Politics / Society News Archive

Conference Examines How Great Recession Impacted Immigration

The Tomas Rivera Policy Institute, housed at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, and New York University's Immigration Studies project looked at the recession's impact on immigrants in a recent conference at the Ronald Tutor Campus Center.

Study to Explore Internet’s Effects on Maltreated Youth

A new study by USC School of Social Work research assistant professor Sonya Negriff MA ’04, PhD ’07 will explore how online social technology influences the development of risk behaviors among maltreated youth.

Castells Honored With Prestigious Holberg Prize

University Professor Manuel Castells has been awarded Norway’s 2012 Holberg International Memorial Prize, which recognizes outstanding scholarly work in arts and humanities, social science, law and theology.

USC Price Panel Looks at Redevelopment

The Athenian Society, the premier philanthropic support group of the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, tackled one of the most pertinent policy issues facing the state of California - the recent elimination of redevelopment agencies - during a panel discussion featuring leading public and private sector experts.

Election 2012 Site Covers Key Topics

USC Election 2012 covers this year’s presidential election, as well as state races, ballot initiatives and more.

Realignment of Funds for Social Services Discussed

Representatives of county and city governments joined academic policy scholars on Feb. 10 at USC to begin a yearlong series of panel discussions exploring California's realignment of services and funds in the areas of prisoner reentry, social services and redevelopment.

USC Study Shows Southern California Cities More Multiracial

Southern California cities are now significantly more multiracial than 20 years ago, according to a new USC analysis released today.

Myers Urges Generational Unity for 2012 Election

Few things in life are certain, but you can count on this: In 10 years, you’ll be 10 years older.

George Will Shares His Perspective on Politics

Gridlock in Washington politics is not an American problem but an American achievement, political commentator and journalist George Will said last month as part of the Dennis F. and Brooks Holt Distinguished Lecture hosted by the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy.

NYPD Expert Breaks Down Al Qaeda's Plots

Perceptions of Al Qaeda as a highly organized, rigidly centralized group that spanned the globe and exercised a precise strategy to defeat the West have proven to be untrue, Mitchell Silber said on Jan. 17 at the first of an ongoing lecture forum offered by the USC National Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events.

USC Price Lecture Examines Cooperation

Can people cooperate with those who are different from them - in belief, appearance or situation? Richard Sennett, professor of sociology and history at New York University, answered this question with a resounding “yes."

USC Students Immerse Themselves in Homelessness

"Welcome to the place you never want to end up," yelled a man on downtown Los Angeles' Skid Row, a homeless community of more than 10,000 people that covers 50 blocks. He was addressing a group of students from USC and Atlanta’s Kennesaw State University (KSU) who were touring the area for a project on homelessness.

Are Poor Neighborhoods ‘Retail Deserts’?

As the nation suffers a burgeoning obesity crisis, health advocates and policymakers have zoned in on poor neighborhoods they’ve termed “food deserts” - areas with few grocery stores and other access to healthy food.

Top Security Minds Tackle Cyber Threat

Cyber crime drains about $1 trillion a year from the global economy.

A Lesson in Leadership From the Mayor

The 18 students in “Case Studies in Modern Leadership” sat with rapt attention listening to Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as he shared his philosophy for overcoming adversity - a challenge he acknowledged that every leader must face.

Weiss Receives International Award for Social Work Paper

Eugenia Weiss, clinical assistant professor at the USC School of Social Work, has received the International Award for Excellence.

Attitude Is Everything in Walking Study

City planners long have debated how to get people on their feet and cars off the road. But encouraging urban dwellers to go pedestrian could require different strategies depending on their attitudes toward walking, according to USC Sol Price School of Public Policy professor Marlon Boarnet.

USC Price Student Wins City Council Seat

Brent Tercero walked to the front of the Pico Rivera City Council chamber with butterflies in his stomach. At 26 years old, the USC Master of Public Policy (MPP) student was about to be sworn in to a four-year term as the newest member of the five-person group.

Doctoral Student Finds Many of L.A.’s Older Koreans Underemployed

Min-Kyoung Rhee, a doctoral student at the USC School of Social Work, first became interested in the employment issues facing older adults when she was living in South Korea during the Asian financial crisis in 1997.

