UAlbany in the News

by Lisa James Goldsberry (November 5, 2004)

� The October 5 issue of The Seattle Times featured quotes from Theresa Pardo of the Center for Technology in Government. �State�s Online Archive Rescues Records from History�s Dustbin� discussed how Washington now has an online archive of records including birth, marriage, and military records free for anyone to see from a personal computer. According to the article, the state is missing more than half of its electronic records, which were not saved. �That�s a common scenario,� Pardo was quoted as saying. She added that few states have policies that consider e-mail as government record, even as e-mail communication has replaced phone conversations in some cases.

� The October 6 edition of The New York Times featured quotes and research done by Donald J. Hernandez of the Department of Sociology. �Study Shows Health Benefit for Immigrants� focused on a report suggesting that the linguistic isolation of children growing up in immigrant families helps protect them from the higher rates of obesity, asthma, and adolescent risk-taking that afflict native-born and Americanized children. Hernandez, one of the writers of the report, was quoted as saying, �If a family is isolated in its household from English-speaking society, they�re isolated for good or ill. They may be cut off from fast food franchises and some of the negative aspects of American society, but at the same time they�re cut off from educational institutions, they�re not capable of interacting directly with teachers, social services, and health institutions.�

� The October 7 issue of The Baltimore Sun featured quotes and information from retired UAlbany communication professor Kathleen Kendall. �Spirited Debates� discussed how some people are joining friends � and sometimes strangers � around the television to toast democracy and watch the presidential candidates fight it out. Kendall, author of Presidential Campaign Discourse, shared her experiences watching the 1960 Nixon-Kennedy debates and compared them with today.

� The October 26 edition of Newsday focused on a joint effort by UAlbany, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and the Saratoga Technology and Energy Park to develop environmentally friendly alternatives for fuel. �Hybrid Vehicles: Alternative Fueling Interest� discussed how Federal Express is among the latest businesses to buy a hybrid electric fleet of trucks. According to the article, the park in Malta is the first technology park in the country devoted to clean energy. Opened in 2001, it is still attracting companies.