Academic year 2013-14
Volume 4
Siena College
Headlines:
Beyond The Margin
Economics Classes Engage the Community
Economics students in two
classes entered into deep
partnerships with the community this fall.
Dr. Arindam Mandal’s
Economics of Discrimination Seminar (ECON 490)
partnered with Green Tech
High Charter School to
vide connections and coordination.
The resulting initial survey
and analysis by Dr. Mandal’s students will lead to a
summer collaboration by
Dake Scholar Conor Quinn
’15 with Green Tech. And
at the 2014 Student Conference in Business, Caroline Bertholf ’15 and
Quinn presented the class’s
work and findings in the
Academic Community
Engagement Track.
=====
Dr. Ashley Provencher’s
ECON 300, The Economics of Crime, worked
closely with Peter Young
Housing, Industry, and
Treatment, a nonprofit
with 80 locations throughout New York State. Econ
major and Dake Summer
Scholar Audrey Sabatini’s
reaction?
“It’s a different style of
learning,” Sabatini ’14
said. “If you like interacting with people and getting
out into the community,
it’s pretty great.”
explore factors leading to
college success. Siena
Econ alum and current
VISTA Fellow Jimmy
Bulmer ’12 worked to pro-
Awards:
Omicron Delta Epsilon
is the national honor society in economics. This
widely recognized society
recognizes those who have
demonstrated commitment
and accomplishment in
economics. Our 2014 inductees are:
Melissa Fichera
Sarah Kowiak,
Dina DeCarlo
Nicholas Motyl
Michael Lowney
Audrey Sabatini
Matthew Beyer
Audrey Allen
Jenna Elysse Foote
Theresa Tremblay
Steven Lanciotti.
College Honors Fellow
Sarah Kowiak
Major Award Winners
Each year the Department
selects two exceptional
graduating students. This
year the award winners
are:
Economics (B.S.):
Audrey Sabatini
Economics (B.A.):
Christine Smith
 First Annual Networking
Dinner
 Students Tackle Current Economic Conditions
 Siena Students Present
Research at Four Different Regional Conferences
> Siena Faculty Featured in
the Washington Post
Academic Community
Engagemement
1
Awards
1
Students in Action
2
Careers & Scholarship 3
Student Research
3
Fall 2014 schedule
4
Beyond The Margin
Page 2
Fed Challenge Team on Wall Street
Econ Students Study Abroad
Economics major Carolyn Windover, a native of
Southbury, Conn., has been abroad since September studying at the London School of Economics. Windover is enrolled in a program
called the General
Course, made up of
300 students from 43
different
countries.
She will stay in London until the conclusion of the program in
mid-June.
For the second time in six years Siena’s Fed
Challenge Team advanced to the November 18th
semi-finals at the Federal Reserve Bank in New
York City. Including Econ majors Matt Beyer
(far left) and Rob Burklund (far right) and supported by senior Steven Lanciotti, the team was
guided by Finance Professor Tom Kopp. Their
return trip to NYC followed a stellar 1st round.
Econ Students lead Fair Trade
"I chose this place because I wanted to go
somewhere that is not
the
`typical'
study
abroad
destination,"
said Heaney. "I also
wanted to challenge
myself to learn a foreign language." She is
volunteering to teach
English to local high
school students. Her
stay in Europe was not
limited to Salzburg;
Heaney has traveled to
Prague, Munich, Budapest, and Italy during her
16-week adventure.
Fair Trade is every day at Siena , and Econ majors Alana Strassfield and Evan Peter presented
“Fair Trade Guatemala: From Raw Material to
Economic Empowerment” with two other Siena
students at the annual Fair Trade Colleges &
Universities Conference at Siena College. Explained Professor of Political Science Vera
Eccarius-Kelly, “As a Franciscan institution, our
mission directly affirms [Fair Trade] practices as
we reach out to local and organic farmers as
well as smaller entrepreneurs and marginal producers in the developing world to source our
products.”
S
a
i
n
t
s
Econ
major
Riley
Grossman
after his
final
Roundtable.
Cruz Bueno
Assistant Professor of Economics
Colbeth Hall 110
(518)783-2123
[email protected]
Aaron Pacitti
Assistant Professor of Economics
Colbeth Hall 118
(518)782-6892
[email protected]
Economics student Christine Heaney chose to
study abroad in Salzburg, Austria.
