IV. Report of 2006-07 Achievements

2006-07 OBJECTIVES
INTERNATIONAL SOCIO-POLITICAL-ECONOMICS AND SECURITY

Research Objectives - International

1) At least three inter-disciplinary research teams will submit grant applications for extramural funding.

An interdisciplinary IPIA team submitted a grant application to the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study Salt Lake City as one of the 20 new gateway destinations for migrants in the US. It proposes to examine the social dynamics of the rapid growth of the immigrant population with a focus on health outcomes of immigrants. The project will use the Utah Population Data Base, a unique data set which allows direct measurement of many health indicators for the undocumented immigrant population and differentiation among categories of immigrants. Notification is expected in fall 2007.

Assistant Professor Kim Korinek and colleagues at the Univ. of Washington submitted a proposal to NIH/NICHD: “Digging into the Past: Measuring Evolving Markets, Culture, and Migration Dynamics.” IPIA is a subcontractor. If the grant is awarded, it will support Dr. Korinek’s field work in Thailand in 2007-09.

2) At least two of the projects that received seed grants in 2005-06 will be submitted for extramural funding.

An interdisciplinary research project that was completed in spring 2006 by an IPIA team identified the net contributions that Mexico and Mexican Americans make to the economy of Utah. This study received considerable attention from the print and electronic media and resulted in President Fox of Mexico personally thanking President Young and the IPIA research team. Five separate research teams have been exploring useful new research questions to pursue.

An IPIA team from the Department of Economics and CPPA completed a socio-demographic study of the Pacific Island population in greater Salt Lake. Professor Tom Maloney was the PI. Funding was provided by external sources.

3) Organize and stage a major interdisciplinary conference of national and international experts on a highly important aspect of international security or international socio-political-economics.

An extraordinary international conference on human rights, human dignity and international cooperation, and terrorism was held on March 1 and 2, 2007, at the U of U by IPIA, the Barbara and Norman Tanner Center on Nonviolent Human Rights Advocacy, the S. J. Quinney College of Law, and the Middle East Center. The conference successfully launched an on-going, inter-college initiative at the U of U. A few of the notables who spoke included:

Amartya Sen, Professor of Economics and Philosophy, Harvard University. Recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economics
Martha Nussbaum, Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics, University of Chicago
Bruce Hoffman, Holder of the RAND Corporate Chair in Counterterrorism and Counterinsurgency, and Director of RAND’s Washington, DC office
Marilyn Friedman, Professor of Philosophy, Washington University of St. Louis
Amos Guiora, Director of the Institute for Global Security Law and Policy, Case-Western Reserve Law School
Steven Simon, Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies, Council on Foreign Relations

Lectures by Drs. Sen, Nussbaum, and Hoffman were advertised to the public. Other sessions were open to the public but not advertised – were intentionally kept small – in order to promote informed dialogue among conference participants.

U of U faculty members who organized the conference and presented papers were from the CSBS departments of anthropology, economics, geography, political science, psychology, and sociology; the S. J. Quinney College of Law, and the departments of philosophy and communication. Issues and approaches were framed through a 20 month-long series of working sessions and seminars.

A publishing agreement has been signed with Springer Academic Press for an edited book containing revised papers presented at the conference. Professors Karawan, McCormick and Reynolds are co-editors.

The Department of Economics and IPIA hosted a two-week intensive course and a two-day conference in July 2006 on “Knowledge Networking and Capacity Building on Gender, Macroeconomics and International Economics.” The faculty represented approximately 15 countries and participants more than 30 countries. External support was received from the Ford Foundation, United Nations Foundation, and the International Development Research Centre (Canada).
 

4) Successfully recruit at least one new senior faculty member with an established funding record in an area where faculty strength already exists at the U of U, who will have a joint appointment in IPIA.

Dr. Dennis Wei, an economic geographer currently at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, accepted our offer to join the faculty in IPIA and the Department of Geography.

5) A seminar series or brown-bag/work in progress series will be implemented.

The multiple planning and preparatory meetings for the March 1 and 2 conference on violence, values and terrorism exceeded the intent of this objective. The meetings also resulted in an “internal conference” on December 13, 2006. Preliminary papers were presented by U of U participants from the academic units listed in Research Objective #3 above. These papers were edited and published electronically by the S. J. Quinney College of Law student journal.

6) Identify substantive research interest areas in order to focus future senior faculty hires.

