University of Connecticut Department of Public Policy

Transcription

1 University of Connecticut Department of Public Policy N E W S, E V E N T S A N D P E R S P E C T I V E S INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Department Head Message 2008 DPP Awards Night New Homeland Security Center Students Return to New Orleans Associations Update Page Student Earns PMF Placement Faculty Profile 11 IMPORTANT DATES: August 25, 2008 First Day of Classes for Fall Semester August 29, 2008 Welcome Back! Rock Cats Game January 20, 2008 First Day of Classes for Spring Semester May 1, 2008 DPP Awards Night and Dinner Banquet May 9, 2008 Graduation Day Student Wins National GFOA Scholarship A recent graduate of the Department of Public Policy s master of public administration program has won a prestigious national award, the $10,000 Daniel B. Goldberg scholarship from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). Barbara Rua, MPA 08, was recognized for outstanding performance by a graduate student preparing for a career in state and local finance. She completed three internships as a graduate student. She was a junior financial analyst with the Transportation Security Administration in the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C.; a legislative research assistant with the Connecticut Business and Industry Association; and an intern in the financial services offices of the town of DPP Professor Mark Robbins spent time over the past year as a Visiting Fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). The PPIC is an independent nonpartisan think tank that conducts independent scholarly research on public policy topics of importance for California. Professor Robbins worked in the West Hartford, where she also worked part time as a cash specialist in the Revenue Office. She earned graduate certificates in finance and in public and nonprofit management, and she Barbara Rua, winner of the 2008 Daniel B. Goldberg Scholarship. plans to work in state or local government in Connecticut. Her goal is to become a finance director for a city or town. Her capstone research project in public finance was on the finan- A U G U S T cial health of Connecticut cities and towns. Using data for all 169 towns in the state over five years, she analyzed their revenues, expenses, and debt to assess their relative financial health. Rua s graduate advisers were associate professor Mark Robbins and professor Bill Simonsen. Initially, she had thought about going to law school after graduating in 2006 from UConn s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with a major in political science. But as a senior, she was able to test the waters in public policy, taking two graduate courses in DPP as a Fast-track student. That convinced her that the MPA program would provide her the background she needed to work in government. (Continued on page 3) Robbins Serves as Visiting Fellow in CA public finance area conducting a study into the implications of California and other state government s borrowing programs. He spent much of his time in the San Francisco office but also represented the Institute at meetings and functions in Sacramento, the state capitol. PPIC is a great place. The (Continued on page 9)

2 PAGE 2 From the Department Head Greetings, friends of the Department of Public Policy! A lot of exciting things have happened this year, as you ll see in this newsletter. I especially want to call your attention to a few important developments. First, we are very proud to announce the results of the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings. We have now broken into the top 50 graduate schools of public affairs in the country, ranked 49 out of 269, solidly in the top 20%. We have also maintained our status as the #7 program nationwide in the field of Public Finance and Budgeting. Amy Donahue Department Head Second, I m sorry to report that we will be saying farewell to Professor Bob Bifulco, who will be leaving us after seven years of dedicated service to return to his alma mater, Syracuse University. Bob s keen intellect, profound compassion, and deep dedication have been a gift to all of us. He has had a major part in making our Department what it is today, and we will benefit from his contributions for a long time to come. We wish him and his family every happiness back at home in upstate New York. While we will sorely miss Bob, we are thrilled to announce the arrival of two terrific new faculty members: Deneen Hatmaker and Eric Brunner. Deneen comes to us from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at SUNY-Albany, where she has been completing her Ph.D. She will be teaching our public management courses starting this fall. Eric is a UConn alum, currently Associate Professor of Economics at Quinnipiac University, and a longstanding colleague. He will teach our economics course this fall, and will come on board full time in January. We consider ourselves extremely lucky to have hired such highly qualified and uniquely talented scholars. Finally, this past year UConn has selected both a new President of the University, Dr. Michael Hogan, and a new Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dr. Jeremy Teitelbaum. We are very eager to work with President Hogan and Dean Teitelbaum as we continue to build upon the success of the Department of Public Policy. While these