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1/9/2013
Media Watch (June 5 – 11, 2007)
Posted 6/12/2007
“Media Watch” is a round-up of recent stories in the media about the University of Hartford, as well as significant stories about other local and peer institutions and news about trends and issues in higher education.
Demetrios Giannaros, professor of economics at the Barney School of Business, was a panelist on a live broadcast on Connecticut Public Television about the growing liability of unfunded public pensions. The program, titled “Public Pension Commitments: Are They Connecticut’s Fiscal Tsunami?,” took place in front of a live studio audience, and was simulcast on Connecticut Public Radio. Giannaros, who also is a Democratic state representative from Farmington, was one of six panelists; others included State Treasurer Denise Nappier and Robert Genuario, secretary of the state Office of Policy and Management. The program was sponsored by Connecticut Public Television and the Institute for Retirement Security. (The Barney School is an affiliate of the Institute for Retirement Security.) (CPTV, June 7; WNPR-FM, June 7)
Susan Coleman, professor of finance in the Barney School of Business, was quoted in a story about whether enough employers are offering perks to their employees to create a “fun” workplace. Employee perks have been curtailed across all industries and all sizes of companies, Coleman said, adding that such a bottom-line focus has caused companies to be less concerned about employee happiness and well-being, a mistake that can lead to other long-term costs. (Hartford Courant, June 10)
Warren Goldstein, chair of the history department in the University’s College of Arts and Sciences, had an opinion article on Giants slugger Barry Bonds' pursuit of the Major League home run record published in the Chronicle of Higher Education. “The vitriol directed toward [Bonds] has less to do with ‘protecting the game’ than with yet another in-your-face, immensely talented African-American athlete challenging a mostly white establishment—and watching the goal posts move,” wrote Goldstein. (Chronicle of Higher Education, June 8)
Mary Jane Williams, interim chair of the Department of Nursing, ENHP, and chair of government relations for the Connecticut Nurses Association, was quoted in an IndiaNewEngland.com story about an exchange program that brings Indian nurses to the U.S. for advanced education and to work in local facilities. (IndiaNewEngland.com, June 9)
The front page of the Hartford Courant’s “Connecticut” section featured a color photograph from a dress rehearsal by the Full Force Dance Theatre, The Hartt School's dance company in residence. Pictured were dancers Heather Lombardo, Samantha Silvers, and Jill Vasbinder performing a piece called “When the Fat Lady Sings,” which is a tribute to opera. The performance was also previewed in the Courant’s “Cal” section. (Hartford Courant, June 7 and 8)
A story noted that Roberto Scata of Newington, who recently graduated from the University of Hartford with a dual major in computer science and mathematics, was presented with the John G. Lee Medal at the University’s Commencement ceremony. (Newington Town Crier, June 8)
John Phillips-Sandy of Waterville, Maine, a graduate of The Hartt School, was profiled in the Kennebec Journal-Morning Sentinel for his work in teaching at and helping run a summer jazz camp for youth in Waterville for the fourth straight year. Phillips-Sandy, whose primary instrument is tenor saxophone, now calls Hartford home and he shares a house, which doubles as an office, with two close friends and colleagues. Together, he said, they run a company that both produces music and manages artists. At the same time, Phillips-Sandy continues to perform with his own jazz group, usually as a quartet or quintet. (Kennebec Journal, June 9)
Katharine Peet, a veteran music teacher at the Noah Webster MicroSociety Magnet School, was named the Hartford Public Schools' Teacher of the Year. Peet, who majored in violin/viola performance at The Hartt School, has been a general and instrumental music teacher at Webster since 1992. She has been co-conductor of the district’s Magnet Band, conductor of the All Elementary School String Orchestra, and conductor/manager of the district’s annual Music Extravaganza. (Hartford Courant, June 8)
Professor Richard Freund, director of the University’s Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies, was featured in a story about his meeting with the person who donated the bone marrow for the transplant that saved his life. The two men (Freund and Shlomo “Steve” Hackel from Long Island, N.Y.) met in person for the first time last month at the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation’s Seventh Annual Partners for Life Gala in New York. (Connecticut Jewish Ledger, June 7)
In a news item about an event that The Hartford held to mark the opening of “Coexistence,” an internationally recognized outdoor art exhibition celebrating the universal messages of diversity and acceptance, it was noted that two University of Hartford Magnet School students, Charles Anderson, Grade 4, and Abigail Tryon, Grade 5, gave a recitation of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech. (Business Wire, June 6)
The University’s 50th anniversary celebration and its Community Day activities were highlighted in an article and photographs in the Reminder News newspaper. The article also included quotes from President Walter Harrison and from Jonathan Easterbrook, director of marketing services at the University. (Reminder News, June 5)