Bruce Hoffman, Professor of International Security at Georgetown University and formerly head of counterterrorism and counterinsurgency for the RAND Corporation, has accepted a part-time position with the University of Utah in 2007-08 and 2008-09, with the titles of Distinguished Scholar and Senior Advisory for International Security Programs, in IPIA.  Hoffman will provide leadership and guidance and will participate in building capability, capacity, structure, and programs in the area of international security, including assisting us in planning and implementing a faculty recruitment in the area of international security in 2008-09.

          Hoffman’s other responsibilities may include advising, and helping in the development of public lectures and forums, advising faculty, curriculum, organizing forums and publications, university partnerships, publications and occasional papers, grant opportunities, and intra-university organizational arrangements and connections. He will also take leadership in building interdisciplinary research capacity and creating interdisciplinary research teams, using existing faculty and outsiders that are able to compete for external research grants.

IPIA also has agreed to participate in supporting newly hired Law School Professor Chibli Mallat. Professor Mallat is an expert on Islamic Law and Europe-Middle East politics. He was a visiting professor of Middle East Politics at Princeton University in 2006-07.

7) Increase the number of faculty members who are affiliated with IPIA and the number of departments that they represent.

The number of U of U faculty members affiliated with IPIA increased from 18 to 30 in AY 2006-07. Departments represented include Economics, FCS, Finance (DESB), Geography, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology.

Teaching Objectives - International

8) Secure approval for an inter-disciplinary masters degree program with the David Eccles School of Business that prepares future managers for organizations that work internationally.

A new interdisciplinary M.S. degree program in International Affairs and Global Enterprise with the David Eccles School of Business and the S. J. Quinney School of Law has been approved by the Graduate Council, the Academic Senate, and the Board of Trustees.  It will be presented to the Board of Regents for final approval in July. This new degree program will prepare individuals for careers with international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), multi-national government agencies, and for public-oriented positions in private multi-national businesses. 

The first students enrolled in the newly-established interdisciplinary Master of Public Policy degree program in Fall Semester 2006, and the first graduated in May 2007 (with credits transferred in from another graduate program). “International Policy” is one of several areas of specialization.

A new Master of Healthcare Administration degree program, a collaborative endeavor of the David Eccles School of Business, the School of Medicine, and CSBS, was approved by the Board of Regents in October 2006. This degree program, which can be taken independently or as a joint degree with the MPA, MS in Economics, MBA, and MHA, offers a specialization in international healthcare administration. The first students enrolled in Spring Semester 2007.

9) Be planning with at least two or three other departments, colleges, and/or programs to institute international socio-political-economics or cross-border security as an allied field, dual degree, or area of concentration in graduate programs.

We aren’t ready to do this yet. Premature.

10) Successfully implement the Executive MPA program in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, UAE, in partnership with Zayed University.

The new Executive Master of Public Administration degree program for mid-career government officials, offered by Zayed University in Abu Dhabi, UAE, was launched in January 2007. The U of U is a partner with Zayed Univ., the University of Indiana (School of Public and Environmental Affairs), and California-Berkeley (Goldman School of Public Policy). U of U faculty will teach an average of 3.0 courses per year. Professor Ibrahim Karawan taught the first course in January and February 2007. The U of U’s participation in the program is self-supporting.

A U of U political science PhD student began a year-long graduate research assistantship at Zayed University in January 2007.

11) Establish partnerships with at least two other universities in countries that create opportunities for faculty and students to collaborate.

MOUs have been signed this year by the U of U with KPI, Thailand (See objective #12 below), Zayed University, UAE (See objective #10 above), and Sun Yat Sen University, in Taipei, Taiwan. An agreed also was signed by CSBS with Akita University, Japan.

12) Place student interns in other countries.

The first Hinckley Institute of Politics international interns are in placements in several countries in Asia and Europe. For example:

A Memorandum of Understanding for a partnership with King Prajadhipok’s Institute (KPI), Thailand, was finalized in May 2006. Despite the recent political change in Thailand, interns have been placed for January – May 2007 through and with KPI. KPI is an independent public organization established legislatively in 1998 to work closely with the Parliament of Thailand. It was originally modeled on a similar parliamentary institute in Canada. Its formation began the process of devolving power in this unitary nation to local authority. These two interns are working with the team that is revising the Thai national constitution.

Service-to-Communities Objectives - International

13) At least one major international meeting or conference of experts will be open and accessible to community audiences.

See “Research Objectives in International Programs,” #3 above.

