News List
Senior Health Fellow Muñiz Announces Retirement from Parker Health
Parker Health Group, Inc., a nationally recognized leader in aging services, recently announced that President and CEO Roberto Muñiz, a Senior Health Fellow and Instructor at the Bloustein School, will retire by the end of 2026 after nearly 28 years of visionary leadership.
The Best Tactics for Tackling Speeders
. A recent paper by Kelcie Ralph, a transportation researcher at Rutgers University, concluded that most people mistakenly see speeding as much less dangerous than driving drunk or distracted.
Grafova and Williams Examine Medical Debt in New Study
In this analytic sample, 4.4 % of households experienced the onset of low or medium medical debt, and 1.2 % experienced the onset of high medical debt between the 2019 and 2020 waves of the PSID.
Samuel Quoted in AI Lawsuit Against Student
It’s essential to avoid false accusations, said Jim Samuel, executive director of the Informatics Program at Rutgers University, where he does research on AI.
AI in Your Municipality: Implementation and Govenance
ICMA’s February 2026 Public Management magazine ran an AI-themed issue featuring Bloustein School senior policy fellow Marc Pfeiffer on the cover. Marc’s article, “AI in Your Municipality: Implementation and Governance”, was written with acknowledged assistance from an AI Chatbot.
A zombie mall is gasping in North Jersey, hit by a ‘perfect storm’
Urban centers like Newark and Jersey City, as well as downtowns like Ridgewood and Westfield, rebounded in the past decade and drew back dollars that had gone to malls, Hughes said.
By themselves, any one of those factors could have caused malls to struggle, other than the top-tier ones in New Jersey like Garden State Plaza and American Dream…
“Sort of the perfect storm hit,” Hughes said of Livingston Mall.
Peck, Co-Authors Evaluate Studies Designed to Detect Earnings Impact
This article reports empirical evidence to support the design of evaluations that estimate the impacts of programs that provide postsecondary credentials and/or job training on earnings.
New Jersey Target Zero Commission Adopts Action Plan
On Monday, December 15, 2025, the New Jersey Target Zero Commission officially adopted the first New Jersey Target Zero Action Plan, reaching a major milestone in the State’s goal to eliminate all roadway fatalities and serious injuries in the state by 2040. The New Jersey Target Zero Action Plan is now publicly accessible via the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Target Zero Webpage.
Translation as Access: Meet Kenia Gonzalez
Little Rock Merchants Praise ‘road diet’ Revamps for Managing Traffic Flow
Road diets in Little Rock, Arkansas, have helped calm traffic, improve pedestrian and cyclist safety, and support neighborhood revitalization without causing major traffic problems. Robert Noland, Rutgers professor and director of the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center, explains that many of the four-lane roads previously built are high speed and very dangerous, and a road diet “means you can actually improve things by reducing the amount of pavement.”
President Trump’s Housing Proposals: What They Really Mean for New Jersey Homebuyers and Sellers
The author cites a recent report from the New Jersey State Policy Lab, Trends in Investor Acquisition of Residential Properties in New Jersey, which highlights that while investor activity impacts affordability and inventory, large investors are not the primary reason homes are expensive.
Kevin Dehmer to Serve as State’s Chief Technology Officer
Governor Mikie Sherrill announced Kevin Dehmer as her pick to be the state’s next Chief Technology Officer, overseeing the New Jersey Office of Information Technology. As Chief Technology Officer, Dehmer will advance the modernization of New Jersey’s digital infrastructure, improve the efficiency and transparency of the state permitting process, adopt technologies to clear licensure backlogs and reduce wait times, and strengthen our cybersecurity capabilities against AI-driven challenges to position New Jersey for long-term success.
Nicholas Longo Named Director, Rutgers Democracy Lab
Rutgers–New Brunswick Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Jason Geary announced that Dr. Nicholas V. Longo has been appointed the inaugural director of the Rutgers Democracy Lab, effective Feburary 1. He will also be a professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.
Studio: A Framework for Community Benefits Agreements
The Fall 2025 Studio prepared frameworks for community engagement and Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs). Now, it is time to strategize how Dayton and the Airport City Newark Coalition can utilize CBAs in negotiations with future developers. By doing so, the ACNC can ensure that new projects deliver meaningful and equitable benefits to local residents.
