- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock /news-archive/tag/economics/ ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Fri, 25 Jan 2019 14:21:01 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Study shows marijuana dispensaries reduce local opioid mortality rates /news-archive/2019/01/25/marijuana-dispensaries-reduce-local-opioid-mortality-rates/ Fri, 25 Jan 2019 14:21:01 +0000 /news/?p=73198 ...]]> A University of Arkansas at Little Rock professor’s research has shown that local access to legal drugs at the county level reduces opioid and heroin-related mortality rates. Dr. Rhet Smith, assistant professor of economics, published the article, “The Effect of Medical Cannabis Dispensaries on Opioid and Heroin Overdose Mortalities,” in October. Smith’s co-authors include Dr. Julio Garin at Claremont McKenna College and Dr. R. Vincent Pohl at the University of Georgia. While previous research has shown that medical cannabis laws reduce opioid-related mortality rates, Smith and his co-authors argue that changing the law alone is not enough, while a change in access to legal drugs makes all the difference in the world. The researchers reviewed mortality records obtained from the Centers for Disease Control spanning from 2009 to 2015 to determine if the presence of dispensaries in counties that have medical cannabis laws had an effect on deaths that involved prescription opioids, synthetic opioids, and heroin. The results indicate that legal access to drugs at the county level can mitigate the opioid epidemic. In states that have medical cannabis laws, the researchers found that mortality rates among non-Hispanic white men related to opioids and prescription opioids declined by 6 to 8 percent in counties that have dispensaries, when compared to counties that do not have dispensaries. Meanwhile, mortality due to heroin overdose in non-Hispanic white men due to heroin overdose declines by more than 10 percent. “The current state of the opioid epidemic in the U.S. is definitely a problem that we have been grappling with for a number of years and trying to find ways to contain it and reduce its impact,” Smith said. “The medical cannabis laws themselves aren’t what’s having this effect of reducing mortality rates. Once the dispensaries open and people can legally access these drugs, that is when you see the changes in mortality rates.” In the future, Smith is interested in expanding the research to explore how the opioid epidemic and changing marijuana laws affect prison populations and employee drug testing, as well as exploring additional factors that can reduce overdose and mortality rates related to opioid and heroin abuse. “The legalization of marijuana and the opioid epidemic are topics that haven’t been thoroughly explored,” Smith said. “We hope to shed light on the spillover effects that arise from changes in policies and law and increased substance abuse in the United States.”]]> Quintanar to launch fall “Plain Talk on Race and Ethnicity” lecture series /news-archive/2018/09/19/sarah-quintanar/ Wed, 19 Sep 2018 17:13:05 +0000 /news/?p=71899 ...]]> The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Anderson Institute on Race and Ethnicity will kick off its 2018 lecture series with a talk on how to use objective measures to determine the existence of potential bias in police behaviors. Dr. Sarah Quintanar, associate professor of economics and associate faculty member for the Anderson Institute, will give her talk, “Uncovering Data: How Ordinary Police Work Can Provide Insights on Critical Influences and Bias,” at noon Wednesday, Sept. 26, in Ottenheimer Library Room 202. Quintanar will discuss how automated traffic systems can provide a useful baseline in analyses of police behavior. She conducted a case study comparing the population of computer-issued speeding tickets to those issued by police in a southern Louisiana town. The computer-issued tickets represent an objective measure of speeding tickets issued. This number is compared to police-issued tickets to provide evidence of gender and racial bias. This analysis is vital not only to determine the existence of bias, but also to better understand critical influences in a police officer’s decision to ticket a driver who has been speeding. “The original goal of the study is to see if there is disparity by race or gender in the speeding tickets issued,” Quintanar said. “I will broaden that idea and talk about how we can use different data sources in different settings to identify racial and gender disparities. I want the audience to think about other data sources that can be used to answer these questions.” The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Anderson Institute at 501-569-8932 or race-ethnicity@ualr.edu.]]> ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students selected as finalists in national legal writing competition /news-archive/2018/08/22/national-legal-writing-competition/ Wed, 22 Aug 2018 13:55:40 +0000 /news/?p=71489 ...]]