We are witnessing an attempt to make fundamental changes to our national government by centralizing power in the Office of the President, altering historical international relationships, making abrupt changes to the civil service and relationships between government and nonprofit organizations. This administration has relied heavily on a constant barrage of executive orders and memos to make these changes and intimidate, confuse, and disable opposition. With more than 70 executive orders in the first month alone, much of policy conversation has...

During this election year, we are constantly reminded of the importance of voting and other acts of political participation. This election comes at a time when racial and ethnic disparities in voting and participation persist. The election system is under scrutiny and federal protections against racialized disenfranchisement, such as the Voting Rights Act, have been invalidated by Supreme Court. This Dean’s Forum will probe the national historic and contemporary dynamics around the most basic of our rights as citizens in...

Navigating through student and consumer debt is difficult for individuals, disproportionately affecting people from communities of color. Data-driven investigations is important to inform policies, interventions, and strategies that actively promote more equitable consumer protection. Federal and state laws that intervene in the market provide some basic protections but much of their impact hinges upon implementation. In this Dean’s Forum, we will learn more how policy, programs, and litigation play roles in trying to address the historic inequities in debt burden.