Racial Identity Is Changing Among Latinos

Some first-, second- and later-generation Latinos in the United States are not identifying themselves ethnically as Latino as they integrate into the fabric of American society, a recent study by the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences found.

New Book Explores Addictions and Treatment

A new book by USC School of Social Work adjunct professor Margaret Fetting draws on her 30 years of clinical experience in chemical dependency treatment to offer a comprehensive and reflective overview of the field, as well as an imaginative treatment model.

USC Professor Rethinks Suburban Life in New Book

USC professor Karen Tongson likes to point out that “queer life happens everywhere.” Even in the suburbs.

USC Center Hosts First Climate Change Forum

The Center for Sustainable Cities, housed within the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, held its inaugural forum on climate change.

Bully Pulpit Linked to War on Drugs

The more the president talks about saying no to drugs, the more the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. attorneys, and state and local agencies say yes to arrests and convictions.

Gift Supports USC Military Research Center

The USC Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans and Military Families at the USC School of Social Work has received nearly $1 million in funding from Prudential Financial Inc.

USC Davis Steps Into the Spotlight

Boston received an uncommon dose of Trojan expertise at the 64th annual scientific meeting of The Gerontological Society of America, the premier conference in the field.

A Winning Team

USC has received justifiable acclaim for its flourishing intercollegiate collaborations.

When Silence Is Not Golden

Collecting information and raising awareness of elder abuse can save lives, but it can be difficult for researchers to gain full access to certain communities.

Doctoral Student Wins Best Abstract Award

Ph.D. candidate Anamika Barman-Adhikari was selected by the American Public Health Association as the recipient of its 2011 Robert Keefe Social Work Section Student Award,

Researchers Focus on Children in Military Families

According to a new artilcle, Congress has an opportunity to improve public school experiences for the children of men and women who are serving the United States.

New Poll: Californians Think Teachers Should Be Paid More

Californians love their public school teachers and believe they are underpaid, according to a new poll.

Poll: State’s Voters Favor Increasing Taxes to Fund Public Schools

A large majority of California voters would support an increase in their own taxes in order to increase funding for public schools, according to a new poll.

Rivals Collaborate to Study Urban History

There may be few clashes in Los Angeles history that cut as deep as the rivalry between the USC Trojans and the UCLA Bruins.

Results of Latest USC Dornsife/L.A. Times Poll

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is the clear Republican presidential primary front-runner for California voters, according to results from the latest USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll.

U.S. Transportation Policy in a Time of Retrenchment

At no other point in its history has the United States transportation system faced as many challenges and hurdles as it does today.

Rotary-Dial Politics in an iPhone World

Picture this scene from an episode of the NBC sitcom 30 Rock: Tracy Jordan and Jenna Maroney face off, both of them fuming.

Sports Communicates in Powerful Ways

Sports, as USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism professors made clear at a two-day conference in Paris, offer a way for people anywhere and everywhere to talk to and understand one another.

Champion of Change

David Horacio Hernandez, a junior at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, couldn’t believe what he was reading.

Health Care and the White House

When it comes to what issues voters want to hear more about from presidential candidates, health care ranks second only to the economy.

UNO Grant to Support Foster Youth at Learning Center

Approximately 60,000 of California’s children under the age of 18 are in foster care, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

SPPD Faculty, Local Officials Address Fiscal Sustainability

California's local governments and major public institutions are facing a fiscal crisis with no clear road map forward. With that in mind, USC hosted a forum last month on building long-term fiscal sustainability in this era of budget austerity.

USC Workshop Teaches Mind and Body Empowerment

Close your eyes and sit like a man. This simple instruction was given to a group of female students who gathered in USC Counseling Services to discuss body image and empowerment. One student slouched in her chair, another uncrossed her legs and a third didn't change her posture at all.

Wag the Elephant

In 1972 and at the height of his career, Warren Beatty became so involved in George McGovern’s presidential campaign he turned down starring roles in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, The Way We Were, The Great Gatsby and The Godfather.

Social Media’s Role in Egypt's Revolutions

The Egyptian revolution began on Facebook with a call to protest in Cairo's Tahrir Square. Protesters used Twitter to maneuver around police and reach the area. People arrived at the location expecting to see a few hundred like-minded individuals. Instead, they found a few hundred-thousand.

