Prose and Purpose

I always enjoy a good laugh bit it rarely happens when I am reading economics. I’ve never thought of economics as the “dismal science” but likewise, it never seems to be a barrel of laughs. Two weeks ago, while reading one of the Sunday newspapers, I came across an interview by Mary Ann Gwinn of The Seattle Times with Yoram Bauman, Ph.D. who describes himself as “the world’s first and only stand-up economist.”

For many years, beginning when I was in college, I went to a dentist whose office was within two blocks of the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). Whenever the opportunity presented itself, I would also stop at Chock full o’Nuts next door for a brownie. (For those of you who have never heard of this chain, consider it a more vanilla Starbucks.) And if I had extra time, I would spend some time at the MOMA. I won’t say that this made visiting a dentist pleasurable but I always enjoyed the time spent at the MOMA.

I am optimistic that the “Flipped Classroom” learning strategy has the potential to enhance learning. The actual class material is presented on-line and then the classroom becomes a setting for questions and in-depth analysis and discussion that builds on the on-line lesson. I know that this learning strategy is presented as the newest approach to learning. It may be very effective but in reality it builds on what has been in place for many many years.

In a typical year, I attend one Hofstra commencement ceremony in December and four during May. The May commencement exercises have individual ceremonies for undergraduate, graduate, Law, and an Honors Convocation while the December ceremony has all of the above for midyear graduates. Only one of our May ceremonies, the undergraduate ceremony, has been held outdoors regularly and for this year’s ceremony, the weather was perfect. Not too hot, not too cold, nice breeze, not raining, no thunder and lightning. For an outdoor ceremony, you could not have had better weather. And yet, within two weeks of this year’s ceremony we made a decision that going forward the undergraduate ceremony would be divided by colleges and schools into two separate ceremonies and would be held indoors in our comfortable air-conditioned arena.

The June unemployment rate staying at 8.2% is really not a surprise. The economy is lackluster and the 80,000 jobs added, a number well below what would be necessary to reduce the unemployment rate, is all the economy is capable of generating. Of greater concern and regardless of the November presidential /congressional election results, the economy will not quickly spring to life with a major decline in the unemployment rate.

Over the years, I have served on many not-for-profit boards. My first such experience was shortly after I graduated from the CUNY Graduate School. I joined the alumni association and ultimately served a term as President. Most members of this board were recent graduates which I don’t think is unusual. Many of us thoroughly enjoyed our graduate experience and joining the alumni association was both an opportunity to stay in touch and to give back. Subsequent to that experience I joined a number of other boards, most of which relate to schools and education in general. I also interact with boards in community, business, government, religious, and educational settings. For the most part I am very impressed with those individuals who serve on boards. The pro bono work involved is much needed and much appreciated.

Two weeks ago we traveled to Colorado for a family wedding. The wedding was beautiful and I also appreciated the fact that this was an academic love story in every way. The bride (my niece) who holds a Master’s in Math and the groom who has a Ph.D. in Math fell in love in graduate school and their love of math was an important catalyst. What a beautiful story and it all added up to a wedding to be followed now by an increasing number of anniversaries.

I have already stated on multiple occasions that I am a musicals fan, preferably Broadway but I’m also passionate about college theater, middle and high school theater, not-for-profit theater, and off-Broadway theater.