Scholars Strategy Network
LightNews LightNews
banner
scholars.org
Scholars Strategy Network
@scholars.org
1.8K followers 1.3K following 820 posts
Connecting you with America’s top scholars to improve policy and strengthen democracy. Scholars' views are their own. Learn more at https://scholars.org/.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
scholars.org
Scholars Strategy Network @scholars.org · 11d
📚📢 We’re kicking off the year by welcoming the 2026 cohort of the Education Scholars Training Program! In collaboration with @chanzuckerberg.bsky.social & @bezosfamilyfoundation.org, we're launching a year-long initiative to provide support to 16 education scholars.

👉 Meet them: scholars.org/ESTP
Graphic titled “2026 Education Scholars Training Program” featuring 16 black-and-white headshots of the 2026 Education Scholars Training Program cohort, arranged in three rows against a geometric brown and green background. The Scholars Strategy Network logo appears at the bottom left, alongside the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and Bezos Family Foundation logos. Text at the bottom reads, “For more information, visit scholars.org/ESTP.”
scholars.org
Last week, 18 scholars from @mainessn.bsky.social
submitted testimony on LD 2106, a bill to limit federal immigration enforcement actions in schools, hospitals, and other sensitive public spaces without proper judicial review in the state.

Read their testimonies: scholars.org/maine-schola...
February 6, 2026 at 5:20 PM
Reposted by Scholars Strategy Network
marxe.baruch.cuny.edu
We’re proud to see #MarxeFaculty Felicia Arriaga recognized as an expert on proposed DHS funding changes and their implications for immigration enforcement.

Thanks to @scholars.org for highlighting this work.

#ImmigrationPolicy #PublicPolicy
scholars.org Scholars Strategy Network @scholars.org · 5d
📢 As Congress debates funding for DHS, proposed changes could place new constraints on how ICE operates. For reporters covering what these policy changes could mean for #immigration enforcement, the following experts are available to comment. ⤵️

🔗 Connect: scholars.org/features/exp...
Graphic from Scholars Strategy Network listing five experts available to discuss DHS funding and ICE. Features headshots of Felicia Arriaga (CUNY Baruch, expertise in immigration and crimmigration), Matthew Boaz (University of Kentucky, expertise in criminal law and immigration law), S. Deborah Kang (University of Virginia, expertise in immigration law enforcement), Charis Kubrin (UC Irvine, expertise in neighborhood correlates of crime), and William D. Lopez (University of Michigan, expertise in impacts of deportations on communities). Background shows the U.S. Capitol building. Scholars Strategy Network logo appears in top right corner with website www.scholars.org
February 5, 2026 at 5:09 PM
Reposted by Scholars Strategy Network
initiativeforgeps.bsky.social
To read this @scholars.org article, click here: scholars.org/contribution... (3/4)
#MassIncarceration #WomenAndJustice #IncarceratedMothers #ParentalRights #FosterCare #FamilyFirst #CriminalJusticeReform #TraumaInformedCare #ReentrySupport
Family-Centered Reforms to Address the Rise of Incarcerated Mothers
The United States presently has the highest incarceration rate in the world, accounting for approximately 5% of the world’s population, yet housing 20% of the world’s incarcerated
scholars.org
February 5, 2026 at 3:14 PM
scholars.org
📢 As Congress debates funding for DHS, proposed changes could place new constraints on how ICE operates. For reporters covering what these policy changes could mean for #immigration enforcement, the following experts are available to comment. ⤵️

🔗 Connect: scholars.org/features/exp...
Graphic from Scholars Strategy Network listing five experts available to discuss DHS funding and ICE. Features headshots of Felicia Arriaga (CUNY Baruch, expertise in immigration and crimmigration), Matthew Boaz (University of Kentucky, expertise in criminal law and immigration law), S. Deborah Kang (University of Virginia, expertise in immigration law enforcement), Charis Kubrin (UC Irvine, expertise in neighborhood correlates of crime), and William D. Lopez (University of Michigan, expertise in impacts of deportations on communities). Background shows the U.S. Capitol building. Scholars Strategy Network logo appears in top right corner with website www.scholars.org
February 4, 2026 at 5:53 PM
scholars.org
🎧 📉 Listen to the episode: scholars.org/podcast/when...
February 4, 2026 at 5:24 PM
scholars.org
In this policy brief, @depechealamode.bsky.social (Newcomb Institute) explains how anti-abortion violence has escalated since Dobbs and argues for stronger protections for bodily autonomy, including enforcement and community-based safety strategies.

