WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A professor of African-American studies at the University of California, Berkeley will examine the continued impact of Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath on New Orleans’ African-American community in a lecture Nov. 10 at the Stewart Center.

Charles P. Henry’s lecture, titled “We Are Americans: The Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the Politics of Language,” will be given at 7 p.m. in Fowler Hall. In the epilogue of his book “Long Overdue: The Politics of Racial Reparations,” (2007) Henry connects the tragic events following the hurricane to the need for a public dialogue on racial reparations. The event is sponsored by the Black Cultural Center Library, African-American Resource Program and Research Center and the Diversity Resource Office/DiversiKey. It is free and open to the public.

In 1994, President Bill Clinton appointed Henry to the National Council for the Humanities for a six-year term. He is the former president of the National Council for Black Studies and former board chair of Amnesty International USA. Henry authored and edited seven books and more than 80 articles and reviews on black politics, public policy and human rights. His other books include “Ralph Bunche: Model Negro or American Other” (1998) and “Foreign Policy and the Black (Inter)national Interest” (2000). He was the Distinguished Fulbright Chair in American History and Politics at the University of Bologna, Italy, in 2003 and taught at the University of Tours in France as a Fulbright-Tocqueville Distinguished Chair in 2006.

In April Henry received the Chancellor’s Award for advancing institutional excellence at the University California, Berkeley. A member of the faculty since 1981, he chaired the African-American Studies Department from 2000-02.

The lecture is part of the Black Cultural Center’s semester-long examination of the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the retention of African-American culture and art.

Established in 1969, the Black Cultural Center is nationally recognized and acknowledged by the Association of Black Cultural Centers as one of the best centers of its kind. The center helps the community gain a greater understanding of the African-American heritage and supports and enhances cultural diversity on campus and in the community.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A global economic slowdown isn’t likely to hit agriculture as hard as other industry sectors, but that doesn’t mean farmers and their lenders won’t see changes ahead, said Michael Boehlje, a Purdue University agricultural economist.

While Boehlje said he believes credit will be available for crop and livestock producers, farmers and ranchers might have to jump through more hoops to borrow money. Banks, on the other hand, could require more information and documentation from borrowers.

“At a minimum, producers are going to have to do a better job of showing their lender what kind of profitability they’ve had and what kind of income they’re generating,” Boehlje said. “Secondly, it’s quite possible that the lender is going to be asking for more detail on the inventory side of a producer’s balance sheet. They might ask, ‘Have you got some of your products priced with futures or forward pricing contracts for next year? Have you got some of your production costs locked in for next year, and how much?’

“Producers might end up with more projection work. Whether they’ll have to do a full-blown cash flow projection isn’t certain. But they certainly are going to at least have to give some additional evidence than they’ve given in the past of the cash that’s going to be generated by their operation next year.”

Lenders also could increase their oversight of borrowers, Boehlje said. That might come in the form of more frequent farm visits and monitoring of checking and deposit account balances and spending.

Producers could discover lenders aren’t willing to loan them as much money as they ask for, especially if the loan is for purchasing machinery or land.

“We’re probably going to see capital expenditure loans are a little more difficult to obtain this next year than they might have been otherwise,” Boehlje said. “I suspect lenders are going to be asking more questions about land purchases. Particularly, what kinds of financing will be needed to buy land.

“My sense is we already have seen some indication that lenders are being more conservative in their financing of land purchases. They are worried about the land prices. They might not be willing to finance 80 percent of the land purchase. They may only want to finance 50 or 60 percent of the land purchase. So if a producer wants to make that purchase, they’re probably going to have to come up with more cash out of their own pocket.”

Other farm credit issues the agricultural industry could face in the months to come include:

* Less aggressive lending. “When there’s a lot of uncertainty and increased risk in the markets, lenders turn conservative and are less likely to take on new customers,” Boehlje said. “It’s probably wise to stick with your current lender and not shop around for a better interest rate.”

* Increased restrictions or covenants at loan signing. Lenders might, for instance, require borrowers to have crop insurance or insist on prior approval for capital purchases, Boehlje said.

* Modestly higher interest rates. “Since we don’t see the same kind of risk in the agricultural sector that we see in other industries, we don’t expect to see dramatic rises in interest rates to reflect those increased risk premiums,” Boehlje said.