Mapping the Moral Domain

In politics, as in war, everyone believes morality is on their side. And the mingling of political beliefs with moral certainty makes compromise all but impossible, according to Jesse Graham, assistant professor of psychology at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

USC Studies Ideology of Presidential Cabinets

As coverage of the 2012 presidential race gains steam, so begins the hypothesizing: What would a Mitt Romney administration look like? Would a second term for Barack Obama mean a cabinet shakeup?

Green Testifies at Senate Hearing on Homeownership

USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development professor Richard Green testified on tax reform options and incentives for homeownership in front of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance.

USC Report Projects Large Shift in U.S. Immigrant Makeup

The percentage of foreign-born U.S. residents with deep roots in the country is rising and will continue to soar in the coming decades, a USC analysis released today shows.

Vega Speaks at First Immigrant Health Initiative Seminar

Provost Professor William Vega, executive director of the Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging at the USC School of Social Work, delivered the inaugural lecture for the Immigrant Health Initiative seminar series on Sept. 29 at the Ronald Tutor Campus Center.

Professor Weighs in on Historical Legacy of 9/11

Professor Mary Dudziak recently joined a panel of historians who reflected on the effect the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks have had on American foreign policy and how the “war on terror” has changed evaluations of history.

USC Hits Road to the White House

While the 2012 presidential campaign is just starting to heat up, USC’s campus politicos already have established a weekly fix on the latest happenings from the campaign trail.

Expert Evaluates bin Laden’s Legacy

Osama bin Laden is dead, but the former al Qaeda leader's strategy for defeating the United States survives and - contrary to popular belief - continues to be effective, Daveed Gartenstein-Ross warned.

Law Students Claim Wins in Parole Hearings

USC Gould School of Law students in the Post-Conviction Justice Project recently won two victories following oral arguments before the California Courts of Appeal, Second District.

Helping California Crack Down on Elder Abuse

Elder abuse is a devastating but often overlooked problem that can cause emotional as well as physical pain and suffering, shattered trust, financial ruin and even an increased risk of dying.

Studies to Use Media and Mom to Reach Young Black Men

Hoping to address a critical health gap among the youth of the United States, USC School of Social Work assistant professor Julie Cederbaum is participating in two new studies on the disproportionate effect of HIV/AIDS and substance use on young African-American men and adolescents.

Experts Examine State’s Public Pension Crisis

USC's Bedrosian Center on Governance and the Public Enterprise and the American Society for Public Administration hosted a panel discussion on California's public pension crisis.

Documentary Raises Concerns Over Aging

At the West Coast premiere of a new documentary, Over 90 and Loving It, viewers were treated to depictions of vibrant older adults getting married, chopping wood and performing in concerts.

L.A. Is ‘Ground Zero’ for Shrinking Child Population

Los Angeles County is now the epicenter of California’s shrinking population of young children as families are driven away by stressful economic conditions, according to a USC analysis of census data.

Former D.C. Schools Chancellor Addresses Education Reform

Political gamesmanship needs to be taken out of the equation for education to improve in the United States, Michelle Rhee stressed May 5 in concluding the 2010-11 Distinguished Speaker Series offered by the USC Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy.

USC and University Village Host L.A. Redistricting Center

It's never been easier to affect the future of local, state and national politics than it is right now.

A Senator and a Trojan

Dean Heller ’85, a USC Marshall School of Business alum and former U.S. representative from Nevada, became a United States senator on May 9, filling a vacancy caused by the resignation of John E. Ensign.

Social Security Benefits Remain Vital Source of Retirement Income for Latinos

Social Security is a critical income source for elderly and disabled Latinos because of their socioeconomic condition, higher rates of disability and longer life expectancy, according to a report published by the USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging.

Increase in Internet access Parallels Growth in Prescription Drug Abuse

Increasing access to rogue online pharmacies - those which dispense medications without a doctor's prescription - may be an important factor behind the rapid increase in the abuse of prescription drugs.

SPPD Studies Santa Monica Place Collaboration

Santa Monica Place, the three-story, open-air mall at the south end of the Third Street Promenade, showcases what good public-private partnerships can really do.

