Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons^™

A Framework Convention On Global Health: Health For All, Justice For All, Lawrence O. Gostin

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Health inequalities represent perhaps the most consequential global health challenge and yet they persist despite increased funding and innovative programs. The United Nations is revising the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that will shape the world for many years to come. What would a transformative post-MDG framework for global health justice look like? A global coalition of civil society and academics—the Joint Action and Learning Initiative on National and Global Responsibilities for Health (JALI)—has formed an international campaign to advocate for a Framework Convention on Global Health (FCGH). Recently endorsed by the UN Secretary-General, the FCGH would reimagine global governance for …

The Economic Benefits Of Mobile Broadband, James Prieger

School of Public Policy Working Papers

Mobile broadband is becoming increasingly important to national economies and the personal lives of users. However, broadband availability and adoption are not diffusing as quickly in rural areas or among certain minority groups. This article updates the rural and minority digital divide. Empirical estimations of mobile broadband provision and fixed broadband usage in the US show that rural areas have fewer providers and minorities have lower usage rates. The potential for mobile broadband to benefit rural areas through economic development and urban areas through enhancing the digital inclusion of minority communities is also examined.

Technology Transfer And Innovation Policy At Canadian Universities: Opportunities And Social Costs, Samuel Trosow, Michael B. Mcnally, Laura E. Briggs, Cameron Hoffman, Cassandra D. Ball, Adam Jacobs, Bridget Moran

FIMS Publications

This report, supported by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Knowledge Synthesis Grant, critically examines the role of universities in transmitting knowledge in the forms of technology transfer mechanisms, intellectual property agreements and other knowledge diffusion policies. In reviewing and synthesizing the recent literature on the topic, we seek to provide some initial evidence-based policy recommendations in order to generally strengthen Canada‘s innovation ecosystem and more specifically to maximize the return on the nation‘s investment in higher education research and development.

The Science Of Public Health Practice: Using Pbrns For Delivery System Research In Public Health Settings, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

PBRN research tests strategies for improving the delivery of services that promote health and prevent disease and injury on a population-wide basis.

Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition Substance-Abuse Prevention Capacity-Building Assessment: Final Report, R. K. Piper, Jodee Friedly

Past Publications

The executive summary documents the major findings of an assessment of organizational-capacity to provide substance-abuse prevention programming conducted by the Consortium for Organizational Research and Evaluation (CORE) of the University of Nebraska at Omaha for the Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition (NUIHC). The purpose of the study is to provide an analysis of local Native American community needs and attitudes and the capacity of NUIHC to provide appropriate and effective substance-abuse prevention services.

The study consists of three parts: 1) a written survey to gather data on the perceptions of the Native American Community in Omaha related to substance-abuse issues …

Get Your Butt Off The Ground!: Consequences Of Cigarette Waste And Litter-Reducing Methods, Joyce Lee

Pomona Senior Theses

Cigarette butts are rapidly accumulating on our planet; trillions of them are discarded every year. In this paper, I examine why cigarette litter is a problem. I first discuss the biodegradability of filters and its scientific basis, including ways to enhance degradation rates by chemically manipulating filters. I also talk about the persistence of cigarette chemicals and their potential toxic effects on children and animals. I consider other social, economic, and environmental consequences of cigarette filters and chemicals. Furthermore, I discuss various solutions smokers and non-smokers alike have created to address the problem of cigarette litter; these methods come from …

The Full Cost Of Renewables: Managing Wind Integration Costs In California, William Savage

Pomona Senior Theses

Wind power will be an important component of California's aggressive strategies to meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets by the year 2020. However, the costs of integrating wind power's variable and uncertain output are often ignored. I argue that California must take prudent action to understand, minimize, and allocate wind integration costs. A review of numerous studies suggests that for wind penetration levels below 20%, integration costs should remain modest. However, costs are heavily dependent on market structure, and I suggest numerous ways that California can optimize its market design to manage wind integration costs.

