Saturday, October 10, 2009
Chuck D of Public Enemy: Workshop and Lecture, October 12th!
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!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
And Your New Exec Board is...
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!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
PPMU December Elections
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
Sunday, November 16, 2008
THE ENERGY CRISIS: HOW DID WE GET HERE AND WHERE DO WE GO?

Presenting Your Research and Effective Public Speaking!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
November 5th Election 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
Monday, October 27, 2008
Policy Memo Workshop Starts Today!
Murphy 105
Policy Memo Structure
with Professor Christine Durrance
Effective Writing Style
with Graduate Students
Shana Judge and Jeff Summerlin-Long!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
How Low Can You Vote?
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.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Announcement: 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)
Thursday, September 18, 2008
2008 - 2009 Frank Porter Graham Lecture
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.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Interest Meeting

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.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
2nd Annual Lambeth Lecture!

Monday, April 28, 2008
Nominate a Prof./TA for PPMU's 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
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!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Monday, March 31, 2008
Roosevelt Africa Conference
Friday April 4, 4:30 pm – 7:00 pm
The conference prompt: “What are the most pressing issues we will face in relation to Africa in the next decade?”
Refreshments will be provided ● Business casual attire requested
Sunday, March 23, 2008
PPMU Meet and Greet
- 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!
7:00-8:00 PM
Dey 307
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Brown Bag Lunch 2/28
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
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
February Faculty Meeting
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.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Policy Internship Fair
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
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.
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.
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]
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.
