Tag: Planning Public Policy and Management

The Efficacy of Diversity Training in Nonprofit Organizations

Presenter: Isabel Queisser – Planning, Public Policy and Management

Faculty Mentor(s): Nicole Ngo

Session: (In-Person) Oral Panel—Diversity and Analysis

This study explores the outcomes of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) training in nonprofit organizations. This study aims to determine which aspects of diversity training lead to increased awareness about DEI or tangible improvements, and which factors are more detrimental to the goals of DEI. Open ended interviews were conducted with 18 nonprofits in the Pacific Northwest, where participants were asked about their experiences with DEI trainings and workshops. The data were then coded for the themes addressed above. This research suggests that diversity training can be a successful tool to increase DEI engagement if intentionally designed with longevity and opportunities for dialogue, actionable steps, and organization-specific focus in mind and are facilitated by an expert.

Underreporting of Epidemic Rebound and Resurgent Malaria In Nine African Countries

Presenter: Idil Osman – Planning, Public Policy and Management

Faculty Mentor(s): Melissa Graboyes

Session: (In-Person) Data Stories—Data and more Data

This project focuses on the underreporting of epidemic rebound and resurgent malaria in nine African countries— The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zanzibar and Zimbabwe— over the span of a century. Currently, malaria resurgence and rebound, occurring when malaria returns to a region after having been successfully controlled, have a history of being under-counted and under-reported, especially in the African continent. My research attempts to fill in these gaps by providing an overview and analysis of malaria prevalence from 1920-2020, and documenting unreported cases of malaria resurgence. I collected, organized, and analyzed historical epidemiological data of malaria prevalence and control measures and compiled it into a longer frame– essentially creating an entirely new panel dataset– so I could see longer trends in time and identify instances of rebound. My primary results have shown there to be multiple unreported cases of malaria rebound in my researched countries. This finding not only fills a wide gap in the field of malaria research, but also implicates the nature of data collection methodology and presentation on a global scale. The results will provide a framework in determining cases of resurgent malaria and in shifting the way the WHO and other public health organizations present their epidemiological data.

95% of people want to take a vacation: Creating a world we don’t wish to escape from

Presenter: Elise O’Brien – Planning, Public Policy and Management

Faculty Mentor(s): Lisa Abia-Smith

Session: (Virtual) Creative Work—Connection, Escapism, Poetry and Exercise

The title of my piece refers to a statistic produced by a cruise ship company. Lisa Abia-Smith gave my class an assignment to visually represent a statistic. I chose “95% of people want to take a vacation.” To me this seemingly frivolous and meaningless statistic belies a deeper truth about our society: people are seeking escape. How can we build a society we don’t seek to escape from? How can we escape INTO our lives instead of away from them? How do we aim for utopia? It is my personal belief that this shift starts within and that it starts with empathy. To combat the empathy deficit that is a root factor in the growing housing crisis, I have developed a meditation for the unhoused. Please join me in a guided meditation where we explore the feeling of being lost: without papers and without home. We will meet a guide who will take us to a transitional village where we can explore feelings of relief and safety. What is safety? What is home? This meditation was designed with planners and landscape architects in mind and has space for design ideas to surface. Bring a paper and pen to jot down insights.

The Progression of Juvenile Justice Policy in Oregon

Presenter: Semeredin Kundin − Planning, Public Policy and Management, Political Science

Session: (In-Person) Oral Panel—Rights of Humans, Poster Presentation

The criminal justice system is incredibly vast and carries an intricate process within it. The overall system itself is meant to uphold public safety within our collective society by providing judgment on individuals, and determining consequences. Over time, it has been gradually acknowledged that the structures of our criminal justice systems aren’t meeting the needs or expectations of our evolving society. It’s being recognized that there are existing social and racial disparities within incarceration, a rise in recidivism rates, and the differing priorities of most State governments are why the concept of criminal justice reform came to fruition. However, there is no discussion of criminal justice reform without the consideration of the Juvenile Justice system. It’s been identified that youth interaction with the law, and the varying consequences they may receive can potentially alter the entire course of their life and growth. This research project reviews the impacts of public safety and criminal justice policy reform on the Juvenile Justice System in Oregon and compares it to national studies and priorities towards Juvenile Justice. By using both primary and secondary sources it was possible to identify the progression of policy reform in Oregon in comparison to the country as a whole. Due to the extensive research done, it’s simpler to comprehend that contemporary Juvenile Justice policy reform will be producing positive results for the criminal justice system.

