News
How Effective are America’s State Legislators?
The Center for Effective Lawmaking has compiled a massive database to measure the effectiveness of nearly every state legislator in the U.S. Based on the center's trusted methodology developed a decade ago to rank the effectiveness of members of Congress, the project is the first to collect this kind of data at the state level in a comprehensive fashion.
Batten Hosts Back-to-Back Political Science Conferences
The UVA Batten School is excited to co-host the national State Politics and Policy Conference this weekend, bringing together some 140 political science researchers from across the country to share their recent findings on a wide range of topics. Immediately following, Batten hosts the annual conference of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, a joint project with Vanderbilt University.
Advocating for a Better Justice System in America
Gerard Robinson, who joined the Batten School in the fall of 2023 as a professor of practice in public policy and law, has an understanding of America’s penal systems that is historical, encyclopedic, peppered with factual evidence and flavored with his own philosophical musings.
Alum in Action: Citizens Can Drive Democracy, Even After a SCOTUS Ruling
Xiao Wang (MPP '09) an assistant professor at the Law School and Batten School and an expert on the U.S. Constitution, spoke at this week's "Batten Hour" about the implications of citizen-driven initiatives in response to unpopular rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Improving Expertise of Congressional Staff
In an op-ed published in The Messenger, Craig Volden and Alan E. Wiseman of the Center for Effective Lawmaking write that without proper career training for congressional staffers, expertise gaps on Capitol Hill will continue to be problematic.
Bipartisanship the “secret sauce” for effective lawmaking, despite rising polarization in Congress
Despite perceptions that Congress is dominated by partisan interests, a new study from the Center for Effective Lawmaking -- co-directed by Batten professor Craig Volden -- finds that legislators who draw in cosponsors from both sides of the aisle are more effective.
John Holbein Among UVA's Inaugural Shannon Fellows
Batten professor Holbein is one of 15 faculty members chosen for a new UVA fellowship program recognizing groundbreaking research and commitment to service at UVA.
Nancy Pelosi Was the Key Democratic Messenger of Her Generation. Passing the Torch Will Empower Younger Leadership
Batten School professor Gerald Warburg, in a piece written for The Conversation, states that Nancy Pelosi's stepping aside will leave the door open for others.
Why aren't more moms running for office? One group is hoping to change that
Moms are a political force in voting but are underrepresented as candidates. In an interview with NPR, Batten School Professor Jennifer Lawless shares some ideas about that disparity.
Research: Congressional town halls signal and support effective lawmaking
In an article for The Hill, Batten's Craig Volden and co-author Alan E. Wiseman write that Representatives and Senators who engage constituents through town halls can enhance their lawmaking effectiveness in Congress.
Q&A: What I Learned During My Summer Internship
Cooper Cramer, a rising fourth-year and incoming student in Batten’s Accelerated Master of Public Policy program, spent 10 weeks this summer in an internship with Virginia’s Office of the Governor. Cramer served as a “transformation associate” in the Governor’s newly formed Office of Transformation, a position that he says has helped him focus more clearly on career options.
Alum in Action: Alumna’s Journalism Reaches White House, National Audience
Nora Neus (MPP '16), a Batten alumna and Emmy-nominated producer and journalist at CNN, conducted a haunting interview with a student survivor of the Uvalde massacre that made its way into the national debate.
