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Key moments from CNN’s California governor primary debate
The seven candidates for California governor moved aggressively during CNN’s debate Tuesday night to distinguish themselves with just under a month left in the race and some voters already receiving ballots.
First Hawaiian Bank: Open for Business – Seven Brothers
Seth Hannemann of Seven Brothers shares how his family’s humble vision became a local favorite and how First Hawaiian Bank has helped support their growth
NASA eClips and GLOBE Educators Strengthen a Regional STEM Ecosystem in Coastal Virginia
Thirty-eight science educators representing seven school districts across Virginia’s Tidewater region joined forces with community organizations, such as the
Braga cannot believe 'crazy feeling' after Rangers win
Claudio Braga cannot believe the "crazy" position Hearts have put themselves in after Monday's magnificent fightback win against Rangers put them one step closer to a stunning title triumph. Derek McInnes' side are three points clear of Celtic and seven clear of Rangers with three matches to play, starting with a trip to Motherwell on Saturday. "It's hard, I'm not going to lie, but we try to be as professional as we can," Braga said, when asked about containing excitement levels.
What to watch in Tuesday's elections in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan
President Donald Trump's campaign to politically punish Republicans who stand in his way moves through Indiana on Tuesday, when seven state senators face Trump-backed primary challengers.
Leaker suggests seven new features coming to iPhone 20 – but read with care
Leaker Instant Digital has a decent track record when it comes to iPhones, but their latest post may need to...
Maine State Sen. Jim Libby endorses Bush for governor
Even with Libby out, there are still seven men competing for the right to run for governor as a Republican in November. In addition to Bush, Bobby Charles, Ben Midgley, Garrett Mason, David Jones, Owen McCarthy and Robert Wessels will be on the ballot.
Two hantavirus cases confirmed, five more suspected on stranded cruise ship
Among the seven cases, three people have died, one is critically ill and three have mild symptoms, the WHO says.
Live Results: Indiana state primaries
Seven GOP state senators who blocked President Donald Trump's push to redraw the state’s congressional districts now face primary challengers endorsed by him.
What to watch in CNN’s California governor debate
The top seven contenders in a crowded and highly competitive race to become California’s next governor will face off in a CNN debate Tuesday at 6 p.m. PT (9 p.m. ET). The debate, moderated by CNN anchors Kaitlan Collins and Elex Michaelson, comes at a pivotal time, with the first mail ballots currently being delivered to voters in the June 2 primary.
Five potential 2027 NFL draft prospects for the Washington Huskies
With another seven players taken in the 2026 NFL draft the Huskies are on a three-draft streak with that number expected to rise to four in 2027.
'We know anything can happen'
Newcastle United defender Dan Burn says the players are "going to give it a good push" for a European spot in the final three games of the season. The Magpies are six points off seventh place in the table, which would guarantee Conference League football, with fixtures against Nottingham Forest, West Ham and Fulham still to come.
Chicago's largest 25 construction companies for 2025
Despite growth at the top, seven of Chicago's largest 25 construction companies saw revenue decrease last year amid a lack of new development.
A Goal Achieved Amid A Season Of Success For Sunderland
“Reaching forty seven points given the failings of newly-promoted sides in recent times is no mean feat.”
Ducks bring speed to challenge the playoff-tested Golden Knights
If the first round of the NHL playoffs played out almost exactly like the opening series a year ago when the Golden Knights eliminated Minnesota in six games, their next opponent is a striking reminder to the one they just vanquished. The Golden Knights again are the more playoff-seasoned team, but the Anaheim Ducks counter with a faster team interested in more of a track meet when their best-of-seven series opens Monday night in Vegas. Much like the Utah Mammoth, a team Vegas eliminated in six games on Friday night.
Pistons rout Magic to complete comeback, advance in NBA playoffs
The Detroit Pistons dominated the Orlando Magic 116-94 on Sunday to complete their NBA playoff series comeback and punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference semi-finals.The Cavs hosted game seven of their series later on Sunday.
Raptors Face Worrying Brandon Ingram Update Before Game 7
Toronto Raptors dealt with Brandon Ingram injury update ahead of game seven against the Cavaliers.