Could 17-year-old voters swing a congressional seat in NJ? Here’s how
“New Jersey is a state whose politics are controlled by political machines, and they like to know who’s going to vote,” Julia Sass Rubin said. “And the primary is the most important election in New Jersey, because we don’t have very competitive general elections for the most part.”
VTC Research Featured at 2026 TRB
Convened by the Transportation Research Board (TRB), the 2026 TRB Annual Meeting was held January 11–15, 2026, in Washington, D.C., at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and the Marriott Marquis. The Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center participated in the meeting, presenting research on pedestrian safety, travel behavior, and access to public transportation.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill criticizes Trump over the possible suspension of the Hudson River rail tunnel project
“The Northeast region’s economy is really dependent on the Northeast corridor, particularly linking Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston,” Hughes said. “Once you stop a project it’s very difficult to start again.”
NJ’s employment, economic numbers look bad. Can Sherrill fix that?
“I would not be surprised to see other states start to experience rapid increases as employment growth nationally continues to slow and/or decline,” Irving said in an email.
Heldrich Center: Report on Intersection of Behavioral Science & Admin Burden
The Heldrich Center for Workforce Development has announced the release of a new Multi-State Teacher Workforce Report, designed to provide a comprehensive, data-driven view of the educator pipeline from preparation and certification to placement, retention, and mobility
Railway Crossing Safety for Cyclists and Pedestrians
There are over 3,400 miles of railroad tracks in New Jersey, and almost 44% of schools in the state are located within a half-mile of an active freight or passenger rail.
Armstrong Featured in Notre Dame Lawyer Magazine
Payne on Corporate Landlords in Urban Neighborhoods, Jersey Shore
Using parcel-level property tax data, we tracked changes in ownership from 2012 to 2022 to understand where corporate landlords are active, how they are acquiring properties, and what this might mean for housing access and stability.
Are corporate buyers hogging single-family homes in Harris County? Here’s what the data shows.
Institutional investors often purchase properties using LLCs and other entities with a different name, so properties were connected to the nine companies using a list of keywords compiled by Rutgers University assistant professor Eric Seymour. In all, 370 unique property owner names listed in Harris County records were linked to the nine firms.
We’re Hiring: Asst/Assoc. Prof of Teaching, Health Administration
The Bloustein School invites applications for a full-time, non-tenure-track teaching position in Health Administration, with appointments expected to begin July 2026. This is a multi-year teaching appointment.
New Jersey finalizes higher elevation standards for the shore
Barr said these estimates take into account factors including the expanding volume of ocean water as it warms and melting of ice. They also incorporate the sinking of New Jersey’s land due to a glacial ice sheet retreating during the last ice age, groundwater pumping and changes in winds and currents.
Older New Jersey residents say cost of living, taxes among challenges for aging in New Jersey
“A projected tipping point is less than a decade away, when residents over the age of 65 are expected to outnumber the number of students in our classrooms,” the report’s summary said.
Report: Economic Challenges for Older New Jersey Residents
According to the NJAAW survey, 53% of respondents reported finances as a top concern, and only 38% felt they had saved enough for retirement. Additionally, survey respondents indicated that housing costs were another top concern, with 42% reporting that house upkeep is a financial struggle.
NJSPL: Electricity Bills and AI Data Centers
Considering the impact of AI on electricity bills, data centers in the Northeast could be part of the problem.
Stamato Commentary: As libraries struggle elsewhere, Morristown’s continues to grow
My favorite statistic is this one: The library signed up 10,000 new library cards since 2020. There are now 23,120 cardholders — and securing a card is often one of the first things new residents do.
Circulation growth continues for both printed books and electronic ones, and overall use of the physical space keeps pace with that growth.
Sherrill keeps her promise to take action against N.J.’s soaring electric rates. But is it enough?
New Jersey’s energy infrastructure has essentially been underdeveloped for years, observed Clinton J. Andrews, director of the Center for Urban Policy Research at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy at Rutgers. That shortage of capacity is a big reason why New Jersey utility customers “are being hit with these crazy cost spikes.
In a State Notorious for Scandal, Corruption Fighters Are Targeted
“It was an earthquake that definitely left cracks in the wall,” said Julia Sass Rubin, an associate dean at Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. “But the wall is still there, for now.”
What to know as more NJ workers can benefit from paid family leave
“The enrollment of paid family leave is increasing for both fathers and mothers, and parents are more likely to take paid family leave when a mandatory paid family leave policy is available,” reads an October 2025 report by Andrea Hall and Slawa Rokicki, two researchers at the New Jersey State Policy Lab at Rutgers University.
