ON THE PANDEMIC RECOVERY, Governor McKee:, Dean Bowman, you and I both took office in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is what I would call a baptism under fire. We were tested! But overall, the state of Rhode Island has done extremely well. For example, back in March we were hovering around the lowest vaccination rates and highest infection rates in the country. Today, we’re the second-most vaccinated population with virtually…, Dean Bowman:, That’s fantastic to hear, Governor. The role of businesses, both small and large, is going to be very, very important in the economic recovery. Your administration has been very supportive of that, and the School of Law is also working hard—for example, through its Small Business Start-up Clinic and other experiential programs—to lend its support to this effort. Small businesses in particular are…, McKee:, Well, for starters we ensured that federal funds became available to our small business community. One of the first things I did as governor, in fact, was to activate about $30 million in funds that went out to well over 4,500 businesses at $5,000 per small business—that really helped. And now we’ve developed the RI 2030 plan, which factors in local businesses, support for families and health…, [Released on Oct. 15, the RI 2030 plan outlines the McKee administration’s vision for the state’s economic recovery and “what we want Rhode Island to look like in the years ahead,” setting out priorities for spending the state’s share of American Rescue Plan funds and, eventually, Build Back Better funds. For more information, visit https://www.ri2030.com .], Bowman:, That’s really exciting. On a related note, Roger Williams University is working to establish a new Real Estate Center of Excellence, which will focus on various issues relating to real estate—including real estate development, real estate management, community development, the effects of climate change on community resiliency, and more. Also, the University’s Blue Economy Center of Excellence…, McKee:, What you’re doing is really great leadership because we have an incredible opportunity, coming out of the pandemic, to reset our state. We’ve historically been the first in and the last out of economic downturns. But today, we’re holding on to first in the Northeast, and third in the country—and we can maintain that with good leadership., Bowman:, People often talk about a small state being disadvantaged because of its size, but in some ways it’s a big advantage because we can be nimble. We can put programs in place and see the immediate impact. And in terms of returning to normalcy, when you put money and effort into supporting small businesses—providing them with support, places to start, jobs to create, legal representation—the return…, McKee:, We’re definitely making an effort to embrace our small businesses, but we can do more. One of my goals as governor is to increase per capita income across the board in all communities. When you develop an economy, you’re going to increase per capita income. But to do that, you need not only entrepreneurs, but a trained and skilled workforce. And that’s what you’re building at Roger Williams…, ON COASTAL RESILIENCY, Bowman:, Can you talk a little bit about your administration’s efforts to help build coastal resiliency?, McKee:, A number of the foundations had been set before I became governor, but I was pleased to sign the Act on Climate [on April 14, 2021], which is an effort to reduce our carbon emissions by 45 percent by 2030, then 80 percent by 2040, and then to become carbon neutral by 2050. And as part of the RI2030 plan, we’ve activated a committee to really dig into this issue. In addition, we have a goal of…, Bowman:, That’s really exciting. One of the things that appealed to me about coming to Rhode Island was the fact that RWU Law is home to the Marine Affairs Institute, through which the law school works closely with the Rhode Island Sea Grant Legal Program and the University of Rhode Island. The opportunity to engage in work related to coastal resiliency and renewables, and to see the impact of this work…, McKee:, Yes, we, are, the Ocean State and our need for resiliency is real. The climate issues are real, and Rhode Island is front and center: I recently read that we’ve had an 11-inch rise in our water levels in Newport since 1990 or so. We’re right in the middle of the eye of the storm, so to speak. So all that resiliency is really important., ON IMMIGRATION, Bowman:, As you know, Rhode Island is home to a very diverse immigrant community. Could you talk a bit about the challenges these communities are facing today and how your administration is reaching out?, McKee:, It’s a combination of things, both long- and short-term strategies. Rhode Island has always been a place that welcomes a diverse population from around the world, and first-generation immigrants have always found their place in our communities. Education is a big part of that, and I’ve been involved in education strategies now for 20 years or so. In particular, we’ve developed schools that really…, Bowman:, It sounds like you’re involved in both strategic planning and action based on values. At the law school, our Immigration Law Clinic—run by a graduate