The Bloustein School is saddened to announce the passing of Briavel Holcomb, 83, Professor Emeritus and former coordinator of the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program, on September 27, 2025.
Topic
News
NJSPL: Safer E-Biking and Understanding Micromobility
As e-bikes and other micromobility devices have become increasingly popular to use on New Jersey’s sidewalks and streets, it is increasingly important for young users and their guardians to be equipped with the information and resources necessary to ride safely. Researchers with the Voorhees Transportation Center partnered with the New Jersey Department of Transportation to develop a Micromobility Guide and elaborate on various strategies to improve safer e-bike riding.
Dean Shapiro: Two Key Steps to Get Rid of the Sludge
Stuart Shapiro argues that there are two related steps that the administration could take to target sludge across the government. The first would be to reinvigorate and then use the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), and the second (which may be necessary to modernize the statute) would entail building a coalition against sludge that crosses ideological lines.
Meet the 2026 New Jersey Leadership Collective Fellows
New Jersey Leadership Collective’s mission is to train leaders who are committed to moving the communities they serve and the Garden State forward. We aim to make progressive change to legislation and policies through building collective power and taking collective action. We are a network of inclusive leaders who have the expertise to implement change and provide the skills and connections needed to make progress a reality.
Of the 25 selected fellows for this year, three have ties to the Bloustein School.
EJB Talks: Fighting for Government Accountability in NJ
Stuart Shapiro asks Julia Rubin, why New Jersey has long been considered one of the most politically corrupt states. She explains how a consistent pattern of high-profile cases have contributed to this perception, citing the influence of the state’s longtime political machines and the now-abolished “county line” primary ballot that heavily favored party-backed candidates as primary examples. She also walks us through how years of research, lawsuits, and the more recent Menendez scandal have culminated in a major reform that replaced the county line with fairer office-block ballots, leading to more competitive races, higher voter turnout, and a growing number of reform-minded legislators.
New 2024-2025 Health Administration Program Annual Report
Executive Director Soumitra Bhuyan, PhD, MPH released the Bloustein School’s Health Administration programs 2024-2025 annual report. Dr. Bhuyan highlights the successful launch of the new #DHA program and high enrollments in our #MHA and #HA programs this year.
Heldrich Center: Updated Multi-State Postsecondary Report Released
A new report for the New Jersey Statewide Data System, written by Ann Obadan, Ph.D., Research Project Manager at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, and Amarachi Chuka-Maduji, former Research Project Assistant at the Heldrich Center and currently at the Delaware Department of Labor, provides an overview of how states and scholars conceptualize the care economy.
Cantor, Yedidia Identify Strategies to Provide Health Care to Homeless
A study by Joel Cantor and Michael Yedidia published in The Milbank Quarterly found that partnerships between housing and health care organizations significantly improve services for people experiencing homelessness by making better use of limited resources. Through interviews with administrators and frontline providers in eight New Jersey programs, researchers identified strategies such as co-locating services, maintaining strong inter-organizational communication, and tailoring care to client needs.
“Work Trends RU” Podcast with Beth Simone Noveck, Ph.D.
Listen to the latest episode of the Heldrich Center’s Work Trends RU podcast, featuring featuring Aaron Fichtner, Ph.D., President of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges. Dr. Fichtner discusses the role New Jersey’s 18 community colleges play in expanding access to higher education, developing a skilled workforce, and meeting the evolving needs of students, employers, and local communities.
Prof. Andrews Interviewed About New Jersey’s Propane Emergency
“[It] can lead to frozen pipes, can lead to sick kids, it could lead to a whole variety of problems,” Prof. Andrews said.
He said that the whole situation underscores how problematic the use of propane can be.