Read: scholars.org/contribution...
Policy brief quote card featuring Jamie Morgan from Tulane University. The maroon background displays the quote: 'Building a future rooted in gender equity means confronting violence directly and creating conditions where everyone can live, parent, and seek care without fear.' A circular headshot photo of Jamie Morgan, a person with dark hair and glasses, appears in the lower left. The Scholars Strategy Network logo is in the lower right corner.
February 4, 2026 at 3:23 PM
scholars.org
🎒 In this @hechingerreport.org op-ed, Mara Tieken (@batescollege.bsky.social) discusses the rise of public school closures across the U.S. She writes that these closures do not save money and instead contribute to declining test scores, increased absenteeism, and job losses.

Read the full op-ed:
OPINION: School closures rarely save much money and often lead to test score declines
Across the country, many districts are considering school closures, but closures rarely save much money. They can also lead to short-term declines in test scores and diminished college completion and ...
hechingerreport.org
February 3, 2026 at 9:15 PM
scholars.org
In this @insidehighered.com op-ed, Julie J. Park (@univofmaryland.bsky.social) examines UC San Diego’s experience with test-free admissions and responds to critics who say that the policy is setting up students to fail.

🔗🔗 Read: www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
UCSD Can Live Without the SAT (opinion)
Selective institutions like the University of California, San Diego are well-positioned to address preparation gaps—after admission.
www.insidehighered.com
February 3, 2026 at 6:49 PM
scholars.org
📦💸 What does it look like when tariffs hit home?

In this No Jargon episode, economist @mchinn.bsky.social (@uwmadison.bsky.social) breaks down how rising tariffs are shaping prices, businesses, and household budgets a year into President Trump’s second term.

🎧 Listen: scholars.org/podcast/when...
February 3, 2026 at 4:08 PM
scholars.org
@sentencinglaw.bsky.social (Ohio State University Law School) comments on the presidential power to grant clemency and explains why this is a "king-like power."

Read from @kinseycrowley.bsky.social in @usatoday.com: www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...
How Trump is using his 'king-like' power of clemency a 2nd time around
Clemency gives the president the power to pardon or commute sentences. How has Donald Trump used his power in his first year back? What we know.
www.usatoday.com
February 2, 2026 at 4:52 PM
Reposted by Scholars Strategy Network
kageceratops.bsky.social
Incredibly excited to be part of the 2026 @scholars.org ETSP cohort 3! Y’all. My cohort is inspiring. Watch out for us!
scholars.org Scholars Strategy Network @scholars.org · 11d
📚📢 We’re kicking off the year by welcoming the 2026 cohort of the Education Scholars Training Program! In collaboration with @chanzuckerberg.bsky.social & @bezosfamilyfoundation.org, we're launching a year-long initiative to provide support to 16 education scholars.

👉 Meet them: scholars.org/ESTP
Graphic titled “2026 Education Scholars Training Program” featuring 16 black-and-white headshots of the 2026 Education Scholars Training Program cohort, arranged in three rows against a geometric brown and green background. The Scholars Strategy Network logo appears at the bottom left, alongside the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and Bezos Family Foundation logos. Text at the bottom reads, “For more information, visit scholars.org/ESTP.”
January 31, 2026 at 4:34 PM
scholars.org
🎥 Listen to SSN Academic Director @smettler.bsky.social, Cornell, and Trevor Brown, @snfagora.bsky.social, on how Democrats lost rural voters and what it will take to bridge the rural-urban political divide.

