Institute Insider

Turning off computer monitors and other energy saving efforts have saved $8,400 in energy costs in the first four months of the fiscal year. And, contrary to what you may think, the new, brighter lights in the restrooms actually are more energy-efficient than the previous fixtures. Continue turning off lights when you leave a room and taking the stairs instead of the elevator for increased conservation and lower costs.

In case you missed this morning's discussion with Congressman Keith Ellison about Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, the audio is available here.

The University of Minnesota has released a video discussing the class that Vice President Mondale and Professor Larry Jacobs will teach this spring, "Great Debates of Our Time: U.S. Policy and Politics."

Deb Swackhamer, the Humphrey Institute's Denny Chair for Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy, has received the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry's (SETAC) Founders Award for 2009.

Read more here.

The Humphrey Institute will hold its annual fall assembly with faculty members, fellows, staff, and students from 1 to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, December 1, in the Cowles Auditorium. Dean Atwood will present his annual State of the Institute address, as well as updates on major initiatives. A social hour will follow in the atrium.

Effective November 23, Debra Fitzpatrick will take over as director of the Center on Women and Public Policy. Fitzpatrick succeeds Professor Sally Kenney, who is leaving the University for Tulane University in New Orleans.

Founded in 1985, the Center on Women and Public Policy is one of the nation's first teaching, research, and outreach centers devoted to women and public policy. Faculty members and staff associated with the center use a gender analysis to challenge fundamental assumptions about politics, law, and economics on issues ranging from human rights to judicial selection and independence. A steering committee of prominent women faculty members, led by Assistant Professor Greta Friedemann-Sanchez, oversees the center's work.

"Social policy is a pillar of our teaching and research program," said J. Brian Atwood, dean. "Women and public policy is one of our most popular concentrations and one of several features that make the Humphrey Institute's degree programs unique."

As associate director and then interim director, Fitzpatrick has lead several major, multi-year research projects. In partnership with the Women's Foundation of Minnesota, she directs the Status of Women and Girls in Minnesota project, a new initiative that systematically examines key indicators for women and girls in Minnesota, raises public awareness of issues important to the lives of women and girls, and identifies policy solutions for decision makers. She also leads the center's research efforts in the area of women and electoral politics, including a longitudinal study examining the effectiveness of programs designed to help women achieve elected office. Finally, Fitzpatrick directs the Infinity Project, a collaboration of legal scholars and lawyers working to increase gender diversity on the federal bench.

Before joining the center, Fitzpatrick served as a program director for the Center for School Change, conducting major research projects on education policy with such partner organizations as the National Governors Association and the Gates Foundation. She holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Minnesota and a master's degree in public policy from the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to partner with Assistant Professor Friedemann-Sanchez and other Institute faculty members to make sure public policy reflects the experiences of women and girls," said Fitzpatrick.

The Humphrey Institute held its second annual Diversity Weekend for prospective students November 12 and 13. Thirty prospective students visited from around the United States, including Minnesota. Many students admitted that while Minnesota had not previously been on their radar for graduate school, they left the weekend enthusiastic about the Humphrey Institute. Seventy-four percent of the participants now rank the Institute among their top three choices for graduate school, and most will be applying for fall 2010. One participant commented that "Everyone was very warm and welcoming. The soul of this place runs through and through in every interaction I had with everyone."