Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Climate Change Adaptation Chapter: Marshfield, Massachusetts, Joshua H. Chase, Jonathan G. Cooper, Rory Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Filipe Antunes Lima, Sally R. Miller, Toni Marie Pignatelli

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Studio and Student Research and Creative Activity

Climate change, understood as a statistically significant variation in the mean state of the climate or its variability, is the greatest environmental challenge of this generation (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2001). Marshfield is already being affected by changes in the climate that will have a profound effect on the town’s economy, public health, coastal resources, natural features, water systems, and public and private infrastructure. Adaptation strategies have been widely recognized as playing an important role in improving a community’s ability to respond to climate stressors by resisting damage and recovering quickly.

Based on review of climate projections for the …

Workers' Compensation Reemployment Programs Options For Modifying The Pension System: Final Report, Peter S. Barth, H. Allan Hunt

H. Allan Hunt

No abstract provided.

The Evolution Of Disability Management In North American Workers' Compensation Programs, H. Allan Hunt

H. Allan Hunt

No abstract provided.

The Social And Material Lives Of The Agricultural Elite: The18th-Century Tyngs Of Dunstable, Massachusetts, Christa M. Beranek

Northeast Historical Archaeology

The Tyngs were a wealthy family in Dunstable (now Tyngsborough), Massachusetts in the late- 17th and 18th centuries. They were descended from a Boston merchant, and maintained many commercial connections. Some members of the family became rural storekeepers in Dunstable. Historical research and archaeological data from Eleazer Tyng's house site show the different ways in which the Tyngs related themselves to the urban coastal elite, and participated in the culture of gentility and refinement. Through architecture, social connections, and material goods such as tea wares, they lived as rural elites with connections to the coast. Rather than directly mimicking the …

Information On Small Populations With Significant Health Disparities: A Report On Data Collected On The Health Of Asian Americans In Massachusetts, Carolyn Wong, Hannah Hosotani, John Her

Institute for Asian American Studies Publications

An analysis of publicly available sources of data on Asian Americans in Massachusetts with recommendations on ways to improve this collection of data.

Our report begins with a discussion of the important issues of data collection and reporting and then discusses the particular challenges of collecting and reporting on data in Massachusetts. Profiles of major datasets based on records for administrative entities are presented such as the Massachusetts Cancer Registry, hospital discharges, MassHealth, and Medicare, and mortality and natality records. This is followed by a description of major datasets based on population surveys such as the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance …

Prelude To A Master Plan: Ware, Massachusetts, Belen Alfaro, Bruno Carneiro, Margaret Engesser, Kathryn E. Fox, Evadne R. Friedman, Timothy Inacio, Anita Lockesmith, Christina Mills, Stephanie Molden, Meagen Mulherin, Russell Pandres, Vinicius Pereira, Brian Reid, Pedro Soto, Jennifer Stromsten

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Studio and Student Research and Creative Activity

Prelude to a Master Plan offers ideas, recommendations, and a toolkit to help the town chart its own path towards that future. While the teams and individual students worked to ‘drill down’ into specific topic areas, the Studio defined three basic areas in order to think about how the various assets, challenges and ideas undermine or reinforce one another. The report is loosely organized in those terms: addressing the outlying rural areas and issues specific to these places, considering one of the key growth areas that has extended from town and the conflicts that arise from the many uses occurring …

The Asian American Electorate In 2012: Estimates Of Voter Registration In Eleven Massachusetts Cities And Towns, Paul Watanabe, Michael Liu

Institute for Asian American Studies Publications

Massachusetts’ Asian American community continues to grow rapidly and accordingly Asian American electoral participation increases in importance. Voting is a vehicle to expand opportunities and to enhance their role in the selection of public officials and influencing public policies. This participation, however, does not come easily for some groups and especially for those with a large immigrant component such as the Asian American populations. To be eligible to vote, adult residents must be United States citizens by birth or naturalization, but that is not enough — citizens must also be registered to vote.

