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Public Administration and International Affairs Department News, Media Commentary and Research

Maxwell Experts Unpack the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’

A recent State of Democracy lecture offered varying perspectives from Maxwell faculty members Brynt Parmeter, Leonard Burman and Colleen Heflin in a discussion led by Chris Faricy, director of the Campbell Public Affairs Institute.

November 13, 2025

Celebrating Hometown Heroes

From graduate school classmates to leaders in veteran advocacy, Tom Caruso and Josh Keefe are recognized for their dedication to veterans and their lasting impact on Syracuse University.

November 11, 2025

Heflin Discusses SNAP Funding With ABC News, Newsweek, PolitiFact and USA Today

“The stress that families are facing throughout the country is tremendous, not knowing how they’re going to feed their families,” says Colleen Heflin, professor of public administration and international affairs.

November 4, 2025

Understanding Factors Associated with 911 and 988 Use in Mental Health Crises

Michiko Ueda, Colleen M. Heflin, Yanhong Liu, Qingyi Yu, Seethalakshmi Ramanathan

Co-authored by Public Administration and International Affairs professors Michiko Ueda-Ballmer and Colleen Heflin, the study was published in Community Mental Health Journal.

November 3, 2025

Suicide Deaths Among Informal Caregivers in an Aging Society

Michiko Ueda-Ballmer

The study, authored by Michiko Ueda-Ballmer, associate professor of public administration and international affairs, was published in Public Health.

November 3, 2025

Murrett Talks to CBS News About Trump’s Order to Resume US Nuclear Weapons Testing

“There's no question there would be some value to having to have some testing of our weapons, especially some of the new developments we've had recently. But it's how you do that and how extensive the testing is something that's open to question,” says Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs.

November 3, 2025

Why Aren’t More People Calling 988 for Mental Health Crises?

Michiko Ueda, Colleen M. Heflin, Yanhong Liu, Qingyi Yu, and Seethalakshmi Ramanathan
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launched in 2022 is a free, confidential alternative, yet awareness remains low and misconceptions persist. This brief summarizes findings from a study that surveyed nearly 1,900 U.S. adults and found that only 22% knew about 988. Even more striking: nearly 9 in 10 people had concerns about using it, and many of those concerns are based on misconceptions.
October 29, 2025

See related: United States

Heflin Speaks With Newsweek About the Impact of Delayed SNAP Benefits

“22.4 million households across America will be disrupted if the benefits are not disbursed on time. And the total impact of the delay in SNAP benefits will ripple throughout the local economy,” says Colleen Heflin, professor of public administration and international affairs.

October 23, 2025

New AI Policy Minor to Grapple with Analytical, Practical and Ethical Questions

Taught by a team of faculty experts, the minor is offered to undergraduates from across the University starting this academic year. 

October 23, 2025

Heflin Discusses Data on Food Insecurity Status, Cuts to SNAP With The Hill, Grist and Marketplace

“Monitoring the nation’s food security status is important in its own right and also because food insecurity is associated with a variety of negative health outcomes,” says Colleen Heflin, professor of public administration and international affairs. 

October 15, 2025

Understanding International Security: Theory and Practice

Michael John Williams, James Wesley Hutto, Asli Peker Dogra

Michael Williams, associate professor of public administration and international affairs, has co-authored a new book, Understanding International Security: Theory and Practice (Cambridge University Press, 2025). The book explores the meanings and debates around international security, with chapters addressing war, terrorism, violence, cyber security, health and more. 

October 9, 2025

Williams Piece on the Strategic Insights from a China–Taiwan Wargame Published in War on the Rocks

“The invasion scenarios that dominate U.S. military planning—involving massive amphibious assaults on Taiwan and preemptive strikes on American bases—may fundamentally misread Beijing’s calculus,” writes Michael Williams, associate professor of public administration and international affairs.

October 7, 2025

APPAM Policy Camp Draws Aspiring Public Servants to Learn More About Public Affairs

Undergraduates and recent alumni interested in public service spent a day at the Maxwell School attending sessions, discussing policymaking processes and growing their network.

October 7, 2025

Community-Based Food Program Limits in Reducing Older Adult Food Insecurity

Madonna Harrington Meyer and Colleen M. Heflin
Older adults who are grappling with food insecurity may enhance their food supply through community-based programs that provide free and subsidized food. But these programs can be complex, expensive, and may be difficult for older adults to use. This final brief in our older adult food insecurity series describes the limits of community-based food programs for older adults, including access, food quality, and transportation barriers. 
October 7, 2025

See related: United States

Maxwell X Lab Receives Journal’s Best Paper Award for Chicago Study

The Journal of Behavioral Public Administration honored the researchers for their paper detailing findings in a study of at-home lead testing kit return rates.

September 30, 2025

The Limits of SNAP in Addressing Older Adult Food Insecurity

Colleen M. Heflin and Madonna Harrington Meyer
This brief describes how SNAP is currently not well designed for older adults in three respects: (1) the high levels of administrative burden associated with eligibility, certification, and benefit-determination processes, (2) the low value of SNAP benefits compared with the high costs associated with redeeming them, and (3) the high levels of state variation in SNAP policies that produce substantially different conditions for SNAP depending on where one lives.
September 30, 2025

Dynamic Sustainability Lab Collaborates With Thomson Reuters to Build Expertise and Opportunity

The relationship began as a study of forced labor in global supply chains by Heather Panton, a Thomson Reuters executive and Maxwell graduate student.

September 29, 2025

In Memoriam: Edwin Bock

Bock, professor emeritus of political science and public administration and international affairs, taught at Maxwell for more than 30 years. He died on July 28, 2025, in Syracuse. He was 103.

September 26, 2025

See related: In Memoriam

Williams Featured in t-online Article on NATO, Russia’s Airspace Violations

“The situation is very serious indeed. We have been observing airspace violations by Russia for years. But what Putin is doing now has a new quality. He is testing how resolutely NATO reacts and whether weaknesses are emerging,” says Michael Williams, associate professor of public administration and international affairs.

September 24, 2025

Nonfinancial Factors Shape Food Insecurity Among U.S. Older Adults

Madonna Harrington Meyer and Colleen M. Heflin
Nonfinancial factors such as poor physical and mental health, lack of access to healthy food, and transportation challenges make it more difficult for older adults to obtain, prepare, and consume healthy food. Based on the book, Food for Thought: Understanding Older Adults Food Insecurity, this brief summarizes how nonfinancial factors function as both causes and consequences of food insecurity in old age. 
September 23, 2025

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