April 15, 2020 

Top News

Marquette experts provide commentary on coronavirus

Marquette President Michael R. Lovell commented on how the university is managing as a result of the coronavirus. “It’s a completely different paradigm. It’s a new normal for us. The connections we have in our lives are very personal and to not have that interaction with students, faculty and staff on a daily basis is something I certainly miss — it’s one of the reasons I am in higher education. I think we are all wired to be with each other and so that’s kind of a hard part,” Lovell said. 

Story appeared on OnMilwaukee, April 9, 2020

Dr. Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll, discussed prior to Wisconsin’s election results the court decisions that led to in-person voting during the state’s April 7 primary amid the coronavirus. “I think there are lost opportunities and lost hopes all over the map here in Wisconsin,” Franklin said. “It’s a lost opportunity for the campaigns and both parties, but it’s also an important election that inevitably become muddled by the circumstances it is taking place in.”  

Story appeared in the Chicago Tribune, April 7, 2020 

Franklin also spoke with WDJT-TV (CBS 58) for an April 8 story about the then projected election results, as well as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for an April 13 story about absentee voting patterns.

Dr. Mauricio Garnier-Villarreal, research assistant professor of nursing, and Dr. Stephanie Rivera Berruz, assistant professor of philosophy in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, discussed how the public can best make sense of the data surrounding the pandemic, including how to read various graphs tracking COVID-19 cases, what flattening the curve means and more.  

Story aired on WUWM-FM (89.7), April 10, 2020

Dr. Jill Guttormson, associate professor of nursing, discussed the recovery process for COVID-19 patients and the challenges they may face after being on a ventilator and spending a long period of time in the intensive care unit. “There are post-intensive care symptoms, mental health issues, and trouble with memory and complex activities that comes with recovery,” Guttormson said.

Story aired on WDJT-TV (CBS 58), April 20, 2020

Rev. Ryan Duns, S.J., assistant professor of theology, and Dr. Stephen Saunders, chair and professor of psychology — both in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences — discussed managing stress and maintaining relationships during quarantine and social distancing to slow the spread of the coronavirus. “When it comes to working from home, there is stress about the economy or being disconnected from loved ones,” Saunders said. “In this time of disruption, we are thinking we are approaching a sense of meaninglessness or purposelessness,” Father Duns added. “These practices of mindfulness, quiet meditation – where it can be carved out — prayer, taking a walk simply having a deep conversation, reconnecting with your family with your friends (are important).”

Story aired on WISN-TV (ABC 12), April 11, 2020

Dr. Douglas Woods, vice provost for graduate and professional studies and dean of the Graduate School, provided tips for parents to effectively work from home during the pandemic, including things like not working from the dinner table, and instead setting up an “office” in the home’s most remote space to limit distractions. 

Story appeared in the Janesville Gazette, April 8, 2020

Andrew Hunt, director of the Center for Real Estate in the College of Business Administration, discussed the pandemic’s effect on the commercial real estate industry and how newly vacated office spaces could breed opportunities for other sectors to expand. “How that impacts office space in the future, how that impacts just the way people do work and maybe even how efficient they are in doing work, is something that we all need to continue to watch,” Hunt said. “But a lot of people think that is going to have an impact.” 

Story appeared in the Milwaukee BizTimes, April 8, 2020

Dr. Amber Wichowsky, associate professor of political science in the Klinger College of Arts and Sciences, discussed the results of Wisconsin’s April 8 primary election, and how the pandemic impacted voter turnout. “I think the big takeaway is that neither party can take for granted any part of the state,” Wichowsky said. “Overall, it’s a pretty devastating turn of events that we saw. I say devastating given the widespread uncertainty and, in some terms, chaos with decisions coming down at the very last minute; voters being uncertain if the election was going to go forward.” 

Story aired on Spectrum News, April 13, 2020

Dr. Matteo Arena, chair and associate professor of finance in the College of Business Administration, commented on how the Federal Reserve is expanding lending backstops amid the pandemic. “Now that the Fed is widening its support for corporate debt, some companies already have taken to borrowing more,” he said. “We’re seeing a lot of companies in the last week going out and issuing large amounts of debt, at very low rates, and for many companies it’s very close to 0%.” 