This report provides detailed estimates of voter …

Organization And Efficiency Study Of Town Hall Departments: Town Of Carlisle, Massachusetts, Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center For Public Management, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Edward J. Collins Center for Public Management Publications

The Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management (the Center) was retained by the Town of Carlisle to conduct an analysis of government operations for departments located at Town Hall. This analysis included the following departments.

• Town Accountant
• Treasurer/Collector
• Assessor
• Town Clerk
• Council on Aging
• Recreation
• Planning Board
• Conservation Commission
• Building Commissioner
• Housing Authority
• Board of Health

This report presents the results of the study, which began in June 2012, and was designed to provide an assessment of the efficiency and effectiveness of Town operations, identifying strengths and improvement opportunities relating to organization, staffing, and management.

In this concluding …

Breakfast And Lunch Participation In Massachusetts Schools, Center For Social Policy, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Massachusetts Budget And Policy Center, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, Eos Foundation

Center for Social Policy Publications

The Center for Social Policy at the University of Massachusetts Boston (CSP), the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget), and the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI), with support from the Eos Foundation, established a research team to examine school food and related programs in Massachusetts.

While the team developed an overview of all federally funded food programs in Massachusetts, the focus of our work was on school meal programs and several aspects of the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP). The full project is composed of several individual pieces of research and analysis, most of which were primarily undertaken by one …

Asian Americans In Massachusetts: A Census Profile, Shauna Lo

Institute for Asian American Studies Publications

The report utilizes data from the 2010 Decennial Census, 2010 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, and the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-year estimates to provide detailed demographic and socioeconomic data for Asian Americans as well as for Chinese, Indians, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Koreans, Filipinos, and Japanese Americans in the state. Many of the tables also provide comparative data on Whites, Blacks and African Americans, and Latinos.

Women’S Political Leadership In Massachusetts, Paige Ransford, Meryl Thomson, Sarah Healey

Publications from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy

The Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy (CWPPP) at UMass Boston’s McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies has been tracking the election of women at the municipal level in Massachusetts since 1996. In 2003, the Project expanded to include all New England states. CWPPP remains the only research center in the United States that regularly tracks women’s political representation at the local level.

Proposed Reuse And Redevelopment Of The Salem Harbor Power Station, Salem, Massachusetts, Peter Matchak

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Masters Projects

This master's project analyses the potential reuse of the Salem Harbor Power Station. The station is slated to close June 2014. The closure is an opportunity for Salem, Massachusetts, to redevelop this site and to envision its future socio-economic possibilities. In this project, the parameters of potential development are reviewed, potential reuses are examined, and the best redevelopment strategies are presented.

This project uses five basic steps. The first was a literature review that focuses on planning concepts for the waterfront industrial landscape and its redevelopment. The second is a site analysis of the power plant that discusses the characteristics …

The Effect Of Unions On Productivity In The Public Sector: The Case Of Municipal Libraries, Ronald G. Ehrenberg, Joshua L. Schwarz

Ronald G. Ehrenberg

[Excerpt] This paper represents our initial efforts at analyzing the effects of unions on productivity in the public sector. We first sketch an analytical framework that can be used to estimate these effects, focusing for expository purposes on municipal public libraries. We initially focus on libraries because considerable effort has been devoted to conceptualizing productivity measures for them and because of the availability of data to implement the framework. After discussing the analytical framework, we present preliminary estimtes of the effects of unions on productivity in public libraries based upon analyses of data from 71 municipal libraries in Massachusetts. We …

From Engagement To Action: Assessing Community Readiness For Disparities Mobilization, Linda S. Sprague Martinez, Elmer Freeman, Flavia C. Perea

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

In an effort to engage communities across the state of Massachusetts in tackling health disparities, Critical MASS (CM), in partnership with local researchers piloted a readiness assessment to identify community assets, perceptions of disparities, and interest in partnership. The research process was used to facilitate the development of partnerships between outside organizers, researchers, and community stakeholders. Partnership outcomes included a disparities conference aimed at bringing attention to concerns in the community, and a grant submission aimed at addressing community identified disparities. Despite the successes the partnership faced challenges. Logistics and limited resources hindered partner efforts to sustain the relationship. This …

Asian American We: Civic Engagement Among Low-Income Young Adults, Michael Liu, Star Wang, Janice Wong, Loan Dao

Institute for Asian American Studies Publications

This report describes a study of the civic participation of low-income Asian American adults between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five in the Boston area. It is based upon a mail survey with 100 respondents, focus groups, and organization interviews.

