The April 14 edition of the Christian Science Monitor recently featured an article by Carleton student, Maddy Crowell ’14 (Chicago). The article describes Crowell’s experiences with the protest movements in Morocco that she witnessed during her semester abroad this fall. Two years earlier, Moroccan streets saw tens of thousands of protestors looking to challenge the power of the Moroccan king. Despite the reforms that came about as a result of the movements, activists say little has changed. As Crowell reports, protestors vow to continue to face down threats and keep up pressure for a 'real' democracy.

Bruce Dalgaard, visiting scholar in economics, recently contributed to the article, “Ask the Experts: Taking Stock of the Prepaid Card Market,” featured on CardHub.com. The article analyzed the rise of this new-age checking account, which has been the fastest growing form of electronic payment since 2006. Despite the rapid growth of this non-traditional card, Dalgaard remarks, “Checking accounts, i.e. paper checks, will not disappear quickly, maybe not for a long time.” He says, “In part, this is a cultural demographic. We could equate checks, in a way, to land lines. Some people simply are not comfortable giving up their land line and they won’t be with checks.” However, in spite of initial consumer hesitance, experts conclude that widespread usage will eventually be the norm and that the growth of the prepaid card industry is just getting started.

Ron Rodman, Dye Family Professor of Music, recently had his article “Dinah Shore’s TV Legacy” featured in the March 28 edition of Oxford University Press Blog. The article comes from Rodman’s recent book, Tuning In: American Television Music published by Oxford University Press in 2010.

Steve Schier, Dorothy H. and Edward C. Congdon Professor of Political Science, recently penned an op-ed featured in the March 29 edition of Politics in Minnesota. In his article, Schier argues that Democrats hold several advantages over Republicans in coming elections. The paper notes that the liberal advantages arise with trends in demographics, globalization, and technological progress. Schier voices concern for the resulting likelihood of “an increasingly unequal society governed by well-meaning liberal elites.” Schier argues that this system of defensive liberalism will attract many more voters than the riskier Republican platforms and to “expect an economically sluggish state and national future, governed by a defensive liberalism that successfully purveys a low-risk agenda.”

The April 1 edition of The Scientist commends the progress made by Todd Golub ’85 in the field of cancer research. Golub and his colleagues have made powerful developments in scrutinizing gene expression profiles to diagnose, classify, and treat cancer. After completing an undergraduate degree at Carleton College in 1985 and an MD at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine, Golub began working in cancer research at the Whitehead Institute at MIT. Within just two years, he and his colleague demonstrated that two types of acute leukemia, which clinicians had spent 30 years characterizing, could be classified based exclusively on their gene-expression patterns.

The March 29 edition of the Star Tribune discussed how the process of valedictorian selection has come under fire at many Minnesota high schools. While more schools opt for a weighted GPA system, the road to the valedictorian title can become a strategic venture requiring careful course selection. Many believe the system to be unfair, as even a perfect GPA may not mean the top distinction for high-achieving students. However, Carleton College, along with many other Minnesota private colleges, have noted that the valedictorian title does little to sway admissions decisions. As Paul Thiboutot, Carleton vice president and dean of admissions and financial aid, confirms, “By itself, a GPA, or being valedictorian is not the critical determining factor [in the selection process.]”

Fred Rogers '72, vice president and treasurer, is featured along with his son, Matthew, in a March 25 New York Times article about college tuition prepayment plans. The Private College 529 Plan allows participants to prepay tuition at private colleges and universities at today’s rates. Fred Rogers set up the plan for his granddaughter shortly after she was born. The money in the plan can be used towards tuition at one of the 273 member schools. If Rogers' granddaughter, Kyra, decides not to enroll in one of those member institutions, he can change the beneficiary to another relative or family member can use it, or he can request a refund.

The Feb. 26 edition of U.S. News and World Report recently announced its listing of colleges with the highest rate of study abroad participation. The survey drew data from 339 ranked schools and found on average approximately 23 percent of 2011 college graduates studied abroad at some point. Carleton ranked in the top ten, with 70 percent of students of the class of 2011 studying abroad at least once before graduation.

Steven Schier, Dorothy H. and Edward C. Congdon Professor of Political Science, recently commented on the state of Minnesota's Republican Party in the Feb. 24 edition of the Chicago Tribune. The article notes that after one of its worst election cycles in decades, the party is at a tipping point. Experts agree that Minnesota Republicans must be more inclusive, articulate what they stand for and not just against, and be at the bargaining table and willing to compromise with Democrats on policy issues. When remarking on the past two years for the party, Schier remarks, "I'm still trying to figure out what they did right."

Charles Adams Cogan, associate dean of admissions, recently published an opinion piece in the Feb. 23 edition of the Star Tribune titled, "Polio fight needs final push in places like Nigeria." Cogan is one of the thousands of Rotary volunteers who have worked on the polio eradication campaign over the past 25 years.