Reopening wounds: Processing Korean Cultural Trauma in Park Chan-wook’s Revenge Trilogy

Presenter: Emma Koontz − Planning Public Policy and Management

Faculty Mentor(s): Ulrick Casimir

Session: (Virtual) Oral Panel—Read, Speak and Act, Poster Presentation

The democratic reforms of the 1987 June 29 Declaration opened the floodgates for Korean New Wave films. The repeal of censorship regulations gave Korean filmmakers the autonomy to actualize their creative vision for the first time since Japanese colonialism. The result were films that grappled with the trauma of eighty years of colonialism, war, and authoritarian dictatorship through biting political commentary. This study explores Park Chan-wook’s representation of 한 (han) Korean cultural trauma in his New Wave films Oldboy and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance. Literature on trauma, film, and Korean history was reviewed and combined with film analysis to explain Chan-wook’s critique of revenge fantasies and conscious and unconscious ignorance. His films demonstrate that the only way to heal한 is to acknowledge and accept all wrongdoing, even one’s own, and mourn the consequences of the atrocities. While 한 is specific to Koreans, cultural trauma is not. From the effects of Apartheid in South Africa, the Rwandan Genocide, the legacy of slavery and ongoing atrocities committed against BIPOC Americans, the ubiquity of cultural trauma makes the lessons in Chan-wook’s works of paramount importance. While resolution of trauma is never final, Chan-wook’s films are both a guideline and a performance on how cultures can begin to heal in the face of moral atrocities.

Queering the Way: Investigating the Relationship between U.S. LGBT+ Advocacy and Policy Advancement

Presenter: Matthew Hampton − Planning, Public Policy and Management, Political Science

Faculty Mentor(s): Dyana Mason, Alison Gash

Session: (In-Person) Oral Panel—The More You Know (in depth looks and prevention)

The modern LGBT+ rights movement in the United States has pushed political and social advancement since the mid-twentieth century, continuing the fight for equal treatment even as hundreds of anti- LGBT+ bills are being proposed and passed in states across the country. This study analyzes the specific tactics used by LGBT activists and nonprofits from the mid-twentieth century to present day, framing them using Political Opportunity Theory to try to explain how they make campaigns or movements successful. The study will be conducted using interviews of LGBT+ activists and aligned policy makers, either archived or original. Ultimately the study seeks to answer the question: In the LGBT+ rights movement (specifically the fight for equal employment), what advocacy strategies have worked to create political and social change, and how can their success be replicated for current and future rights battles? Do political and social change require both grassroots and policymaker support? Using theories, previous scholarly literature, and activist interviews, many factors were found to contribute to the overall success of an advocacy campaign: access to resources, ability to mobilize populations, clear goals and strategy, and strong relationships between outsider activists and political insiders. The goal of this report is to increase knowledge for creating effective policy and social change both inside and outside of policy arenas to further promote LGBT+ equality and understanding.