The study found that over 60% of the study population engaged in some form of civic participation, most commonly through fundraising or volunteer activities. Other activities included arts and culture with a social message, issues work, and electoral involvement. The area of greatest involvement was education. From the survey, civic engagement is correlated with female gender, higher education, and a …

Management Assessment Of The Public Works Department: City Of Lowell, Massachusetts, Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center For Public Management, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Edward J. Collins Center for Public Management Publications

This report presents the results of the management assessment of the Lowell Public Works Department conducted by the University of Massachusetts Boston’s Collins Center for Public Management.

The project team conducted a comprehensive organization and management analysis of the Department's existing operations, service levels, infrostructure management, organizational structures and staffing levels. The analysis was to be fact-based and include all aspects of service provision by the Department.

Mattapan United Community Questionnaire, Mattapan United, Center For Social Policy, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Center for Social Policy Publications

In the winter and spring of 2012, the Steering Committee of the Mattapan United Resilient Communities/Resilient Families project undertook an assessment of community members’ attitudes and opinions for use in planning and program development.

The Committee was assisted in this endeavor by the Center for Social Policy (CSP), McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, University of Massachusetts Boston. The work of CSP is supported by a grant from The Boston Foundation to provide analytical and evaluation assistance for its Fairmount Initiative along the Fairmount/Indigo Corridor of Boston.

The questionnaire was widely disseminated throughout Mattapan in hard copy and …

Documenting A Movement: Creating And Sustaining The Occupy Boston Community Archive, Meghan Bailey

Meghan Bailey

A wave of dissatisfaction swept the country in fall 2011. This uneasiness manifested itself in numerous Occupy movements, featuring throngs of protestors speaking out against income inequality and the corruption in our financial sector. Inspired by Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Boston took root on the Rose Kennedy Greenway at Dewey Square in Boston’s financial district during mid-October 2011. Thriving in the shadow of the Federal Reserve Bank, Occupy Boston was a vibrant and diverse community of individuals, from students to the working class, from professionals to the unemployed. The importance of preserving the Occupy movement quickly became clear. It’s been …

Mass. Memories Road Show, Heather Cole, Joanne M. Riley, Andrew Elder, Joseph P. Healey Library, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Mass. Memories Road Show is an event-based public history project that digitizes family photos and stories shared by the people of Massachusetts. We work with local communities to organize free public events where residents are invited to bring family photos to be scanned and included in the archives at UMass Boston.

Ma Forest Futures Visioning Process, Loraine Della Porta, Massachusetts Office Of Public Collaboration, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) initiated the Forest Futures Visioning Process to develop a long-term strategy for managing the 308,000 acres of lands in the State and Urban Parks system. The Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration at UMass Boston designed and facilitated this year-long collaborative visioning process which culminated in a set of consensus recommendations for a 100 year vision for the forests of Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Agricultural Mediation Program, Courtney Breese, Massachusetts Office Of Public Collaboration, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Massachusetts Agricultural Mediation Program is administered by the Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration (MOPC) at UMass Boston and certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide mediation services to the farm community in Massachusetts. Through the Program, MOPC provides mediation services to farmers, their creditors, and the USDA, as well as conducts training and outreach to build the capacity of producer organizations and state and local officials to address conflicts.

The Massachusetts Community Mediation Centers Program, Madhawa Palihapitiya, Massachusetts Office Of Public Collaboration, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

As part of the public service mission of UMASS Boston, the MA Office of Public Collaboration (MOPC) partnered with the Community Mediation Coalition of Massachusetts in compiling a research study and design for a Community Mediation Centers Grant Program to increase sustainability, scope and quality of Massachusetts community dispute resolution as a mechanism for increasing access to justice for all Massachusetts communities.

