UNC- Chapel Hill Public Policy Majors Union

Chuck D of Public Enemy: Workshop and Lecture, October 12th!

2009-10-10T12:08:00.002-04:00

Public Policy Majors Union, with the help of the Carolina Union Activities Board, UNC RHA, the Carolina Economics Club, and the Office of Student Affairs, is proud to announce the following event:

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12th, 2009

Best known as leader and co-founder of legendary rap group Public Enemy, Chuck D redefined rap music and hip hop culture with the release of Public Enemy's explosive debut album, Yo Bum Rush The Show, in 1987. One of Ebony magazine’s “Ten Most Influential Black Americans” and Rolling Stone’s “50 most important performers in rock & roll history,” Chuck D is a go-to voice for insight on technology, politics, rap and soul music, and race in America. Few artists have such a sophisticated knowledge and understanding of the intersection of popular culture and politics.

5-6:30 pm, Campus Y Faculty Lounge
WORKSHOP with Chuck D and Dr. Micah Gilmer

Come collaborate through conversation with Chuck D and Dr. Micah Gilmer, Social Entrepreneur in Residence and professor from the School of Public Policy. We'll be sharing ideas and thoughts on how we can creatively engage with service-- through music, social entrepreneurship, policy, etc.

8-10 pm
Lecture in the Great Hall with Chuck D!

And Your New Exec Board is...

2008-12-04T15:14:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to our newly elected officers for the 2009 term!

President: Monique Hardin
Vice President: Joe Levin-Manning
Treasurer: Lindsey Garner
Secretary: Scott Gallisdorfer
Undergraduate Rep: Glenn McLaurin
Undergraduate Rep: Lauren Peterson

Stay in touch with PPMU. We have lots of activities planned for 2009! Send us an email at: emailppmu@gmail.com and learn how you can get involved!

PPMU December Elections

2008-11-19T13:31:00.003-05:00

Interest Meeting

Monday, November 24th

5:00 PM

Abernethy 102

Please email spiro@email.unc.edu if you cannot attend this meeting.

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PPMU Elections

Thursday, December 4th

2:00 PM

Abernethy 102

Are you looking for a leadership position on campus that is flexible with your schedule, requires few hours a week, looks great on your resume, and allows you to make a real difference in the lives of your classmates?

If this type of leadership role sounds appealing, then you should take interest in joining the Public Policy Majors' Union (PPMU) Executive Board.

The current Executive Board is currently looking for students who are passionate about the Public Policy Major and who want to make the major more accessible, more enriching, and more exciting for students.

Anyone who is a declared Public Policy Major and NOT a Senior is qualified to become a member of the Executive Board. We are currently looking to fill the following positions starting SPRING 2009.

President:
- Moderates all PPMU meetings and sets the agenda
- Coordinates with the Roosevelt Institute and/or other student orgs
- Represents or appoints someone to represent PPMU in University activities such as UCS Advisory Board, Frank Porter Graham Lectureship, Lambeth Lectureship
- Meets regularly with the faculty advisor (currently Dr. Andrews) and student services manager (Lennis Carrier)
- Takes the lead for new activities when necessary

Vice-President:
-Assists the President in decision-making and appointments
-Chairs the Publicity Committee: sends emails and designates in-class announcements for upcoming events
-Potentially starts new projects

Secretary:
-Takes minutes at all PPMU meetings and emails these minutes out to all members -Responsible for much of PPMU's correspondence (reserving rooms, thank-you notes, requests for printing)
- Makes any rules and guidelines available to members
- Assists the President and other officers with their duties

Treasurer:
-Responsible for liaison between the Chairman and the PLCY Majors Union about funds needed for PLCY Majors Union activities and for appropriating those funds
- Chairs the Fundraising Committee
- Assists the President and other officers with their duties

Undergraduate Representative:
-Attends Faculty Meetings and provides crucial students input to curriculum decisions
-Represents the PPMU in campus-wide meetings

THE ENERGY CRISIS: HOW DID WE GET HERE AND WHERE DO WE GO?

2008-11-16T16:04:00.005-05:00

The UNC Public Policy Majors Union, in conjunction with the Institute for the Environment, the Department of Public Policy, and the Roosevelt Institution, is proud to announce that UNC alumnus and energy entrepreneur Robin West will be speaking this Wednesday, November 19, 2008.

Who: Robin West, founding president of PFC Energy and chair of the board of the U.S. Institute of Peace

When: Wednesday, November 19, 2008

4:00 PM to 5:30 PM

Where: Murphey 116

Why: Mr. West, former Assistant Secretary of the Interior and current president of one of the world's largest energy consulting firms, has years of experience in government, entrepreneurship, and energy policy, and will share exciting insights into the current energy crisis.

