Two University of Rhode Island economics professors have been involved in the development of the Honors Colloquium programs since 2003.

         According to the Honors Program Web site, every fall the program sponsors a series of lectures, art exhibits, concert, films and plays. URI Economics Department Chairman Yngve Ramstad worked on the colloquium in 2005, “Contemporary Sport: Healthy Pursuit or Obsession?”

         Ramstad said the idea for the colloquium came from Dan Doyle, the executive director of the International Institute for Sports, who was primarily responsible for the list of speakers. Professor Galen Johnson asked Ramstad if he would help Doyle organize the colloquium.

         “The academic side of the colloquium was in my hands,” he said.

         Along with his co-instructor, communication studies professor Kristen Maar, Ramstad taught the 75-minute discussion class, which met twice a week and allowed for students to meet the speakers before the lecture. Each student was also able to attend a dinner with the invited guest.

         “I think it was a positive aspect of [the colloquium],” Ramstad said. “It allowed students to meet face-to-face with famous people.”

         Speakers included University of Connecticut men’s basketball coach Jim Calhoun, NCAA president Dr. Myles Brand and Richard Pound, the president of the Anti-Doping Agency. Legendary Boston Celtics point guard Bob Cousy and International Olympic Committee member Anita DeFrantz also gave lectures. For anyone interested in seeing first-hand the generation gap, it was there for all to see on the night Bob Cousy spoke.  Those who have been around "for a while" probably remembered having seen Cousy dazzle on the court, while most students had no idea who Cousy was and what he did for professional basketball.  This is what happens when the incoming students were born in the waning years of the Reagan presidency.

         Ramstad said students, who had learned about topics such as performance-enhancing drugs and parenting issues in sports, were required to write papers at the end of the semester answering the question of whether they thought competitive sports were healthy or an obsession. “About half thought [sports] was a positive,” he said. “The other half thought it was negative.”

         Although it was a lot of work, Ramstad said he thoroughly enjoyed the experience. “Many students have stopped me and said it opened their eyes to things they didn’t know about in big-time sports,” he said.

         In addition to his job as department chairman, Ramstad also serves on the Athletics Advisory Board and is the designated URI faculty member representative of the NCAA, where he is responsible for monitoring academic integrity in compliance with NCAA regulations.

         “I have three half-time jobs,” Ramstad said in regards to his jobs as professor, department chairman and role in athletics. “It’s pretty tricky to balance what you’re doing with your normal family life, which I haven’t given up.”

         Economics professor Richard McIntyre was also involved in the fall 2003 Honors Colloquium, “The Futures of Globalization,” which was organized by professor John Grandin. Guest speakers included former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, World Social Forum co-founder Bernard Cassen and Fidelity Investments senior vice president Eric Roiter.

         McIntyre said he was happy with the turnout of the lectures. “In a lot of them, we packed Chafee 271,” he said. “Not all of them, but we had pretty good attendance.”

         He added that the colloquium was taped and later shown on cable, allowing people to see it on television if they were unable to attend.

         Along with his work in the Honors Program, McIntyre is finishing a book on international labor standards and rights. He is also the URI advisor for the Fulbright and Boren scholarships. “I always keep my hand in economics one way or the other,” McIntyre said. “But this place [the Honors Program] has become the focus of my attention.”

            McIntyre said the colloquium was a positive experience and he would consider doing another one in the future. “It was an enormous amount of work, but it was a lot of fun,” he said. “I think the students had a great experience.”