Navigating the ‘Political’ Web

Truthdig, co-founded by USC Annenberg communication professor and journalism alumna, wins a second consecutive Webby Award for best political blog.

Policy Expert Discusses Health Reform and Medicare

Judith Feder, one of the nation’s foremost experts on the U.S. health insurance system, discussed the Affordable Care Act and Medicare at the Ronald Tutor Campus Center.

In Memoriam: Kam Kuwata, 57

USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences alumnus and political strategist Kam Kuwata, who worked for Sen. Dianne Feinstein and the late Sen. Alan Cranston, has died. He was 57.

USC Rossier Scholar Granted Fellowship

Katharine Strunk was awarded the 2011 National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship to support her research on the impact of teachers union contracts on education reforms and student achievement.

In Memoriam: Sidney Harman, 92

Sidney Harman, philanthropist, audio pioneer, husband of former Democratic congresswoman Jane Harman and business tycoon who purchased Newsweek from The Washington Post Co. last year, died in Washington, D.C., on April 12 of complications from leukemia.

Real-Time Political Experience for USC Freshmen

Swapping jeans and graphic T-shirts for suits and ties, 21 students from the USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences will ascend the steps of the California State Capitol on April 6 to give their final presentations.

Study to Examine Social Networking Among Homeless Youth

USC School of Social Work assistant professor Eric Rice has received a three-year, $2.1 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to study social networking among homeless youth.

Office of Personnel Management Seeks Input

USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development faculty, staff and graduate students took part in a focus-group discussion of proposed regulations for President Barack Obama's executive order to reform student pathways into government.

Dana and David Dornsife Honored for Their Gift

USC president C. L. Max Nikias on Wednesday held up two engraved, long golden chains - an honor presented to only one other person in USC’s 131-year-history.

USC Delegation Meets With Congressional Leaders

A delegation of USC administrators and trustees led by President C. L. Max Nikias met with congressional leaders March 15 to discuss the importance of federal research funding in education, innovation and job creation.

Fan Mags as Time Capsules

As scandals swirled in 2006, USC College sociologist Karen Sternheimer watched celebrity news programs such as Entertainment Tonight and wondered if perhaps there wasn’t something more to the stories.

USC Receives Largest Single Gift in Its History

USC has received $200 million - the largest single gift in its history - from longtime supporters and international philanthropists Dana and David Dornsife.

Finding Solutions on the Streets

Los Angeles is arguably the capital of homelessness in the United States. Recent studies have found that on any given day, nearly 50,000 people are living on the streets of Los Angeles County - including 6,500 veterans and 4,200 youth.

Bass Delivers Annual Roybal Memorial Lecture

Rep. Karen Bass addressed the potential impact of government budget cuts and health care reform legislation on older adults during the 2011 Roybal Memorial Lecture at Town & Gown on Feb. 23.

SPPD Students Host Panel of Diverse City Managers

Do top city administrators reflect the growing diversity of California’s communities?

SPPD Program Attracts Accomplished Professionals

After realizing that his students had done everything from founding nonprofits to raising more than $25 million for the Downtown Women's Center, USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development professor Robert Myrtle had two words to say: "Holy smokes!"

City Honors Social Work’s Freedom Rider

The City of Los Angeles recently recognized Ralph Fertig, a clinical professor at the USC School of Social Work, for his participation in the 1961 Freedom Rides, as part of a celebration to commemorate the historic journey’s 50th anniversary.

A Stream Flows Anew in Seoul

With the help of Keith Hwang MS ’83, Ph.D ’92, the Cheonggye stream — buried for more than a half-century beneath six kilometers of elevated highway — is flowing again in downtown Seoul.

Supreme Court Justice Visits USC

On Jan. 31, USC hosted United States Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy.

Political Polling as Much an Art as a Science

Undergraduate students in USC College's practicum course in American politics took to the phones, but not to call or text their friends.

In Memoriam: Joseph R. Cerrell, 75

USC College alumnus and political consultant Joseph R. Cerrell, who played a vital role in the presidential campaigns of Democratic candidates including John F. Kennedy, has died.

Task Force Releases Climate Adaptation Report

The State of California’s advisory panel on climate change adaptation, led by USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development professor Daniel Mazmanian, recently released the report “Preparing for the Effects of Climate Change - A Strategy for California.”

