THIS WEEK AT THE U
UM Offers New Courses for Fall 2024
The UM School of Communication has revealed its highly anticipated fall 2024 semester schedule, packed with enticing special topics courses, including a course on Taylor Swift. With great dedication to fostering academic diversity and innovation, the University is set to captivate students’ imaginations with a plethora of dynamic new offerings.
The announcement was followed by a post on the School of Communication Instagram @umsoc, giving students a sneak peek of the different courses being offered and their corresponding programs
New courses offered include Podcasting, Designing for Sustainability, After Effects, Global Black Film, PR & Politics, and Strategically Communicating through Music: The Mastermind of the Taylor Swift Brand.
These courses allow students to study a wide range of topics outside of their selected major, which allows UM students to freely explore topics in the new courses.
Considering Swift’s fame as a businesswoman and musician, the Swift class may be among the list of popular classes offered in the fall. Many students have expressed their enjoyment and requests for a university-level version of the class to be offered.
The courses will be open for registration starting on April 1st, and more Special Topics offerings for different programs can be found on the website under the Department Overview section.
In Case U Missed It
Former President Trump is the GOP’s Presumptive Presidential nominee
Despite the ongoing negative press and allegations against Trump, there is still a high amount of support for him, giving Biden a significant challenge in the race for the presidency.
Biden has become the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, signifying another head-to-head fight with Trump.
The Associated Press highlighted that Trump successfully grabbed the title of the republican party’s presumptive presidential nominee after crossing the threshold of 1,215 delegates, winning elections in states such as Georgia, Mississippi, Hawaii, and Washington.
Winning the designated and highly essential 1,215 delegates is a pivotal moment for Trump, even as he continues to face legal challenges that have followed him into the current election cycle
Over the next couple of months, campaigning on both the Trump and Biden tickets will intensify, leaving the decision in the hands of the American people when they cast their final votes on November 5th, to elect the next president.
Putin Declares Victory in Russian Presidential Election
Long standing Russian president Vladimir Putin claimed yet another victory in the presidential elections last week, marking one of the longest terms of any Russian leader since Joseph Stalin.
Putin won around 87% of the vote in the presidential election, marking a high amount of voter support and a clear sign that Putin would win the election. Also, NPR highlighted that Russian voter turnout was high, with over 77% of Russian citizens participating in the election.
In his victory speech, Putin described Russia’s war on Ukraine as a positive event that “consolidated society” and showcased his leadership.
He also discussed his involvement with NATO and how that would affect Russian society. However, debates about the fairness of the Russian presidential elections have circulated, as many question the transparency of the election.
“All genuine opposition candidates were barred from running, imprisoned, dead, or in exile, and the only three people allowed to run posed no real threat to Putin’s hold on power,” said Golos, an independent Russian vote-monitoring company.
Beyond Putin’s reelection, the idea of a fair election in Russia led to more discussions and concerns from the U.S. National Security Council, the overall structure of Russian presidential elections, and the desire for power that Putin has held for years.