Maxwell School News and Commentary

Prior to his current role with FEMA, from 2013-2017, Heighberger was deputy staff director for the House Homeland Security Committee. He has also held other roles at FEMA; during the George W. Bush Administration he served as deputy director for legislative affairs, and later as advisor to former administrator David Paulison and deputy administrator Harvey Johnson.

"Freedom of the press and speech are the critical defenses for protecting our democracy. To lose that protective function of a free press is simply a catastrophic and dangerous step closer to an authoritarian state," writes James Roger Sharp, professor emeritus of history.

Jackie Orr, associate professor of sociology, was named Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor of Teaching Excellence. The professorship was created to recognize and reward outstanding teaching at the University.

"I have encountered multiple requests from international students...They are all asking questions related to whether they need to prepare more when they apply for visas...in light of the current administration," says Yingyi Ma, associate professor of sociology.

"A lot of the debate about taxes is really a debate about spending," says Leonard Burman, professor of public administration and international affairs. "What is the role of government, and what is the value of government spending? Those tend to be the real underlying question."

“One of the things that this revelation about Page reinforces is that it wasn’t politicized at all. That it was done following the FISA process,” says William C. Banks, professor of public administration and international affairs. “There was plenty of evidence that the Russians were up to something concerning the election last year, so there was a lot of reason to want to surveil those who might have been involved.”