Britain enters the era of seven-party politics
Labour and the Conservatives combined account for barely a third of voters in polls — threatening the UK’s constitutional certainties
Cal Raleigh scratched late from Mariners lineup
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh was a late scratch from the lineup on Saturday. The Mariners did not immediately announce why Raleigh was out. Raleigh, who was the runner-up for AL MVP last season after hitting 60 homers and driving in 125 RBI, is hitting .186 with seven homers and 18 RBI through 33 games.
‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field
‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field ‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field A field that once seemed like a direct path to stable, lucrative work is becoming less certain under AI, students and faculty told Spectator. By Ria Vasishtha and Arjun Menon May 3, 2026 Shanying Liu / Deputy Illustrations Editor Asia Genawi, SEAS ’29, first encountered artificial intelligence during her sophomore year at her high school in Indiana. Back in 2023, policies on AI varied widely—even within the same district—and some schools had no guidance at all. As Genawi began to see the effects of AI trickle into her classroom, she turned to guidance from her home state’s Department of Education, which she said she found “outdated and inaccessible.” Genawi spent the rest of her high school career dedicated to the issue, including writing a 15-page memo exploring varying AI policies across Indiana schools, which she sent to every Indiana state senator and representative whose contact information she was able to find. She later helped draft a bill that would have required public high schools to establish and share their own AI policies with students in an accessible format. But with so many other bills already awaiting referral, hers never made it to committee. When Genawi arrived at Columbia to study computer science, she found that the gaps she had spent years trying to address in Indiana had followed her there. Many students and professors were also grappling with what AI meant for the field. Across Columbia’s undergraduate schools, computer science has become the most popular major—accounting for around 11 percent of degrees awarded in Columbia College, 32 percent in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and 12 percent in the School of General Studies in 2024. While the number of computer science majors in SEAS grew from 166 to 173 during the 2024-25 academic year, the total number across the three schools fell around 4.5 percent from 393 to 375, driven by declines at Columbia College and General Studies. At Barnard, it has grown to become the second most popular major as of 2025, up from third the year prior. The number of degrees awarded have grown fivefold since 2016. Faculty members and students in the department told Spectator that the surge in the major’s popularity has been driven in large part by its apparent promise of a secure, well-paid career path. However, they noted that the recent rise of generative AI has compromised the sense of stability that once defined the field, even as interest in technical skills among students persists. According to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in 2024, out of 74 majors tracked, computer science had the fifth highest unemployment rate among majors at 7 percent, while computer engineering had the second highest at 7.8 percent. “Anecdotally, people are moving away from CS as a major,” Daniel Bauer, a senior lecturer in the computer science department, said. “They’re still taking some of our classes, right, because they think they need that, but they’re instead majoring in other things.” Bauer described a field that had shifted from what he called a “nerdy outlier discipline” to one that “everyone needs,” a sign that technical skills have become a baseline expectation across industries with the emergence of AI. “A lot of people thought, ‘Oh, it’s a guaranteed path to a stable income. You get a six-figure job right out of your undergrad,’” Bauer said. Now, companies may see AI as a way to reduce demand for entry-level programmers, especially in what he calls “code monkey jobs,” roles where a large number of employees are “just writing out code nine-to-five.” Chris Murphy, a senior lecturer in the computer science department, described the current moment as the convergence of two forces: the downturn of the job market and generative AI coming onto the scene. “Things kind of started to really pick up in 2014, 16,” he said, recalling the years after the weaker 2010 market. Murphy added that this was also a period where “students were getting more experience outside of class than they were inside of class” through internships, jobs, and side projects. Murphy suggested that the earlier momentum helped make computer science feel like both an academic program and a reliable pathway into work. That feeling is harder to sustain now as the industry reconfigures, which is a shift that students are seeing firsthand. Rebecca Yu, SEAS ’27, said that during a recent internship in Big Tech, she saw that “every single tech company was racing to integrate” large language models. She added that her manager said her intern class was the first to complete their assigned projects, which she attributed to the increased efficiency that comes