main content L&C in the Media

Is a college degree worth it? That’s what students and families experiencing “sticker shock” (a term originally applied to shopping for cars) over the potential cost of a college education might wonder. But, as Lewis & Clark President Robin Holmes-Sullivan explains, comparing earning a college degree to purchasing a car reveals the real cost, and the real value, of pursuing higher education.

Most states rely on taxes on gasoline to fund roads, bridges, and other infrastructure for motor vehicles, which is resulting in a funding crisis with increased use of electric vehicles. “We want to address fuel use and drive down reliance on gases and internal combustion engines,” notes Carra Sahler, director of Lewis & Clark’s Green Energy Institute. “But we need the funds to operate our roads that EVs need to use as well.”

How do presidential executive orders penalizing three law firms that represented the president’s political opponents threaten the constitutional structure of the U.S. government? Lewis & Clark Law School Dean Emeritus James Huffington explains the recent findings of a U.S. district judge, analyzing how the executive orders appear to involve actions “explicitly prohibited by the Constitution.”

Members of the public may be finding it hard to track all the policies and orders being issued by the new federal administration, and to understand what the implications will be. In this interview, L&C Professor Ben Gaskins explains some of the key actions to date, and gives an outlook for the months ahead.

Federal judges have temporarily prevented an executive order denying gender affirming care from going into effect. But will healthcare providers be able to continue providing care, if they depend on federal funding for other services?  Lewis & Clark Professor Emeritus William Funk explains how civil rights laws may be applied in this case – and why the issue is about more than how federal dollars are being spent.

In a career spanning thirty-five years, Niels Marquardt served as an ambassador to Madagascar, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Comoros. As Lewis & Clark’s diplomat in residence, he explains the impact USAID has had around the globe.  

Oregon Senate Bill 88 could prevent gas and electric utilities from requiring customers to pay for lobbying, advertising, and similar expenses.  Carra Sahler, director of Lewis & Clark’s Green Energy Institute, explains why it’s unfair for ratepayers to be forced to pay for expenses unrelated to the energy they use.

A new national designation has recognized Lewis & Clark for exceptional research, one of only six liberal arts colleges on the west coast to achieve the designation. As Lewis & Clark’s Julia Unangst explains, “Not only does [our research] contribute to social and scientific advancements while giving undergraduate students hands-on research experiences and professional development, but it also benefits our local economy by bringing federal and philanthropic dollars to the State of Oregon.”