blog posts

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  First-Generation College Student Celebration

  Nov 18, 2021 9:00 am326 views

  On November 8th colleges and universities celebrate their students, faculty, and staff who are first-generation college students.

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  Accountability for Social Equity

  Dec 1, 2021 9:30 am361 views

  At the end of 2021, I am again reminded why public administration is so important and because of this, it is critical that public service agencies must be accountable for social equity.

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  CPAA Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Amanda Hughett, Legal Studies

  Dec 8, 2021 9:00 am279 views

  Hello! I’m Dr. Amanda Hughett, an Assistant Professor of Legal Studies. I’m an interdisciplinary scholar whose research and teaching focus on law, social movements, and the criminal justice system in the United States.

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  Team Effort – Interns Win!!!

  Dec 16, 2021 9:00 am294 views

  Celebrating a partnership that marries a passion for social work with policy in the Illinois Legislative Staff Intern Program (ILSIP).

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  CPAA Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Betsy Goulet, SPMP

  Dec 21, 2021 9:00 am417 views

  CPAA Faculty Spotlight:  Dr. Betsy Goulet, Clinical Assistant Professor, Public Administration & Child Advocacy Studies Coordinator

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  News literacy: A lesson for all ages

  Dec 22, 2021 9:00 am340 views

  As the last several months have shown us, misinterpreted or flat-out bogus information about vaccines, masks, the outcome of the 2020 presidential election and much more affects – and polarizes – all ages.

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  With Wishes for a Magical Holiday Season

  Dec 23, 2021 9:00 am76 views

  As the Fall semester concludes and the holidays are soon upon us, there is no better time than now to reach out to students, faculty, staff, alumni, community members, stakeholders and our Public Affairs Community to wish you all a most sincere “Season’s Greetings” from the Office of the Dean.

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  Your Local Newspaper Is In Trouble

  Jan 19, 2022 11:00 am98 views

  The most recent figures from Pew Research Center’s analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the number of newsroom employees in the United States fell by 26% since 2008.  Most of that loss has happened at newspapers, which often is a community’s best source of consistent, in-depth, solid watchdog news coverage. 

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  We Know This Much is True

  Jan 25, 2022 9:00 am196 views

  Deidre Graham Silas was laid to rest this past weekend, in a beautiful service that intentionally celebrated the life she lived, rather than the circumstances that tragically ended her life on January 5th.  But to fully understand this reflective piece it is sadly necessary to point out how Deidre’s life was ended....

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  Time to Create an Illinois Academy of Politics?

  Feb 8, 2022 9:00 am79 views

  There are many concerns surrounding our current political discourse in our nation today. I would like to change course a bit in my past reflections about the nature of our disappointing and curious political environment in 2022. In fact, I’m hoping to interject a sense of hope and optimism at a time when that seems hard to identify.

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  CPAA Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Bob Blankenberger, SPMP

  Feb 10, 2022 9:15 am142 views

  CPAA Faculty Spotlight on Dr. Bob Blankenberger, Associate Professor of Public Administration in the UIS School of Public Management and Policy, whose research interests are focused on educational policy, program evaluation, and how to improve educational attainment.

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  PAR grad Ray Long talks about Michael Madigan with us on March 17

  Feb 16, 2022 9:00 am136 views

  Ray Long, PAR '81, chronicles Speaker Madigan’s storied legislative career in a new book – “The House That Madigan Built: The Record Run of Illinois' Velvet Hammer”, which comes out March 22.  We’d like to invite you to join us on Zoom at noon March 17 to hear from Long about his book and his career covering Madigan.

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  CPAA Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Magic Wade, SPIA

  Feb 24, 2022 9:00 am493 views

  CPAA Faculty Spotlight on Dr. Magic Wade, Associate Professor of Political Science in the UIS School of Politics and International Affairs, whose research focuses on state labor laws, teachers unions, and public safety unions and more recently, on criminal justice, public safety, and urban politics.

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  President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: What State and Local Policy Makers and Practitioners Need to Know?

  Mar 2, 2022 9:00 am59 views

  President Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Job Act is a bipartisan law passed in November 2021 is essentially equivalent to a 5-year capital improvement program financed by the federal government and implemented by state and local governments. 

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  March Public Affairs Minute - Ukraine and Why It Matters at UIS

  Mar 7, 2022 1:30 pm59 views

  In our College, the impetus behind creating our new School of Politics and International Affairs (SPIA) was to recognize the importance of our political environment at home and abroad.

• Watch replay: Ray Long talks about his new book about former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan

  Mar 18, 2022 9:00 am32 views

  On March 17, the Public Affairs Reporting program hosted a conversation with Ray Long, the longtime investigative reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He recently authored a book about the political career of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.

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  The Financial Condition of the State of Illinois

  Mar 23, 2022 10:00 am2112 views

  Analyzing the financial condition of a large organization like the State of Illinois is a complex task, to put it mildly.  But in the following few paragraphs, we will try to describe the financial condition of Illinois at the end of the last fiscal year.

