The Supreme Court’s ruling in Students for Fair Admissions prohibited the consideration of race in college admission decisions. Kamal A. James and Dr. Irvin L. Scott provide guidance for fellow educators working to support academically ambitious Black students as they prepare for the college application process.

AI is dramatically changing entry-level work by reducing opportunities for human-to-human feedback and mentorship. Some employers and educators, however, are finding ways to help recent graduates and young workers gain the experience and connections needed to launch their careers.

Homelessness in the US persists due to a worsening housing shortage, rising housing costs, increased immigration levels, and the expiration of eviction protections. Jeff Olivet, head of Biden’s US Interagency Council on Homelessness, sees homelessness as a policy choice and highlights its solvability when collective action is taken.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

Cybercrime is a global threat, demanding enhanced international cooperation and protection of human rights. The UN is now negotiating a new cybercrime treaty. Lead US negotiator, Ambassador (Ret.) Deborah McCarthy, argues for the involvement of multi-stakeholders – private sector, civil society, NGOs, and academia – to help member states in crafting and implementing the treaty to more effectively combat global cybercrime while safeguarding freedoms.

Plastic pollution poses a severe environmental impact on the world. Kat Owens discusses how we can merge art and science and use them as tools to induce social change, engaging communities in collaborative projects to raise awareness and inspire policy change.

Collaboration between academics and government agencies is essential for advancing our understanding of public policy issues. Noelwah Netusil and Marie Walkiewicz describe how to overcome barriers that can hinder these efforts and limit their effectiveness.

The absence of women’s speech from anthologies and history books is not just a case of missing content. What’s also lost are examples of women as authority figures, self-determined leaders, and informed, confident participants in public life and affairs.

Recognizing pitfalls that can impede their missions is crucial for nonprofit organizations. Larry Gilson advises on how nonprofits can address challenges such as navigating philanthropic deserts, managing dynamics with funders, mitigating risks associated with scaling, and more.

Shirin Behzadi shares with us how she achieved her North Star and overcame adversity by sharing her inspiring story. She also gives us an in-depth look at how to balance your North Star with potential risks.

High quality education is critical for reducing poverty and creating societal change, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Heather Hiebsch co-founded TeachUNITED to tackle this issue by prioritizing teacher quality and utilizing research-driven strategies to empower and support educators, and engage students.

Why do few corporations succeed at sustainability transformations, and why do others leave value on the table? Exploring best practices of successful corporate sustainability transformations provides a blueprint for others to follow. Greg Pilz explores the challenges, opportunities, and actions corporate leaders can take to capture value through sustainability.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

The global toll of air pollution is staggering with over 4 million annual deaths and many ailments; most caused by the smallest particles (PM2.5) hanging in the air. Rajan Mehta suggests small lifestyle changes that can help save us against this scrouge.

As consumers, we often assume products are ethically sourced, but human rights violations persist in transnational corporations' supply chains. Caroline Rees, alongside Professor John Ruggie, championed the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, laying the foundation for global legal frameworks to hold corporations accountable for human rights violations throughout their supply chains.

Traditional corporate ownership structures exacerbate societal inequities. Jenny Everett, Mark Hand and Natalie Reitman-White explore a new ownership model empowering businesses to align with their missions, benefit communities, and ensure long-term sustainability.

Democracy is under threat in the United States and around the world. Pippa Norris identifies the causes of democratic backsliding worldwide and proposes actionable ways to address these challenges and revitalize democratic governance.

The challenges our planet faces in waste management are complex. Can photos inspire hope and change behaviors? Jade Doskow believes so and has been working with Freshkills Park, creating an archive of photographs that illuminate the paradox of what was once the world’s largest household waste landfill, now transforming into one of New York City’s largest public parks.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

The merits of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are being fiercely debated on university campuses and elsewhere in society. Dr. Judi Brown Clarke, a chief diversity officer at a public research university and Olympic medalist, advocates for incorporating Olympic values and game theory into DEI initiatives thereby creating inclusive campus environments.

Methane is one of the most potent planet-warming greenhouse gases and is drawing intense global attention. Reducing methane emissions is the fastest way to reduce near-term planetary warming and advance our global climate, health, food security and energy transition goals. Prof. Robert Stavins leads a cross-disciplinary Research Cluster focused on reducing methane emissions, at the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability at Harvard University. Learn how Harvard-wide and broader global collaboration across law, economics, engineering, cutting edge satellite monitoring, private industry, and the COP28 “Global Methane Pledge” signed by 150 countries, are driving progress.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

Approximately 3% of deceased undocumented immigrants donate kidneys, yet only 0.2% receive kidney transplants. Dr. Joel Adler highlights this stark disparity and calls for a reexamination of the organ transplant system, advocating for eligibility based on fairness and medical need.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

Much of the American diet consists of ultra-processed foods (UPF) that fuel metabolic diseases, ill-health, and unnecessary suffering. We must implement strategies to reduce UPF for our collective well-being.