Politics / Society News Archive

Tang Elected Fellow of Leading Academy

USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development professor Shui Yan Tang was named a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.

Sheltering Homeless Saves Money, Study Says

Placing four chronically homeless people into permanent supportive housing in Los Angeles resulted in more than $80,000 per year in savings to taxpayers and improved quality of life for the individuals.

Analysts: Media Must Dig Deeper Into Afghanistan

Policymakers and analysts are calling on the press to dig much deeper into the strife that engulfs Afghanistan and to provide better analysis on the policy options now before President Obama as he weighs whether to send thousands more American troops.

Stimulus Grant Yields Child Abuse Update

USC School of Social Work professor Penelope Trickett has been awarded $1.4 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to study how and why child abuse and neglect increases the risk for substance abuse in adolescents.

Blazing a Trail to Education Innovation

David Dwyer is serious about change. It’s a focus that has grown out of a distinguished, decades-long career as an entrepreneur, educator, researcher and technologist, and one he brings with him to his new position as the USC Rossier School...

Society Must Address Recidivism, Officials Say

Nearly 650,000 people are released from the nation’s prisons every year, and about nine million more are released from jails. Two-thirds of those who come out of prison are rearrested within three years of release.

Students Draft Homeless Children Bill

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) introduced legislation that USC School of Social Work students developed that mandates federal agencies reprioritize their funding to help keep homeless children housed with their parents whenever possible.

Getting the Goods on a Moving Dilemma

Each day in metro areas such as Southern California, millions of motorists steer onto the region’s roadways. Tens of thousands of other people take to the skies from one of the region’s airports. Others roll across the region aboard trains.

USC College, L.A. Times Team on State Poll

USC College and the Los Angeles Times today announced a jointly sponsored series of six statewide public opinion polls beginning Nov. 8.

SPPD Grad Wins Award for Best Dissertation

USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development alumna Anupama Mann recently received the Gill-Chin Lim Award for the best dissertation on international planning for her thesis.

Center for Economic Development Gets Grant

The USC Center for Economic Development was awarded a two-year $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration to broaden the scope of the center’s applied research and outreach initiatives.

Conference Focuses on Intervention Research

Twenty years ago, it was an impossibility. But on Oct. 22-23, social work investigators gathered for the Los Angeles Conference on Intervention Research in Social Work.

Roski Discusses NFL Stadium Plans

The NFL will return to Los Angeles to play in a new stadium for the 2013 season, USC alum Edward Roski Jr. proclaimed Sept. 22 as part of the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development Dean’s Speaker Series.

The Worth of Water

In the United States, despite droughts, water is accessible and relatively clean. You can find it in water fountains, sink faucets and store shelves. But what if you had to walk miles for a sip of clean water?

Free Media Does Not Guarantee Fairness

While many have argued that media freedom is integral to a functioning democracy and respect for human rights, a new study is the first to examine the effects of media freedom in countries that lack democratic institutions.

USC Adds Zip to University Park Neighborhood

In its continuing effort to be green, USC has partnered with the city of Los Angeles and Zipcar to expand car sharing in the University Park neighborhood.

SPPD Hosts San Antonio Chamber of Commerce

The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development hosted members of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce this summer in the first stop of the Texas delegation’s three-day Los Angeles tour.

Southers Nominated for Federal Post

Erroll Southers ’98, who regularly teaches a class at USC on homeland security issues, has been nominated by the Obama administration to run the Transportation Security Administration.

Callahan Named to EPA Advisory Panel

Richard Callahan has been appointed to a newly formed advisory board for the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Department of Toxic Substances Control.

Garrett Named to Fair Practices Post

Elizabeth Garrett, USC vice president for academic planning and budget, has been appointed as a commissioner to the Fair Political Practices Commission, California’s independent political watchdog.

In Memoriam: Henry B. Clark II, 78

Henry B. Clark II, professor emeritus of religion at USC College and champion of social justice, has died. He was 78.

