News and Information Archives - Page 21 of 21 - Evans School of Public Policy & Governance

UW Undergraduate Puts Ideas into Action

In May 2017, then-University of Washington freshman Byron Dondoyano Jr. identified a need for more inclusive, affirming policies after he observed Ramadan as a non-religious student. By fasting from 2:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. with no food, drink, or water right before finals, he experienced first-hand a glimpse of the lived experiences of his Muslim peers. He discovered that this was more than just an issue for Muslim students, but also for Jewish students with finals on Saturdays, and Orthodox Christians observing Christmas in January.

Byron began to research how state law around religious expression was being implemented at the UW. He found that UW policies, and how they are communicated to students, could be strengthened. And, he promptly took action. That same spring quarter, Byron took an undergraduate elective course at the Evans School called “Making Change Happen” (PUB POL 313), which not only helped him understand the process of policy making, policy implementation, and evaluation, it also equipped him with the skills he would need to push his own piece of legislation through from the UW Student Senate to the Washington State Legislature.

“Part of what I learned was the importance of coalition building. As a non-religious student, my lived experiences were going to be very different from those who observe whatever faith they observe,” Byron explained. “I partnered with Mennah from the Middle Eastern Student Commission to tackle this project. During the entire journey, our coalition grew to include the Jewish Federation, Council for American-Islamic Relations, the Anti-Defamation League, Faith Action Network, Cedar Law PLLC, and State Senator Bob Hasegawa.”

Now signed into law, Senate Bill 5166 creates more transparency and brings more awareness to religious accommodations, in the same spirit that the ADA created more awareness and support for people with disabilities. It also provides protection for all universities in Washington state from potential lawsuits over discrimination.

“The elective courses I took at the Evans School changed the way I viewed government and decision making,” Byron noted. “This journey has inspired me to continue to do work in policy, and I plan on pursuing a Master’s in Public Policy or Education Policy in the future.”

Byron is now a junior studying Law, Societies and Justice with a minor in education. He is also a volunteer and part-time teacher at a preschool in his community, and he is working to create more gender and racial representation in early childhood education.

Looking Forward, with Gratitude

Dear Evans School Community,

It is with both pride and nostalgia that I share with you my decision to step down as Dean of the Evans School and return to the faculty next September. In reflecting on my 16 years at the Evans School and my career of more than 40 years in the academy, I decided last fall not to seek a fourth term. My energy and passion for serving the Evans School and the University of Washington remain strong, and I believe it is the right time to choose leadership for the next decade.

In our 16 years together, we have accomplished great things. The Evans School has grown from a strong regional school to a top-five institution, nationally recognized for excellence in research and learning. The School now ranks second in graduate public affairs programs among public universities, according to U.S. News & World Report.

The School has expanded its academic programs by establishing an executive M.P.A., a Ph.D., and a global M.P.A. I am so proud of the 2,600 students have graduated during my tenure.

Together with faculty, staff, students and alumni, we secured more than $19.6 million in private and state support to renovate Parrington Hall. The renovation will create learning environments that support collaboration and active learning.

I have deeply valued the opportunity to work in service of such an extraordinary community of individuals. I am grateful to you for your commitment, spirit, and for the myriad of ways you have each played a role in advancing the mission of our great school.

The national search for the School’s seventh Dean will commence soon and will be run by the Office of the UW Provost. A decision regarding an interim dean will be forthcoming, and we will keep you updated on news as it unfolds. I will be on leave next academic year and plan to return to the faculty as Professor in Fall 2020.

Thank you for a wonderful 16 years. This has been the job of a lifetime, and it’s been a true privilege serving as the Dean of this incredible school.

Sandra O. Archibald
Dean and Professor

Meet the 2019 Evans School members of the Husky 100

Meet the newest Evans School members of the Husky 100: Louie Tan Vital (MPA ’19) and Carter Osborne (MPA ’19)!

These two outstanding Evans School students know that education happens both inside and outside the classroom. Louie and Carter were selected based on their ability to embrace innovation and novel ways of thinking, to seek understanding of and engagement with diverse communities, to lead proactively, and to take on their bright futures with enthusiasm, savvy and fortitude.

Louie came to the Evans School determined to become a policy analyst and, eventually, a policymaker. Now, with new analytical skills and a thorough understanding of the policy process, she plans to carve a space for herself in between policy analysis and policy advocacy.

“Public administration as a field is guilty for codifying institutional racism in the United States, and it is my life’s mission to undo its harm,” Louie explained. “Using a race and equity lens at every step of the way, I want to change the narrative of what it means to be a public administrator and elected official.”

