Digital Commons Network^™

Public Support Of The Arts In Michigan, Melia Tourangeau

SPNA Review

With the loss in jobs and economic stress in Michigan, arts organizations have seen dramatic decline in corporate and individual support. The Michigan legislature in 2004 was faced with a deficit of over $925 million (Bartik and Erickcek, 2005). All areas of the government have been cut including state funding for arts and cultural institutions through the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA). While attendance is still strong, performing arts institutions have seen significant shifts since 2001 from subscription packages to single ticket sales, indicating limited resources for many people. Today, MCACA is the smallest it has ever …

Impact Of Morbid Obesity On Outcome Of Laparoscopic Splenectomy., Edward P Dominguez, Yong U Choi, Bradford G Scott, Alan M. Yahanda Md, Facs, Edward A Graviss, John F Sweeney

PCI Publications and Projects

BACKGROUND: Because of the obesity epidemic, surgeons are operating on morbidly obese patients in increasing numbers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of morbid obesity on the outcome of laparoscopic splenectomy.

METHODS: The study group consisted of 120 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic splenectomy for benign and malignant disease from March 1996 to May 2005. These patients were retrospectively divided into three groups. Group 1 had a body mass index (BMI) < 30. Group 2 patients had a BMI > or = 30 and < 40 and were considered obese. Group 3 had a BMI > or = 40 and were considered morbidly obese. Data including surgical approach (laparoscopic vs. hand-assisted), operative time, conversion rate, estimated blood …

A Frightening Device For Deterring Deer Use Of Cattle Feeders, Nathan W. Seward, Gregory E. Phillips, Jared F. Duquette, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The presence of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in cattle can negatively impact a state’s economy and cattle industry. In Michigan, USA, wild white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are a reservoir for reinfecting cattle herds. Although direct TB transmission between deer and cattle is rare, infected deer may contaminate cattle feed. To mitigate this risk, we designed and evaluated a deer-resistant cattle feeder (DRCF) device for deterring deer from feeders. The device delivered negative stimuli to condition deer to avoid cattle feeders. We tested the device by conducting a comparative change experiment at a high-density captive white-tailed deer operation in northeastern …

Process And Net Impact Evaluations Of The Focus: Hope Adult Training Programs And Student Loan Fund, Kevin Hollenbeck

Upjohn Institute Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Confidentiality Of Educational Records And Child Protective Proceedings, Frank E. Vandervort

Book Chapters

The Federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which provides funding for state educational programming, requires that student records be disclosed to a nonparent only with the written consent of the child’s parent, unless the disclosure falls within one of the several exceptions detailed in the statute. One of the exemptions provided for in the federal law permits a school to disclose information to “state or local officials or authorities to whom [that] information is allowed to be reported or disclosed pursuant to state statute,” if that official certifies in writing “that the information will not be disclosed to …

The Ideal Deal: How Local Governments Can Get More For Their Economic Development Dollar, Rachel Weber, David Santacroce

Books

This handbook is designed to provide local economic development practitioners with an important tool. It takes the reader step-by-step through the different elements of contracts that treat public incentive packages as a quid pro quo for public benefits. Each section discusses a different element of the ideal deal: valuation of public costs and benefits, performance standards, disclosure and oversight, and enforcement. In each section we provide detailed examples of model provisions used by local governments in their incentive legislation, ordinances, and contracts -- information that has not before been obtained or recorded in any systematic way. These examples are meant …

The Road Goes On Forever And The Party Never Ends': A Response To Judge Tacoma's Prescription For A Return To Foster Care 'Limbo' And 'Drift', Frank E. Vandervort

Articles

This article responds to Judge Tacoma’s suggested changes in Michigan law. It begins with a very brief history of child welfare legislation at the federal and state levels. Next, it points out a number of errors in Judge Tacoma’s understanding of the current state of Michigan’s child welfare law.2 It is necessary to point out these errors because it seems that his misstatements of the law form the foundation for his recommended reforms. Then it will respond point-by-point to many of Judge Tacoma’s recommendations. Finally, I will off er several suggestions for addressing the problem of legal orphans that do …

Gvsu Press Releases, 2007, Grand Valley State University

University Press Releases, 1961-Present

A compilation of press releases for the year 2007 submitted by University Communications (formerly News & Information Services) to news agencies concerning the people, places, and events related to Grand Valley State University.

