The Mason Spirit

“Czars are a constitutional aberration,” says Mason policy professor Mark Rozell. “There is no official title of executive branch ‘czar’ in the U.S. Constitution, federal laws, or government manuals. Czars may in theory exist to merely provide advice to presidents, but the reality is that many of these officers have gone well beyond merely advising and often supervised statutory programs, administered a policy area, controlled appropriated funds, or regulated industries. White House and executive branch aides who exercise decision-making authority that has the force of law and are not confirmed by the Senate violate the U.S. Constitution.”

Continue Reading All the President’s Czars

“Homework is the first ‘job’ for students with clear consequences if not completed,” says Mason educational psychology professor Anastasia Kitsantas. “It is a vehicle for students to assume responsibility and to learn that they are accountable for their own actions.” Recent research studies reveal that homework experiences increase students’ responsibility for learning and help them…

Continue Reading Top 5: Homework Tips for Parents, Teachers, and Students

Exercising, eating a healthy diet, and playing brain games may help you keep your wits about you well into your 80s and even 90s, advises a new book by Mason researchers.

Continue Reading Old Dogmas, New Tricks

Mason scientists discovered recently that a phenomenon called a giant magnetic rope is the cause of solar storms. Confirming the existence of this formation is a key first step in helping to mitigate the adverse effects that solar storm eruptions can have on satellite communications on Earth. The discovery was made by Mason computational and…

Continue Reading Mason Scientists Prove Existence of ‘Magnetic Ropes’ that Cause Solar Storms

Coffee gives more than a morning pick-me-up—about two cups daily could help sufferers of liver disease, according to a new joint study by Mason and Inova Health Systems.

Continue Reading Drinking Coffee Could Help Those With Liver Disease, Study Shows

The workplace is more diverse than ever before: men and women from different age, ethnic, educational, religious, and cultural backgrounds work together every day. Although these differences can sometimes make it challenging to communicate and coordinate efforts cohesively, diversity can also yield important benefits for organizations. Mason industrial/organizational psychology professor Eden King has developed the…

Continue Reading Top 5: Getting Along with Coworkers from Different Backgrounds

Mason researcher Alessandra Luchini has developed a new technology that just might make it possible to detect cancer and other diseases earlier than ever before.

Continue Reading The Mason-Born Invention that Could Affect the Lives of Millions

In her new book, Mason crime policy expert Cynthia Lum and colleagues analyze the outcomes and successes of counterterrorism programs both in the United States and abroad.

Continue Reading Taking a Closer Look at Counterterrorism Measures

Female workers hoping to advance their careers should be mindful of any masculine traits they may exhibit, according to Mason management professor Olivia O’Neill and Charles O’Reilly of Stanford University.

Continue Reading For Women in the Workplace, Being Self-Aware Is Key to Success

In the study Understanding Teen Drinking Cultures in America, David Anderson, director of Mason’s Center for the Advancement of Public Health, and Mason anthropology professor Hugh Gusterson set out to develop strategies to reduce the rate of teen alcohol consumption.

Continue Reading Study Sheds Light on Complexity of Teen Drinking