“Dismantling The Big” Critiquing The Western Development Model And Foreign Aid And Analyzing Alternatives For Domestic Development Of Dams In Nepal, Ana Berry

Pitzer Senior Theses

This paper argues for the importance of scale, management and sovereign-led development in considering a more human-centric model for Third World development. It begins by reviewing the history of the mainstream Western development model through the evolution of modernization theory and foreign aid. It explores general critiques of this model offered by scholars, focusing on unequal power relations, the high cost of aid, and problems with ‘cookie cutter’ style development projects that don’t take into account disparate environments. As the paper progresses, focus shifts more specifically to hydropower development and ‘Big Dams’. Nepal is the main case study for exemplifying …

On Track To Success: Extending Metro-North To The Neighborhoods Of The East Bronx, Christopher Kennedy

African & African American Studies Senior Theses

This thesis will examine a large-scale transit project that could have far-reaching, longs-lasting effects on a large swath of neighborhoods in the East and South Bronx. Currently, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), and Metro-North Railroad are exploring options to provide their customers access to Penn Station via existing infrastructure. A large part of this plan would involve the New Haven Line, which currently runs from New Haven, CT to Grand Central Terminal. Under the proposal, some New Haven Line trains would access Penn Station via the Hell Gate Line, currently used by Amtrak to bring their customers from New Rochelle …

Risky Business: How Policy, Demographic And Economic Changes Have Left The Lower East Side Empty During Daytime Hours, Dustin Molter

African & African American Studies Senior Theses

"When your friends begin to flatter you on how young you look, it's a sign you're getting old". This statement by world renowned Mark Twain perfectly describes change as it often works. When the 'old' is noticeably transitioning to the 'new', the old's age truly starts to show. The unfortunate thing is that this change, and ultimately any type, is inevitable. Whether abrupt or subtle, sought after or fought against, change occurs. In turn, it is the inevitability of change which prompts out need to adjust to such changes. People, places and things alike all change in different ways, and …

What We Learned From Copenhagen And Where We Went Wrong: Changes New York Can Make In Car-Parking Policy To Better Promote A Bicycle City, Tiffany Zuffi

African & African American Studies Senior Theses

In this study, I argue that the oversupply of parking in New York City promote private care ownership and defeat attempts of accepting cycling as a viable mode of transport. Overabundant parking also actively rakes away from public areas and urban aesthetics, often increasing carbon footprint and traffic congestion and denying the city its opportunity to develop into the walkable urban environment envisioned by PlaNYC2030. Copenhagen was able to realize the importance demand for the automobile cannot continue to thrive alongside pedestrianized design. With existing means of parking management, parking design and perking incentives that will reduce demand for …

Research Brief: "Psychological Sequelae Of Combat Violence: A Review Of The Impact Of Ptsd On The Veteran’S Family And Possible Interventions", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief summarizes a review of how veterans' PTSD following exposure to combat violence affects veterans' familial relationships and the psychological adjustment of family members.

Beyond The It Magic Bullet: Hiv Prevention Education And Public Policy, Fay C. Payton

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Analytic applications are vital in the assessments of public health and surveillance as these applications can drive resource allocation, community assessment and public policy. Using a dataset of nearly 90,000 patient hospital encounters, the number of instances with an ICD code of HIV and co-morbidities was identified. Blacks accounted for 75 percent of HIV hospital encounters in the dataset. While business analytic applications informed this study of cross-tabulations and interaction effects among race, age and gender, there appears to be a significant relationship among HIV diagnoses and substance abuse. Payer data is informed by the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project …

Interethnic Relations As A Strategy For Community Empowerment: The Case Of University Heights, Caitlin Waickman

African & African American Studies Senior Theses

I became involved with St. Rita's Immigrant and Refugee Center in August of 2011 and immediately began teaching English classes to groups of adult immigrants in the University Heights areas of the Bronx. The class was relaxed and open, so conversations flowed freely among the diverse group of students. One of the first things that become clear was that communication was difficult. Immigrants that come to a new country not only have to know the difference between 'to be' and 'to have', but also the nuances that separate phrases such as 'shut up' and 'please be quiet.' The other thing …

Behind Enemy Lines: Community Responses To Violence And Incarceration In East New York, Forrest Van Dyke

African & African American Studies Senior Theses

On the fringes of Brooklyn, flung way out east, the neighborhood of East New York is a place most choose to ignore. Desolate and often forgotten, it is a community characterized by neglect and isolation. Tucked out of sight, East New York is a place easy for New Yorkers to keep out or mind.

