NEW YORK, June 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area.
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EXPERT ALERTS
- Changes to Cuba Policy
- Trump Administration's Changes to Cuba Policy
- Overtime Lawsuits Should be FLSA Wake-up Call
- States Have Powerful Tools in Opioid Epidemic Lawsuits
- 'Gainful Employment' No True Test in Assessing a College
- Gender and Racial Socialization in Education
MEDIA JOBS
- Technology Reporter – Dow Jones (CA)
- Staff Writer – Central Banking Publications (London/NY)
- Reporter, International Terrorism and Extremist Movements – Wall Street Journal (DC)
OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES
- 5 Camera-Bag Essentials Every New Photographer Should Own
- Successful Women in PR: Leaning In & Climbing Up
- Blog Profiles: Music Festival Blogs
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EXPERT ALERTS:
Changes to Cuba Policy
Mark Grabowski, Esq.
Associate Professor, Communications Department
Adelphi University, Garden City, N.Y.
"[The proposed changes to America's Cuba policy] are bad news for Americans and Cubans. But, if there's a silver lining, it's that tech and telecom will be exempt from the rollback and will be able to continue to make inroads in Cuba. A senior White House official today indicated that expanding telecommunications and internet access to Cubans are among the Obama-era exemptions Trump will leave in place. Getting Cuba online is one of the best and quickest ways to bring about change there. The new connectivity will have a momentum all its own. The Obama Administration knew this and that's why they focused on expanding tech in Cuba. Google recently became the first foreign internet company to operate in Cuba. In fact, even if we roll back to where we were before Obama started loosening sanctions, it shouldn't hinder tech. Congress's embargo gives the president more leeway over telecom than over other sectors."
Two groups of Adelphi University students and faculty were among the first U.S. scholars to explore and experience Cuba on the brink of transformation in January 2016. Grabowski taught Global Perspectives: Cuba in Transition; the student journalists who participated posted stories directly from Cuba (see http://cubastories.com).
Website: http://www.adelphi.edu
Contact: Kali Chan, [email protected]
Trump Administration's Changes to Cuba Policy
John Drew, M.A., M.F.A.
Assistant Professor, Communications Department
Adelphi University, Garden City, N.Y.
"I am deeply troubled by Trump's heightened aggression towards Cuba, although I am not surprised, since he has shown great interest in and capacity to undo some of the most noteworthy accomplishments of the Obama presidency. What Trump has failed to realize is that American tourism and economic development on the island makes it much harder for the Cuban regime to get away with repressive human rights tactics. In fact, one could say that more international and internet-enabled and savvy eyes and ears on the island can be seen as a way of heightening surveillance on the Cuban regime's human rights record; thus, if this record was really the Trump administration's most pressing concern in Cuba, they would be better suited to further expand American travel and economic investment in Cuba. What we have seen today, however, is perhaps far more worrisome. Last month, Russia resumed oil shipments to Cuba for the first time in more than a decade and there are now reports emerging that Putin and the Cuban regime are discussing the re-opening of a Russian military base on the island. One would think that with all the news reports about potential Russian interference in the recent U.S. presidential elections, that the country's executive leadership would be doing everything it can to prevent Russia from developing further opportunities in which to interfere or influence U.S. domestic policy and political outcomes. And yet, by suddenly isolating Cuba after the previous administration had just created major momentum towards building a potential alliance in Cuba, the Trump administration has given Russia a very enticing opportunity to exploit this renewed isolation, and the fact that Venezuela is all but a failed state now means that Cuba has very few countries to turn to for help. And given that the Cuban economy remains one of the most vulnerable in the region suggests that the Cuban regime will seek assistance and build economic alliances wherever they may present themselves, i.e., enter Russia. It remains to be seen how much more difficult the U.S. treasury department will make it to legally travel to Cuba, but as a professor who has seen firsthand what sort of impacts materialize by taking American students to Cuba and introducing them to one of our nearest and friendliest neighbors, you can be sure I will do everything I can to hold up this tradition and to resist yet another and increasingly dangerous foreign policy blunder by the current presidency."
Two groups of Adelphi University students and faculty were among the first U.S. scholars to explore and experience Cuba on the brink of transformation in January 2016. Drew taught Global Perspectives: Cuba in Transition; the student journalists who participated in posted stories directly from Cuba (see http://cubastories.com).
Website: http://www.adelphi.edu
Contact: Kali Chan, [email protected]
Overtime Lawsuits Should be FLSA Wake-up Call
Audrey Mross
Employment Law Attorney
Munck Wilson Mandala, Dallas
Overtime lawsuits have spiked in recent years, particularly in the energy sector, and businesses should take a close look at their payroll practices and ensure that they are in compliance with the FLSA wage-and-hour guidelines. Says Mross: "The FLSA's administrative exemption is routinely misapplied by employers, and this case is a wake-up call to businesses that use a loose interpretation of the 'duties test' in order to obtain the desired outcome of exempt status. Employers may have breathed a sigh of relief when the planned December 2016 doubling of the minimum salary for most FLSA white-collar exemptions was put on hold via an injunction. And they may be assuming that agency enforcement of FLSA classification will wane as the DOL faces a 20 percent cut in its annual budget under the new Trump administration. But this case is a good reminder that individuals and groups of employees can still file lawsuits and the judiciary will hear their plea. The biggest take-away here is that these FLSA classification disputes may not be resolved via summary judgment, meaning employers leave their fate in the hands of a jury, who are often pre-disposed to favor employees in these types of cases."