Producers could be in for one unexpected shock: higher taxes.

“A lot of farmers report their income on a Schedule F tax return, and they are able to use the rules of the Schedule F to lower their tax burden by delaying sales and prepaying expenses,” Boehlje said. “What that does is pull their taxable income down. This year, particularly for those who have cash flow problems and find themselves needing to liquidate some assets or sell some of their inventory, that could mean an increase in their taxable income. It’s a technical issue, but the tax basis for all raised grain and livestock is zero, so every dollar of sale of that inventory is ordinary taxable income.”

Agriculture remains a strong industry and credit risk, Boehlje said. Producers who practice sound money management and accounting should weather the economic storm, he said.

For more information about agricultural borrowing and lending in today’s tough economy, read Boehlje’s papers, “The Financial Crisis: Implications for Farm Borrowers” and “Financial Stress in Agriculture: Implications for Lenders.” Both are posted on the Purdue Extension Financial Crisis Information Web page, located at http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/news/financial_crisis.asp

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue’s Boiler Volunteer Network kicked off the eighth annual Fall Harvest Food Drive on Monday (Oct. 27). Students, faculty and staff will be able to donate to the food drive through Nov. 21. All donations will benefit Food Finders Food Bank, which serves 16 counties in Indiana.

Boiler Volunteer Network Director Harry Brown said that the group hopes to collect at least 14,000 pounds of food. He said more people are in need of donations this year due to the turbulent economy.

The food bank is seeking non-perishable items, especially canned vegetables, canned tuna or canned chicken, rice, beans, soups, pasta, pasta sauce, canned fruits, cereal, flour and juices.

Donors are welcome to give food as individuals or collect items as a group. For more information or to obtain a donation box for a group or department, call the Boiler Volunteer Network at (765) 496-2450 or e-mail bvn@purdue.edu.

Individuals and groups may drop off their final donations on the west side of Stewart Center from noon to 7 p.m. Nov. 20 and 21 and from 9-11 a.m. Nov. 22.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue’s Homecoming events will include a full week of activities for students and the public, including the traditional pep rally, parade, fireworks and family activities.
The week’s events run Monday (Oct. 20) through Saturday (Oct. 25) and include the noon kickoff Homecoming game on Saturday, in which Purdue takes on Minnesota.

“We are excited to be able to bring so many events into the Homecoming mix this year,” said Kirk Cerny, executive director and CEO of the Purdue Alumni Association. “Our students have new events for their entertainment, including a charity date auction. The public and Purdue family can enjoy the many displays, activities and charitable events associated with Homecoming, such as our blood drive. The week is truly a chance for everyone to get caught up in Boilermaker pride.”

The week before activities start, student organizations will help get the campus in the mood for Homecoming by painting the windows of businesses in the campus area. The groups are encouraged to include this year’s theme of “Purdue Sports Classics” in their decorations.

Homecoming-themed shirts are available for purchase at Follett’s bookstores on campus. The shirts feature a design highlighting the Purdue-Minnesota game on the front and a list of Purdue Student Union Board homecoming events on the back. The shirts sell for $15, with $2 of the price benefiting the board.

The festivities get under way with the Homecoming Kick-Off Cook Out at noon on Monday (Oct. 20). Purdue Student Union Board will pass out hot dogs, chips and drinks free of charge to Purdue West Lafayette students on Memorial Mall who show their Purdue identification card. Games and inflatables also will be set up.

On Tuesday (Oct. 21) a new event, the CandiDATE auction, is slated for 7 p.m. on the ground floor of the Purdue Memorial Union. Audience members are encouraged to bid on dates with Homecoming King and Queen candidates. The highest bidders will receive gift cards donated by local restaurants and businesses to take their candidates on a date. All proceeds from the auction will benefit the Lafayette Boys and Girls Club.

A blood drive will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday (Oct. 22) in the Purdue Memorial Union’s South Ballroom. The drive is part of the Purdue vs. Indiana University Blood Donor Challenge, and all donations collected on that day will go toward Purdue’s total. The public is encouraged to attend. In addition, student groups participating in spirit week will gain points for the competition through donations.