> Two University of Arkansas at Little Rock students were selected as finalists for a national legal writing competition held by the Academy for Legal Studies in Business. As finalists, Maddie Burke, junior international studies major, and Ian Wren, senior economics major, presented their papers at the academy’s national conference Aug. 11-14 in Portland, Oregon. Wren received third place for his paper, “When Equity Fails the Employee: ERISA and the Specter of Absolute Subrogation.” He was able to travel to the conference with the assistance of the Undergraduate Research Signature Experience Award he received in the spring semester. Burke received an honorable mention for her paper, “Fear of the Unknown: Drawing Back the Curtains on Shielding Laws and Regulations on Drugs Utilized in Animal Euthanasia and Lethal Injection.” Wren’s paper is about a section of employer-provided insurance plans that can leave employees worse off in some cases than if they had different insurance or no insurance at all. These plans operate under ERISA—the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974—which was passed with the intent of protecting employees’ finances from insolvent or unscrupulous employers. “Because most Americans receive insurance from their private-sector employer or belong to the plan of a family member who gets it through their employer, this area of the law can affect the lives of tens or hundreds of millions of people,” Wren said. “I think it’s important to trace the interpretation of this law over the years to see how we’ve arrived at the current, decidedly inequitable situation, and I think it’s important to discuss potential solutions.” Burke’s paper focuses on some of the controversial issues surrounding lethal injection as a method of execution, including the rising number of problematic executions, the shortage of lethal injection drugs, state secrecy statues that protect those who participate in an execution as well as the supplier of drugs, and the absence of assistance from medical professionals. Additionally, Burke finds it odd that the drugs used in lethal injection often lack Food and Drug Administration regulations, especially when drugs used in animal euthanasia are strictly regulated. “I think this is important because, almost every day, we see something in the news about lethal injection as a method of execution,” Burke said. “I wanted to highlight some of the controversies and add to the literature about Oklahoma being the first state to adopt nitrogen asphyxiation as their primary method of execution instead of lethal injection.” Last year, Burke won the top student honor, the Outstanding Student Research Paper award, for her paper, “The 1920 Death on the High Seas Act: An Outdated and Ambiguous Admirality Law Shielding Cruise Lines Companies from Civil Liability,” at the 2017 Academy for Legal Studies in Business Conference. The Academy for Legal Studies in Business is an association of teachers and scholars in the fields of business law, legal environment, and law-related courses outside of professional law schools. Utilizing their resources, they provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and encourage support and cooperation among those who teach and conduct research in the field of legal studies. In the upper right photo, students Ian Wren (left) and Maddie Burke (middle) are shown with their advisor, Dr. Casey Rockwell (right). ]]> ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students win free trip to New York City to explore African-American history /news-archive/2018/05/17/african-american-history-new-york/ Thu, 17 May 2018 14:23:19 +0000 /news/?p=70598 ...]]> Eight University of Arkansas at Little Rock students have won a free trip to New York City to explore African-American history after winning an essay contest. In honor of Black History Month, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Anderson Institute on Race and Ethnicity held an essay contest in February for undergraduate students. In 600 words or less, students answered the question: How has any one organization, movement, place, or period in New York City’s history contributed to the African-American struggle for freedom and equality? Winners include McKenzie Baker, international studies major; Deuntay Bennett, economics major; Sean Corrothers, accounting major; Jessica Doyne, professional and technical writing major; Ravan Gaston, political science major; Kimberly Maurer, English-secondary education major; Tieranee Ransom, elementary education major; and Tori Williams, English major with a creative writing emphasis. The eight winners will visit New York City July 9-15. Airfare, lodging, meals, and entrance to site visits will all be covered. Students will stay at and visit sites such as the Studio Museum of Harlem, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the African Burial Ground National Monument, Black Theater of Harlem, Apollo Theater, Ellis Island, Louis Armstrong Museum, and Grant’s Tomb. The Anderson Institute began the essay contest in 2017 in which eight ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students won a trip to Washington, D.C. to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture and other historical sites. ]]> Undergraduate Research Signature Experience Awards at work /news-archive/2018/03/14/undergraduate-research-signature-experience-awards-work/ Wed, 14 Mar 2018 16:33:08 +0000 /news/?p=69779 ...]]