Egypt's new prime minister holds 2 Purdue degrees
Ind. Egypt's new prime minister holds two engineering degrees from Purdue University, and one of Essam Sharaf's professors says his ex-student is the kind of honest, progressive leader the Middle Eastern nation needs today. Egypt's military on Thursday named the ex-transportation minister to lead an interim government during the transition to civilian rule after the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak. Sharaf came to the West Lafayette school in 1978, earning master's and doctoral supra store degrees. He did post-doctoral work in highway infrastructure management. Sharaf returned in 2006 to receive the Distinguished Engineering Alumni award. Engineering professor Kumares Sinha says his ex-student brought his family with him and told his sons "it all started at Purdue." Sinha calls Sharaf "a man who can change things" and "wants to advance the Arab world." Walker has said the state has to begin issuing layoff notices so that it can recoup the savings assumed if the bill passed. The layoffs will not be effective for 31 days and can be rescinded at any time. Some Democrats contend that the move is political posturing, and allege that the state remains solvent for now -- meaning that the layoff notices are unnecessary. All state workers except those that work in prisons, state hospitals and other facilities that are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week potentially could receive the notices.