Public Policy Commons^™

Men In Higher Education In Nevada, 1993-2023, Mia Tschan, Kristian Thymianos, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Higher Education

This fact sheet compares enrollment, graduation, and earnings data for men and women that enrolled in the seven institutions of higher learning in the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) between 1993 and 2023. This fact sheet further focuses on how male enrollment and graduation shares have changed with time. The data are derived from the American Institute for Boys and Men (AIBM) report, “Men in higher education: A national data tool,” which includes data for all fifty U.S. states and the District of Columbia. This fact sheet focuses on institution-level data for seven public NSHE institutions: the University of …

Diaper Insecurity In Nevada And The Mountain West, 2024, Mia Tschan, Olivia K. Cheche, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet presents data on diaper insecurity in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. It also presents data on the diaper gaps faced by fifteen Nevada counties: Carson City, Churchill, Clark, Douglas, Elko, Humboldt, Lander, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, Storey, Washoe, and White Pine. Esmeralda County and Eureka County are not included due to a lack of data. The 2025 Urban Institute report, “Mapping Diaper Insecurity in the US,” highlights 2024 data on diaper insecurity across all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

Grievance Redress Mechanisms For Commons: Evaluating The Design And Effectiveness Of Public Land Protection Cells In Rajasthan, India, Pooja Chandran

Journal of Law and Public Policy

Encroachment on common land represents a significant governance challenge in India. Weak institutions, irregular enforcement, and power imbalances often leave marginalised communities more vulnerable to eviction than others. This article examines the design and effectiveness of Public Land Protection Cells (PLPCs)—a judicially mandated grievance redressal mechanism in Rajasthan—in addressing common land encroachment disputes. Drawing on an analysis of cases before the Rajasthan High Court, field observations, and stakeholder interviews, it evaluates how PLPCs address enforcement gaps and promote accountability. Using the United Nations Guiding Principles 31 as a foundation, the article develops a contextualised framework to assess PLPCs to highlight …

Polarization, Performance, Responsiveness, And Trust In Malawian Executive, Legislative, And Judicial Institutions, Rodgers Brenner Chawani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Political trust matters for good governance and democracy. Although Malawi's constitution affirms trust as a key component of authority, Afrobarometer surveys have revealed broad declines, hindering democratic consolidation and the achievement of the long-term Vision 2063 development goals. Prior researchers studying the country have fixated on qualitative analyses and overlooked affective polarization and differentiation across government branches. The purpose of this cross-sectional quantitative study was to examine the predictive relationship between perceived government performance, responsiveness, corruption, affective polarization, democratic satisfaction, and trust in the Malawi president, parliament, and judiciary, using generalized linear models to apply Easton's political support theory to …

Community-Based Food Program Limits In Reducing Older Adult Food Insecurity, Madonna Harrington Meyer, Colleen M. Heflin

Population Health Research Brief Series

Older adults who are grappling with food insecurity may enhance their food supply through community-based programs that provide free and subsidized food. This complicated system, categorized by group meal programs, home-delivered meals, and food provided to be eaten off-site, is complex, expensive, and may be difficult for older adults to use. Based on the book, Food for Thought: Understanding Older Adults Food Insecurity, this brief describes three key limits of community-based food programs for older adults. First, the quantity and quality of community-based food programs vary markedly by where one lives. Second, the food may be of poor nutritional …

Organizational Memories Of Extreme Events: Evidence From Us Public Transit Agencies, Mattia Caldarulo, Ignacio Pezo, Elizabeth A. Corley, Shaika L. Islam, Eric W. Welch

Articles

The increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events require organizations to effectively manage the threats these phenomena pose. To respond to these challenges, public agencies often turn to their organizational memories for guidance. Organizational memories support information processing capacity, facilitate sensemaking, and legitimize and speed up decision-making processes. While memories influence different aspects of organizational life, little is known about their antecedents and the mechanisms behind the retrieval of past events. This study contributes to the broader literature on organizational memory by investigating the elements shaping public agencies’ retrieval of extreme weather events. Integrating weather data from the National …

Nevada's Healthcare And Education Workforce Pipelines, David Damore, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Policy Briefs and Reports