Presenting Your Research and Effective Public Speaking!

2008-11-16T10:42:00.001-05:00

The last workshop in the Policy Memo Workshop Series is TOMORROW!

Time: 5:00 PM

Location: Murphy 105

Dr. Maryann Feldman, one of our newest faculty members, will be leading the workshop on "Presenting Your Research and Effective Public Speaking".

Maryann Feldman is the S.K. Heninger Distinguished Professor of Public Policy at UNC-Chapel Hill. Her areas of specialty are: innovation, entrepreneurship, higher education, and the commercialization of academic research, and the factors that promote technological change and economic growth.

November 5th Election Debriefing

2008-11-02T23:20:00.000-05:00

-------Election 2008 Debriefing! --------
Hosted by: The Roosevelt Institute and the UNC Public Policy Majors Union
Location: Campus Y Anne Queen Lounge, UNC Campus
Date: November 5, 2008
Time: 5:00 – 6:30 PM

On Tuesday night, we'll all know who won the Presidential, Gubernatorial, and Senatorial races. But how exactly did it happen? What voter blocs were the most influential? Why did (or didn't) North Carolina go blue? Come listen to three esteemed policy professionals give you their expert opinions (and perhaps emotional reactions) to the results of the 2008 Election! Bring a friend and your questions!

Featuring:

Daniel Gitterman, Ph. D – Assistant Professor of Public Policy, UNC-Chapel Hill
Pope "Mac" McCorkle –Political Consultant for Lt. Governor Bev Perdue, campaign issues consultant
Leroy Towns – Former Chief of Staff for Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas, Professor of the Practice of Journalism, Research fellow, Program on Public Life, UNC-CH

Policy Memo Workshop Starts Today!

2008-10-27T12:40:00.001-04:00

The Policy Memo Workshop Series Starts Today!

Murphy 105

5:00 - 6:00
Policy Memo Structure
with Professor Christine Durrance

6:00 - 7:00
Effective Writing Style
with Graduate Students
Shana Judge and Jeff Summerlin-Long!

How Low Can You Vote?

2008-10-21T18:41:00.003-04:00

This November, there's more at stake than just the Presidential election! Learn more about races "down-ballot" from the presidential, gubernatorial, and U.S. Senate races through a series of candidate forums!

For the latest information on confirmed events and attendances, please click here

The How Low Can You Vote Series is sponsored by the Public Policy Majors Union and the Roosevelt Institute. Co-sponsors include Campus Y and the Student Government Town and External Relations Committee.

Announcement: Memo Writing Workshops

2008-10-14T12:27:00.005-04:00

Beginning Monday, October 27, the UNC-Chapel Hill Public Policy Majors Union will begin hosting weekly memo writing workshops.

Held in Murphy 105 from 5:00 to 6:00 PM, the schedule is as follows:

October 27 Memo Structure (w/ Christine Durrance) and Effective Writing (w/ Jeff Summerlin-Long and Shana Judge)

November 3 Cost-Benefit Analysis (w/ Jennifer Miller)

November 10 SAS and STATA (w/ Ashu Handa)

November 18 Presenting Your Research and Public Speaking (w/ Maryann Feldman)

2008 - 2009 Frank Porter Graham Lecture

2008-09-18T20:00:00.000-04:00

Monday, September 22, 2008
Memorial Hall--Free Admission!
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM

John McWhorter, a New York Sun columnist and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, will discuss race and poverty in America at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The free public talk at 7:30 p.m. in Memorial Hall will be the 2008-2009 Frank Porter Graham Lecture in the College of Arts and Sciences. The annual lecture brings a variety of viewpoints on poverty to campus.

McWhorter will speak on “History in the Making: What We Know About Poverty and What We Should Forget.” He will contest mainstream opinion about the causes of inner-city poverty in the late 20th century and suggest best-practice solutions that are not, in his words, “founded in a revolutionary intent.”

McWhorter writes and comments extensively on race, ethnicity and cultural issues for the Manhattan Institute in New York City, which supports and publicizes research on challenging public policy issues. His newest book, “All About the Beat: Why Hip-Hop Can’t Save Black America,” points beyond the “hip-hop revolution” to a brave new politics for black America, calling for a renewed sense of purpose and pride in black communities.

