Agenda
Consortium of University Public Service Organizations
2018 Annual Conference
April 11-13, 2018
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Wednesday, April 11
2:00-4:30 pmWorkshop: Improving Opportunities for Kids, their Families and their Communities
This workshop will give members a full afternoon to build on the conversations we started at our November 2017 webinar with the Annie E. Casey Foundation (although you needn’t have participated in the webinar to join in the workshop!). This will be a highly interactive session. In addition to insights from representatives from the Casey Foundation and other experts in this area of work, at least half of the time will be devoted to sharing ideas via small group discussions facilitated by CUPSO members working in the areas of: 1) juvenile justice; 2) workforce development/economic development; 3) health; and 4) early childhood education. We will come back together at the end to share insights from these discussions and talk about next steps and the potential for collaboration.
Guest speakers:
Dennis Campa, Director, Policy Reform and Advocacy, Annie E. Casey Foundation
Joe Vignati, Chief of Staff, Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice
Discussion leaders:
Early childhood education: Janell Walther, Research Specialist, Public Policy Center, University of Nebraska
Health:Tom Gais, Director, Rockefeller Institute of Government, State University of New York
Juvenile justice:Tracy Swan, Senior Project Administrator, Senator Walter Rand Institute, Rutgers University Camden
Workforce/economic development:Greg Wilson, Public Service Assistant, Carl Vinson Institute of Government
5:30 – 7:00 pmReception at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government
Enjoy cocktails and appetizersin the elegant buildings of the historic Lucy Cobb complex, which serves as the home of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government.Opened in 1859, the Lucy Cobb Institute was considered one of the nation's best girls' schools until its closing in 1931.
7:00 – 9:00 pmDinner in Downtown Athens
Join other conference attendees for informal conversation and dinner in downtown Athens, an area known not only for its Victorian architecture, but also for its thriving music scene, award-winning restaurants, quirky shops, and art galleries.
Thursday, April 12
8:00 – 9:00 amCheck-in and Networking Breakfast
9:00 – 9:30 amWelcome
Jere Morehead, President, University of Georgia
9:30 – 10:30 amPlenary: Role of Public Service Institutes/Centers in Statewide Issues
What roles can public service institutes and centers play in addressing complex statewide issues? How can they maintain a neutral stance when issues are increasingly politicized? What are the benefits and cautions in taking on what may be a highly visible role?
Moderator: David Tanner, Associate Director, Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
Leslie Boney, Director, Institute for Emerging Issues, North Carolina State University
Arnold Weinfeld, Associate Director, Institute For Public Policy and Social Research and Director, Urban Policy Initiatives, Michigan State University
Andrea Whitsett, Interim Director, Morrison Institute for Public Policy, Arizona State University
10:30 – 10:45 am Break
10:45 – 11:45 am Breakout Sessions
1. Disruptive Innovations in Training and Education
Share ideas with other CUPSO members about innovations in training and education, from advances in online learning to new options for credentialing.
Moderator: Stacy Jones, Associate Director, Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
Paula Downs, Professional Development Manager, Public Policy and Management Center, Wichita State University
Beth Horacek, Public Service Assistant, Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
2. Institute/Center Role in Civic Education
At a time when high quality civic education that prepares citizens for participation in our democratic society may be needed more than ever, many feel that the time and space for civics is being marginalized in K-12 classrooms. What is the state of civics education at the national and state levels? How might public service organizations be well-positioned to provide programming and services for K-16 students and professional educators?
Ed Freel, Senior Fellow, Institute for Public Administration, University of Delaware
Fran O’Malley, Director, Delaware Social Studies Education Project
12:00 – 12:45 pmLunch
12:45 – 1:30 pmProject Poster Showcase
Circulate around the room to talk informally with CUPSO staff members about work featured in this project poster session.
1:45 – 2:45 pmPlenary: Census 2020
What changes are in store for the 2020 Census? How might these impact our localities, our counties and our efforts to serve those groups?
Qian Cai, Director, Demographics Research Group, Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, University of Virginia
Matt Hauer, Public Service Associate, Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
Mallory Bateman, Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, University of Utah
2:45 – 3:00 pmBreak
3:00 – 4:00 pmPlenary: Working Across Diverse Communities
The areas served by CUPSO member institutions reflect the country’s geographic diversity – not only spanning the urban, suburban and rural continuum, but encompassing economic, cultural and political differences that can be challenging to navigate as a public service organization. At the same time, CUPSO organizations are uniquely suited to be a leader in “bridging” this divide, through civic engagement, research, and place-based economic development strategies that transcend geographic boundaries. This session will highlight ways that CUPSO members are working to bridge the “urban/suburban/rural divide,” including how they prepare staff to work across diverse communities, and specific projects aimed at bringing diverse communities together to solve regional or statewide challenges.
Moderator: Jeff Michael, Director, UNC Charlotte Urban Institute
Emily Johnson, Chief Operating Officer, Institute for Public Policy, University of Missouri
Robin Roberts, Executive Director, County Technical Assistance Service, Institute for Public Service, University of Tennessee
4:00 – 4:30 pm Break
4:30 – 5:30 pmCampus Walking Tour
6:00 – 8:30 pmDinner at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia
The garden is a 313-acre preserve set aside by UGA in 1968 for the study and enjoyment of plants and nature. Located three miles south of campus, it is a living laboratory serving educational, research, recreational and public service roles for the university and the citizens of Georgia.
Speaker: Dr. Jennifer Frum, Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, University of Georgia
Friday, April 13
7:30 – 8:30 amCUPSO Business Meeting and Directors’ Breakfast
Institute/center directors should plan to attend CUPSO’s annual business meeting. Among the agenda items will be the annual election of officers.
Conference Attendee Breakfast and Informal Networking
9:00 – 9:30 amWelcome
Steve Wrigley, Chancellor, University System of Georgia
9:30 – 9:45 amBreak
9:45 – 10:45 pmBreakout Sessions
1. Institute/Center Role in Elections and Supporting Democratic Institutions
While this year won't bring the same "Big Show" that presidential contests typically do, it will likely prove one of the most watched and contentious midterm elections in recent memory.How, when, where – and perhaps even should – university public service organizations add constructive value in this particularly high-profile arena?
Moderator: Phil Keisling, Director, Center for Public Service, Portland State University
Kathleen Hale, Professor and MPA Director, Auburn University
Dallas Breen, Executive Director, John C. Stennis Institute of Government and Community Development, Mississippi State University
Ann Cotten, Director, Schaefer Center for Public Policy, University of Baltimore
2. Engaging with Nonprofit Partners
Many CUPSO institutes and centers work closely with nonprofit organizations to address local issues, strengthen families and communities, and advance positive social change. Explore the unique benefits and challenges of these partnerships, including how the current political and social climate is both impeding, as well as inspiring, these critical initiatives.
Sharon Vardatira, Director of Nonprofit Funding & Fiscal Solutions, Donahue Institute, University of Massachusetts
Faith Knutsen, Director, Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, Ohio University
10:45 – 11:00 amBreak
11:00 – 11:45 amPlenary: The Role of Infrastructure
What is the role of infrastructure in providing opportunity for communities that might otherwise be left behind? Broadband is increasingly seen as a critical foundation for economic and community development, along with more traditional infrastructure such as transportation, water, sewer and electricity. What are the measureable benefits of these investments? What is the role of the federal government? What about states? How canpublic service organizations help inform and support these investments?
Jannine Miller, Senior Advisor for Infrastructure, U.S. Department of Agriculture
11:45 am Closing Remarks
12:00 pmAdjourn