changes certainly represent an exciting time here at the Department, one thing that has not changed is our commitment to providing the highest quality public policy education to our students and a top-notch research environment for our professors, as you ll see from the articles that follow. We hope you enjoy reading about our recent accomplishments! If you have questions or ideas about what we re up to, please don t hesitate to be in touch with me. Warm Regards, Amy Program Update Corner The Department of Public Policy houses four programs including: the Master of Public Administration (MPA); Master of Arts in Survey Research (MSR); Graduate Certificate in Public Financial Management; and a Graduate Certificate in Public and Nonprofit Management. We also offer a Minor in Public Policy and a Fast-track program for UConn undergraduates. In 2007 we welcomed over 50 new students. In total, the Department serves about 100 full-time and part-time graduate-level students. Michael Lepino and Chris Forster at the May 2008 Commencement. The MPA program is an excellent choice for students wanting a smaller, more intimate program, where the faculty and students interact on a daily basis. The MSR program is one of only five in the nation specializing in the skills and tools needed to excel in the survey research field. The Certificate programs are a great fit for department and other University of Connecticut students, and also serves working professionals looking to enhance their skills. UCONN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC POLICY Our recent graduates have gotten jobs in a variety of organizations including: New York City Office of Management and Budget; Budget Office, City of Tulsa, OK; Research Triangle Institute, North Carolina; Federal Drug Administration; an international non-profit, Up-With-People; and the CT General Assembly under the Program Review and Investigation Committee. One recent graduate is even starting her own non-profit in Connecticut.

3 NEWS, EVENTS AND PERSPECTIVES Best MSR Practicum: Sheff vs. O Neill Team The Master of Survey Research practicum project provides students with a hands-on experience conducting survey research projects from start to finish. Under the supervision of Ken Dautrich, students conducted all phases of a working project, from project design and working with clients, to data analysis and presentation. This year s winner for the best practicum project was the Sheff Movement Survey Study conducted by Alexis Browne, Lauren Friedman, and Sean Harrington. The Sheff Movement is a Connecticut coalition of parents, citizens, educators and others who work to educate the public and increase support for voluntary school integration measures. The Sheff Movement coalition asked the MSR students to develop and analyze a statewide survey of Connecticut residents to accomplish two tasks. The first was to measure present levels of Lauren Friedman, Alexis Browne, & Sean Harrington support and awareness of the remedies for racial isolation resulting from the landmark school integration case Sheff v. O Neill. The second was to test messages that most effectively make the public more supportive of integrating public schools. To accomplish these objectives the Sheff practicum team conducted two focus groups and worked directly with the client to design a questionnaire for a telephone survey of 1,010 Connecticut residents. They analyzed the survey data, wrote an extensive report of the findings, and presented the results to the client in April. The Sheff practicum team found the project to be tremendously rewarding. We were lucky to have had the opportunity to work on such a wonderful project, said Alexis Browne, MSR/MPA 08. It was a great learning experience for all of us. After hearing the news that the team had won Best Practicum, Sean Harrington, MSR 08 said, It means a lot to see our hard work recognized. The Sheff Movement made the findings public in early June and has since printed numerous copies of the report and distributed them to educators, state legislators and other public officials. Some of the results were published in the Hartford Courant. To read the report, or to find out more about the Sheff Movement coalition, please see their website at DPP Student Wins $10,000 GFOA Scholarship (Continued from page 1) have worked on re-building As an undergraduate, she interned with the Connecticut state legislature. housing in areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. That was where my interest On her most recent trip this in government was sparked, she spring, where the students worked says. Understanding the workings in the Lower Ninth Ward, one of of the public sector and the effect the hardest hit and least reconstructed areas, Rua was impressed of politics on everyday administration is essential for sound policy by the determination of local development and implementation. residents. As treasurer and then president of Everyday citizens have stepped up the public policy graduate student into leadership roles, she says. association, she has traveled twice They are becoming real to New Orleans, where graduate community leaders. students from the Department Barbara was PAGE 3 It means a lot to see our hard work recognized. - Sean Harrington recognized for outstanding performance by a graduate student preparing for a career in state and local finance.

