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MARQUETTE Teaching political science in a historic election year By Lynn Sheka and Alexa Porter
In the midst of a historic political year for Wisconsin — beginning with the gubernatorial recall and ending with pundits predicting the state will play a key role in the 2012 presidential election — the Department of Political Science has used political events as a backdrop to educate students on the many facets of election season and politics in America. The gamechanging political season will culminate with an election night party hosted by the Department of Political Science, beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, in the Olin Engineering atrium. Students, faculty and staff from all disciplines can enjoy free food while watching the election results on MSNBC, CNN, FOX News and CSPAN. Other campus events leading up to Election Day included: ✪ Various departments sponsored a panel on “What It Means to Stick to the Constitution” in mid-September. Although the event did not directly tie to the election, Dr. Lowell Barrington, chair and professor of the Department of Political Science, says it was an example of how “topics discussed during a campaign season can frame a campus event.” ✪ The effect of media coverage on modern political campaigns was debated at a panel discussion held in early October featuring CBS News Correspondent and Board of Trustees member Ben Tracy, Nieman Professor of Journalism Bonnie Brennan and Les Aspin Center for Government Visiting Instructor Christopher Murray. ✪ Dr. Susan Giaimo, visiting assistant professor of political science, organized a panel discussion held in late October that discussed how health care issues — including Medicare and Medicaid
— may sway some voters. “The issues are vitally important, yet very complex. The panel hopefully helped students understand the positions of the two parties, and what their plans may mean in practice,” says Giaimo. ✪ Dr. Karen Hoffman, also of the political science department, teaches a class on politics and the media, and this semester focused on the issue of sensational journalism. “Students are attuned to biases in the media,” she says. “We try to get away from ideologies and hone in on
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Marquette Law School Poll shows pulse of public opinion By Brigid O’Brien Miller
From the New York Times to FOX News, the Marquette Law School Poll has created a national buzz from coast to coast. With Wisconsin at the epicenter of the national political landscape, the Law School Poll has become a sought after source providing an unbiased pulse of public opinion. Since launching in January, the Law School has conducted 15 polls throughout the year, releasing complete results to the public. It has garnered nearly 9,000 media placements worldwide, including major broadcast networks, daily newspapers and political websites.
While providing the public with an independent snapshot of the electorate on a regular basis during the campaigns, the Poll will also serve as a repository of information about the 2012 election year for researchers and academics for years to come. Led by Charles Franklin, director of the Poll and visiting professor in law and public policy (on leave from the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s political science department), and Mike Gousha, distinguished fellow in law and public policy at the Law School, the Poll is part of the broader public policy efforts launched by Dean Joseph D. Kearney in 2006.
CAM PU S H A P P E N I N GS Annual giving to Marquette tops $50 million in fiscal 2012 Alumni, parents and friends contributed more than $50 million in cash and pledges to Marquette in fiscal 2012, according to University Advancement. For the first time in the university’s history, giving to the annual fund surpassed the $10 million mark, generating more than $10.5 million to support the Marquette Fund, Blue and Gold Fund, Scholars Fund and Bridge to the Future. The $10.5 million figure also exceeded the fiscal 2011 annual giving total by nearly $1 million. In addition, benefactors to the university increased from 26,500 to nearly 27,000.
Apply for faculty retirement benefit by Dec. 3 The deadline for tenured faculty to apply for retirement benefits is 4:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 3, for the 2012–13 academic year. To be eligible for retirement benefits, a tenured faculty member must be eligible for retirement under University Policy and Procedure 4-18, including being at least 55 years of age and having a combined total age and years of full-time service with the university that equals at least 70. The retirement/tenure buyout policy also allows for mid-year retirements, meaning faculty can consider retiring in December. The deadline for faculty to apply for retirement with full retirement benefits at the end of a fall academic term is Feb. 1 of the calendar year in which the faculty member intends to forgo tenure. The policy is located at go.mu.edu/retirement-policy.
Benefits enrollment period runs through Nov. 9 The annual benefits enrollment period runs through Friday, Nov. 9. Employees do not need to re-enroll unless they are changing their plan option. Those who wish to continue participating in the flexible spending account benefit must also re-enroll at myjob.mu.edu. On-campus biometric screenings for the twopart health risk assessment are available through Nov. 17, for all employees and voluntarily for spouses and same-sex domestic partners. Call 1.877.765.3212 and press “1” to schedule an appointment. Employees who complete the twopart health risk assessment will receive a 10-percent discount on the employee portion of their medical premium.
Winter Compendium submission deadline is Dec. 7 Faculty and staff with professional accomplishments, such as publications, presentations and awards, should make sure they are documented by submitting them for inclusion in Compendium by Friday, Dec. 7. Accomplishments submitted to the Faculty Activities Database can be shared directly with Compendium by checking the box to grant permission. Faculty and staff who do not use the FAD need to submit accomplishments online at marquette.edu/omc/compendium.php. Accomplishments that have occurred between June 1 and Nov. 30, 2012, will be used to compile the winter issue, which will be distributed in February 2013.