A Social Marketing Approach To Forest Land Conservation, Joseph Anderson

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

Northern York County holds some of the most ecologically diverse forests and productive timberland in the State of Maine. It is also the boundary of the Wildland-Urban Interface which continually expands resulting in the conversation of forest land for non-forest uses such as development. Land use conversion is exacerbated by an increasing number of “new” owners with little knowledge of best forestry practices who hold smaller parcels which makes developing effective conservation programs difficult. In an effort to develop conservation objectives with the purpose of protect working forest land, the Southwestern Maine Forest Fragmentation Coalition elected to utilize the outreach …

Traditional And Charter School Funding In Arkansas, Reed Greenwood, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

Charter schools, once considered an anomaly, are becoming increasingly common in the U.S. There are concerns among some education stakeholders that charter schools pull funding away from traditional public schools, since a large portion of education funds follow the student to the charter school. Conversely, some argue that there are funding inequities that favor public schools. These individuals claim that since charter schools are public schools, the funds allocated to them should be the equivalent of that received by the traditional public schools. This brief examines funding of traditional and charter schools in Arkansas

City Of Arlington 2009 Water Conservation Plan: Low-Flow Toilet Program Evaluation, School Of Urban And Public Affairs, Malaina Davis, Jose M Landeros, Jesse Madsen, Emily Nelson

Public Affairs Professional Reports - Archive

The report examines the 2009 City of Arlington Water Conservation Plan, specifically the progress of their residential toilet program, "Go with the Flow." A thorough statistical analysis will address the impact this program has had thus far on the community's water consumption. The statistical analysis will also include a statewide and regional comparison of water use in Arlington to several urban areas.

The Task Force Initiative: Local Interventions At The Department Level—A Key Component Of A Multi-Tiered Approach To Promote Institutional Change, Emily Conant, Patricia Scott, Josef Reum, Alyssa Westring, Susmita Pati, Lucy Tuton, Mary Sammel, Rebecca Speck, Jean Grisso, Stephanie Abbuhl

Health Policy and Management Faculty Posters and Presentations

This NIH Transforming Academic Culture (NIH-TAC) trial is a multi-level coordinated intervention to enhance institutional culture, increase academic productivity, and improve job satisfaction for women faculty. This poster details a task force initiative in which each department and division reviewed their current practices and policies to recommend and implement change. This particular task force resulted in a list of interventions which were disseminated and implemented throughout the institution.

Medicare: What Is In Store For Future Generations?, Karen L. Poon

Honors Scholar Theses

Medicare is the health insurance coverage provided to all senior citizens over the age of 65. It has been around since 1965. This paper takes an in-depth look into the Medicare program. First, the history behind Social Security is introduced. The Medicare program was created as an addition to Social Security, and its history follows. Although the ideas and goals of the Medicare program have good intentions, there are many issues with it. These problems are discussed in detail in the current issues portion of the paper. As a follow up, I have expanded upon and come up with some …

Genocide In The Classroom: How Transitional Societies Are Affected By The Quality Of Genocide Education, Leah Oppenheimer

Honors Scholar Theses

Recognized as a legal term since 1944, genocides have been an unfortunate occurrence since the beginning of world history. However, many countries have failed to properly educate students about genocides that have taken place in their own countries by either not providing accurate or consistent information about what took place or denying the genocide outright. Additionally, in many countries, relations between formerly warring ethnic groups have not improved, despite the often large amount of time that has passed since the end of the genocide. This study examines how history education, both accurate and inaccurate, has affected the current social situation …

Civil War And Globalization: The Effect Of Colonialism On Political Globalization, Luke O. Feltz

Celebration

The purpose of this paper to determine why civil war onset reduces political globalization in former British colonies. Through linear regression and logistic regression analyses, I test the affect of civil war onset and the presence of civil war on political globalization, controlling for former British colonies, French colonies, and other factors. More important, however, is the history behind British colonialism. Through setting up a unique institutional system and maintaining ties to its former colonies, the British have created an atmosphere conducive to international political engagement after the onset of civil war. This study shows that while civil war onset …

The United States Military Realignment On Okinawa, Kevin M. Evringham

Master's Theses

The United States maintains military bases in foreign countries in efforts to protect American overseas interests, whether they are economic, diplomatic or for geostrategic purposes. In Japan, where the United States has maintained military installations since the end of World War II, debate over the realignment of forces on Okinawa has caused minor, yet growing, rifts in the stable United States-Japanese alliance. Current plans to shift American military forces from Okinawa to locations throughout the Pacific do not take into account the historical or geostrategic factors for their stationing in Japan. This thesis identifies the geostrategic challenges to the current …

An Audio-Visual Ethnographic Case Study Of International, Rural, Nonprofit Public Relations Geared Towards Sustainable Development, A. Chase Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper analyzes nonprofit public relations and its relationship to development communication. It evaluates previous attempts to integrate the two fields for development purposes. The author then offers an alternative approach, a so-called public relations for community development (PRCD) model.

