One of the MSU Alumni Association’s long-standing featured offerings, the Coffee with the Profs series highlights research and work done by some of the university’s finest faculty and staff.
The cost is $75 for 5 sessions and includes coffee and parking. Please note that this is a series, so registration is for the series only, not individual presentations.
Registration for the Fall 2017 series opens at 9:00 a.m. eastern daylight time on Tuesday, September 12. Space is limited and the program fills quickly. Registration will be online with a credit card, which is handled through the university’s secure, PCI-compliant server. Due to increased measures by Michigan State University to ensure a secure credit card transaction, we cannot accept credit card payments over the phone for this program.
If you are having difficulty registering, please contact Elizabeth Wheeler via email or by calling (517) 884-2106.
REGISTER NOW
Monday, October 9
The ACA: Forward Progress or Impending Collapse?
John Goddeeris, professor, Department of Economics
The Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) is seen as an historic success by advocates like Paul Krugman but a “disaster” by opponents including President Trump. To some, the insurance marketplaces the law created will inevitably collapse, while others believe that they can easily be stabilized. This presentation will address what we really know about the ACA’s achievements and failures, and speculate about its future in light of current events.
Monday, October 16
The Global Refugee Situation - Is it Really a Cirsis?
Stephanie Nawyn, associate professor, Department of Sociology, and co-director of academic programs, Center for Gender in Global Context
There have been numerous stories about refugee crises, but what makes a situation a crisis? Learn some of the rhetoric surrounding refugee migration, calling into question the labeling of these situations as “crises” and demonstrating how the way that we respond to the movement of people across borders can either make a challenging situation worse or can improve the lives of both refugees and those who welcome them.
Monday, October 23
Diverse Perspectives in the Pursuit of Inclusive Excellence
Wanda Lipscomb, senior associate dean for diversity and inclusion and associate dean, for student affairs, College of Human Medicine, and associate professor, Department of Psychiatry
MSU has three interwoven values: quality, inclusiveness and connectivity. The College of Human Medicine has a mission to “enhance our communities by…promoting the dignity and inclusion of all people, and responding to the needs of the medically underserved.” This presentation will address systemic ways to promote diversity and inclusion using medical education as an example.
Monday, October 30
‘Democracy’ in Eurasia 25+ years after the Dissolution of the Soviet Union
Norman Graham, professor, James Madison College, and director, Center for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies
Is there a trend toward “Democratic deconsolidation” underway globally, including in some western democracies? If so, what’s driving the trend toward authoritarianism and the apparent fragility of recently established democracies? Why are citizens less content with their institutions? Are the consequences for prosperity and harmony dire? We’ll examine these questions with a focus on post-Communist Europe and Eurasia.
Monday November 6
Spartan Athletics – Insight into the Green and White and Our Quest for Excellence
Shelley Appelbaum, executive associate athletic director, Athletics
An overview of the academic, athletic and community engagement achievements of Michigan State University Athletics.
Each presentation from the series placed in our livestreamed archive so you can watch them at any time.