Message from the Dean

The nation's 250th anniversary this summer invited us to reflect on how much has changed and to look ahead at the choices shaping our future. That forward-looking perspective feels especially important as emerging technologies are rapidly reshaping how we learn, work, govern, and connect. 

Yet the most important questions they raise are deeply familiar: Who makes the rules? Who benefits? Who bears the burdens? And what makes the tools institutions use worthy of public trust?

In conversations with many of you, I have heard these questions raised with urgency, curiosity, and a shared commitment to the public good. That same spirit guides this year's fall and spring editions of State & Hill, as we explore how the Ford School community is helping public institutions navigate emerging technologies, changing expectations, and complex policy choices. 

Read the dean's message

What does the evidence say about school cellphone bans?

New laws across the U.S. tell school districts to restrict phones in class, but not how. Some are adopting all-day restrictions. Others are limiting phones during class time or asking districts to create local guidelines. 

Education economist Brian Jacob is examining the issue in two studies—nationally and in Michigan—with partners from the U-M School of Public Health, the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, and universities across the United States.

Read how researchers are helping schools navigate cell phone bans

Happening at the Ford School