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The Governance Lectures

Governing in Crisis: The Constitutional Framework for Decision Making.

President Ken Gormley provides a unique perspective on the laws and cases that have shaped the powers of presidents and governors over our country's history. These powers and their limits have been tested recently as the president, governors, and federal and state agencies have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Governing in Crisis: Perspectives from the Front Lines

The interview includes discussion of the importance of the expertise of public health officials in planning and the need for collaboration between counties, the state, and local governments. The County Executive provides insight into measures that Allegheny County has taken to ease the burdens of voting in the upcoming primary election and managing the county's criminal justice system during the pandemic.

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Governing in Crisis: Battling COVID-19 with the Power of Science

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Dr. Levine discusses the defining characteristics of the scientific method, the role that science has played in human progress including the enhancement of human health, and the critical impact of the federal government in advancing the health sciences through work done in such agencies as the NIH, CDC and FDA. He also talks about the nature of the COVID-19 disease and efforts to develop a vaccine.

Governing in Crisis: Police Reform and Broader Issues of Systemic Racism

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Since the killing of George Floyd by officers of the Minneapolis Police Department, the entire nation has seen protests targeting not only policing practices but broader issues of systemic racism. State and local governments throughout the country have been considering, and in some cases implementing, changes to the policies and practices governing the mission and methods of law enforcement.

Governing in Crisis: Fostering a Fairer and Less Costly Criminal Justice System

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The COVID-19 pandemic has created unique challenges for the criminal justice system. These include the general challenge of maintaining the system in a time of social distancing and stay-at-home orders. They also include the more focused issue of dealing fairly with those confined in jail who would not pose a serious risk to the community if released but who are at a high risk of contracting COVID-19 if they continue to be held in the close quarters of the jail.