Classes met this week on Tuesday and the new semester has begun, the continuity of the academic year in the context of a political season of substantial change.  On Monday, CWRU and the nation celebrated and commemorated the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., and today a new president and vice president are being inaugurated.  The inauguration of the 45^th US president begins at 11:30am, with the new president’s swearing in at noon (the scheduled of events can be found here).
 
The transition from outgoing President Barack Obama to incoming President Donald Trump is unusual in many respects.  President Trump will come into office with no elective or appointive government experience, having won fewer votes nationwide than his Democratic opponent, and with a lower approval rating coming into the presidency than was the case for the six presidents who immediately preceded him.  Nonetheless, the new president will have a majority of Republicans in the House (247) and in the Senate (54) to support his policy initiatives; he will also have the opportunity to nominate a new Supreme Court Justice.  The next four years should be interesting.
 
The inauguration of President Trump is likely to be the only inauguration our undergraduate students will experience during their college years, and there are at least two events on campus today that they may wish to attend.  First, at 12:30pm today, Professor Kathryn Lavelle, the Ellen and Dixon Long Professor in World Affairs, will speak in the Center for Policy Studies Friday Lunch Series, on “The Future of Financial Regulation” in the context of the new administration.  As usual, Professor Joseph White will be chairing the lunch and will have his own perspective on the prospects for the new administration.  Second, the CWRU School of Law is hosting a Teach-In on the legal and other implications of the Trump Administration, from 9:00 to 4:00pm today, in the Moot Courtroom (see the announcement, below).  And, of course, the mass media will be broadcasting the inaugural events for most of the day today.
 
For those of you who may be in Washington for the inauguration – or who may be participating in the Women’s March on Washington (or the Women’s March on Cleveland) tomorrow, please send any photographs you might have to Ms. Jessica Jurcak at jkj22@case.edu.  We’ll be pleased to include them in future newsletters.
 
With all best wishes,
Karen
 

Karen Beckwith, Flora Stone Mather Professor
Chair, Department of Political Science, Case Western Reserve University

General Announcements

• If you participate in any Inauguration Day events, please send photos to Ms. Jessica Jurcak and we’ll share them on our Facebook page!
• Stay up to date with the department by following our Twitter feed! Check it for day to day opportunities and information!
• Like us on Facebook! Our department will be regularly posting events, opportunities, and general information to our page!

Events

Friday Lunch: The Future of Financial Regulation
January 20, 12:30-1:30p.m., KSL Room LL06A-C (lower level, opposite elevators)
The 2016 Republican party platform proclaims that the 2010 “Dodd-Frank” financial services legislation was “an excuse to establish unprecedented government control over the nation’s financial markets… by creating new unaccountable bureaucracies.” The platform goes on to promise “legislation that brings transparency and accountability to the Federal Reserve.” With President Trump’s inauguration, will this agenda be enacted? If not, what may happen instead? Join Professor Kathryn Lavelle in discussing the prospects.

Inauguration Day Events at CWRU
January 20, 9:00a.m.-4:00p.m., Moot Courtroom
Student organizations at CWRU along with staff and faculty, affiliated as the CWRU White Rose Group, are organizing a series of events to be held at the University on Inauguration Day. The events will consist of a series of working meetings on how to strengthen the rule of tolerance, respect for diversity, civility, and freedom of speech, thought, and religion that define our core American values.

Renew, Resist, Recommit: A Vigil for Justice
January 20, 12:00-3:00p.m., Amistad Chapel at the United Church of Christ National Office
Join The UCC Council on Climate Justice in their vigil for justice, as well as to learn about policies related to the climate and how they affect everything from the quality of our air to the basic underpinnings of our economy.

Women’s March on Cleveland
January 21, 10:00a.m., Public Square
Join supporters of women’s rights to stand together in solidarity for the protection of women’s rights, safety, health, and families — recognizing that vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country.

In Their Footsteps: African American Elected Officials and the Legacy of Carl and Louis Stokes
January 25, 7:00p.m., The City Club
During this conversation, former Sound of Applause host Dee Perry and City of Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson will explore our region’s race relations past, the work that lies ahead, and what it’s like to walk in the footsteps of these legendary political change agents.

