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What an opportune moment to be studying government! The presidential, congressional, state, and local elections are upon us, and we are full steam into the season of debates. Just as we prepare to elect our representatives, Americans face a fiscal cliff and a sluggish economy with trenchant unemployment and serious threats to national and international security.

With such high stakes, the Department is glad to see students such as Aaron Shifreen and other members of Pi Sigma Alpha take the lead with the League of Women Voters in enlisting students to register to vote and attend and participate in debates about what kind of government Saratoga Springs should have. We are proud to have professorial expertise in all levels and branches of the U.S. government and in political theory and philosophy, comparative political systems, and international politics. In the same breath we recognize that it takes professors and students together to make the classroom an exciting place to study, learn, and grow. Indeed, as this newsletter demonstrates, this Depart-ment is a driving engine of intellectual energy for both students and faculty alike.

We are very happy to welcome our newest departmental member, Assistant Professor Feryaz Ocakli. Dr. Ocakli is teaching comparative and international politics, politics of developing countries, Mid-East politics, and international affairs and is serving as faculty advisor to Model United Nations. You will want to read Matt Choi’s interview of Dr. Ocakli in this newsletter, which will help you to get to know our new, young, dynamic, knowledgeable, and engaging professor.

As reported in this newsletter, our faculty are exceptionally engaged in their disciplines— returning from sabbaticals (Dr. Turner), seminars (Dr. Vacs with the help of a Fulbright grant), time abroad (Dr. Flagg Taylor, who conducted interviews of Czech dissidents) and presidential libraries and other archival collections (Dr. Seyb, holder of the Joseph C. Palamountain Jr. Chair in Government). The Department also cele-brates Dr. Burns for his promotion to full professor. Not content to rest on his laurels, Dr. Burns has been attending and presenting scholarly papers at regional, national, and international conferences, and has published or is in the process of publishing an impressively large number of books, book chapters, and scholarly articles. Also preparing a book manuscript for publication is Dr. Kate Graney, who is on sabbatical leave but who WILL return soon to teach an enticing array of courses.

One of our dear departmental members deserves very special mention. Prof. Pat Ferraioli, who has graced this Department and Skidmore for 20 years with her dedicated teaching, mentoring, and collegiality, has decided to step down from teaching for medical reasons. I cannot tell you how much this has saddened us as we deeply value the kind of colleague and friend Pat has been to all of us—students and faculty alike. Pat’s trademarks—her humanism, social consciousness, integrity, honesty, and inclusivity—leave deep indelible marks, and I am certain students and alumni alike will want to write to Pat in care of the Department of Government to let her know what she has meant to them. Have a close look at the newsletter to read about student experiences here at the College and further afield, upcoming events, Spring term course offerings, and faculty news. As a department we feel we are in a good place at a good time and invite you to work closely with us to continue to enhance curricular and co-curricular activities.