Midterm Election Analysis

As the Tea Party-fueled Republican Party scored massive gains at the federal and state level across the country, the impact of conservative-leaning voters was also felt in ballot propositions.

Voting Out of Habit

While you may think you know why you vote on election day, think again.

Place, Space and Race

Within the 287 pages of an award-winning dissertation by Wendy Cheng PhD ’09 are snippets from interviews she conducted with 64 residents in four "majority-minority" multiethnic suburbs in the San Gabriel Valley.

Renters Feel the Squeeze in Today’s Market

With foreclosures taking a toll on homeownership, Richard Green emphasized that the rental housing market has serious problems as well.

SPPD Panel Examines Lessons from Bell Scandal

A recent panel addressed the checks and balances needed to prevent government corruption scandals like the one in the City of Bell,

Obama's Visit Through Fifth-Grade Eyes

Three fifth-graders from South Pasadena - Isaac Marziali, 10, Tate Johnson, 9 and Brandon Yung, 11 - came to hear President Barack Obama speak at USC on Oct. 22.

Dramatic Results in Latest USC-Los Angeles Times Poll on Political Races

The latest USC College/Los Angeles Times Poll, conducted Oct. 13-20, shows that in the race for California governor, Democrat Jerry Brown has expanded his lead over Republican Meg Whitman into double digits.

A Student Volunteer's Epic Night and Day

Wearing his USC sweatshirt in the pre-dawn drizzle, Micah Scheindlin was working on three hours sleep and a cereal bar. The USC College senior was among hundreds of students volunteering for the rally on campus Friday attended by the 44th...

Policy Without Borders

Every year, USC’s School of Policy, Planning, and Development shepherds a mini-United Nations of mid-career professionals through both a rigorous program in public policy and a crash course in American culture.

SPPD Event Focuses on Political Future of California

Will former Silicon Valley executive Carly Fiorina unseat U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer? How will California dig itself out of its massive budget deficit? Will marijuana become legal in California?

Looking Beyond Arizona

We know that on July 28, Federal District Court Judge Susan Bolton blocked key sections of Arizona’s immigration law SB 1070 from taking effect.

Healing Invisible Wounds

There’s a mental health crisis brewing in America’s armed forces. Experts say one in three veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan are coming home traumatized, and the clinical social workers who treat them are overwhelmed by the numbers. USC comes...

Worlds Collide on PBS

What is the legacy of Spanish colonialism in the Americas and how does it still affect Latin America and Latinos in the United States today?

European Trip Immerses Students in LGBT Issues

Seventeen students from the USC School of Social Work traveled through Europe’s most socially progressive cities this summer.

FPPC: Online Paid Political Ads Are Subject to Disclosure

A subcommittee of the California Fair Political Practices Commission has issued several recommendations to ensure disclosure of the sources behind online paid political advertisements.

Center for Urban Education Promotes Racial Equity

A series of workshops has fostered new pilot programs seeking to boost racial equity in pathways to college across the country.

Shaping the Future for Elders

Aging is the future of Los Angeles, the United States and the world.

SPPD Graduates Ascend Federal Ranks

Members of the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development’s class of 2010 are ascending the ranks at the federal level of government.

The Circle of Family Life

A new study in the August issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family finds significant national differences in the degree of conflict between older parents and their adult children.

Could New Climate Policy Create Jobs?

New greenhouse gas emissions policies at the federal level could generate as many as 2.5 million new jobs and $134 billion in economic activity in the United States.

USC to host Older Americans Act Forum

Local leaders and audience members will have the opportunity to shape history thanks to the “Older Americans Act Idea Forum: Expanding Opportunities for Service, Learning, and Leadership,” to be held July 27 at the USC Davis School of Gerontology.

$7.6 Million Grant to Help San Diego Military Children

While lugging overstuffed backpacks loaded with books and binders to school each morning, students from military families also carry the invisible weight of a parent at war.

Policy Students Tackle Real-World Woes

Every year, the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development master of public policy students tackle real-world problems through the Policy Analysis Practicum.

