Date: Sep 24, 2008

Hofstra Town Hall Meeting to Focus on U.S. Economy and the Presidential Campaign

Noted economists to look at financial crisis, candidate’s economic proposals for the nation

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY – Two noted economists will look at the state of the U.S. economy and its impact on the 2008 presidential campaign at a Town Hall meeting at Hofstra on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at 2:15 p.m. in the Monroe Lecture Center Theater, California Avenue, South Campus.

The program, part of Hofstra's Educate '08 series leading up to the October 15 presidential debate here and the November election, will feature Nouriel Roubini, Ph.D., a professor of economics and international business at New York University Stern School of Business, and Alice M. Rivlin, Ph.D., senior fellow with the Metropolitan Policy Program and economic studies director, Greater Washington Research at Brookings Institution. The discussion will be facilitated by Robert Guttmann, Ph.D., chair of Hofstra’s Economics Department.

The October 15 debate at Hofstra is the third and final presidential debate of the 2008 election season and will focus on the economy and domestic issues. 

Dr. Roubini received his undergraduate degree from Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, and his Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University in 1988. Before joining NYU Stern, he was a faculty member of the Economics Department at Yale University (1988-1995). He was also senior economist for international affairs at the White House Council of Economic Advisers (1998-1999); senior advisor to the Under Secretary for International Affairs and the director of the Office of Policy Development and Review at the U.S. Treasury Department (1999- 2000). He worked on the resolution of the Asian and global financial crises of 1997-1998 and the reform of the international financial architecture after these crises, among other issues. He is also chairman of Roubini Global Economics, an economic information and consultancy service. His views are cited regularly in the media.

Dr. Roubini has been a long-time consultant to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and other private and public institutions. He has published theoretical and empirical and policy papers on international macroeconomic issues, the Asian and global financial crisis, emerging markets and the reform of the international financial system. He is the co-author of the book, "Political Cycles: Theory and Evidence." His new book, "Bailouts or Bail-ins? Responding to Financial Crises in Emerging Economies," (with Brad Setser), was published by the Institute for International Economics in 2004. A seminal contribution to the field, the book studies the currency, financial and sovereign debt crises in emerging market economies in the last decade and their resolution via policy adjustment, official/IMF “bail-out” packages and private sector involvement ("bail-ins") in crisis resolution.
 
Dr. Rivlin received her M.A. and Ph.D. from Radcliffe College, Harvard University and her B.A. from Bryn Mawr. Currently a visiting professor at the Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University, Dr. Rivlin was the first director of the Congressional Budget Office (1975-83). She is an expert on urban issues as well as fiscal, monetary and social policy. She directs the Greater Washington Research project.

Dr. Rivlin was also the Henry Cohen Professor, Milano Graduate School of Management and Urban Policy, New School University (2001-2003); chair, District of Columbia Financial Management Assistance Authority (1998-2001); vice chair, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System (1996-99); director, White House Office of Management and Budget (1994-96); deputy director, White House Office of Management and Budget (1993-94); recipient, MacArthur Foundation Prize Fellowship (1983); Hirst Professor of Public Policy, George Mason University; director of Economic Studies, Brookings Institution; assistant secretary for planning and evaluation, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (1968-69).

Dr. Guttmann, professor of economics and chair of the Department of Economics and Geography at Hofstra, studied in Vienna, Austria, and at the University of Wisconsin before obtaining his Ph.D. in London in 1979. He won "Distinguished Teacher of the Year" awards at Hofstra in 1989 and 2004. He teaches international economics, monetary economics, economic integration in the European Union, and public finance. Since 1992, he has been a visiting professor at Université Paris-Nord. Widely published in monetary theory as well as money and banking, his latest book is "Cybercash: The Coming Era of Electronic Money" (Palgrave, 2003).

The Town Hall is sponsored by Hofstra's Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, and the Educate '08 Community Advisory Committees. Educate ’08 is sponsored by the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency, The John D. Miller Fund at the Long Island Community Foundation, and Sondra and David S. Mack.

Leading up to the debate and the 2008 election, Hofstra is proud to host Educate '08, an unprecedented series of lectures, conferences, artistic performances and exhibitions, town hall meetings and interactive forums focused on the issues, history and politics of presidential elections. Educate '08 provides our students, faculty and the entire surrounding community with access to the newsmakers, scholars and policymakers who have unique insight and knowledge of the American political system.  Many programs are free and open to the public. During spring 2008's Educate '08 schedule, Hofstra hosted more than 30 events, including guests such as Mary Matalin and James Carville, David Gergen, William Kristol and Maureen Dowd, and many scholars, historians, journalists and policymakers. Find out more about Educate '08 by visiting www.hofstra.edu/educate08

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 140 undergraduate and 155 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, communication, education and allied human services, and honors studies, as well as a School of Law.

Related Link: For a complete schedule of Educate '08 programs and courses: