To speak with the experts below, or to find others, contact Joe King in the NIU Office of Institutional Communications at joking@niu.edu or by phone at 815-753-4299.
Could the Supreme Court put regulators out of business?
The Supreme Court has agreed to revisit its decision in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council. Does this mean that regulators will be put out of business? No, but this latest battle between conservative and liberal attitudes toward regulation will likely further erode regulators’ power, says NIU Assistant Professor of Law Gregory Elinson. He can discuss:
- How the Court has given itself an opportunity to narrow Chevron’s application without formally overruling it.
- Why the Chevron case isn’t as important as some believe (as it requires courts to first determine whether a statutory provision is ambiguous).
- How this case is essentially a proxy fight between conservatives who oppose regulation as an unwarranted interference into business affairs and liberals who support regulation as a way to protect the public.
Might a 19th century law threaten abortion rights?
Abortion opponents are arguing that now that Roe v. Wade has been struck down, the government should enforce the late 19th-century federal law known as the Comstock Act to forbid the mailing of abortion pills, which are responsible for the vast majority of abortions in the U.S. And the Supreme Court might just agree, says NIU Assistant Professor of Law Evan Bernick. He can discuss:
- The history of the Comstock Act and why it is suddenly relevant again
- How it has, and has not been enforced in the past and how it may, or may not, be enforced going forward
- How enforcement of the law will largely depend upon which party is in power
Removing the stigma of mental health support
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which makes it the perfect time for all of us to reevaluate our attitudes toward seeking mental health support, says Dr. Suzanne Degges-White, chair of Counseling and Adult Higher Education at NIU. Among the topics she can discuss are:
- Some of the common misconceptions about seeking help
- Ways to recognize you might want to contact a therapist
- How to support friends and family who are in or considering therapy
- How to support friends and family dealing with addiction – whether their own or that of a loved one