Andrea Hetling Appointed to APPAM Governing Board
Congratulations to Andrea Hetling, Ph.D., on her appointment to the Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management (APPAM) Policy Council, the organization’s governing board. In this role, Dr. Hetling will help shape APPAM’s strategic direction and policy priorities.
Sommer & Soliman On BINJE’s Power Players List
Business in New Jersey Everyday (BINJE) honored CEOs and executive directors, managing partners and principals – those who are in charge in every sector in every corner of the state. Two Bloustein School affiliates made the list for 2026
These towns have highest average property tax in Bergen, Passaic
Many towns with higher property taxes lack other revenue sources, such as businesses or corporate headquarters, said Marc Pfeiffer, a senior policy fellow at Rutgers University’s Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, who studies local government in New Jersey.
The Paperwork Reduction Act Doesn’t Reduce Paperwork
In the 30 years since the last revision of the PRA, it has arguably failed to reduce burden (indeed, burden has increased in that time!). The PRA’s failure in turn threatens the success of the government initiatives subjected to the process.
New CUPR Report: Modern Rate Design in the Northeast
With many competing policy priorities, evolution of technology, and affordability concerns, now is the time for regulators and utilities to modernize rates and ensure customers’ bills reflect the true costs of the energy system and provide incentives to lower consumption as well as reduce peak demand
North Jersey inflation rose 3.4% in 2025. How it compares to nation
“Things are definitely cooling,” said Will Irving, a professor at the New Jersey State Policy Lab at Rutgers University.
“A lot of tariff uncertainty likely contributed to slow hiring in 2025 even as the lower-than-originally-announced tariff levels took less of a bite out of economic growth than many expected,” he said.
Alums Contribute to DEP’s Brownfield Success StoryMap
Bloustein School Alums Josephine (O’Grady) Michener (MPP ’25) and Doug Leung (MCRP ’24) worked with New Jersey Department of DEP staff on a ARCGIS StoryMap highlighting key programs including the Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund Program, Brownfield Development Area Program, and Landfill Development Program.
Marc Pfeiffer to Chair Jersey City’s Budget Advisory Committee
In a recent press release from Mayor-Elect James Solomon of Jersey City, Marc Pfeiffer, Senior Policy Fellow and Assistant Director of CUPR, was listed as the Chair of the Budget Advisory Committee.
Heldrich Center: New Multi-State Teacher Workforce Report
The Heldrich Center for Workforce Development has announced the release of a new Multi-State Teacher Workforce Report, designed to provide a comprehensive, data-driven view of the educator pipeline from preparation and certification to placement, retention, and mobility
Jeremy Zorek (PPP ’25) Bids MetroCard Farewell (NYT)
Bloustein School alum Jeremy Zorek (PPP’25) was recently featured in the New York Times as part of a transit challenge to ride every system that still accepts the MetroCard before the iconic fare card fades into history.
Trump Plans to Ban Big Investors From Buying Houses. Will That Lower Prices?
The largest corporate owners are at saturation,” says Eric Seymour, a Rutgers associate professor who studies private equity in the housing market. “Some of the largest actors, like Invitation Homes and Blackstone, grew to scale in the aftermath of the foreclosure crisis when they are able to buy large numbers of homes at low costs. That window has closed.”
VTC and CUPR Compile NJ Infrastructure Needs Assessment
With the release of New Jersey’s preliminary State Development and Redevelopment Plan, researchers from CUPR and VTC updated the state’s long-required Infrastructure Needs Assessment. The assessment examines long-term infrastructure needs across sectors like water, transportation, flood protection, and more, drawing on federal, state, and local data. Its goal is to support smarter, coordinated, and long-term capital planning that protects public health, safety, and supports sustainable development statewide.
Should You Pay for Help With Your Job Search?
Carl Van Horn, a Rutgers University professor of public policy specializing in the American labor market, advises older job seekers to steer clear of paid services. “I would say to rely upon friends and colleagues and associates that you’ve known over the years,” he says.
NJ unemployment rate hits 4-year high amid cooling job market
“Things are definitely cooling,” said Will Irving, a professor at the New Jersey State Policy Lab at Rutgers University.
“A lot of tariff uncertainty likely contributed to slow hiring in 2025 even as the lower-than-originally-announced tariff levels took less of a bite out of economic growth than many expected,” he said.
