Staff Picks

"A new report finds that tuition and fees at community college baccalaureate (CCB) programs are considerably less than for bachelor’s degree programs at a public four-year institution — in some states, less than half — and that a larger percentage of students in CCB programs receive student aid. The new research by Elizabeth Meza, a senior research scientist at the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington, is a first-time analysis of the affordability of CCBs compared to associate degrees and public universities. She examined 15 states, analyzing their tuition and fees, total cost of attendance (published tuition and required fees, book and supplies, and living costs, like housing) and net price compared to public four-year institutions using federal IPEDS data and institutional sources." MLH

Tags: publicpicks affordable community college bachelors degrees

"After sitting through too many grant panels at NSF, I can tell you this: most proposals get 15-20 minutes of discussion time in a panel that's reviewing 30-50 proposals over three days. Your carefully crafted 15-page research plan? The primary reviewer read it thoroughly. The other two panelists skimmed it. Everyone else glanced at the summary. This isn't because reviewers are lazy. They're exhausted, brilliant researchers who are reading proposals outside their immediate expertise, often late at night, while also worrying about their own grants, their trainees, and the paper referee statements that they owe. The storyboard approach works because it acknowledges this reality: reviewers are looking for a straightforward narrative they can grasp quickly and defend to the panel." GMS

Tags: nsf grants publicpicks

"With almost 5 million residents and several towns and cities, greater Phoenix is looking to solve several of its challenges on a regional basis, given how closely connected many of those places are. Traffic congestion, housing affordability, heat mitigation and urban planning are just some of the challenges that could benefit from a more collaborative approach. And the area of Arizona, led by The Connective, its smart region consortium, is looking to technology to help with that. In partnership with CyberCity 3D, a leading producer of 3D city models, the region will roll out a multi-jurisdictional digital twin to visualize, test and optimize urban development virtually before committing resources to physical implementation." MLH

Tags: publicpicks digital

"Drought, of course, isn't the only climate-driven disaster hitting places like Clyde. Hurricanes, floods, and fires are bankrupting cities across America. After flames ripped through Paradise, California, in 2018, the town's redevelopment agency defaulted on some of its obligations. Naples, Florida, resorted to selling $11 million in bonds to rebuild its pier after Hurricane Ian in 2022. Earlier this year, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power had a harder time raising money after massive fires swept the city. Kerr County, Texas, is in the midst of raising taxes after devastating floods in July.  Each episode underscores how climate shocks once seen as exceptional are now straining local budgets. But drought may be the most insidious of these threats. Compared to other types of disasters, it often hits everyone in a community, affects large areas, and can last months, if not years. There are also fewer defenses and relatively limited government assistance. Experts worry that drought could ultimately prove an enormous risk to the $4 trillion municipal bond market that underwrites everything from roads and schools to the water running through millions of taps." MLH

Tags: publicpicks climate change disaster municipalities bonds

"Recent federal workforce reductions raise questions about potential broader labor market implications. Federal employees — which total about 3 million workers nationwide — represent a relatively small fraction of total U.S. employment (1.8 percent of the total U.S. workforce). Because of this, government layoffs are unlikely to generate significant macroeconomic effects. However, they may create substantial regional labor market disruptions in areas with high concentrations of government workers. Understanding these localized impacts requires examining the spillover effects that occur when changes in one sector ripple through the broader regional economy." MLH

Tags: layoffs publicpicks

Cate Institute survey of economists identifies some of the challenges resulting from government equity in private firms. (gms)

Tags: Cato equity public ownership publicpicks

"A new study conducted by economist Kate Reinmuth with the Stanford Office of Technology Licensing finds that inventors publish more academic papers, not fewer, after commercialization." JC

Tags: technology licensing productivity publicpicks

"The latest Varying Degrees, New America’s annual survey that examines perspectives of U.S. higher education, finds that a majority of Americans support increasing state higher education funding. Even though Americans are frustrated with the status quo of higher education, they still believe that postsecondary credentials offer a positive return on investment and want to see these opportunities become more affordable. Public colleges and universities remain where most students access higher education—40 percent of college students were enrolled at a public four-year institution, and 31 percent were enrolled in a public two-year institution, during the spring 2025 term." MLH

Tags: publicpicks college funding state