4 PAGE 4 Albert Cabrera, Ryan Gordon, Alexis Browne, Prof. Ken Dautrich, Sean Harrington, Jill Bruins and Sarah Matteau at Awards Night. Public Policy Awards Night The 2008 Department of Public Policy Awards Night was a night to remember. This year s event, held at the Adam s Mill Restaurant in Manchester CT, provided current students, professors, staff and alumni a chance to mingle and celebrate the completion of another successful year. The Department honored individual students and alumni for their accomplishments and achievements. The night also served as an opportunity to announce the selection of two new mottos from those submitted in a recent contest: 2008 DPP Award Recipients Catherine E. Pardee Award Justin Knight Karl A. Bosworth Award Steve Bartha Jennifer Campbell Joel Estes CT-ASPA Public Service Award Lisa Carver Barbara Rua Where Passion Meets Possibility and Challenge Yourself, Change the World. The mottos will be featured in future departmental public relations and marketing materials. I.A. Lewis Public Opinion Research Award Sean Harrington Hang Nguyen Jen Campbell, Steve Bartha and Joel Estes accepting the Karl A. Bosworth award. Bob Ross accepting the MPA Recent Distinguished Alumni Award. MSR Academic Excellence Award Sean Harrington Outstanding MSR Student Award Jill Bruins David B. Walker Award Robin Kane MPA Best Capstone Award Shane Van Hoesen, Race/Ethnicity and Health Care: The Effects of Insurance Coverage MPA Best Capstone Honorable Mention Eric Michael Gray, Racial Peer Effects in North Carolina Elementary Schools Barbara Rua, Measuring the Fiscal Health of Connecticut 's Cities and Towns Best Practicum Research in the MSR Program Sheff vs. O Neil Group Alexis Browne Lauren Friedman Sean Harrington 2008 Connecticut GFOA Award Lisa Carver Chris Forster 2008 National GFOA Award Barbara Rua MPA Recent Distinguished Alumni Award Bob Ross, First Selectman, Town of Salem MPA Distinguished Alumni Award Barry Simon, CEO, Gilead Community Services MSR Distinguished Alumni Award Chase Harrison, Preceptor in Survey Research, Harvard University Distinguished Professor Award Bob Bifulco UCONN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC POLICY

5 NEWS, EVENTS AND PERSPECTIVES DPP Continues Research Relationship with DHS The Department of Public Policy has extensive experience conducting research for the Department of Homeland Security. Concluding this year is a multi-year complex research project called RTII that included numerous citizen focus groups, regional telephone surveys and a national telephone survey all designed to assess citizen attitudes and preferences about new Homeland Security prevention, detection, and response technologies. While Department Head Amy Donahue, a former first responder, has had a longstanding interest in disaster response and preparedness as both a practitioner and academic researcher, fellow faculty members Mark Robbins and Bill Simonsen were drawn to the RTII project by the project design link to their research interests: public finance and measuring citizens willingness to pay for governmental initiatives. The collaboration of diverse research expertise contributed to a highly successful project for DHS that generated four academic papers and many conference presentations by the DPP faculty involved. When the call went out early last year for additional DHS funded academic research through a Center of Excellence, Amy, along with colleagues from the lead institution, Louisiana State University, submitted a multi-institution plan that combined natural and social science endeavors. Homeland Security Centers of Excellence are created to bring together leading experts and researchers to conduct multidisciplinary research and education for homeland security solutions. The LSU-lead plan was one of five finalists for the DHS Center of Excellence: Natural Disa s t e r s, Coastal Infrastructure and Emergency Management. (NDCIEM) However, in February 2008, DHS took an unusual step and awarded the NDCIEM center to a compilation of institutions that DHS chose from the five finalist centers. UNC-Chapel Hill and Jackson State University were chosen to co-lead the NDCIEM center. According to the DHS February 26, 2008 press release, the new center is responsible for conducting research to enhance the nation s ability to safeguard populations, properties, and economies as it relates to the consequences of catastrophic natural disasters, including hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, droughts, and wildfires. The University of Connecticut s project, Risk Perceptions, Preferences, and Preparedness with Amy Donahue as Principal Investigator was announced as part of the newly created center. When Donahue received notification of the award, she