Leadership Conference Held at USC

The USC State Capital Center in Sacramento welcomed more than 20 senior legislative staff from across the United States for an eight-day leadership and management training program.

For Sale: Toxic Assets

From economists and politicians to next-door neighbors, everyone seems to have a theory about what has driven the nation’s economy into the ground.

USC Faculty, Experts Discuss Infrastructure Strategies

More than 160 leading experts - ranging from USC faculty to government officials and business executives - gathered at the Davidson Conference Center to address pressing infrastructure challenges.

SPPD’s Raphael Bostic Joins HUD

In his new role as assistant secretary for policy development and research at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, USC’s Raphael Bostic will face a huge task.

Video Game Minority Report

If the future of entertainment is interactive media, some minorities are still headed back to the past.

Hot Topic: Climate Change Policies

A new book by USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development professor Adam Rose provides valuable lessons and reference points in evaluating the economic impacts of climate change policy.

The Road to the White House

Gary Lee remembered vying for student body president during his senior year in USC College and losing.

Dowell Myers Tapped for Census Committee

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzennegger appointed Dowell Myers of the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development to be part of a newly created census panel that will oversee the upcoming federal census in California. The California Complete Count Committee is...

New Director of Center on Public Diplomacy

USC Annenberg School for Communication journalism professor Philip Seib has been appointed the new director of the USC Center on Public Diplomacy, effective July 1.

USC Gave Him Words to Live By

Born in Romania, Alexandru “Alex” Iftimie was a child during the Romanian Revolution of 1989 when citizens overthrew the country’s communist regime.

Study: Nonprofits Promote Civic Engagement

Nonprofit groups are becoming increasingly active through the promotion of causes on their online sites and serving as bridges of civic engagement, according to a new study by David Suarez, professor at the USC School of Policy, Planning and Development.

New Shoah Foundation Institute Team

Howard Gillman, dean of USC College, has appointed a new leadership team for the USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education.

Trojans Assess Obama Administration

A group of 150 USC alumni and prominent Trojans gathered at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., to hear a panel of experts assess the early accomplishments of the Obama administration and offer their prognosis for its future.

May You Stay Forever Young

Before plastic surgery and Botox, an ancient culture had a different way of dealing with the quest for eternal youth.

Mutiny and Murder in the Arctic

Was English explorer Henry Hudson, the man credited by Europeans with the discovery of New York, murdered in cold blood by his own crew?

Are Socialists Happier Than Capitalists?

Driven by a decline in satisfaction with work life and family life, overall well-being initially plummeted in countries directly affected by the fall of the Iron Curtain, according to a new study.

Class Helps City’s Gang Prevention Efforts

Students enrolled in “Adolescent Gang Intervention,” one of the USC School of Social Work’s undergraduate courses, have been instrumental to Los Angeles city officials working on gang prevention and intervention strategies.

California Has a Hold on Its Own

The image of California as a land of migrants is being shattered by demographic data indicating the emergence of a newer generation of Californians that is homegrown and willing to stay in the state, according to a new study by USC researchers.

SPPD Student Tapped for White House Internship

If anyone needs to get in touch with USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development graduate student Laura Peralta this summer, they can reach her at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, D.C.

Geography Charts What’s Hot and What’s Not

Elizabeth Currid, assistant professor at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, presented her paper, “The Geography of Buzz: Art, Culture and the Social Milieu in Los Angeles and New York,” during a research seminar at Lewis Hall on April 15.

Brown, Cowan Named Academy Fellows

The American Academy of Arts & Sciences announced on April 20 that University Professor Geoffrey Cowan and John Seely Brown, formerly of the USC Annenberg Center, are its newest fellows.

He Was Well Ahead of the Curve

More than a decade ago, when sustainability issues were still a specialized curiosity, USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development professor Daniel Mazmanian turned his attention to the emergence of locally-based environmental policies in several communities and regions across the nation.