with AI. Frank Liu, SEAS ’29, said that with AI lowering the barrier to coding, companies now expect everyone to write code. “A lot of companies outright say if you’re not using coding in your job, you might get fired for not being productive enough,” Liu said. Yu similarly expressed that students increasingly have to accept AI being a part of industry workflow, adding that many also “make use of it to maximize their productivity.” Richard Li, CC ’28, described a “franticness” among his peers as the pace of change accelerates. He explained how “some new tool” is released regularly, noting that tools rise and fall in prominence within weeks. He has come to believe that he doesn’t need to “match that speed all the time” and keep up with every development. Li has learned that AI tools allow him to “take a breath” and “get back into the loop much easier than before” when he needs to. While some companies specifically target Columbia when hiring, sending representatives to campus career fairs and recruiting large numbers from Columbia, a computer science degree cannot be treated as a static credential, Yu described. “You can’t just get your degree and stop learning after that. You have to always be learning,” Yu said. “That is something you basically have to expect for your job.” AI has not only affected students’ decisions to major in computer science, but also reshaped how the subject is taught. Across departments, faculty members no longer treat work done outside the classroom as a reliable measure of understanding, shifting instead toward in-person exams, quizzes, and attendance checks. While homework once made up as much as 60 to 70 percent of a student’s grade in computer science classes, Murphy said that breakdown has since flipped, with exams and quizzes now accounting for the majority. “The assumption—especially among pessimists—is that they’re using it to do their homework,” Murphy said. “They take the homework assignment. They put it into generative AI. Out comes the solution. Submit solution. The end.” Murphy said that faculty members ranged in their responses from fully prohibiting AI use to actively teaching students how to effectively work with AI. He said he shifted his approach this year after his teaching assistants called his belief that students weren’t using the technology “naïve,” and now permits students to use AI on assignments. His surveys of students in his introductory classes have told a more complicated story than the one so-called pessimists offer: Around 60 to 70 percent of students who reported using AI said they used it to have concepts explained to them, to clarify assignment instructions, to generate test cases, or to create practice questions. “Those are all ways that you might have had a tutor in the past to do that, and now you have this AI essentially as your tutor,” he said. Bauer has taken a different approach, teaching students how to use AI productively without sacrificing the core principles of the discipline. “People who are trained to actually use AI tools productively, while being in charge of designing the overall project, will be very much in demand in the next couple of years,” he said. Over the past year, a working group of computer science faculty has been redesigning the introductory and intermediate programming sequence to integrate generative AI as both a subject and a tool, representatives from SEAS wrote in a statement to Spectator. The effort is “coordinated” across the department, “not course-by-course,” with a systematic assessment of how AI integration is affecting student outcomes underway to shape the next round of changes. The goal, the department explained, is for students to be able to “read, verify, and reason about code, whether they or a model wrote it.” Tony Dear, senior lecturer in the computer science department, is piloting individualized AI feedback in a discrete mathematics course, while a machine learning course is also testing a Socratic AI dialogue system designed to “guide inquiry rather than supply answers,” the statement reads. Beyond individual courses, SEAS funded seven cross-departmental faculty projects in generative AI this past academic year, spanning biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, industrial engineering, and computer science, according to the statement. This phenomenon extends beyond the computer science department. SEAS’ new AI minor, which it announced in November 2025, reflects the University’s attempt to adapt. The minor is specifically designed for noncomputer science majors and aims to provide “essential AI knowledge” while emphasizing practical and responsible use across disciplines, according to the SEAS website. At the center of the minor is AI in Context, a course taught by a team of faculty from the departments of computer science, applied mathematics, philosophy, music, literature, and the Writing Center, the representatives told Spectator. Bauer described it as targeted at students who want to bring AI into fields like economics or biology, rather than as a path into software engineering itself. At the graduate level, SEAS announced a new Master of Science in artificial intelligence in February, with the inaugural cohort starting in the fall. While recognizing how AI has helped them navigate coursework, students also described its rise as isolating, even among members of the Application Development