| About the Program
History
and vision
As a graduate school of public policy and planning, the Humphrey
Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota exemplifies
the University's land grant mission of teaching, research and
outreach. The State and Local Policy Program (SLPP) was founded
in 1991 to increase the Humphrey Institute's commitment to state
and local policy issues. SLPP helps policy leaders and average
citizens understand how changes in the global economy, technology
and the workplace affect communities by:
Convening to increase discussion and awareness of policy
issues
Contributing to produce and integrate new information,
ideas, and approaches
Changing to enhance and apply public policy that addresses
community needs
The State and Local Policy Program aims to:
- work as a highly visible regional policy resource by partnering
with government, business, academic, labor, and community leaders
and citizens;
- conduct itself in a manner that is sensitive to the practical
problems of policymakers, the timing of public issues, the need
to leverage limited resources, and the importance of citizen
involvement;
- address strategic issues and tap the best in research and
researchers;
- use telecommunications and information technology effectively
to promote communication and cooperation among regional policy
leaders; and be a hardworking, creative team with integrity
and with a reputation for excellence, quality and follow-through.
Research priorities
SLPP undertakes projects in two major policy areas:
Transportation and the Community...understanding the social,
economic, and environmental impacts of transportation technology
and policy and exploring how new policy models can benefit communities.
Current
research
Finished reports
Economic Development and Human Capital...understanding how changes
in the global economy affect the economies of regions and communities,
including economic and income disparities, and examining how industry
clusters relate to knowledge and workforce strategies.
Current
research
Finished reports
Achievements
- National and international reputation for research and educational
work on transportation and the environment, telecommunications
and transportation, and congestion pricing; and for public policy
studies on economic development, including pioneering work on
the industry clusters strategy.
- Minnesota Department of Transportation established an investment
analysis office based on the recommendation of an SLPP report.
- Minnesota State Colleges and Universities has used an industry
cluster approach, based on SLPP's industry cluster studies,
to align its curriculum with changing industry workforce needs.
- Over 100 Humphrey Institute graduate students have worked
at SLPP as research assistants, gaining learning opportunities,
financial support, and career preparation.
- More than 10,000 people have participated in SLPP workshops,
conferences, seminars, focus groups, symposia, and consultations
since the program began.
- SLPP's website is recognized as a useful resource for economic
development professionals, transportation professionals, planners,
policy leaders, and innovators.
- Our research and outreach centers serve as focal points for
collaborative problem solving. Through these centers, the Institute
engages the academic and broader community in examining and
proposing possible solutions for public policy issues.
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