Dear UNO Political Science Major,
Greetings! This is our annual letter to our majors, updating you on recent developments within the Department during this historic election season. In fact it’s been another fascinating year in national and international politics, in many ways both exciting and tragic, but rarely boring! Meanwhile, exciting developments here in the Department of Political Science include the addition of four new faculty members: Dr. Matthew Jacobsmeier, who specializes in U.S. politics and political representation; Dr. Daniel Lewis, who specializes in U.S. political institutions at the national, state, and local levels; Dr. Elizabeth Stein, who specializes in Latin American politics as well as media and politics; and starting in spring 2009, Dr. Salmon Shomade, who specializes in public law. In addition, the Master of Public Administration program moved into the Department of Political Science last year, adding Drs. Robert Montjoy (Program Director), John Kiefer, and Denise Strong to our faculty. Growing along with our faculty is the number of courses offered each semester. In particular, look for expanded offerings this spring in 4000-level courses in comparative politics, international relations, and public law. We’re like the city of New Orleans: somewhat battered after Katrina, but charging back as we rebuild, restore, and renew.
We still offer you three options: our regular political science major, our major with pre-law concentration, and our major with quantitative research concentration. Our new Undergraduate Coordinator is Dr. Edward Chervenak, whom you may have seen commenting on the elections in print and on TV, in between teaching classes and advising students. Dr. Chervenak, along with Dr. Robert Sims and Dr. Sondra Venable, serve as the major advisors. And since I’ve been advising many of you during your time at UNO, I invite you to stop by my office too. Any of us will happily help you with your questions about the political science curriculum and graduation requirements; even though we like having you around, we also want to help you graduate as soon as possible! In addition, if law school is on your mind, check out the pre-law society, Phi Alpha Delta, which was revived by a number of you ambitious pre-law students with the help of Pre-Law Advisor Chrissie Herrera. Look for all of us in our new home on the second floor, west wing, of Milneburg Hall. The main Political Science office is in MH 256, where Executive Assistant Ernest Mackey will cheerfully assist you.
Whether your future is in education, government, business, political advocacy, journalism, the law, international relations, or any other endeavor*--we are here to help you meet your goals. And you, in turn, are helping our city and state by enhancing your knowledge and skills. Whether you’re from the New Orleans area, elsewhere in Louisiana, another state, or another country, thank you for making this amazing place even better!
Best wishes,
Christine L. Day
Department Chair
*Still not sure where your degree will take you? Feel free to stop by for a free copy of the American Political Science Association publication, Careers and the Study of Political Science.