“John McWhorter is a straight-talker who has compelling things to say about race and class in America,” said John McGowan, Ph.D., director of UNC’s Institute for the Arts and Humanities and a member of the lecture selection committee. “He’s thoughtful, smart and opinionated. He’ll spark a great conversation on this campus about difficult topics.”

McWhorter’s book “Winning the Race: Beyond the Crisis in Black America,” was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in Non-Fiction. McWhorter has appeared on national TV and radio shows including “Meet the Press,” “The O’Reilly Factor” and National Public Radio’s “Fresh Air.”

McWhorter, also a linguistics scholar, wrote “The Power of Babel: A Natural History of Language,” on how the world’s languages arise, change and mix. The lecture honors the late U.S. senator and president of the University of North Carolina. It is made possible by a generous gift from Taylor McMillan, who graduated from UNC in 1960.

Sponsored by the James M. Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence, with co-sponsors Office of the Executive Director for the Arts, the Public Policy Majors Union, the Roosevelt Institute, and the Department of Public Policy.

Interest Meeting

2008-09-17T10:39:00.004-04:00

Thursday, September 18, 2008
6:00 - 7:00 PM
Bingham 306

This is an invitation to attend a general body meeting for Public Policy majors and those interested in declaring. This is a great chance to socialize with your fellow majors, ask questions if you are considering majoring in PLCY, and get to know your Majors' Union Executive Board.

The meeting is going to be THURSDAY 9/18, at 6:00 PM in Bingham 306. (Bingham is the building facing lower quad, Lenoir side, facing Wilson Library.)

The Public Policy Majors' Union is made up of YOU! (declared Policy majors) --and the Executive Board is here to serve your needs. We want to meet and talk with you about the exciting projects that we are currently working on. We also want to hear your concerns and opinions about the major and current curriculum. Do you want to see something different in a certain core policy class? Would you like to see a class be offered at a different time? Is there a volunteer opportunity you would like to begin working on but need additional support? Finally, we are also looking for potential leaders to continue PPMU in the Spring after December elections.

2nd Annual Lambeth Lecture!

2008-09-14T17:20:00.004-04:00

Come hear Hodding Carter, III deliver the 2008 Thomas Willis Lambeth Lectureship for Public Policy! The lecture is free and drinks and refreshments will be served on the patio after the lecture.

Date: This Tuesday, September 16th

Time: 5:30 - 6:30 PM

Location: Gerrard Hall

This event is supported by the Department of Public Policy, Public Policy Majors Union, Roosevelt Institution, Parr Center for Ethics, Program on Public Life, State Government Radio, and UNC-TV.

Check out the event on Facebook by searching "Lambeth Lecture"!

Nominate a Prof./TA for PPMU's Most Outstanding Teaching Award!

2008-04-28T15:30:00.003-04:00

It’s that time of the year again, school’s almost out and I am sure most of you are looking forward to the summer! I wanted to let ya’ll know about an award that the Public Policy Majors Union gives out every year at graduation:

The Most Outstanding Teaching Award

This is an award from students, traditionally given to an outstanding public policy faculty member who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to interact with his or her students and enhance the learning process, in and out of the classroom. Take a moment to reflect and think about who you would like to nominate. Who has particularly challenged you? Who has forced you to think critically and defend your ideas? Who has supported you and encouraged your study of public policy? Who has made an impact on your college experience?

This year, we will be giving out two awards, one to an outstanding faculty member and one to an outstanding Teaching Fellow (TA/Graduate Student Teacher).

In the past, Faculty members have taken this award very seriously and they appreciate being honored, and we’re really happen to have the chance to honor an outstanding Teaching Fellow this year as well.

Even if you've had no interaction with the Majors Union this year, this is a great way you can recognize excellent teaching in our department. All Public Policy students from first-years to seniors are eligible to vote.

To vote, please use the survey monkey link below:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=7x_2f36VVVrQCtIPwJx2ZzSw_3d_3d

Please vote only once and nominate only one person for each award: Outstanding Faculty and Outstanding Teaching Fellow. Voting has already begun and will end at noon on Saturday, May 3, 2008.

Please contact Angela Lee at angelalee@unc.edu if you have any problems with the survey. Thanks!

Green Townhall Forum

2008-04-20T23:22:00.003-04:00

Update: Hillary Clinton's Policy Adviser Dan Utech will also be joining us at this event.