Research Strategies To Reduce Bovine Tuberculosis Transmission From Wildlife To Cattle, Are R. Brentensen, Mike R. Dunbar, Robert G. Mclean

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a zoonotic disease caused by Mycobaterium bovis, and is transmissible to humans, wildlife and domestic livestock. In the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) serve as a reservoir for the disease and pose a significant threat to domestic cattle and captive cervids. Scientists at USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center have designed a variety of laboratory and field studies aimed at reducing or eliminating bTB infection in cattle by interrupting the transmission of the disease from wildlife reservoirs. These strategies include reducing bTB in deer by delivery of …

Procedural Injustice: How The Practices And Procedures Of The Child Welfare System Disempower Parents And Why It Matters, Vivek Sankaran, Itzhak Lander

Articles

Many of us appear surprised when families involved in the child protective system do not reunify. A parent’s path to reunification seems straightforward. Upon a finding of neglect, the court prescribes a basic regimen, typically consisting of parenting classes, counseling, drug testing, and a psychological evaluation, that a parent must fulfill prior to having the child returned to his/her custody. If a parent successfully completes these seemingly minimal requirements, the law requires reunification unless the return poses a “substantial risk of harm” to the child. With such high stakes involved, a clearly defined path for success, and the prospect of …

Investiture Toast For President Tom Haas, Delivered On October 27, 2006, Arend D. Lubbers

Presidential Speeches

Investiture Toast for President Tom Haas, delivered on October 27, 2006 by Arend D. Lubbers, who served as President of Grand Valley from 1969-2001.

The George-Anne, Georgia Southern University

The George-Anne

• Veazey to Open in Fall '07
• News Briefs
• Campus News
• Opinion
• Classifieds
• Sports

The George-Anne, Georgia Southern University

The George-Anne

• Time Capsule Arrives Before its Time
• Campus News
• News Briefs
• Opinion
• Classifieds
• Sports

Justifying Interlocal Cooperation: Feasibility Studies, Financing And Cost Allocation, Art Holdsworth

Working Group on Interlocal Services Cooperation

This White Paper overviews the obstacles and benefits to interlocal collaboration on public services. A major emphasis is placed on understanding the preparation of feasibility studies and the issues involved in allocating the costs of shared services among communities.

An Evaluation Of Michigan Regional Skills Alliances (Mirsas): Final Report, Kevin Hollenbeck, Randall W. Eberts

Reports

No abstract provided.

After School Policy In The State Of Michigan, Erica Curry

SPNA Review

Young people spend just 20 percent of their waking hours in school. Nationwide, 28 million children between the ages of 6 and 17 have parents who work outside the home. These children need care and supervision before and after school, over the summer, and during school breaks. Often, the supply does not meet the demand, and many of the children are not able to get the care and supervision they need. In fact, lack of funding is causing many school-age programs to reduce services or to shut down completely. The lack of care is not without consequences. This paper examines …

Evaluating Public School Funding In Michigan And The Impact Of Proposal A, Anne-Marie Bessette

SPNA Review

“The scope of reductions under consideration by the Grand Rapids Public School Board should be a wake-up call for the entire community. We can no longer expect business as usual—what was once unimaginable now becomes reality.” - Grand Rapids Education Reform Initiative.

While it is a national trend that public schools are struggling financially, each state has a unique situation due to different funding practices. The budget problems are often blamed on poor money management: too many administrators, too high levels of salaries, extra cost in working with unions, excessive benefits. As for Grand Rapids Public Schools, there are four …

Richard Devos Introduction Speech, Delivered On June 15, 2006, Arend D. Lubbers

Presidential Speeches

Richard DeVos Introduction Speech, delivered on June 15, 2006 by Arend D. Lubbers, who served as President of Grand Valley from 1969-2001.

Rethinking Gender Opportunities: Nontraditional Sports Seasons And Local Preferences, Kristen Boike

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

In Communities for Equity v. Michigan High School Athletic Association, the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed a district court decision, holding that the scheduling of high school girls' sports in "nontraditional" seasons in Michigan violated the Equal Protection Clause. The Supreme Court of the United States, granting certiorari, vacated and remanded this case back to the Sixth Circuit. This Note suggests reasons why the Sixth Circuit and/or the United States Supreme Court should protect the Michigan High School Athletic Association's (MHSAA) current scheduling of sports seasons. Specifically, using the model provided by Romer v. Evans and …

The Business Case For Interlocal Cooperation, Art Holdsworth

Working Group on Interlocal Services Cooperation

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of Michigan Regional Skills Alliances (Mirsas): Interim Report, Kevin Hollenbeck, Randall W. Eberts

Reports

No abstract provided.

