Jacobsen Leads Campaign for Yellen as Fed Chair

Joyce Jacobsen, dean of the social sciences and director of global initiatives, Andrews Professor of Economics, has received much media attention for a campaign she helped spearhead to have Janet Yellen appointed as chairman of the Federal Reserve. She co-authored a letter that has now been signed by more than 500 economists.

In an interview on Bloomberg TV, Jacobsen explains: “The depth of [Yellen’s] understanding about what’s going on, both with the current macroeconomy–which has come out clearly in both her writings and her speeches–and her understanding of how modern labor markets work, has been really critical in determining my support for her.”

“I felt it was important at this phase that the profession really weigh in in force on this, the many economists who really do have a strong opinion about this, and that the White House was aware that academic economists–the great majority of them… really are backing Yellen for this position,” she added.

The campaign also was covered in the Associated Press and on NPR’s “Morning Edition.”