2006-07 OBJECTIVES AND ACHIEVEMENTS
APPLIED POLITICS

Teaching Objectives - Applied Politics

1) Expand the number of students who elect the minor in campaign management, and the number of majors from which students are attracted to the minor.

Most students in the minor program are majors in the political science, economics, and communication departments. Each year, about 220 students complete Hinckley Institute internships, all of whom are potential candidates for the Campaign Management Minor. 

2) Expand the diversity of political interns in Utah, Washington, D.C., and international placements.

In 2006, the Hinckley Institute sent more than 20 minority students to internships at the Utah State Legislature, Washington, D.C., and through its Capital Encounter program. In Spring Semester 2007, the Institute sent approximately 10 minority students to internships in local government, Washington, D.C., Scotland, Thailand, and India. At this pace, the Institute will send approximately 30-35 minority students on internships in calendar year 2007, an increase of more than 50% over 2006.

Through the Roger Leland Goudie fund, the Hinckley Institute provides minority students with additional stipends of approximately $500 for local internships and $3,000 for Washington, D.C. internships.  In 2006, $22,000 was distributed to minority students through the Goudie fund. The Hinckley Institute also offers the Pete Suazo Community Scholarship that awards $1,000 scholarships to ethnic minority students who demonstrate passion for and dedication to community service. The Hinckley Institute has received funding for the first round of Molonai Hola scholarships (2007-08) that will providing support for Pacific-Islander students in local, Washington, D.C., and international internships. 

3) Open new high-quality political internship opportunities in other countries with
increased scholarship assistance.

In August 2006, the Hinckley Institute secured $200,000 from the Li Ka-shing Foundation to expand its international internship program. In addition to recently established internships through the U.S. State Department and with the Scottish and Mexican parliaments, students will spend semesters in, for example, India, China, Taiwan, England, Greece, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan. Each student receives $3,000 - $3,500 for travel and living expenses. During Fall Semester 2006, scholarships were provided for 4 internships ($12,000) in Scotland, Peru, and Lithuania, and in Spring Semester 2007 scholarships are helping to support 13 internships ($39,000) in India, Taiwan, England, Scotland, Greece, and Thailand. Thus, in 2006-2007, the Hinckley Institute will have provided at least $51,000 in international internship scholarship support.

The Hinckley Institute also supports internships in Washington, D.C. and in Utah that are international in nature, such as with the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Medical Care Development, Results Inc., Mendez England & Associates, Mitchell Group, PaL-Tech, Save the Children, Dutko Worldwide, foreign embassies, Ascend Alliance, International Rescue Committee, and the International Trade and Diplomacy section of the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development.

The Hinckley Institute plays an integral role in fulfilling the U’s goal of expanding its international focus and offerings.  The Hinckley Institute Director serves as a member of the U’s Internal International Advisory Board, and as a member of the Tanner Humanities Center World Leaders Lecture Forum Advisory Cabinet. Beginning in 2007, the Hinckley Institute also began partnering with the International Center’s International Leadership Academy (ILA) to provide additional internationally focused Hinckley Forums and place ILA students in international internships. 

4) Explore the desirability of offering a master’s degree in campaign management.

No progress to date.

5) Integrate Hinckley Institute programming into the U’s minor in leadership.

Hinckley Institute Director Kirk Jowers serves as co-chair of the U’s Leadership Studies Advisory Committee and is integrating Hinckley Institute programs and courses into the leadership minor. 

Service-to-Communities Objectives - Applied Politics

6) Initiate several projects or programs that reinforce HIP’s standing and reputation as the most accurate, reliable, and unbiased source of political information in Utah and the surrounding states.

Hinckley Institute Forums and Fellows and Hinckley Institute Director Kirk Jowers have received an unprecedented amount of attention in the local media. The Hinckley Institute was featured in approximately 300 news stories in 2006/2007 in media outlets such as the Washington Post, New York Times, London Daily Telegraph, Deseret Morning News, Salt Lake Tribune, KUTV Ch. 2 News, KSL Ch. 5 Eyewitness News, KSL NewsRadio 1160, KTVX Ch. 4 News, and local and national NPR stations.

In 2006, the Hinckley Institute joined with Sam G. Rich to form the Sam Rich Program in International Politics which provides funding to attract prominent domestic and foreign affairs speakers. In 2006, the Sam Rich Program brought several speakers to the U including Alec Russell of the London Daily Telegraph, Former U.S. Ambassador Joe Wilson, Larry Sabato (Univ. of Virginia), and Thomas E. Mann (the Brookings Institution). Major new funding was committed to the Sam Rich Program in spring 2007.

