Carol Kakalec Kohn Professor of Social Policy

News

Community water fluoridation has no negative impact on cognitive function, new study shows

Apr 21, 2026

New research from Pamela Herd, the Ford School's Carol Kakalec Kohn Professor of Social Policy, shows no negative relationship between community water fluoridation (CWF) and adolescent or adult cognitive function.

News

Service Design Weekend allows students to re-imagine government

Apr 8, 2026

Departments across campus came together on March 27 and 28 for an interdisciplinary weekend focused on public service design – how people, processes, and tools come together to deliver effective government services.

Conference attendees in the Great Hall talking

News

The effects of pausing SNAP benefits: U-M experts can comment

Oct 27, 2025

EXPERTS ADVISORY University of Michigan experts are available to discuss the impact of a potential halt in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding due to the federal government shutdown. A directive from the U.S. Department of Agriculture h...

News

Herd addresses barriers to health benefit access

Oct 27, 2025

Ford School Professor Pamela Herd addressed barriers to families accessing health benefits at a recent conference. Herd, the Carol Kakalec Kohn Professor of Social Policy, was speaking a forum organized by the Tax Policy Center, a collaboration betwe...

News

Better Government Lab to evaluate the effectiveness of social programs designed to Improve economic mobility

Aug 27, 2025

In August, Arnold Ventures awarded the Better Government Lab (BGL) an $800,000 grant to fund the completion of five studies that assess the causal effects of social policies meant to improve economic mobility in the United States. The project will be...

A composite image, comprising a photo of the US capitol dome, upside down at an angle, in front of a red textured background

News

Herd and Moynihan: Administrative burdens will cause low-income Americans to lose benefits

Jul 7, 2025

The "Big Beautiful Bill" passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump will cause low-income Americans to lose health coverage and government food assistance, mostly because of new administrative burdens put in place. Ford School ...

Headshots of Pamela Herd and Donald Moynihan

Making it hard: How administrative burdens affect inequality

Apr 13, 2026, 4:30-5:30 pm EDT

Weill Hall Annenberg Auditorium (1120)

Pamela Herd's Carol Kakalec Kohn Professorship of Social Policy lecture

Watch live from this page

Kohn Collaborative for Social Policy roundtable

Nov 11, 2025, 11:30 am-12:50 pm EST

Weill Hall O'Neill classroom (1230)

Join the Ford School’s Kohn Collaborative—our Kohn Professors and Kohn Scholars—for a roundtable conversation on shaping social policy for a thriving society. Explore bold ideas and insights from leading voices as they discuss what it takes to build communities where everyone can truly thrive.

Headshots of Luke Shaefer, Christina Weiland, Pamela Herd, and Samuel R. Bagenstos