October 15, 2009
Dana Goldman, a professor with the USC School of Policy, Planning and Development, has been named to the Institute of Medicine -- one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine. Goldman directs the newly-created Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics.
October 12, 2009
American Public Media's "Marketplace" interviewed Professor Dana Goldman about current health care reform efforts. "This is a rather historic effort to provide insurance to most Americans. But this is not an effort to do anything on cost containment," said Goldman, director of the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics. Rather than being paid based on the quantity of services they provide, doctors should be rewarded for using treatments that save money and lives, Goldman added. "If the patient does well, then the hospital gets paid, the doctor gets paid," Goldman said. "And if the patient doesn't do well, then they're going to have to bear the cost. And ultimately, that would've been a really valuable change."
September 30, 2009
La Opinion quoted Professor Richard Green and cited research by Professor Dowell Myers in a story about Proposition 13, which limits property tax rates. Most economists and experts agree that property tax is a less regressive option compared with sales tax, said Green, who is director and chair of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate. Myers, who has studied the subject, said that Proposition 13 needs reform because new generations will buy homes at higher prices and pay more taxes than previous generations. Young people will subsidize those who paid less for older homes, he explained.
September 29, 2009
The Daily Breeze quoted Professor Glenn Melnick about the difficulty of understanding and reforming the U.S. health care system. "It's like a bowl of spaghetti, you pull one piece of it, you may be pulling only one strand, but because it curves through the system touching so many other pieces, nothing stays still," Melnick said. Consumer-driven health care could work to drive down costs, if American health-care literacy were to improve dramatically, he added. People should apply consumer skills to health care, as they do with housing, schools and groceries, Melnick said.
September 28, 2009
The Riverside Press-Enterprise featured a report by Professor Dowell Myers on Proposition 13, which limits property tax rates for existing homeowners. Myers wrote that Proposition 13 has typically worked against newer homeowners, who have had to pay thousands of dollars a year more in property taxes than neighbors who have owned similar homes for several decades. Myers added that the pain is worst for the two million Californians who bought houses during the price bubble between 2003 and 2007, then saw the price of their property tumble by about 40 percent.
September 24, 2009
Dana Goldman, a widely respected expert in health economics, has been named director of the new Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at USC, according to an announcement from USC Executive Vice President and Provost C. L. Max Nikias. Goldman most recently served as director of the RAND Corp.'s Health Economics, Finance and Organization Division.
September 23, 2009
A major new research center focused on health policy and economics has been established at USC, Executive Vice President and Provost C. L. Max Nikias announced. The center is funded by a $1.2 million operating gift from health care industry leader Leonard D. Schaeffer and his wife, Pamela. The Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics is a collaboration between the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development and the USC School of Pharmacy.
September 21, 2009
The Sacramento Bee quoted Professor Glenn Melnick on whether the current health care reform proposals will curb escalating medical costs. The proposed plans contain vague notions of improving efficiency and increasing competition, Melnick said. However, there's no guarantee that a government-run insurance plan or other overhaul proposals will bring costs down, he added.
September 16, 2009
Los Angeles Downtown News featured the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate's launch of its new blog, which will focus on trends in finance, urban planning and policies shaping residential and commercial real estate markets worldwide. The center "is responding to a need from real estate decision makers who increasingly turn to social media sites to help them track rapid swings in the global property markets," said Richard Green, director and chair of the Lusk Center.
September 10, 2009
The Wall Street Journal featured research by SPPD Professor Dowell Myers. The study found that California's falling home prices have widened the generational wealth gap created by the state's Proposition 13, which limited property tax rates. According to the research, people who recently bought homes have suffered the greatest loss of housing value but are getting the least tax relief. The study concluded that if the price of California property stays depressed for a while, the most recent buyers will suffer the most.
September 9, 2009
Richard Callahan, associate dean and director of leadership programs at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, has been appointed to a newly formed advisory board for the California Environmental Protection Agency's Department of Toxic Substances Control.
