Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons^™

Does Long Term Strategic Planning Lead To Improved Financial Performance? A Case Study In Ontario Municipalities, Renato Pullia

MPA Major Research Papers

This research looks at nine municipalities in Ontario that either have or have not adopted a strategic plan of 10+ years and a long-term financial plan of 5+ years, and assesses their financial change based on a set of financial criteria at two different points in time, 2000 and 2019. Using statistical analysis and longitudinal comparison, the research aims to test the hypothesis that strategic planning with a 10+ years’ time horizon provides a framework for longer-term financial decision-making, including strategies and key actions to facilitate multi-year, integrated, strategic decision-making, and provides more financially sound municipal entities than those municipalities …

Examining Connected And Automated Vehicle (Cav) Policy In Ontario: A Modified Multiple Streams Framework Analysis, James Scott

MPA Major Research Papers

This research paper utilizes Kingdon’s (1984) Multiple Streams Framework to systematically analyze influential agenda-setting variables in the policy domain of connected and automated vehicles (CAV) in Ontario, Canada. The paper also leverages the Five Stream Confluence Model, a model which builds on the Multiple Streams Framework and is designed by Howlett et al. (2015) to analyze policy formation. The two foundational research questions that will guide the overall direction of this paper are: (1) What influenced Ontario to be the first province in Canada to legislate connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) in 2015? (2) Have influential agenda-setting variables translated through …

Determinants Of Success: The Atlantic First Nations Water Authority, Michaela Sferrazza

MPA Major Research Papers

Water security and access within First Nations communities entails a complex set of issues. However, this does not excuse government authorities’ inadequacies to address the inequity among Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada regarding access to safe water. The Human Rights Watch describes access to safe drinking water “as a fundamental human right easily enjoyed by most Canadians” (Human Rights Watch 2016), and one that is integral to health and wellbeing. Many Indigenous communities have long been lacking access to clean, potable water which has many socio-economic implications. In a 2012 article written by White et al., they articulate that …

Alternative Revenue Generation In Ontario Municipalities: The Utilization Of Municipal Accommodation Tax (Mat), Hayley Watts

MPA Major Research Papers

In recent years the Province of Ontario has enabled municipalities to adopt accommodation taxes as a revenue generating tool. There is an absence of data in Canada as to what this revenue is being utilized for. Most of the literature on the topic comes out of the United States and Europe, where hotel and accommodation taxes have been commonplace for many years, although a lot of the research focuses on the impacts of accommodation taxes on tourism. Hypothesising that the accommodation tax in Ontario is being utilized as a revenue-generating tool to offset other line items in municipal budgets, this …

Aging In Place In Rural Canada: A Policy Analysis Of Aging In Place Across Canada, Aleah Whalen

MPA Major Research Papers

This research paper attempts to answer the question of: how rural municipalities are preparing for an aging population across Canada? A random sample of one hundred rural municipalities were selected and analyzed for their availability of an aging policy. The aging policies adopted by municipalities are measured to demonstrate aging community planning preparedness from the Age-Friendly Rural and Remote Communities: A Guide. Realizing the impact of an aging population, demonstrates a need for addressing specific senior care at the local level. The findings of this study suggest that small rural municipalities are not preparing equally to meet the identified needs …

Data-Driven Methods To Address Truck Parking Shortages For Long-Haul Commercial Truck Drivers, Sharif Mahmud

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Truck parking is a critical concern for both the trucking industry and the truck drivers. Long-haul commercial truck drivers rely on safe and adequate parking to support interstate commerce, which has become a challenge due to parking shortages. The recent electronic logging device (ELD) mandate, forcing a strict compliance to hours of service (HOS) regulations, are leading to higher demand for parking. A number of federal, regional, and local studies reveal that truck activity will increase and truck parking demand will outpace parking supply in the coming years. Such parking shortages likely disrupt freight flows and pose risks to truck …

Nebraska Child Care Market Rate Survey Report 2021, Greg W. Welch, Elizabeth Svoboda, Alexandra Daro, Venessa Bryant, Caitlyn Glissmeyer

Buffet Early Childhood Institute Reports and Publications

Consistent with the 2019 MRS, the Institute conducted a survey of all licensed child care providers across the state to obtain private pay child care rates for children with or without medical and behavioral needs. Categories of focus for data collection and reporting included: 1. Geographic location: rural or urban 2. Type of care: Family Child Care Home I, Family Child Care Home II, Child Care Center, and School Age License 3. Age group of children: infant, toddler, pre-school, and school-age 4. Status of medical and behavioral needs 5. Accreditation 6. Extent to which child care providers participate in Child …

Communication Is Key To Success, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

QIC-Tips

Research on organizational communication describes a connection between poor communication, negative attitudes towards the workplace, and decreased worker satisfaction. Conversely, in an environment where communication is valued by management, staff can be encouraged to participate in practice and policy change. Too often new initiatives are announced and then fade away. Clear lines of communication, involving varying levels of staff and using a variety of methods, are key to gaining staff buy-in and keeping workers informed of initiative progress.

The Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD) is working with eight jurisdictions to develop and test promising workforce interventions. Effective communication …

Support For Me Assessment Of Substance Use Treatment And Recovery Services Current Infrastructure And Future Needs: Findings From The Support For Me Youth Survey (Condensed), Evelyn Ali Bs, Katie Rosingana Ba, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

In 2019, Maine’s Department of Health & Human Services received a $2.1 million grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) SUPPORT Act, establishing the SUPPORT for ME initiative within the Office of MaineCare Services. The primary goal of this planning grant is to increase MaineCare providers’ capacity to deliver Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery services for Medicaid beneficiaries. In collaboration with Maine DHHS, the Cutler Institute conducted a survey for youth and young adults in Maine as part of a needs assessment for the SUPPORT for ME initative. The data collection goals of the survey …

Wpa News 115 (2021), World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

WPA News (Summer 2021), number 115

Published by the World Pheasant Association

Coalition For Prisoners' Rights Newsletter, Vol. 46-C, No. 7, Coalition For Prisoners' Rights

Coalition for Prisoners' Rights Newsletters

It's Hard to be Optimistic

The "Carribean Crisis"

El papel del bloqueo contra Cuba

The Least Read Part of the Newsletter

U.S. Prison at Guantanamo

Implementing Excellence In Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In The Library Workforce: Tips To Overcome Challenges, Kanu A. Nagra, Bernadette M. López-Fitzsimmons

Publications and Research

Diversifying the library workforce is challenging, with the graduation data of library and information science degrees not representing equity in demographics for diverse populations. Is this the reason for the lack of diversity among library staff or are recruitment practices not based on measurable performance standards? Both questions call upon the library and information science (LIS) profession to address diverse staffing issues to remedy these challenges.

A Look Into Increasing The Number Of Veterans And Former Government Employees Converting To Career And Technical Cybersecurity Teachers, Vukica M. Jovanovic, Michael Anthony Crespo, Drew E. Brown, Deborah Marshall, Otilia Popescu, Murat Kuzlu, Petros J. Katsioloudis, Linda Vahala

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The current state of technology with recent explosions in the digital processing of paperwork, computer networking use, and online and virtual approaches to areas, which until very recently had traditional and non-computerized ways of operating, led to a steady increase in the demand for jobs in the area of computer science and cybersecurity. The education system, the pipeline for the incoming workforce, needs to keep up with this tremendous pace in technology and the job market. The current K-12 school system has been extensively challenged to fill out necessary positions in order to address the increasing need for programs that …

A Meta-Level Framework For Evaluating Resilience In Net-Zero Carbon Power Systems With Extreme Weather Events In The United States, Kathleen Araújo, David Shropshire

Public Policy and Administration Faculty Publications and Presentations

Important changes are underway in the U.S. power industry in the way that electricity is sourced, transported, and utilized. Disruption from extreme weather events and cybersecurity events is bringing new scrutiny to power-system resilience. Recognizing the complex social and technical aspects that are involved, this article provides a meta-level framework for coherently evaluating and making decisions about power-system resilience. It does so by examining net-zero carbon strategies with quantitative, qualitative, and integrative dimensions across discrete location-specific systems and timescales. The generalizable framework is designed with a flexibility and logic that allows for refinement to accompany stakeholder review processes and highly …

Frontline Job Redesign Louisiana - Site Intervention Logic Model, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Other QIC-WD Products

Each QIC-WD site developed a logic model to serve as a visual representation of their selected intervention. All logic models included four main components: inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes. Collectively, these demonstrate the resources and actions required to implement the program, as well as the associated result of changes anticipated through implementation of the program. The hypothesized relationships are represented by the pathways connecting the listed activities and anticipated outcomes.

