Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon

High costs are making college unaffordable, or even impossible, for many Americans. Professor Nicholas Hillman outlines why student loan debt has become such a major issue. Professor Laura Perna highlights a potential solution -- free tuition programs. For More on This Topic: Read Hillman's brief, Designing Better Ways to Regulate Colleges with Too Many Students Who Default on Federal Loans Check out Perna's research project on college promise programs. Further Reading: Episode 52: Paying the Price, Sara Goldrick-Rab, Temple University Episode 4: The Student Debt Crisis, Nicholas Hillman, University of Wisconsin-Madison Making Loans Work for Today's College Students, Susan Dynarski, University of Michigan

Voting is a pillar of American democracy, but for many, the vote has been out of reach. Professor Doug Spencer explains the past and present of the right to vote in America, and how debates about voter fraud are missing the mark. For More on This Topic: Read his brief, How Surveys Can Strengthen the Voting Rights Act Further Reading: The Dismantling of the Voting Rights Act, Dewey M. Clayton, University of Louisville Restoring the Voting Rights Act Will Not Do Enough to Ensure Fair Elections, Amel Ahmed, University of Massachusetts Amherst

How do policymakers sort through all the information they get? Jenni Owen discusses how she and the office of North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper engage with research, and offers do's and don'ts for researchers and advocates who want to inform policy.

Colleges highlight how affirmative action increases diversity on campus. Professor Natasha Warikoo discusses new investigations into school admissions and how focusing on diversity ignores the real reasons for affirmative action. For More on This Topic: Read her brief, How the Ways College Authorities Talk about Diversity Can Undercut Efforts to Fight Racial Inequality Check out her recent piece for The Boston Globe Read this article for an in-depth look at the effects of the affirmative action ban on the University of California system Further Reading: Can Universities Maintain Diversity without Directly Considering Race in Admissions?, Mark C. Long, University of Washington Will U.S. College Aid Continue Its Proud Track Record of Enlarging Opportunity and Reducing Inequality? Deondra Rose, Duke University

Come to the first-ever LIVE taping of the Scholars Strategy Network's podcast, No Jargon. To celebrate No Jargon's 100th episode, Avi will be joined by researchers from across the country to talk about America's divided politics, how we got here, and what comes next. Buy tickets at scholars.org/liveshow. In three acts, Avi and his guests will explore our nation's politics today, and then zoom in on battleground North Carolina and bright blue Massachusetts. Audience members will have the chance to ask the researchers their own questions. Guests for the show include: Sandy Darity, René Flores, Erin O'Brien, Gunther Peck, Theda Skocpol, and Peter Ubertaccio.

Fueled by misinformation, some parents are wary of vaccinating their kids. But this seemingly personal choice can cause disease outbreaks. Dr. Matthew Woodruff explains the science behind vaccines and how we can better educate people on their value. For More on This Topic: Read his brief, Why "Personal Belief" Vaccine Exemptions Place Many Vulnerable Americans at Risk Check out his podcast, Audiommunity Further Reading: Assessing the Effectiveness of the U.S. Vaccine Injury Compensation Court, Anna Kirkland, University of Michigan Restoring Trust in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mark A. Rothstein, University of Louisville School of Medicine The Harm Done By Media Coverage of Political Disputes about Public Health Measures, Erika Franklin Fowler, Wesleyan University, Sarah Elizabeth Gollust, University of Minnesota School of Public Health

A decade ago, the immigration debate divided Hazleton, PA when the mayor blamed a wave of immigrants for crimes and passed a harsh bill against them. Professor René Flores lays out what happened and how laws like this can actually lead to more violence. For More on This Topic: Read his brief on Hazleton and Arizona, How Restrictive Laws Can Influence Public Attitudes towards Immigrants Check out the NPR story about the history of the town and how it has transformed. Further Reading: Why Does Immigration Arouse Deep Feelings and Conflicts?, John D. Skrentny, UC San Diego How Restrictive Immigration Measures Undermine the Mental Health of Latino Migrants, Whitney L. Duncan, University of Northern Colorado

Residents are experts on their neighborhoods, but their voices often go unheard in local decision making. Professor Tia Gaynor discusses initiatives that bridge the gap between local governments and citizens – and explains how some have fallen short. For More on This Topic: Read her article for the PA Times on the Los Angeles Fire Department Check out her brief, The Unmet Challenge of Fighting Racially Discriminatory Practices in Local U.S. Law Enforcement Agencies Further Reading: Episode 16: Local Agents of Democracy Varieties of Civic Engagement in Contemporary America, Paul Lichterman, University of Southern California How Emergency Managers and Community Organizations Can Cooperate to Handle Disasters, Scott E. Robinson, University of Oklahoma

Millions of Americans struggle to pay their utility bills, and some families are even forced to choose between groceries or energy bills. Professor Tony Reames lays out energy's unequal burden on low-income Americans and suggests ways to move forward. For More on This Topic: Read his brief, Improving the Effectiveness of Federal Energy Assistance for Low-Income Households Check out a Q&A with Professor Reames about his energy justice work Further Reading: Assessing the Accomplishments of the War on Poverty, Martha J. Bailey, University of Michigan, Sheldon Danziger, Russell Sage Foundation and University of Michigan Have Reforms in U.S. Housing Assistance Reduces Neighborhood Poverty?, Ann Owens, University of Southern California

Is the U.S. Constitution about to change? Professor David Marcus lays out why some states are calling for a constitutional convention to introduce amendments. And Professor David Robertson delves into the history behind this founding document. For More on This Topic Read Dave Robertson's book, The Original Compromise: What the Constitution's Framers were Really Thinking Checkout David Marcus's blog post, "The Misguided Article V Convention" Further Reading Why U.S. Conservatives Shape Legislation across the Fifty States Much More Effectively than Liberals, Alexander Hertel-Fernandez, Columbia University, Theda Skocpol, Harvard University How The Roberts Court Undermines U.S. Democracy, Stephen E. Gottlieb, Albany Law School