Roosevelt Africa Conference

2008-03-31T15:27:00.003-04:00

You are cordially invited by

The Roosevelt Institution at UNC

to the

Africa Policy Conference

Friday April 4, 4:30 pm – 7:00 pm

John Lindsay Morehead II Lounge & Room 039, Graham Memorial Building

For hors d’oeuvres with student organizations working in Africa followed by an address and Q&A with keynote speaker Will Okun

Saturday April 5, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Room 039, Graham Memorial Building

For policy presentations by Roosevelt Institution fellows, a catered lunch, and breakout discussions with professors and thought leaders

The conference prompt: “What are the most pressing issues we will face in relation to Africa in the next decade?”

The conference will answer this question through policy presentations from our fellows – on topics as diverse as access to primary education, desertification, and ungoverned spaces – and breakout discussions with professors and thought leaders.

Refreshments will be provided ● Business casual attire requested

RSVP to Meaghan Jennison: jennison@email.unc.edu or

Nick Anderson: nickanderson@unc.edu

PPMU Meet and Greet

2008-03-23T15:27:00.004-04:00

This meeting is open to all Public Policy Majors and Minors.

Come meet fellow majors!
Free pizza and drinks!
Share your experiences with the department and the major to help with a dept. internal review!
Learn about upcoming PPMU events and how you can get involved!

Tuesday, March 25, 2008
7:00-8:00 PM
Dey 307

Brown Bag Lunch 2/28

2008-02-24T21:09:00.003-05:00

Update Mar 25, 2008: All the slots for this lunch date have already been filled. Sorry. The March 6th and April 24th lunches still have some open slots.

The second lunch of the Brown Bag Lunch Series is this Thursday, February 28th, 2008. Mr. Hodding Carter, III will be speaking about immigration policy. His biography can be found here: http://www.unc.edu/depts/pubpol/cater_bio.html

These lunches are organized by Dr. Gail Corrado, Director of Undergraduate Studies for Public Policy. Lunches will be held Thursdays, from 12:30-1:30pm in the first floor conference room of Abernethy. Students will need to bring their own lunch. Spaces are limited, so hurry and sign up by emailing Dr. Corrado at gcorrado@email.unc.edu.

Future lunches will center around child advocacy, bankruptcy law, American Indians in NC, and much more!

Date: February 28, 2008 (Thursday)
Time: 12:30-1:30 PM
Location: Abernethy First Floor Conference Room
Sign up by emailng gcorrado@email.unc.edu

February Faculty Meeting

2008-02-19T18:06:00.001-05:00

The faculty discussed the possibility of forming a small PhD program with the School of Government that would focus on applied research for state and local governments. The discussion has been ongoing since last December. The program would not divert Public Policy faculty’s resources, but there would be some areas of overlap with the PhD program in Public Policy. It would increase enrollment in some of the core courses and would offer the department an opportunity to grow. No decision was made on this issue.

The faculty also discussed the “UNC Tomorrow," a plan to engage UNC with North Carolina’s problems. This is a high profile plan with a business model of accountability. However, it is unclear how this will affect the department. The plan is not clearly linked to resources yet, and the department is already involved in such applied research.

Furthermore, the faculty discussed the Strategic Plan for the department that they will be working on in the coming year. They will be working on a mandated self-study process. In the coming months, the faculty will focus on and refine the central questions to be examined. There will also be an external review committee to evaluate the program, and the faculty will be able to invite people to participate in that committee. They will be putting together a slate of potential candidates in the next meeting.

Policy Internship Fair

2008-02-13T23:14:00.001-05:00

INTERNSHIP WORKSHOP
February 18 - 22, 2008

Dr. Corrado, Director of Undergraduate Studies for Public Policy, is holding a Internship Workshop next week from February 18th- February 22nd, 2008. This workshop will help students locate and apply for a policy-related internship.

Public Policy majors and minors will be given first priority. Students from Roosevelt or those with a strong interest in or previous experience with public policy are also eligible for the workshop.

TO SIGN UP:
Students can sign up for one of the 12 thirty minute slots offered each day, beginning at 9am. Sign up by sending an email to gcorrado@email.unc.edu with "Internship" in the subject heading. Slots will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis.

WHAT TO BRING:
Students should expect to be there for at least 30 minutes. Students will need to bring their laptop, a hard copy of their resume, a writing sample, and completed worksheets (Email angelalee@unc.edu for the worksheets).

Brown Bag Lunch Series

2008-02-13T23:09:00.002-05:00

BROWN BAG LUNCH SESSION
Thursdays, 12:30-1:30 PM
Abernethy, 1st Floor Conference Room

Interested in having lunch with policy professionals from a wide range of fields? Come to a Brown-Bag Lunch Session!