> Two University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business students recently put their Signature Experience grants to use and traveled to Palm Springs, California, to present their research during the Pacific Southwest Academy for Legal Studies in Business (PSWALSB) conference. During the fall 2017 semester, Logan Vickery, a senior economics major, and Deepali Lal, a senior international business and human resource management double major, were recipients of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Signature Experience Award. They each received $1,000 to assist in the purchase of materials for a one-semester project or experience in research or creative works. Both students decided to use their funds to attend the PSWALSB conference, and as a result, capitalized on an opportunity of a lifetime. The PSWALSB is a regional subdivision of the Academy of Legal Studies in Business, an association of professors and scholars in the fields of business law, legal environment, and law-related courses outside of professional law schools. The academy is home to nearly 1,000 members from across the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and England, among others. Vickery and Lal were the only undergraduate students to present research during this year’s conference, so their work received much attention from the highly acclaimed professionals in attendance. “Everyone at the conference was amazed by our presentations,” Lal exclaimed. “I received lots of good feedback and direction for the future. One [person] even suggested that I publish in their journal after I finish with my research.” During Lal’s presentation, she discussed the relationships between establishments that sell alcohol and crime in the city of Little Rock, as well as identified related patterns amongst the two using a geospatial analysis. “One of the goals of this project was to see the effect of marketing of alcohol on crime [as reflected by] happy hours, alcohol availability, and promotions,” she said. “The fact that alcohol is available increases crime [according to] the alcohol availability theory, and happy hour increases consumption, which leads to violence. The more hours that happy hour exist, the more risk of crime occurring.” Vickery’s presentation covered economic research that focused on landlord-tenant laws in Arkansas and how the amount of tenant protections a state provides affects it’s median rental price. To help drive his points home, Vickery created a custom regression model, an analytical demonstration, to highlight the variables that were statistically significant on rental prices. “Having the opportunity to take my research to these conferences and present in front of this esteemed faculty really helps me focus in on what I need to improve on with my research and writing, which gives me a tremendous head start to law school,” Vickery said. Vickery and Lal will graduate from the university this spring with real-world experiences under their belts, thanks to, in part, the Signature Experience program, as well as the College of Business and its dedicated faculty members. “Any time [Deepali and I] went over our grant budget, the College of Business was more than willing to help us out in making up the difference,” Vickery said. “They are owed a lot of credit for supporting our research and these special opportunities.” Lal, who received mentorship and assistance from Dr. Casey Rockwell, assistant professor of marketing and advertising, and Dr. Inderpreet Farmahan, senior director of the Geographic Information System laboratory, said, “Faculty like them are committed to student success and research, which encourages students to apply themselves.” After graduation, Vickery plans to attend law school at Emory University in Atlanta, and Lal plans to follow up her research by composing a happy hour legislation to reduce the hours of the promotions, and present her plan to the city of Little Rock. ]]> Math struggles turn to triumph for former chef Franklin Bick /news-archive/2017/05/12/franklin-bick-graduation-2017-economics-finance/ Fri, 12 May 2017 16:25:04 +0000 /news/?p=67174 ...]]> Everywhere he turned, a nemesis blocked his path. He couldn’t pass algebra. At least that’s what Bick thought until he enrolled in a 2013 summer class at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Not only did Bick excel in that algebra course, but this month the 37-year-old North Little Rock resident will graduate with bachelor’s degrees in economics and finance and a minor in math. “It does blow my mind,” said Bick, as he looked back on his undergraduate experience. He now will pursue a master’s degree at the University of North Texas. Bick graduates the same year his 18-year-old son Tyler finishes high school. “(Tyler) said, ‘Dad, are you going to come to my graduation?’ I said, ‘I don’t know, are you coming to mine?’” Bick said with a laugh. Tyler plans to attend the University of Missouri to pursue a career in sports journalism. When he was a teenager, Bick didn’t enjoy school and didn’t see the value of education. In Bick’s view, his family was surviving just fine even though his dad dropped out of high school and his mother had a GED. While Bick had no love for school, cooking had long been a passion. Since his first fast food job at the age of 16, Bick prepared food in just about every restaurant environment imaginable. He was working as a cook in Little Rock when his job was eliminated, and he decided to, once again, go back to school.

