Spring 2000

ECODE's last business meeting of the semester was held on April 26, in conjunction with the Department's pizza party for outstanding principles students.  New officers were elected.

Dell Champlin, a visiting associate professor at Eastern Illinois University presented her research on the economics of the living wage on Tuesday, April 11, from 12:15 to 1:00pm in Room 1001 of the new Education Building.

Bob Metts, associate professor of economics, spoke on March 7 in JTSU regarding his work in economic development and disability issues.

Mark Nichols, assistant professor of economics, spoke on February 22 in JTSU 244 about the effects of California's Prop 1A, which deals with Indian gaming, on Northern and Southern Nevada's economy.

ECODE's first business meeting of the spring semester was held on February 2.

James Johnson of Bank of America talked to the club about credit, in AB 212, 12:00 Noon, on Monday, Nov. 22.  He explained how banks use credit history, income, and collateral to lend money for personal and business use and some of the benefits of obtaining credit.

Chuck Alvey, the president of EDAWN (Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada), discussed the local economy and possible future plans for growth on Tuesday, Nov. 16th at 1PM, in AB 402.

Robb Smith, Vice-President of Millenium 3 Venture Group, 1996 UNR alumnus in finance and economics, and former president of ODE, spoke about venture capitalism on Wednesday, Oct. 27th, at noon in AB 212.

Leonard Wohletz, a broker at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter and a recent economics graduate, spoke on Wednesday, October 6, at 2:30 in AB408.  He talked about what financial advisors do, explained how his degree helps him in his job, and fielded numerous questions about investments and the stock market.

ECODE's first business meeting of the fall semester was held on Wednesday, September 8, from 12:00-12:50 in AB212, to discuss plans and activities for the semester.

ECODE's final business meeting of the spring semester was held on Tuesday, May 4, from 12:15-12:50 in AB201.  Officers were to be elected for the fall, and free pizza was provided.

Glen Atkinson, Professor of Economics, spoke to ECODE on Tuesday, March 9, from 12:15-1:00 in AB201.  His topic was the new Euro, the single currency of Europe which was just created and is intended to eventually replace most other European currencies.  His talk was cosponsored with the International Business Association and the International Affairs Club.  There was free pizza.

Geoffrey Wilson, the Vice President of Nevada Corporate Banking for US Bank, spoke to ECODE on Monday, February 22, from 12-1 in AB206.  His topic was banking -- its history, how it works, current trends in the industry, employment prospects, how banks make lending decisions, and how to apply for a business loan.  Pizza was provided.

Stuart Schillinger, the budget manager for the city of Reno and former economics major, spoke about how he came to his position and also about the state tax system and how it affects local government.  He spoke Thursday, February 11, from 12:15-1:00, in AB 201.  Pizza was provided.

We scheduled our first business meeting for Monday, February 1, at noon in room AB 102.  The subject of the meeting was an introduction to the club and the honor society.  We discussed upcoming speakers and events for the spring semester. Free pizza was provided.

Our last meeting of the semester was held on Tuesday, December 8, from 12 - 1 P.M. in the JTSU Ingersoll Senate Chambers.  We discussed the next semester's economics classes and the professors teaching them (no professors were allowed for this part), elected officers for the spring, and discussed club activities for next semester.

Bob Perry, the president of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank, came to campus on Monday, November 23.  He spoke to students informally about monetary policy (Dr. Perry is a member of the Federal Open Market Committee), and then gave a more formal seminar entitled, "The Effect of the Asia Crisis on the States in the 12th District" later in the day at Sierra Pacific Power. Thanks to Sierra Pacific Power and Dr. Thomas Cargill for arranging this.

Bill Eadington, professor of economics and gaming management, and director of the Institute for Gaming Studies, spoke on Thursday, November 12, from 12:15-1:00 P.M., in AB 408.  His topic was "Legalization of Casinos in South Africa:  A Case Study of Political Economy."

Anatoly Pilyavsky, chairman of Mathematics and Statistics at Lviv University in the Ukraine, spoke October 13 on the problems of economic transition in the former Soviet Union.  This was consponsored by the International Affairs Club and the International Business Association.  Professor Pilyavsky was at UNR to establish a joint economic research program with Professor Jeanne Wendel on the production of Ukrainian health care.

John Dobra, associate professor of economics and director of UNR's Natural Resources Industry Institute, spoke September 23 on gold's historical and current roles in the international monetary system, and how this affects Nevada's gold mining industry.

The annual faculty/student picnic of the Economics Club / Omicron Delta Epsilon was held Saturday, May 2, at Rancho San Rafael.

Jere Dabbs, the Director of the Reno Export Assistance Center, U.S. Department of Commerce, spoke April 13 on "the Importance of Culture in International Trade."  This was cosponsored by the International Business Association.

