Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons^™

Affordable Housing Within A Post-Welfare State: The Case Of Toronto, Dave Guyadeen

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines the firsthand effects of the federal government’s Affordable Housing Initiative on the City of Toronto. A series of in-depth interviews were conducted with key housing stakeholders within the housing sector, including representatives of the City of Toronto and Toronto Community Housing, as well as affordable housing advocates. The findings reveal that despite the introduction of the Affordable Housing Initiative, Toronto’s affordable housing system has experienced an increased reliance on the private sector and the perpetuation of temporary solutions that fail to address the affordable housing crisis in the city.

Workforce Diversity Management In Ontario Municipalities, Jennifer Lajoie

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines why some municipalities have implemented workforce diversity management plans and policies, while others have not. A case study analysis of nine mid-sized Ontario municipalities – Chatham-Kent, Sudbury, Guelph, Kitchener, Lambton, London, St. Catharines, Thunder Bay, and Windsor – was conducted. The findings reveal that common patterns for the existence of workforce diversity management policies include: a wake-up call that helps trigger change; the creation of organizational buy-in; the existence of a champion for diversity; and a consideration of local environmental forces.

Aging Related Issues And The Agenda Setting Process: A Comparative Analysis, Annie Tam

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines the agenda setting process with regards to the implementation of initiatives concerning population aging. A comparative analysis of Age Friendly London in the City of London and the Older Adult Plan in the City of Mississauga were conducted. The findings reveal that both initiatives illustrate many elements of the agenda setting process proposed in the relevant theories and fundamental factors, such as the impact of the media and the power of a political champion, were evident in each case study.

Oust The Louse: Does Political Pressure Discipline Regulators?, James Prieger, Janice A. Hauge, Mark A. Jamison

School of Public Policy Working Papers

We consider a possible determinant of regulatory decisions by public utility commissioners: the desire to remain in office. We examine regulatory exit, where a regulator leaves a commission during a term or is not re-appointed/re-elected. With data from US states, we empirically investigate several hypotheses motivated by a political agency model of regulatory decision-making. Our empirical results generally support the hypotheses, including that higher electricity prices lead to ousting, that ousting is less common where it is more costly for the principal to whom the regulator reports, and that ousting is more likely where regulators are more accountable or are …

A Centrist Solution To Central American Violence And Inequality, Devin Joshi

Human Rights & Human Welfare

The northern triangle of Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras) has experienced horrific violence, poverty, and a vicious cycle of human rights violations for decades. Repeated natural disasters and the re-routing of the drug trade through Central America are not helping the situation. On the other hand, nearby Costa Rica has achieved a much higher standard of human rights, public safety, and political stability. Why? Costa Rica has put in place four pillars of development and stability lacking in most other countries in the region: a stronger state, an educated population, inter-racial cooperation, and a more inclusive democracy. For …

Generic Wish-Lists For State-Centric Policies, Edzia Carvalho

Human Rights & Human Welfare

The Central America depicted in the article under review resembles a region visited by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse—colonial Conquest, civil War, Famine and other natural disasters, and poverty, disease and Death. Added to this list of woes are the recent drug-fueled conflict, democratic instability, weak state capacity, and the socio-economic fallout of the economic recession in the United States. While the first half of the article records these problems, the author shifts gears in the second half and provides an array of responses to these challenges, with a forceful recommendation that states in the region focus their efforts …

Moving United States Health Care Forward, Thomas R. O'Neill

Honors Scholar Theses

Substantive Health Care reform poses one of the greatest current challenges to the American political system. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 marks the most recent attempt at approaching this daunting task. Charged with expanding coverage while controlling costs, it pursues a sundry number of legislative solutions to achieve these seemingly incompatible goals. Despite the strides the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has made, lingering educational, pharmaceutical, and legal concerns stand to derail progress made on fixing the health care system. If these goals are to be successful, a number of additional measures are needed to …

Promises And Human Rights: The Obama Administration On Immigrant Detention Policy Reform, José Villalobos

Selected Works Temporary Series

This article evaluates the Obama administration’s efforts towards reforming U.S. immigration detention policies. Over the past decade, immigrant rights advocates have increasingly criticized certain policies of the U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) system of immigration detention, including the widespread use of private contractors, lack of proper oversight, grouping of violent criminals and non-violent undocumented immigrants (particularly minority women and children) in holding cells, and neglect of detained immigrants in need of medical attention. In reviewing these developments, I contend that the Obama administration must take substantive steps towards reforming the existing system, particularly by instituting legally enforceable standards with …

