"Historically, grandparents have always provided care," says University Professor Madonna Harrington Meyer. "What we’re seeing now is grandparents providing care that looks a lot more like parenting: more hours and more tasks."

"New York is all over the place,’" says John Yinger, Trustee Professor of Economics and Public Administration and International Affairs. "It has one of the craziest [property assessment] systems in the country."

“The faculty promoted are nationally recognized scholars, outstanding teachers, and engaged in making their work accessible to broader audiences in an effort to shape future research, and dialogue and practice,” said David M. Van Slyke, dean of the Maxwell School.

Yilin Hou, professor of public administration and international affairs, won a joint best research award from the Deng Ziji Foundation and the Journal of Trade and Finance Economics in China for a co-authored paper published in the journal. The paper provides evidence to advocate for a broad-base property tax in order to capture the capitalized value arising from improved public services.

University Professor Madonna Harrington Meyer discusses grandparents who are taking on tasks that have, until recently, generally been the purview of parents. So, in addition to the sublime pleasures of grandparenting, many grandparents are now also feeling high levels of stress and strain as grandparenting intensifies.

"Initially created to give children a break from the dirty smokestacks of NYC, the Fresh Air Fund now emphasizes giving children from underserved communities a break from drugs, violence, or gangs," writes University Professor Madonna Harrington Meyer.

"If we see fewer immigrants coming to the U.S., or if we start to restrict the immigrants who come in to those who look a lot like middle-class Americans, with respect to fertility rates, we’re going to see completely different fertility rates in the United States," says Len Lopoo, professor of public administration and international affairs.

"My mom told the seven of us to go outside and play," University Professor Madonna Harrington Meyer recalled. "Today’s mom says, ‘Get in the van and I’ll drive you from Spanish camp to violin lessons.’ The idea is to cultivate your child, give them every possible advantage, and it clearly spills over to the intensification of grandparenting." Harrington Meyer was interviewed for the New York Times article "When Grandparents Help Hold It All Together." 

The prestigious distinction—a four-year, renewable appointment—is granted to faculty who excel in their fields and who have made extraordinary scholarly contributions as judged by their peers nationally and internationally. “Professor Harrington Meyer’s work is focused on some of the most persistent, difficult and relevant issues facing our society. Her research and teaching challenge us to think through and find solutions that better our communities,” says Vice Chancellor and Provost Michele Wheatly.