Building Bridges: Fostering Dialogue & Shared Understanding Between Communities & Government Agencies, Eben Weitzman, Darren Kew

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Professors Eben Weitzman and Darren Kew of the Department of Conflict Resolution, Human Security, and Global Governance are facilitating ongoing conversations among state and federal agencies and minority community representatives in Massachusetts as a means for fostering shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities inherent to their relationship. Working with the BRIDGES program, they are applying theories around group dialogue in order to help stakeholders build lasting, productive connections.

Commonwealth Compact Talent Network: A Resource For And About Talented Professionals Of Color In Massachusetts, Robert Turner, Georgianna Meléndez

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Commonwealth Compact seeks to establish Massachusetts as a uniquely inclusive, honest, and supportive community of—and for—diverse people. To acknowledge our mixed history in this effort, and to face squarely the challenges that still need to be overcome, understanding that the rich promise of the region’s growing diversity must be tapped fully, if Massachusetts is to achieve its economic, civic, and social potential.

Somerville Commission For Women: 2012 Women’S Needs Survey, Heather Macindoe, Valerie Berger

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Somerville Commission for Women was created in March 1988 by City ordinance. It focuses on programming aimed at anti-violence, financial literacy, empowerment, coalition building, and legislation relating to women. It was recognized by Massachusetts House of Representatives on its 10th anniversary for outstanding service in advocacy for women, opposition to domestic violence, and working for social justice.

The Gastón Institute’S Response To Requests For Descriptive Socio-Demographic Profiles Of Latinos In Massachusetts, Maria Idali Torres, Phillip Granberry, Gaston Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Gastón Institute responds to requests for periodic demographic updates on the Latino population in Massachusetts and other New England states. The rapidly changing makeup of the Latino population of Massachusetts calls for a deep understanding of the characteristics and situations of the different sectors of the community. While the non-Latino white population from Massachusetts declined around 4% over the last decade, the Latino population grew approximately 45%. This fact highlights the importance of Latino population to the State’s economic, political and social growth and stability.

Commonwealth Compact: Merrimac Valley Collaborative, Robert Turner, Georgianna Meléndez

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Commonwealth Compact seeks to establish Massachusetts as a uniquely inclusive, honest, and supportive community of—and for—diverse people. The objectives of this program include acknowledging our mixed history in this effort, face squarely the challenges that still need to be overcome and understand that the rich promise of the region's growing diversity must be tapped fully if Massachusetts is to achieve its economic, civic, and social potential.

Commonwealth Compact: Massachusetts Business School Collaborative, Robert Turner, Georgianna Meléndez

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Commonwealth Compact seeks to establish Massachusetts as a uniquely inclusive, honest, and supportive community of—and for—diverse people. The objectives of this program include acknowledging our mixed history in this effort, face squarely the challenges that still need to be overcome and understand that the rich promise of the region's growing diversity must be tapped fully if Massachusetts is to achieve its economic, civic, and social potential.

Amesbury Early College Program: Second-Year Outcomes, John E. Leonard, Sue Grolnic, Roy Hamond

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

This program involves creating five-year longitudinal community-based program evaluation reports annually based on outcomes for early college program for academically average students in grades 10-12, in a suburban high school partnership with MA community college. The Mixed methodology employed uses surveys and interviews and quantitative student data to illuminate program design, measure student outcomes, investigate changes in teaching practice and examine effective leadership practices. The two-year results show impressive credit accumulation and improved college readiness skills in students. It also shows that strong support mechanisms promote student success. This Program is now being replicated in other communities.

Massachusetts And The Financial Crisis, College Of Management, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Financial Services Forum Publications

Although Massachusetts suffered the consequences of the crisis along with the rest of the US economy, the state weathered the storm relatively well. Now, with the impact of the policies still playing out, there are encouraging signs of recovery which may provide much needed relief for all.