Expert Alert
April 2006

Archive
Subscribe

Increasing gas prices and alternative fuels
April 27, 2006

$3.00 for a gallon of gas is fast becoming a reality across the country. What has prompted the rise in gas prices? Is it simply the increased price of crude, or is there a strategy behind the pricing? Are there alternatives, what are they, and are they accessible to the average consumer? University of Minnesota experts who can speak about the issue of rising gas prices and alternative fuels are:

Akshay R. Rao, professor of marketing at the U’s Carlson School of Management
Rao is the chairman of the department of marketing and logistics management and a professor of marketing at the U’s Carlson School. He specializes in pricing and can answer questions on the sudden surge in gas prices recently - not only in what prompted the rise, but also in the area of pricing strategy.

Vernon Eidman, professor in the applied economics department at the U’s College of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences
Eidman’s research focuses on alternatives when it comes to gasoline. Specifically, he can talk about the use of ethanol and biodiesel, and how their use might offset gasoline needs in the future.

To interview Rao or Eidman, contact Asim Dorovic at (612) 624-0214 or dorovic@umn.edu.

Boston Scientific gets approval to buy Guidant
April 20, 2006

Boston Scientific Corp. has received final regulatory clearance for its acquisition of Guidant Corp. University of Minnesota experts available to talk about the acquisition of Guidant are:

Art Hill, professor of operations and management science at the U’s Carlson School of Management
Hill is available to discuss the acquisition of Guidant.

Rajesh Aggarwal, professor of finance at the U’s Carlson School of Management
Aggarwal can talk about the merger and possible legal issues related to the acquisition.

Rajesh Chandy, professor of marketing at the U’s Carlson School of Management
Chandy can talk about what makes a good merger/acquisition from an innovation standpoint. He can answer questions like: Are these companies a good fit? Will they continue to innovate?

To interview any of the experts above, contact Dawn Skelly at (612) 624-8770.

UnitedHealth CEO wants execs to give up stock options
April 18, 2006

UnitedHealth CEO William McGuire has recommended that his company's senior executives give up their stock options. If UnitedHealth’s board approves this recommendation, it would set a major precedent in the area of executive compensation. The University of Minnesota has several experts who can discuss McGuire’s proposal and executive compensation in general:

John Fossum, professor of industrial relations at the U’s Carlson School of Management
Fossum is a professor and acting associate dean at the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management. He can comment on the recommendation put forth by McGuire and what might have prompted his decision. Fossum can also answer general questions about executive compensation.

Rajesh Aggarwal, associate professor of finance at the U’s Carlson School of Management
Aggarwal is a finance professor and also an expert on executive compensation. He can answer general as well as specific questions relating to McGuire.

Jared Harris, researcher at the U’s Carlson School of Management
Harris has done extensive research in the area of strategic management and business ethics, and financial misrepresentation is in large part the subject of his research. Harris’ research indicates that executive stock option compensation massively increases the likelihood of misrepresentation, i.e., cheating.

To interview any of the experts above, contact Asim Dorovic at 612-624-0214 or by email at dorovic@umn.edu.

Filing that tax return
April 13, 2006

The deadline to file those taxes is inching closer and closer, but we still have a few extra days until April 17 to file our returns. Are there things we need to know? Were there some recent changes in the tax code that might affect us? Is there a certain deduction we should know about? And what if we get into trouble with the IRS? University of Minnesota experts who can discuss taxes and filing returns this year are:

Rosemary Heins, family resource management educator with the University of Minnesota Extension Service
Heins can help low- and moderate-income Minnesotans get all the deductions and tax credits they are eligible for. According to Heins, many Minnesotans are missing out on deductions and credits, and she has a number of tips for filing tax returns this year.

Kathryn Sedo, director of the Income Tax Clinic and professor at the University of Minnesota Law School
As the director of the U of M Law School Income Tax Clinic, Sedo helps represent taxpayers who have issues related to the IRS. For example, after clients' returns are filed Sedo would assist with any problems that arise or potential collection issues when someone owes money to the IRS but cannot pay. Clients are mostly low-income Minnesotans, many of whom are minorities.

Paul Gutterman, senior lecturer in the Accounting and Master of Business Taxation program at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management
Gutterman has extensive experience teaching in the area of taxation and tax code. He can offer insights into current tax law as well as tips for filing your return.

To interview any of the experts above, contact Asim Dorovic at 612-624-0214 or email dorovic@umn.edu.

U of M Immigration History Research Center
April 3, 2006

More than 11 million undocumented immigrants live in the United States, and proposed legislation by the House of Representatives prompted massive protests in the last two weeks. Immigration has the potential to be a hot-button issue as the 2006 election draws closer, and the University of Minnesota can offer valuable resources to journalists and media outlets in covering the issue.

The Immigration History Research Center (IHRC) at the University of Minnesota is a nationally renowned organization that advances the understanding of the history of the American immigrant experience. As an integral part of the University of Minnesota, the Center preserves and promotes the history of immigration and ethnicity in shaping the culture and society of the United States. The Center serves scholars and the public in the state of Minnesota, in the nation, as well as internationally.

The IHRC collects, preserves, and makes available archival and published resources documenting immigration and ethnicity on a national scope. The Center also documents the work of institutions and individuals concerned with service to and programs for immigrants. Through collaborative projects, the IHRC facilitates preservation of materials and promotes new acquisition initiatives. The Center has a rich archive of materials documenting immigrant and refugee life from the late 19th century to the present.

The Center’s Advisory Council offers a breadth of expertise with representatives from the U’s department of history, the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs the U’s institute for Global Studies and several others schools at the University of Minnesota. Select faculty who can talk about immigration in the United States are:

Donna Gabaccia, professor of history and director of the IHRC
Expertise: Immigration history; international migration; immigrant life in the United States; how immigrants change mainstream society; U.S. immigration history in global and comparative perspective;

Katherine Fennelly, professor at the U’s Humphrey Institute for Public Affairs
Expertise: Immigration and public policy; human rights of immigrants and refugees in the United States;

Erika Lee, associate professor of history at the U
Expertise: Immigration and 20th century U.S. history; United States as a “nation of immigrants” and a “gate-keeping nation”; and

Louis Mendoza, associate professor and chair of the department of Chicano studies
Expertise: U.S. immigration literature; Chicano literary and cultural studies.

For more information on the IHRC or to interview any of its experts, contact Asim Dorovic at 612-624-0214 or at dorovic@umn.edu, or visit www.ihrc.umn.edu/about.