commented, We are thrilled that DHS saw the merit of our proposed research and included us in the NDCIEM Center of Excellence. The goal of the six year, $566,204 UConn project, is to evaluate the perceptions, incentives, and preferences that influence the choices and behavior of individual citizens and public decision makers with respect to risk and preparedness. We will employ scientific survey methods to identify and characterize perceptions of disaster risk held by citizens and public decision makers in various geographic locations; determine how the degree and nature of risks perceived affects preparedness decisions and practices; and understand how risk information is used by citizens and decisionmakers, said Professor Donahue. She added, The work extends other research about individual and community readiness, and will enhance our understanding of citizen preferences in a manner designed to provide potential foresight into disaster preparedness solutions and barriers. Project Manager Candace Fitzpatrick also noted, This new project ties into the last DHS citizen preference research as it will also provide a measure of what citizens consider when faced with preparedness requirements, associated costs, and reveal insights into the public s tolerance for certain response initiatives and approaches. It also allows us to compare perceptions of risk and associated behavior across different segments of society so that preparedness approaches can be tailored. Both Amy and Candace are excited about the potential benefit that the research could contribute to improve individual and governmental preparedness. Ultimately, this research will help governments identify citizen communication strategies, said Donahue. These strategies are likely to be effective when coordinating responses to emergency incidents by illuminating the consistency or inconsistency in perception of risk and preparedness priorities between citizens and public decisionmakers. PAGE 5 We are thrilled that DHS saw the merit of our proposed research and included us in the NDCIEM Center of Excellence. - Amy Donahue

6 PAGE 6 DPP Students Return to New Orleans DPP volunteers in the Lower Ninth Ward. DPP students used the trip as an opportunity to speak with local residents and learn how public policy could help the city continue to recover. For the second straight year, UConn DPP students traveled to New Orleans to help rebuild parts of the city devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The trip, which lasted from May 12th to May 20th, was sponsored and planned by the Graduate Association of Public Policy Students (GAPPS) headed by National Service Trip Committee Chair, Sarah Guggino and President, Holly Stocker. In total, 11 people volunteered to participate including DPP professor Thomas Craemer. This year s volunteers worked with Common Ground Relief, a grassroots organization founded by a resident of the Lower Ninth Ward, the community closest to the levy failures. Rebuilding efforts in this area have been much slower than in other parts of the city. Volunteers performed a wide range of tasks including scraping, sanding, painting, demolition, property clearing, and yard maintenance. Many said that the most memorable and challenging project was the complete gutting of a home that had not been touched since the hurricane hit over two and a half years earlier. The home still had pictures, furniture, clothing and toys from the family that had lived there. We had to clear everything out wearing respirators and clothes that covered every inch of our body due to the mold and bacteria growing in the house, said Sarah. DPP students also used the trip as an opportunity to speak with local residents and learn how public policy choices affect the city s recovery. Volunteers found local residents to be very involved and receptive, and many were eager to share their stories and experiences. They were incredibly thankful to have us there helping out, said John Colonese, MPA 08. But residents also really went out of their way to help us understand what they had been through and what challenges they continue to face today. Five of this year s volunteers participated in the first New Orleans service trip last year. It was great to visit the homes we worked on last year and see the families living in them, said Barbara Rua, MPA 08. We were able to see how successful our trip really was. It was very validating. The GAPPS Executive Board hopes that the National Service Trip will become an annual tradition for the Department of Public Policy. It s great to experience first-hand, what we re taught in the classroom, said GAPPS President, Holly Stocker. For more information on GAPPS, please visit: dpp.uconn.edu/gapps. Survey Research Career Night