Strategy For Improving The Quality Of Services, Facilities And Cleanliness Towards Kaltim Mess’S Guest Satisfaction, Hery Kurniawan Utama, Beti Nurbaiti, Soehardi Soehardi

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

Penelitian ini membahas pengaruh variabel kualitas pelayanan, fasilitas dan kebersihan terhadap kepuasan tamu. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh kualitas pelayanan terhadap kepuasan tamu, untuk mengetahui pengaruh fasilitas terhadap kepuasan tamu dan untuk mengetahui pengaruh kebersihan terhadap kepuasan tamu selama pandemi Covid 19 di Messaging Agency Kalimantan Timur di Jakarta. . Metode yang digunakan adalah metode Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) dengan software LISREL 8.7 yang menguji validitas, reliabilitas, uji model pengukuran, uji kesesuaian model struktural (solusi standar) dan uji model struktural (T-Value). Dalam penelitian tesis ini, Analisis SEM dengan Lisrel dilakukan mulai dari tahap prates dan penelitian inti …

Cyber Intelligence In National Security, Dwi Rezki Sri Astarini, Muhammad Syaroni Rofii

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

Current information has become a very important commodity. Some even say that our society is already in an "information-based society". The ability to access and provide information quickly and accurately is very important for an organization, such as companies, universities, government agencies, and individuals. Once the importance of the value of information causes often the desired information can only be accessed by certain people. The fall of information in the hands of other parties can cause harm to the information owner. Security issues are an important aspect of an information system management. Unfortunately, this security problem often gets less attention …

The Personality Profile And Leadership Style Of U.S. President Joe Biden, Anne Marie Griebie, Aubrey Immelman

Psychology Faculty Publications

This paper presents the results of an indirect assessment of the personality and leadership style of U.S. president Joe Biden, from the conceptual perspective of personologist Theodore Millon.

Psychodiagnostically relevant data about Biden were collected from biographical sources and media reports and synthesized into a personality profile using the Millon Inventory of Diagnostic Criteria (MIDC), which yields 34 normal and maladaptive personality classifications congruent with DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, and DSM-5.

The personality profile yielded by the MIDC was analyzed on the basis of interpretive guidelines provided in the MIDC and Millon Index of Personality Styles manuals. Biden’s primary …

Combat Decorations: Navy & Marine Corps Recipients From The College Of The Holy Cross And Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Brendan J. O’Donnell, Usn (Ret)

Naval Science Department

"America has a time-honored tradition of recognizing the acts of valor performed by Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines."¹ This compilation lists recipients of the nation's most prestigious valor awards who attended the College of the Holy Cross and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Each entry includes the recipient's name, photo, rank, citation and other information. World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and Operation Just Cause (Panama) are represented.

¹ Military Awards for Valor - Top 3. U.S. Department of Defense. https://valor.defense.gov/. Accessed 19 July 2021.

The Relationship Between Regulation And Care Access In The Doula Industry, Charissa Billings

University Honors Theses

Birth doulas are unregulated service providers in the United States, who provide informational, emotional, and physical support before, during, and after birth. Currently, the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate amongst the most developed nations, as well as a serious racial gap, with Black women being twice as likely to die due to pregnancy-related complications when compared to White women. Birth doulas can help close the gaps with trained support and advocacy. Since over 40% of the births in the US are covered by Medicaid, providing birth doula services to Medicaid recipients could result in improved birth outcomes. …

The Effective Opening: Nonviolent Movements And How They Can Help To Enforce International Law Pertaining To Human Rights, Emmalyn A. Dewing

University Honors Theses

This thesis paper will examine the following question: How can nonviolent movements create enough pressure on human rights-abusing powers so that the enforcement of international law pertaining to human rights is more viable? Through the lens of this question, the paper will argue that one of the most effective ways to fully enforce international law pertaining to human rights is through the success of nonviolent movements whose goals align with it. This paper will further briefly argue that these movements can be helped by the international community through external support in the form of training and advice. To support this …

A Tale Of Two Narratives: The Role Of Storytelling In Racial Dialogue, Lane Cooper

University Honors Theses

Storytelling is a tactic often used in intergroup dialogues as a means for highlighting the human aspect of intractable identity-based conflict. In the U.S., racial dialogues are a popular method for addressing racism and exposing the systems that enable its survival. However, stories told by People of Color during these dialogues are often met with denial, dismissiveness, and even complete silence by their White counterparts. This then leads to cognitive and emotional distress for the tellers and a lack of action from the listeners. Using a theoretical analysis, this paper reviews the narrative conflict around racism and applies psychological research …

Is It Better To Be Tough, Or Is Consistency Key? A Multilevel Analysis Examining The Effects Of School Disciplinary Procedures On Perceptions Of Climate And Safety Among Students And Teachers, Erica Nicole Bower

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Though delinquency and violence have been steadily decreasing in American schools, research suggests that discipline use has not followed that same downward trend. This raises questions to why schools are reliant on certain disciplinary practices if rates of student misbehavior are not increasing. Due to zero tolerance mandates, schools often take a harsh approach to punishment, yet are also inconsistent in the punishment of similar misbehavior among students, which often leaves students feeling frustrated and sometimes, unsafe. How do school disciplinary decisions affect the ways in which school actors, such as students and teachers, perceive their schools’ environments? This broad …

Move: Mobile Observers Variants And Extensions, Ryan Florin

Computer Science Theses & Dissertations

Traffic state estimation is a fundamental task of Intelligent Transportation Systems. Recent advances in sensor technology and emerging computer and vehicular communications paradigms have brought the task of estimating traffic state parameters in real-time within reach.

