Liking another group doesn't mean you dislike your own

More than 70 years ago, a pair of psychologists conducted a study in which they asked young Black girls to choose between Black and white dolls. The girls overwhelmingly chose white dolls, ascribing positive attributes to them. The Black girls’ choices and reasoning were interpreted by study authors to indicate...

By J.D. Warren | | Social Science / Education

Latino census data points to college-graduation disparity

Sept. 25, the Center for Social Innovation released a report based on census data that asserts only 11% of Latinos in the Inland Empire have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared with 35% overall in California and 33% nationally. Latinos comprise 51 percent of the 4.65 million people who live...

By J.D. Warren | | Social Science / Education

Ukraine advances don't equal Russian retreat

The past week has been one of alternately hopeful and discouraging news in the 7-months-long invasion of Ukraine by Russia. We asked Ukraine expert Paul D'Anieri for guidance on whether the developments signal a winddown in Russian aggression or if they foretell a next, more perilous chapter. D'Anieri wrote the...

By J.D. Warren | | Social Science / Education

The queen is dead. Will the monarchy survive? Should it?

Sept. 8, Queen Elizabeth II died at 96 after a 70-year reign, the longest of any British monarch in history. We asked a UC Riverside British history expert, Jonathan Eacott, and a British-born UCR political scientist, Shaun Bowler, to assess the future of the monarchy. Q: At the queen’s passing...

By J.D. Warren | | Social Science / Education

U.S. News names UCR No. 1 public for social mobility

UC Riverside is the top public university in the U.S. for social mobility, according to the just-released 2022-23 U.S. News & World Report college rankings.

By J.D. Warren | | University

Forbes magazine ranks UC Riverside No. 33 public university

UC Riverside is the No. 33 public university in a college ranking from Forbes magazine. UCR was among several UC campuses and 17 public universities in the top 50. The methodology for the Forbes list relies on data from two federal databases, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, or IPEDS...

By J.D. Warren | | University

Magazine ranks UCR No. 4 for Pell Grant performance

Washington Monthly magazine has ranked UC Riverside No. 4 among 444 universities nationwide in terms of its Pell Grant student performance. The accolade, released Monday as part of Washington Monthly’s 2022 college rankings, represents UCR’s excellence in several Pell performance categories that were factored. Those include: UCR is among the...

By J.D. Warren | | University

'The Most Important World Leader Since World War II'

Mikhail Gorbachev is the man whose actions inserted the terms perestroika and glasnost into the international vernacular. In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev became the leader of the Soviet Union, presiding over a remarkable five-year span during which until-then unimaginable democratic reforms were instituted, the Berlin Wall fell, communism was virtually wiped...

By J.D. Warren | | Social Science / Education

Expert: Student loan forgiveness is a win - but only for some

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced a student loan debt program that would forgive $10,000 in debt for borrowers who earn less than $125,000 and an additional $10,000 for those who received Pell Grants. Many borrowers are celebrating the liberation from debt that — for some — has prevented them...

By J.D. Warren | | Social Science / Education

Would you get bored of eternal life?

John Martin Fischer’s videotaped lectures on near-death experiences and immortality have garnered the most views of any content on UCR’s YouTube site. Fischer, who is a UC Riverside distinguished professor of philosophy, is a world-leading expert on free will and moral responsibility, as well as immortality and near-death experiences. Recently...

By J.D. Warren | | Social Science / Education

The newest California water-worry is the megastorm

Research from UCLA and other sources recently predicted another “big one” to hit the West Coast. This time, it’s not an earthquake, but a “megastorm.” Such a flood typically hits California every 100 to 200 years, but the dynamics and frequency of this storm will be exacerbated by climate change...

By J.D. Warren | | Science / Technology

New dean of School of Education named

Joi Spencer has been named the dean of UC Riverside’s School of Education, effective Jan. 1, 2023. Spencer is a professor of Mathematics Education at the University of San Diego, in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, or SOLES. During 16 years at USD, Spencer has been associate dean...

School of Public Policy names its second dean

Mark Long has been named dean of UC Riverside’s School of Public Policy effective Jan. 1, 2023. Long is a professor in the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance and an adjunct professor of economics at the University of Washington. He previously served as the Evans School’s associate dean...

Expert: NATO has a workaround to naval blockade

NATO member countries have walked a line in the months since Russia invaded Ukraine: Supporting Ukraine short of triggering large-scale war with Russia. That line may soon become more difficult to navigate, with Russia now threatening a member of NATO. We asked UCR political scientist and NATO expert Kelechi Kalu...

Gun control legislation is popular; why won't it pass?

The routine has been too familiar for too many years. A school shooting or mass shooting event occurs and stirs the American consciousness for a moment. But a week or two passes and talk of gun-control legislation fades. The issue goes into hibernation until the next mass shooting event. In...

Fundraising head at HBCU Morehouse to lead Advancement

UC Riverside has named Monique Michelle Dozier as its vice chancellor for University Advancement. Dozier is currently vice president for Advancement and chief advancement officer at Morehouse College in Atlanta, which is the nation’s only historically Black liberal arts college dedicated to educating and developing men of color, specifically Black...

By J.D. Warren | | University

Money magazine ranks UCR No. 40 among 623 colleges

UC Riverside was ranked No. 40 on Money magazine’s latest “Best Values” college ranking, released May 16. It represents an increase of eight places over Money's last best value list, on which UCR ranked No. 48. Among public universities, UCR ranked No. 31 on the list, up from No. 32...

By J.D. Warren | | University

In search of UC Riverside's missing not-mascot

He is a UC Riverside icon, beloved even, and yet discouraged from attending official university events. Before his refresh, at least, he had the appearance of having been through it. Sun-bleached, sort of grubby, like he was on the losing side of a fight at the juice bar. He is...

By J.D. Warren | | University

Free speech, meet Elon Musk's Twitter

This week, billionaire Elon Musk struck a deal to buy Twitter for $44 billion. His statements before and since have led many to believe he intends to ease or eliminate content moderation. “Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters...

By J.D. Warren | | Social Science / Education

A project about Zoom... Zoom... Zoom, on Zoom

A pair of short films were a hit at the April 13 “Filmworks – Original Short Films” held at the University Theatre, drawing attention to a suite of pandemic monologues and songs professor Bella Merlin created along with students, entitled “20:20 Vision.” For the first time this week, the short...

By J.D. Warren | | Students