Initiative, one of Columbia’s largest computer science clubs. “As people start to ask AI for questions that they would normally ask students and members, it starts to isolate people” Li said. Alexa Kafka, BC ’27, echoed Li’s sentiment, pointing out that computer science has always been a collaborative discipline with code reviews and pull requests, even as AI makes independent work easier. Despite this, Kafka noted that she hasn’t been to office hours “in at least a year.” Bauer added that faculty are exploring long-term solutions to the assessment problem. “One of the things that we’re trying to do at the department or school level is to maybe move towards computerized testing facilities,” Bauer said, referring to ideas in the department to revitalize computer labs as an alternative to pen-and-paper exams. “We have to accept that this is the reality, for better or worse.” But more exams, students say, does not mean better learning, nor does it reflect how computer science is actually done. “Code is so variable and can be approached in so many directions, there’s never just going to be one correct answer. There can be multiple optimal solutions,” Kafka said. Students also expressed concern that the shift toward exam-heavy grading pulls focus away from the applied, project-based work that better reflects both discipline and industry expectations. ADI has tried to respond more quickly than the curriculum can. Through a vibe coding workshop this past semester, club members said they wanted to help students understand not just that AI exists, but how to use it deliberately. “Vibe coding” refers to the practice of prompting AI to write code for a task or project, and has become widespread enough that ADI felt the gap in formal instruction was worth addressing, according to Sophia Huang, BC ’29. The workshop introduced students to the concept of context engineering, which Shaina Sahu, SEAS ’27, described as not just writing a prompt, but optimizing “the rest of the relevant information that you would feed into the model.” Without that, students said that AI-generated code can fail at scale or introduce difficult-to-detect bugs. Genawi said the shift toward AI has changed what it means to be good at computer science. “I think the shift has kind of gone towards what can you create and what can you do, instead of, what do you know,” she said. Indeed, during ADI DevFest, its annual hackathon, Li said more teams are trying to complete their projects than in years past. While sign-ups have historically outpaced submissions, Li said this is beginning to change because teams “have a tool that completes the vision for them.” While many students see AI as an equalizer that lowers the barrier to entry for coding and technical work, Murphy said it also creates new equity concerns inside the classroom around who can afford stronger tools and who already knows how to use them. “The equity issues I worry about are students who have access to paid versions of things versus free versions of things,” he said. Although popular AI models like ChatGPT and Claude have free versions available, both have paid models that can reach over $100 per month, which output different qualities of code. Murphy also pointed to differences in prior exposure to AI literacy itself. “Students who go to high schools or K-12 education, where they’re taught AI literacy, prompt engineering, context engineering, they understand how to do this, as opposed to students who go to schools who don’t teach that,” he said. “Then they come in, and then they’re somehow expected to know how to use these tools.” For Genawi, those disparities begin long before students arrive on campus. “It’s very interesting to consider how lucky you were geographically,” she said. “To be born where you were is influencing your ability to get access to these spaces.” Students like Yu, though broadly apprehensive about the future of computer science, are not without hope. “I’m optimistic, because I think if you’re truly passionate about CS, there will definitely be a place in the field to do something you want to do,” she said. Senior Staff Writer Ria Vasishtha can be contacted at ria.vasishtha@columbiaspectator.com. Follow Spectator on X @ColumbiaSpec. Staff Writer Arjun Menon can be contacted at arjun.menon@columbiaspectator.com. Follow Spectator on X @ColumbiaSpec. Want to keep up with breaking news? Subscribe to our email newsletter and like Spectator on Facebook. Produced with Spectate by Emily Ta
Reds pitchers make ugly MLB history with seven consecutive walks
Cincinnati Reds pitchers Rhett Lowder and Connor Phillips walked seven consecutive Pirates, tying a 43-year old MLB record.
Celtics, 76ers set for winner-take-all game 7
Philadelphia 76ers (45-37, seventh in the Eastern Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (56-26, second in the Eastern Conference) Boston; Saturday, 7:30 p.m. EDT LINE: Celtics -7.5; over/under is 205.5 EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Series tied 3-3 BOTTOM LINE: The Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers square off in game seven of the Eastern Conference first round. The 76ers defeated the Celtics 106-93 in the last matchup on Friday.
Tom Steyer rails against Chevron money — but it flows to his allies, too
A Sacramento Bee analysis found seven Steyer endorsers have received campaign money through PACs funded in part by Chevron.
