Dan Honig discusses his book, Mission Driven Bureaucrats: "Imagine a world where government workers are not just faceless cogs in a vast bureaucratic machine but passionate individuals dedicated to making a real difference."
Politicians from across the aisle discuss cross-partisan collaboration and how it can play a vital role in promoting unity, understanding, and constructive dialogue, ultimately benefiting the public by facilitating more inclusive and effective governance.
Grammy-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis will take time from his performance schedule to share his insights into the relationship between art, culture, and public policy.
Join us for an event that’s more than just a celebration—it’s a call to action. In alignment with the University of Michigan’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Symposium's 2025 theme of "Restless Dissatisfaction: An Urgent Call for the Pursuit of Justice and Equality," we invite students, staff, faculty and the greater community to a powerful and inspiring gathering.
Harry A. and Margaret D. Towsley Foundation Lecture Series
The COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd rocked American cities in 2020. The mayors of Chicago and Seattle share their experiences and the lessons of governing during times of crisis.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will join the Ford School community for a conversation on the Biden-Harris Administration’s record in transportation and infrastructure.
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Policy Talks @ the Ford School,
Conversations Across Differences
Joan and Sanford Weill Hall
Annenberg Auditorium (1120)
In the year since the Hamas attack on Israel, the deadly conflict has widened into crises beyond Gaza -- in the West Bank, Lebanon, and Yemen. Two experts with long experience in Middle East policymaking return to the Ford School for a substantive policy conversation about the conflict and the broader implications for the region, and the ways in which U.S. policy and policymakers are acting and reacting to the crises. This event is open to Ford School students, faculty, and staff, and will be streamed live and on-demand.
Joan and Sanford Weill Hall, Annenberg Auditorium (Room 1120)
Former Ohio Governor John Kasich (R) and Montana Governor Steve Bullock (D) will address the threats to American democracy, and the need for civic discourse across party lines and around the country.
Joan and Sanford Weill Hall Annenberg Auditorium (1120)
Have a question for our panel? Submit your question at: https://myumi.ch/4rPZ4Two high-profile advocates from opposite ends of the political spectrum seek ways to connect and communicate about the most important issues facing the country.
A day-long "Conference on Electoral Mechanics, Processes, and Expectations for Fair and Credible Elections" presented by the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, the Ford School of Public Policy, the Carter Center, and More Perfect.
Joan and Sanford Weill Hall, Annenberg Auditorium (Room 1120)
In recent years, the process for securing elections has been called into question. So how do elections really work? What systems are in place to ensure open, fair voting for all?
Joan and Sanford Weill Hall, Annenberg Auditorium (Room 1120)
Join Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Ford School alumna, Stacy Dean, as she discusses her career and the challenges to improve nutrition for all Americans.
Joan and Sanford Weill Hall Annenberg Auditorium (1120)
Voting rights activist Stacey Abrams will address the challenges to American democracy, her work to guarantee voter access, and other civil rights battles facing the United States in 2024.
Democracy around the world is both robust -- two billion people will be able to cast a ballot in 2924 -- and fragile, as threats to the voting process, to the structures of democratic society, and to the voters themselves afflict many nations.
In this session, five successful academicians from a variety of disciplines will discuss their work and perspectives regarding racial justice and public policy.
Joan and Sanford Weill Hall
Annenberg Auditorium (1120)
This session will examine innovative policies that promote direct cash transfers and tax credits to low-income families, new mothers, and other sectors of society.
Joan and Sanford Weill Hall Annenberg Auditorium (1120)
Cecilia Muñoz will reflect on her long career in social activism and policymaking, and on the challenges the U.S. continues to face regarding immigration and refugee affairs, social inclusion, and the role of public interest technology.
Joan and Sanford Weill Hall
Annenberg Auditorium (1120)
The opening session of the inaugural Dean's Symposium -- Policy Innovations for Today -- with a welcome from Dean Celeste Watkins-Hayes and a keynote address from Cecilia Munoz, national public policy leader and former director of the White House Domestic Policy Council.
Joan and Sanford Weill Hall Annenberg Auditorium (1120)
Federal Reserve Bank Vice Chair for Supervision Michael S. Barr, former dean of the Ford School, will discuss the workings of the Fed, his work on banking reform, and the lessons of leadership he has learned in his career in and out of government service.
This month's Food for Thought will be held on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. Associate dean Jeff Morenoff will host a panel with staff from the Prison Creative Arts Project to discuss Unpacking Justice, Policy, and Artistic Advocacy.Please join us to share your thoughts and learn more! Pizza will be provided on a first-come first-served basis.
Meet Mark Jacobson, a seasoned veteran who has made significant contributions to NATO, the Senate Committee on Armed Services, and held key roles at the Department of Defense. Mark's journey spans academia and military service.
Our Food for Thought series is returning this Wednesday, January 31 from 11:30-12:50 in the Annenberg Auditorium. Our discussion topic will be “The Vital Role of Students in the Presidential Election,” and we will be joined by a panel that includes Abdul El-Sayed, Rusty Hills, Landon Myers, Erica Reilly, and Naomi Garcia.
Food for thought attendance is limited to Ford School students, faculty, and staff. Pizza will be provided on a first-come first-serve basis.
Join us for our Fall 2023 Democracy in Crisis event, a conversation with Jake Tapper, CNN anchor and chief Washington correspondent, and Lynette Clemetson, Director of Wallace House Center for Journalists. Their wide-ranging discussion will cover the state of democracy and the role and responsibility of the press in a democratic society, as well as how Tapper’s experience of being an anchor and correspondent informs his craft of writing fiction.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer will visit campus for a special event alongside CNN Anchor Chris Wallace as part of an ongoing partnership between the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, Wallace House Center for Journalists, and U-M Democracy & Debate. The hour-long fireside chat between Governor Whitmer and Wallace will focus on politics, public service, and the media.
Join the Center for Racial Justice for a workshop on changemaking from the inside with Gabrielle Wyatt, part of our Racial Justice in Practice workshop series. Open to U-M students, faculty, staff, and community partners. In this virtual workshop, we will collectively visit frameworks and strategies for affecting change as institutional insiders. Specifically, we will discuss strategies for building and sustaining multi-generational change by exploring power, structural change, and leadership.
University of Michigan Martin Luther King, Jr. Symposium
Wallace House Presents journalist and educator Jelani Cobb, in conversation with Ford School Dean Celeste Watkins-Hayes to look at the historic challenges to democracy that centered around race, the impact of the media, and how this frames and informs the current moment.
Join XBRL US for a session to explore government data standards, find out how governments can create their own machine-readable financial statements, and discover what impact this legislation could have on government entities. Most importantly, discover how machine-readable data standards can benefit state and local government entities by reducing costs and increasing access to time-sensitive information for policy making.
The Center for Racial Justice proudly welcomes Angela Harrelson to the Ford School and the University of Michigan for the Masterclass in Activism. Angela Harrelson is the aunt of George Floyd, as well as the author of Lift Your Voice.
Join us for a conversation hosted at the Ford School by The Carter Center and the Gerald R. Ford Foundation that tackles how to buttress voter confidence in our democracy. Former Michigan U.S. Representatives Andy Levin (D-MI) and Peter Meijer (R-MI) and Amb (ret) Susan D. Page, Michigan Law and Ford School professor from practice and Carter Center trustee, will explore the bipartisan challenge of restoring faith in our democratic systems and highlight ways individuals can be part of the solution as we work together to uphold the standards of our democracy.