Facing the challenge

Bick had a previous stint at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and also was enrolled in culinary school — each time, algebra seemed an insurmountable obstacle, and he withdrew from classes. In total, he took algebra four times. After his job was eliminated, Bick enrolled in a summer 2013 algebra class taught by Ida Umphers, senior instructor in the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Mathematics and Statistics Department. “She had a big role in helping me,” Bick said. Bick wasn’t accustomed to seeking assistance, but this time he was engaged from the beginning. He showed up to class, did his homework, and asked plenty of questions. “He’s incredibly sharp, and he didn’t take anything for granted,” Umphers said. “His struggle was not evident in class. He did a super job.” Bick was adept at leading or working in groups, Umphers said. “Franklin is just one of those folks who has the old-fashioned politeness,” Umphers said. “It’s a really nice thing to encounter,” Seeing students who previously struggled with math start to shine is one of the joys of teaching for Umphers. “We’re going to hear great things from him down the road,” Umphers said. “He is going to be a success in whatever he decides to do in economics.”

Charting a new course

When Bick decided to enroll at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2013, he wasn’t sure about his major, but he had a good idea about which general direction his studies would take. “I knew it was going to be business,” Bick said. “It’s always been business for me.” As he explored his options, he found a fit with economics. He was particularly intrigued by math models that described economic behavior. “This stuff is amazing,” Bick said. “I just got engulfed.” Dr. Sarah Quintanar in the Department of Economics and Finance introduced him to research. She also “taught me to think about why economic relationships matter, which will motivate my study and help frame and answer questions,” Bick said. “She has been an amazing mentor throughout this process. He now envisions a career as a research economist. After he finishes his master’s degree, Bick plans to pursue a Ph.D.

A helping hand

In addition to the guidance Umphers and Quintanar provided, Bick is thankful for the assistance he got from TRIO Student Support Services and the McNair Scholars Program. “The TRIO program has helped prepare me for graduate school,” Bick said. “It’s a very stressful process, and they’ve been there.” Julie Shelby, a Student Support Services adviser, called Bick an “awesome, committed student.” There is a downside, however, to Bick’s success, Umphers said. “The world lost a great chef,” she said. Bick still prepares meals at home and is enjoying the creative freedom cooking on his own provides. He also made sure that Tyler knew his way around a kitchen before he heads off to college. While Bick considered not participating in the Saturday, May 13, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock graduation ceremony, he wants to set an example, to show how important education has become to him. “I’m doing this so my son sees this,” Bick said.]]> Graduating athlete Stina Resen finds success in the classroom /news-archive/2017/05/09/stina-resen-golf-graduate-norway-little-rock-athlete-classroom/ Tue, 09 May 2017 17:40:31 +0000 /news/?p=67126 ...]]> Four years later, she is leaving as a double major in economics and finance and as one of the most decorated golfers in program history. A two-time All-Sun Belt honoree and the only Sun Belt Golfer of the Year winner in program history, Resen boasts a 3.85 cumulative GPA. Twice she was named to the Chancellor’s List for earning a perfect 4.0 semester GPA and has yet to finish with a semester GPA below 3.8.