During his time at the Evans School, Carter committed himself to immediately applying the knowledge and skills gained in the classroom to his efforts advancing University of Washington mental health initiatives. Carter helped to bring together nearly 15 independent student groups to form the Student Mental Health Taskforce, which builds awareness and improves policies that address suicide prevention at the UW.”

“I’m optimistic when it comes to public service. I honestly believe that everyone has a public issue that they would commit themselves to, which is what suicide prevention is for me. I think my job is simply to help people find their issue and take action.”

The Husky 100 recognizes UW juniors, seniors and graduate students who are making the most of their Husky Experience, as demonstrated by the ways in which they fulfill the five program criteria. This year’s selection process was highly competitive, with more than 1,800 nominations and more than 600 applications from all three UW campuses.

Congratulations Louie and Carter!

Kevin Truong (MPA ’20) Sets an Example with Hey Mentor

Second-year MPA student Kevin Truong was featured in Perspectives, the College of Arts and Sciences January 2019 newsletter for his exciting work founding Hey Mentor, an online mentor program for high school students. Since its launch in fall 2017, Hey Mentor has served students from more than 20 high schools in King County, and has earned the attention and support of the Gates Foundation. Truong hopes Hey Mentor can continue to broaden its reach, with Hey Mentor clubs at other universities in Washington state and beyond. Given his own background, he understands what a difference a little help can make.

Read the full article here

Professor Mary Kay Gugerty’s Book named Best Nonprofit Book of the Year

The Alliance for Nonprofit Management yesterday presented the 2018 Terry McAdam Book Award to Professor Mary Kay Gugerty and her co-author for their recent book, The Goldilocks Challenge: Right-Fit Evidence for the Social Sector (Oxford University Press, 2018).

Now in its 30th year, the Alliance’s Terry McAdam Book Award Committee reviews books published in the nonprofit sector; highlights the very best thinking in management, governance, and capacity building; and helps expose practitioners to new knowledge and approaches in the field. This year, after reviewing 21 nonprofit capacity-building books published in 2017 or 2018, the committee determined that The Goldilocks Challenge best exemplified the spirit of the award: research-to-practice principles; relevance to the whole nonprofit sector; persuasive reasoning; and readability.

From the Committee: The Goldilocks Challenge is about measuring impact. Measuring impact: we all want to do it, know we have to do it…and are all too often frustrated by one-size-fits-all expectations of how to do it, expectations based on large nonprofits that represent so few of the organizations that most of us work with. The Goldilocks Challenge offers a solution: an impact measurement framework that helps organizations decide what elements they should monitor and measure. This framework is based on four principles, called the CART principles: Credible data; Actionable data; Responsible data; and Transportable data. Dive in to learn more about the CART principles and how you can immediately begin using them with the organizations you work with.

Congratulations, Professor Gugerty!

Remembering Hubert Locke, Dean Emeritus

The Evans School is saddened by the loss of Evans School Professor and Dean Emeritus Hubert Locke, who passed away Saturday, June 2, 2018.

Hubert was a renowned scholar and dedicated public and civic leader. Early in his career, he led the Citizen’s Committee for Equal Opportunity, a civil rights organization in Detroit. He served as Administrative Assistant to the Detroit Commissioner of Police, and published The Detroit Riot of 1967, his first-hand account of the riots and unrest that swept his city. He continued to work for policy reform throughout his career. He returned to higher education as the founding dean of the College of Public Affairs and Community Services at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, before coming to the University of Washington in 1977.

In more than two decades of service at the University of Washington, Hubert contributed important scholarship on ethics, policy reform, and history while holding administrative roles including Assistant Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. As Dean of the then-named Graduate School of Public Affairs from 1982-1987, he saw the school through major budget cuts, and implemented key hiring decisions that led to the school’s growth in size, stature, and impact. He also continued teaching courses on ethics, urban policy, justice, and policing.

He retired from the Evans School and UW in 1999, as Dean Emeritus of Public Affairs. Hubert’s lifelong legacy of advancing issues of race and social equity continues at the Evans School with the Hubert G. Locke Diversity Award, given each year to the student and faculty member who exemplify his commitment to a more equitable world, and the Hubert G. Locke Endowed Fellowship in Social Justice, which supports students pursuing internships in non-profit organizations devoted to social justice.

Hubert was a valued mentor, friend, and teacher to many at the Evans School. This is a sad loss for our community, but we are grateful for the lasting impact he made on our school and the University of Washington. The world is a more just place because of Hubert Locke.