August 24, 2009
The Columbus Dispatch quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about the White House indicating that it would accept a health care bill without a public option. This has infuriated liberal Democrats who supported Barack Obama's campaign in 2008, the story stated. "These guys on the left invested an awful lot in Barack Obama, and I think they feel as if they own a piece of him," Jeffe said. "He's not delivering from their perspective."
August 3, 2009
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: helping policymakers come up with ways to bring stability back to the nation's housing market. Bostic, a professor at the School of Policy, Planning, and Development, was sworn into his new government position on July 16.
July 14, 2009
As the U.S. Congress considers enacting historic "cap and trade" legislation, a new book by research professor Adam Rose provides valuable lessons and reference points in evaluating the economic impacts of climate change policy. Rose is considered to be one of the preeminent scholars in the field, and the book - The Economics of Climate Change Policy: International, National and Regional Mitigation Strategies - represents much of his 20 years of research and involvement in policy design on the many aspects of the subject.
July 5, 2009
The New York Times highlighted SPPD alum Hilda Solis and her unique road to becoming Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor. After overcoming many obstacles, Solis, MPA '81, a former four-term congresswoman, has become the first Hispanic woman to serve as a cabinet member, the story noted.
June 17, 2009
Philanthropy Journal featured research by Assistant Professor David Suarez in a widely carried story. United States nonprofits are increasingly using their Web sites to encourage community engagement and civic participation, Suarez found. Regulations dictate much of what nonprofits may do in the advocacy field, but many are finding it legal to use the Internet to boost civic engagement, according to the study. "Websites provide a novel opportunity for nonprofits to scale their social impact and expand their civic purpose," Suarez said.
June 11, 2009
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, assistant professor at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development.
June 8, 2009
A group of 150 USC alumni and prominent Trojans gathered at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., on May 21 to hear a panel of experts assess the early accomplishments of the Obama administration and offer their prognosis for its future.
June 8, 2009
The San Diego Union-Tribune quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe and Dan Schnur of the USC College about the possibility that a same-sex marriage initiative on the 2010 California ballot would make life difficult for the gubernatorial candidates. Possible Republican contenders Steve Poizner and Meg Whitman probably wouldn't be happy to have the focus on social issues, Jeffe said. "Candidates normally try to move toward the middle as quickly as possible after winning their party primary," Schnur said. "But an initiative on the November ballot would probably slow that process considerably if candidates are reaching out to the middle on the economy but playing to their respective bases on same-sex marriage."
May 27, 2009
The San Diego Union-Tribune quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe and Dan Schnur of the USC College and on whether California gay marriage supporters would prevail if they put a new proposition on the ballot next year. "The age breakdown on the vote suggests that public opinion is trending toward supporters of same-sex marriage. The question is how fast it's trending," Schnur said. Jeffe added: "I don't think it's too soon. It's a year and a half away. ... The more states that get in line behind it, the more credible the argument that everyone ought to be allowed to marry becomes, especially if there's no evidence that the world is going to end."
May 16, 2009
The San Antonio Express-News cited Professor Dowell Myers about demographics and the future of Social Security. The ratio of retired persons to workers will "compound to a 67 percent growth over the 20-year period," Myers said. "The implications for mass retirements and the struggle for replacements in the work force are profound as well," Myers wrote in his book Immigrants and Boomers: Forging a New Social Contract for the Future.
April 2, 2009
Los Angeles' "transportation transformation" was the subject of a recent panel discussion hosted by the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development. The event took place at the downtown headquarters of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). It was the third event in the SPPD Dean's Speaker series, which has focused on the revitalization of Los Angeles.
March 25, 2009
Foundations and Public Policy: Leveraging Philanthropic Dollars, Knowledge and Networks for Greater Impact, a new book edited and co-authored by USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development faculty, explores the implications -- and potential impact -- involving the efforts of nonprofit organizations to shape public policy.