Path to Little Rock

As a prep at in Norway, Resen and her teammates made annual visits to schools in the United States. Those trips were her first exposure to the United States, and they sparked initial thoughts of going to college in the U.S. She attended Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, for a semester before deciding she needed a different fit. That is when Little Rock head women’s golf coach Bridgett Norwood stepped in. “After I decided to transfer I got a scholarship offer from coach Norwood,” Resen said. “Coming to Little Rock was probably the best decision I have ever made.” Resen arrived in Little Rock in the spring of 2013. Outside of her interactions with Norwood, which were limited to a few Skype conversations, she did not know a single person on campus. Fortunately, she was joining a team full of student-athletes who had faced the same challenge. The entire 2013-14 team was comprised of Europeans, with players representing Denmark, France, Norway, Scotland and Sweden on the roster. Resen and her teammates bonded. Her roommate was from Sweden, giving her someone who spoke the same language. She and some of her teammates even joined ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s International Club to meet other international students on campus. “We would have outings all the time and would get to know people from other countries,” Resen said. “It created connections.”

Growing academically

Resen, who was a general studies major at Lamar, also found a path academically through her new connections. Business was not a strong academic interest before she arrived at Little Rock. Math and physics courses were a larger part of her curriculum back home. However, several of her new teammates were studying business, and Coach Norwood encouraged her to give it a chance. Resen took some classes and enjoyed them, declaring a major in economics before eventually adding finance as a second degree. The key to balancing a double major with a Division I golf schedule? “Time management,” Resen said. “Go to class – every class – and never skip class. If we traveled for a tournament, I would usually do my work before I left. On the first day of every class (at the start of the semester), I would talk to my professors about the time I would have to miss.” The typical schedule for a Division I golf tournament starts by traveling to the event location – which can take the Trojans as far as Arizona or California – on Saturday. After checking into the hotel Saturday night, the teams wake up and play their practice rounds on Sunday. Official play begins with 36 holes of golf on Monday before finishing with 18 holes on Tuesday. Finally, the trip home begins. Typically, Resen and the Trojans would get home close to midnight, but sometimes as late as 2 or 3 a.m. After all that, it’s back to class Wednesday morning.

Taking the next step on the course

On the golf course, Resen’s first season on campus showed improvement from her time at Lamar. She competed in all 11 events and ranked third on the team in scoring. Still, she knew she was capable of more. Resen spent the summer between her sophomore and junior years working on all aspects of her game. From competing against the top players in Europe to finding her mental edge, those summer months were devoted to improving.

“I played in tournaments all over Europe,” Resen said. “I played in as many as I could and I was very motivated for my next year. I struggled a lot mentally my sophomore year – golf is a very mental game.” Resen worked with a coach that summer, Dr. Joe Parent, to help her “crack the code” mentally. She credits him with much of the transformation that followed. “You want to control where the ball goes, but that’s not how it works,” Resen said. “I had to lose some control to gain control.” The benefits that followed were immediate. Resen tied for third place in the Trojans’ second event of the fall 2014 season and added a Top 5 finish the following week. She added another third-place finish shortly thereafter and was voted the Sun Belt Conference Golfer of the Month for October 2014. She picked up where she left off that spring, adding another Golfer of the Month accolade in February while capturing individual medalist honors at the South Alabama Women’s Invitational – her first collegiate victory. The best was yet to come, as Resen became the first Little Rock golfer since 2009 to earn individual medalist honors at the Sun Belt Championship in April. Later that month, she became the first player in program history to be voted Sun Belt Golfer of the Year.

Life after graduation

Resen’s parents will attend ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s spring commencement on Saturday, May 13. It will be their second trip to Arkansas since Resen arrived on campus. Upon graduation, she looks forward to returning to Norway and playing competitively. Eventually she would like to use her degrees in a capacity that keeps her close to golf. As she looks back on her time in Little Rock, Resen is appreciative of all the students and professors who made her feel welcome on campus. Above all, she appreciates her head coach, who believed in her, gave her a chance to compete and supported her through her four years on campus. “She was helpful,” Resen said of Norwood. “If there was anything I needed, I could always talk to her. We have a great connection.”]]>