Pallavi Shinde (MCRP ’12) Featured in Planning Magazine
Pallavi Shinde (MCRP ’12), Planning and Zoning Director for the Newark, is featured on the cover of Planning Magazine (American Planning Association), Winter 2026 edition. The cover story highlights Newark’s leadership in adaptive reuse, showcasing how underutilized office and historic commercial buildings are being transformed into much-needed housing and vibrant mixed-use spaces downtown.
Announcing the Passing of Donald Sutton
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.
TECH UPDATES: Essential Technology Questions (and Answers) for Decision-Makers, Part 2
Marc Pfeiffer addresses questions that elected and appointed officials may have about technology and its impact on their agencies.
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.
HMN 2025: What are the promising strategies for providing health care to homeless people
“Health care providers are used to dealing with people who are deeply focused on their health, and that’s not always the case with the unhoused,” Cantor said. “If I don’t have a place to sleep or enough to eat, how can I possibly think about seeing a doctor?”
Still, Cantor said effective collaboration could help organizations stretch limited resources and meet patients where they are.
As he put it, such partnerships are not only necessary, but increasingly essential as “money is going to get tighter everywhere.”
New Jersey’s business outlook for 2026: What you need to know
“New Jersey has a tough road ahead of it,” Hughes said. “It took a long time for us to move into that negative business position, so I think the road out is going to be long as well.”
Corporations are buying more homes in NJ, what that means to families
The largest corporate owners are at saturation,” says Eric Seymour, a Rutgers associate professor who studies private equity in the housing market. “Some of the largest actors, like Invitation Homes and Blackstone, grew to scale in the aftermath of the foreclosure crisis when they are able to buy large numbers of homes at low costs. That window has closed.”
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.
Montclair PILOT ‘Sharing’ Measure Won’t Fly – But Town Considering Other Options
The inequitable sharing, Pfeiffer said, has a long history that favors municipal governments. This is because when initially established by the legislature, PILOTs were only available to Urban Aid municipalities, which would typically correspond with the list of then Abbott districts, where the state covered greater portions of school costs.
The Peak of Trump’s Fact-Free Vendetta Against Regulation
As economists got better at measuring the benefits of regulation,” Stuart Shapiro, a onetime OIRA analyst and now professor of public policy at Rutgers, observes in The Regulatory Review, “benefit-cost analysis began to be seen as a tool that supported more stringent regulation of the economy.”
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.
Stagnating national jobs market raises economic concerns
Irving said he’ll be tracking jobs numbers closely in coming months. New Jersey’s unemployment rate is 5.2% — that’s higher than the national rate — and Irving noted the state has in recent years been a bellwether for what is coming to the rest of America.
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.
NJ Job Losses Reach 16K For 2025; What Does 2026 Hold?
“We may start seeing signs of a recession, but that doesn’t mean we’re in a recession,” he told NJ101.5. “The economy is constantly flowing, changing. I don’t see us at the moment being in recession. But there clearly is potential for that.”
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.
Why your mom’s weekly trip to Boscov’s may be saving N.J.’s struggling malls
For young people at the time, malls weren’t just retail spaces but social hubs. Baby boomers treated mall trips as scheduled weekend activities, using malls to discover new styles, browse new merchandise and hang out with friends, according to James W. Hughes, a Rutgers University economist and professor.
Pfeiffer Ranks on List for Local Political Influence (Daily Targum)
“At the end of the day, (the) government has to make decisions. Some people are going to like it. Some people aren’t. It’s the nature of the beast,” Pfeiffer said.
NJSPL Report: Investor Acquisition of Residential Properties
Corporate ownership of single-family homes and other small residential properties has drawn growing concern from housing advocates and policymakers in New Jersey and nationally. Between 2012 and 2022, corporate ownership of 1–4-unit residential properties more than doubled in the Garden State.
Could layoffs in NJ preview a recession for 2026?
“Things have been tepid for quite a while,” he said, “but this notion that we may be coming toward a recession? We’re looking at sort of middle of next year — at least a recession as you might want to define it at the state level, where we start to see significant job declines.” said Will Irving.
Dean Shapiro: Another Blow to Regulatory Benefit-Cost Analysis
Stuart Shapiro argues that the Trump Administration’s new OIRA memo accelerates deregulation by sidelining rigorous benefit-cost analysis and elevating presidential preferences over economic evidence. He concludes that formally directing agencies to ignore analysis in key situations may signal the end of a decades-long norm that regulatory decisions should be grounded in objective economic evaluation.
