Professor Profile: Dr. Steven Cobb
Michelle Rosmarin
Staff Writer
Dr. Steven Cobb
Dr. Steven Cobb, an associate professor of economics, has been at Xavier since 1984. Cobb has won both the Williams College of Business Teacher of the Year Dean’s Award in 2000-2001 and the Williams College of Business Teacher of the Year Students’ Award in 2003-2004. Cobb explains his love of economics, travel and the students of Xavier University.
What classes do you teach?
I teach honors micro and macroeconomics, non-honors micro and macro and natural resource economics. It’s an ERS elective and an environmental studies course. I also teach macro analysis which is reputed to be the hardest class in the major. I have taught global economic analysis; I used to teach it a lot when it was an M.B.A. core course.
What degrees do you have?
I have a B.A. from the University of Vermont in economics and a Ph.D. from Brown University in economics. I might have a Masters in there somewhere but that was just a side degree along the way.
What is your favorite thing about Xavier?
I really like both the faculty and students. When I interviewed here I told my wife that we were not moving to Cincinnati, but the next day I met the faculty and taught an economics class and it was the students that sold me on taking the job. The students got me interested.
How about your least favorite thing about Xavier?
The fact that it is in Cincinnati.
When did you first become interested in economics?
As an undergrad I liked economics and political science and probably had enough credits to be a political science major as well. I liked the social aspects of economics and there was more to do with an economics degree.
What’s on your iPod right now?
I don’t own an iPod, but if I did I would have the Dead, the Stones, Bob Dylan when he was good and Mozart.
Which famous person would you most like to meet?
Maybe John Maynard Keynes, he was an economist and was very eccentric and brilliant. I think he would be fun to talk to.
What’s your favorite thing to do in your free time?
I read and my wife and I go to films. We like to travel, too.
What’s your favorite place to travel?
We love the west and may move to California or Colorado when I leave here. I also enjoyed England and love to visit my family in Vermont in the summers.
What was your favorite part about going to college?
I liked the whole college scene; I was a child of the 60s and there were a lot of extracurriculars, and I also liked that it kept me from being drafted to Vietnam. But I really loved the whole environment and meeting people from different parts of the country.
What did you want to be when you were little?
The earliest I remember wanting to be something was when I decided I wanted to teach at a university when I was in college. Before that, I grew up on a farm so I knew I didn’t want to be a farmer.
Is there anything else you’d like your students to know about you?
I used to play in a bluegrass band. I played the guitar, mandolin and autoharp. I was also a Watergate junkie in grad school. I attended the hearings and kept a lot of stuff that was written about it from that time. It was really interesting to watch the whole thing in progress.
Do you have any advice for your students?
Do the practice exams and quizzes! They are the most helpful thing you can do. Practice, practice, practice and think things through.
Police Notes
Jan. 23, 1:53 a.m.- An RA reported damage to the sixth floor lounge in Kuhlman Hall.
Jan. 24, 8:20 p.m.- During the men’s basketball game, two students were cited for alcohol violations. Two students and one non-student were ejected from the event for disorderly conduct.
Jan. 25, 12:30 a.m.- A student with a beer pong table in an apartment in the Commons was cited for violation of the university code of conduct.
Jan. 25, 3:41 a.m.- An officer on patrol discovered graffiti on an exterior door to Husman Hall.
Jan. 25, 9:28 a.m.- Campus Police assisted Cincinnati Police and Cincinnati Fire and Rescue with an auto accident involving a pedestrian at the intersection of Dana and Woodburn avenues. The pedestrian was treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Jan. 25, 1:50 a.m.- A student reported the theft of $20 and an All Card from an unlocked room in a residence hall before Christmas break.
Jan. 26, 1:09 a.m.- A student attempting to operate a parked vehicle in the C-1 lot was cited for underage consumption.
Jan. 26, 3:48 p.m.- Officers investigating a noise complaint in the Village and cited four students for underage consumption.
Jan. 26, 4:37 a.m.- A student observed urinating outside of Brockman Hall was cited for underage consumption and public indecency.
Jan. 26, 1:34 p.m.- Campus Police investigated a report of two students fighting at an apartment at 1019 Dana Avenue. Both students advised that they were fine and had no need for a student advocate.
Meghan Berneking
Campus News Editor
Lottery numbers
Get your lottery number for the 2008-09 housing selection process, which will take place in early March. All current on-campus residents will automatically receive a lottery number. If you do not currently live on campus but would like to receive a number, please send your name and banner ID number to Schubert@xavier.edu or call the housing office at x3203. Note: If you have already made this request, you do not need to do so a second time. All requests must be made no later than Friday, Feb. 1 in order to participate.
Movie premiere
At 7 p.m. on Feb. 5 in the Gallagher theater there will be a premiere Cincinnati showing of a new documentary, “For the Bible Tells Me So,” which focuses on the lives of five Christian families who have a gay son or daughter. Following this showing, there will be a panel discussion which will include: Director of Campus Ministry Joe Shadle, theology professor Holly Toensing and Husman Hall Director Jeff Girton. For more information contact xualliance@xavier.edu.
Dance Marathon
Dance Marathon is looking for committee chairs for many business-related aspects. We are looking for a Corporate Relations Chair, Treasurer and several other positions. We are having an informational meeting for all those interested on at 9 p.m. Monday Jan. 28 and Thursday Jan. 31. The meetings will be in GSC room 214 in the SGA office. Contact xudm@xavier.edu for more information.
Relay for Life
Come celebrate, remember and fight back with us. If you or anyone you know is a cancer survivor or current fighter, please allow Xavier to honor you at Relay for Life this year. At Relay for Life, people from within the community gather to celebrate survivors, remember those lost to cancer and fight this disease. We would like to invite you for a special Survivors Lap and Dinner. Please contact Laura Collier at collierl1@xavier.edu or (513) 310-4044 for more information.
Writing Center
Want to talk to someone about that paper you’re writing? The Writing Center has peer tutors who can work with you at any stage of the writing process. Our hours are Mon.-Thur. 9:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m., Fri. 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and Sun. 1-9 p.m. We’re now open for appointments and walk-ins. Come visit the Writing Center in Alter B12 or call x2875.
