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April 13, 2010
Senator hopeful for space jobs in Colo. Law dean takes post at ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLORADO SPRINGS — Sen. Mark Udall said he's guardedly optimistic about saving space-related jobs in Colorado after speaking with NASA officials on Monday, despite cancellation of a major space program. Udall and Sen. Michael Bennet, both Colorado Democrats, met with NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden to discuss the impact on Colorado of President Barack Obama's decision this year to cancel the $100 billion Constellation program, intended to return humans to the moon. Gov. Bill Ritter also wrote to Obama urging him to reverse course and consider the economic impacts. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Jefferson County outside Denver is developing the crew capsule for Constellation. Canceling that component would directly lead to the loss of 1,000 jobs, Udall said. Some estimates say another 3,000 related jobs would also be lost. Udall, speaking by phone with reporters at the National Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, said he was encouraged that Bolden told him NASA is still committed to human space flight. It's not clear what type of program Obama envisions to replace the space shuttle fleet, which is
being retired. He's expected to address that on Thursday. Udall said canceling Constellation didn't make sense, but he conceded Congress hasn't provided enough money for it. "I'm looking to develop a long-term strategy," he said. NASA has already spent $9.1 billion on Constellation, which also included two new rockets to carry the crew capsule. The Obama administration has said the program would have used old technology to visit places astronauts had already been. Former NASA Administrator Michael Griffin scoffed at that reasoning. "If that were a rational argument, then Europeans would have abandoned the settlement of the New World after Columbus' first few voyages," he said Monday. Griffin, who led NASA from 2005 until early 2009, was instrumental in developing the Constellation plan after then-President George W. Bush proposed returning to the moon. He defended Constellation's technology, saying the U.S. hasn't invested in significant upgrades since the Apollo program in the 1960s. Griffin said the stakes are much higher than whether Constellation had the right technology, and that the cancellation left the U.S. without a strategic space plan.
U P C O M I N G TODAY Study abroad information session 12 p.m. International House The International House hosts a Study Abroad 101 informational session. Spiritual gathering 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Evans Chapel Chaplin Gary Brower hosts a session of prayer on behalf of others to show goodwill towards individuals, situations and the earth as a whole. Environmental film 6 p.m. Commerce Room, Driscoll Student Center The DU Environmental Team airs the film “Who Killed the Electric Car.” Film screening 7 p.m. Lindsay Auditorium, Sturm Hall The department of Media, Film and Journalism Studies and the Marsico Visiting Scholars program present six films by Ben Russell. Russell will be on hand at the screening to talk about his work. WEDNESDAY Green Awareness Day all day Driscoll Green The Environmental
"The debate is about whether the United States will be the leader on the human frontier of our times," he said. The Denver Post reported that Texas, Florida and other states at risk of losing NASArelated jobs sent delegations to Washington to lobby to protect them. Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer said Colorado has been working with the White House, its congressional delegation and Lockheed Martin, but he said the state hasn't hired a Capitol Hill lobbyist. He said other states may have taken a different strategy because, unlike Colorado, they have NASA regional centers. "We will fight extremely hard to protect every single one of those jobs," Dreyer said. At a forum with state lawmakers on Monday, Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch — who represents many of the people whose jobs are at risk — questioned whether Colorado has done all it can. That angered U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo., who said Colorado's delegation has been working hard to protect them. Republican Reps. Mike Coffman and Doug Lamborn wrote the first letter urging the administration to back off the cuts, he said. "We're hunkered down," Perlmutter said.
E V E N T S
Sustainability living and learning community coordinates a waste and recycling awareness day. Study abroad information session 3 p.m. International House The International House hosts a Study Abroad 101 informational session for students wishing to go abroad in the fall. Student Employment Appreciation event 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. Gottesfeld Room, Ritchie Center fourth floor Students who work on-campus or off-campus, GRAs, RAs, TAs and their supervisors are invited to socialize at a free ice cream social and raffle. Dance Team tryouts 7 - 10 p.m. Ritchie Center, Studio A/B The dance team holds tryouts for the growing dance program at DU. No formal experience is necessary but candidates should have mastered basic dance techniques. THURSDAY Study abroad information session 11 a.m. International House The International House hosts a Study Abroad 101 informational session.
Film screening 8 p.m. Davis Auditorium, Sturm Hall DUPB shows the film “Blood Diamond.” All students are welcome to attend. FRIDAY Film showing 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. Cyber Café, Korbel School of International Studies The Sustainable International Development Institute hosts a showing of the film “Poto Mitan” about Haitian women pillars on the global economy. SATURDAY International Festival 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. Driscoll Ballroom The Festival of Nations features international student groups and entertainment. MONDAY, APRIL 19 Study abroad information session 11 a.m. International House The International House hosts a Study Abroad 101 informational session. Film screening 6 p.m. Denver Public Library The DU Environmental Team invites students to attend a screening of “What’s on Your Plate,” sponsored by Whole Foods, as part of Earth Month.
Weekly Forecast Today 62º | 39º
Wednesday 66 º | 44º
Thursday 71 º | 48 º
Friday 62 º | 48 º
Saturday 60 º | 43º
Sunday 63 º | 44 º
Colo. Dept. of Higher Ed AMY KNIGHT Contributor
An assistant dean has recently been offered and taken a position at the Colorado Department of Higher Education. Cheryl Lovell, an assistant dean at the Morgridge College of Education, was hired as the Chief Academic Officer, starting this month. Rico Munn, Executive Director of Colorado’s Department of Higher Education, said that he is
looking forward to working with Lovell. “I am happy to have her on board. She has a great background for the position,” Munn said. Lovell’s will mainly handle admissions’ issues and program quality and approval issues for higher education institutions across the state, among other duties. Incidentally, Munn also currently serves as an adjunct law professor at Sturm College of Law.
Deputy uses stun gun on students at career fair ASSOCIATED PRESS
LEADVILLE — A sheriff 's deputy in Colorado has been placed on unpaid administrative leave after he used a stun gun to shock 30 students at a high school career fair. Officials with Lake County High School, in the small central Colorado town of Leadville, say the students asked the deputy to shock them so they knew what it felt like. After being shocked. two students were treated for minor burns at a local hospital and
released. School Superintendent Betty Kokenes told Denver's KUSA-TV that she did not know the stun gun was being used on the students. She said that it was not an activity authorized by the administration or the police department. Sheriff 's officials say the incident should not have happened at the school. The deputy's name has not been released. The case has been turned over to the district attorney's office, which will decide whether or not to charge the deputy for the violation.