Headliners

The rise in mortgage foreclosures has sparked a sharp downturn in the state’s economy and forced thousands of Minnesota families from their homes. The situation grows worse daily, with a record-setting 33,000 Minnesota foreclosures predicted for 2008.

Worried by this trend, Minnesota politicians are borrowing a page from depression-era lawmaking and considering several bills that would stem the tide and protect homeowners, renters, and neighborhoods from its devastating consequences.
Amidst all the action is a growing debate—what are the ripple effects of this complicated problem?  And how much should the government do to protect its citizens from financial distress?

On April 3, join U of M law professor and former assistant attorney general Prentiss Cox, who played a central role in crafting the state’s anti-predatory lending law and foreclosure deferment bill, as he discusses the complex issues surrounding the foreclosure crisis in Minnesota.

Prentiss Cox is a Clinical Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota.  A frequent speaker on consumer protection issues, Cox was an Assistant Attorney General and manager of the Consumer Enforcement Division in the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office prior to joining the U of M faculty.  He holds a J.D. from the U of M Law School and has prosecuted numerous nationally-recognized cases involving predatory lending, subprime mortgage lending, credit card practices, and telemarketing fraud.  Professor Cox, who has been selected as a Minnesota “Super Lawyer,” helped research and draft the state’s anti-predatory lending law and the Minnesota Subprime Foreclosure Deferment Act.

PowerPoint Presentation

Continue reading "Foreclosure spike prompts action" »

Posted by CCE New Media Group at 9:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With a population of more than 1.3 billion people, the oldest continuous civilization with records dating back 3,500 years, a geography covering 3.7 million square miles, and the world’s fastest growing economy, China is a geopolitical giant. And while its transition from an isolationist nation to international powerhouse has occurred in just a matter of decades, there’s no slowdown in sight.
Given the nation’s booming economy and rapidly expanding energy consumption, what global consequences can we expect from China’s tumultuous transformation?
Dr. Yongwei Zhang, Director of the University of Minnesota's China Center, discusses the transformation of mainland China from an isolationist nation to a global leader poised to become the largest economic power in the world.

Continue reading "The China Connection" »

Posted by CCE New Media Group at 3:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"What a long, strange trip it's been."
Last year, Louis Mendoza, Chair of the U's Chicano Studies Department, spent six months circumnavigating the U.S. on a bicycle—covering 8,500 miles and observing firsthand the "Latinoization" of the country. As the national debate over immigration raged in the mainstream media and on the campaign trail, Mendoza interviewed hundreds of people about their views of the emergence of Latinos as the nation's largest ethnic minority and the effect this demographic shift is having on national identity and culture.
On February 7, Louis Mendoza retraces his journey and introduces you to the people he encountered on the road during his search for Latino America.

Continue reading "On the Road in Search of Latino America" »

Posted by CCE New Media Group at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

"The Great Lakes' health is essential to our well-being.
It's no secret that awareness of global warming has skyrocketed in recent years. But what does it mean for us here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes if climate change is unequivocal and accelerating? At a recent conference on Lake Superior, researchers agreed that global warming could wreak havoc on the Great Lakes. What is the probable impact of global warming on Minnesota's fresh water ecology? And how are these changes likely to affect our health and well-being?
On January 10, Deborah Swackhamer, director of the U of M's Institute on the Environment and professor in the School of Public Health, offered an important—and eye-opening—discussion of the regional impact of global warming.

Continue reading "Global Warming...Regional Impact: Minnesota's Role in an Environmental Crisis" »

Posted by CCE New Media Group at 4:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)