Michigan's Business Taxes And Economic Development: Possible Reforms, Timothy J. Bartik

Testimonies

No abstract provided.

A Sheep In Wolf's Clothing: The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative As The Savior Of Affirmative Action, Ryan C. Hess

Michigan Law Review First Impressions

The University of Michigan has long been a place of important discussions about civil and human rights. On the steps of the Michigan Student Union, only a few paces from the Law School, lies an inconspicuous marker where then-President John F. Kennedy, Jr. dedicated the United States Peace Core. During the Vietnam War, the University played host to significant protests that changed how we think about war and its consequences. Most recently, the University litigated a series of Supreme Court cases that have helped define the role of educational institutions in the quest for equality. This role promises to continue …

Gvsu Press Releases, 2006, Grand Valley State University

University Press Releases, 1961-Present

A compilation of press releases for the year 2006 submitted by University Communications (formerly News & Information Services) to news agencies concerning the people, places, and events related to Grand Valley State University.

An Analysis Of Internal Phosphorus Loading In White Lake, Alan Steinman, Mary Ogdahl

Scientific Technical Reports

An analysis of internal phosphorus loading in White Lake, MI was conducted during the summer, 2006. Sediment cores were removed from 4 sites in White Lake and incubated in the laboratory under aerobic (with oxygen) and anaerobic (without oxygen) conditions. Phosphorus flux from the sediments into the overlaying water column was measured over a 27-day period and compared to rates measured from sediment cores collected previously from Mona and Spring Lakes.

Internal phosphorus loading in White Lake sediments ranged from 1.55 to 7.78 mg TP/m2/d in anaerobic conditions and from -0.18 to 0.14 mg/m2/d in aerobic conditions. The negative value …

Which Local Governments Cooperate On Public Safety?: Lessons From Michigan, Jered B. Carr, Kelly Leroux

Working Group on Interlocal Services Cooperation

Despite the increased interest in voluntary services cooperation, little is known about the factors that encourage local governments to enter into collaborative services arrangements with each other. This paper addresses this question through an analysis of interlocal contracting arrangements for police and fire services reported by 464 local governments in Michigan. While the contracting of public services is increasing common in local governments across the country, collaborations on police and fire services have proved far more difficult to achieve. Public safety contracting presents a dilemma for public managers. On one hand, local governments devote a substantial part of their budgets …

Process And Net Impact Evaluations Of The Focus: Hope Adult Training Programs And Student Loan Fund, Kevin Hollenbeck, Kelly Derango

Reports

No abstract provided.

Catalog Of Local Government Services In Michigan, Eric Lupher

Working Group on Interlocal Services Cooperation

The Citizens Research Council announces the release of the Catalog of Local Government Services. The Catalog is the result of a survey sent to the governments of 670 counties, cities, villages, and counties in 24 Michigan counties. The surveys asked which services are provided to residents of each community, and if the services are provided, whether they are provided by the units themselves, through cooperative arrangements, by another unit, or by contract. Responses were received from about 70 percent of the units contacted. The data show that Michigan cities, villages, and townships cannot be characterized in simple terms. The menu …

Temporary Agency Employment As A Way Out Of Poverty?, David H. Autor, Susan N. Houseman

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

The high incidence of temporary agency employment among participants in government employment programs has catalyzed debate about whether these jobs help the poor transition into stable employment and out of poverty. We provide direct evidence on this question through analysis of a Michigan welfare-to-work program in which program participants were randomly allocated across service providers ('contractors') with different job placement practices. We draw on a telephone survey of contractors and on administrative program data linked with wage records data on all participants entering the program over a three-and-a half-year period. Our survey evidence documents a consensus among contractors that temporary …

Award Speech For Margaret Sellers Walker, Delivered At The Enrichment Dinner On June 1, 2005, Arend D. Lubbers

Presidential Speeches

Award Speech for Margaret Sellers Walker, delivered at the Enrichment Dinner on June 1, 2005 by Arend D. Lubbers, who served as President of Grand Valley from 1969-2001.