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Friends and Colleagues: 
As I begin my 4th year as Dean, I am becoming
familiar with the seasonal academic rhythm. For most of the world the last
couple of weeks of August through Labor Day are the end of the "lazy, hazy,
crazy days of summer" and the slowest of times.
But by mid-August, the academic tempo increases, as faculty return,
committees are organized, students get reading lists, and Deans shake the sand
out of their toes and try to regather the reins of the unruly crowd that is
faculty, students and staff.
We've had some organizational changes at McCormack during
the summer, and one very big loss.
I
regret to report that Dr. Alan Clayton-Matthews,
a distinguished founding member of the McCormack
Graduate School
faculty is moving to the School of
Social Sciences, Urban Affairs
and Public Policy at Northeastern
University effective
September 1st. Alan is a
renowned teacher and a well known commentator on the Massachusetts economy. He will be greatly missed in our
college, and he will be exceedingly difficult to replace.
As a
consequence of the reorganization that is combining the International Relations
track of our MSPA with the Dispute Resolution program, I am pleased to
announce that Barbara Graceffa, who for years served as the Assistant Director
of the Public Policy PhD Program, will be moving almost full time into
service as our web analyst. Her
impact on our website has already been dramatic (note in particular the reorganization
of the Commonwealth Compact site and the faculty profiles under Media Contacts
on the home page).
All of the debate about further regulation of older drivers
has made Dr. Beth Dugan, who will be joining our gerontology faculty full time
this year, a media star. You will see her
many contributions in the Wall Street Journal click here and on CBS News click here.
The Skip Gates/Officer Crowley imbroglio has been shocking
in many ways. Although the significance
of the incident itself has definitely diminished, the reaction to the incident certainly reminds us-if we needed
reminding-of how raw the issues around race can still be. And it reminds us-if we needed reminding -of
how very different the life experiences of whites and minorities frequently
are, and how difficult it is to viscerally understand each others' perspectives. We have seen this even as we discussed this
issue among the staff and associates in my office. But I actually think that the upshot of the
incident has been positive. It certainly has generated stimulating conversation,
and the staff of the Commonwealth Compact are working hard to see whether there
is a constructive medium for extending the positive consequences.
I hope that you are having a delightful summer, and to those
of you from the campus, I look forward to seeing you in the new academic year.
Steve Crosby, Dean |
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Job Opportunities of Interest |
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New Postings 8/7/09 Policy Analyst
Office of Planning and Budget- Atlanta
7/27/09 Director
Massachusetts Division of Unemployment Assistance (DUA)
7/3/09 Project Manager
State of Rhode Island - Division of Motor Vehicles Modernization
7/2/09 Executive Director
Lexington Education Foundation
7/2/09 Program Director
Peru Opportunity Fund (POF)
7/1/09 Program Officer- Housing
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
UMass Boston Jobs Bulletin
Click here for more opportunities
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Affairs of State: Clinton's N. Korea tripNECN, August 7, 2009Professor Darren Kew of the Dispute Resolution Center at the McCormack Graduate School at UMass Boston joins NECN for a discussion. Fiscal boss list due in OctoberThe Republican, August 4, 2009Springfield has hired the Collins Center for Public Management at the McCormack Graduate School for services that will include conducting a national search for the new financial officer. Businesses, Nonprofits, Government to Take Part in "Diversity in Motion"Media Newswire, July 24, 2009The McCormack Graduate School's Commonwealth Compact took part in the "Diversity in Motion" forum held Wednesday, July 29. Gates ControversyNECN, July 24, 2009"Affairs of State" with Colleen Richards Powell, Deputy Director of the Commonwealth Compact. The unfinished work of equalityThe Boston Globe, July 22, 2009An op-ed written by Robert Turner and Georgianna Melendez, co-directors of the Commonwealth Compact. Grading President ObamaCNBC.com, July 20, 2009Christian Weller, associate professor in the McCormack Graduate School, discusses President Obama's first six months in office. Click here for more stories
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Gerontology Department & Institute
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Veterans and the Aging U.S. Population Problems and Policies
You are cordially invited to attend a symposium on Veterans and the Aging U.S. Population Problems and Policies.
Thursday August 13, 2009
10:00 am - 12:30 pm
Chancellor's Conference Room
Quinn Building, 3rd floor
University of Massachusetts Boston
100 Morrissey Boulevard
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 On Tuesday, July 28th Professor David Matz, Director of the Graduate Programs in Dispute Resolution at the McCormack School, was interviewed by Brad Puffer on New England Cable News (NECN). The subject of the interview was the meeting of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates and Police Sergeant James Crowley with President Barack Obama.
Click to watch the interview
 Click to email David
 Darren Kew, Associate Professor in the Graduate Programs in Dispute Resolution, recognized by policymakers in Washington and academics here and in Nigeria for his deep, firsthand knowledge of Nigerian politics and society, appeared on the July 29, 2009 episode of ALJAZEERA's Inside Story. The discussion focused on the questions: "How deep is the religious and political friction in the country and what does the future hold for Nigeria? Can there be a secular solution to a sectarian crisis?"
Click to watch the interview
Click to email Darren
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Dissertation Hearing
Please join us on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at 2 PM in the Healey Library, 11th floor, room 0011A when Shelley Tinkham will defend her dissertation proposal, The Value of Getting Out: The Impact of Short-Term Study Abroad on American Primary and Secondary School Administrators.
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Want to post your event?
All submissions should be received at least ten days before the event date. The MGS Update cannot guarantee that all submissions will be published. Inquiries regarding the events published in The MGS Update should be directed to the phone number or email provided. Please send listings to robert.okeefe@umb.edu or call 617.287.5536.
Thank you.
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