Story Ideas
at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

Story Assistance for the News Media

Need answers fast? Use our online Experts Guide as a quick reference to contact faculty experts directly, or call the Georgia State University Office of University Relations at 404-413-3025.

Prepare now for future population trends. The Andrew Young School of Policy Studies recently held a conference on "Georgia's Aging Population: What to Expect and How to Cope," a conference for leading policy officials who must plan for tomorrow’s needs today. You can review the white papers and data tables produced for this event. Georgia's population of seniors is rising faster than most other states, and state officials should start looking for solutions to tomorrow's issues now. Contact Tom Wade for more information on this issue at 404-413-0171 or twade@gsu.edu.

No Child Left Behind Act should reward more than punish. While the controversial No Child Left Behind Act punishes schools and teachers when students don’t meet standards, a more effective approach might be to reward educators who are succeeding, suggests research by Gary Henry, professor of public administration and urban studies/educational policy studies at Georgia State University. Henry found that sanctions against poorly performing schools can lead to teachers who feel less engaged in teaching and who are less likely to use in their instruction what they have learned through professional development. Contact him at 404/651-2343 or gthenry@gsu.edu.

Child-care subsidies help single mothers climb corporate ladder. Simply getting a job often isn’t enough to move single mothers from the welfare rolls to economic self-sufficiency. Child-care subsidies may make the difference, says Erdal Tekin, assistant professor of economics at Georgia State University. His research findings show that single mothers with a child-care subsidy are more likely to work at jobs with standard business hours (8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday) -- positions that typically pay higher wages, provide better benefits and lead to promotions. “It is important to encourage low-income parents to seek jobs with a potential to move them up the income ladder,” Tekin says. “The findings of my research suggest that child-care subsidies induce mothers to work at standard jobs.” The issue of funding child-care subsidies is a timely one as Congress debates the future of welfare reform, Tekin says. Contact him at 404/651-3968 or tekin@gsu.edu.

Bringing home the business. Economic developers seeking better strategies for attracting businesses should pay attention to recent research by associate economics professors Robert Moore and Bruce Seaman. They were contracted by the Georgia Department of Economic Development to investigate ways for the state to focus international economic development efforts on countries and companies most likely to bring business. In their report, “International Trade and Economic Development Strategy: Can Foreign Direct Investment Be Predicted?” the Georgia State University researchers move away from the predominant focus of existing research -- the characteristics of recruiting markets -- to examine the traits of investing regions and markets. “Our efforts were directed at finding variables that could be applied to better target potential foreign investors,” Moore says. “What the research found was that special attention should be given to specific foreign industries that have a few key characteristics. Recruiters should pay attention to companies or industries that are increasing exports to the United States, experiencing relatively high growth in wages and employment, and shrinking their number of establishments abroad.” Contact Moore at 404/651-3756 or rmoore@gsu.edu and Seaman at 404/651-2775 or bseaman@gsu.edu.

Accidental effect: Higher cigarette prices correlate with consumer weight gain. America's campaign against cigarette smoking has unintentionally contributed to the obesity epidemic, says Inas Rashad, assistant professor of economics at Georgia State University. People who quit smoking because of higher cigarette taxes and prices often eat more as a result. Obesity costs more in annual medical expenditures (about $75 billion in 2003) than cigarette smoking because of the long and costly treatments for its complications, Rashad notes. "Our findings underscore the idea that social interaction can have unintended consequences," she says. "Of course, we do not believe that people should start smoking to become thin, substituting one type of unhealthy behavior for another." Increased participation by women in the labor force in recent decades also has unintentionally contributed to the obesity problem, she says. As time available for cooking has decreased, families have begun to eat more often at fast-food and full-service restaurants offering high-calorie foods. Contact Rashad at 404/651-4967 or irashad@gsu.edu.

Public awareness key to protecting mass transit from terrorism. Travelers would be wise to scan their surroundings when boarding a train or bus, cautions William Waugh, professor of public administration and urban studies at Georgia State University. Though studies show that mass transit systems are the target of one-third of terrorist attacks worldwide, most of America's counterterrorist efforts since Sept. 11, 2001, have focused on securing airports. "Despite warnings that terrorist attacks might be imminent, the Department of Homeland Security has done little to assist in securing transit systems," says Waugh, an expert on terrorism. "In the absence of federal dollars, mass transit operators are left to their own devices to reduce their vulnerabilities." To cope, many transit systems around the country are instituting "Transit Watch," a nationwide public awareness and education campaign developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration. "Public awareness and a good reporting system, as well as luck, may be the most effective security system for mass transit systems," Waugh says. Contact him at 404/651-4592 or wwaugh@gsu.edu.