@anne-s-kim.bsky.social & @garrettepps.bsky.social, @washingtonmonthly.com:
How Democrats Lost Rural Voters—and How to Win Them Back
Neglect and disdain of rural voters have driven them from the Democratic party, argue authors Suzanne Mettler and Trevor Brown.
washingtonmonthly.com
January 29, 2026 at 7:01 PM
scholars.org
📚📢 We’re kicking off the year by welcoming the 2026 cohort of the Education Scholars Training Program! In collaboration with @chanzuckerberg.bsky.social & @bezosfamilyfoundation.org, we're launching a year-long initiative to provide support to 16 education scholars.

👉 Meet them: scholars.org/ESTP
Graphic titled “2026 Education Scholars Training Program” featuring 16 black-and-white headshots of the 2026 Education Scholars Training Program cohort, arranged in three rows against a geometric brown and green background. The Scholars Strategy Network logo appears at the bottom left, alongside the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and Bezos Family Foundation logos. Text at the bottom reads, “For more information, visit scholars.org/ESTP.”
January 29, 2026 at 2:51 PM
scholars.org
🐻 🌲 In this @legal-planet.org op-ed, @alejandrocamacho.bsky.social of @law.ucla.edu warns that the Trump administration's proposed changes to the #EndangeredSpeciesAct threaten to harm species & habitat protections, with consequences for the government and economy.

Read today:
The Trump Administration is Squandering Our Natural Heritage - Legal Planet
Proposed Endangered Species Act regulations are designed to stifle protections and provide developers even more power.
legal-planet.org
January 28, 2026 at 9:06 PM
scholars.org
In this brief, Becky Ofrane (Montclair State University) advocates for freestanding birth centers, which offer midwifery-led care for low-risk pregnancies with safer outcomes, higher patient satisfaction, and lower costs than traditional hospital settings.

🔗 Read now: scholars.org/contribution...
Policy brief cover image showing a healthcare provider holding a tablet while attending to a patient, with overlaid text reading 'Freestanding birth centers are a critical, evidence-based component of a high-functioning maternal healthcare system' attributed to Becky Ofrane from Montclair State University. The image includes a circular headshot of Becky Ofrane and the Scholars Strategy Network logo.
January 28, 2026 at 7:04 PM
scholars.org
In this #NoJargon episode, Anthony Hernandez (@uwmadison.bsky.social) discusses how federal DEI funding cuts are affecting Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), college access, and the broader civic landscape.

🎧 🎧 Listen here: scholars.org/podcast/ripp...
Graphic promoting Episode 291 of the No Jargon podcast. The image shows a college campus walkway with students walking between academic buildings. Overlaid text reads, “Immigration enforcement, DEI rollbacks, legal challenges to HSIs, and public disinvestment chip away at the scaffolding that makes upward mobility possible.” The quote is attributed to Anthony Hernandez, University of Wisconsin–Madison. A small circular headshot of Anthony Hernandez appears in the lower left, and the No Jargon Scholars Strategy Network logo appears in the lower right.
January 28, 2026 at 4:07 PM
scholars.org
"Like so many political issues that become hot potato debates, my take is fix what is broken, not terminate and dispose of what is needed," says Susan Sered (Suffolk University) about plans to build a new women’s prison.

Read her reader response in @bostonglobe.com:
Readers celebrate seven luminaries who died in 2025 and inspiring basketball players - The Boston Globe
Plus, the debate over the state’s prison for women.
www.bostonglobe.com
January 27, 2026 at 9:21 PM
Reposted by Scholars Strategy Network
carrienbaker.bsky.social
Thanks to @scholars.org for helping scholars get their work out into the public! @smithcollege.bsky.social @emorywgss.bsky.social @emoryuniversity.bsky.social @msmagazine.com
scholars.org Scholars Strategy Network @scholars.org · 13d
How does research turn into law?