Using Counter-Mapping to Promote Resilience in Urban Planning
Counter-mapping is discussed as an important tool for community-driven urban planning and urban design that leverages the preservation of local knowledge and cultural heritage, and challenges the hegemony of design promoted by platform urbanism
Pfeiffer Op-Ed: Governor-elect, we’ve done this before
Dear Gov.-Elect Sherrill: Congratulations! You are now in the public management business. Having spent many years working in New Jersey’s public management arena, I would like to share some key concepts for you, incoming chief of operations Kelly Doucette, and the rest of your team to consider.
Civic Engagement in an Era of Artificial Intelligence
This talk draws on Dr. Renee Sieber’s research at the intersection of tech and civic engagement.
Ceu Cirne-Neves, MPA, FACHE Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
The Bloustein School is proud to share that colleague Céu Cirne-Neves, MPA, FACHE has been honored with the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from the American College of Healthcare Executives New Jersey Chapter (ACHE-NJ). The award was presented at the chapter’s Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony on December 4, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick.
Stamato Commentary: N.J. GOP foes of Obamacare are pushing to save it? What’s up with that?
Healthcare-related challenges, on several fronts, are putting families in crisis. And, the Republican-dominated Congress, well, it’s having little, if anything to say but, for those who face re-election, saying what may be needed to stay seated.
Pfeiffer Opinion: N.J.’s public media lifeline is about to snap — will Murphy and Sherrill let it?
Marc Pfeiffer Opinion: We need an independent assessment of available resources to inform how we deliver public media services most effectively.
NJSPL: The Healthcare Affordability Crisis in NJ and Nationally
Nationally, and in New Jersey, healthcare spending accounts for 1 in 5 dollars of gross domestic product, with hospital care representing the largest category of healthcare spending. In order to address this ongoing affordability crisis, researchers recommend that the incoming gubernatorial administration continue to build on the work of the New Jersey Health Care Afforability, Responsibility, and Transparency (HART) Program.
Charter schools proposed as solution to New Jersey’s segregation crisis
Expect “huge political pushback,” says Rutgers education policy expert Julia Sass Rubin, who co-founded a grassroots group that opposes the expansion of charter schools without approval from the local school board and voters. Former Republican Gov. Chris Christie expanded charters dramatically in Newark and Camden but was blocked from a similar push in the suburbs.
Wolff and Lewis Pen Chapter on PSD and Trauma-Informed Care
This chapter provides a blueprint that recognizes the reluctance of the correctional system to address trauma, the lack of funding and staffing expertise to support and sustain a therapeutically sensible response to trauma, and the superseding public health imperative to treat and rehabilitate trauma in cost-effective ways.
EJB Talks: Alumnus Helps Rethink Jersey City’s Public Spaces
Dean Stuart Shapiro talks to alumnus Barkha Patel, MCRP ’15 this week on EJB Talks. She reflects on how the planning school fundamentals and communication skills she learned still form the basis for her work, and concludes with encouraging emerging planners to adopt an action-oriented mindset by becoming a person who figures things out and gets things done, even when they feel out of their depth.
New work requirements for SNAP recipients take effect
“Many individuals would prefer to be working,” Hetling said in an interview with NJ Spotlight News. “Often they’re experiencing some type of challenge, whether that’s kind of a long-lived or a short-lived one, that prevents them from fully engaging in the labor market right now.”
NJSPL Report: Equity Initiatives in the United States
In New Jersey, the state government proactively advances equity through the Office of Equity within the Office of the Governor, as well as through various programs and budget initiatives intended to support New Jerseyans. To enhance these efforts, researchers recommend incorporating equity measures into department/agency performance assessments to ensure equity is engrained within the ongoing routines of the government.
TECH UPDATES: Essential Technology Questions (and Answers) for Decision-Makers
Marc Pfeiffer discusses practical technology guidance to improve digital services, manage IT infrastructure, comply with regulations, and adopt emerging technologies responsibly.
Decision on major contract for Route 17 project shrouded in mystery
“We are a political machine state. Our citizens pay a corruption tax because when there is a lack of transparency and accountability it encourages, it opens the path to potential corruption and that is expensive for people,” Sass Rubin said.
