News shorts 8/6

Apparently inspired by Lynn Sweet’s everyone-in-Washington-is-from-Chicago-EVENTHEPRESIDENTOMG column on July 26, the News Office has put out a piece about all the Labbies who’ve joined the administration.

August 6, 2009

LABBIE DOMINATION: FIRST THE BOOTH CAFE, THEN THE WHITE HOUSE: Apparently inspired by Lynn Sweet’s everyone-in-Washington-is-from-Chicago-EVENTHEPRESIDENTOMG column on July 26, the News Office has put out a piece about all the Labbies who’ve joined the administration.

BECAUSE NOTHING SAYS “KIDS, GO BACK TO SCHOOL!” LIKE “BIRTHDAY SEX“: Chicago Public Schools (now led by U of C alum Ron Huberman [M.B.A. ’00, A.M. ’00]) hired CPS alumnus Jeremih, of singular R&B fame, to appear at a back-to-school event with Mayor Daley yesterday. The totally inexplicable booking, uncovered by the Maroon‘s mole at ABC, has upset pretty much everyone, including the mayor, who muttered something about freedom of speech and walked away.

MORE COMMUNITY PROTESTS ABOUT UCMC CLINICS: The University of Chicago Medical Center’s new downtown clinic has South Side residents and CHART members protesting once again. While the hospital has scaled back clinics to the south as the Medical Center realigns itself with more research-focused goals, the new clinic in Streeterville is apparently quite nice. (“It was Rolls-Royce,” according to patient and former U of C prof Mel Rothenberg.) “I don’t think the University of Chicago has compassion for poor people,” said one protester. Graduate Students United also had a representative at the Streeterville protest, who asked those present “to join us in condemning the landlords and the health barons.”

SANDERSON: CASH FOR CLUNKERS “SILLY”: Econ professor Allen Sanderson has some harsh words about the Cash for Clunkers program. “For $3 billion, could we do something better for the environment than what we’re doing? I think absolutely. It’s a very inefficient expenditure.”

UCMC UNION NEGOTIATIONS HIT SNAG: A union representing 1,400 health and clerical workers at UCMC rejected a contract offered by administrators earlier this week, stating that the proposed medical-care coverage increases were to great. The union has countered with demands of a hike half that size, as well as pay increases of 4 to 5 percent. More from News Editor Asher Klein here.

FED UP: The Wall Street Journal reports that Booth students are going to be hearing a lot from the Federal Reserve this fall.

LOOKING FOR A JOB? Oh, yes you are. The U of C is hiring a web designer. Maybe to improve cMore?