Gutter Ball the Gophers is scheduled from 7-10 p.m. on Thursday (Oct. 23). The Union Rack and Roll will offer $2.50 per hour billiards, $1 bowling games and free shoe rental for all Purdue students with a Purdue ID. Other games, prizes and music will round out the evening at the bowling alley and billiard center located in the Purdue Memorial Union.

Also on Thursday at 6:30 p.m., lawyer, writer and actor Ben Stein will headline the Krannert School of Management’s eighth annual Leadership Speakers Series. Tickets are sold out, but media are invited to attend. Journalists who wish to cover the dinner should contact Tim Newton, Krannert School director of external relations and communications, at (765) 496-7271, tnewton@purdue.edu; or Tanya Brown, Purdue News Service, at (765) 494-2079, tanyabrown@purdue.edu. For more information, go to http://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2008b/081013CosierLead.html

The 8th Annual Boilermaker Night Train parade will begin at 8 p.m. Friday (Oct. 24) on McCormick Road by Purdue Village. The parade route will begin at the corner of McCormick and State Road 26 (State Street), head north on McCormick Road, turn east on Third Street, head north on Martin Jischke Drive, turn west on Stadium Avenue and end at Slayter Hill. The parade will feature floats by student and community groups and will include both walking and motorized entries.

A pep rally will follow on Slayter Hill around 9 p.m. The Purdue “All-American” Marching Band and Purdue cheerleaders will perform. Fireworks are scheduled to begin immediately following the pep rally.

The Homecoming king and queen will be announced and crowned during the pep rally and will be introduced during halftime of the Purdue-Minnesota game on Saturday (Oct. 25).

To view a list of Homecoming court members, go to http://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2008b/081010H-PSUBHomecoming.html.

From 9-11 a.m. on Saturday (Oct. 25) the celebration on the Purdue Mall will feature more than 40 tents housing displays by colleges, schools, departments and divisions as well as the dedication of two new landmarks on the Purdue campus.

During an invitation-only ceremony at 9 a.m., the “Unfinished Block P” sculpture will be dedicated. The sculpture is designed to symbolize that all people are works in progress and are never completely finished in the process of growing and learning. Rita and Rick Hadley, from Moments in Bronze in Otterbein, Ind., crafted the sculpture. Journalists wishing to attend the event should contact Christy Jones, Purdue News Service, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu.

At 10 a.m., the graduating classes of 1958 and 1959 will dedicate an arch and make other announcements involving support for the university. The “Gateway to the Future” arch and other announcements are gifts to Purdue from the two classes on the 50th anniversary of their graduating years. Journalists wishing to attend the event should contact Tanya Brown, Purdue News Service, (765) 494-2079, tanyabrown@purdue.edu.

Among the displays on the mall will be a children’s activity area featuring a “big bounce house” with inflatables and an obstacle course. A balloon artist and face painters also will entertain children.

The Discovery Park tent will include a laser-cutting machine that manufactures football key chains. Visitors can keep a keychain and play games for a chance to win glow-in-the-dark footballs. Many tents will offer trivia games and other challenges.

Performances by musical groups and other artists will be featured on the stage between Schleman Hall and the Heine Pharmacy building on Stadium Mall Drive. Scheduled acts include the Purdue Juggler and Unicycle Club, the Black Voices of Inspiration and the Purduettes.

Five area restaurants – Pizza Hut, Subway, Dairy Queen, Sgt. Preston’s and Moe’s Southwest Grill – will operate the Boiler Food Court near the stage.

Purdue President France A. Córdova will make remarks on the stage at 11 a.m.

The Purdue Mall festivities will end with President Córdova and first gentleman, Chris Foster, leading Purdue’s “All-American” Marching Band and Purdue alumni and friends to Ross-Ade Stadium for the noon kickoff.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue Panhellenic Association, joined by the Interfraternity Council and Multicultural Greek Council, will sponsor the annual Halloween Trick-or-Treating event for families throughout the community from 3-5 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 26).

Parents can accompany their children to a number of university organizations’ doorsteps for a safe environment of trick-or-treating. There is no cost to participate.

Each sorority and fraternity participating in the event will be identified with orange and black balloons displayed outside the front of the house as well as a Halloween-themed sheet sign.

Maps will be available at Waldron and Third streets. Participating houses also will have maps of other stops around campus.