Story aired on NPR’s Marketplace and on dozens of NPR affiliates nationwide, April 9, 2020

Dr. Erik Ugland, associate professor of digital media and performing arts in the Diedrich College of Communication, discussed a lawsuit the Trump Administration filed against Rhinelander TV station WJFW-TV (NBC 12) for an ad it aired attacking the administration’s response to the coronavirus. Ugland said he believes the lawsuit is unlikely to stick. “To prove defamation, the campaign will have to show the ad in its totality is false, and that WJFW aired it knowing it was false, or with reckless disregard for the truth, Ugland said. 

Story appeared on Milwaukee Public Radio (89.7 FM), April 13, 2020 

Chuck Swoboda, innovator-in-residence in the Opus College of Engineering, discussed the university’s swift action in response to the pandemic with the quick rollout of an all-online learning system. “A crisis creates enormous problems, not to mention uncertainty and fear; but a crisis can also remove boundaries normally part of business and allow for innovation,” Swoboda said. 

Story appeared on CIO, April 14, 2020

Prof. Chad Oldfather, professor of law, was cited for a post he wrote about the court actions that led to in-person voting during Wisconsin’s April 7 primary election despite the coronavirus pandemic, and his opinion on the matter. “I think that the real culprits here are the political actors, and the deeply toxic political culture of this state,” Oldfather wrote. “I welcome the day, which I hope comes, when the first question our elected officials ask is, consistently, ‘is this the right thing to do?’ rather than ‘is this the politically expedient thing to do?’

Story appeared on Reason.com, April 7, 2020 

Marquette news

Dr. Irfan Omar, associate professor of theology in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, commented on the book Marquette University Press published titled Interfaith Engagement in Milwaukee: A Brief History of Christian-Muslim Dialogue. Omar said the book is “a window into the history of interfaith activism in Milwaukee.”

Story appeared on Wisconsin Muslim Journal, April 10, 2020

Dr. Phillip C. Naylor, professor of history in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, and Bruce Cole, Jean Cujé Milwaukee Music Collection librarian at Raynor Memorial Libraries, discussed the impact the collection had on the book they co-edited, Milwaukee Rock and Roll, 1950-2000: A Reflective History.  They said the large amount of information and recordings of Milwaukee entertainers provided a lot of history for them to work with. 

Story aired on WUWM-FM (89.7), April 7, 2020

Dr. A.Jay Wagner, assistant professor of journalism and media studies in the Diederich College of Communication, discussed how Wisconsin counties passed the open records law audit he and a team conducted, and the importance of the audit overall. Wagner’s study asked sheriffs and county governments in ten states for arrest records, complaints about potholes and hiring records.

Story aired on Wisconsin Radio Network, April 14, 2020

Hanley named interim business dean
Tim Hanley, former senior partner at Deloitte, has been named the interim Keyes Dean of Business Administration. Hanley, who has served as the College of Business Administration’s first ever executive-in-residence since last October, will lead the college on an interim basis after former Keyes Dean Dr. Joe Daniels died tragically Feb. 11. 

Story appeared in the Chronicle of Higher Education, April 8, 2020

Dr. Michael Zimmer, professor of computer science in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, discussed microchipping humans — how some view the invention as a wave of the future and others see it as compromising privacy and ethics. “One of the biggest concerns is the unintended consequences of the ability to track where bodies are in the most fundamental state,” Zimmer said. 

Story aired on WEAR-TV (ABC 3, Pensacola, Florida), April 9, 2020

Dr. Kate Ward, assistant professor of theology in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, wrote on how Catholic social teaching supports a universal basic income. “According to Catholic social thought, every human has innate dignity as a creature of God and the right to attain their basic needs...God’s followers in the Bible are told to take special care for the ‘orphans and widows,’ those who cannot support themselves,” Ward wrote. 

Opinion piece appeared on U.S. Catholic Magazine, April 13, 2020

Dr. Kent Belasco, assistant professor of practice and director of the Commercial Banking Program in the College of Business Administration, wrote about sizing up the best credit card rates. He outlines why even the best credit card rates are so high, the best way to use a 0% interest rate and more. 

Story appeared on Wallet Hub, April 9, 2020