Expert: Opinion leaders carry influence at polls. If most Americans don't pay attention to media coverage of politics, as studies have shown, upon what information are they basing their voting decisions? These people often turn to opinion leaders in their social networks for advice and information, says Christine Roch, assistant professor of public administration and urban studies at Georgia State University. Opinion leaders, who are present in all social classes and occupations, mediate the flow of information from mass media to individuals, she says. "They enjoy the social power that holding and transmitting information gives them," says Roch, who studies how opinion leaders gain influence over other citizens. "Understanding who the opinion leaders are that citizens may rely on when making decisions is key to our understanding of democratic governance." Opinion leaders attain their positions based not only on personality characteristics, but also on where they are in social networks, including who they know outside the group, she says. Contact Roch at 404/651-3351 or croch@gsu.edu.

Practice What You Preach. The relationship between the church and civic duty is well established -- just ask former U.N. ambassador Andrew Young, whose ministerial training led him to establish a civil rights legacy along with another preacher, Martin Luther King Jr. Today, a new program at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies examines these dynamics. Harvey Newman has more to say at 404-651-4596 (office), 404-653-0102 (home) or hnewman@gsu.edu.

Changes In Attitudes. An all-gay high school in New York. A groundswell of TV programming featuring main characters who are gay. Is the American public shifting its views and feelings on homosexuality and gay rights? Greg Lewis has studied public opinion on gay rights, and found that politics isn't the only influence on acceptance. Contact Lewis at (404) 651-4443 or glewis@gsu.edu.

Music file swapping: An old problem with a new name? No one has yet demonstrated that Internet file sharing is a genuine public policy problem, according to Michael Rushton. "The entertainment industry has in the past 'cried wolf' about new recording technologies, whether photocopying, taping music onto cassettes, or recording on home VHS machines - while throughout these changes, the industry has flourished," says Rushton. "Even if it can be shown - and the jury is still out - that file sharing has led to a significant decline in industry sales, it is not necessarily the case that society as a whole would gain from an enforceable ban on file sharing." Contact Rushton at 404-651-0333 or michaelrushton@gsu.edu.

Immigration Education in the Nation. The number of Ph.D.s in the U.S. has increased significantly -- thanks to foreign talent. Need a scientist or engineer? American students are not answering the call, says professor of economics Paula Stephan, an authority on immigrant labor data.

A Piece of China's Pie. An International Studies Program team, led by director Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, has completed new research on China's fiscal challenges. While the Chinese economy has grown, its fruit has not reached local governments. Martinez knows why, and what it means to the world's biggest country.

It Starts in the Classroom. In his new paper, "Public Opinion and State Gay Rights Laws," Gregory Lewis concludes that public acceptance of gay teachers is the strongest predictor of gay rights protections. And public opinion matters more than politics when it comes to gay rights legislation.

Elbows Off the Table... Decisions about our children are made by parents, grandparents, and lawmakers. The Child Policy Initiative has new research on the needs of working mothers, and more. Dr. Monica Herk directs this effort.

Show Me The Money... Georgia's budget always grabs the spotlight during the General Assembly. This year, however,
the grab bag isn't so full. Dr. David Sjoquist heads the
Fiscal Research Program and is an expert on state government finance.

Good Morning, Class... The Andrew Young School has elevated its academic offerings with equally rigorous exposure to contemporary
practices. Atlanta business leaders are serving as "professors of practice." Dr. Lloyd Nigro leads this program.

The Hurricanes Are Coming... U.S. coastal areas could soon be hit hard, and are they ready? William L. Waugh is a leading disaster management expert and author of Living With Hazards, Dealing With Disasters.

Fresh Air, Times Square. A new CDCP report says rural Americans aren't staying healthy. Why? Karen Minyard, an expert in Georgia's rural health care, can discuss this new study and how Georgia stacks up.

Sold! For 500 Gallons... Georgia now has an auction -- for water permits. Why is this so important? This unique program was developed with the expert guidance of Ronald Cummings, director of the Environmental Policy Progam.