Donna Harris, who coaches the University of Hartford women’s golf team and plays out of the Golf Club of Avon, will defend her title next week at the Connecticut Women’s Golf Association Championship at The Farms Country Club in Wallingford, noted the Hartford Courant’s “Local Golf Notebook.” Harris also won the title in 2002 and was runner-up in 2000 and 2003. Harris was also on the CWGA's 16-player team that competed in the annual matches against Rhode Island on June 8 at the Agawam Hunt Club in Rumford, R.I. (Hartford Courant, June 6)
Other News
Capital Community College pays $26,500 a month so that students and faculty can share access to the college through developer Anthony D. Autorino’s portion of the high-rise building — an area that includes small retail shops and offices, but also has common entrances, exits and elevators used by the college. That arrangement, along with fees the college pays the Hartford Parking Authority for parking spaces, is adding nearly $1 million a year to the school’s budget — part of the price the school pays for its move downtown five years ago into the remodeled 11-story former G. Fox department store. (Hartford Courant, June10)
Responding to pressure from the governor and state legislators, the University of Connecticut will launch an inspection blitz to ensure that more than 100 dormitories, classrooms and other buildings renovated through the UConn 2000 program are safe before students return to school. State and UConn inspectors, supplemented by a private architectural firm, will fan out to inspect 77 dorm buildings and 47 classrooms, dining halls and other buildings by Sept. 1. (Hartford Courant, June 9)
After setting enrollment quotas that went unmet, failing to reduce racial segregation in Hartford schools, state officials have tentatively agreed to take aggressive measures to comply with a court desegregation order. The proposed revision of an agreement in the Sheff v. O’Neill lawsuit calls on the state to spend millions of dollars more over the next five years to subsidize magnet schools, charter schools and other programs designed to bolster integration, officials said. A key feature of the newly proposed settlement is a partnership between Hartford and the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) to run the city's magnet schools. For years, CREC has operated its own regional magnet schools and, educators say, has a solid track record of managing successful magnets. (Hartford Courant, June 7)
Recent graduates of some of the nation’s top colleges will work in Hartford’s classrooms this fall as part of the Teach for America program. The Hartford Board of Education has agreed to hire 25 young teachers who have pledged to work two years in Hartford, one of the state’s lowest-performing school systems. Hartford becomes the third Connecticut city to sign onto Teach for America, joining New Haven and Bridgeport. Teach for America has about 4,400 members teaching in more than 1,000 urban and rural schools across the nation. (Hartford Courant, June 6)
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said his probe into the student-loan business has expanded into possible discriminatory practices, and he called for tighter federal oversight to bring the industry in line. The cost of college has meant that students and their families are turning to private lending to fill that gap. Since private loans carry interest rates that can vary and aren't controlled by the government, they are far riskier for students and their families. (Wall Street Journal, June 11)
Twelve major universities will digitize select collections in each of their libraries—up to 10 million volumes—as part of Google Inc.’s book-scanning project for a shared digital repository that faculty, students and the public can access quickly. The partnership involves the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, which includes the University of Chicago and the 11 universities in the Big Ten athletic conference. (Associated Press, June 8)
Each of the 32 victims killed in the Virginia Tech massacre will be honored with a $100,000 endowment fund and their families will decide how the money will be directed. Officials anticipate the first awards will be made this fall from each fund set up in the names of the 27 students and five faculty members. (Associated Press, June 7)
Norris Hall at Virginia Tech is known for its central location and role as the primary site of the Virginia Tech massacre. The building will reopen in about two weeks and will be used for offices and laboratories. The primary reason Norris Hall is being preserved, the university said, is that it houses expensive and heavy laboratory equipment that cannot be moved without major expenses. (Washington Post, June 6)
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced a $105 million grant to launch the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington to strengthen Seattle’s growing reputation in global health research. The university is contributing an additional $20 million. Combined, the money is earmarked to launch and operate the institute for 10 years. (Seattle Times, June 5)
The number of graduates from U.S. master’s degree programs in international health has grown by 69 percent in the last decade as a part of an overall boom among students interested in saving lives in the poorest parts of the world. The trend is also seen among undergraduates and medical school students in global health issues. (Boston Globe, June 5)
Upcoming
Darryl McMiller, assistant professor of political science at Hillyer College, will be a guest on WNPR’s “Faith Middleton Show” as it offers a segment called, “Politics, Burgers and Beer,” a fast-paced opinion, analysis, and debate about the 2008 Presidential race. The dates for the next airings of "Politics, Burgers and Beer" are July 13, July 27, and Aug. 10, all at 3 p.m. and 11 p.m.
