In the News
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September 1, 2020
“We have a very restrictive statute … and we have a very overzealous computer program that likes to deny people benefits. Those two things combined have made it very, very difficult for the people of this state to get access to benefits. That was true before the pandemic and it’s very evident now,” said Rachael Kohl, director of the Law School’s Workers’ Rights Clinic.
MLive -
August 31, 2020
“It is shameful that some of the regulatory changes that the agencies have made under the Trump administration have made it easier for lenders to take advantage of people in difficult and really unprecedented circumstances. When people are desperate, some lenders will take advantage of that desperation,” said Jeremy Kress, assistant professor of business law, on the loosening of restrictions around small-dollar, high-interest loans.
Vox -
August 31, 2020
As many as a third of doctors may be sending patients for thyroid ultrasounds for reasons not supported by guidelines — leading to a large increase in thyroid cancer cases, although many are low risk and won’t cause serious harm, says Megan Haymart, professor of endocrinology and internal medicine.
U.S. News & World Report -
August 31, 2020
“My polling place is not typically very crowded, so I have voted in person recently. However, for others (particularly those with pre-existing conditions) it may make sense to vote by mail,” said Vincent Hutchings, professor of political science and research professor at the Center for Political Studies. “If there’s one big misconception this election cycle, it’s that mail-in voting is somehow fraudulent or unreliable.”
Marketplace -
August 26, 2020
“A brain that has dementia is doing its best to function as well as it can. If we add a psychotropic medication into the mix it may not be a helpful thing — and it comes with risks,” said Donovan Maust, associate professor of psychiatry, whose research shows that nearly three-quarters of older Americans with dementia are prescribed drugs that aren’t designed for the brain disease, such as antidepressants, opioids, anxiety medications and antipsychotics.
The Daily Mail (U.K.) -
August 26, 2020
While there have been “symbolic gestures” made to reach out to the Latino community by the Republican Party, “everything in many ways becomes undermined by the actions of the president and his continued vitriolic rhetoric against the Latino community,” said Angela Ocampo, assistant professor of political science, who believes concerns about health care costs and economic well-being are going to play a big role in the 2020 election.
ABC News -
August 26, 2020
“If the fate of American democracy is on the ballot in November, so too is the future of the planet. It is one more way that the stakes could not be higher in this election,” wrote David Uhlmann, director of the Environmental Law and Policy Program at the Law School. “If climate action is not a top priority … no other accomplishment will matter in the long run.”
The Atlantic -
August 26, 2020
“MOOCs were new in 2011 and everyone said they were going to democratize education,” said Tawanna Dillahunt, associate professor of information, and electrical engineering and computer science, who found that 9 percent of students enrolled in massive online open courses said they couldn’t afford a traditional college education, while most enrollees already had college educations and wanted to learn something new.
NBC News -
August 26, 2020
“If Russia or other attackers can break into a state’s election management system, they can spread malicious software to voting machines throughout that jurisdiction, and potentially change all of the digital records. That’s the threat that really keeps me up at night,” said J. Alex Halderman, professor of electrical engineering and computer science.
Public Radio International -
August 26, 2020
Lisa Nakamura, professor of American culture, English language and literature, and film, television and media, and director of the Digital Studies Institute, says getting “canceled” because of controversial online remarks might be happening more often due to the pandemic: “I really believe that post-COVID, everyone’s on the internet so much that they’re having to revise how important it is what you say online because no one’s doing anything else.”
CBS News
