Focus on Cabinet Nominees' Effectiveness and Expertise, Not Just Ideology News As President-elect Joe Biden’s cabinet nominees have been named, much of the discussion has been about their ideological leanings. In an article for The Hill, Batten's Craig Volden and Vanderbilt University's Alan E. Wiseman, co-directors of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, outline why these ideological discussions are too narrow a focus.
The Future of Congressional Reform; hosted by the Center for Effective Lawmaking and featuring Representative Derek Kilmer Event Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA06) will speak about and answer questions regarding his work as the Chair of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress.
Batten Faculty Provide Commentary on Election Results News In commentary compiled by the Miller Center, Batten Professors Jennifer Lawless, Margaret Foster Riley, Todd Sechser, and Craig Volden weigh in on the 2020 election, offering updates on the latest developments.
Women in Politics: Past, Present, and Future Event From Abigail Adams to suffragists to presidential tickets, women have played consequential roles in American politics as voters, activists, candidates, and officeholders. This panel will examine how women have influenced and been affected by politics, law, and public policy.
Members of Congress are Specializing Less Often. Volden and Wiseman Say That Makes Them Less Effective. News Batten’s Craig Volden and Vanderbilt’s Alan Wiseman, co-directors of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, find that members of Congress are becoming less specialized and in turn, less effective. How do we encourage more expertise and reverse the trend?
Moving Issues Forward in Congress Workshop Which representatives and senators truly drive progress on specific public issues? Who gets things done, for example, when it comes to health care, or education, or defense? And how do they move specific legislation effectively through Congress? Craig Volden, Professor of Public Policy and Politics at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia and Co-Director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, along with Alan E. Wiseman, Professor and Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair at Vanderbilt University and also Co-Director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, will answer these questions and more in this unique half-day course.
Scoring Effectiveness in Congress News What makes someone an effective lawmaker? Surprisingly, until Batten’s Craig Volden and Vanderbilt’s Alan Wiseman began discussing that question a little over a decade ago, we didn’t have a clear answer.
Batten Expert Chats: "Scoring Effectiveness in Congress" with Craig Volden and Alan Wiseman Event What constitutes an effective lawmaker? The discourse around members of Congress once focused solely on party affiliations, but the legislative effectiveness scores developed by the Center for Effective Lawmaking. For the latest edition of Batten Expert Chats, CEL co-directors Craig Volden and Alan Wiseman will speak and take questions on the origins of the scores they developed, what they mean for our political system, and how they’re currently being used.
How Experienced Congressional Staff Contribute to Effective Lawmaking Event Mike Henry, Chief of Staff for Senator Tim Kaine, will join Center for Effective Lawmaking Co-Director, Professor Craig Volden, for a virtual conversation regarding life as a professional Congressional staffer. Join us for a conversation about the impactful research, which led to a memo of recommendation to the House of Representatives, with someone who knows first-hand what it means to be effective on the Hill.
Primaries and Primary Reform Event Is the U.S. presidential primary system really the best way to choose a nominee? Are we too reliant on campaign cash and media coverage? A renowned panel of political experts including Batten's Craig Volden and Jennifer Lawless will answer these questions and talk about incumbency, party politics, and primary reform.
Batten CEL & WIP Presents: Women in Legislature Event Batten's Center for Effective Lawmaking and Batten Women in Policy will host a discussion on the role and importance of women in legislatures.
Coronavirus policies spread quickly across the U.S. Are cities and states learning — or just copying? News As the novel coronavirus has spread across U.S. cities and states, so have public policies aimed at stopping the pandemic. Batten's Craig Volden and co-author Charles R. Shipan examine how some states have learned from others’ policy successes, while others simply copy their neighbors or even compete against them, and why that matters.