Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons^™

Perceptions Of Crime And Personal Safety In Metropolitan Nebraska 2014 Nebraska Metro Poll Results, Abby Heitoff

Past Publications

The 2014 Nebraska Metro Poll represents a critical effort to understand the perceptions and concerns of metropolitan Nebraskans. This survey expanded the work of the Omaha Conditions Survey, conducted by the Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR) periodically since 1990. The Metro Poll builds on this foundation by including survey responses from the seven Nebraska counties that comprise the Omaha and Lincoln metro areas. Insights into the concerns faced by local residents are valuable for leaders and decision-makers seeking to understand the priorities and the views of the public.

Nebraska Metro And Rural Residents’ Views Of The Problems That Metro And Rural Areas Should Be Trying To Address, Abby Heitoff

Past Publications

Researchers and policymakers across the state of Nebraska have often discussed the need for a statewide poll to understand residents’ perceptions of their communities, personal well‐being and community issues. Separate initiatives have periodically surveyed metropolitan and rural Nebraskans on these issues. However, to date, no single effort has obtained statewide coverage at the level necessary to report attitudinal differences across metropolitan and rural Nebraska. The Nebraska Metro and Nebraska Rural Polls represent a unique effort in the state of Nebraska to obtain directly comparable data on statewide residents. This report provides a detailed analysis of a subset of responses to …

Perceptions Of Personal And Community Satisfaction, With Views On What Makes Communities Successful 2014 Nebraska Metro Poll Results, David Drozd

Past Publications

The 2014 Nebraska Metro Poll continues an on-going effort to understand the perceptions and concerns of urban residents. The Metro Poll expands upon the efforts of the Omaha Conditions Survey conducted by the Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR) periodically since 1990 to now include survey responses from the seven counties that comprise both the Omaha and Lincoln metro areas. With the knowledge and insights gained from surveying local residents, leaders and decision-makers can be better informed on the views and priorities that the public shares.

State Fertility Rates By Race/Ethnicity: 2011‐2013 Averages, United States Census Bureau

Past Publications

Sources: Table 11, Births: Final Data for 2011, CDC (and 2012 and 2013); 2013 Vintage Population Estimates by Age, Gender, and Race (AFF table PEPASR6H)

Nebraska Rural Poll And Metro Poll Research Brief: Well-Being Among Metropolitan And Nonmetropolitan Nebraskans, Rebecca Vogt, David J. Drozd, Randolph Cantrell, Jerry Deichert, Brad Lubben, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Lj Mcelravy

Past Publications

Better or Worse Off Compared to Five Years Ago and Ten Years From Now.

Both the Nebraska Metro and Rural Polls asked residents if they are better or worse off than they were five years ago and if they expect to be better or worse off ten years from now.

Cpar Research Brief: Comparing Results Of The 2014 Nebraska Metro And Rural Polls On Resident Views Of Community Change And Outlook, Abby Heithoff, David J. Drozd

Past Publications

Nebraskans’ views of their community’s future in the next 10 years: How viewpoints differ by personal and community factors.

Nebraska Rural Poll And Metro Poll Research Brief: Attributes Of Successful Communities For Metropolitan And Nonmetropolitan Nebraskans, Rebecca Vogt, David J. Drozd, Randolph Cantrell, Jerry Deichert, Brad Lubben, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Lj Mcelravy

Past Publications

Both the Nebraska Metro and Rural Polls asked residents how essential or necessary various characteristics are in order for them to have a high quality of life.

Nebraska Metro And Rural Residents’ Views Of The Problems That Metro And Rural Areas Should Be Trying To Address: An Analysis Of Open‐Ended Survey Questions In The 2014 Nebraska Metro And Rural Polls, Abby Heithoff, David J. Drozd, Jerry Deichert

Past Publications

Researchers and policymakers across the state of Nebraska have often discussed the need for a statewide poll to understand residents’ perceptions of their communities, personal well‐being and community issues. Separate initiatives have periodically surveyed metropolitan and rural Nebraskans on these issues. However, to date, no single effort has obtained statewide coverage at the level necessary to report attitudinal differences across metropolitan and rural Nebraska. The Nebraska Metro and Nebraska Rural Polls represent a unique effort in the state of Nebraska to obtain directly comparable data on statewide residents. This report provides a detailed analysis of a subset of responses to …

Increasing Food Accessibility Among Urban Poor: Providing An Alternative Solution Through A City-Wide Community Garden Plan, Nabila Nur