With ongoing workforce shortages in K-12 education, healthcare, and mental and behavioral health—occupations central to the HEAL (health, education, administration, and literacy) economy—this brief utilizes the Nevada P-20 to Workforce Research Data System (NPWR) and data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to explore the current and projected landscape for these workforces in Nevada. Examining the demographic characteristics of those participating in focused career and technical education training and those earning relevant postsecondary credentials illuminates gender disparities in Nevada’s healthcare and education workforce pipelines. After reviewing the current state of these workforces and assessing the available NPWR data, we …

Cost Of Living For Older Adults (65+) In Mountain West Metropolitan Statistical Areas, 2024, Anirudh Polagani, Annie Vong, Mohit Pande, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Demography

This fact sheet explores 2024 cost of living data for adults over the age of 65 in the largest metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) across five Mountain West states: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The data are sourced from the “Elder Index,” a dashboard that focuses on housing, healthcare, food, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses that collectively reflect the monthly expenses for those over the age of 65. This fact sheet focuses on five MSAs in the Mountain West: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO; Las Vegas-Henderson- North Las Vegas, NV; Albuquerque, NM; and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.

Urban Heat Islands In Mountain West Cities, 2024, Mia Tschan, Krish Sharma, Olivia K. Cheche, William E. Brown Jr.

Environment

This fact sheet presents data on Urban Heat Islands (UHIs) in six cities across five Mountain West states: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The data are derived from the 2024 Climate Central report, “Urban Heat Hot Spots in 65 Cities,” which includes data on how UHIs boost temperatures in 65 major cities across the United States. This fact sheet focuses on UHIs in six Mountain West cities: Albuquerque, NM; Denver, CO; Las Vegas, NV; Phoenix, AZ; Salt Lake City, UT; and Tucson, AZ.

Native American Tribes And Federal Grant Funding In The Mountain West, Fy2023-2025, Isabelle G. Graham, Maisoon Faris, Dre Boyd-Weatherly, Olivia K. Cheche, William E. Brown Jr.

Elections & Governance

This fact sheet presents state-level data on the impact of a federal government-wide funding freeze affecting Native American Tribes, focusing on the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The data are derived from the Brookings Institution’s “A federal grant freeze could disrupt over $24 billion to Native American communities and undermine US obligations to Tribes” brief, which reports data from USAspending. The original report provides data on the federal government’s obligations, outlays, and remaining balances owed to Native American Tribes for all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

Fema Public Policy Impacts On Emergency Preparedness In Florida, Sara Sambolin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Older adults are at an increased risk of mortality during hazardous emergencies; therefore, it is crucial to comprehend how current emergency preparedness policies are related to preparedness perceptions of older adults. Findings in recent literature identified the underrepresentation of older adults in Emergency Preparedness studies across all areas and Counties of the state of Florida as a gap that needs to be addressed. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between the 2023 FEMA policy on emergency preparedness and the self-reported degree of preparedness among Florida’s older adult residents in urban and rural areas across …

An Evaluation Of Therapeutic Harm Reduction And Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy Within Oregon's Measure 109, Bodhi Norton

Dissertations and Theses

Despite psilocybin still being a Schedule I substance in the Federal Controlled Substance Act (OHA, 2022), Oregon voters passed Measure 109 in 2020, now codified into law as ORS457A, which allowed for the opening of psilocybin clinics for eligible clients. The passing of Measure 109 allowed for an adult-use model to be created, which is different from a therapeutic-use model. Advocates and Measure 109 framers employed the terms "harm reduction" and "mental health support" in order to secure the passing of Measure 109, but there is no specific definition of therapeutic harm reduction within M109 and ORS475A. To receive psilocybin …

Addressing Climate Vulnerability And Policy Gaps Of Heat Waves In Upper Egypt: The Case Study Of Al-A’Qaab Village In Aswan, Eman Abdullah

Theses and Dissertations

Heatwaves are currently one of the most dangerous climate hazards globally. Egypt is experiencing an increase in the intensity and frequency of heatwaves, which affects health, economy, infrastructure, and the ecological system. Upper Egypt is one of the most vulnerable regions in Egypt to rising temperatures, particularly in Aswan Governorate. The risks of heat waves are increasing vulnerability among vulnerable groups, such as women and low-income individuals. However, there is a clear gap in protection policies against heat waves, along with a lack of studies examining the effects of heat waves on individuals in Aswan. Accordingly, this thesis aims to …

Adapting To Inflationary Pressures: Household Coping Strategies In Urban Egypt (2016– 2025), Mohamed Mohamed Ashraf Kamal