These lunches are organized by Dr. Gail Corrado, Director of Undergraduate Studies for Public Policy. Lunches will be held Thursdays, from 12:30-1:30pm in the first floor conference room of Abernethy. Students will need to bring their own lunch.

Spaces are limited, so hurry and sign up by emailing Dr. Corrado at gcorrado@email.unc.edu with the lunches that you would like to attend, ranked by preference.

The first lunch is this coming Thursday, February 14th, 2008.
Dr. David Heinen (NC Non-Profit) will be speaking about non-profit agencies in NC, their focus, and their needs. He'll also discuss how to secure an internship from a non-profit.

Future Lunches

February 28, 2008
Mr. Hodding Carter, UNC Public Policy. Mr. Carter will be discussing immigration policy.

March 6, 2008
Ms. M. Broun, Guardian Ad Litum, Member, Dispute Settlement. Ms. Broun will speak about child advocacy needs in NC and about dispute settlement as an alternative to litigation.

March 20, 2008
Adam Feibelman , Associate Professor of Law, will speak about the policy implications of bankruptcy law.

March 27, 2008
Dr. C. Kidwell, Chair, American Indian Institute. Dr. Kidwell will talk about the policy issues concerning American Indian tribes in North Carolina.

April 10, 2008
Ken Broun, Professor of Law, UNC. Mr. Broun will be speaking both about his experience as former mayor of Chapel Hill, about the book he is writing on Nelson Mandella.

April 17, 2008
[Open --- but potentially, Judith Labiner of the FDA remotely from DC]

April 24, 2008
Dr. Richard (Pete) Andrews, Chair of the Department of Public Policy. Dr. Andrews will be speaking about the state of public policy study at UNC.

Policy Tea with Saskia Sassen

2008-02-03T20:34:00.000-05:00

Policy Tea Time

Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar

Professor Saskia Sassen,

Columbia University

February 4, 2008

4:00-5:15pm

Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence

(Graham Memorial Rm 011)

Please come take advantage of this opportunity to ask her about her work on globalization (including social, economic and political dimensions), immigration, global cities (including cities and terrorism), the new networked technologies, and changes within the liberal state that result from current transnational conditions. She is also giving a public talk at the Global Education Center from 8:00-9:00pm that evening. Her biography is below:

Saskia Sassen is at Columbia University, The Committee on Global Thought, after a decade at the University of Chicago. She is also a Centennial Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics. Her latest book is Territory, Authority, Rights: From Medieval to Global Assemblages (Princeton University Press 2006). She has just completed for UNESCO a five-year project on sustainable human settlement for which she set up a network of researchers and activists in over 30 countries; it is published as one of the volumes of the Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (Oxford, UK: EOLSS Publishers) [http://www.eolss.net ]. Other recent books are the 3rd. fully updated Cities in a World Economy (Sage 2006), A Sociology of Globalization (Norton 2007), and the co-edited Digital Formations: New Architectures for Global Order (Princeton University Press 2005). The Global City came out in a new fully updated edition in 2001. Her books are translated into sixteen languages. She serves on several editorial boards and is an advisor to several international bodies. She is a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the National Academy of Sciences Panel on Cities, and Chair of the Information Technology and International Cooperation Committee of the Social Science Research Council (USA). Her comments have appeared in The Guardian, The New York Times, Le Monde Diplomatique, the International Herald Tribune, Newsweek International,Vanguardia, Clarin, the Financial Times, among others.

Career Panel

2008-01-24T23:16:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder what you’re going to do AFTER you graduate?

C A R E E R

P A N E L

with UNC Alumni

Tuesday, January 29^th
6:00-8:o0 pm Phillips 367

Panelists from a wide variety of fields:
Health Policy Research
Business & entrepreneurship
Politics & Government

Science & ITS

Our panelists can tell you how they got where they are, & help you figure out how to get where YOU want to go!

Business casual dress, hosted by Public Policy Majors’ Union

Career Panel Guests

2008-01-24T23:14:00.000-05:00

Remember, the Career Panel will be held from 6-8 PM on Tuesday January 29 in Phillips 367. Light refreshments will be provided. Bring a friend and any questions you have for our panelists!

Panelists include:

Carolyn Sexton, an outreach specialist with Health Check/NC Health Choice. Health Check/NC Health choice is an organization that works to provide children with health insurance, quality health care and prescription medications. More information at http://www.nchealthystart.org/outreach/index.html.

Nick Goettsch, a consultant with MAXIMUS. MAXIMUS is a firm that assists governments that want to manage programs better, secure additional federal funds, develop new policies, or procure new technologies. They offer services in Program Management and Operations, Consulting, and Systems. More information at http://www.maximus.com/corporate/pages/index.asp.

