More than 5,070 Iowa State University undergraduates have been recognized for outstanding academic achievement by being named to the 2010 spring semester Dean's List.  Students named to the Dean's List must have earned a grade point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.00 scale while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours of graded course work.

Students from our local area who qualified for the Dean's List are listed below:

from Bettendorf:

• Kristin Alexa Allen, Environmental Science (AGLS)
• Rachel Marie Ashley, Dietetics (H SCI)
• Andrea Lynne Baker, Architecture-Professional Degree
• Ashley Marie Beck, Early Childhood Education
• Maggie Elizabeth Beckman, Interior Design
• Carolyn Elizabeth Bennie, Early Childhood Education
• Jennifer Marie Blaser, Microbiology
• Stephanie Ann Blaser, Food Science (H SCI
• Jessica Marie Blaum, English
• Kaitlin Janaye Bohn, Kinesiology and Health
• Kimberly Ann Booe, Chemical Engineering
• Stephanie Suzanne Booe, Advertising
• Elizabeth C. Brebner, Psychology
• Benjamin Alexander Britz, Mechanical Engineering
• Sarah Anne Buck, Psychology
• Brett T. Bueker, Kinesiology and Health
• Joseph Stephen Byrnes, Physics
• Dan Eric Candler, Mechanical Engineering
• Jonathan A. Carlz, Computer Engineering
• Brittney Corrine Carpio, Political Science
• Daniel Norbert Congreve, Electrical Engineering
• Danielle Lee Cook, Communication Studies
• Jack Edward Cozad, Mathematics
• Emily Marcene Doerder, Music
• Jared Andrew Evans, Political Science
• Daniel Lawrence Finnegan, Aerospace Engineering
• Jennifer Ann Garter, Kinesiology and Health
• Matthew Nicholas Gaul, Architecture-Professional Degree
• Pierre Luc Gilles, Mechanical Engineering
• Valerie Sylvie Gilles, Biology
• Jiyeon Han, Preprofessional Health Programs
• Jacob T. Hemberger, Chemical Engineering
• ron Michael Hewitt, Integrated Studio Arts
• Leah Elizabeth Hodgin, Elementary Education
• Lindsay Jo Hoffman, Pre-Diet and Exercise (H SCI)
• Stephanie D. B. Holloway, Veterinary Medicine
• Bryce Phillip Johnson, Open Option (LAS)
• Carolyn Anne Johnson, Animal Science
• Megan Michelle Johnson, Kinesiology and Health
• Abigail Marie Kline, Child, Adult, and Family Services
• Deborah Nicole Kraft, Integrated Studio Arts
• Stephanie Lynne Kraft, Spanish
• Matthew Douglas Krajewski, Aerospace Engineering
• Jason Carl Kruse, Architecture-Professional Degree
• Elizabeth Ilene Larsen, Psychology
• Jessica Marlo Madsen, Integrated Studio Arts
• Molly Christine Madsen, Spanish
• Elizabeth J. Martin, Elementary Education
• Christopher P. Meadows, Mechanical Engineering
• Spencer William Mesick, Biology
• Brock Robert Mills, Psychology
• Andrew Joseph Morse, Mechanical Engineering
• Gordon Theodore Mueller, Mechanical Engineering
• Stefan Juel Nitzschke, Management Information Systems
• Catherine Erin Owens, Accounting
• Rachel Ann Potthoff, Construction Engineering
• Abigail S. Pritz, Graphic Design
• Emily Paige Rheinhart, Child, Adult, and Family Services
• Samuel James Russell, Construction Engineering
• Mindy Jolene Schlueter, Kinesiology and Health
• Meredith Kim Sherrill, Veterinary Medicine
• Jana Kristine Stolze, Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management
• Kelly Ann Wagner, Dietetics (H SCI)
• Stefani Nicole Williams, Psychology
• Zhiyi Xu, Management Information Systems
• David Thomas Zimmerman, Industrial Engineering

from Davenport:

• Derek Mitchell Adams, English
• Derek Reid Attwood, Aerospace Engineering
• Brian Victor Becker, Marketing
• Nathan Joseph Bierl, Music
• Elizabeth Ann Borcherding, Elementary Education
• Nicholas C. Borcherding, Pre-Diet and Exercise (H SCI)
• Matthew Allen Burmeister, Mechanical Engineering
• Margaret Marie Carlin, Pre-Community and Regional Planning
• Carolyn Anne Chrissotimos, Kinesiology and Health
• Brion Niquan Coleman, Civil Engineering
• Anthony Patrick Colombari, Chemical Engineering
• Michael Dolan Connors, Liberal Studies
• John Michael Crispin, Architecture-Professional Degree
• Kalynn Dawn Doebel, Biology
• Joshua M. Dunham, Electrical Engineering
• Brett Christopher Ebert, Mechanical Engineering
• Nicholas A. Eisenbacher, Civil Engineering
• Kelly Jean Goossen, Forestry
• Alexander Joseph Gowey, Accounting
• Thomas Winston Hales, Music
• Anne Marie Harre, Psychology
• Kathleen Marie Hoil, Performing Arts
• Lance David Keltner, Civil Engineering
• Emily Marie Kenneke, Elementary Education
• Paul Charles Moffit Keppy, Political Science
• Nicholas Aaron King, Landscape Architecture
• Laura Beth Klavitter, Horticulture
• Laura Marie Kleinschmidt, Veterinary Medicine
• Luke William Klenske, Art and Design
• Austin Miles Laugen, Computer Engineering
• Amber Marie Loerzel, Graphic Design
• Farica Lynnette Lomas, Pre-Business
• Britney Jean Meier, Child, Adult, and Family Services
• Alexandra Eleni Menard, Anthropology
• Anna Elizabeth Mullen, Anthropology
• Quynh-Nhu M. Nguyen, Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management
• Alison Margaret Perkins, Design
• Nathan S. Premo, Software Engineering
• Mohammed Ashiqur Rahim, Electrical Engineering
• Kelsey B. Regan, Biological Systems Engineering
• Stephen Philip Richard, Industrial Engineering
• Aleah Nicole Salisbury, Finance
• Bryce Taylor Sandry, Pre-Business
• Elizabeth Gwen Shorter, Early Childhood Education
• Matthew J. Skoglund, Chemical Engineering
• Brian Michael Smith, Journalism and Mass Communication
• Brittany L. Springmeier, Food Science (AGLS)
• Michal-Marie Tillotson, Open Option (LAS)
• Christopher A. Van Buer, Aerospace Engineering

from Moline:

• Lisa Marie Harmon, Accounting
• Christina Elizabeth Mital, Interior Design
• Daniel Joseph Siroky, Architecture-Professional Degree

from Riverdale, Iowa:

• Amy K. DCamp, Pre-Biological/Pre-Medical Illustration

from Rock Island:

• Taylor Marie Downing, Food Science (AGLS)
• Jacob L. Schrader, Mechanical Engineering
• Eric Steven Schroder, Biology
• Grant Aaron Vermeer, Computer Engineering

WASHINGTON - Several U.S. senators today questioned possible plans by the administration to unilaterally extend either deferred action or parole to millions of illegal immigrants in the United States.  Senator Chuck Grassley was joined by Senators Orrin Hatch of Utah, Jim Bunning of Ky., Saxby Chambliss of Ga., Jim Inhofe of Okla., Johnny Isakson of Ga., Thad Cochran of Miss., and David Vitter of La.

"There's a lot we can agree on when it comes to dealing with the immigration problems in the United States, but this appears to be amnesty in disguise, and is simply an attempt to circumvent Congress," Grassley said.

Here's a copy of the text of the letter to President Barack Obama.

June 21, 2010

President Barack H. Obama

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, D.C.  20500

Dear President Obama:

We understand that there's a push for your Administration to develop a plan to unilaterally extend either deferred action or parole to millions of illegal aliens in the United States.  We understand that the Administration may include aliens who have willfully overstayed their visas or filed for benefits knowing that they will not be eligible for a status for years to come.  We understand that deferred action and parole are discretionary actions reserved for individual cases that present unusual, emergent or humanitarian circumstances.  Deferred action and parole were not intended to be used to confer a status or offer protection to large groups of illegal aliens, even if the agency claims that they look at each case on a "case-by-case" basis.

While we agree our immigration laws need to be fixed, we are deeply concerned about the potential expansion of deferred action or parole for a large illegal alien population.   While deferred action and parole are Executive Branch authorities, they should not be used to circumvent Congress' constitutional authority to legislate immigration policy, particularly as it relates to the illegal population in the United States.

The Administration would be wise to abandon any plans for deferred action or parole for the illegal population.  Such a move would further erode the American public's confidence in the federal government and its commitment to securing the borders and enforcing the laws already on the books.

We would appreciate receiving a commitment that the Administration has no plans to use either authority to change the current position of a large group of illegal aliens already in the United States, and ask that you respond to us about this matter as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Chuck Grassley

Orrin Hatch

Jim Bunning

Saxby Chambliss

Jim Inhofe

Johnny Isakson

Thad Cochran

David Vitter

Law Caps Loan Interest Rates, Closes Loopholes

CHICAGO - June 21, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today signed a bill into law that will increase protections for Illinois residents obtaining consumer installment loans. The new law caps interest rates charged by consumer finance companies, which can sometimes be as high as 1,000 percent.

"Many consumers who take out short-term loans are doing so as a last resort to pay their bills and provide for their families. It is all too easy for lenders to take advantage of them by raising interest rates and setting very short repayment periods," said Governor Quinn. "It is important that we do everything we can to protect these consumers who are already hurting, by helping to make these loans more affordable."

House Bill 537 sponsored by Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie) and Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D-Westchester) protects consumers by setting reasonable interest rates for loans. Current interest rates for consumer installment loans can be exorbitantly high. Under the new law, rates on consumer installment loans will be capped at 99 percent rate for loans $4,000 and less and 36 percent for loans greater than $4,000.

"For too long, Wild West lending practices have dominated the marketplace in Illinois and consumers have suffered as a result - saddled with costly loans that they could never repay," said Attorney General Madigan. "Now that has changed. House Bill 537 reigns in abusive and predatory lending practices and protects consumers. I want to thank Senator Lightford, Representative Lang, the Governor's Office and consumer advocates for their hard work on this important consumer protection legislation."

The new law also includes provisions to help borrowers repay loans more easily. For example, lending is based upon the borrower's ability to repay the loan. Monthly payments on consumer installment loans are limited to 22.5 percent of the borrower's gross monthly income. In order to give borrowers enough time to repay the loan, the new minimum loan term will be set at six months - an increase from the previous four month term.

"We look forward to working with licensed lenders and their customers to make sure this law is strictly enforced," said Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation Brent Adams. "For too long, Illinois borrowers have been at the mercy of lenders who were free to charge quadruple-digit interest rates."

The law expands the existing statewide database that tracks payday loans to also track consumer installment loans, which will enable the state to ensure that lenders are complying with the new law.  The law also eliminates balloon payments and prevents lenders from penalizing borrowers for paying off loans early.

House Bill 537 was supported by numerous consumer groups and lenders alike, and it passed through the Illinois General Assembly almost unanimously.

Governor Quinn signed the legislation in Chicago. It goes into effect nine months after becoming law.

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