Shih-fan "George" Chu, professor and chair of the department of economics, spoke March 25 on the Asian economic crisis.

Mark Ruelle, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Sierra Pacific Power Company, spoke March 9 on how his economics education helped him in his job, and also about utility deregulation.

Dr. John Scire, of PaineWebber, gave a talk on February 24 entitled, "The Debt Crises of 1982 and 1997: What is Different Today?"

Bruce Beardsley, diplomat in residence at UCLA's School of Pulic Policy and Social Research, and recent Minister Counselor at the U.S.Embassy in Mexico, gave a talk January 26 entitled, "From UNR to Senior Diplomat: Public Careers in International Affairs."  His talk was consponsored by the International Affairs Program.

October 21.  Dr. Mike Mitchell from the Economics Department spoke about the negative aspects of free trade on the American society.

November 7.  A special tour of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank.  We rented a van for the trip and left Reno around 8AM, with Professor Parker driving.  After the tour, we ate a late lunch in Chinatown, and arrived home around 10 PM.

February 11.  Dean Mike Reed spoke on the topic, "The role of students and the community in building the college of business."

February 25.  Kathy Halbardier, Career Services Director of the COBA, spoke to us about internship possibilities in economics, and about the upcoming Business Expo.

March 6.  Professor Kambiz Raffiee, from the UNR economics department, spoke on "The effect of the Reno-Tahoe International Airport on the Reno economy."

March 18.  Dr. Shunfeng Song, from the economics department, spoke on China's economy.

March 13.  David Biggs, the Vice-President of Manufacturing for Bentley Nevada, spoke on "The Future of Open Market Reforms in China:  The Singapore Model," at 2:30 PM in LB (Lecture Building) Room 2.

April 10.  John Scire, a stock broker with PaineWebber, spoke on being a broker, and how economics is useful in the job.  His talk especially dealt with a lot with international items, and was another good opportunity to hear about some real life applications of economics.

April 24.  ODE had another student-only informational meeting on economics courses and professors.

April 26.  ODE, the economics club sponsored a Spring BBQ Picnic, at Rancho San Rafael, on Saturday at noon.

The economics faculty held a barbecue at the home of Professor Bob Metts on Saturday Sep. 14, and all ODE members and economics majors were invited to attend.

September 26.  Professor Mark Nichols on "Economic Issues of Casino Regulation."

October 9.  Professor Jeanne Wendel on "Economic Issues of Health Care Reform."

November 7.  The Economics Club held an information forum in the JTSU, informing students about different economics classes and professors, for people who will be taking economics in the future.  No professors allowed!

December 6.  ODE ended the semester with a pizza party, to help us all through the last horrible weeks of school, at Shakey's Pizza, on 950 West 5th Street.

Feb. 15.  Along with the International Affairs Program and the International Business Student's Association, ODE cosponsored a talk by Rodolfo Fernandez, director of the Office of California-Mexico Affairs in the California Trade and Commerce Agency, on "NAFTA Trade Opportunities for California and Nevada."

April 3.  Mike Reed, dean of the college of business adminstration and professor of economics,  spoke on evolutionary economics, chaos and complexity.

February 21.  Jeff Griffin, Reno's Mayor, spoke on "The Reno Paradox" (regarding economic growth, international trade, and Reno's social problems).

March 12.  Jon Tesseo, director of research at Navellier Securities, spoke on "Quantitative Analysis of Securities and Mutual Funds"

Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international economics honor society, sponsored a pizza party on Friday May 10, from 5-7 PM, at Roundtable Pizza on W. 4th and Vine, near Keystone.

Shoichi Royama spoke to ODE on the Japanese financial crisis.  According to Professor Cargill, "Professor Royama presented an overview of the current financial problems of the Japanese financial system.  He made four points during his 75 minute presentation.  First, while the Japanese financial system performed well during the 1950s - 1970s, the system has increasingly failed to satisfy the needs of the household sector.  Rates of return on assets held by the household sector remain low compared to rates of return earned by financial institutions.  Second, the nonperforming loan problem is very large and a serious problem for Japan because the regulatory authorities are unwilling to reveal to the public the magnitude of the problem and the need for public monies to be used to deal with the problem.  Third, Japan lacks a market infrastructure and institutions that would make it possible to dispose of the nonperforming loans as was done in the U.S. by the Resolution Trust Corporation in the case of failed S&Ls in the late 1980s and early 1990s.  Rather than building warehouses to keep the loans, Japan needs a garage sale.  Fourth, the future for the Japanese financial system is uncertain and so far, the Japanese regulatory authorities have provided little hope that they are able to deal with the problem."

Professor Gary Hausladen of UNR's Geography Department, who was recently named by CASE as the top professor in Nevada, gave talk to ODE on the Problems of the Former Soviet Union.