MSR students, Alisha and Alexis, talk with Emily Sprague about positions with GfK in New York. Each year the Department of Public Policy is contacted by organizations looking to recruit graduates of our programs. In March, the Department and the Graduate Association of Public Policy Students (GAPPS) sponsored a career evening for students seeking jobs in survey research. Representatives from four companies spoke with students about expectations and job requirements at their respective firms. As a panel, they described their experiences and gave advice on interviewing, writing cover letters, and creating resumes. Participating companies included the GfK Group, Reeve and Associates, TNS-Global, and the Research Triangle Institute. It was great hear about what opportunities are out there in the field of survey research, said Albert Cabrera, MSR 08. I am sure I will be using what I learned here in my job search. UCONN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC POLICY

7 NEWS, EVENTS AND PERSPECTIVES Speaker Series Offers Public Policy Insight Together with the Urban and Community Studies Program and the Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society the Department of Public Policy continued the Speaker Series at the University of Connecticut s Greater Hartford Campus. The purpose of the series is to provide a forum for presentation of leading public policy research on urban issues. The series also allows students and faculty from the University of Connecticut community to engage with policy leaders from across the state. The Speaker Series included the following: Using Genetic Lotteries to Examine Impacts of Poor Health on Academic Achievement Jason Fletcher, Yale University MSR Students Conduct Survey for MPA Program Master of Survey Research students conducted surveys of MPA alumni and potential employers as part of their practicum class. The MPA program faculty will use the results of the two surveys to help with a curriculum review they plan to undertake next year. Both surveys asked respondents to react to a list of 38 specific skills potentially important for a successful career in the public service. Local and state government officials, non profit organizations, and finance officers specifically were included in the employer survey. Some of the key results of the surveys include: Alumni and employers think the most important skills are the ability to: work well with others; Public Opinion About Willingness to Pay for Homeland Security Bill Simonsen & Amy Donahue, UConn Department of Public Policy Federal Drug Control Policy Brian Winseck, U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy Local Economic Development Strategies Joan McDonald, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development Panel Discussion: Using Tax Subsidies to Attract Economic Development Mark McGovern, Director of Development Service, City of Hartford write effectively; employ critical thinking to solve problems; make ethical decisions; be well organized, and be self motivated. MPA alumni felt best prepared by the MPA program to: write effectively, employ critical thinking to solve problems; make ethical decisions; be well organized, and be self motivated. The least useful skills for MPA alumni include the ability to: execute an experiment; conduct financial management tasks; develop a capital improvement program; employ budget theories; and perform economic analysis. MPA Program Director Bill Simonsen said, The MSR students worked hard on these surveys and Ron Van Winkle, Director of Community Services, Town of West Hartford John Rappa, Office of Legislative Research Stan McMillen, Department of Economic and Community Development Voter Demand for School Choice Sean Corcoran, New York University The Effect of Fiscal Incentives on Special Education Placements Steve Lipscomb, Public Policy Institute of California Estimating Discrimination in Small Business Credit Markets Lloyd Blanchard, Louisiana State University it shows in the results--both surveys were exceptionally well done. The results will be of great value to the MPA program. Aslihan Erenoglu and Hang Nguyen finalize their MSR practicum presentation. The full alumni and employer survey reports are available on the Department of Public Policy s web site at: PAGE 7 Jason Fletcher Yale University John Rappa Office of Legislative Research The MSR students worked hard on these surveys and it shows in the results--both surveys were exceptionally well done. - Bill Simonsen