The PRCD model is then tested in the form of a case studyùincluding digitally recorded video interviews and observationùon Warm Heart Worldwide, Inc. (WHW), an American-founded and operated nongovernment organization (NGO) in Phrao District, northern Thailand. The study aims to identify which elements of the PRCD approach WHW adheres to, and perceived efficacy of community development as a result. …

Evaluation And Design Of E-Government: A Holistic Overview Of E-Government Initiatives In Harrisonburg, And The Challenges Of Adopting A Citizen-Centered Design, Brian Perez

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

In the past decade, e-Government has received a lot of attention from academia, policy agencies, and IT providers, all of whom attempt to assess and track the factors that lead to a successful e-Government service. I propose a top-level approach assessing e-Government in Harrisonburg as a whole, and then I explore project-level methods of design and implementation. More specifically, I identify 29 electronic services offered by the City and rank them according to a pre-defined four-stage ranking system. This assessment demonstrates that the majority of the services considered fall under the Interaction and Transaction stages (Stages 2 and 3 respectively). …

An Early Assessment Of The Potential Impact Of Texas' "Affiliation" Regulation On Access To Care For Low-Income Women, Peter Shin, Jessica Sharac, Sara J. Rosenbaum

Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative

This analysis provides an initial assessment of the implications for low-income women of Texas' "affiliation regulation," which would bar Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) clinics from participating in the Texas Women's Health Program (WHP). In 2010, more than 183,000 women were enrolled in the WHP, which provides health screening, family planning and birth control to low-income women, and nearly 106,000 received care through the program. In our analysis of WHP provider data, we find:

• Planned Parenthood (PPFA) clinics are by far the dominant source of care under the WHP. In FY 2010, PPFA clinics accounted for approximately 49 percent …

Revised: An Early Assessment Of The Potential Impact Of Texas’ “Affiliation” Regulation On Access To Care For Low-Income Women, Peter Shin, Jessica Sharac, Sara J. Rosenbaum

Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative

No abstract provided.

Advantages And Challenges Of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Autonomy In The Postheroic Age, Nathan Richards Fields

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Over the past decade, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have revolutionized how the U.S. engages elusive militants in low-intensity conflicts by allowing the U.S. to project continuous military power without risking combat casualties. While UAV usage promises additional tactical advantages in future conflicts, little agreement exists regarding a strategic vision for UAV research and development, necessary for the U.S. to allocate limited resources among UAV development programs that address national security objectives. The present research makes the case for a future UAV technology evolutionary path leading to fully autonomous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR)/strike UAV systems for the United States Air …

"You Just Know": A Phenomenological Study Examining How To Recognize When You Are Called, Kevin L. Warneke

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This phenomenological study describes the experiences of 12 residents of a Midwestern community who were identified by their peers as possibly possessing a calling. The central research question was: What are the experiences that lead to feelings of strong commitment in their lives? Calling was defined as a summons, which originates outside of one’s self, to serve a cause that betters humanity. Participants described the strong commitments they felt in their lives and explained their origins. Five themes emerged from the semi-structure interviews: (a) “You have to be asked and respond to being asked” – the role of a mentor …

Public Sector Reforms In Hong Kong In The 1990s, Kwun Hong Chan

Bachelor of Social Sciences – Senior Theses

1989 was the year Hong Kong echoed to the public-sector reform or New Public Management Reform (NPM-reforms) trend among the Western developed countries. (Cheung 1996a: 31, Lee 2001: 55) Since then, public sector had been injected the ingredient of the private sector management. Citizens started to be treated as paying customers for quality services rather than receiving “one size fits all” services. (Sankey 2001: 3) “Value for money” had been emphasized in this financial management reform launched by the Finance Branch of the Hong Kong Government.

Unlike the above reform, the public sector reform in 1992 had been more fundamental, …