The Proposed Merger of Cleveland and East Cleveland
January 31, 7:00-8:30p.m., TVUC Ballroom
This lecture examines the proposed merger of Cleveland and East Cleveland. How could this happen? Should a merger of the two cities happen? What are the implications?

Career Opportunities

Director of Development, Facing History and Ourselves
This position will play an integral role in strategically building the Cleveland development effort to meet and exceed our ambitious fundraising goals. This position will work with development leadership, the Cleveland Office Director, Advisory Board members, and other staff to initiate, plan, and manage fundraising efforts, including donor research and cultivation, gift solicitation, stewardship, Advisory Board activities, fundraising events including our signature spring benefit, and partnership management with the Corporate and Foundations team.

Graduate Programs

CSU College of Urban Affairs Open House
February 11, 12:00-5:00p.m., CSU
The Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University is hosting an open house for all prospective graduate students. This is an opportunity for students to see our campus and meet program directors, faculty, our graduate advisor, students, and alumni.

Kent State University MA and PhD Programs

Columbia University Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences MA program
QMSS is an innovative, flexible, interdisciplinary social science Master of Arts degree program at Columbia University that focuses on quantitative research techniques and strategies. The program integrates the perspectives and research methods of six social science disciplines: Economics, History, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, and Statistics.
 

Internship and Fellowship Opportunities

Cleveland Foundation Public Service Fellowship
The Cleveland Foundation Public Service Fellowship program offers emerging young leaders
from across the country the skills and networks needed to create the community they envision and
jumpstart a career in public service.

A select group of Fellows will be embedded in public sector agencies in Cleveland working on
the frontlines of civic innovation. If you are a recent college graduate considering a public service
career, choose the Cleveland Foundation Public Service Fellowship and continue the reinvention
of a rustbelt city on the rise. The online application will be available January 23-February 22.

Rep. Jim Renacci District Office Intern
This internship provides an introduction into the varied duties and responsibilities of a Congressional district office. The primary role of the district office is to assist constituents with Federal agencies. The staff intern must have an interest in helping others with a wide variety of issues.

Rep. Jim Renacci District Office Externship Experience
The Externship Experience provides a snapshot view into the varied duties and responsibilities of a Congressional district office. Each extern must have an interest to learn about the role of the district office and a desire to better understand the mechanics of how Congress assists constituents with Federal agencies.

“Protect Our Parks” Campaign Organizing Intern
The Wilderness Society’s “Protect Our Parks” campaign is looking for motivated students to help us protect the Wilderness and Antiquities Acts. These important programs have protected valuable pieces of our natural and cultural heritage, including Ohio’s Cuyahoga and Wayne National Forests. However, there are frequent attempts to weaken or repeal these programs in Congress, so it is important to show elected officials that Americans care deeply about protecting public lands. Over the next several months, we will be organizing community events, working with the media, collecting petition signatures, and building a broad coalition of local groups to protect public lands.

Interns will lead and assist with a wide variety of campaign tasks. Good verbal and writing skills are important as interns will recruit and train volunteers, lead meetings, and communicate with media outlets. Applicants should be willing to devote 10-15 hours per week to campaign work, but schedules can be adjusted to accommodate class, work, and personal preferences.

Cleveland Foundation Summer Internships
This internship program provides talented and diverse undergraduate students and recent college graduates an opportunity to work with Cleveland-area nonprofit and public sector organizations in an 11-week paid internship. Interns also participate in and coordinate weekly seminars highlighting key organizations and programs. Application deadline is January 23.

Cleveland Hillel Foundation Summer Internship Program
This is a paid summer internship program open to Jewish students who will be going into their junior or senior year in the fall. Interns work for ten weeks and participate in innovative programming including exclusive excursions around Cleveland, professional development seminars and opportunities to interact with civic and community leaders. Application deadline is January 30.

James H. Dunn Jr. Memorial Fellowship
This Fellowship Program provides bright, highly motivated recent college graduates a unique opportunity to experience firsthand the operations of state government for one year. Applicants must have a bachelor’s or higher graduate degree. Application deadline is January 31.
 

Volunteer in Ghana
Spend the summer volunteering with local health and education programs in Ghana.

A Little Extra…

• Listen to Professor Kathryn Lavelle on The Sound of Ideas as she weighed in on the importance of inaugural speeches and what we can expect from Trump’s address (29:30).