The Hinckley Institute has continued to expand its program of Hinckley Forums.  In 2006, there were 68 Hinckley Forums featuring prominent speakers including ambassadors, visiting professors, elected officials and political candidates, members of the local, national, and international media, and influential interest group leaders. Guests included Governor Jon Huntsman Jr.; Kay Maxwell, President of the League of Women Voters; Congressman Jim Matheson; His Excellency Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat, Ambassador to the U.S. from Indonesia; His Excellency Virasakdi Futrakul, Ambassador  to the U.S. from Thailand; Matt Berrett, Director of the CIA’s Office of Iraq Analysis; Congressman Rob Bishop; Stefan Tafrov, Ambassador of Bulgaria to the United Nations; Senator Robert Bennett; and Rich McKeown, HHS Chief of Staff.

The Hinckley Fellows program brings distinguished politicians, academics and professionals to the University of Utah. Hinckley Fellows spend several days at the university lecturing, meeting with students and faculty, interacting with community leaders, and being interviewed by local media representatives. In 2006, the Hinckley Institute brought in 4 fellows: Governor Brian Schweitzer, Montana; Mickey Ibarra, Former Director of Intergovernmental Affairs in the Clinton administration; Alec Russell, Washington Bureau Chief of the London Daily Telegraph; and Dr. Larry Sabato, Director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics.   

7) Initiate several projects with local organizations and groups that reinforce HIP’s position as the leading source of bipartisan political activity and young leadership in Utah.

In 2006, the Hinckley Institute co-sponsored events with various campus and organizations including KCPW, KUER, S.J. Quinney College of Law, Center for Public Policy and Administration, ASUU, Marriott Library, IPIA, College of Humanities, Utah Criminal Justice Center, Middle East Center, University Neighborhood Partners, and Kingsbury Hall.  Of special note were the joint efforts of the Hinckley Institute and the Utah Coalition for Civic, Character, and Service Learning in organizing the 2006 Annual Dialogue on Democracy Dinner featuring Hinckley Fellow Dr. Larry Sabato.

Through the Hinckley Institute, the Karen Shepherd Fund provides stipends to interns for Democratic candidates running in local, state and federal campaigns in Utah. This fund seeks to build expertise and leadership skills in Utah's Democratic Party and to help Democratic candidates. Seven student interns were placed with candidates through the Fund in 2006.

The Hinckley Institute recognizes outstanding academic achievement, community involvement, and leadership potential by awarding scholarships each year and by preparing students for the national Truman Scholarship competition. Bryson Morgan, a U of U student in political science who also has been highly active in the Hinckley Institute, has been selected as a Truman Scholar. In addition to growing the existing scholarships (Matheson Leadership, John & Anne Hinckley Citizenship, Suazo Community, Robert H. Hinckley, and Abrelia C. Hinckley), the Hinckley Institute recently has added the Robert F. Bennett, Olene S. Walker, and Wayne Owens scholarships.

In 2005, the Hinckley Institute launched the student-led Hinckley Institute Student Alliance (HISA), an umbrella organization for politically active student groups, including the College Republicans, College Democrats, VoteProject, ASUU Government Relations Board, and two service-politics student organizations. These student groups plan and execute campus-wide activities to increase political awareness and civic involvement such as debates and voter registration drives. HISA has served many student efforts well including the Presidential Ambassadors student lobbying initiative.

 

2006-07 OBJECTIVES AND ACHIEVEMENTS
PUBLIC POLICY

Research Objectives - Public Policy

1) At least two inter-disciplinary research teams will submit infrastructure grants in public policy to government funding sources.

The objective was achieved.

- An R-21 population infrastructure grant application was submitted to NICHD in November 2006. Principals include professors K. Smith, L. Kowaleski-Jones, G. Mineau, C. Zick, and Z. Zimmer. The grant application received a high score but was not funded. NICHD urged resubmission in September 2007.

- A second R-21 infrastructure grant application to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), on energy balance, was submitted in February 2007. Principals include professors B. Brown, J. Fan, L. Kowaleski-Jones, H. Miller, K. Smith, I. Yamada, and C. Zick. This inter-disciplinary working group also has two peer reviewed articles in press and one in review, and two papers submitted for presentation at academic conferences. This grant also received a high score but was not funded. The PI has also been urged to resubmit it in September 2007.