Adrian Ponichtera is recipient of Ververides Scholarship
Adrian Ponichtera (MCRP ’26) is the recipient of the New Jersey County Planners Association’s George Ververides Honorary Scholarship. The scholarship is open to New Jersey residents entering their third or fourth year of undergraduate study or advanced degrees at a New Jersey institution of higher learning, with a major in City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning, or a planning-related field with a plan to pursue professional planning as a career.
Bhuyan & Broom Publish New Healthcare Management Textbook
Soumitra Bhuyan, Executive Director of Health Administration Programs and Associate Professor at Rutgers University-New Brunswick’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, is the co-author of a new textbook Fundamentals of Healthcare Management: Theory and Practice.
BEAT Students Participate in PATH Track Tunnel Tour
Graduate and undergraduate students who are part of the student group Bloustein Enthusiasts and Advocates for Transportation (BEAT) took part in an exclusive after-hours PATH (Port Authority Trans-Hudson) tour on Thursday, November 20 through Friday, November 21.
Marc Pfeiffer Ranked 47 in Insider NJ’s Top 100 Power List
Marc Pfeiffer was ranked #47 and Policy Fellow Bob Gordon was ranked #94 in the Insider 100 Power List for 2025. The InsiderNJ.com list reflects the backbone of government and political power in the state of New Jersey, minus judges, former governors, and current elected officials.
Van Horn, Foglio MCRP ’86 Named to Gov-Elect’s Transition Actions Team
Carl Van Horn, Distinguished Professor of Public Policy at the Bloustein School and Director of the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development and Christiana R. Foglio, MCRP ’86, Founder & CEO of Community Investment Strategies, Inc. were named to two of governor-elect Sherrill’s transition teams.
The Rise and Fall of the H-1B Visa
Alum Austin Lee MCRP ’10 Publishes New Memoir
Austin Lee MCRP ’10 recently self-published Attraversare: The Travels of Life, a deeply personal, immediate, and honest memoir. It captures a period of upheaval and transition through moments of grief, uncertainty, and change, as well as those minor, stubborn victories that keep life moving forward.
Alum Renée Sieber, Ph.D. ’97 to Present Meck Memorial Lecture
“Work Trends RU” Podcast with Aaron Fichtner, 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.
Dr. O’Brien-Richardson Wins Cultural Impact and Empowerment Award
The Trauma Recovery and Prevention Alliance held their 1st Annual “Unmask the Silence” Fundraising Masquerade Gala at the end of October to pay tribute to those who turn pain into purpose and advocacy into action. This year’s award recipients included Dr. Patti O’Brien-Richardson, selected for her passionate advocacy in health equity, women’s empowerment, and cultural wellness, inspiring others to live with intention and purpose.
EJB Talks: Uncovering Inequality Through Design
Assistant Professor Carmelo Ignaccolo explains how, in both his research and teaching, he has focused on how design has had the power to shape inequality over time, showing how decisions such as highway placement or waterfront redevelopment leave long-lasting impacts on communities.
New Jersey is Now in a Recession and it May Get Worse, Moody’s Analyst Says
“We may start seeing signs of a recession, but that doesn’t mean we’re in a recession. The economy is constantly flowing, changing. I don’t see us at the moment being in recession. But there clearly is potential for that,” Pfeiffer said.
Report: New Jersey’s Rising Seas and Changing Coastal Storms
The STAP was charged with identifying, evaluating, and summarizing the most current science on sea-level change (i.e., historic sea-level rise and projections of future sea-level rise) and changing coastal storms. The 17 expert members of the STAP convened between November 2024 and September 2025 to draft this report and revise it in response to independent review by four peer experts and feedback on its usability from a panel of practitioners.
Stamato Commentary: Smart Governing in a Divided StateSmart Governing in a Divided State
Process matters. And the results produced are more likely to attract the support and the investment that are needed to carry the best ideas forward when those who are asked, or volunteer to participate, trust the process. The governor has her work cut out for her. And so do we.
Does America Have a Talent Shortage?
Hal Salzman, an expert in workforce development at Rutgers University, said he found Trump’s statements “puzzling” given his administration’s efforts to make temporary visas for both workers and students more exclusive, but said there was “no evidence of a talent shortage” in the U.S.
Ralph: Public Support for Automated Speed Enforcement
A survey experiment reveals that a brief safety message increases support among those who initially underestimated the dangers of speed. Scholars should employ relative scales and practitioners should emphasize the risks of speed.