A Focus on Foster Care

While many 18-year-olds spent the summer happily selecting the perfect sheet sets and shower caddies to brighten college dorm rooms, Jessica Chandler was homeless, hopeless and “waiting for the next bad thing to happen.”

Schnur Named Chairman of Fair Political Practices Commission

Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics, has been appointed chairman of California's Fair Political Practices Commission.

Immigration Law Divides California Voters

Arizona's controversial new immigration law has California's voters divided by age, ethnicity and gender, according to the findings of the latest USC College/Los Angeles Times Poll.

Marijuana Measure Faces Tough Road

A plurality of registered voters in the state of California support a measure on the November ballot to legalize marijuana, but analysts say the bill may not have enough support to pass.

SPPD Launches Student-Run Academic Journal

Eleven graduate students representing the various master’s programs in the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development launched the school’s first student-adjudicated academic journal on May 4.

Critical Connectors Cited in Social Networks

Keck School of Medicine of USC researchers have developed a new measure that identifies “bridging individuals” in social networks.

Real-World Solutions at Homeland Security Summit

USC experts in D.C. examine resilience and the ability to deal with disaster.

Ciolek Named to Presidential Fellows Program

Public diplomacy graduate student Melanie Ciolek earned USC's only spot in the Presidential Fellows Program.

Panel Focuses on Health Equity Issues

Student organizations unite for an event covering access, quality and outcomes in minority communities.

Shifts in Immigration Debate, Poll Says

Important shifts in public attitudes toward illegal immigrants in California, a bellwether state for the debate over immigration policy, are revealed in a USC College/Los Angeles Times poll.

USC Law Launches International Human Rights Clinic

Students at the USC Gould School of Law will receive firsthand experience waging legal battles against human rights violators when its International Human Rights Clinic launches this academic year.

Census Counts for International Students

Los Angeles lost more than $200 million of federal funding because 78,000 residents did not fill out the 2000 census, officials estimated.

Immigrants Drawn to Mid-Size Cities, Study Finds

A new study shows that an increasing number of new Americans are choosing to settle down in mid-size cities across the United States.

Rep. Miller Addresses SPPD’s Athenian Society

The congressman discusses the financial crisis, health care reform and the California budget.

Years Later, Katrina's Mark Is Still Visible

The scenes aren’t always encouraging, but Andrew Curtis keeps going back for more.

Center for Sustainable Cities Moves to SPPD

The center will launch a series of seminars this month that will analyze emerging policies on sustainability.

Probing the Human Condition

Last fall USC College junior Danielle Taylor spent two days a week at the Theresa Lindsay Senior Center observing the friendships forged there.

It’s Cheaper to Educate Than Incarcerate

Susan Burton knows what it’s like to feel hopeless. After one of her children was shot and killed, she was in and out of prison six times on drug charges.

Ron Astor Touts Local Safety Data

Media coverage of mass school shootings in recent years has led the public to believe school violence is on the rise, when it is in fact at its lowest levels in decades.

Project ReMiX Wins Gold

Project ReMiX has stayed true to its motto — “not everything is black and white” — by winning a gold.

Do Children Need a Mother and Father?

The presumption that children need both a mother and a father is widespread. It has been used by proponents of Proposition 8 to argue against same-sex marriage and to uphold a ban on same-sex adoption.

Going Green Good for the Economy

In Michigan, being green just got easier.

Mazmanian to Lead Climate Change Task Force

Daniel Mazmanian will lead the Task Force on California’s Adaptation to Climate Change, a new statewide advisory panel.

SPPD Forum Discusses State Fiscal Problems

With California facing a historic financial crisis, citizens statewide are looking for answers.

Pato Elected President of Psychiatry Assn.

Michele Pato, holder of the Della Martin Chair in Psychiatry, was elected president of the Association for Academic Psychiatry.

Dowell Myers Reflects on Prop. 13’s Future

“What were they thinking in 1978?” asked professor Dowell Myers of the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, during a presentation about the future implications for California as a result of Proposition 13 and the recent 40 percent decline in home values.

Foster Youth Urged to Attend College

Approximately 15 percent of foster care youth attend college and only 2 percent graduate.

Zumberge Awards Call for Proposals

A call for proposals for USC’s annual faculty research grant programs has been announced by the Office of the Provost.

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.