Contact: Robert Tharp, [email protected]
States Have Powerful Tools in Opioid Epidemic Lawsuits
Kent Sullivan
Attorney
Jackson Walker LLP, Austin, Texas
"I expect a significant wave of lawsuits against the companies and organizations connected with the spread of powerful prescription opioid drugs. States will be very tempted by the significant potential damages that may be awarded in court to try to recoup some of the costs of treatment. There is, of course, a way to successfully defend these cases, but at the beginning, state governments have a huge advantage under Medicaid fraud and consumer protection statutes. You have a huge hammer over these companies' heads, and they can be at risk of losing more than actual damages. The damages are often multiplied if you're found liable, and the states can often recover attorneys' fees. As government healthcare has expanded, so have anti-fraud actions by states. These lawsuits are not part of the traditional private party litigation framework, where the burden of proof is higher. In many cases, the defendants consider settling to avoid the significant risk and high cost of litigation."
Sullivan was chief deputy AG to then-Attorney General Greg Abbott in Texas and led the reorganization and expansion of the AG's Civil Medicaid Fraud section.
Contact: Kit Frieden, [email protected]
'Gainful Employment' No True Test in Assessing a College
Aaron Gottlieb
Bankruptcy Attorney
Godwin Bowman & Martinez, Dallas
Just before it was set to take effect, the Department of Education has stopped the implementation of a rule designed to hold for-profit colleges accountable for marketing claims concerning employment rates for graduates. Had the Borrower Defense to Repayment rule taken effect, for-profit colleges would have had to prove their programs led to the "gainful employment" of graduates or risk the loss of federal aid. Says Gottlieb: "There is no doubt that the student loan bubble may burst in the near future due to the crushing amount of student loan debt. However, some responsibility must still remain with the student loan borrower to carefully choose which colleges and programs to attend. If a for-profit school provides the student an education and degree for which the student paid tuition, then a 'gainful employment' requirement following graduation seems to be too broad a brush to wield in determining whether the for-profit school made a material misrepresentation. Several lawsuits have been dismissed over the past five to 10 years on the basis of student borrowers' reliance on publications which listed inaccurate employment rates of graduates. The courts have consistently considered this information mere 'puffery,' rather than any sort of guarantee."
Contact: Rhonda Reddick, [email protected]
Gender and Racial Socialization in Education
Angela Campbell, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean and Assistant Professor, School of Education; Co-Director, Center for Urban Education, Equity, and Improvement
Cabrini University
"Educators must prioritize the preservation of human dignity in all teaching, learning, scholarship, and liberating processes. We the People transform spaces for inclusive excellence, empowerment, and emancipation."
An educational leader and scholar activist, Campbell focuses her work and research on adolescent gender and racial socialization, such as rites-of-passage programs, school-and community-based partnerships, and culturally relevant pedagogy and programming to create welcoming, inclusive school climates. Her academic interests include socialization practices in schools, multicultural and social justice education, adolescent gender identity, as well as character and youth development programs. Campbell is available to discuss Charter school reform, multicultural education, adolescent gender identity, youth programs, and education reform strategies that support students' academic and socio-emotional development.
Website: www.cabrini.edu
Contact: Lori Iannella, [email protected]
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MEDIA JOBS:
Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/
- Technology Reporter – Dow Jones (CA)
- Staff Writer – Central Banking Publications (London/NY)
- Reporter, International Terrorism and Extremist Movements – Wall Street Journal (DC)
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OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:
Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line.
- 5 CAMERA-BAG ESSENTIALS EVERY NEW PHOTOGRAPHER SHOULD OWN. As a new photographer continues to learn and develop their craft, eventually they'll get to a point where their equipment gets in the way of producing the images they desire. A decent camera body with a kit lens is enough to get started, but eventually you'll want to upgrade to take your photography to the next level. Here is a list of some essential items every photographer should have in their bag: http://bit.ly/2rR3tYB
- SUCCESSFUL WOMEN IN PR: LEANING IN & CLIMBING UP. There have been countless studies and think pieces published recently about the number of women in PR and their role in the field. Across the board, public relations is a field dominated by women and they're found at every level in the office — but the numbers dwindle as soon as you hit the top. This can be found from the smallest agencies to the largest corporations. So, we decided it was time to recognize and celebrate the women who have made it to the top — and gain their insight on how they got there. Together we can recognize and celebrate some of the wonderful and successful women in public relations: http://prn.to/2t2voBS
- BLOG PROFILES: MUSIC FESTIVAL BLOGS. Each week, PR Newswire's Audience Relations team selects an industry/subject and profiles a handful of sites that do a good job with promoting and contributing to the conversation. This week, they look at music festival blogs: http://bit.ly/2ssjNfj
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