Little Speaks at Asia Infrastructure Summit

Appearing on a panel at the Asia Infrastructure Summit, Richard Little addressed the question of whether private investment in infrastructure could be Asia’s highway to economic growth.

Local Experts Take on Transportation Issues

Measure R is among the issues discussed by panelists offering insights on the future of transportation in Los Angeles.

Two Professors Tapped for D.C. Posts

USC Law’s Elizabeth Garrett and SPPD’s Raphael Bostic are asked to join the Obama administration.

New Book Examines Foundations, Public Policy

James Ferris and Jack Knott contribute to a book that is central to SPPD’s goal of finding solutions to social woes.

From Good Intentions to Common Corruption

New book by a USC researcher reveals the influence of ‘shadow government’ agencies on the nation’s infrastructure.

The Benefits of Constructive Criticism

With a growing number of minority students bound for college, USC Rossier professor Darnell Cole cites the reasons for faculty members to practice this rewarding technique.

She Places a Heavy Accent on Phonetics

USC Rossier professor writes a book tailored to teaching difficult pronunciations in the English language.

Is California at a Crossroads?

Abe Lowenthal’s Global California suggests a change in mindset toward international engagement.

Play Over There, Girls

New book by Michael Messner finds persistent gender divisions in youth sports, especially at the coaching level.

Religious Roots Go Beyond L.A.

USC College’s Center for Religion and Civic Culture establishes a $6.9 million Pentecostal and Charismatic Research Initiative.

Can Optimism Lead to Action?

Hundreds of high school students attend the Young Scholars Forum at USC, an event that asks teenagers to examine their role in society.

USC Women’s Conference Set for March 13

The USC Alumni Association joins forces with Bank of America and The Doctors of USC to launch a new signature event.

Students Learn Leadership From Marines

USC Marshall MBA candidates grasp business skills and strategy from military experts at the annual Leadership Challenge.

New Global MSW Degree in Taiwan

First year of the program will begin in Taipei this summer, followed by a second year in Los Angeles.

USC Rossier Launches New Magazine

Futures in Urban Ed will celebrate the achievements of faculty members and salute the accomplishments of students and alumni.

Shedding Light on History’s Darkest Hours

Spell Your Name, a Holocaust documentary filmed in Ukraine, was created using the USC Shoah Foundation Institute archive.

USC Launches Public Diplomacy Magazine

PD unites scholarship and practice in the first publication dedicated to the emerging field.

SPPD Signs Pact With World Bank

The memorandum of understanding is signed during a conference focusing on challenges facing megacities in the developing world.

Robert Abeles Named a Senior VP

Margo Steurbaut and Courtney Surls are appointed vice presidents of finance and development, respectively.

Debate Squad to Compete at Smithsonian

Topical issues to be tackled at the first Inauguration Debate Series in Washington, D.C.

Leaders Fight for Immigrant Rights

New book by a USC College sociologist chronicles faith-based efforts to counter xenophobia.

Wilson Joins Obama’s Transition Team

USC Annenberg dean will lead a group covering the country’s international broadcasting services.

State’s Role in Climate Policy Studied

Daniel Mazmanian leads a team researching the factors that define California’s leading status in shaping climate change legislation.

New Dimension Added to Meetings

USC researchers unveil 3-D videoconferencing in Florida. Inventors see potential applications in entertainment and communications.

Election Reflection

Key strategists look at what went right and wrong during the 2008 presidential campaign.

Asian Pacific Caucus Hosts First Panel

New SPPD student group looks at issues involving the Asian American community.

Brewer Leads Session on Education

Dominic Brewer of the USC Rossier School of Education was a presenter at the 25th anniversary conference of the Policy Analysis Center for Education (PACE) in Sacramento last month. Brewer, who holds the Clifford H. and Betty C. Allen Professorship...

ShakeOut Drill Arrives Thursday

Everyone at USC should ‘drop, cover and hold on’ at 10 a.m.

CREATE Director to Share Expertise

USC member of the Economic Global Agenda Council will contribute to a group that seeks to lessen the impact of natural disasters and terrorism.

