Center for the Study of Free Enterprise
CSFE BlogResearch Reports
Evidence-based issue briefs in areas of economic development, applied research, and free enterprise.
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Faculty, students, and staff from across campus working on issues important in their disciplines and to the communities in our region.
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Integrating the work of faculty and students with needs in the community where they are greatest.
What’s New
Classroom Debate Resolution: College is not worth it.
On November 12th, Emma Jutte chaired classroom debates in two introductory macroeconomics classes. The resolution: College is not worth it. Students debated and discussed the importance of prestige, college location, admission standards, tuition and fees,...
Campus-Wide Discussion: How to respect religious values while upholding the separation of the church and state
On October 27th, around 50 students, staff, and community members gathered to discuss the how to respect religious values while also ensuring the separation of church/temple/synagogue and state. Participants discussed how many political views are often shaped by one's...
Campus-Wide Dialogue: Religious Values and the Separation of Church and State
Join us on October 27th at 6pm to discuss the how we can respect religious values while also ensuring the separation of church/temple/synagogue and state. Food will be served at 6pm. The discussion starts at 6:30 pm in Forsyth 101. Please register here: A Braver...
Are Deportations Under the Trump Administration Unconstitutional? A Campus-Wide Debate
On September 24th, over 75 students, faculty, staff, and community members gathered to debate: “Are Deportations Under the Trump Administration Unconstitutional?" All participants offered excellent, concise, and well-supported views on a wide range of topics related...
Classroom Debate: Government should often intervene to control economic activity
As part of the Center for the Study of Free Enterprise's goal of enhancing free and open discussion and debate, the Barnes Student Fellows, Tryston Weiss and Kevin Lavery, led two classroom debates on April 29th. The resolution was: Government should often intervene...
Diana Esters wins 1st Place!
The Center for the Study of Free Enterprise wants to congratulate Diana Esters (middle) for earning 1st place in the undergraduate research poster session at the 49th annual Meeting of the Association of Private Enterprise Education in Guatemala City for her project...
Human Rights Violations and US Military Intervention: A Campus-Wide Debate
On March 26th, over 40 students gathered to discuss whether - and when - human rights violations justify U.S. military intervention. Four students kicked off the debate by presenting two speeches in the affirmative and two speeches in the negative. Students discussed...
Kevin Lavery Presents His Research Paper at the Eastern Economic Association Conference
On Saturday, February 22, 2025, Kevin Lavery presented his paper, "State Mandates on Sex Education and their Correlates to a Reduction in the Rate of Forcible Rape" in a faculty session at the Eastern Economic Association Meetings in New York City. Kevin’s paper...
Tryston Weiss Presents His Undergraduate Research Paper at the Eastern Economic Association Conference
On Saturday, February 22, 2025, Tryston Weiss presented his paper, "Trapped by Design: Redlining and the Cycle of Poverty in the US Cities" at the Issues in Political Economy Undergraduate research sessions at the Eastern Economic Association Meetings in New York...
Joseph Duty Presents His Undergraduate Research Paper at the Eastern Economic Association Conference
On Friday, February 21, 2025, Joseph Duty presented his paper on the “Unintended Consequences: How the Different Implementations of Colonial Property Systems by the Spanish Effect Latin American Economic Development Today” at the Issues in Political Economy...