Texas-based Crisis

http://www.utexas.edu/opa/news/2007/04/financial05.html
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/04/22/22loans.html


According to the Austin American-Statesman, there is a current $85 billion nationwide student loan investigation. The investigation is being led by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. Among the Texas Universities are Baylor University, Texas Tech University, Texas Christian University, and The University of Texas. The University of Texas placed its financial aid director on paid leave after Attorney General Cuomo’s office questioned him about his past ownership of stock in the former parent of a student loan company listed by UT as one of its preferred lenders.

After visiting the University of Texas’ website I found a news release that addressed the student loan investigation. The President of the University of Texas, William Powers Jr., makes a statement in the news release and there is a direct quote. In the Austin American-Statesman Mark G. Yudof, chancellor of the University of Texas System was quoted. Cuomo sent Powers a letter informing him of the allegations and the next day (April 5) the release was posted. I believe that for the most part, the two stories about the crisis are in agreement. They both contain the same attitude towards the issue, that this is a severe issue, and I believe that news release from UT is a bit more optimistic. The University of Texas does an excellent job of addressing the issue and I was really impressed that the release was from the President of the University. The news release definitely fills in gaps and adds more to the story than the news coverage, by releasing the name of the financial aid director (Lawrence W. Burt), and listing the steps that the University has taken to come to a solution to the crisis (“Powers asked James R. Huffines, chairman of the University of Texas System Board of Regents, and Mark G. Yudof, chancellor of the University of Texas System, to authorize the Office of the General Counsel of the University of Texas System to conduct an investigation in collaboration with the university. The investigation will be led by Vice Chancellor and General Counsel Barry D. Burgdorf of the University of Texas System”)

Biographies

John A. McLachlan, professor of Environmental Studies at Tulane University in New Orleans and co-founder of RiverSphere, is scheduled to speak at the University of North Texas on Thursday, March 16. Dr. McLachlan received his Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts from Johns Hopkins University and a doctoral degree in pharmacology from the George Washington University. Before becoming a professor at Tulane University in 1995, Dr. McLachlan spent the previous two decades at the National Institute of environmental Health Sciences. While working at NIEHS, Dr. McLachlan's scientific studies led to his discovery of the machanisms by which environmental chemicals alter fetal development. Dr. McLachlan's scientific contributions helped name him Scientific Director of the NIEHS in 1989. His research on environmental chemicals that mimic the female hormone, estrogen has established a new field of research called Environmental Signaling (or Endocrine Disruption). Dr. McLachlan's Environmental Endocrinology Laboratory uses cutting edge technology to study environmental signaling. The major area of concentration for his work is environmental estrogen that interact with the estrogen receptor. Lab members examine the interaction of environmental chemicals with other steroid receptors, as well as cellular signaling pathways. In his first five years at Tulane University, Dr. John McLachlan established a program in the Environment and Women's Health, formed the nation's first Center in Environmental Astrobiology, and created the Mississippi River Interdisciplinary Research Program. Aside from his impressive environmental work through the University, Dr. McLachlan also had a hand in created RiverSphere. the whole idea behind RiverSphere started after a conversation between McLachland anda famous environmentalist author John M. Barry. RiverSphere is a Tulane University program where scientists, artists, historians and anthropologists all work side-by-side. RiverSphere is designed as a place "for art, science, and technology, about rivers, for river communities, on the New Orleans Mississippi riverfront".

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President of Waterkeeper Alliance, will also speak at the WaterWays conference on Wednesday, March 1. Kennedy is a Harvard University graduate. After studying at the London School of Economics he received his law degree from the University of Virginia Law School where he also received his Masters Degree in Environmental Law. Mr. Kennedy has worked on numerous environmental issues across North and South America as well as helped negotiate treaties protecting several indigenous tribes in Latin America and Canada. the New York City watershed agreement, which Mr. Kennedy negotiated on behalf of the environmentalists and New York City watershed consumers, is regarded as "an international model in stakeholder consensus negotiations and sustainable development". With actions like these, Kennedy is credited with leading the fight to protect New York City's water supply. He also helped lead the fight to turn back the anti-environmental legislation during the 104th Congress. Kennedy is a Clinical Professor and Supervising Attorney at Pace University School of Law's Environmental Litigation Clinic as well as co-host of ring of Fire on Air America Radio. He also serves as Chief Prosecuting Attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper and President of Waterkeep Alliance. Riverkeeper's main goal is to "safeguard the ecological integrity of the Hudson river, its tributaries and the watershed of New York city by tracking down and stopping polluters". Since 1983, Riverkeeper has investigated and prosecuted more than 300 environmental lawbreakers.

First Lead

The University of North Texas would like to welcome back the Waterways 2007 project. Thanks to the Department of Philosophy at the University, this will be the second time hosting the Conference. The free session will be held in Denton, Texas on March 13th through March 15th. With the combined forces of scientists, philosophers, politicians, artists, and many others, Waterways is helping to educate about important water issues. Using influential speakers such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the main goal of this year’s conference is to raise awareness about water basin issues.