Demetrios Giannaros, professor of economics at the Barney School of Business, was a panelist on a live broadcast on Connecticut Public Television about the growing liability of unfunded public pensions. The program, titled “Public Pension Commitments: Are They Connecticut’s Fiscal Tsunami?,” took place in front of a live studio audience, and was simulcast on Connecticut Public Radio. Giannaros, who also is a Democratic state representative from Farmington, was one of six panelists; others included State Treasurer Denise Nappier and Robert Genuario, secretary of the state Office of Policy and Management. The program was sponsored by Connecticut Public Television and the Institute for Retirement Security. (The Barney School is an affiliate of the Institute for Retirement Security.) (CPTV, June 7; WNPR-FM, June 7)
Susan Coleman, professor of finance in the Barney School of Business, was quoted in a story about whether enough employers are offering perks to their employees to create a “fun” workplace. Employee perks have been curtailed across all industries and all sizes of companies, Coleman said, adding that such a bottom-line focus has caused companies to be less concerned about employee happiness and well-being, a mistake that can lead to other long-term costs. (Hartford Courant, June 10)
Warren Goldstein, chair of the history department in the University’s College of Arts and Sciences, had an opinion article on Giants slugger Barry Bonds' pursuit of the Major League home run record published in the Chronicle of Higher Education. “The vitriol directed toward [Bonds] has less to do with ‘protecting the game’ than with yet another in-your-face, immensely talented African-American athlete challenging a mostly white establishment—and watching the goal posts move,” wrote Goldstein. (Chronicle of Higher Education, June 8)
Mary Jane Williams, interim chair of the Department of Nursing, ENHP, and chair of government relations for the Connecticut Nurses Association, was quoted in an IndiaNewEngland.com story about an exchange program that brings Indian nurses to the U.S. for advanced education and to work in local facilities. (IndiaNewEngland.com, June 9)
The front page of the Hartford Courant’s “Connecticut” section featured a color photograph from a dress rehearsal by the Full Force Dance Theatre, The Hartt School's dance company in residence. Pictured were dancers Heather Lombardo, Samantha Silvers, and Jill Vasbinder performing a piece called “When the Fat Lady Sings,” which is a tribute to opera. The performance was also previewed in the Courant’s “Cal” section. (Hartford Courant, June 7 and 8)
A story noted that Roberto Scata of Newington, who recently graduated from the University of Hartford with a dual major in computer science and mathematics, was presented with the John G. Lee Medal at the University’s Commencement ceremony. (Newington Town Crier, June 8)
John Phillips-Sandy of Waterville, Maine, a graduate of The Hartt School, was profiled in the Kennebec Journal-Morning Sentinel for his work in teaching at and helping run a summer jazz camp for youth in Waterville for the fourth straight year. Phillips-Sandy, whose primary instrument is tenor saxophone, now calls Hartford home and he shares a house, which doubles as an office, with two close friends and colleagues. Together, he said, they run a company that both produces music and manages artists. At the same time, Phillips-Sandy continues to perform with his own jazz group, usually as a quartet or quintet. (Kennebec Journal, June 9)
Katharine Peet, a veteran music teacher at the Noah Webster MicroSociety Magnet School, was named the Hartford Public Schools' Teacher of the Year. Peet, who majored in violin/viola performance at The Hartt School, has been a general and instrumental music teacher at Webster since 1992. She has been co-conductor of the district’s Magnet Band, conductor of the All Elementary School String Orchestra, and conductor/manager of the district’s annual Music Extravaganza. (Hartford Courant, June 8)
Professor Richard Freund, director of the University’s Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies, was featured in a story about his meeting with the person who donated the bone marrow for the transplant that saved his life. The two men (Freund and Shlomo “Steve” Hackel from Long Island, N.Y.) met in person for the first time last month at the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation’s Seventh Annual Partners for Life Gala in New York. (Connecticut Jewish Ledger, June 7)
In a news item about an event that The Hartford held to mark the opening of “Coexistence,” an internationally recognized outdoor art exhibition celebrating the universal messages of diversity and acceptance, it was noted that two University of Hartford Magnet School students, Charles Anderson, Grade 4, and Abigail Tryon, Grade 5, gave a recitation of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech. (Business Wire, June 6)
The University’s 50th anniversary celebration and its Community Day activities were highlighted in an article and photographs in the Reminder News newspaper. The article also included quotes from President Walter Harrison and from Jonathan Easterbrook, director of marketing services at the University. (Reminder News, June 5)
Donna Harris, who coaches the University of Hartford women’s golf team and plays out of the Golf Club of Avon, will defend her title next week at the Connecticut Women’s Golf Association Championship at The Farms Country Club in Wallingford, noted the Hartford Courant’s “Local Golf Notebook.” Harris also won the title in 2002 and was runner-up in 2000 and 2003. Harris was also on the CWGA's 16-player team that competed in the annual matches against Rhode Island on June 8 at the Agawam Hunt Club in Rumford, R.I. (Hartford Courant, June 6)