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  The Economy at the Start of 2022

  Mar 30, 2022 9:00 am168 views

  The economy at the start of 2022 can be summarized by the proverbial glass-half-full or glass-half-empty scenario. In this blog post, I will attempt to summarize the current data on the national, state, and regional economy, address concerns that continue to plague the economy, and summarize forecaster’s best guesses about what the economy will do for the rest of this year and into 2023.

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  PAR Alumni Spotlight: Alex Degman returns to Illinois Capitol

  Mar 31, 2022 9:00 am54 views

  Public Affairs Reporting Director Jason Piscia chats with Alex Degman, PAR '09, who is returning to Springfield after nearly five years with KMOX in St. Louis as an anchor and reporter.

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  Human Services Program - the End of an Era

  Apr 6, 2022 9:00 am125 views

  Saying farewell to Dr. Denise Bockmier-Sommers, Associate Professor & Human Services Program Lead, as she retires at the end of this academic year.

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  STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Jennifer Haegele-Ryterski, 2019 DPA Cohort

  Apr 7, 2022 9:00 am63 views

  Jennifer Haegele-Ryterski is a DPA student in the 2019 cohort who has been working with DPA Associate Director Dr. Sean McCandless on better understanding the experiences of people identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ+) in the criminal-legal system, particularly in probation.

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  April Public Affairs Minute: Mental Health Days for Students, Professors and Staff and You!

  Apr 13, 2022 9:00 am90 views

  A new law went into effect on Jan. 1, 2022, that gives Illinois students five mental health days to use throughout the year without a doctor's note.  This brief message is another plea to step back and take a break.

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  CPAA Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Youngjin Kang, SPMP

  Apr 14, 2022 9:00 am280 views

  CPAA Faculty Spotlight on Dr. Youngjin Kang, Assistant Professor of Human Services in the UIS School of Public Policy and Management, whose research focuses on how family members develop and maintain their relationships after transitions in family structure (e.g., divorce, remarriage). 

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  Journalism: Where we’ve been, where we’re going

  Apr 20, 2022 9:00 am39 views

  My talk focused on the critical role of local journalism and how cutbacks in local newsrooms over the years have affected media outlets' abilities to adequately cover their communities, providing residents with the information they need to make informed decisions.  My report wasn't all gloom, however.

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  MPA- A Master of Plentiful Activities

  Apr 21, 2022 9:00 am105 views

  Research shows undergraduate students benefit immensely from active participation in on-campus activities, so why shouldn’t the same be true from graduate students?

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  Waiting on the world to change? Happy Earth Day everybody – now let’s talk about the climate crisis!

  Apr 22, 2022 9:15 am62 views

  In February of this year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) began to roll out its Sixth Assessment Report (or AR6). As Dr. Brandon read the report, a familiar pattern caught his eye - “things are getting worse, but there’s a bright side….” 

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  Join PAR May 4 for ‘The State of Statehouse Reporting’

  Apr 25, 2022 9:00 am52 views

  Jason Piscia, PAR Director, invites you to a Zoom event the Public Affairs Reporting program is hosting at noon on May 4 on a report released earlier this month by the Pew Research Center which details the number of journalists who cover America's statehouses, including our own here in Springfield.

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  CPAA Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Yu-Sheng Lee, MPH

  May 5, 2022 9:00 am216 views

  CPAA Faculty Spotlight of Dr. Yu-Sheng Lee, Assistant Professor of Public Health, whose research has focused on various chronic diseases such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease, lung cancer, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 

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  The $195 Billion Challenge: Facing State Fiscal Cliffs After COVID-19 Aid Expires

  May 9, 2022 9:00 am24 views

  Join an exclusive webinar to discuss the forthcoming issue paper:  The $195 Billion Challenge:  Facing State Fiscal Cliffs After COVID-19 Aid Expires, part of the State and Local Budgeting in the COVID Era Issue Paper Series, on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, at 11 a.m. EDT.

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  Some Career Reflections as Graduation and Next Steps Lie Ahead for Our Students

  May 12, 2022 9:00 am94 views

  Send us your advice to new graduates on how to start their career.

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  Commencement and Graduation and Pomp and Circumstance: What does it Really Mean?

  May 18, 2022 9:00 am149 views

  Just what is graduation, what is commencement, why are they important life milestones? Let’s take a brief look.

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  ILSIP Interviews - Round #2

  May 19, 2022 9:00 am281 views

  The Illinois Legislative Staff Intern Program (ILSIP) has announced a second round of interviews, focused on filling ten remaining positions.

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  Dr. Betsy Goulet Appointed APL for the Human Services Program

  May 23, 2022 2:30 pm39 views

  The School of Public Policy and Management at the University of Illinois Springfield congratulates Dr. Betsy Goulet on her appointment as Academic Program Lead for the Human Services Program.

