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California’s recent prison reforms require housing solutions

Michelle R. Matisons Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

Criminalization of homeless and undocumented populations in California is integral to the state’s mass incarceration policies, which produced privatization as an initial solution to overcrowding. The state has been attempting its own carceral cleanup, as the Legislature recently passed AB 32, which bans new and renewed private correctional and detention facilities contracts by 2020 and seeks zero inmate presence in private facilities by 2028. A uniquely Californian hand-wringing reluctance accompanies prison privatization efforts.

Why color blindness is not a compliment

Simma Lieberman Business Management, Services & Risk Management

In the 1950s, it was common to hear the term "melting pot," which meant all cultures and people melting together. That concept resulted in exclusion, inequality, undue pressure to give up identity, and hampered the expression of new ideas. Today, instead of "melting pot," we think "salad," where different ingredients with their own flavors, colors and textures offer a new experience that’s even better. In our communities and in the organizations where we work, recognizing and leveraging those differences can result in breakthrough products and services that meet the diverse needs of a global population.

Supporting educators transitioning to a competency-based learning system

Brian Stack Education

In a recent article, I reported on how competency-based learning (CBL) systems continue to take hold across the nation. According to the International Association of Online K-12 Learning (iNACOL), 49 out of 50 states currently have policy language in place to support CBL systems in schools and school districts. Competency-based learning is sometimes referred to as mastery learning, proficiency-based learning, and, to a lesser degree, standards-based learning. It is part of a larger movement known as personalized learning, a philosophy that puts students at the center of their learning and encourages schools to identify multiple pathways for student learning and achievement.

Loyalty is a 2-way street

Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk Management

I often hear business owners and corporation executives bemoan the lack of loyalty among their underlings. They complain about staff turnover and how staff will move to another company at the drop of a hat, their employees’ willingness to publicly disparage the company they work for, and their eagerness to discourage others from joining the company by openly sharing the "dirty laundry." If you can find another person to hire in this person's place, then that’s a smart, no-brainer business solution. Right? But take another look: loyalty is a two-way street.

Which states offer the best public educations?

Bambi Majumdar Education

Public education encompasses the bulk of the education system in the U.S. It is controlled and funded at three levels — local, state, and federal. Funding, school curricula, educational standards, teaching, standardized testing decisions, and other policies differ from one state to the other. Naturally, their performances vary as well. U.S. News & World Report and World Population Review recently released their separate state education rankings. Massachusetts and New Jersey ranked first and second, respectively, on both lists.

View from Europe: HVAC and Brexit

Andrew Gaved Manufacturing

As U.S. readers are no doubt aware, the U.K. is still in the throes of trying to leave the European Union, a process we now universally describe in a single word: Brexit. It is not my place here to go into the political machinations that have been going on for the last three years as the country has attempted to negotiate a legal exit from the EU. My purpose, instead, is to report on the challenges that the HVAC industry faces because of the threat of Brexit. What the industry fears is the prospect of a no-deal Brexit.

Is the investment industry beginning to change?

Patrick Gleeson Business Management, Services & Risk Management

One of the shocking things I learned about the personal investment industry during the years I worked as a Registered Investment Advisor was how often even the most reputable stockbrokers acted against their clients’ best interests. Recent suits against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) may change all this — but this remains to be seen. The industry has successfully fought off attempts at real reform for decades.

The most important job of a leader

Roberta Matuson Business Management, Services & Risk Management

What do you think the most important job of a leader is? Is it to motivate the team to achieve departmental business objectives? Engage employees to ensure they are highly productive? Drive home business results? While thoseare essential, none are the most important job of a leader. Why? Because a leader cannot accomplish any of this without the right people on his or her team. Therefore, the most critical job of a leader is to hire the right people.

What you should know about Texas’ newest gun laws

John McAdams Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

Sept. 1 was the effective date for most of the new pieces of legislation passed by the Texas Legislature in its most recent session. Among other changes, hunters no longer need to possess a valid hunting license to shoot feral hogs on private property with landowner permission. But there are also several new gun laws that just went into effect that you need to be aware of. These include House Bill 1143, which allows people with a valid License to Carry a Handgun (LTC) to store a firearm or ammunition in their vehicle on school grounds.

Community revitalization: 10 tips to get people to come downtown

Terri Williams Civil & Government

The heart of any city or town is its downtown area. While the lure of the suburbs has seduced many to put down roots in the outlying areas, there are ways to coax residents back to the city — if not permanently, then at least for shopping, eating, and entertainment. Once they’ve experienced a fun, walkable downtown, they’re more likely to want to live there. But how can you get people to come downtown? Programming. "Essentially, programming means creating activities that drive people downtown," explains Quint Studer, a community revitalization expert.

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