About News News Subscribe Education Domestic Policy & Politics Political Science Democracy Leadership Economics Ethics Racial Justice and Equity Social Psychology Facet Area of Focus - News Craig Volden Benjamin Castleman Daphna Bassok Adam Roux Gerald Warburg Jennifer Lawless Facet People - News UVA Humanitarian Collaborative National Security Policy Center Miller Center School of Education and Human Development Darden School of Business School Engineering Social Innovation @ UVA UVA Center for Politics (-) Center for Effective Lawmaking (-) EdPolicyWorks: Center for Education Policy and Workforce Competitiveness Facet UVA Partner - News Accolades Faculty In Action Featured Research (-) Research and Commentary Facet News Type - News Jan 21, 2023 George Santos' college education is a myth. Is he the only one lying? We checked. How often are the educational backgrounds of Congressional legislators and candidates vetted, and how much do degrees matter? Craig Volden, Batten School professor and co-director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, talked with USA Today about Congress members’ educational backgrounds and how a degree correlates to effectiveness as a legislator. Learn more Aug 29, 2022 Workhorses, not show horses: Five ways to promote effective lawmaking in Congress Democracy Craig Volden, professor at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and Co-Director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, writes in The Conversation that there are ways to get things done under the U.S. Capitol dome. Learn more Aug 04, 2022 Research: Congressional town halls signal and support effective lawmaking Domestic Policy & Politics 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. Learn more May 24, 2022 To Run or Not to Run? Not Enough Women Consider Political Office in the First Place. Domestic Policy & Politics Political Science Racial Justice and Equity A new report by Batten School Professor Jennifer Lawless highlights the gender gap in political ambition. The research declares that “politics remains a game for men.” Learn more Apr 27, 2022 Small Students, Big Opportunities Education Working in partnership with policymakers, Professor Daphna Bassok aims to provide long-term solutions to real-world problems for America's youngest learners. Learn more Dec 01, 2021 How behavioral science could get people back into public libraries Education What keeps someone from activating their library card or returning a book? Brooklyn Public Library worked with behavioral science experts including Batten professor Benjamin Castleman and alum Katharine Meyer (MPP '16) to find out. Read in Fast Company Oct 15, 2021 Why Do Bad Policies So Often Spread But Good Ones Don’t? Domestic Policy & Politics In their new book "Why bad policies spread (and good one’s don’t)," Batten's Craig Volden and Charles R. Shipan draw from a wide range of policy domains to examine whether states learn from another to improve the spread of good or effective policies, which policies spread for which reasons and which conditions lead to good or bad policies to spread, among other core questions. Read in Forbes Jun 07, 2021 Volden: Experienced Staff Promote Effective Lawmaking Political Science According to research from Batten's Center for Effective Lawmaking, retaining experienced legislative staff is crucial to Congress doing its job better. In an op-ed for The Hill, center co-directors Craig Volden and Alan E. Wiseman say that when it comes to congressional staff, we get what we pay for. Read in The Hill May 11, 2021 Teaching Pandemic Response Through Gamesmanship Social Psychology Domestic Policy & Politics In a case of simulation imitating life, Batten's Center for Leadership Simulation and Gaming provides an opportunity for students to wrestle with a simulated pandemic online – during a worldwide pandemic. Read in UVA Today Mar 25, 2021 Volden: Committee Chairs Continue Their Lawmaking Decline Political Science Leadership Committee chairs have long been considered power brokers for lawmaking, but according to research from the Center for Effective Lawmaking, their lawmaking effectiveness is diminishing. In an op-ed for The Hill, Batten's Craig Volden and Vanderbilt University's Alan E. Wiseman write about the trend. Read in The Hill Mar 16, 2021 Coronavirus and Schools: Reflections on Education One Year into the Pandemic Education One year ago, the World Health Organization declared the spread of COVID-19 a worldwide pandemic. Batten's Daphna Bassok and fellow experts examine how the pandemic upended the education landscape in the past year, what it’s taught us about schooling, and where we go from here. Read in Brookings Feb 16, 2021 Warburg: Congress Must Step Up To Restore Accountability To National Security Policy Democracy Ethics Amidst multiple crises, American lawmakers have valuable opportunities for crucial reforms. In an article for The Hill, Batten's Gerry Warburg discusses how Congress can chart a more sustainable path forward. Read in The Hill Pagination Current page 1 Page 2 Next page Next › Stay Up To Date with the Latest Batten News and Events Subscribe