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  Continuing America’s Laboratory of Democracy Through State and Local Electoral Innovations

  May 24, 2022 9:00 am101 views

  A recurring finding among researchers is that American voters have grown dissatisfied with the electoral system in America.  This post discusses alternative voting systems and related research conducted by the staff and faculty of the Center for State Policy and Leadership which was recently published in American Politics Research, a peer-reviewed academic journal.

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  Dr. Junfeng Wang appointed Lead for MPA Program

  May 26, 2022 11:30 am61 views

  The School of Public Policy and Management at the University of Illinois Springfield congratulates Dr. Junfeng Wang on her appointment as Academic Program Lead for the Masters of Public Administration Program.

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  UIS to host Midwest Public Affairs Conference

  Jun 1, 2022 9:00 am133 views

  On June 23-24, the UIS College of Public Affairs and Administration is hosting the 2022 Midwest Public Affairs Conference (MPAC) and this year the theme is “Designing and Running the Innovative Public Service Agency.” 

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  (Affective) Partisanship is a Heck of a Drug: What is it and Why We Might Want to Be Concerned About it.

  Jun 8, 2022 9:30 am379 views

  The growing animosity between Democrats and Republicans in America is a well-discussed problem.  A term academic research uses to describe the problem is “affective polarization.” What’s fascinating (or perhaps a bit alarming) is that the rise in affective partisanship is less about supporting or disagreeing on matters of legislative policy and instead is about our partisanship becoming key component of our identity.

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  Investing in Youth – Youth Evolvement Summit & Job Fair on July 1

  Jun 22, 2022 9:00 am96 views

  UIS students and alumni are playing important roles in a collaborative community effort to host a Youth Evolvement Summit to be held at Springfield HS on July 1.

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  GPSI: Onward and Upward!

  Jun 23, 2022 9:00 am185 views

  We’re thrilled to announce a record-breaking interview round for GPSI this May, not only did we place the highest number of interns, but we also had the most intern positions and intern applicants.

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  Ariel Van Cleave named PAR broadcast instructor

  Jun 28, 2022 9:00 am43 views

  Ariel Van Cleave, senior editor for audio and interim managing editor for Chicago public radio station WBEZ, will serve as the Public Affairs Reporting program's adjunct broadcast writing instructor beginning this fall.

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  American Attitudes towards Potential Firearm Policies: Surprising Areas of Agreement, Unsurprising Partisan Influence Largely Remains

  Jul 11, 2022 9:00 am52 views

  This blog post is meant to address what Americans think about such firearm safety proposals using public opinion data. To be clear, this blog post is not advocating for or against such proposals. There are plenty of passionate write ups advocating for certain positions and you can find those elsewhere.

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  July Represents a Month of Renewal for our College and University

  Jul 14, 2022 8:45 am45 views

  As of July we are now officially the College of Public Affairs and Education.

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  One Last Thought

  Jul 21, 2022 9:00 am329 views

  In August of 2017, I was fortunate to be offered my dream job as Director of the Office of Graduate Intern Programs in the Center for State Policy and Leadership at UIS.

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  Conservative Judges and Transgender Rights After Bostock v. Clayton County

  Jul 27, 2022 9:30 am193 views

  In a book recently published by the University Press of Kansas, Before Bostock: The Accidental Precedent of Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins, I explore the background of the recent landmark LGBTQ rights case of Bostock v. Clayton County (2020).

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  CPAE Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Jae Sik Ha, School of Communication & Media

  Aug 4, 2022 9:30 am65 views

  CPAE Faculty Spotlight of Dr. Jae Sik Ha, Associate Professor in the UIS School of Communication & Media, whose background is in journalism and whose teaching and research focuses on the relationships bewtween media and society.

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  Institutional Fixes for Growing Political Polarization

  Aug 18, 2022 9:00 am53 views

  Previously I wrote a detailed blog about the rise of affective partisan polarization in America. A question I’ve gotten since that post is “well what do we do about it?!”

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  CPAE Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Daniel Platt, Legal Studies

  Aug 25, 2022 9:00 am269 views

  CPAE Faculty Spotlight on Dr. Daniel Platt, Assistant Professor of Legal Studies, whose research focuses on the intersection of legal history, legal culture, and the history of capitalism.

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  Dean Smith's September Public Affairs Minute

  Sep 15, 2022 9:00 am67 views

  Welcome back as we start our new 2022-23 academic year! I’m going to jump right in and address a topic that represents the ”Elephant in the Room” in any discussions about public affairs, public policy and politics today! It involves the political volatility or outright violence being displayed between our two main political parties and zealous followers at both ends of the political spectrum. table.

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  CPAE Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Jennifer Martin, School of Education

  Sep 22, 2022 9:00 am85 views

  CPAE Faculty Spotlight on Dr. Jennifer Martin, Associate Professor in the UIS School of Education, who's teaching, scholarship, and service intersect with her educational advocacy for historically marginalized and underserved populations. 

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  Time for a social media break?

  Sep 27, 2022 9:00 am70 views

  Many of today’s college juniors and seniors report opening their first social media account (usually on Facebook, with a parent’s help) when they were around 10 years old. That means they’ve spent half of their lifetimes on the app!