[Chronicle]

Nov. 30, 2000
Vol. 20 No. 6

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    In the News

    Gary Becker, Professor in Economics, was interviewed by the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune for stories that reported on his receiving the National Medal of Science. “I’ve tried to tackle problems that everybody believes are important–education, crime, discrimination, addiction. Students–and people at large–pay more attention when you attack these issues in a systematic way,” said Becker.

    Elizabeth Garrett, Professor in the Law School, provided commentary on the Electoral College, the Florida vote dispute and the presidential election process for numerous media outlets. She was interviewed by the Financial Times, Forbes.com, American Lawyer Media, WGN-TV, WMAQ-TV, WLS-TV, CLTV, WGN-Radio, Reuters English News Service, The Times of London, and for a Q and A that appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times.

    Wayne Booth, the George M. Pullman Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in English Language & Literature, was the subject of a recent story that featured his book, For the Love of It: Amateuring and Its Rivals, which celebrates those whose talents and skills are considered amateurish. The story, originally published in the Chicago Tribune, also appeared in The Los Angeles Times. Booth, a literary theorist, is an “amateur” cellist.

    Cass Sunstein, the Karl N. Llewellyn Distinguished Service Professor in the Law School, wrote an essay on the subject of judicial activism that appeared in American Prospect Monday, Nov. 20. Sunstein also was interviewed by the Cleveland Plain Dealer for a Wednesday, Nov. 15 story that covered the disputed presidential election results in Florida.

    Ted O’Neill, Dean of College Admissions, was interviewed for a story about college applications, which was published by the Christian Science Monitor Tuesday, Nov. 21. “A lot of people get good grades, decent scores and are active. We are looking for something that we only find in the essays, teacher letters and personal interviews–that’s what sets them apart.”

    An op-ed written by Jacqueline Bhabha, Director of the Human Rights Program, appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times on Saturday, Nov. 18. Bhabha wrote that a year after Elian Gonzalez was rescued off the coast of Florida, changes have not been made to provide aid to the 5,000 unaccompanied, alien children who are detained every year in the United States. Bhabha pointed out that these children are often kept in juvenile jails without access to support and legal representation. She called for change through the support of a bill recently introduced in the Senate.

    Richard Epstein, the James Parker Hall Distinguished Service Professor in the Law School, wrote an op-ed that was published in The Wall Street Journal Monday, Nov. 20. In his opinion, Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris acted within the scope of her discretion when making the decision to not accept results of a hand count of ballots in three Florida counties in the continuing dispute over the presidential election.

    Citing Sophocles’ drama Philoctetes, Martha Nussbaum, the Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor in the Law School, wrote an essay, which was published in Newsday Sunday, Nov. 12, about the possible effects of the disputed presidential election. “It is easy to think that this time of suspense might be damaging to democracy, bringing instability and a mistrust of democratic institutions. But I want to suggest, with Sophocles, that it might instead be very beneficial by reinforcing deeper commitments that are at the very heart of democratic life.”

    Jacqueline Stewart, Assistant Professor in English Language & Literature, was quoted in a story that appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times about poet Maya Angelou’s entrance into the world of greeting card writing.

    Michael Dawson, Professor and Chairman of Political Science, was interviewed by a variety of media outlets concerning the presidential election and how African-American votes would affect it. Dawson discussed the findings of a study he led on black political opinion as it relates to the election. He also was interviewed and appeared on CNN Monday, Nov. 13, and was a guest on National Public Radio’s Weekend All Things Considered Saturday, Nov. 18. Stories that appeared in The Times Picayune (New Orleans, La.) and The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) also quoted him.

    Alumnus Francisco Gil Diaz (A.M., ’69, Ph.D., ’82), former Alumni Association Board of Governors member, will begin serving as Mexico’s new finance minister when Mexico’s President-elect Vincente Fox is sworn into office Friday, Dec. 1. A story about Gil’s appointment was carried by Reuters.