In the News
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January 15, 2026
“The department’s demand sets a dangerous precedent and could expose millions of Americans to fraud, abuse and other nefarious activity,” wrote Barbara McQuade, professor from practice of law, about lawsuits filed by the U.S. Department of Justice in 23 states and the District of Columbia seeking access to detailed voter information. “Given the Trump administration’s willingness to push legal boundaries, the last thing we should entrust it with is a centralized trove of our sensitive personal data.”
Bloomberg -
January 15, 2026
“Culture is not a company’s values; it’s the system upon which these values are constructed. So, without a clear perspective of the world, an organization’s values are typically meaningless and have no impact on its behaviors,” wrote Marcus Collins, clinical assistant professor of marketing. “This is a significant challenge for business leaders who have reduced organizational culture to a set of rituals, rules, and words. Culture is so much more than these components, but since so many of us have defined culture so narrowly, we have not yet fully realized its impact.”
Fast Company -
January 14, 2026
“They don’t really know what’s going on at these sites. They should go out and sample the part that people are exposed to — the surface. That would answer the question of ‘Is there a health risk?’” said Allen Burton, professor of environment and sustainability, who believes the city of Detroit is showing “total ignorance” by not testing dirt for toxic chemicals at home demolition sites.
Michigan Advance -
January 14, 2026
Those are “deaths that could potentially have been avoided,” said Douglas Wiebe, professor of epidemiology and director of the U-M Injury Prevention Center, who found that both “justifiable” and unlawful homicides rose significantly after changes in stand-your-ground laws — a roughly 8% increase in firearm deaths in states with such laws.
The Christian Science Monitor -
January 14, 2026
“One-off reforms like family-friendly policies, ESG targets and civility pledges are useful, but they cannot uproot centuries of menace. What’s required is a critical mass of moral muses who refuse to rationalize harm as progress and who lead a culture reset in guiding business logic,” wrote Valerie Myers, lecturer of management and organization, who studies the idea that work can be guided by principles and moral duty — a contest between two leadership patterns: moral menaces, who rationalize exploitation and disguise harm as the price of progress, and moral muses, leaders whose care and fairness promote flourishing.
The Conversation -
January 13, 2026
Flu rates soared in December with 30 states classified as “very high” by the CDC. Aubree Gordon, professor of epidemiology, says this was due to many factors, such as the fact “we are in the influenza season and we have a new strain of influenza A H3N2, subclade K, that is a bit better at evading preexisting immunity. Because of that, more people are getting infected and they may be getting sicker.”
Newsweek -
January 13, 2026
“There’s a certain addiction playbook that’s been used from tobacco to opiates to sports betting. You take something that exists, typically exists in nature, like a plant or a fruit, and you alter it so it gives just this just right dose of reward,” said Ashley Gearhardt, professor of psychology. “You can titrate the smell, the flavor, the taste, and then you flood the environment with it. So your consumers, even if they have a slight moment of temptation, the product is right at arm’s reach and the next thing they know, they’re using again.”
PBS NewsHour -
January 13, 2026
Self-driven cars make mistakes that humans would not, such as plowing into flood water, driving through an active crime scene where police have their guns drawn, or freezing in place during power outages. “In like 95% of situations where a disengagement or accident happens with autonomous vehicles, it’s a very regular, routine situation for humans. These are not challenging situations whatsoever,” said Henry Liu, professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the U-M Transportation Research Institute.
Bloomberg -
January 12, 2026
“Balancing parental supervision with children’s need for play is tricky. Although concerns about injuries in children are valid, minor injuries may be a normal part of development,” co-wrote Laura MacLatchy, professor of anthropology. “Some anthropologists argue for increasing children’s access to thrill-seeking play — including the old-fashioned monkey bars — as a way to help them develop motor skills and skeletal strength.”
The Conversation -
January 12, 2026
“I think that a power vacuum creates chaos, and that chaos is inherently bad. I think in the short run, conditions in Venezuela may be less repressive, but I think there will be even greater problems with regard to the basics of life,” said former U.S. diplomat Michael Montgomery, lecturer at UM-Dearborn. “If we put boots on the ground in Venezuela, we could end up being there a very long time, and it could be a very unpleasant and costly experience.”
CBS Detroit