Crossing the Line?

Mainstream media have hindered effective policymaking on immigration, say panelists at a seminar held by the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration.

Conversation With Ariela Gross

USC Law professor Ariela Gross

The Rivalry on Radio, Web This Weekend

David Strathairn and Paul Giamatti star in Norman Corwin’s play based on lively Lincoln-Douglas debates.

Ed.D. Program Thrives at USC Rossier

School of Education provides a practical doctorate program for the future, says Dean Gallagher.

New Institute to Enhance Equity

USC Rossier’s Center for Urban Education will host an institute focusing on race and equity in higher education.

Ann Thor and Frances Wu Honored

Longtime benefactors receive awards at an annual luncheon given by state social welfare group.

Hospital Guild Honors Harlyne J. Norris

Guild celebrates 15 years of service to the hospital and the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

Asia Higher Ed Comes to Forefront

Two USC Rossier events focus on international partnerships with Pacific Rim universities.

The Choice Between Cash and Courthouse

USC Law professor Gillian Hadfield looks for the rule of law in the Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund.

Juvenile Justice in the Eyes of a Judge

Judge Terry J. Hatter will speak on the juvenile justice system at the USC Gould School of Law's 2008 Roth Lecture.

An Open Letter to the USC Community From Michael L. Jackson

USC vice president for student affairs discusses recent steps to augment campus safety resources.

Transportation Center Still on the Move

The USC-Cal State Long Beach collaboration celebrates a decade of scholarship and ‘real-world solutions.’

Remaining True to One's Faith

New book from USC's Jim Burklo provides meditations and songs for progressive Christians.

Newsmakers

Global Newshounds A group of 15 international journalists visited the USC Annenberg School for Communication from Oct. 9-14 as part of the Edward R. Murrow Journalism Program. The week-long curriculum examined the rights and responsibilities of a free press...

Missing the Mark on the Campaign Trail

USC College professors discuss how both presidential candidates have failed to tackle key issues.

Alum Urges College to Boost GNC Efforts

If faculty and staff step up to the Good Neighbors challenge, alum will give $1 million to the Joint Educational Project.

Conference Targets U.S.-China Relation

A timely film featuring interviews with top advisers for McCain and Obama premieres at a USC conference.

Good Reasons Why Trojans Should Give

Faculty, staff, students ponder the importance of donating to the annual Good Neighbors Campaign.

The Importance of Doing the Math

With the national shortage of math teachers, a new fellowship program offers graduates incentives to remain in the classroom, including graduate education and a five-year stipend.

Panel Charts Financial Market Breakdown

Multi-party greed drove the downturn, says SPPD professor Raphael Bostic.

Norman Corwin’s Play Opens at Skirball

Abe Lincoln’s 200th birthday yields a new production of a 50-year-old play.

Sights Set on Higher Ed in Far East

A daylong conference will bring together global leaders to assess the future of Chinese higher education.

Life and Death Along the Edges

USC Annenberg presents photos shot along the border fence separating the U.S. and Mexico.

Asian Undecideds Could Sway Election

California-specific results of the National Asian American Survey will be presented at USC Oct. 15.

Economists Weigh Financial Meltdown

More than 300 students and faculty attend panel discussion presented by the USC College Department of Economics.

Newsmakers

Security Blanket USC’s annual Security Report is now available for public viewing. The report includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus, in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by...

From Computer Science to Olympic Gold

A celebrated swimmer and USC student, Oussama Mellouli brought his home country its lone gold medal in Beijing.

Record Fellowships for USC Rossier

The cohort of eight spotlights the success of recent changes in class size and diversity in the school’s Ph.D. program.

Newsmakers

A Sound Choice USC Thornton School of Music senior lecturer James Walker received a lifetime achievement award from the National Flute Association. In 1969, Walker landed the post of associate principal flute with the Pittsburgh Symphony. After eight years, he...

