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Posted on Mon, Jan 31, 2011 : 2:17 p.m.

Eastern Michigan University panel to review President Barack Obama's first two years in office

By David Jesse

A panel of Eastern Michigan University professors and lecturers will review Barack Obama's first two years as president on Wednesday.

The event, "The Obama Legacy:" A Critical Assessment" will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in ballroom A of the Student Center. The event is free and open to the public.

Thumbnail image for BARACK-OBAMA-BIG-TEN.jpg

President Barack Obama

It is part of the university's celebration of Black History Month.

"The discussion series is a vehicle by which the EMU community and the public can hear a scholarly evaluation of the president's performance that is devoid of partisanship and political spinning," said Victor Okafor, head of EMU's Department of African-American Studies. He will moderate the panel.

The panelists will be Robert Perry, professor of African American studies; Eboni Zamani-Gallaher, professor in leadership and counseling; Ronald Woods, professor of African American studies; Melvin Peters, associate professor of African American studies; Mark Higbee, professor of history and philosophy; Ana Monteiro-Ferreira, assistant professor of African American studies; and Patrick Pieh and Jerome Reide, both adjunct lecturers in African American studies. Ravi Perry, assistant professor of government at Clark University in Worcester, Mass., also will participate.

David Jesse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at davidjesse@annarbor.com or at 734-623-2534.

Comments

whodat

Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 1:05 p.m.

Obama's first two years, or Bush's additional two? Can't really tell the difference. Obama extended the tax cuts for the rich, reduced the Social Security tax, putting that entitlement program further in the hole, and is now claiming there is too much regulation on big business. The complete opposite of what his campaign platform was all about.

toofmullets

Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 1:36 p.m.

For what it's worth, Social Security isn't "in the hole" - it can pay its obligations to at least 2037. But I went to EMU so that's probably wrong.

AlphaAlpha

Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 11:14 a.m.

"...the public can hear a scholarly evaluation of the president's performance that is devoid of partisanship and political spinning..." Where is the 'Change we can believe in"? Where are the 3 million jobs created or 'saved'? Where is the end of the wars? Where is the difference from W? Dr. King would likely be quite unhappy with the President's policies, and performance. Dr. King would certainly oppose the President's support of the wars.

stonecutter1

Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 7:01 a.m.

And EMU profs(barely educated by UM standards) are qualified to discuss this topic how?

toofmullets

Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 1:34 p.m.

why are they not qualified? I didn't realize there were qualifications required in this representative democracy to discuss the current president's legacy. Buess that's just one of the many weaknesses of my EMU education.

Anthony Clark

Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 3:53 a.m.

So because the presenters are of the same race as the President, they will be biased? That seems to be the gist of the comments so far. I guess I was naive in thinking that the landslide election of a black president was a sign that we were moving beyond this constant fixation on race.

Macabre Sunset

Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 5:53 a.m.

That disappointment runs both ways. I don't think the president understood just how many bubbles he burst when he took sides against a policeman who decided to arrest a man for behaving belligerently when a possible break-in was reported at his home.

jcj

Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 1:13 a.m.

"The discussion series is a vehicle by which the EMU community and the public can hear a scholarly evaluation of the president's performance that is devoid of partisanship and political spinning," said Victor Okafor I can't wait to hear the glowing report that comes from this 'non-partisan panel"

DBH

Mon, Jan 31, 2011 : 10:24 p.m.

Given the weather predicted for Wednesday, I doubt this event will even take place, at least on Wednesday.

Paula Gardner

Mon, Jan 31, 2011 : 9:42 p.m.

Reminder: This article is about a panel discussion at EMU, and comments need to stay on topic.

Jake C

Mon, Jan 31, 2011 : 9:02 p.m.

It's very nice of all the commenters so far to judge the event as a sham without even listening to what the presenters have to say, or even knowing anything about them besides "African-American Studies".

treetowncartel

Mon, Jan 31, 2011 : 8:52 p.m.

Words like bloviate and jobbery come to mind when I read something like this.

jjc155

Mon, Jan 31, 2011 : 8:30 p.m.

I'm sure they will do their best Tony the Tiger impression "HEEEEEEESSSS GREAAAATTTT." LOL All but like 3 or 4 of the panelists are professors in African America Studies. Thats gonna be like having a panel comprised of Death Row inmates conducting a "Critical assesment" of the Death Penalty. Wonder what side they would come down on that one, LOL. Wonder why no professors of Economics, Business or Public and Foreign Policy. No professors of American or World History. Why not just some regular ol' people to provide the "critical assessment" as he allegedly works for Us. Hmmmmmm I'll give the outcome of this panel absolutely no weight.

Top Cat

Mon, Jan 31, 2011 : 8:08 p.m.

They will probably praise him for the millions of jobs created for African Americans due to his policies and for balancing the budget and ending the war in Afghanistan.

Ignatz

Mon, Jan 31, 2011 : 8:02 p.m.

Will there be anyone there from regular old American Studies? I can see bias written all over this thing.

Rodney Nanney

Mon, Jan 31, 2011 : 7:59 p.m.

It is remarkably easy to hear an evaluation of Barack Obama's performance as President that is "devoid of partisanship and political spinning" when all of the panelists are of a similar big government, big "D" political persuasion.