G
o
James Booker - Department Head
Professor of Economics and
Environmental Studies
Colbeth Hall 207
(518)783-2929
[email protected]
Arindam Mandal
Assistant Professor of Economics
Colbeth Hall 104C
(518)782-6978
[email protected]
"I was given this incredible opportunity
to spend a year at one
of the best institutions
for Economics in the
world," said Windover. "While at LSE
I’ve attended outside
lectures by guests such as multiple Prime Ministers in the EU, the mayor of London and various
other academics have spoken at LSE."
Carolyn and Christine are both members of the
Siena
College
Cross-country
team.
Adapted from the news release “Running
Around the World” by Kylie Strijek.
Economics Department Faculty:
Kudos To Econ Majors
Ashley Provencher
Assistant Professor of Economics
Colbeth Hall
(518)783-4144
[email protected]
Smita Ramnarain
Assistant Professor of Economics
Colbeth Hall 121
(518)783-2321
[email protected]
Linda Richardson
Prof. of Finance and Economics
On administrative assignment as
Vice President of Academic Affairs
W. Scott Trees
Professor of Economics
Colbeth Hall 211
(518)783-2557
[email protected]
Conor Prunty — MAAC 1st team, Lacrosse
Theresa Tremblay—
Nat’l Academic Team
(Field Hockey)
Maddy Hurley —Siena
single game saves record (Water Polo; pictured)
Kyle Currry — MAAC
2nd team, Lacrosse
David Liebschutz
Visiting Instructor of Economics
Colbeth Hall 110
(518)782-6781
[email protected]
Adjunct Faculty:
James Boswell
Greg DeAngelo
Kevin Jack
J. Matthew Kirwan
David Trzaskos
Beyond The Margin
Page 3
News Corner: New Faculty
Department Faculty on Stage
Economics Department faculty
published their research in six
academic journals this year,
with work on peacebuilding,
crime and risk, and unemployment.
Faculty were also prominent in
the local TV and print media,
commentary in the Huffington
Post, an appearance on CNBC,
and quotes in the Washington
Post and U.S. News & World
Report.
Presentations were made at the
national meeting for economists, specialty meetings, and
key regional meetings.
Cruz Bueno,
Assistant Professor
of Economics
Smita Ramnarain,
Assistant Professor
of Economics
Professor Bueno is an
Applied Development
Economist with a focus
on the economics of
race, class, and gender.
Her current research
projects include an analysis of the economic,
political, and social determinants of gender
violence against women and the role of women’s and men’s endogenous preferences in the
justification of intimate partner violence in
the Dominican Republic. She earned her B.S.
from the University of Florida in 2001 and
her Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in 2013.
Professor Ramnarain
received her Ph.D.
from the University of
Massachusetts, Amherst in 2012. Her
teaching interests include Development; Political Economy; Feminist Economics; Economic History of the
Global South, Microeconomics and Macroeconomics. In her research, Dr. Ramnarain
conducts fieldwork in Nepal to better understand the role of woman headed households
in economic development. Future work will
expand of her pioneering qualitative research
methods to households in Sri Lanka.
Second Annual Nobel Lecture
The Second Annual Nobel
Lecture was held on March
4. Organized by Dr. Mandal, assisted by Dr. Bueno,
the panel presentation and
discussion covered the
most recent Economics,
Literature, Physics, and
Peace Prizes.
With a nearly full house in
Key Auditorium, Finance
Professor Tom Kopp interpreted the Economics
prize. Professors Pam
Clements (English), Jean
Stern (Political Science),
and John Cummings spoke
on the remaining prizes.
Student Conference Presentations
Audrey Sabatini presented
her research at the Second
Annual Capital District
Feminist Studies Conference in February. The research was under the direction of Professors Trees
and Provencher.
Econ major Stacey Morris
presented her research,
conducted in Professor
Scott Tree’s class, at the
National Conference on
Undergraduate Research
Conference, April 3-5,
2014 at the University of
Kentucky.
Looking Ahead: NYSEA ‘14 at Siena!
The 67th Annual Meeting
(2014) of the New York
State Economics Association will be held on October 10-11 at Siena College.
Volume 4
Students put your papers
together for the Undergraduate Student Paper contest:
Abstract deadline July 15;
paper deadline August 15.
