ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State University’s fall 2019 Noon Forums will kick off at noon Wednesday, Sept. 18, with “Lincoln and the Limits of Presidential Power.”

The session, which will take place in the NSU Williams Library Round Room, will be led by NSU Professor of Political Science Dr. Jon Schaff.

Schaff is the author of “Abraham Lincoln’s Statesmanship and the Limits of Liberal Democracy.” The book, published by Southern Illinois University Press, assesses the Lincoln presidency through the lenses of governmental power, economic policy, expansion of executive power and natural rights to show how Lincoln not only believed in the limitations of presidential power but also dedicated his presidency to restraining the scope and range of it.

Schaff, who specializes in the study of American political thought and institutions, received his bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University, his master’s from the University of Wyoming and his Ph.D. from Loyola University Chicago. His essays have been published in several books and journals including “Perspectives on Political Science and South Dakota History.” At Northern, Schaff has been a department Chair, faculty athletic representative, Chair of the NSU Promotion and Tenure committee, and 2005 NSU Outstanding Faculty Award winner.

Noon forums will continue throughout the semester at noon most Wednesdays in the library. Remaining topics are as follows:

• Sept. 25:  Dueling Clarinets (Audrey Miller/Robert Spring)
• Oct 2: Dueling Ink (Lysbeth Benkert-Rasmussen/Pen Pearson)
• Oct. 9: Lest we Forget—Memories of Past Teachers
• Oct. 16: What in the World? (Leigh Neys/ Ioana Hojda)
• Oct. 23: Where do they Go from Here?  (Brit Lorenz/Brenda Mammenga)
• Oct 30: Resounding Pedagogies: Building Classroom Community through Sound (Ben Harley)
• Nov. 6: Complementing Cultures (Anna Schwan/Kirika Shimmei)
• Nov. 13: White Nationalism on Trial (Department of History and Social Sciences)
• Nov. 20: Teaching with Business Cases in Chinese Classrooms: Pains and Gains (Jiang Changsheng)
• Dec. 4: The State of the State Budget (Julie Johnson)

Noon forums are free and open to all who are interested – students, staff and the public. For more information, contact Dr. Art Marmorstein at 605-626-2608 or Art.Marmorstein@northern.edu.

About Northern State University

Northern State University is a regional university that offers outstanding academics and exceptional extracurricular activities at an affordable price on a safe, welcoming campus. Northern State recently announced its Educational Impact Campaign, with a goal of raising $55 million for a new South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, new athletic and recreation fields, and an on-campus regional sports complex. Once the campaign is complete, NSU will be the recipient of more than $100 million in privately funded building projects and scholarships within a decade. To learn more, visit NSU Admissions.