4 • Arizona Summer Wildcat
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
UA economists assess Tucson, local economy BY MEGHAN FERNANDEZ
Arizona Summer Wildcat
Tucson added 2,400 jobs to its economy in 2013, showing a 0.7 percent increase from the previous year, said economic analysts at the annual Breakfast with the Economists conference Wednesday morning. The annual breakfast is the Eller College of Management’s midyear economic update. George Hammond, director of the Economic and Business Research Center, and Steven Reff, a UA economics lecturer, shared their thoughts on the Tucson economy for the 2014 year. According to Len Jessup, dean of the Eller College of Management, REBECCA MARIE SASNETT/ARIZONA SUMMER several students work in the research WILDCAT center and have a role in the annual BELLE TOM, principal for Capital Growth forecasting report. Realty, writes down her answer to Steven Reff's Hammond began his lecture on question, "What is the current inflation rate?" a less-than-optimistic note about during the 2014 Eller College of Management the Arizona and Tucson economies. Breakfast with the Economists at the Westin La He described 2013 as an economic Paloma Resort and Spa on June 4. drag for several reasons. The 2013 government shutdown negatively throughout his presentation to impacted Tucson, Hammond said. answer hypothetical questions about Tucson was especially vulnerable the Tucson economy. to the government shutdown because Reff said the economy was beyond of the amount of government activity ideal during Clinton’s presidency in this city, Hammond said. He also and that the current nation is said that Tucson is stable because of approaching a near ideal state. Reff health care jobs. said a beyond ideal economy has “We’re making a lot of progress in an increase in the order of durable terms of driving our unemployment goods, increased industry and rate down,” Hammond said. increased money supply. Hammond said the catch to the For the Arizona economy, the progress is a decrease in the size of severe weather the labor force. patterns in There are also Southern states We're making a two demographic could be a good transitions lot of progress thing in the years to consider, to come because in terms of according to retired individuals driving our Hammond: aging will relocate unemployment of baby boomers to Arizona for rate down. and transition consistent warmer — George Hammond, to retirement. weather, Reff said. Economic and Business Hammond also Tucson has Center director said there is growth some challenges in industries such to face, Reff said. as construction. The city needs to address its water “[The Tucson economy] is a little crisis and getting water to Tucson for bit faster, but not a return to the good a lower amount of money. old days,” Hammond said. He also thinks the number of After Hammond spoke, Reff homeless people in Tucson is began his part of the presentation, another challenge for developing the focusing on the macroeconomics of city. Reff also said he was concerned the nation and Tucson. Reff began by about the Tucson economy and how talking about the importance of two businesses looking to relocate view words in relation to the economy: the city of Tucson. it depends. He used these words “In the last five years, Tucson
REBECCA MARIE SASNETT/ARIZONA SUMMER WILDCAT
STEVEN REFF, a UA economics lecturer, tells the audience that "it depends" are two words to best describe economy statistcs during the 2014 Eller Breakfast with the Economists at the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa on June 4. Tucson's unemployment rate is 6.3 percent, the inflation rate is 1.95 percent and the economic growth stands at negative 1.0 percent as of Monday.
has become better in downtown development,” Reff said. He said it is important to keep the city clean and shared a story of how he and his students cleaned Speedway Boulevard from the Interstate 10 to the UA. He encouraged guests at the lecture to pick an intersection in Tucson to clean. “Let’s sweep our porch and make this the greatest community in the United States,” Reff said.
— Follow Meghan Fernandez @MeghanFernandez
the first week of classes. “We wanted to make sure there’s not a lot of hoarding [with classes],” FROM PAGE 1 Burd said about the drop fee and of the Advising Resource Center withdrawal unit maximum. and coordinator of undergraduate Burd also said the UA wants academic advising. to encourage students to drop Catts said the former policy courses as soon as possible so restricted the exam to freshmen there are available spots in classes and sophomores. According to for other students to take. Catts, there was confusion with There were some challenges whether the 55-unit limit was with students and faculty because in relation to transfer credit or of this new policy, Burd said. university credit. Students do not like that a W “It just became a tangled mess,” grade appears after two weeks Catts said. while university faculty do not like According to Catts, transfer having less control with students students were negatively affected dropping courses. by the previous policy because Burd said she sees this policy they often had more than 55 revision as a compromise between units of credit. The Office of the both the students and faculty at Registrar was supportive of the the university. policy revision since they dealt Students who want to withdraw with students who took the exam, from all courses will now have to Catts said. complete an online withdrawal “[The exam] is a great option for form by the second week of classes students who want the possibility with the complete withdrawal of not having to take a class,” said policy revision. This online form Leah Chavez, program director of is a way for the university to collect the UA Testing Office. information about why students According to Chavez, there are withdrawing completely, has been a steady increase in the according to Burd. number of students who take the Students who file a complete CLEP exam. She said it will take withdrawal will receive a time to see the effects of the policy “withdrawal complete,” or WC, change. for each course Under the on their transcript We want to undergraduate under the policy c o u r s e make sure revision. In the drop and previous policy, there's not a withdrawal professors lot of hoarding policy revision, could assign [with classes]. students will a “withdrawal - Gail Burd, Vice also have until pass” or a Provost for Academic the 10th week Affairs “withdrawal fail” of the semester depending on the to drop a student’s grade course without at the time they dropped all instructor or dean approval. Before courses, Burd said. this policy revision, students who “We do want to be sensitive to wanted to drop a course from students who have a legitimate their schedule needed professor reason for wanting to leave,” approval and a dean’s approval Burd said. after the eighth week. Even though students are Gail Burd, Vice Provost for able to withdraw completely Academic Affairs, said the previous without approval from professors policy was not always consistent or colleges, Burd encourages among colleges and majors. She students to meet with their said this policy revision is student- advisers before doing so. friendly because students have the According to Burd, the timeline ability to drop a single course up for dropping courses during a until the 10th week of the semester. semester is similar to policies Burd said students will need at Arizona State University and college approval to drop a course Northern Arizona University. The after the 10th week. Students will consistency in deadlines among not be allowed to drop a course state schools was a factor in the during the last two weeks of the decision for this withdrawal policy semester. revision, Burd said. After the first two weeks of the “Policy changes that impact semester, if a student drops a students never happen quickly — course, a grade of W will appear on nor should they ever,” Catts said. their transcript and according to Burd, there is an 18-unit maximum for dropping from a course. Students will also be charged a $25 — Follow Meghan Fernandez fee for each course they drop after @MeghanFernandez
POLICY