8 PAGE 8 Jason Jakubowski MPA Alumni Council MPA Alumni Council Update Since 1996, the MPA Alumni Council has supported both the MPA program and its students in a wide variety of capacities. This past year was no exception as our alumni engaged in a multitude of activities geared towards easing our students transitions both into the MPA Program and out to their professional careers. This year the Alumni Council sponsored or co-sponsored: The 1 st Annual night at the New Britain Rock Cats, where students mingled with alumni, faculty and staff. Helped develop and distribute the MPA Alumni Survey which will enable the program to shape its curriculum. Implemented a resume review and job shadowing program for MPA students. The MPA Program s Annual Career Night, where alumni share their real world experiences with current MPA students. This May, the Alumni Council also had the honor of presenting two Distinguished Alumni awards at the annual Awards Night dinner to Barry Simon, Executive Director of Gilead Community Services, and Bob Ross, First Selectman of Salem. The Alumni Council would like to thank everyone for their continued support of the MPA Program. If you have any interest in our council activities, please do not hesitate to contact Alumni Council President, Jason Jakubowski, at: jjakubowski@charteroak.edu. Students enjoy a night out sponsored by GAPPS PAA Inductees Stephen Bartha Jennifer Campbell Joel Estes Matthew Farley Liam Fitzgerald Eric Michael Gray Justin Knight Marybeth Manzi Barbara Rua Manisha Srivastava Chelsea Turner Shane Van Hoesen Jeanette Ziegler GAPPS Update The GAPPS Executive Board was excited by the positive response and increased participation from the student body this past year. A few of this past year s successful events include an alumni panel discussion (including topics such as salary negotiation), a networking dinner, one-on-one résumé workshop, and the first annual Ben & Jerry s fundraiser. GAPPS was also pleased with the success of their food and clothing drive and the continued commitment to volunteer efforts in New Orleans. Lastly, GAPPS successfully tackled the administrative task of amending their constitution. Most notably, adding the position of MSR Vice President. GAPPS tentative events for the fall semester include a one -on-one résumé event, a second annual Ben & Jerry s fundraiser, and BBQ or Pub Night. Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society Update The University of Connecticut chapter of Pi Alpha Alpha has had another successful year. Highlighted below are some of our academic year accomplishments: Co-sponsored a departmentwide welcoming/orientation event to a game of our local minor league baseball team, the New Britain Rock Cats. Members of the PAA board spoke to incoming MPA students about NASPAA and the opportunity/requirements for Pi Alpha Alpha membership. Co-sponsored a Fall Meet and Greet. Held a formal induction ceremony for 13 new members, their families and friends, with a reception following. GAPPS looks forward to seeing all new and returning students at our first student body meeting. As always we welcome feedback and suggestions and encourage all MSR students to run for VP in September and MPA students to run for office in January. Check out our new website at: Continued to co-sponsor the DPP speaker series which included a mix of public policy academics and practitioners. We are looking forward to another exciting year with many of the same activities and opportunities. Please visit the PAA link on the DPP MPA website for more information. UCONN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC POLICY

9 NEWS, EVENTS AND PERSPECTIVES DPP Student Selected for PMF Program Professor Robbins Serves as PPIC Fellow (Continued from page 1) research fellows and staff are very skilled and enthusiastic, and they are committed to conducting high quality policy research, said Robbins. Professor Robbins also commented that working at the PPIC might be something that would appeal to current DPP students. IPP Program An Overwhelming Success Shane Van Hoesen, MPA 08 Shane Van Hoesen, a 2008 MPA graduate, was recently selected as a finalist for the Presidential Management Fellows Program. Subsequently, Shane was offered a position with the Drug Enforcement Administration in Washington, DC. Shane will be working as a Program Analyst within the DEA s Office of Resource Management. The UConn Department of Public Policy is very proud of Shane s accomplishment, said UConn DPP professor Mark Robbins. We are confident that he will be very successful working for the federal government. The Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) program offers an They have programs in a variety of areas, including educational, environmental, and social policy, in addition to public budgeting and finance. Professor Robbins will maintain a role as an adjunct fellow at PPIC in an effort to guide their research and recruiting efforts. This includes recruiting for the The Internship Professional Practice (IPP) program began as a pilot program three years ago and has steadily increased the number of placements each year. In , 100% of interested students had an IPP placement; up from 90% the previous year. The experiences of students and IPP organizations have been universally positive. Students are excited about the IPP program because it offers them almost a year of relevant job experience before they graduate, a stipend, tuition waiver and benefits. Organizations are pleased to receive skilled employees for an affordable cost. MPA student, Matt Streeter, held an IPP for the Town of Mansfield, CT and worked on a variety of issues from a fiscal impact study to a strategic planning initiative. Because of my IPP experience I was able to be competitive in the job market, he said. I have recently been offered a position as the Town Manager of Palmer, MA. IPP interns are currently placed in nonprofit organizations and state and local governments. Interns work in a wide variety of departments such as finance offices, pro- opportunity for recent graduate students to participate in a two year fellowship in a United States government agency. Selection for this two year paid government fellowship is overseen by the Office of Personnel Management and begins with the nomination of the student by the school followed by a rigorous assessment process. For more information on the Presidential Management Fellows Program, please visit: Institute s intern program which provides support for students to come and work with a team of PPIC researchers on one or more projects over the summer. Project descriptions are posted in mid-january with an application deadline of mid-march. Students interested in learning more about this opportunity should contact Mark directly. gram assessment offices, corporate public relations, planning units, research & analysis units, city manager s offices, and human resource departments. Our IPP intern, Manisha, worked on a long-term project that needed dedicated attention, said David Crompton, IPP supervisor and CFO for the CT Department of Mental Health and Addition Services. She also contributed her extensive computer skills to helping us revamp a number of financial databases. She was truly an extremely valuable asset to our organization. PAGE 9 The UConn Department of Public Policy is very proud of Shane s accomplishment. - Mark Robbins The Public Policy Institute of California Tara Spain, John Colonese, Jessica Schaffer -Helmecki and Mike LePino discuss their internship experiences.

10 PAGE 10 Department of Public Policy Faculty Scholarship The faculty in the Department of Public Policy are dedicated and productive researchers. In addition to their teaching responsibilities, professors have many ongoing research projects. Many of them work collaboratively with others in the Department. Faculty regularly present their findings at conferences across the country. Below are some of the recent articles, books, and book chapters published by DPP faculty. Amy and Bill present at this year s Speaker Series. NBC 30 interviews Ken about the upcoming primary election. Robert Bifulco Charter Schools, in Handbook of Research on Education Finance and Policy, eds. Helen F. Ladd and Edward Fiske (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2008), (With Katrina Bulkley). Charter Schools in North Carolina. in Charter Schools: What Fosters Growth and Outcomes, eds. Mark Berends, Matthew Springer, and Herbert Walberg (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2007). pp (With Helen F. Ladd). Thomas Craemer Nonconscious Feelings of Closeness Toward African Americans and Support for Pro-Black Policies, Political Psychology 29(3): , An Evolutionary Model of Racial Attitude Formation: Socially Shared And Idiosyncratic Racial Attitudes, Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 614(1): 6-14 (2007). Ken Dautrich The Future of the First Amendment (Roman and Littlefield, May 2008), (With David Yalof). American Government: Historical, Popular and Global Perspectives (Wadsworth, January 2008), (With David Yalof). Schools, Civic Education and the First Amendment at the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), University of Maryland, July (With Lopez and Levine). Amy Donahue Teaching Leadership in Public Administration, Journal of Public Administration Education 13 (3/4), pp (With Lloyd A. Blanchard). Universal Lessons from Unique Events: Perspectives from Columbia and Katrina, Public Administration Review (With Sean O Keefe). (Forthcoming). Amy Donahue, Mark Robbins and Bill Simonsen Time, Taxes, and Support for Security, Public Budgeting and Finance 28(2): pp Willingness to Pay Taxes for Homeland Security Measures, Municipal Finance Journal 28(3): pp Mark Robbins and Bill