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decade, Egypt has faced persistent economic challenges including repeated currency devaluations, high inflation rates, subsidy reforms such as the gradual reduction of food and energy subsidies, and the ripple effects of global crises that have significantly impacted household well-being, especially in urban areas. These pressures have eroded purchasing power and heightened food insecurity, especially among low- and middle-income families. Although substantial attention has been paid to macroeconomic indicators, there remains a critical gap in understanding how households adapt on a daily basis to manage financial stress and sustain their livelihoods. This inquiry is especially timely, as household …

Nh Ece Research Consortium Spring 2025 Convening Summary & Action Steps, Evan England, Jess Carson

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

The inaugural NH ECE Research Consortium convening in May 2025 welcomed nearly 50 attendees from 29 organizations for a half-day session connecting over research and data. Attendees participated in three activities using the Ecocycle Planning framework. The group sorted NH ECE activities and approaches into three main areas: (1) things we value in which we already invest (or plan to), (2) things we value in which we do not invest, and (3) things that need to change or are already changing. Reflections in each area are summarized here in hopes that the synthesis supports our shared and ongoing efforts to …

Improving Schools To Promote Upward Mobility: The Promise And Limits Of School Finance Reforms, Sarah Reber

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

As part of the Brookings Scholar Lecture Series, Brookings Mountain West presents a lecture titled, "Improving Schools to Promote Upward Mobility: The Promise and Limits of School Finance Reforms" by Brookings senior fellow in economic studies, Sarah Reber.

Systematic differences in access to high-quality schools by race, income, and other characteristics perpetuate inequality across generations. Local property tax financing of schools is often identified as a key cause of unequal educational opportunity. While the consensus of rigorous research supports the common intuition that, on average, “money matters” in improving educational outcomes, questions about how much, and under what conditions, school …

The Limits Of Snap In Addressing Older Adult Food Insecurity, Colleen M. Heflin, Madonna Harrington Meyer

Population Health Research Brief Series

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is designed to address the economic roots of food insecurity. However, SNAP participation rates among older adults substantially lag behind those of other age groups. Based on the book, Food for Thought: Understanding Older Adults Food Insecurity, this brief describes how SNAP is not well designed for older adults in three respects: (1) the high levels of administrative burden associated with eligibility, certification, and benefit-determination processes, (2) the low value of SNAP benefits compared with the high costs associated with redeeming them, and (3) the high levels of state variation in SNAP policies …

Rising Waters, Falling Taxes: The Impact Of Hurricane Sandy On Property Tax Assessments In New York City, Wei Guo, Qing Miao, Yusun Kim, Yilin Hou

Center for Policy Research

Climate disasters pose fiscal challenges for local governments by increasing recovery costs and demand for property tax relief. Homeowners with or without property damage face tax burdens that may not match changes to their property value. This study examines the impact of Hurricane Sandy on property values and tax assessments in New York City. Using a difference-in-differences approach and comprehensive property-level data, we find that (1) inundated properties faced greater tax burdens due to limited declines in taxable value; (2) unaffected properties in flood zones saw tax burden increases due to declining market values and unchanged taxable values; and (3) …

Public K-12 School Start Times In The Mountain West, 2020-2021, Olivia K. Cheche, William E. Brown Jr.

K-12 Education

This fact sheet presents data on public K-12 school start times in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah as of the 2020-2021 school year. The data are derived from the “School start time: Average public K–12 school start time and percentage distribution of public school start time, by state: 2020–21” report originally published by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). This fact sheet highlights the average public K-12 school start times and distribution of public K-12 school start times for each Mountain West state.

The Familiarity Effect In Prioritizing Distant Solutions: A Discrete Choice Experiment On Development Planners In Indonesia, Timothy Pieter Christian Siahaan

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

Development planning ideally requires accurate information to translate distant solutions, where actions and impacts are separated by significant delays. However, the attention theory suggests that the attention of planners is constrained by familiarity bias, shaped by organizational procedures and communication channels. This study argues that planners are less likely to prioritize distant solutions due to a stronger sense of perceived self-efficacy. Even when presented with favorable information, decision-makers tend to rely on heuristics that filter out unfamiliar information. Employing a mixed-method approach by combining a discrete choice experiment and qualitative interviews with regional planners in Indonesia, this study discovers that …