EWU interviewing finalists for dean

Eastern Washington University administrators are interviewing three finalists to fill the job of dean of the School of Business and Public Administration.

The current dean, Dee Martin, will step down Aug. 31 to become a member of the EWU business faculty.

Martin, 66, who has held the job since 2001, said she always intended to return to the teaching of economics.

Before resuming teaching, Martin said she will take a sabbatical and work on helping EWU develop a certification program in alternative dispute resolution.

The finalists to succeed Martin are: Michael Fronmueller, former dean of management at Le Moyne College of Syracuse, N.Y.; Jacob Chacko, associate dean of the school of business at Clayton College and State Universityof Morrow, Ga.; and Rex Fuller, dean of the school of business at Colorado State-Pueblo.

Spokane

Spokane County unemployment up

Spokane County’s jobless rate inched up to 5.3 percent in July compared with 5.1 percent the month before, the result of more workers entering the labor force, according to the state’s Employment Security Department.

Resident labor force numbers show Spokane gaining about 1,400 new jobs between June and July 2006. But the unemployment rate rose because the number of people seeking work soared – from 225,000 in June to 226,800 in July.

The state’s July unemployment rate matched Spokane County – rising to 5.3 from June’s level of 5.1 percent. One year earlier Washington’s statewide jobless rate was 5.5 percent, while Spokane’s was 5.4 percent.

Sectors in Spokane County gaining ground in July were construction (up 300 jobs), manufacturing (up 100) and professional and business services (up 200).

Geneva

WTO reverses U.S. tariff ruling

The World Trade Organization has reversed its ruling in a longstanding U.S.-Canadian lumber dispute, saying the United States failed to comply with international trade rules in its calculation of tariffs on lumber imports, according to a report made public Tuesday.

The ruling could be rendered insignificant, however, by a pending agreement between Washington and Ottawa that would settle the trade battle over softwood lumber, a major home-building component.