Simonsen Citizens and Resource Allocation: Improving Decision-Making with Interactive Web-Based Citizen Participation, Public Administration Review (May/June) 68(3): (With Barry Feldman). We appreciate your support! Faculty members at the DPP Graduation Ceremony. Many of the Department of Public Policy s accomplishments are enhanced and strengthened by people and organizations with vision who desire to financially support the further development of our department. Individual and agency contributions provide essential support for development of necessary initiatives that are not funded elsewhere. Consider making a gift today! For secure online giving options, please go to: UCONN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC POLICY

11 NEWS, EVENTS AND PERSPECTIVES PAGE 11 Faculty Profile: Deneen Hatmaker The University of Connecticut Department of Public Policy is excited to announce the arrival of new faculty member, Deneen Hatmaker. Deneen is currently completing her Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, University at Albany, State University of New York. Deneen brings a wide variety of academic and professional experience to the Department. Before beginning her Ph.D., she received an undergraduate degree in Systems Analysis and Engineering from George Washington University. After receiving her undergraduate degree, Deneen went on to earn a Masters degree in Environmental Management and Policy from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She later spent several years in the high-tech and environmental industries in technical and managerial positions. This fall, Deneen will be teaching Human Resource Management (PP 5365), part of the MPA core curriculum. Next spring, she will be teaching both Theory of Public Organizations (PP5361) and Organizations and Management (PP 5362). Deneen is looking forward to joining the DPP faculty and eager to begin working at UConn. I am very pleased to be joining UConn's Department of Public Policy, and I look forward to working with the Department's high caliber faculty, staff, and students, she said. I am particularly excited about contributing to the Department's breadth of expertise and diversity of research programs. Deneen s Ph.D. dissertation, Engineering Identity: The Negotiation of Self Among Women Engineers, focuses on professional identity in organizations. Using sociological concepts, her study examines women engineers identity construction in the workplace with a specific focus on gender and professional identity and the relationship between the two. Deneen s research analyzes workplace interpersonal interactions to describe identity challenges women engineers encounter in different Deneen Hatmaker will be joining DPP this Fall. work contexts and how they cope. This issue is particularly relevant for managers faced with the complexities of organizational diversity and gender equity generally and for managers of technical professionals specifically. Deneen s research design uniquely includes women and men working in both public and private sector organizations to analyze a broad range of experiences and contexts. Her study advances theory in this area and informs organizational practices and policies seeking to better retain women in engineering, where they currently comprise only 11% of the workforce (National Science Board, 2008). In addition to her dissertation research, Deneen has two other research projects ongoing with colleagues from the University at Albany, State University of New York. Professor Hatmaker is working with Karl Rethemeyer and Hyun Hee Park studying the organizational socialization of newly hired auditors at the New York Office of the State Comptroller using longitudinal social network and interview data. Additionally, Deneen is working with Mitchel Abolafia on a paper analyzing the Federal Open Market Committee's monetary policy signaling using transcripts of their meetings. As a follow-up to her dissertation, Deneen also plans to analyze egocentric social network data of the women and men engineers from her study. Deneen co-authored a paper recently published in the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory on network management in a state-level policy network. She has presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management Fall Research Conference, and the Public Management Research Association Conference. Deneen s research analyzes workplace interpersonal interactions to describe identity challenges women engineers encounter in different work contexts.

12 University of Connecticut Department of Public Policy 1800 Asylum Avenue, 4th Floor West Hartford, CT NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID STORRS, CT PERMIT NO.3 Phone: Check out our new website!