Tola Atewologun, a budget analyst with the Social Security Administration, an office of the federal government which manages the Social Security program. More information at http://www.ssa.gov/aboutus/.

Nathan West, a health policy researcher for RTI International. RTI is one of the world's leading research institutes and is located in Research Triangle Park. RTI offers innovative research and technical solutions to governments and businesses worldwide in the areas of health and pharmaceuticals, education and training, surveys and statistics, advanced technology, democratic governance, economic and social development, energy, and the environment. More information at http://www.rti.org/index.cfm.

John Hardin, Ph.D. , Deputy Director and Chief Policy Analyst for the NC Board of Science and Technology. The Board advises and makes recommendations to the North Carolina Governor, General Assembly, Secretary of Commerce, and Economic Development Board on the role of science and technology in the economic growth and development of the state. Dr. Hardin’s duties include research, analysis, and review of substantive policy issues and proposals and making presentations and recommendations that directly affect NC policy. Dr. Hardin is a graduate of UNC’s MA and Ph.D. programs and has been appointed an Adjunct Assistant Professor position in the Department of Political Science. More information at http://www.ncscienceandtechnology.com/.

Leslie Scott, Director of the Institute for Rural Entrepreneurship, part of the NC Rural Economic Development Center. The Institute for Rural Entrepreneurship works to stimulate and support the development of micro, small and medium-size enterprises in NC through its Microenterprise Loan Program, Capital Access Program, and other initiatives. More information at www.ncruralcenter.org .

Office Hours for Spring 2008

2008-01-12T13:44:00.000-05:00

Spring 2008 Office Hours
9:00AM - 2:00PM
Abernethy 204A

No Office Hours Until Jan.

2007-12-05T19:50:00.000-05:00

Just a note: We will not be having office hours until next semester.

Election Results!

2007-12-05T08:04:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone who came out last night! We elected a great group of people last night and I'm really excited to see what they do with PPMU next year. The results:

President: Angela Lee
Vice President: Casey Spiro
Secretary: Cara Wittekind
Undergraduate Rep: Amanda Gutierrez
Treasurer: Shamelle Ingram

Elections This Tuesday!

2007-12-02T23:44:00.001-05:00

PPMU is having elections this Tuesday, December 4th.
Location: Murphy 118
Time: 7:00 PM

Remember, all declared policy majors are eligible to vote, and all rising juniors and seniors are eligible for officer positions. However, exceptions can be made (with regard to class) and the most important thing is a passion for policy and a commitment to serving your fellow majors!

Email Herbert, Christina, or Angela if you have any questions.

PPMU Elections 2007

2007-11-26T11:23:00.000-05:00

PPMU is having elections on December 4, 2007. We are electing for the following positions:

President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Undergraduate Representative (2)

We are having an info session this Tuesday, November 27, at 7pm in Abernathy.

All policy majors are eligible to run for officer positions and all policy majors can vote.

Anyone who can't make it to the meeting but is still interested should email our President Herbert McClary at hhmcclar@email.unc.edu or leave a comment on this post with their contact information.

Information from the meeting will also be posted at this blog. Good luck everyone!

Faculty Meeting 11-07-07

2007-11-14T16:40:00.000-05:00

Hey Public Policy majors! Here's a quick recap of what was discussed at last Wednesday's faculty meeting.

1) Progress is being made towards a potential joint Ph.D. program with the School of Government. Faculty from both the SOG and the Public Policy dept will be getting together Dec. 3rd to get to know each other better.

2) Course scheduling for Fall '08 is underway. Some things the dept has been discussing are:

Including more topical courses (ex. American Environmental Policy taught by Dr. Andrews). Prof. Lauen's course on education policy will probably be offered on a continuing basis, and additional courses may be added.
Trying to have core faculty teach core policy courses such as 201, 220, 460 etc.
Possible revamping of the graduate pubpol curriculum

3) Mr. Hodding Carter III has been announced as the commencement speaker for December '07 graduates. Here's a link to his bio: click.

4) The department is still looking for suggestions for the next Lambeth lecture (Fall '08) and a commencement speaker for the Spring '08 graduation.

5) Additional Adjunct faculty have been appointed.

Roosevelt Op-Ed workshop tips

2007-11-06T19:29:00.000-05:00

In addition to PPMU, the Roosevelt Institute is the other student-run public policy organization at UNC. On November 6, I went to an Op-Ed workshop that they held. The workshop was led by Paul O'Connor--a writer for The News and Observer and a professor at UNC.