Promises And Human Rights: The Obama Administration On Immigrant Detention Policy Reform, José Villalobos

Departmental Papers (PS)

This article evaluates the Obama administration’s efforts towards reforming U.S. immigration detention policies. Over the past decade, immigrant rights advocates have increasingly criticized certain policies of the U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) system of immigration detention, including the widespread use of private contractors, lack of proper oversight, grouping of violent criminals and non-violent undocumented immigrants (particularly minority women and children) in holding cells, and neglect of detained immigrants in need of medical attention. In reviewing these developments, I contend that the Obama administration must take substantive steps towards reforming the existing system, particularly by instituting legally enforceable standards with …

The City Of Kennedale Historic Preservation Plan, Amy Cannon, Whitney Ellis, Michael Lark, Martin Phillips, Amy Rodriguez, Stuart Young

Public Administration Capstone Reports - Archive

The City of Kennedale's adoption of the strategic plan, Imagine Kennedale 2015, details several unique opportunities to heighten the City's image with regard to family living and economic development. One of the priority strategies highlighted in the plan focuses on defining the historical identity of Kennedale by recognizing and classifying existing landmarks that have historical significance to the community within a downtown historic district. The framework within the strategic plan emphasizes a community consensus for the appreciation of historic preservation in Kennedale.

Parks And Obesity In Rural And Urban Nebraska, Michaela S. Wolf

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

In order to better understand the role community design plays in obesity rates, this project studies a potential relationship between distance of parks from homes and obesity rates in four Nebraska counties. Park use may contribute to important health benefits, such as reducing risk of obesity by increasing physical activity levels. There are limitations to park use, such as crime rates and facility upkeep that are important to understand so that they might be managed and communities can reap greater benefits from their parks, including better fitness. This study examines park distance from homes as a potential limiting factor to …

Sozialpolitik Nach Dem Verursacherprinzip : Beispiele Der Anwendung Bei Sucht, Gewichtsproblemen, Medikamentenmissbrauch, Arbeitslosigkeit, Prostitution, Isidor Wallimann

Books

Dieses einzigartige Buch ist der "Praxisband" des bekannten und renommierten Experten im Bereich der modernen Sozialpolitik. In mehr und mehr Ländern wird punktuell das Verursacherprinzip auch in der Sozial- und Gesundheitspolitik angewendet, leider zu bruchstückhaft und oft wenig reflektiert. Sozialpolitik nach dem Verursacherprinzip ist genau jenes Thema, dass kontroversiell diskutiert wird. Prominente Fallbeispiele wie zB im Bereich der Tabakindustrie in den USA prägen die Diskussion und gesellschaftspolitischen Diskurse.

Im Idealfall sollen mit dem Verursacherprinzip Soziale Probleme und Belastungen an alle dafür verantwortlichen Akteure zurückgebunden und so vermieden werden. Akteure, die andern Schaden zufügen, müssen dafür die Verantwortung übernehmen. Kosten zu …

Evaluation Of Interim Sessions In State Legislatures, Laurie Erin Russell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Various authors have analyzed the work of state legislatures during the regular session; however, there is a noticeable void in the study of the functionality of the legislative process during the interim session. The interim session refers to the time span between regular legislative sessions, which varies in duration dependent on the state. It should not be deducted that the lack of research devoted to the interim session evaluation is because the legislative workload is dormant during this period. The findings of this paper support the concept that interim session activity merits evaluation since it is a contributing factor to …

Telework Within The Bureau Of Reclamation Lower Colorado Region Office, Theresa Lee, Lynne Arnold, John Wagner, Elias Samorano, Anita Morgan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A team of researchers from The University of Nevada, Las Vegas were invited by management to observe, assess, and offer recommendations. It was determined by the research team that the first step to improving participation would be to observe the functional telework policy, compare and contrast it with the Department of the Interior standards, and offer recommendations to generate data necessary to develop an updated telework policy by management. The recommendations made by this group include creating an employee eligibility list, tracking actual participation by creating a renewal policy for employees choosing to telework. It is also recommended that a …

Public Utilities Commission Of Nevada: A Research Design For Data Collection, Mario Heresi, Jamie Stout, Brandy Davis, Cheyenne Pasquale

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) needs tools to develop a system by which reliable data can be collected in order to assist in the regulation of public utilities in Nevada. Their particular emphasis is on low-income and elderly populations. The PUCN needs to have reliable data they can utilize to make decisions that are fact based. Part of their needs is to have a thorough understanding of the factors that affect both low-income and elderly populations. Like so many other organizations, the PUCN does not have a set system to investigate all issues and makes decisions on a …

