COLLEGE 01' LIBERAL ARTS

nm U:-1VERSITY OF TEXAS AT AliSlDI

~S.K

Sw IJiJ.o poor. F.amtuo

OIII<. T._,' _ .!""'

_{I ' 1).............
<7S-II16
~h

Oc'oi>er 4. 2013
Presiden. Gregory Frn"es
Uni\"CJSiry of Texas at AnSiin
Dear Presida,. Fen'"es:

I came !O .he Uni,..--siry as profe:s5OJ of ecollomiu in 1993 and froml993.20 14 taughl "'.... 8.000
~'udrn's. mos. in Imge classes ofln'roduc.ory Microeconomics. ECO J 04K. In Sollie sellles'..--s these
groI'VS of 18-ycar-<:>lds cons.ituted .he lar8est sinsle COIase 011 campus. During .ha. lillie I receh-ro
",unerous ,oni,-..--siry.wide teachinl! awards.
AJlhOl'g/l J r<:tired in AUJ!lISI 2014. J had an 8gl"ttma'l "ilh my Dqwtm<:tl1 1o leach .his course again
each of Fall 2013. 2<116 and 2<11 7. Ind.w. J IUn .eaching il tlus sellleSler (to 47~ srudelllS).
As much lIS [It.we [o\"Cd Ihe experience of leaching ""d introducing Ihese stUde'''1i 10 ecollomics al

.he Uni\ersiry. I I... \c decided.~ to co"'inne "i~. Ihis agrttmatt and "ill ~ be tcaclcing here in
Fan 2016 alld 201 7. Witll a huge group of studellts nl)' perceplion is 11... , .he risl: that a disl'JlUllled
sludc:ulllligl11 bring" J!Uu inlo Ihe classroom IUJd start !JlOOIin!! al llle has been subslanlially enlWlCed
by .he cotlCnle<.l-carry law. Out of sdf-proleclioll I h","e Chosal 10 spend part of nexl Fall al Ihe
Uni\"CJSiry of Sydney. where. ",,,onl! other thillJ!S. IIns rin sttms 10".....

I cannot be!iC\'c !\w [ lUll .he only potential or current faculty memb<:r ,,110 is ,,"-are of and disturbed
by this heigh'ene<.l risk. As [ "TOle OIl Ill)' blog SC\~ years 8@0,'lOdoubtthili law"illma};c it more
difficult 10 attract faculty. especially Ihose wllO lIle "illin!! and able .0 teach l&I!e groups of stud ents.
Al'~1hillg t!U'I1 C/lll be done 10 mi!iple Ihis risk !J1OI~d be inlj)]emenled. Applying this 111'" broadly
"ill dCfnlCt frotn both fac'~ry ",,,II-bci,'i 81id from the ... tiona.l ,,"d internaliot..1 rqJ\uatio" of tllls
Uni\"CJSiry.
Sillcerely youn;.

Daniel S. Hamermesl.
Sue Killam Professor EmmttlS IIIJd
Professor of Economia. Royailiollow"y Uni\'enity of l.otldon..

...

ResurchAssociale. IZAaud NBER

cc. AI vaya