He gave us some good tips that might be of use to any policy students that want to get their opinions published.

First, he recommended either writing a letter or submitting an op-ed piece. The other parts of the Op-ed page, the cartoon and views of the editorial board, aren't paths that are open to student input.

Second, students are best off submitting their work to a local paper (ex. DTH, the local papers in Chapel Hill, the local papers in their hometown). Papers are more likely to publish pieces from people in their jurisdiction.

Third, try to write about local issues. Or, if you want to write about a national issue such as the No Child Left Behind legislation, find a way to connect it to something local by writing about how NCLB affects the local elementary schools in Orange County.

If you're writing a letter:

Make only one point. Be specific. Have a narrow focus. Don't tackle too much at once.
Make sure whatever you're writing about is very current, and is related to something that was recently in the news. Ex. Writing about Global Warming isn't current unless you submit your letter after an event like Al Gore winning the Nobel prize.
Most papers have a word limit of 200-250 words.
Use public words, this is not the place to show off your SAT vocabulary.
The theme of your letter should be blatantly obvious by the first paragraph.

If you're writing an op-ed piece:

Relate it to something that was recently in the news.
Having a hook is very important. The timing of your submission is also very important.
Make sure that you're providing a perspective that neither the staff nor a syndicated columnist can provide.

Finally, he went through a list of 8 values that you can use to determine whether or not your issue is "newsworthy"

Timeliness
Proximity
Impact
Emotional impact
Magnitude
Conflict
Celebrity
Oddity

Memo Seminar Follow-up

2007-11-01T18:47:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Memo Seminar taught by Ms. Murphy. Those in the audience had good questions.

Here are a few more tips from Ms. Murphy for improving your memo writing skills.

1) Make an appointment with the Writing Center. They are a good resource to use.

2) Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making (Revised Edition) by Deborah Stone is one of the books recommended by Ms. Murphy. I also personally recommend this book. I kept this book after using it in my PLCY 220 class because it was so helpful. Stone does a good job breaking down policy analysis into theoretical ideas. Stone covers the goals of policy (equity, efficiency, security, and liberty), how policy problems are defined and understood (symbols, numbers, causes, interests, and decisions), and the components of policy solutions (inducements, rules, facts, rights, and powers). She also has nifty tables that summarize the main points of each chapter that are great for refreshing your memory.

3) Writing Public Policy: A Practical Guide to Communicating In The Policy-Making Process by Catherine F. Smith is another book that Ms. Murphy highly recommends. While Stone focused more on theory, Smith is much more practical and covers all the different types of communication required of policy analysts. Some of the things she covers includes: writing legislative histories, writing argument papers, writing effective petitions, giving effective witness testimony, writing briefing memos, and soliciting public comment. Smith also includes handy checklists at the end of each chapter, and much of the information is presented in bullets or lists.

Memo Seminar

2007-10-23T21:16:00.000-04:00

The Public Policy Majors Union invites you to join us for a Memo Writing Seminar

When: Tuesday, October 30th, 5:00-6:00PM
Where: Murphy 104

Ms. Murphy will be leading this seminar. She is the current instructor for PLCY 201: Introduction to Public Policy. Come by and learn how to improve your memo writing skills!

Hubert Humphrey Fellows Event!

2007-10-23T21:13:00.001-04:00

I had a great time tonight at the Armchair Traveler Series with the Hubert Humphrey Fellows. I learned a lot, the Fellows are all really interesting and accomplished individuals, and the food was delicious. Tomorrow is the last night of this series and I encourage you all to come! Don't worry about the RSVP.

Faculty Meeting 10-03-07

2007-10-07T22:08:00.000-04:00

Sorry this is a little late, but here are some notes from October's Faculty meeting:

The Lambeth Lecture with Prof. Joel Fleishman was announced and plans for publicizing the event were discussed. Note: The lecture was on Oct 11, 2007. It went really well, and we had a full house!
PPMU told the faculty about our upcoming Career Panel in January/February and asked for their advice on choosing panelists. The faculty are really excited about the Career Panel and they had a lot of suggestions for potential contacts.
Dr. Andrews asked for suggestions for the Public Policy Dept. Commencement speaker (Spring 2008) and next year's Lambeth Lecturer (Fall 2008).
For those of you that are double majors, it's really helpful if you list Public Policy as your first major. When the department is undergoing review or asking for more resources (funding, lecture positions, etc), statistics such as number of majors are looked at, and if Public Policy is listed as your second major, you won't be counted. If you're really serious about Public Policy, please help out your department by going to Academic Advising and changing Public Policy to your first major. The order does matter.