March 26, 2009
The New Statesman (U.K.) featured a talk by Assistant Professor Elizabeth Currid delivered at the Institute for Public Policy Research in London. Currid's book, The Warhol Economy, argues that New York's art scene is a major economic engine, and in her talk, she suggested that the same may be true of London, the story noted. In big cities, where the arts generate billions, urban policymakers need to recognize the role that networking plays in the creative sector, she said.
February 19, 2009
The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development and the USC Annenberg School for Communication hosted the inaugural Dennis F. and Brooks Holt Professorship Lecture in Communication and Public Policy on Feb. 11. The Holt Professorship, a joint undertaking between the two schools, focuses on the role of communication in the policymaking process of a democratic society and market-based economy.
February 4, 2009
Faculty and students at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development took part in a leadership training conference to help local government officials find solutions for public problems afflicting cities nationwide.
January 27, 2009
Agence France-Presse quoted Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger embracing progressive environmental policy. "At this point in time, the only legacy that he can hope for is the area of the environmental reform," Jeffe said. "The budget problem will override everything. But he can attempt to use this issue to grab the attention and change the subject for a little while. He's got nothing left, quite frankly."
January 26, 2009
The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development marked its 80th anniversary by hosting a special colloquium Jan. 16 at the Davidson Conference Center. During the conference, Dean Jack H. Knott noted that SPPD remains dedicated to advancing academic theory and making a vital impact in the world.
December 22, 2008
The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development signed a formal agreement to participate in Fellows/USA, the Peace Corps' graduate fellowship program. This agreement will enable former volunteers to pursue a graduate education in public administration, public policy, urban planning, health administration and real estate development.
November 20, 2008
The impact of Hurricane Katrina continues to be felt in the New Orleans region and beyond as researchers and policymakers examine what went wrong and how to deal with the effects of a similar disaster in the future. The latest contribution comes from a team of professors at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, who edited and wrote chapters for Natural Disaster Analysis After Hurricane Katrina: Risk Assessment, Economic Impacts and Social Implications.
November 20, 2008
The Asian Pacific Islander Caucus, a new student organization at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, hosted its inaugural event -- a panel discussion at Lewis Hall addressing key issues currently facing the Asian American community.
November 4, 2008
BusinessWeek quoted Professor Raphael Bostic about what would happen if the federal government renegotiated troubled mortgages. Such a move would help put a floor under housing prices, Bostic said. "Everyone is trying to figure out where the bottom is," he explained. "People are not going think there's a bottom if they know there's a flood of distressed assets still coming up for sale." Bostic is director of the master of real estate development program at SPPD.
October, 31, 2008
Bloomberg News quoted Assistant Professor Elizabeth Currid about public support of the arts. "In a time of economic turmoil, the arts is the last thing on anyone's mind, and yet it's the most important time to support the arts," Currid said. The extent to which the arts contribute to the economy is well documented, the story stated. "In Los Angeles and New York, the arts account for 5 percent of the workforce, about the same as the financial sector," Currid noted. "The artists make cities more attractive to live in and they are incredibly important for tourism. Nobody comes to New York to look at the law firms."
October 29, 2008
During an Oct. 21 panel hosted by the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry said that the goal of downtown's revitalization effort is to restore "the excitement of an earlier time." The changing downtown landscape was the focus of the panel discussion, which took place inside City Hall. The event was part of the SPPD Dean's Speaker Series.
October 27, 2008
The North County Times quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about the large amount of money raised from North County residents to support Proposition 8, which would ban same-sex marriage in California. "It's the tale of the demographic and ideological makeup of North County," Jeffe said.
October 24, 2008
The Los Angeles Times quoted Assistant Professor Elizabeth Currid about Barack Obama's and John McCain's positions on arts funding. McCain's near silence on the issue shows indifference toward the arts, Currid said. "No one says they don't support the arts. But they say it implicitly," she added. Obama's proposals to bolster the arts with federal money and programs show that he has put his left foot forward to support the arts, Currid said.
