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Donate TodayGuest Commentary
At Bridge, we believe in listening to voices from all over our state. Got something to say? Contact us and join the conversation (details below)
How to submit a Guest Commentary
What to know:
Bridge Magazine welcomes a diversity of voices and perspectives from readers on issues important to Michigan. Guest commentaries reflect the views of the author(s), and are independent of the nonpartisan, fact-driven reporting of Bridge’s newsroom staff.
Commentaries must be the author’s original work and preferably will not have appeared first in other publications. Bridge reserves the right to decline submissions at our discretion.
We reserve the right to edit commentary for grammar, clarity, brevity or to address legal or factual concerns. We may offer editing suggestions, but in the service of making your work more accessible, not to alter your views.
We do not pay for guest commentary.
Here are some guidelines:
- Columns are usually 500-700 words
- They generally focus on a Michigan topic or policy and should avoid ad hominem attacks
- The more direct, distinct and/or intimate your perspective, the more effective your column will be
- The best columns do more than identify problems; they also offer solutions and facts to back them up
- Please include a one- or two-sentence bio, including the writer’s organization or relevant background
- Send a good quality, large headshot of the writer(s) as an attachment
- We also ask that, in return for publishing a guest commentary, the author(s) and their organizations generously promote the link to the published column through your Facebook, Twitter and other social or professional networks.
That’s about it. Keep the writing clear, conversational and free of jargon, and sell our smart and receptive readership on the argument you are trying to make.
Who to contact:
Email your submission or idea to Ron French at rfrench@bridgemi.com. Please briefly describe who you are and what you would like to say.
Articles
Carl Levin touts his Wayne State center for good governance
Oversight, done skillfully, is essential for effective bipartisan work. Promoting, teaching and demonstrating it is the goal for the Levin Center, named for Michigan’s recently retired U.S. senator.
Making a case for racial equity in dollars, cents and growth
Equality isn’t a zero-sum game. It’s good for everybody, everywhere in Michigan. And couldn’t we use a little more of that?
In health care costs, Michigan is doing something right
Compared to two of our Midwestern neighbors, we’re paying less for health care here, probably because of policy and our insurance landscape.
Vital early reading skills deserve critical policy focus
“Read or flunk” laws don’t work, but there are other ideas and programs that can have children reading at grade level at the critical juncture of third-fourth grade.
Diverting young offenders from prison is ‘smart justice’
Gov. Snyder rightly points to the cost savings of prison diversion programs. Nowhere will this investment do more good than in the expansion and funding of such programs for young people.
Mackinac Conference should address race in Detroit in Detroit
A long-overdue talk on race won’t yield results in the gleaming corridors of the Grand Hotel. The powers that be need to get out of their comfort zone and into city neighborhoods for any real discussion, and change, to take shape.
Michigan schools’ march to the bottom requires wholesale reform
Michigan’s African-American and white students are performing dismally compared with their demographic peers across the country. We must adopt bold strategies that are working in leading states.
A change in policy could benefit Michigan’s less-loved dogs
Anti-chaining laws are on the books in 19 states. Having one here would prevent dog owners from making their animals live unhappy lives on the end of a tether.
Teacher evaluation: A ‘difficult change’ worth the effort
In Tennessee, investing in improving the quality of teaching is paying off with better results in the classroom.
5 ways to improve standardized testing in Michigan schools
Clarkston Community Schools’ leaders bemoan the long hours young students spend on mandatory testing, and offer an alternative plan.
In the wake of Baltimore burning, a question: What Would Our Leaders Do (WWOLD)?
The flashpoint in West Baltimore may have passed-- but the problems and mounting community frustration in cities across Michigan and America remain.
Yes, fixing the roads is an urgent need, but no, Proposal 1 isn’t the way to do it
An economist lists the problems with Proposal 1, and finds them, as a whole, too worrisome to justify a yes vote on May 5.
Tax burden Prop 1 would impose too heavy to bear
Yes, Michigan’s roads are atrocious. But this writer says Proposal 1 would increase funding for entities that have nothing to do with roads.
Will we be better off if Proposal 1 passes? Former treasurer says yes
Yes, it raises taxes, but the problem it was designed to solve is urgent and must be addressed if the state is to move forward.
Fix disparities in public university funding in Michigan
A Mackinac Center analyst says the way the state spends $1.5 billion on higher education is unfair.
An Earth Day pitch: When you hang up the phone for good, toss it the right way
The shiny technology we discard contains hazardous waste, and devices need to be recycled responsibly – especially since the volume is growing so fast.
Michigan’s roads affect everyone, so a 'yes' vote on Proposal 1 makes sense
Even residents who don’t drive can be directly affected by the terrible condition of the state’s transportation infrastructure. Proposal 1 is the best chance to get it fixed.
‘Diplomacy Begins Here’ conference aims to illuminate international relations
You don’t have to have immunity to be a diplomat. Some of the most rewarding relationships between people of different countries start with people-to-people exchanges.
The Great Lakes state, graying: Demographic reality hits Michigan
The graying of Michigan isn't confined to its northern counties. The whole state is aging, and simply isn't drawing the new residents it needs to keep its economy vigorous. A demographer asks whether we have the will to fix it.
Money Smart Week: Be penny wise, and pound savvier
Most of us aren’t aware of how the scores of small financial decisions we make in a day or week can have long-term reverberations. One week of free educational events aims to fix that.