Jan 21, 2023 George Santos' college education is a myth. Is he the only one lying? We checked. How often are the educational backgrounds of Congressional legislators and candidates vetted, and how much do degrees matter? Craig Volden, Batten School professor and co-director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, talked with USA Today about Congress members’ educational backgrounds and how a degree correlates to effectiveness as a legislator. Learn more
Aug 29, 2022 Workhorses, not show horses: Five ways to promote effective lawmaking in Congress Democracy Craig Volden, professor at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and Co-Director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, writes in The Conversation that there are ways to get things done under the U.S. Capitol dome. Learn more
Aug 04, 2022 Research: Congressional town halls signal and support effective lawmaking Domestic Policy & Politics 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. Learn more
May 24, 2022 To Run or Not to Run? Not Enough Women Consider Political Office in the First Place. Domestic Policy & Politics Political Science Racial Justice and Equity A new report by Batten School Professor Jennifer Lawless highlights the gender gap in political ambition. The research declares that “politics remains a game for men.” Learn more
Apr 27, 2022 Small Students, Big Opportunities Education Working in partnership with policymakers, Professor Daphna Bassok aims to provide long-term solutions to real-world problems for America's youngest learners. Learn more
Dec 01, 2021 How behavioral science could get people back into public libraries Education What keeps someone from activating their library card or returning a book? Brooklyn Public Library worked with behavioral science experts including Batten professor Benjamin Castleman and alum Katharine Meyer (MPP '16) to find out. Read in Fast Company
Oct 15, 2021 Why Do Bad Policies So Often Spread But Good Ones Don’t? Domestic Policy & Politics In their new book "Why bad policies spread (and good one’s don’t)," Batten's Craig Volden and Charles R. Shipan draw from a wide range of policy domains to examine whether states learn from another to improve the spread of good or effective policies, which policies spread for which reasons and which conditions lead to good or bad policies to spread, among other core questions. Read in Forbes
Jun 07, 2021 Volden: Experienced Staff Promote Effective Lawmaking Political Science According to research from Batten's Center for Effective Lawmaking, retaining experienced legislative staff is crucial to Congress doing its job better. In an op-ed for The Hill, center co-directors Craig Volden and Alan E. Wiseman say that when it comes to congressional staff, we get what we pay for. Read in The Hill
May 11, 2021 Teaching Pandemic Response Through Gamesmanship Social Psychology Domestic Policy & Politics In a case of simulation imitating life, Batten's Center for Leadership Simulation and Gaming provides an opportunity for students to wrestle with a simulated pandemic online – during a worldwide pandemic. Read in UVA Today
Mar 25, 2021 Volden: Committee Chairs Continue Their Lawmaking Decline Political Science Leadership Committee chairs have long been considered power brokers for lawmaking, but according to research from the Center for Effective Lawmaking, their lawmaking effectiveness is diminishing. In an op-ed for The Hill, Batten's Craig Volden and Vanderbilt University's Alan E. Wiseman write about the trend. Read in The Hill
Mar 16, 2021 Coronavirus and Schools: Reflections on Education One Year into the Pandemic Education One year ago, the World Health Organization declared the spread of COVID-19 a worldwide pandemic. Batten's Daphna Bassok and fellow experts examine how the pandemic upended the education landscape in the past year, what it’s taught us about schooling, and where we go from here. Read in Brookings
Feb 16, 2021 Warburg: Congress Must Step Up To Restore Accountability To National Security Policy Democracy Ethics Amidst multiple crises, American lawmakers have valuable opportunities for crucial reforms. In an article for The Hill, Batten's Gerry Warburg discusses how Congress can chart a more sustainable path forward. Read in The Hill