Mesereau Finds Fulfillment in Public Law

Veteran attorney urges students to find work that makes a difference.

Mexican Politician Visits USC

Former presidential contender Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador decries corruption and inequality in his homeland.

Scholars to Examine Supreme Court Term

USC Law professors Brown and Cruz, two prominent deans to speak Wednesday at Musick Law Building.

Jumping From High School to College

USC Rossier staffers help students overcome the obstacles hindering a pursuit of higher education.

Studying California's Educational Crisis

Educational leaders, industry representatives and organizations dedicated to improving science and engineering education gather for a two-day summit at USC.

Online Journalism Review Returns

Investigative reporting and the development of new business models are two of the priorities for the Internet operation to be overseen by the Knight Digital Media Center.

Meeting and Greeting With Purpose

Hundreds of volunteers from Pasadena to Paris return to campus for the seventh annual USC Alumni Leadership Conference.

Students Help Free Life-term Prisoner

California Supreme Court says USC Law clinic client may rejoin the community after nearly 24 years.

Freshman Class: Diverse, Accomplished

Record year for undergraduate admissions at USC sees an increase from underrepresented minorities and the East Coast of the U.S.

SPPD Students Tackle Policy Issues Abroad

Key infrastructure issues tapped in China and Rio de Janeiro.

Coliseum Improvements a Boon for Fans

New USC-Coliseum lease brings about needed upgrades and renovations in time for the Trojans’ first home game.

Petasis Named Cope Scholar for 2009

Prestigious award from American Chemical Society recognizes USC chemist’s lasting contributions to his field.

Alicia Dowd Named CUE Co-director

The professor’s projects at the Center for Urban Education will help colleges and universities make equity a priority for students.

Jean-Pierre Bardet Visits Quake Region

In aftermath of the May 12 earthquake, the Astani department chair surveys the devastated terrain of China’s Sichuan Province.

New Promo Campaign Kicks Off

Football coach Pete Carroll will appear in ads for a Doctors of USC campaign.

Andrew Viterbi Gets National Medal of Science

Accolade announced by President Bush is the top honor given for science and technology.

A Stellar Showing in Beijing

USC athletes win 21 medals at the Summer Olympics, including nine gold and 10 silver.

Vicente Fox Meets USC Leaders

The former president of Mexico talks about his education center with the university’s deans in downtown Los Angeles.

Legislators Fall for Trojans

California State Senate passes a resolution to establish Fall Prevention Awareness Week Sept. 21-28.

Toll Roads or Sales Taxes?

Most forms of transportation finance are regressive forms of taxation that burden the poor more than the rich, says a new study by USC and UCLA researchers.

Trojans in Beijing

USC athletes claim more medals than at Athens or Sydney, adding luster to a long history of international competition.

Lifelong Libraries for USC Alumni

USC Libraries and the Alumni Association partner to provide online research resources at no cost to users.

Ford Foundation Grant Goes to Center

The grant will enable USC’s Center for Urban Education to boost access for students entering colleges in the University of Wisconsin system.

Soni Wins Gold in 200-Meter Breaststroke

USC senior Rebecca Soni upsets Australian favorite Leisel Jones in Beijing Olympics.

USC College Agrees to Unique Partnership

Omar Foundation luncheon honors USC College Dean Howard Gillman, spotlights new joint center.

Soni Wins Silver In 100m Breaststroke

The Trojan senior sets her personal best in a medal-winning effort.

Appealing to the Middle May Not Work

Voters find that extreme positions among candidates can be more trustworthy, a new study finds.

41 Trojans Compete in Beijing

USC athletes hope to enhance the legacy of the university, which holds the all-time record for number of Olympians

Mayor Names Kay Song as Senior Adviser

The seasoned USC administrator and Korean community leader takes a sabbatical to join Mayor Villaraigosa’s staff.

Enrollment Under a Microscope

USC’s Center for Enrollment Research, Policy and Practice holds its inaugural conference on improving student access to higher education.