Washington DC Study Abroad Spring '08

2007-10-07T21:40:00.000-04:00

The deadline for this program has been extended to October 31st, but if you're interested, you should apply ASAP!

The Burch Field Research Seminars in Domestic and Foreign policy are being offered this Spring 2008. This is the first time that both the Domestic and Foreign policy tracks are being offered at the same time. The program consists of three components: (1) a weekly class led by faculty instructors at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center, (2) internships, and (3) off-site excursions. Students will receive 12 hours worth of Honors credits and live in historic Capital Hill neighborhoods. David Podoff will teach the Domestic policy seminar and Ambassador William H. Itoh will teach the foreign policy seminar.

For more information, feel free to visit the following sites:
*The Official Study Abroad Page
* About this Upcoming Semester
* Additional info, highlights from Spring 2006's Washington Policy Semester

If you have any questions, email Prof. Dan Gitterman at danielg@email.unc.edu

Lambeth Lecture Oct 11th

2007-10-07T21:38:00.001-04:00

Click on the flyer for more details! Hope to see you all there!

Sir Mark Malloch Brown

2007-09-24T14:24:00.000-04:00

Hey Policy Majors!

The next Student Policy Tea and Discussion is scheduled for Monday, October 1st, from 4:00-5:15pm in the Graham Memorial Lounge. Our guest, Sir Mark Malloch Brown, is a very influential global policy figure. The Roosevelt Institution is co-sponsoring this with PPMU.

He will also be speaking at 7:30pm in Memorial Hall the same evening, and he will present the 2007 Frank Porter Graham Lecture in Memorial Hall on the subject "Making Private Capital Work for the Poor."

Sir Mark Malloch Brown was until recently Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, and previously Director General of the United Nations Development Programme. In both positions he was a leading advocate for the Millennium Development Goals, whose twelve point agenda seeks to radically reduce world poverty by 2015. In June 2007 he joined British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Cabinet as Minister for Africa, Asia, and the United Nations, where he will focus on the role of private capital in alleviating the suffering of those living in poverty around the globe. He also advises the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary on human rights and other global issues.

For additional information including background materials on Malloch Brown and his initiatives, see http://www.johnstoncenter.unc.edu/events/fpg_0708.htm .

Faculty Meeting 09-05-07

2007-09-07T17:52:00.000-04:00

Both Shamelle and I attended the first faculty meeting this past Wednesday. As Undergrad Representatives, one of our responsibilities is to attend those meetings, relay any student concerns/ideas to the faculty, and then report back to you. If you have an issue you would like to address, please alert us before the next faculty meeting which is held on the first Wednesday of each month. Here's a brief synopsis of what was discussed:

Dean Gil, the new Senior Associate Dean for the College of Arts and Sciences, attended the meeting to become more familiar with the public policy department. She is a liaison between the Dean's Office and the Social Science departments.
A main concern of the department was growth. We currently have approximately 225 public policy undergraduates. The department sees the potential to grow significantly in the next few years. There is demand, as seen by the following trends--more students declaring public policy as a major earlier in their academic career, more double majors with public policy, and active policy students (ex. Roosevelt Institution & PPMU). However, a lack of departmental resources is hampering that growth, and they're hoping that the Dean's office will help with that.
The Washington Policy Semester will be starting again this Spring 2008, and Dr. David Podoff will be leading the domestic policy track of the program. Ambassador William H. Itoh will lead the foreign policy track.
The department is tentatively considering establishing three new degrees: (1) a joint Ph.D. program with the Government School, (2) a M.A. degree program, (3) and a B.A./M.A. degree combo.
The department is in the process of renewing the Hubert Humphrey Fellows program. The program brings talented mid-level professionals from all over the world to universities in the U.S. Fellows engage in graduate-level work, receive leadership development and professional training, and participate in workshops and conferences.
Prof. Gail Corrado has been revamping the senior practicum course.

Remember, feel free to email us /leave comments! We're here to represent you.

Welcome!

2007-09-05T17:11:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Public Policy Majors Union.

Here you will find information about:

The Public Policy Major
The scoop from the Monthly Faculty Meetings
The many exciting PPMU events.
Other UNC policy-related events.
General news related to public policy.

You will also get an opportunity to:

Discuss policy-related issues.
Give us feedback on what you want from the PPMU--what kinds of events should we have? which speakers should we invite? what kind of job/graduate school preparation should we provide? how are we doing?
Tell us about a policy project that you want to initiate. Let us help you!