Direct Relief Ships 5.9M Doses of Medicine for Maternal Health, Disaster Response and Pediatric Care
Over the past seven days, Direct Relief dispatched 443 shipments of requested medical aid to health care providers across 36 U.S. states and territories and 16 countries. The shipments included 5.9…
Hunnicutt, national wellness leader, joins North Dakota’s rural health transformation effort | Health and Human Services North Dakota
North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced Dr. David Hunnicutt, as a Rural Health Transformation Program strategist. Hunnicutt brings more than two decades of nationally recognized leadership to this role, having served 20 years as CEO of WELCOA—one of the largest and most influential corporate health and wellness organizations in the U.S. As principal of his own consulting firm, he spent seven years partnering with Dakota Medical Foundation (DMF) and the Impact Institute to design and launch initiatives that elevate leaders across North Dakota and strengthen the state’s capacity for long-term community well-being.
The Outer Worlds Is Getting Grenades, Nearly 7 Years After It Came Out
Surprise! Seven years after it launched — and almost six months after its sequel was released — The Outer Worlds is getting grenades.
The Outer Worlds Is Getting A Major Update Seven Years Post-Launch
And I guess doing a bunch of other cool performance upgrades, too
College of Science awards faculty and staff for excellence
Seventeen faculty and staff members were recognized for outstanding research, teaching and service.
7 House seats could shift to GOP after voting rights ruling: Cook Political Report, Sabato’s Crystal Ball
Two nonpartisan election handicappers identified seven districts that could be at risk of being redrawn to favor Republicans following the Supreme Court’s Wednesday decision limiting the scope of t…
Thursday April 30, 2026 - Maryland Secretary of Housing and Community Development, Orioles President of Business Operations to Speak at 2026 SU Commencement Ceremonies
Thursday April 30, 2026 - Maryland Secretary of Housing and Community Development, Orioles President of Business Operations to Speak at 2026 SU Commencement Ceremonies
FCC orders ABC stations, including Houston’s KTRK, to re-apply for broadcast license amid political squabble
The Federal Communications Commission ordered KTRK and seven other television stations owned by Disney to file for renewing its license by May 28 — years earlier than anticipated.
Blake Shelton bringing live entertainment venue to downtown Indianapolis
The nation's seventh Ole Red location is moving into three historic buildings on Meridian Street.
As South Carolina sees measles outbreak in the rearview, some lessons learned
It was the worst measles outbreak in the U.S. in 35 years, but South Carolina’s seven-month ordeal is over. The state learned some things that worked — and at least
Seven UC Berkeley faculty elected to the American Academy of Arts and
This week, seven UC Berkeley faculty — representing academic fields from philosophy to molecular biology to engineering — were named members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The Academy,
TH Athlete of the Week finalists
Emma Chesterman (Dubuque Senior track) – The senior set a school record in the 3,000 meters with a 10:02.03 in finishing eighth at the Drake Relays. One of seven local
Pistons-Magic takeaways: Detroit's problems are coming to a head as Orlando aims to dunk No. 1 seed
Let's dive into Orlando's big win Monday night as it tries to become the seventh No. 8 seed to knock off a No. 1 in NBA history.
N.Y. lawmakers pass seventh state budget extender that runs through April 30
The state budget was due on April 1.
People trust vaccine scientists as much as other researchers, poll shows
Roughly seven in 10 people still trust vaccine researchers, a new poll finds. The number is in line with trust for other scientists
New Family Entertainment Coming to MSC World Asia - Cruise Industry News
MSC Cruises has unveiled new family entertainment options aboard its latest ship, the MSC World Asia. Once it debuts in the Mediterranean in December 2026, the ship will sail seven-night itineraries to destinations including Barcelona, Marseille, Messina, Civitavecchia for Rome, Naples and Valletta. According to a statement, the ship is set to boast an expanded family entertainment offering alongside the already announced venues.…
Longtime former Michigan U.S. Sen. Donald Riegle dies at age 88
Former Michigan U.S. Sen. Donald Riegle, who served under seven U.S. presidents as a Republican and later a Democrat, has died, his family said.
USC women hold off Cal for Trojans' 7th water polo title
USC earned its seventh national championship in women's water polo with a 10-9 victory over California on Sunday night at UC San Diego.
Baseball Walks Off Twice For Sweep of George Mason
Bronx, N.Y. – (April 26, 2026) – It's rare to see a walk-off win, but to see two in a doubleheader is special day. That is exactly what happened on Sunday at Houlihan Park, as the Fordham Rams posted walk-off wins in both ends of a doubleheader to sweep a three-game series from the George Mason Patriots by scores of 2-1 in seven innings and 5-4 in 12 innings.
Things to do in Pensacola: Fiesta Pensacola 10K & 5K; Alice Cooper
Seven days out is your guide to entertainment events, concerts, festivals and activities in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Rampant Gilgeous-Alexander fuels Thunder, Magic and Knicks win
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 42 points Saturday to propel the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 121-109 victory over Phoenix and a commanding 3-0 lead in their NBA playoff series.They'll try to polish off a sweep in the best-of-seven series on Monday in Phoenix, where the Suns will be painfully aware that no NBA team has rallied from 0-3 down to win a playoff series.
Georgia public health board goes seventh straight month without meeting
For the seventh month in a row, the board of the Georgia Department of Public Health will not hold a meeting this month.
2026 NFL Draft grades, tracker: Live Round 7 analysis for every selection made in order
Josh Edwards grades the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Pirates ace Paul Skenes flirts with perfect game, continues dominant stretch since Opening Day disaster
Skenes took a perfect game into the seventh and is in rare air historically for a pitcher of his age
Santa Margarita holds on for 10-9 baseball win over Orange Lutheran
The Orange Lutheran Lancers tried to overcome 10-5 deficit in the seventh, but Santa Margarita finally got final out for 10-9 win Friday.
The AI Playbook That Built an $80M 1-Person Business (You're 1 Prompt Away and Don't Know It)
If I lost everything tomorrow and had to rebuild to seven figures in 12 months using only AI, I wouldn't guess — I'd reverse-engineer the people who already did it.
Seven UC Berkeley faculty elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The Academy recognizes accomplished individuals and engages them in addressing the greatest challenges facing the U.S.
Resident Evil Requiem sales top seven million
Total sales for Resident Evil Requiem have surpassed seven million units, game director Koshi Nakanishi revealed in an Instagram story.
VICI to close $1.2bn Golden Entertainment deal around 30 April
Vici Properties has announced that the acquisition of seven Nevada casino properties from Golden Entertainment Inc is due to close on or around 30 April.
Apple Invites for iPhone adds 7 new features, including an iMessage app
Apple Invites has its second new version in as many months, adding seven new features. One key highlight is an...
2026 NFL Draft: Final Steelers mock draft update
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BBC Sport weekly quiz: Where will Chelsea play their WSL games next season?
How much attention have you paid to what's happened in the world of sport over the past seven days?
Behind the Shield Named a Finalist for Cynopsis Sports Awards
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National survey shows majority of voters support ceasefire in Iran
Seventy-five percent approve of a ceasefire in the war, while 24% disapprove.
National survey shows majority of voters support ceasefire in Iran
Seventy-five percent approve of a ceasefire in the war, while 24% disapprove.
Seven Key Takeaways From the 2026 IMS Business Report
The 12th edition of the IMS Business Report was presented today (April 22) at IMS Ibiza.
Genius POS: Best POS for New Businesses
Genius POS is a user-friendly point of sale system that makes it easy to take transactions, along with a range of back office operational tools.
The health misinformation crisis is bigger than anyone thought: Most people worldwide believe at least one of 6 common medical myths
A global Edelman survey yields a "stunning set of facts": seven in 10 believe at least one debunked health claim regardless of education, politics or age.
RFK Jr. is on a congressional hearing blitz, after a long absence from Capitol Hill
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. caps off seven budget hearings in as many days, the first time he has testified before Congress since September.
Ramstein Students Become Environmental Detectives for a Day
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How a babywearing business hit seven figures with community marketing
One babywearing brand grew by focusing on plus-size baby carriers and real-life marketing. Now, it's moving to a 19,000-square-foot warehouse.
Kentucky governor blasts UK athletics' 'decision-making'
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Stanford's sports teams capture an NCAA championship for a 50th straight year
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Dick Gould has been around Stanford sports long enough as a tennis player and coach — a remarkable run of seven decades — that he clearly remembers some down years for the university's sports programs.
Seven Key Moments: Hearing with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
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Clearwater $50M entertainment project takes shape
A $50M entertainment project in downtown Clearwater will feature a seven-screen multiplex, dining and attractions aimed at boosting activity along Cleveland Street.
Yankees Birthday of the Day: Joe McCarthy
Remembering the quiet, unassuming man who led the Yankees to seven titles.
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
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