Other News
Capital Community College pays $26,500 a month so that students and faculty can share access to the college through developer Anthony D. Autorino’s portion of the high-rise building — an area that includes small retail shops and offices, but also has common entrances, exits and elevators used by the college. That arrangement, along with fees the college pays the Hartford Parking Authority for parking spaces, is adding nearly $1 million a year to the school’s budget — part of the price the school pays for its move downtown five years ago into the remodeled 11-story former G. Fox department store. (Hartford Courant, June10)
Responding to pressure from the governor and state legislators, the University of Connecticut will launch an inspection blitz to ensure that more than 100 dormitories, classrooms and other buildings renovated through the UConn 2000 program are safe before students return to school. State and UConn inspectors, supplemented by a private architectural firm, will fan out to inspect 77 dorm buildings and 47 classrooms, dining halls and other buildings by Sept. 1. (Hartford Courant, June 9)
After setting enrollment quotas that went unmet, failing to reduce racial segregation in Hartford schools, state officials have tentatively agreed to take aggressive measures to comply with a court desegregation order. The proposed revision of an agreement in the Sheff v. O’Neill lawsuit calls on the state to spend millions of dollars more over the next five years to subsidize magnet schools, charter schools and other programs designed to bolster integration, officials said. A key feature of the newly proposed settlement is a partnership between Hartford and the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) to run the city's magnet schools. For years, CREC has operated its own regional magnet schools and, educators say, has a solid track record of managing successful magnets. (Hartford Courant, June 7)
Recent graduates of some of the nation’s top colleges will work in Hartford’s classrooms this fall as part of the Teach for America program. The Hartford Board of Education has agreed to hire 25 young teachers who have pledged to work two years in Hartford, one of the state’s lowest-performing school systems. Hartford becomes the third Connecticut city to sign onto Teach for America, joining New Haven and Bridgeport. Teach for America has about 4,400 members teaching in more than 1,000 urban and rural schools across the nation. (Hartford Courant, June 6)
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said his probe into the student-loan business has expanded into possible discriminatory practices, and he called for tighter federal oversight to bring the industry in line. The cost of college has meant that students and their families are turning to private lending to fill that gap. Since private loans carry interest rates that can vary and aren't controlled by the government, they are far riskier for students and their families. (Wall Street Journal, June 11)
Twelve major universities will digitize select collections in each of their libraries—up to 10 million volumes—as part of Google Inc.’s book-scanning project for a shared digital repository that faculty, students and the public can access quickly. The partnership involves the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, which includes the University of Chicago and the 11 universities in the Big Ten athletic conference. (Associated Press, June 8)
Each of the 32 victims killed in the Virginia Tech massacre will be honored with a $100,000 endowment fund and their families will decide how the money will be directed. Officials anticipate the first awards will be made this fall from each fund set up in the names of the 27 students and five faculty members. (Associated Press, June 7)
Norris Hall at Virginia Tech is known for its central location and role as the primary site of the Virginia Tech massacre. The building will reopen in about two weeks and will be used for offices and laboratories. The primary reason Norris Hall is being preserved, the university said, is that it houses expensive and heavy laboratory equipment that cannot be moved without major expenses. (Washington Post, June 6)
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced a $105 million grant to launch the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington to strengthen Seattle’s growing reputation in global health research. The university is contributing an additional $20 million. Combined, the money is earmarked to launch and operate the institute for 10 years. (Seattle Times, June 5)
The number of graduates from U.S. master’s degree programs in international health has grown by 69 percent in the last decade as a part of an overall boom among students interested in saving lives in the poorest parts of the world. The trend is also seen among undergraduates and medical school students in global health issues. (Boston Globe, June 5)
Upcoming
Darryl McMiller, assistant professor of political science at Hillyer College, will be a guest on WNPR’s “Faith Middleton Show” as it offers a segment called, “Politics, Burgers and Beer,” a fast-paced opinion, analysis, and debate about the 2008 Presidential race. The dates for the next airings of "Politics, Burgers and Beer" are July 13, July 27, and Aug. 10, all at 3 p.m. and 11 p.m.
