University of Nebraska Public Policy Center
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June 20, 2013NU | UNL | UNMC | UNO | UNK | IANR 

News and Events

PPC Graduate Student Appointed to Fellowship Program

Joseph Hamm, a Public Policy Center Graduate research assistant and doctoral student in psychology and law, was one of eight UNL students to be appointed to the Center for Great Plains Studies 2013 Graduate Fellows Program.

According to the press release the program "provides a place for select graduate students to work, meet, obtain support, learn from fellow students, engage with Center faculty and staff, benefit from the center's resources and progress in their studies."

Public Participation

Although governments can sometimes feel like “them” rather than “us,” our democracy is founded on the ideal of citizen participation in shaping government and holding it accountable. The inscription “The salvation of the state is watchfulness in the citizen” is carved above an entrance of Nebraska’s state capitol building, and it serves as a beacon for public involvement in policymaking. Inundated with information, citizens can often feel overwhelmed or become apathetic about important policy issues. It can be difficult to involve the public in meaningful dialogue on policy matters. At the heart of nearly all the Public Policy Center’s activities is the belief that the public is an important stakeholder in policy decisions. The Public Policy Center enriches policy dialogue through deliberative discussions, information seminars and presentations, community conversations, and surveys. These dialogues and information sharing sessions often include policymakers and have resulted in changes in policy and a more informed and engaged public.

Public Participation Projects

Past Projects

Public Participation Publications

A Balance of Power. Beckman, Antona. (2008 Winter).

By The People: Immigration and Nebraska Report. (2007 November).

Citizen Choices on the National Vaccine Plan. National Vaccine Program Office, US Department of Health and Human Services (2009 August). PDF File

Citizen Deliberation on Education Policy, A. (2005 October).

Herian, M. N., & Tomkins, A. J. (2012) Citizen satisfaction survey data: A mode comparison of the derived-importance performance approach. American Review of Public Administration, 42(1), 66-86..PDF File

Citizen Voices on Pandemic Flu Choices: A Report of the Public Engagement Pilot Project on Pandemic Influenza. (2005 December).

Abdel-Monem, T. & Tomkins A.J. (2005). Community Conversation: Future of Lincoln, A. Lincoln: University of Nebraska-Public Policy Center.

Community Services Initiative Project Year Four Progress Report. (2004 October).

Hughes, D.E. & Tomkins, A.J. (2003) Community Services Implementation Project Year Three Progress Report.

Comprehensive Community Initiatives (CCI): A Comparison of Community Implementation Plans. Perkins, T. (2002 May).

Tomkins, A.J. University of Nebraska Public Policy Center. (2005). Consumer Opinions on Genetically Modified Food: A Community Discussion.

Abdel-Monem, T., Bingham, S., Marincic, J., & Tomkins, A.J. (2010). Deliberation and diversity: Perceptions of small group discussions by race and ethnicity. Small Group Research, 20(6), 746-776.

Energy and the Future. University of Nebraska Public Policy Center. (January 2008).

Evaluation of a Deliberative Process
to Obtain Citizen Input for the Draft Strategic National Vaccine Plan. University of Nebraska Public Policy Center. (2009 June). PDF Files

Evaluation of Influenza Pandemic-Focused Public Engagement for Harris County Public Health Services. (2011 July 29).

Evaluation of Novel H1N1 Vaccine Policy Public Engagement. (2009 October 25).

Evaluation of the Public Engagement Demonstration Projects for Pandemic Influenza (2010 May 31). PDF File

PytlikZillig, L. M., Steffensmeier, T., Cambell Hibbs, A., Champion, B., Hunt, E. D., Harrington, J., Jr., Spears, J., Umphlett, N., Bruning, R., & Kahl, D. (2013). Fostering climate change education in the Central Great Plains: A public engagement approach. International Journal of Sustainability, 8(1), 161-177.PDF File

Harris County Pandemic Influenza Partner Workshop: Summary Report. The Keystone Center (Undated). PDF File

Herian, Mitchel N. (2011)
Local budgeting and public participation Contextual predictors of state laws mandating public inputPDF File
State and Local Government Review, 43 (2).

Lincoln Community Energy Conversation 2012. (2012 October).

Pandemic Influenza Vaccine Prioritization Public Engagement Evaluation. University of Nebraska Public Policy Center. (2008 February). PDF Files

Platte River Habitat Partnership. (2012 Spring).

Abdel-Monem, T., Herian, M.N., Neeley, E., & Tomkins, A.J. (2008). Priority Lincoln: Background. PDF File

Abdel-Monem, T., Herian, M.N., Neeley, E., & Tomkins, A.J. (2008). Priority Lincoln: Brief final report. PDF File

Abdel-Monem, T., Herian, M.N., Neeley, E., & Tomkins, A.J. (2008). Priority Lincoln: Budgeting for outcomes.PDF File

PytlikZillig, L. and Tomkins, A. (2011). Public engagement for informing science and technology policy: What do we know, what do we need to know, and how will we get there?. Review of Policy Research, 28(2), 197-217.

Public Engagement Project on Community Control Measures for Pandemic Influenza Final Report. The Keystone Center. (2007 May). PDF Files

The Public Engagement Project on the H1N1 Pandemic Influenza Vaccination Program. The Keystone Center (2009 September 30). PDF File

Tomkins, A. J., Hoppe, R. D., Herian, M. N., PytlikZillig, L. M., Abdel-Monem, T., & Shank, N. C. (in press). Public input for city budgeting using e-input, face-to-face discussions, and random sample surveys: The willingness of an American community to increase taxes. Electronic Journal of e-Government.

Tomkins, A. J., PytlikZilllig, L. M., Herian, M. N., Abdel‐Monem, T., & Hamm, J. A. (2010). Public Input for Municipal Policymaking and Managing: Engagement Type and Impact on Trust and Confidence in Government. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Tomkins, A. J., PytlikZilllig, L. M., Herian, M. N., Abdel-Monem, T., & Hamm, J. A. (2010).
Public input for municipal policymaking: Engagement methods and their impact on trust and confidenceThe Proceedings of the 8th Annual International Digital Government Research Conference: Public Administration Online: Challenges and Opportunities. PDF File

PytlikZillig, L. M., Tomkins, A. J., Herian, M. N., Hamm, J. A., & Abdel-Monem, T. (2012). Public Input Methods Impacting Confidence in Government. Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 6, 92 - 111. [Special issue, Collaborative e-Government, S. A. Chun, L.F. Luna-Reyes & R. Sandoval-Almazán, eds., 5-125]. doi:10.1108/17506161211214840

Security and Prosperity: A Preliminary Report on the January 2004 By the People Citizen Deliberations. University of Nebraska Public Policy Center, Nebraska Educational Television, and University of Nebraska at Kearney. (2004 January). PDF File

Sharing Health Records Electronically: Background. Abdel-Monam, Tarik, Herian, Mitch. (2008 December 11).

Sharing Health Records Electronically: Final Report. Abdel-Monem, Tarik, Herian, Mitch. (2008 December 11).

Taking Charge 2012: Satisfaction of Residents of Lincoln, Nebraska. (2012 April).

BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH		 GOVERNMENT
SERVICES		 INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY		 PUBLIC
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