Data “Counterstory:” Academic Text Accessibility and Open Educational Resources

Presenter: Matthew Hampton − Planning, Public Policy and Management, Political Science

Co-Presenter(s): Grace Trammell

Faculty Mentor(s): Emily Simnitt

Session: (In-Person) Data Stories—The Languages of Data

Textbooks are an essential aspect of learning in higher education curriculum. In many cases professors will require students to purchase one or multiple textbooks, creating an additional financial burden for students. When this happens, students are left with few options: find a lower- cost alternative, or drop the class. Thus, textbooks are a means of creating a literacy and education gap within higher education, with low-income students most impacted by it. However, Open Educational Resources (OERs) are a means to reduce this gap by providing equitable literature to all students within higher education. In recent years, (OERs), free academic texts, have in-part filled the gap by providing public knowledge to students and other groups. With the use of OERs openly accessible on the internet or in libraries, community members not affiliated with universities also have the opportunities to learn about various subjects they may not have had before. While working on an in-house University of Oregon OER, the Talking Stories website, we discovered that putting together a well-researched OER had as much to do with compiling credible academic information as presenting it in a way that anybody, regardless of education level, can understand. Based on this, we will share our experience and knowledge gained during this project to creating change and expanding community literacy. We will speak to how broadening academic text accessibility through OERs can increase community literacy.

Access to Critical Oncological Support Systems For Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients

Presenter: Julie Reid, Planning, Public Policy and Management

Panel: Strategies for Support & Recovery

Mentor: Jessica Greene, Planning, Public Policy and Management

Time: 1:15pm – 2:15pm

Location: Century A

A woman newly diagnosed with breast cancer is required to have a team of doctors who work together to carry out the various phases of treatment. It is important to new patients that they trust their doctor, yet women rarely are given the choice about who that doctor will be. Women lack knowledge about local support groups and patient advocates, are confused about who may attend support groups, and unclear about where to go to find answers to basic questions. This is a qualitative study of thirteen breast cancer patients diagnosed within the last seven years in Eugene, Oregon. The study examines the knowledge and accessibility of critical support systems, such as a good doctor-patient relationship, a support group, and a patient advocate. Results suggest that doctor trust and support is more likely to develop when the patient receives a referral from a familiar source. Results also suggest that support groups are important sources of information and comfort for patients that medical professionals could utilize. The role of a patient advocate needs to be further defined and expanded to provide resources for patients seeking ways to fill the gaps of a fragmented medical system in Eugene, Oregon.

Reversing the Homeless Trend: A Case Study of the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program in Lane County, Oregon

Presenter: Korrin Bishop, Planning, Public Policy and Management

Poster: D-8

Mentor: Laura Leete, Planning, Public Policy and Management

The Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) is a $1.5 billion stimulus program that came out of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Funds were distributed to qualifying communities to provide Housing First and housing stabilization services. Lane County received a total of $1,490,050 from combined City of Eugene and Oregon state grant funds to coordinate HPRP services for the Lane County community. As a locally active participant in the HPRP, Lane County lends itself as a case study for exploring this new federal policy. The research question explored through interviews with HPRP staff members and an analysis of reported program data follows: Despite its time limitations as a short-term, stimulus program, is the HPRP building upon long-term, sustainable solutions to homelessness in Lane County, Oregon? Upon completion of research, highlights of the program focused on positive collaborative efforts and forward changes in organizational thinking, while challenges centered on burdensome reporting requirements and struggles with low funding and time. Overall, the HPRP has helped to build upon long- term, sustainable solutions to homelessness both in Lane County and nationwide. However, a commitment to collaborative efforts and the establishment of a substantial funding source are vital for continued sustainability. This research is significant to the field, as it explores best practices for ending the homelessness epidemic and discusses the challenges they face in implementation. currently showing at the Princeton University Art Museum.

Malaria and Climate Change

Presenter: Inga Suneson

Planning, Public Policy and Management

Poster Presentation

C10

Malaria’s dependence on specific atmospheric conditions such as an abundance of precipitation and warm temperatures makes it susceptible to climate change. A slight change in temperature, precipitation, or seasons can result in exponential changes an area’s malarial infection rate. The trend in warming weather patterns presents a potential threat by providing a more hospitable climate for malaria in places such as Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia. These potential hazards caused by changing weather patterns will largely be places where malaria has not previously been a problem. The changing range of malaria could impact new populations, without medi- cal infrastructure to fight it. By monitoring locations of malarial infections along with climate patterns, potential epidemics could be averted.