In this clip, @carrienbaker.bsky.social (Smith College) explains how her research on student access to medication abortion helped Massachusetts legislators see why on-campus care matters.

👉 Read the Member Spotlight to learn more: scholars.org/features/mem...
January 27, 2026 at 6:24 PM
scholars.org
Across the country, colleges and universities are navigating unprecedented challenges. That's why we're excited to see the @alliancehighered.bsky.social launching in this critical moment. We look forward to working together to promote a thriving higher education landscape.
alliancehighered.bsky.social Alliance For Higher Education @alliancehighered.bsky.social · 13d
Higher education should be a place where everyone is welcome, supported, and safe. But that vision is under threat and we must defend it — together. The Alliance is a new coalition protecting and promoting higher ed as a pillar of democracy. Joining the movement: allianceforhighered.org
January 27, 2026 at 5:45 PM
scholars.org
How does research turn into law?

In this clip, @carrienbaker.bsky.social (Smith College) explains how her research on student access to medication abortion helped Massachusetts legislators see why on-campus care matters.

👉 Read the Member Spotlight to learn more: scholars.org/features/mem...
January 27, 2026 at 3:22 PM
scholars.org
In this @us.theconversation.com op-ed, Micah Altman (MIT) & @philipncohen.com (University of Maryland) argue that public distrust of experts hurts scientific truth. They say that expert consensus can provide honest insight to high-stake issues with complex systems.

Read:
‘Expertise’ shouldn’t be a bad word – expert consensus guides science and society
Expertise comes with training, experience and accreditation. And expert consensus is the best guide modern democracies have for making decisions about complicated challenges.
theconversation.com
January 26, 2026 at 8:46 PM
scholars.org
🏠 In this policy brief, Pixie Popplewell (@usc.edu) writes that addressing housing insecurity in California will require using existing state resources. They suggest mapping & disclosing vacancy, incentivizing reuse, and adopting adaptive vacancy measures.

Read here: scholars.org/contribution...
Graphic titled “Policy Brief” over a photo of modern suburban townhomes. Large white quote text reads: “Across every layer of private homes, shared spaces, and public programs, the same pattern emerges: capacity exists, but access is blocked.” Below the quote is a headshot of Pixie Popplewell, smiling with short blue hair, labeled “Pixie Popplewell, University of Southern California.” The Scholars Strategy Network logo and website appear in the bottom right corner.
January 26, 2026 at 6:31 PM
scholars.org
Crime in the U.S. has declined since the pandemic. @dralexpiquero.bsky.social (@univmiami.bsky.social) tells @washingtonpost.com that he believes these downward trends will continue.

Read from Tim Craig, @jdharden.bsky.social & @carsonology.bsky.social: www.washingtonpost.com/nation/inter...
U.S. crime has dropped sharply since the pandemic. Here’s where it stands.
Homicide rates have undergone the most striking change, with some of the nation’s 52 largest cities recording the fewest murders in half a century.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 26, 2026 at 2:50 PM
scholars.org
In this @salon.com op-ed, @tiffanydjoseph.bsky.social (@northeasternu.bsky.social) reflects on MLK's warning that health injustice is “the most shocking and inhumane” form of inequality. She explains how today’s policy failures are deepening the nation's health crisis.
www.salon.com/2026/01/19/m...
MLK would be appalled by America's health injustices
As the nation's health crumbles under Trump, King's words from 1966 remain more timely than ever
www.salon.com
January 23, 2026 at 5:50 PM
scholars.org
In this @salon.com op-ed, Tiffany Joseph (@northeasternu.bsky.social) explains how crumbling policy is causing health injustice that impacts immigrants, people of color, and the poor. Joseph suggests actions Congress should take to advance health equality.

Read: www.salon.com/2026/01/19/m...
MLK would be appalled by America's health injustices
As the nation's health crumbles under Trump, King's words from 1966 remain more timely than ever
www.salon.com
January 23, 2026 at 5:45 PM