DePaul University, the largest Catholic university in the United States, has an array of experts available to provide context and insight on President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address and its key issues, including the economy, tax reform immigration, energy policy, education, health reform and more.

Professors available to speak with reporters include:

Bruce Newman, professor of marketing. He can discuss communication and marketing issues tied to the speech. “Obama is in a classic ‘repositioning’ posture, where he realizes he needs to alter his message and image in response to the recent electoral shift that took place in the midterm elections,” Newman said. “Obama’s recent choice of Bill Daley as his chief of staff signals the same kind of movement toward the center as he responds to the tea party movement and the need to court the business community if he intends to get re-elected in 2012.” Newman was a communication adviser to the senior staff of the Clinton White House in 1995 and 1996; is the author of several books on political marketing, including “The Marketing of the President”; and is editor of the Journal of Political Marketing. Newman can be reached at (312) 362-5186 or by e-mail at bnewman@depaul.edu.

Wayne Steger, professor of political science. He can speak about public policymaking, the budgetary process and politics, tax reform, the impact of political rhetoric, party behavior and evaluating presidential success in Congress. He can be reached at (773) 325-4240 or (773) 677-5328 (cell) or by e-mail at wsteger@depaul.edu.

James Wolfinger, associate professor of history and education. A political and urban historian of 20th-century America, he can assess President Obama’s presidency and the nation’s economy. He has written extensively about race, politics and labor in 20th-century America. He is currently working on a history of black Chicago titled “Building the Black Metropolis.” He can bring a historical perspective to journalistic discussions of race and politics. Wolfinger can be reached at (773) 325-4290 or by e-mail at jwolfing@depaul.edu.

Antonio Morales-Pita, assistant professor of international studies, adjunct professor of economics. He can discuss the economy, tax reform, immigration, education, health reform and international political and economic issues, such as relations between the United States and China, India, Brazil and the European Union. He is fluent in Spanish. He can be reached at (312) 362-5613 or by e-mail at amorale1@depaul.edu.

Ronald Chennault, associate professor of education. Chennault can discuss Obama’s education platform, including his position on the No Child Left Behind Act, performance pay and school choice. He can be reached at (773) 325-4691 or by e-mail at rchennau@depaul.edu.

Werner F.M. De Bondt, professor, finance; chair and director, Richard H. Driehaus Center for Behavioral Finance. De Bondt is a leading expert on behavioral finance, including investor psychology, psychology of financial markets and financial decision-making, uncertainty and risk, and how the stock market reacts to dramatic news or events. He can discuss global financial markets, financial regulation, recession, and consumer, business and investor confidence. He can be reached at (312) 362-8394 or by e-mail at wdebondt@depaul.edu.

Ali M. Fatemi, chair, Finance, College of Commerce. He can discuss international finance and corporate finance. He can be reached at (312) 362-5183 or by e-mail at afatemi@depaul.edu.

Barbara Radner, director, Center for Urban Education; associate professor, School for New Learning. Radner can discuss the effects of the No Child Left Behind Act, having served on state committees charged with implementing the program. She can also discuss the challenges the president faces to make school reform work, based on her work with 80 Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and the recent changes in Chicago’s education direction with the replacement of Ron Huberman by Terry Mazany as head of CPS. She can be reached at (312) 362-5155, (773) 899-0409 (cell) or by e-mail at bradner@depaul.edu.