Public Affairs Theses - Archive

Community Gardens have been entitled as an emerging solution to food security and injustice issues especially among socially disempowered communities. US Department of Agriculture has designated more than half of the census tracts in City of Dallas as food deserts, representing inadequate access to fresh food in these areas. As an alternative solution, this study proposes a methodology to identify suitable locations for community gardens to increase access to fresh food for disadvantaged population. The suitability analysis was used by primarily taking the relevant socio-economic factors into consideration. The reclassification and weightings are derived through a combination of qualitative and …

Analyzing The Value Of Mixed Use Urban Infill: An Exploratory Analysis On Changes In Property Values And Demographics In Local Initiatives Of Dallas And Fort Worth Texas, Matthew A. Ables

Public Affairs Theses - Archive

Mixed-use infill development has gained national attention as a strategy for revitalization and redevelopment for cities. The strategy is viewed by "Smart Growth" proponents and New Urbanists as a potential solution to sprawling urban forms and a potential cure for many problems associated with auto-dependence. However, this strategy is not new, and it has been debated through different disciplines in relation to its true impacts on communities and cities. Yet, the discussion on infill has centered upon measuring the amount of infill occuring, and the economic impacts of residential infill. This thesis utilizes a descriptive analysis to observe property value …

Natural Phenomena As Potential Influence On Social And Political Behavior: The Earth’S Magnetic Field, Jackie R. East

Theses and Dissertations--Political Science

Researchers use natural phenomena in a number of disciplines to help explain human behavioral outcomes. Research regarding the potential effects of magnetic fields on animal and human behavior indicates that fields could influence outcomes of interest to social scientists. Tests so far have been limited in scope. This work is a preliminary evaluation of whether the earth’s magnetic field influences human behavior it examines the baseline relationship exhibited between geomagnetic readings and a host of social and political outcomes. The emphasis on breadth of topical coverage in these statistical trials, rather than on depth of development for any one model, …

Environmental Regulation, Michelle C. Pautz

Political Science Faculty Publications

The terms environment and regulation are commonplace in political and policy debates about the natural environment, the role of science, and the behavior of government. Indeed, these terms reference a very contentious area of public policy and are emblematic of the growing tensions between science and politics. This chapter overviews the definition, types, and history of environmental regulation before turning to the intersection of science and politics in environmental policy and considering current and future challenges for this aspect of governmental activity.

Bay Area Student Involvement In The Environmental And Food Justice Movements: A Narrative Of Motivations, Experiences, And Community Impact, Laura E. Solof

Doctoral Dissertations

Many California public school students lack exposure to any formal, academic curriculum that emphasizes environmental awareness and activism. This may result in a population of adults who believe they know more about the environment than they actually do, lack the skills to compete in an expanding green job market, lack creativity and the ability to problem-solve, suffer from obesity, depression, anxiety, and attention disorders, and unknowingly contribute to the ever-increasing problems of air and water pollution, land and habitat destruction, and other environmental injustices. Community organizations and university programs are filling this much-needed gap in student environmental education, as they …

African American Women's Perception Of Subprime Lending Practices On Their Home Buying Knowledge And Behaviors, John Howard White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The subprime mortgage lending practices from 1995 to 2007 were disproportionately concentrated on minority and low income neighborhoods of the United States. Despite the negative effects of subprime loans, these loans are regaining popularity. The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to bridge the gap in knowledge about their effect on African American women by exploring the home buying knowledge and behaviors of African American women between 2004 and 2007 in a southern state. Ajzen and Fishbein's theory of planned behavior served as the theoretical framework of this study, which explored factors that motivated African American women to buy …

Employee Locus Of Control And Engagement In Nonprofit Organizations, Jacqueline Myers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Transformational leadership and employee engagement have been studied in the private sector, yet research in the nonprofit sector is scarce. Addressing this gap is important to improve nonprofit practices, as nonprofit organizations contribute to a myriad of social issues critical to positive social change. Using Burns's theory of transformational leadership, which places emphasis on motivating and inspiring performance through a shared vision and mission, the purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze the effects of transformational leadership on employee engagement in nonprofit organizations. The study also assessed whether locus of control acted as a mediating variable on employee engagement. …

Beyond Madness: Ways To Foster Nonviolence In Human Systems, Marilyn J. Palmer

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Positioned as an epilogue to the themed edition of Social Alternatives on the nature and politics of madness in contemporary Australian society, this article has been inspired by the narratives and analyses of the contributors to this edition. It aims to go beyond madness to explore _strategies of resistance to the violence of marginalisation, humiliation and incarceration which often comes before and after a diagnosis of madness. Proposed strategies for resistance include studying up and speaking back to the oppressors; improving the capacity of bystanders to intervene; holding a structural analysis of power and resistance to support social change work; …