2) At least three other inter-disciplinary teams will be in the process of developing research projects with identifiable funding sources.

We exceeded this objective. Since July 2006, 11 inter-disciplinary grant proposals were submitted through IPIA to external funding sources. One was awarded, two were declined, and eight remain pending.

3) At least three new seed-grant projects will be funded.

Two proposals were received for the fall seed grant funding cycle. Only one was funded: “Exploring the Nexus of Family Migration, Aging and Health: A Comparative Study in Asia.” The principals are K. Korinek, Sociology and Z. Zimmer, IPIA and Sociology.  One proposal was received and funded in spring 2007.  The principals are R. Utz, Sociology and N. Waitzman, Economics.  The title of their project is “Weight Gain from Birth to Adolescence: A Multi-Level Tri-Cohort Approach.”

4) Organize and stage at least one high-visibility (newsworthy) event around substantive public policy topics.

Laughlin McDonald, Director of the Voting Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union, delivered the 10th annual Rocco C. and Marion S. Siciliano Forum on October 12, The Future of the Voting Rights Act: Democracy in Danger? Panelists included Chandler Davidson, Rice University; Peyton McCrary, U. S. Department of Justice; Chris Nelson, Secretary of State, State of South Dakota; Sharyn O’Halloran, Columbia University; Lee Parks, a frequent attorney for defendants; and Bryan Sells, ACLU Voting Rights Project. Papers from the Forum are being revised and a proposal is in development for an edited book.

Edward P. Lazear, Chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisors, presented at an IPIA Forum at the University of Utah on Monday, March 5, 2007. Dr. Lazear is on leave from the Stanford University Business School and the Hoover Institution. He is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Econometric Society, and the Society of Labor Economists.

The Western States Primary Symposium, September 2006, was held in the Marriott Hotel and with a reception in the Governor’s Mansion. Academic papers were presented by faculty members from the U of U and other western universities. Keynoters were Governors Huntsman (R-Utah) and Richardson (D-NM). The symposium drew heavy print and electronic media coverage, including nationally on CNN.

5) Successfully recruit at least one new senior faculty member with an established funding record in a topical area where there is existing faculty strength at the U of U. This new faculty member will have a joint appointment in IPIA.

Professor Susan A. McDaniel, a leading sociologist at the University of Windsor (Ontario), accepted our offer to join the faculty in IPIA and the Department of Family and Consumer Studies.

IPIA also initiated a strategy of selectively partially “buying-out” highly productive faculty members for up-to 5 years. A buy-out reduces the faculty member’s course load but raises expectations for research productivity and grants. In 2006-07, IPIA bought-out .25 of Political Science Department Assistant Professor Thad Hall and reached agreement to buy-out .25 of Professor George Hepner, Department of Geography, starting in 2007-08.

6) Identify substantive policy research interest areas that will be used to focus future senior faculty hires.

We have initiated a search for a senior scholar with an established record of funded inter-disciplinary research in health public policy.

7) Expand the number of faculty who affiliate with IPIA and the number of departments they represent.

(See Research Objective - International #7)

8) Initiate an on-going policy forum series.

IPIA’s “Policy at the Podium” series of forums met monthly. Presentations were made by recipients of policy research seed grants.

September: Where Weight Waxes and Wanes: Spatial Variation in Body Mass Indices and the Implications for Public Policy. Ken Smith, Barbara Brown, Jessie Fan, Lori Kowaleski-Jones, Harvey Miller, Cathleen Zick, from FCS and Geography

October: Why Does the Balance of Class Power Matter for Good Governance? Social Capital, Trade Unions, and Democratic Embeddedness. C.-S. Lee, Sociology

November: Housing and Health Policy Implications of a New Light Rail Stop. B. Brown, FCS and C. Werner, Psychology

December: Street Level Lawyers: Understanding Poll Workers in the United States. T. Hall, Political Science

January: CEO Pay and the Lake Wobegon Effect. S. Schaefer, Finance (DESB)

February: Sectoral Foreign Investment and International Migration: A Pooled Time Series Analysis of Less-Developed Countries 1975 to 2000. M. Sanderson and J. Kentor, Sociology

March: The Effects of Childhood, Adult, and Community Socio-economic Status on Healthy Longevity Among Older People in China. M. Wen, Sociology

April: New Research Initiatives at the Center for Public Policy and Administration. W. David Patton, CPPA and Political Science

In 2006-07, IPIA also sponsored –

A seminar for faculty, “Show me the Money: Navigating the World of External Research Funding.” April 5, 2007,

A regular seminar series of the Utah Demography Research Network,

A new “brown bag” series on integrating immigrants, and

A new working paper series on the IPIA website and with the Marriott Library.