The Solid Waste Management System Of Jaipur: An Overview And Analysis, Laura Olivier

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Jaipur’s rapid development has resulted in its infrastructure lagging behind population and industrial growth, which is especially evident in the unsightly and unsanitary piles of solid waste (garbage) on the roads. This project took a broad system approach to understand Jaipur’s solid waste management system. It investigated how the system is carried out, some obstacles to its success, and the role of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). The findings indicate that there is a multiple-tiered hierarchical system. The system involves a formal sector comprised of female and male sweepers, permanent and impermanent workers, and an informal sector of ragpickers and door-todoor …

No Me Conoces: Integración Social De Refugiados Colombianos En Quito, Anna Luberoff

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

¿Qué significa ser refugiado? Técnicamente, una persona es un refugiado cuando está en una situación de peligro en su país de origen, mientras que un migrante es una persona que se mudó de su país de origen principalmente por razones económicas. Según la definición técnica de ACNUR, un refugiado es una persona que:

“debido a fundados temores de ser perseguida por motivos de raza, religión, nacionalidad, pertenencia a determinado grupo social u opiniones políticas, se encuentre fuera del país de su nacionalidad y no pueda o, a causa de dichos temores, no quiera acogerse a la protección de tal país; …

Let's Talk About It: Political Relationships In Nepal, Benjamin Wolf Lehr Mueser

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study examines the relationship between citizens, political parties, and local government in Nepal. Specifically, the research focuses on the relationship as it pertains to the decision-making processes in the VDC and DDC in Salleri, Solukhumbu. Through interviews with individuals at the policy level in Kathmandu, officials in Salleri, and residents of Salleri, the research studies this interaction and how it relates to citizen’s individual agency, political parties’ role as a middleman, and local government’s ability to communicate with local residents. The research concludes that parties are the only way for citizens to take their demands to local bodies. This …

After The Fire Is Out, Elise Lequire

Joint Fire Science Program Digests

Even before firefighters have left a burn site, a second wave of specialists is deployed. Their task: to assess the burn site; determine the level of risk to life, property, and ecological resources; and determine quickly the most effective postfire treatments for emergency stabilization and initial rehabilitation of the site. For the past 13 years, the Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) has funded research on this critical phase of work, which often goes unnoticed after the fire is out. With support from the JFSP, scientists have made great strides in improving the tools available to assess postfire risks and evaluate …

Welfare Reform Policies And Their Effect On Poverty Rates Across The United States, Luke N. Welle

Political Science Theses and Capstones

We have all heard the arguments on the pros and cons of welfare reform, its effect on recipient’s lives, and its effectiveness in achieving its goals. In concluding whether or not it is effective in achieving its goals, the actual goals are broad and difficult to define. I consider the goal being reducing the number of citizens living in poverty. My research focuses specifically on how variations in the welfare system perform in reducing poverty rates across the United States. I investigate what governmental policies each state has in place and their effect on poverty. Those states, in which poverty …

Vegetation Classification And Mapping Of Homestead National Monument Of America, Project Report, Kelly Kindscher, Hayley Kilroy, Jennifer Delisle, Quinn Long, Hillary Loring, Kevin Dobbs, Jim Drake

United States National Park Service: Publications

Executive Summary

Homestead National Monument (HOME) was created at the to celebrate the significance of the Homestead Act of 1862 which granted 160 acres of free land to claimants and was one of the most significant and enduring events in the westward expansion of the United States. The National Monument encompasses 184 acres in Gage County, west of Beatrice, Nebraska. This unique site also hosts the oldest prairie restoration in the National Park system, and the second-oldest tallgrass prairie restoration known. This park unit also has a small remnant of native tallgrass prairie and remnants of bur-oak forest.

A three-year …

Social Networking And Individual Performance: Examining Predictors Of Participation, Michael Anthony Brown Sr.

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation addresses relationships between social networking and individual performance. The "act" of social networking is a process and practice by which people and organizations are drawn together by family, work or hobby to interact via websites. The explosion of these new network connections in the workplace suggests the need for an exploration of the various ways organizations can affect and improve performance and productivity.

This dissertation suggests a social networking participation model that may help organizations predict and understand the value proposition that affects acceptance or rejection of participation. Innovation adoption, governing by network and social capital are important …

Dispersion Or Re-Segregation: A Spatial And Temporal Analysis Of Public Policies And Their Impact On Urban African American Mobility, Brandi Lynette Blessett

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Studies

This study seeks to test Hirsch's second ghetto thesis in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. Hirsch suggested that the role of government, public policies, and administrative discretion were responsible for the re-segregation of African Americans into second ghetto communities in Chicago. Many scholars have used Hirsch's framework to explain ghetto formation. This investigation seeks to extend the literature in several ways. First, several national policies were investigated to determine their impact on African American mobility in Baltimore: the Housing Act of 1937 (public housing), the Housing Act of 1949 (urban renewal), and the Interstate Highway Act of 1956 (transportation). Second, …

Vegetation Classification And Mapping Of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Project Report, Kelly Kindscher, Hayley Kilroy, Jennifer Delisle, Quinn Long, Hillary Loring, Kevin Dobbs, Jim Drake

United States National Park Service: Publications

Executive Summary

The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (TAPR) encompasses 10,894 acres in eastern Kansas, just north of Strong City. This park unit was created on November 12, 1996 and is the first to protect a nationally significant example of the once vast tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Of the 400,000 square miles of tallgrass prairie that once covered the North American continent, less than four percent remains, primarily in the Flint Hills. The park unit is primarily rocky upland prairies and deep-soiled prairies in the lowlands. It also contains some wet prairie ravines, riparian forests and some former cropland and restored prairie. …

Evaluation Of The Sensitivity Of Inventory And Monitoring National Parks To Acidification Effects From Atmospheric Sulfur And Nitrogen Deposition, Northern Great Plains Network (Ngpn), T. J. Sullivan, T. C. Mcdonnell, G. T. Mcpherson, S. D. Mackey, D. Moore

United States National Park Service: Publications

Northern Great Plains Network (NGPN)

National maps of atmospheric sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) emissions and deposition are provided in Maps A through D as context for subsequent network data presentations. Maps A and B show county level emissions of total S and total N for the year 2002. Maps C and D show total S and total N deposition, again for the year 2002.

There are three parks in the Northern Great Plains Network that are larger than 100 square miles: Badlands (BADL), Missouri (MNRR), and Theodore Roosevelt (THRO). In addition, there are 10 smaller parks.

Total annual S …

Economic Circumstances And Support For Universal Health Care, Daniel Cotter

Political Science Theses and Capstones

There have been many differing opinions over the new health care bill passed in 2010. My research is aimed at finding what factors play a role in forming an opinion on the new health care bill. Specifically looking at the economic and demographic circumstances of citizens of the United States and how it has affected their opinions on the health care bill. I use data gathered from the Pew Research Center and ran crosstabs on various different variables including opinions on the current economy, demographic characteristics, as well as opinions on the current health care plan. I anticipate finding that …

Bridging The Governance Deficit, Ishrat Husain Dr.

Faculty Research - Newspaper and Magazine Articles

There is almost a consensus that Pakistan suffers badly from weak institutions and poor governance. However, there is a very little substantive discussion as to what must be done to bridge this governance deficit. Very few people are aware that a comprehensive agenda of reforms was developed three years ago. This agenda needs to be debated, agreed at the political level and then implemented.

What are the essential ingredients of this agenda? First, the civil service system is to be revamped so that individuals of high professional calibre and integrity are attracted, motivated and retained. This can be accomplished through …

Mandatory Pet Sterilization And Overpopulation: Have Santa Cruz County's Policies Reduced Animal Shelter Intake And Euthanasia?, Amy Winkleblack

Master's Projects

No abstract provided.

Housing And Human Services: Intergenerational Policy Considerations, Tony Carrizales, Andrew I.E. Ewoh

Faculty Articles

The Journal of Public Management and Social Policy begins its seventeenth volume by examining various issues that not only impact people today, but have policy implications for future generations. Intergenerational social policy is a critical discussion for academic and practitioners to continually have and we hope this particular issue of JPMSP furthers those discussions. Some underscoring themes found in this issue's articles include housing and human services. Overall, the issue brings together five general articles in the first issue of this seventeenth volume of JPMSP.

A Case Study Of Collegiate Alcohol Education: How Can Kennesaw State University Improve?, Tyler Pede

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

Alcohol consumption is often seen as a rite of passage for college students. Unfortunately, over 1,800 college students die and thousands more are injured each year as a result of inappropriate alcohol use. Alcohol abuse is also often linked to sexual assaults, fights, property damage, and numerous healthy issues. Students that abuse alcohol tend to struggle academically and have a higher likelihood of dropping out of college all together. Higher education administrators at universities and colleges across the country experience the negative effects of this behavior. To help combat and reduce these negative effects, it is critical that administrators develop …