Fall Economics Forum
The Fall Economic Forum,
“New Approaches to the War on
Drugs,” on October 23 was organized by Professor Provencher’s
Economics of Crime class. The
forum featured panelists Econ
Professor Pacitti, Albany County
Assistant District Attorney Francisco Calderon ’94, and Albany
County Chief Deputy Kerry
Thompson addressing benefits
and costs of current and potential
decriminalization of currently (in
New York) illegal drugs.
Seminars and Roundtables
Celebrating its 5th year, the Economics Roundtable, is a discussion
series on current events directly
affecting all Siena students and the
broader community. With ten topics spread across the academic
year, students and faculty from
across the college community participated.
The Economics Brownbag Series,
the research seminar of the Economics Department, included four
events this year, hosting scholars
from Smith College and Hamilton
Second Annual Student-Alumni Networking Dinner
Current students and Economics
Department alums came together
again on March 27 for the annual
networking dinner.
As Economics Student Association
President and master of ceremonies
Caroline Bertholf said, “It’s great
for us to be able to meet people
who have traveled on the same
path and to learn from them.”
One of those Siena alums was Robin Prunty ’85 who headlined
the evening’s comments.
Summing
up the
evening,
“For me it
is wonderful to be
back and to
see how the
department
has
grown,”
said Tom
Andriola ’93, director of policy and
implementation for the New York State
Office of the Deputy Secretary of Public Safety.
Page 4
Beyond The Margin
Volume 4
Fall 2014 Economics Courses
Upper Division Electives Economics, Fall 2014
ECON 430 (Econometrics) is offered ONLY IN THE
FALL. If you’re planning to graduate in Spring 2015 you
need to take it NOW. (Also offered in SUMMER term,
2014).
ECON 328-- Labor Economics. A survey of labor in
America: traditional labor market models supplemented by considerations of institutional constraints,
employee benefits, and forms of wage discrimination.
Prereq:
201.INSTRUCTOR:
Dr.
Mandal
We now offer ECON 202 (macro) and ECON 201 (micro) in
both fall and spring. It is very helpful for your program to
take these starting sophomore year, but it is also important
that your analytic and math skills are ready.
The prerequisites for ECON 201 now require calculus (talk
to an Econ prof if you expect to be taking QBUS 110 in the
fall). Catch up on your math NOW if you are behind.
ECON 230 – U.S. Economic History. An exploration
power, class, and standards of living across the generations. Those with a keen interest might ALSO
consider taking, this fall, Dr. Mahar’s HIST 390R -American
Capitalism.
Prereq:
102.
INSTRUCTOR (the economics course): Dr. Pacitti
Prerequisites for other courses (and some course numbers—
Labor Economics, ECON 328) changed this spring as well.
Several topics courses now have their own numbers (e.g.
ECON 362 – Latin American & Caribbean Economic Development). If you have any question about your schedule, talk
to an Econ faculty member!
ECON 337- Political Economy of Gender, Race and
Class. Unpacks commonly used concepts and assumptions in economics, and considershow they matter for economic policy. Prereq: 201. INSTRUCTOR:
Dr. Ramnarain
Topics courses (ECON 300) and seminars (ECON 490) can
be taken multiple times (even in the same semester)! Of
course the content needs to by different each time.
ECON 362 – Latin American & Caribbean Economic
Development. This course will draw on the instructor’s experiences, including work in the Dominican
Republic, and will incorporate heterodox approaches
to development. (New) Prereq: 202. INSTRUCTOR:
Dr.
Bueno
Required Upper Division Courses in Economics
ECON 202 -- Macroeconomic Analysis. Required for ALL majors and minors in Economics. We will work hard to make
this course available to EVERYONE who needs to take it
this fall. INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Pacitti
ECON 201 – Microeconomic Analysis. Required for ALL majors and minors in Economics. Nobody will be closed out.
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Booker
ECON 430 – Econometrics. The closest thing we have to a
capstone: required for all majors. Two sections. Everyone
who needs this for S2014 graduation will be accommodated.
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Trees
ECON 325 - Health Economics. This topic takes on
almost 20% of the U.S. economy: everything about
using economics to understand the health care sector.
Prereq:
201.
INSTRUCTOR:
Dr.
Provencher
ECON 490 – Seminar: Federal Reserve Challenge. Be
part of the Siena team and take your proposals for
monetary policy directly to the Fed in this competition based seminar. (Cross-listed as FINC 490.) INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Kopp