October 22, 2008
METRANS celebrates 10 years of research and education on metropolitan transportation. For the past decade, the center has aimed at "generating the highest quality basic and applied research," according to METRANS Director Genevieve Giuliano, professor and senior associate dean at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development.
October 15, 2008
The Wall Street Journal quoted Professor Richard Green about how government intervention in the housing and financial markets will affect homeowners. Green said that over time, the government's rescue effort could make it easier for borrowers in high-cost markets such as California, New York and Boston to get a mortgage, by reducing rates for jumbo loans, those too big for government backing. The government needs to push mortgage companies to take advantage of the Hope for Homeowners program, which aims to put borrowers into affordable loans, but requires that they share any resulting price appreciation with the federal government, Green added. The program "pretty much gets the incentives right," he said.
October 14, 2008
The Los Angeles Times quoted SPPD Associate Professor Gary Painter about Barack Obama's plan to create a federal agency charged with helping states that are caught in the credit crunch. "It's really a small cost for the Treasury, but it could have really important benefits to keep the local governments running," Painter said.
October 14, 2008
A panel of preeminent financial experts, including USC faculty, weighed in with their insights on how Wall Street plunged into a tailspin -- and also how to remedy the ailing markets. "Multi-party greed" drove the downturn, says Raphael Bostic, professor at the USC School of Policy, Planning and Development.
October 1, 2008
Professor Harry Pachon was quoted in the Los Angeles Times about the new citizenship test being phased in by U.S. immigration authorities. Some fear that the new format, which emphasizes concepts rather than facts, could result in examiners denying citizenship based on whims or prejudices, the story stated. For that reason, the new test is a "step backward," Pachon said. "There's latitude in answering the questions and that's where the problem lies," he explained. "There's potential for abuse and not knowing what to prepare for." Pachon is president of the Tomas River Policy Institute.
This past summer, more than 40 master's students representing all programs of study with the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development took part in the school's international lab program, doing research in Foshan, China, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
September 7, 2008
SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe was quoted about California's Proposition 8, which would amend the state's constitution to ban same-sex marriage. "Republicans and conservatives tend to support it more," Jeffe said. "Hispanics are a potential group of supporters," she added. "Democrats tend not to. Moderates and liberals tend not to. Independents are more receptive to the idea of single-sex marriage."
July 18, 2008
Prof. Dowell Myers was quoted in a widely carried Associated Press story in USA Today about Web sites that use government data to provide potential home buyers with maps of criminal activity in a neighborhood. One site includes the residences of people who were arrested for crimes but not convicted, the article noted. The wealth of data provided these sites can distort what's happening in a given community, Myers said. "It amounts to a rumor that's constructed out of real data, but presented in a way as though it represents a level of threat, that's how people read it. And whether it actually represents risk to the buyer is totally uncertain."
June 22, 2008
Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, senior fellow at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, was quoted in the San Diego Union-Tribune about whether the presidential election will affect the outcome of the California initiative banning gay marriage. "If the young kids come out and vote for Obama - and I think they will - that could turn it around," Jeffe said.
May 15, 2008
Prof. Dowell Myers was quoted in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal about immigration policy. Public discourse on the subject can be colored by what Myers calls the "Peter Pan Fallacy," the story stated. "Many of us assume, unwittingly, that immigrants are like Peter Pan, forever frozen in their status as newcomers, never aging, never advancing economically, and never assimilating," Myers said. In this naive view, "the mounting numbers of foreign-born residents imply that our nation is becoming dominated by growing numbers of people who perpetually resemble newcomers," he said.
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.
The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development signed a memorandum of understanding with the South Korean government to provide graduate education and training for selected officials from Korea's Ministry of Public Administration and Security.
Raphael Bostic, a professor at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, and Elizabeth Garrett, USC's vice president for academic planning and budget and a professor at the USC Gould School of Law, have been asked to join President Obama's administration in Washington, D.C.