This has led to the main research question of this thesis: Can a vehicle accurately estimate traffic parameters using onboard resources shared through CV technology in a lightweight manner without utilizing centralized or roadside infrastructure?

In 1954 Wardrop and Charlesworth proposed the Moving Observer method to measure traffic parameters based on an observed number of vehicle passes. We start by proposing methods for detecting …

Abandoned Allies: A Case Study Analysis Of The Special Immigrant Visa Program, Sarah Pedigo Kulzer

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Employing a qualitative case study approach, the current study aims to critically analyze the U.S.’s use of the Special Immigrant Visa program in Iraq and Afghanistan by examining the individuals it serves, the agencies through which services are rendered, and the state’s vested geopolitical interests in the program. Engaging in active participation, I observed and interacted with those who work within, assist, or utilize the services of Commonwealth Catholic Charities’ refugee resettlement program, including case workers, service providers, and resettlement clients themselves. Examined through the lens of neoliberal harm, the theoretical frameworks of realpolitik and Simmel’s (1950) concept of the …

Travelling For Abortion Services In Mexico 2016–2019: Community-Level Contexts Of Mexico City Public Abortion Clients, Laura E. Jacobson Mph, Biani Saavedra-Avendano, Evelyn Fuentes-Rivera, Raffaela Schiavon, Blair Darney

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: To describe the community context of women who travel to access Mexico City’s public sector abortion programme and identify factors associated with travelling from highly marginalised settings.

Methods: We used data from the Interrupción Legal de Embarazo (ILE) programme (2016–2019) and identified all abortion clients who travelled from outside Mexico City. We merged in contextual information at the municipality level and used descriptive statistics to describe ILE clients’ individual characteristics and municipalities on several measures of vulnerability. We also compared municipalities that ILE clients travelled from with those where no one travelled from. We used logistic regression to identify …

Step-Wise Deep Learning Models For Solving Routing Problems, Liang Xin, Wen Song, Zhiguang Cao, Jie Zhang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Routing problems are very important in intelligent transportation systems. Recently, a number of deep learning-based methods are proposed to automatically learn construction heuristics for solving routing problems. However, these methods do not completely follow Bellman's Principle of Optimality since the visited nodes during construction are still included in the following subtasks, resulting in suboptimal policies. In this article, we propose a novel step-wise scheme which explicitly removes the visited nodes in each node selection step. We apply this scheme to two representative deep models for routing problems, pointer network and transformer attention model (TAM), and significantly improve the performance of …

Rethinking The Procedural In Policy Instrument ‘Compounds’: A Renewable Energy Policy Perspective, Ishani Mukherjee

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Contemporary research in the policy sciences places effectiveness as the central goal of policy design. This emphasis permeates both micro-level design considerations for specific policy calibrations, as well as more meso-level policy tool and tool mixes. Effective instrument design, therefore, augments the task of looking at individual tools to considering them as tool ‘compounds’, that comprise of substantive and procedural means interacting through the process of designing tools and subsequent tool calibrations. The academic study of policy tools thus far has proffered several perspectives on how they can individually be distinguished by their different substantive components and categorized based on …

The Personality Profile And Leadership Style Of China’S President Xi Jinping, Aubrey Immelman, Yunyiyi Chen

Psychology Faculty Publications

This paper presents the results of an indirect assessment of the personality and leadership style of China’s president, Xi Jinping, from the conceptual perspective of personologist Theodore Millon.

Psychodiagnostically relevant data about Xi were collected from biographical sources and media reports and synthesized into a personality profile using the Millon Inventory of Diagnostic Criteria (MIDC), which yields 34 normal and maladaptive personality classifications congruent with DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, and DSM-5.

The personality profile yielded by the MIDC was analyzed on the basis of interpretive guidelines provided in the MIDC and Millon Index of Personality Styles manuals. Xi’s primary …

Addressing Work-Related Traumatic Stress Nebraska - Intervention Logic Model, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Other QIC-WD Products

Each QIC-WD site developed a logic model to serve as a visual representation of their selected intervention. All logic models included four main components: inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes. Collectively, these demonstrate the resources and actions required to implement the program, as well as the associated result or changes anticipated through implementation of the program. The hypothesized relationships are represented by the pathways connecting the listed activities and anticipated outcomes. For more information see Site Overview.