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Published August 26, 2020

Did you know that scores of Rutgers experts appear in the media every day, providing fresh perspective on healthcare, politics, and countless other areas of public concern? Below are examples from the past few days:

Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway is praising legislation signed by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy that changes the term “chosen freeholder” to “county commissioner.” “This is not about the people who serve as Freeholders, but rather the title,” Holloway told New Jersey Business Magazine. “The title Freeholder has a legacy that grows out of denying people access and the right to have a voice. Our present day should simply not look like that.”

njbmagazine.com | Murphy Signs Legislation to Eliminate the Title of ‘Freeholder’ from Public Office

Helpful Bacteria

“Predatory bacteria” may sound like something out of a horror movie, but the microscopic scavengers could help humans win the war against germs, according to a story in The New York Times. Daniel Kadouri, a microbiologist at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine who has been studying the bacteria since 2003, calls them “very efficient killing machines. The first time I saw them, I thought, ‘These are the sexiest organisms I have ever seen.’”

The New York Times | How Bacteria-Eating Bacteria Could Help Win the War Against Germs

Mail-In Ballots

Penny Venetis, a Rutgers Law School professor and director of the International Human Rights Clinic, writes for The Conversation about judicial decisions in lawsuits over mail-in ballots. “In all of these lawsuits, Republicans argue that voting by mail perpetuates fraud,” says Venetis. “Yet, study after study has shown that there is no basis for these claims. Indeed, the opposite is true.” Describing several court rulings that have “adopted the unsubstantiated fraud assertions,” Venetis says the result is that “Americans [have] had to vote in person during the global pandemic, risking their lives.”

The Conversation | Mail-in voting does not cause fraud, but judges are buying the GOP’s argument that it does

19th Amendment Irony

How long will it take the United States to have a government that truly reflects gender equity? A Washington Post op-ed on the issue quotes Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics. A century after the passage of the 19th Amendment, says Walsh, “we are still living in a situation where women make up less than 25 percent of members of Congress.” The article cites CAWP data showing low percentages of female representation in the House and Senate and in state and local government roles, further highlighting the dramatic change needed to reach parity.

The Washington Post | What will it take to achieve gender equality in American politics?

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