For Whom The Tunnel Be Tolled: A Four-Factor Model For Explaining Willingness-To-Pay Tolls, Juita-Elena (Wie) Yusuf, Lenahan O'Connell, Khairul A. Anuar

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

This research examines citizen acceptance of tolls and road pricing, and specifically focuses on determinants of the individual’s expressed willingness-to-pay tolls to use a tunnel express lane that would be free of traffic delays. We answer the research question “What factors influence citizens’ willingness-to-pay tolls” by empirically estimating a four factor model of willingness-to-pay: (a) direct benefit to the respondent; (b) relative cost over time; (c) community concern; and (d) political and environmental liberalism. We use data about citizen perceptions from the Life in Hampton Roads Survey, a survey of residents of Hampton Roads, Virginia. We find that willingness-to-pay is …

Modelling Follow Up Time At A Single-Lane Roundabout, Xiaobo Qu, Jin Zhang, Shuaian Wang, Zhiyuan Liu

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

The follow up time is an important parameter for estimating the entry capacity of roundabouts. However, its variability and contributing factors have long been ignored in the literatures. In this study, 171 follow up samples and contributing factors (traffic volume, vehicle position, waiting vehicles behind, vehicle type, and drivers’ gender) are collected at a roundabout in Pacific Pines, Australia. It is found that the follow up time is indeed significantly affected by traffic volume, waiting vehicles behind, vehicle type, and drivers’ gender. In order to establish the relationship between the follow up time and its contributing factors, an inverse Gaussian …

Evaluating Spatial Model Accuracy In Mass Real Estate Appraisal: A Comparison Of Geographically Weighted Regression And The Spatial Lag Model, Paul E. Bidanset, John R. Lombard

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

Geographically weighted regression (GWR) has been shown to greatly increase the performance of ordinary least squares-based appraisal models, specifically regarding industry standard measurements of equity, namely the price-related differential and the coefficient of dispersion (COD; Borst and McCluskey, 2008; Lockwood and Rossini, 2011; McCluskey et al., 2013; Moore, 2009; Moore and Myers, 2010). Additional spatial regression models, such as spatial lag models (SLMs), have shown to improve multiple regression real estate models that suffer from spatial heterogeneity (Wilhelmsson, 2002). This research is performed using arms-length residential sales from 2010 to 2012 in Norfolk, Virginia, and compares the performance of GWR …

Diversity Plan, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Resources

The Multicultural Committee was formed during the 2013-2014 Academic Year and charged with the task of updating the Diversity/Multicultural Development Plan, initiated in 2003 and last updated in 2011. The committee consists of 23 faculty and staff from the following departments: President’s Office, Principal’s Office, Student Life, Residential Life, Science Department, Wellness Department, Foreign Languages, Human Resources, Maintenance, Information Resource Center, Development Office, Enrollment Management and Academic Opportunities, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Professional Field Services, IT, Marketing and Communications and the Business Office. With direction from the Multicultural Education Specialist, this committee is responsible for overseeing the implementation of this plan.

State Child Welfare Policy: Causes And Consequences, Dana D. Connelly

Theses and Dissertations--Public Policy and Administration

On any given day almost 400,000 children in the United States are living in an out-of-home care placement due to government intervention. Federal law allows for substantial variance in state child welfare policy on a number of topics. These policy decisions, however, are understudied both in terms of the forces driving them and also the impacts the policies have on actual outcomes for children in care.

Utilizing a unique panel data set comprised of thirteen child welfare policies that vary both between states and over time we examine how well redistributive theory (constituent, institutional, paternalistic and resource pressures) explains state …

Embracing Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion: Developing And Facilitating The City Of Beaverton’S Diversity Advisory Board, Portland State University. Hatfield School Of Government. Center For Public Service, Masami Nishishiba, Fern Elledge

Center for Public Service Publications and Reports

This report covers a project of the City of Beaverton and the Center for Public Service (CPS) at the Hatfield School of Government within Portland State University in developing a Diversity Advisory Board and facilitating the development of a diversity, equity, and inclusion plan for the City.

