In his Jan. 16 State of the State address, Gov. Rick Snyder called for “making Michigan more welcome to immigrants with advanced academic degrees or entrepreneurial aspirations” and said he will create the Michigan Office for New Americans to attract immigrants to the state.
Michigan State University sociologist Steven Gold is an expert on immigrant entrepreneurs and migration. He can be reached at (517) 353-6352 or gold@msu.edu.
Gold, professor and associate chair of MSU’s Department of Sociology, said that while many small business owners with a variety of backgrounds fail, immigrants seem to possess unique motivation for success in the business world.
He said immigrants often practice different languages and cultures and find it more satisfying to work for themselves rather than find an existing job.
“People, almost out of the need to survive, create their own businesses,” he said. “And, it’s compatible in the current time we’ve had with a difficult economy.”
MSU has many other experts vailable to speak on a host of issues facing the state of Michigan as well as the political and economic implications of Snyder’s agenda.
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Economy, politics
Charles Ballard is professor of economics and director of MSU’s quarterly State of the State Survey. Nationally recognized as a leading authority on the Michigan economy, Ballard can also speak to the potential political implications of Snyder’s address and tenure. Ballard can be reached at (517) 353-2961 and ballard@msu.edu.
Matt Grossmann is assistant professor of political science and director of the Michigan Policy Network, a student-led public education and research program on Michigan state policy issues. Grossmann is an expert on policymaking, elections and special interest groups. He can be reached at (517) 355-7655 or matt@mattg.org.
Transportation funding
Kenneth Boyer is professor of economics and an expert in transportation economics. Gov. Snyder has said he'd like to increase funding to fix and maintain Michigan’s roads and bridges by more than $1 billion a year. Boyer can speak to that and other issues facing the state’s transportation infrastructure and funding. He can be reached (517) 353-9088 and boyerkd@msu.edu.
Education
Robert Floden is University Distinguished Professor of teacher education and co-director of the Education Policy Center in MSU’s College of Education. Floden is available at (517) 355-3486 and floden@msu.edu.
Mental health services
Jed Magen is chairperson and associate professor of MSU’s Department of Psychiatry. He can speak to mental health policy and services in Michigan. The governor said adopting recommendations of the Mental Health and Wellness Report will help people with mental illness, substance abuse disorders or developmental disabilities to lead more independent lives. Magen, a licensed psychiatrist, can be reached at (517) 353-4363 and magenj@msu.edu.
Sheryl Kubiak is professor of social work who led a team of researchers in evaluating Michigan’s mental health courts (see PDF of report here). She can be reached at (248) 860-4153 and spk@msu.edu.
Randy Hillard is professor of psychiatry and Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. His books include “Manual of Clinical Emergency Psychiatry” (1990) and “Emergency Psychiatry” (2004). Hillard can be reached at (517) 353-3211 and jhillard@msu.edu.
Senior citizens services
Amanda Woodward is associate professor of social work whose research includes gerentology, aging and mental health services. Snyder is calling for eliminating waiting lists for senior citizens trying to get home-delivered meals and other in-home services. In southeastern Michigan, he noted, half of the people qualifying for services must wait six months or more to receive services. Woodward can speak to these and other issues be reached in her office at (517) 432-8702, awoodwar@msu.edu or on her cell phone at (734) 678-8609.
Clare Luz is assistant professor in MSU’s College of Human Medicine, Geriatric Division and core faculty member of the Geriatric Education Center of Michigan. As a gerontologist, her primary area of research is in long-term care health services; focus areas have included the direct care workforce, factors affecting optimal aging, and national/statewide training demonstration projects related to adult abuse and neglect, dining assistance and personal care aide competencies. She can be reached at (517) 884-0431, clare.luz@hc.msu.edu or on her cell phone at (517) 303-9651.