Other accomplishments in public policy research included:

C. Chambless, Ph.D., joined IPIA and worked on several grants and contracts related to services for persons with disabilities.  Dr. Chambless is expanding IPIA’s capability and capacity in disabilities-related public policy. (See also “Other Accomplishments in Public Policy Teaching,” below.)

IPIA contracted for the academic year with a social sciences statistician, Byron Davis, to provide part-time statistical support to research teams. Eight faculty members are known to have worked with Dr. Davis.

Cindy Brown, IPIA grant manager, surveyed all IPIA-affiliated faculty in May and June 2007 for their assessment of the value of current services and what IPIA might do to address their unmet research needs.

Teaching Objectives - Public Policy

9) Successfully implement the first cohort in the Masters of Public Policy degree program.

The MPP program was launched in Fall Semester 2006. Ten students matriculated, and one took leave of absence. A new class has been recruited to start Fall Semester 2007.

10) Implement an outreach program for student recruitment into the MPP program.

The MPP website and brochure were redesigned to enhance student appeal. MPP informational/recruitment meetings were held, as were several joint MPA/MPP open houses. The MPP Program Manager attended graduate school fairs. MPP program leaders met regularly with the Casandra Network, a network of women in public policy positions.

11) Begin planning with at least two other departments, colleges, and/or programs to institute public policy as an allied field, dual degree, or area of concentration in graduate programs.

The proposal to establish a joint MPP/JD program with the S. J. Quinney College of Law was approved by the Board of Regents.

The proposal for a “fast track” BS/BA/MPP program was approved by the Undergraduate Council and will be presented to the Graduate Council in Fall Semester 2008.

12) Continue explorations for collaboration with other universities in Utah on the MPP and related graduate programs, including BYU, USU, and SUU.

No progress.

Other Accomplishments in Public Policy Teaching Include:

IPIA received financial support from the colleges of Health, Humanities, and CSBS to support the development and implementation of an inter-disciplinary graduate certificate program in disability studies. The certificate program was approved by the Academic Senate. The program’s integrative course will be offered for the first time in Fall Semester 2007. New program offerings in disabilities are expected.

Scholarship support for students in the MPP program rose from none in 2006-07 to approximately $13,000 for 2007-08.

The MPP program was competitively awarded a University Teaching Assistantship for 2007-08. This teaching assistantship will cover tuition and pay a stipend to a second-year MPP student who will provide teaching assistance in FCS 6200/5200 (Families and Social Policy) and Soc 3650 (Population and Society).

Service-to-Communities Objectives - Public Policy

13) Expand the reputation of CPPA/IPIA as the premier source of accurate, reliable, unbiased information about public policy in Utah and the surrounding states.

CPPA helped establish and has a leadership role in the new Western Policy Research Network, a collaborative effort of policy research groups at 7 western public universities and the Council of State Governments – West.

Policy studies have been completed on Utah transportation, water, charter schools, growth, energy and severance taxes, the possible 4th Congressional District, public funding of professional sports arenas, the state legislative appropriation limit, and the proposed Western States primary.

CPPA/IPIA is coordinating applied research projects on the Pacific Island population in Utah.

CPPA/IPIA is broadening its methods of policy dissemination by developing web-casting as a way to reach policy makers and the public.  The first web-cast will be focused on the State’s interest in privatizing the State Hospital.

14) Expand the reputation of CPPA/IPIA as the premier provider of contracted applied research and technical assistance in public policy and public management in Utah and surrounding states.

Projects are in process under contracts with the State of Utah Department of Health (four separate projects and a joint project of the Department of Health and the US Social Security Administration), Administrative Office of the Courts, Attorney General, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Corrections, Department of Human Resource Management, Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget, and Department of Education; Utah City Managers Association; and the Utah Municipal Clerks Institute.

15) Strengthen the public policy applied research and technical assistance link with the Governor’s Office.

IPIA Associate Director and CPPA Director David Patton serves on the board of the Governor’s “Utah Policy Partnership.” One tangible benefit to the U of U will be the relocation of the Utah Commission on Aging to the Center on Aging in summer 2007.  Dr. Patton also serves on the State’s Council of Economic Advisors and has been advising the Governor’s office on the reorganization of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget.