Recent News

The widened Gatun Locks (foreground) on the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal (seen behind) are still under construction, with completion anticipated next spring. The West Coast ports, including the Port of Oakland, have enjoyed decades of success serving as the point of entry for billions of dollars worth of goods, mostly from China and East Asia. Imports from Asia to the United States generated 9 million American jobs, 4 million in California, Oregon and Washington, in 2014, according to the Pacific Maritime…

The announcement on Wednesday by the New York restaurateur Danny Meyer that he was eliminating tipping at his restaurants shows that he understands the impact tipping really has: It has created a two-tiered wage system with deep social and economic consequences for millions. Mr. Meyer’s move to establish a transparent, fair salary for his staff is laudable, and I hope it will help set a new standard for the industry. But to achieve change across the…

This brief summarizes key points and critical questions about the “Future of SNAP,” highlighting approaches to improve nutrition policy to ensure health and food equity nationwide. This summary emerged from a workshop held in May 2015 at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB), which brought together leading researchers from UCB and other universities as well as representatives from respected non-profit organizations and government agencies. The following is intended to serve as…

As the autumn semester begins, thousands of college students are back on campus preoccupied with class schedules, roommates, and pursuing their majors. But undocumented students at our nation’s universities are focused on more pressing concerns. Because they are ineligible for federal financial aid and vulnerable to deportation, the school year is fraught with fear and very real choices between buying food and paying tuition. Why should we care about these undocumented students? Many of these young people have…

Does preschool work? Although early education has been widely praised as the magic bullet that can transport poor kids into the education mainstream, a major new study raises serious doubts. Since 2004, Tennessee has offered state-subsidized prekindergarten, enrolling more than 18,000 of the state’s neediest 4-year-olds. An early evaluation showed that, as you’d expect, youngsters who attended pre-K made substantial gains in math, language and reading. But, startlingly, the gains had evaporated by the end of kindergarten. Those…

As a Catholic, I share the gratitude -- and joy! -- of so many that Pope Francis has re-centered the Church on the issues that Jesus truly prioritized in his teachings: mercy for the poor, comfort for the sick and a Kingdom on Earth that we can make heavenly through our actions and our pastoral care. He hasn't changed or ignored the Church's teachings on abortion, gay marriage, or other issues, he has simply stressed that,…

A Turkish police officer stands next to a migrant child's dead body off the shores in Bodrum, southern Turkey, on September 2, 2015 after a boat carrying refugees sank while reaching the Greek island of Kos. Thousands of refugees and migrants arrived in Athens on September 2, as Greek ministers held talks on the crisis, with Europe struggling to cope with the huge influx fleeing war and repression in the Middle East and Africa. It’s Sunday, Sept. 6. I sit on…

The last major El Niño brought droughts, floods and disease to equatorial regions – bad luck that those of us in temperate areas should help mitigate. One region's weather win is another region's catastrophe. The current buzz in cafes across California is that snow from this year’s big El Niño will bring the best skiing in years. What fortunate skiers don’t realize is that the same periodic ocean-atmosphere interaction…

The application for the Master of Public Affairs degree is now open! The Goldman School of Public Policy’s one-year Master of Public Affairs degree will train mid-career professionals for visionary, strategic and effective leadership. “With this program, GSPP is expanding its impact in the world,” says Meg St. John, Executive Director. “Participants will learn from the renowned faculty of the Goldman School, and build professional networks with public-spirited thinkers and leaders from the United States…

In an overheated article (“UC Fails to Hit In-State Goal on Admissions”), the San Francisco Chronicle scolds UC for appearing to decline $25 million offered by the Legislature to admit 5,000 more in-state students this year. That’s $5,000 per student which would supplement the $15,000 in tuition and fees that UC charges each student — although many low- and middle-income students get substantial discounts. State support is needed because tuition does not cover the entire cost of a…