English Language Learners In Nevada, Robin Gonzales

Brookings Mountain West Publications

While leading the rest of the country in population growth, immigration, and increasing ethnic and linguistic diversity, Nevada’s mostly Latin American population experiences high poverty, low educational attainment, and high employment. As a result, Nevada has increasingly high numbers of English Language Learner students (ELLs) – students who speak a language other than English at home – and show low educational attainment compared to their English speaking counterparts. According to a 2013 report from the Lincy Institute of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, if the state wants to reverse its populations’ dismal educational attainment and poor national rankings in …

Information And Communication Technology In Child Welfare: The Need For Culture-Centered Computing, Richard J. Smith, Tara Eaton

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article discusses the introduction of information and communication technology (ICT) in the California child welfare system. Drawing from anthropological literature, the authors emphasize the role of work practice and context associated with new ICT implementation. This case study uses a documentary- historical approach to analyze interviews with 386 workers who used the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) between 1997 and 2005. Data show the implementation of CWS/CMS impacted the work practice of the welfare system. The authors recommend culture-centered computing for future developments and upgrades of ICT in child welfare.

Identifying Causes Of Variation Among Per Capita Incomes Of Sub-Saharan African States, Vinod Kannuthurai

Honors Theses

In this work, the author utilized a statistical analysis to assess variations in per capita incomes among sub-Saharan African states. The factors tested include education and healthcare investment, mineral and oil dependence, agricultural dependence, landmass size, population size, level of instability, economic freedom, and political freedom. Although the author found mineral and oil dependence to be the most statistically significant factor in determining variations in per capita income, there was still a great deal of variation among sub-Saharan African countries with mineral and oil dependence. Thus, the author employed a case-study involving Botswana and Zambia, two commodity dependent states with …

The Increasing Weight Of Regulation: Countries Combat The Global Obesity Epidemic, Allyn L. Taylor, Emily W. Parento, Laura A. Schmidt

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Obesity is a global epidemic, exacting an enormous human and economic toll. In the absence of a comprehensive global governance strategy, states have increasingly employed a wide array of legal strategies targeting the drivers of obesity. This article identifies recent global trends in obesity-related legislation and makes the normative case for an updated global governance strategy.

National governments have responded to the epidemic both by strengthening traditional interventions and by developing novel legislative strategies. This response consists of nine important trends: (1) strengthened and tailored tax measures; (2) broader use of counter-advertising and health campaigns; (3) expanded food labeling; (4) …

Preparedness And Emergency Response Research Centers: Early Returns On Investment In Evidence-Based Public Health Systems Research, Shoukat Qari, David Abramson, Jane Kushma, Paul Halverson

Research, Publications & Creative Work

In today’s environment of an increased need to demonstrate the value of the federal investment in public health preparedness and response (PHPR), it is encouraging to see the results of the research conducted by the Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Centers (PERRCs), which were funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).1 The research generated by the PERRCs represented in this special supplement of Public Health Reports, “Outcomes from the Federal Investment in Public Health Systems Research to Strengthen Preparedness and Response,” is not only impressive but also vital in adding to the evidence base for our …

Research Gaps In Scale Up Of Family Planning And Reproductive Health Programming, The Evidence Project, E2a, Hpp, Measure Evaluation

Reproductive Health

The Evidence Project, in collaboration with the Evidence to Action Project, the Health Policy Project, and MEASURE Evaluation convened a meeting to discuss research gaps related to scale-up. The meeting was held at the request of USAID’s Office of Population and Reproductive Health (OPRH) to help guide their research strategy. The meeting had four objectives: discuss scale-up experiences and the role of research and monitoring for strengthening program performance at scale; identify research gaps related to scale-up; prioritize the scale-up research gaps for OPRH; identify next steps for addressing these priority research gaps. This meeting generated a rich discussion about …

Increasing Access To Family Planning In Ghana Through Policy Change: Task-Sharing To Enable Auxiliary Nurses To Provide Contraceptive Implant Services, Population Council

Reproductive Health

Ghana has made significant progress toward reducing the maternal mortality ratio but the rate is still unacceptably high. Up to 26 percent of married Ghanaian women have unmet need for family planning and one in four currently married women is using a modern contraceptive method. Satisfying unmet need for family planning could cut the number of maternal deaths by almost a third. One factor contributing to low usage of modern methods is shortage of trained staff, particularly those skilled in providing long-acting reversible and permanent methods. Until recently, implant services were provided primarily by Ghana Health Service (GHS) trained midwives, …

Solidarity In Action: Norwegian People's Aid Annual Report 2014, Npa

Global CWD Repository

Our vision

Solidarity in action is the vision of Norwegian People’s Aid. Our efforts are based on cooperation

between equal partners – not charity.

Our foundation

Norwegian People’s Aid is the labour movement’s humanitarian organisation for solidarity.

Our mission

We work both nationally and internationally to improve the living conditions of vulnerable groups and to contributeto a just society. We support people so that they may protect and promote their own interests.

Our reach

Norwegian People’s Aid is active in 40 countries. We work with development cooperation through partner organisations. In Norway, we work with refugee and integration issues, and …