of our law school, Professor Deborah Gonzalez ’07—is also doing great work for the immigrant community. And within a robust clinical law program, when you have multiple clinics, there can also be provision of services to a client in more than one…, McKee:, Our Hispanic community is one of the highest-growing populations for small businesses right now. That’s why Rhode Island is wise to invest in the work that you were just talking about, both for the short-term goals of aligning people with jobs and encouraging them to open up their own businesses, and the long-term goal of investing in these people through education., Bowman:, About 10% of our law students are first-generation students. I’m really proud of the work those students are doing and the policies that got them there. On a personal note, my father was a first-generation student himself. His mother had maybe a 6th grade education. My mom’s dad was first-generation too. I am where I am because of the opportunities that my parents had. And seeing that process…, McKee:, I recall that the value of RWU Law was somewhat debated in the beginning—did we really need a law school, and so on—but today, 30 years later, it’s very much established itself as Rhode Island’s law school. It’s part of the state’s culture, and we’re all really proud of that. Our School of Law really matters, providing access to a legal education, and room for high-level legal discussions and…, Bowman:, It’s interesting, Governor. Thirty years ago, back when I went to law school, the main goal of many students was just to get out and get a good-paying job with a law firm. Fifteen or 20 years ago, we began to see a shift—students said they wanted to go out and do well, and then, later in their careers, to start making a difference. But according to surveys of today’s law students, they want to…, right now, . They’re coming to law school to make the world a better place right now. Which may sound sentimental, but it’s a fact. That’s what law students are telling us. And so at RWU Law we have a law school that gives our students that opportunity: to work in state government, federal government, the public interest sector, as public defenders, or anything else they want to do—business, real estate,…, McKee:, And there is a lot of need for their services, in Rhode Island and beyond., Bowman:, Absolutely. Thank you for your time, Governor McKee., McKee:, It’s been a pleasure, Dean Bowman.
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Last academic year, the Legal Beagle introduced or re-introduced you to the members of the library staff. We continue the series this year, as we had a new staff member join us in September. This time we introduce you to Erin Orsini, who is not only a talented colleague, but also a delightful person to know., What is your title?, Access Services Coordinator, Can you tell our readers what you do for the library?, I supervise our student employees and manage what happens at the Circulation Desk and in the Print Center. Usually, if there is a problem or question at the desk that the student employees need help with, I am the first point of contact. I also help with Interlibrary Loan and document delivery requests. Occasionally I dabble in crafting and decorating so we are festive for holidays. But combined…, What is your favorite reading genre? Book?, I enjoy fiction, mystery, and sometimes explore fantasy. My favorite book is “The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” by Stuart Turton. The trend I am noticing right now is that books with black covers (including 7 ½ Deaths, Good Omens, The Night Circus, etc.) have not disappointed and have led to my bookcase looking very dark., What part of your job is the most satisfying?, I really enjoy the opportunity of training new student employees and introducing them to how our library operates. Some of our student employees are even interested in working in libraries in the future, so it really feels like everything has come full circle since I started out as a library student employee too., The Legal Beagle heard that you worked at the National Archives, the home of historical documents and artifacts telling the history of the United States. What was the most fascinating document that you used for your work while you were there?, I interned at the National Archives, working on making finding aides for government office memos. But the singular experience that stands out for me is that one of my supervisors passed me a journal to look through. It was actually one of George Washington's personal journals about daily accounts and needs at Mount Vernon. I never imagined I would get such an opportunity or that I would ever…, What has been your experience in the RWU Law community?, I started working at the library back in September 2021 and felt included instantaneously. I have amazing coworkers and fantastic supervisors who I genuinely enjoy spending time with. They have enthusiastically taught me anything I wanted to learn about and listened to my ideas with interest. I am grateful that I get to work with such wonderful people and be able to say that I love my job., Name something you dislike, but everyone else seems to love., Football
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