@umb.edu or call 617-287-7312.
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| MGS in the News
Allies, enemies
Boston Globe
''Old World, New World'' By Nigel Hamilton By Kathleen Burk Once part of the British Empire, the United States now enfolds its former colonial master ...
State fiscal problems may worsen
Boston Globe (October 17, 2008)
UMass Boston Professor of Public Policy Alan Clayton-Matthews is quoted in an article about Governor Deval Patrick's predictions of revenue shortfalls and worsening economic conditions. "The question is how big this problem is going to be," said Clayton-Matthews.
Looking out for working women
Boston Herald (October 15, 2008)
UMass Boston professor of economics Randy Albelda commented in an article that a large number of families living in or near poverty are headed by single mothers. Albelda is involved in UMass Lowell's Center for Women and Work's collaborative care-workers project that looks at the contributions of those who look after children, the elderly and provide other types of paid and unpaid care-work in Massachusetts. "Women hold up about half the economy," she said, paraphrasing the Chinese proverb that "women hold up half the sky." She added, if one includes unpaid work, then "women actually hold up more than half."
New stimulus package might be next in federal effort to gird economy
Los Angeles Time (October 16, 2008)
UMass Boston Professor of Public Policy & Public Affairs Christian Weller is quoted in a story about Congress gearing up to enact a new economic stimulus plan to help ordinary Americans. Though it's better late than never, the delay could hurt many struggling Americans, said Weller. "We've now, I think, avoided at least a major financial crisis, but we haven't done enough on the economic side to avoid a major recession," he said.
Down, but state GOP says it's far from out
Boston Globe (October 16, 2008)
Dean of the McCormack Graduate School Steve Crosby is quoted is an article about the shrinking popularity of the GOP in Massachusetts. Responding to a comment from party spokesman Barney Keller that the popularity tide is turning against the Democrats, Crosby said, "Well, no. I think that's somebody on the Titanic saying that's just the hull scraping on seaweed." Ultimately, the pendulum will swing back, Crosby agreed. "But I don't think it's starting now. I don't think there's any evidence that it's coming yet."
2 Worcester men visiting Liberia
Worcester Telegram & Gazette (October 14, 2008)
The John W. McCormack Graduate School's Center for Democracy and Development at UMass Boston will fund an exchange program to Liberia in the hope of forging educational, business and other partnerships to help the impoverished people living there. Director of the center Edmund Beard is mentioned in the article.
Click here for more stories
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EXHIBITION ON Display - 5th Floor HEALEY LIBRARY
The Helsinki Principles, agreed upon by 37 members of the Iraqi Parliament and recently the subject of Congressional Hearings in Washington DC, are on display at the Healey Library Archives - UMass Boston. Photographs and mementos from the meetings convened by McCormack Graduate School's Padraig O'Malley complement the principles.
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The Master of Science in Public Affairs/International Relations Program of the McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies
invite you to a monthly roundtable discussion on contemporary international issues.
October's discussion will be:
A New Cold War?
Please join
Prof. Tom Ferguson and Prof. Rita Peters
of the UMB Political Science Dept.
and
Prof. Hormoz Shahdadi and Prof. Robert Weiner of the MSPA/IR Program.
October 22, 2008
Wheatley Bldg. 4th floor Room 148
1:00-2:30PM
*Light refreshment*
Sponsored by
Political Science Department and McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies |
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Latinas in the US: The Story Behind the Numbers 
Dr. Carol Hardy-Fanta, Director of the Center for Women in Politics & Public Policy, has been invited to speak on a panel sponsored by the Center for American Progress, This panel, "Latinas in the US: The Story Behind the Numbers," will take place on Tuesday, October 28th from Noon to 1:30pm at the Center for American Progress, 1333 H St., NW, Washington, DC. |
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 "Unnatural Causes: Race, Inequality, and Reproductive Health"
October 27, 2008
UMass Boston
Healey Library, 11th Floor
100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston MA
5:30PM
Networking Reception 6:00PM
film screening of "When the Bough Breaks"followed by a panel discussionPlease RSVP at 617.556.8800 x10; for special accommodations, please call 617.287.5541.
The event is co-sponsored by the Dorchester House Multi-Service Center and NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts
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The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and the Massachusetts Office of Dispute Resolution & Public Collaboration (MODR) present:
The 2008 National Issues Forum Series at the Presidential Libraries
Join us for a public deliberation on:
The New Challenges of
American Immigration
Tuesday, October 23, 2008
5:00-7:00 PM
UMass Boston
Campus Center, 3rd floor
Room 3540
The number of people wanting to
enter the U.S. is increasing. What
kind of immigration policy is best for
the United States?Light refreshments will be served.
For more information or to register for an event
contact Courtney at MODR: 617-287-4046 or courtney.breese@umb.edu Sponsored by:State Representative Paul J. Donato
Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee
Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies at UMass Boston
Dinesh Patel M.D., Chief of Arthroscopic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital |
| Seventh Biennial Graduate
Student Conference
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Save the Date!
12 November 2008 (2:30-4:30 pm)
Women's Research Forum The Private Safety Net? Mothers and their Adult ChildrenThe Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy will host its fall research forum on Wednesday, 12 November 2008, which will feature Dr. Ruth Nemzoff as she shares insights from her recently released book Don't Bite Your Tongue: How to Foster Rewarding Relationships with Your Adult Children. Following Dr. Nemzoff's presentation on the important economic and social aspects of these family bonds, several UMass Boston scholars will examine some of the most pressing economic policy issues that influence mother-adult child relations in the United States.
The forum will take place in the Chancellor's Conference Room, third floor of the Quinn Administration Building, University of Massachusetts Boston.
For more information, please call 617.287.5541 or email christa.kelleher@umb.edu
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Register Now!
November 16-19, 2008
An international conference on
Rebuilding Sustainable Communities
for Children and their Families after Disasters
McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies
University of Massachusetts at Boston
Inaugural event of the
Center for Rebuilding Sustainable Communities after Disasters
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