University of Houston Center for Public Policy

Report to the Interagency Coordinating Council for Building Healthy Families (ICC) & the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) The Office of Community Projects (OCP) at the UH Graduate College of Social Work, in collaboration with the Center for Public Policy conducted an evaluation on the effectiveness and efficiency of Texas’s publicly funded child abuse/neglect prevention and early intervention services. Financial structures, efficiency, outcomes, program development and quality assurance were examined. This evaluation will help provide the ICC with an analysis of the current status of the prevention programs and services and to offer specific options and methods for maximizing prevention services. Read the full report to the ICC & DFPS.


Immersed in Public Service: The 2010 Mickey Leland Congressional Interns UH Chancellor Renu Khator with the 2010 Leland Interns Eight bright and eager students from the University of Houston, Texas Southern University and the University of Houston-Downtown are pursuing their public service dreams on Capitol Hill. Learn more about the distinguished group participating in the 2010 class. And don't miss Marisa Ramirez's coverage of the Mickey Leland Congressional Internship Program including interviews with former Leland intern District Court Judge Al Bennett and 2010 intern Janae Ladet on a recent segment of UH Moment on KUHF.


EXCLUSIVE: Check Out the Texas Political Atlas View Texas politics and demography by county, what makes Texas an urban state, how demographics affect voting, and more by downloading the Texas Political Atlas. Found in the Texas Tribune Read the article about the Texas Political Atlas by Governor Hobby in the Texas Tribune.


	Tired of Graphs and Pie Charts? Check Out the Center for Public Policy's Dynamic Data Visualizations The Center for Public Policy's Concept Visualization Lab (CVL) creates multi-dimensional visualizations to display research findings in dynamic and interactive graphics. Learn how the CVL visualizations can make data come alive.

The University of Houston Center for Public Policy has joined the Mayor's Complete Count Committee for the 2010 Census. Learn more about the United States Census 2010.

The Institute for Regional Forecasting's New Houston Forecast Released at Symposium

The Institute for Regional Forecasting released the new annual forecast for the next 5 years this past week at its annual Fall Symposium at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Houston. Read the summary of the forecast.

Barton Smith's Commentary: Understanding Regional Employment Statistics

Sometimes it can be terribly confusing understanding our local employment numbers and interpreting their implications for the Houston economy. Part of the problem is that novices and the media want to treat regional employment numbers like they do the national numbers, a habit that is reinforced by the way the Texas Workforce themselves report the data. The fact is that these numbers are neither the same, nor do they carry the same meaning. Read the full commentary by Dr. Smith, director of the Institute for Regional Forecasting.

Current Training on Future Social Scientists Evaluated at NSF Event

The UH Center for Public Policy headed a workshop on the future of a National Science Foundation Program. A gathering of some of the nation's best social scientists strategized about the future of their research fields and how best to prepare the next generation. Continue reading the full news release and view the agenda from the National Science Foundation Event.

Center for Public Policy to Study Houston Housing Market, Foreclosure

The University of Houston Center for Public Policy is the recipient of a grant from the National Science Foundation to study Houston's regional housing market, particularly significant in the wake of the nation's crisis in leading financial institutions. Read more about this grant and the project to be done in partnership with the UH Institute for Regional Forecasting (IRF) to help create a comprehensive Houston area real estate database. Read an article about this grant by The Daily Cougar and the Houston Business Journal.

View a satellite map of Houston-area foreclosures.

Read the media release about the UH foreclosure study looking at behavioral reasons.

As a community service project, the Center for Public Policy is holding a pet food drive benefiting the clients of Meals on Wheels of Greater Houston from February 1 thru February 19, 2010. Learn more about the drive and how you can donate.

The U.S. Census Bureau is now hiring

The U.S. Census Bureau is now hiring 15,000 workers in the Houston area to assist in the massive undertaking that is the 2010 Census beginning in the spring. Pay can range from $8 to $24 an hour, depending on a worker's geographic location and skills. The average starting pay for a census worker who knocks on doors ranges from $11.25 an hour in Conroe to as much as $17.50 an hour in central Houston. Continue reading the Houston Chronicle article for more application information.

Check back for information on Census 2010 events at UH.

Employment Opportunity:

The Center for Public Policy's Survey Research Institute is now accepting applications for Operators

Operator positions available at the Survey Research Institute - Center for Public Policy. Pay range from $11- $14 an hour. Applicants must have good English communication skills.

Contact Chris Mainka at 713-743-1529 or email cmainka@uh.edu

Governor Hobby was Honored at UH Commencement with Presidential Medallion

On Friday, December 18, 2009 Governor Hobby was presented with the Presidential Medallion from Chancellor Khator during the commencement ceremony. Former Texas Lt. Governor Bill Hobby (UH System Chancellor 1995-1997) provided the transitional leadership that ultimately facilitated the merger of the UH System and the University of Houston administrations. Read more about Governor Hobby.

Former Center for Public Policy Intern Taylor Kilroy First Recipient of Richard Murray Endowed Scholarship

Offered through the Center for Public Policy, the Richard Murray Endowed Scholarship was created in 2008 to honor Dr. Murray's academic achievements and community service spanning four decades. Taylor Kilroy, political science and public relations major, earned the first scholarship award. Learn more about Taylor and the Murray scholarship.

Don't Let Cities Water Down Open-Government Act

In Texas the law is clear. Governing bodies must conduct the people's business in public or else face some serious penalties. This statute has protected the public and elected representatives alike for the past 42 years with a basic premise: Public bodies should deliberate in public. Continue reading this article by Governor Hobby published by the Houston Chronicle.

Executive Training Participants from China Visit Harris County Tax Assessor's Office

Professionals from China's Ningbo Finance and Taxation Bureau visited the Harris County Tax Office for a study tour and presentation by Tax Assessor, Leo Vasquez (center).

Learn more about the study tours offered through Global Unisource.