A study conducted in Illinois determined how or if decision-makers actually used the results of a community problems needs assessment survey ("Illinois: Today and Tomorrow") of 15,000 persons in the state. Data for the use study were collected from sixty in-depth personal interviews with randomly selected cooperative extension advisors…

This "Civil Rights Directory", is distributed as a service of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights under its Clearinghouse functions. The information was supplied by the agencies and organizations listed. Section 1 is a listing of key Federal officials responsible for monitoring, administering, coordinating, and enforcing various aspects…

Librarians' interest in and concern with the legislative process and with their relationship with elected officials is accelerating. The obvious reason for this is the deteriorating financial situation facing libraries of all types. It has become critically important for the future of libraries that librarians become knowledgeable in the contest…

A new method of rapid low-cost communication between government officials and citizens is proposed and outlined. Relevant facts and opposing views on an issue are sent to citizens, who then have a week to express their opinions by dialing a special televoter number which is different for every citizen. Votes are then counted by computer, and…

This bibliography on inservice training is divided into four major categories: (1) Local Government Training in General; (2) Training Generalist Officials and Administrators; (3) Training Personnel in Functional Fields; (4) Bibliographies. Coverage includes elected representatives and executives; appointed managers, executives, and supervisors;…

An experiment in public education for regional planning in a five county area was undertaken by the Sacramento Regional Area Planning Commission jointly with the University of California Extension (Davis) and KCRA-TV; the purpose was to present for public scrutiny a set of preliminary goals. A series of television programs was combined with 160…

The primary purpose of "National CrossTalk" is to stimulate informed discussion and debate of higher education issues. This issue contains the following articles: (1) CUNY [City University of New York] Sheds Reputation as "Tutor U": The Nation's Largest Urban University Raises Standards, and Grapples with Remediation (Jon…

In a national survey, public university faculty, presidents, trustees, coordinating boards, and legislators (total n=251) identified where they felt authority effectively rested for five typical university-related decisions and where they believed authority should rest. Although most believed in campus-based decisions, there was some disagreement…

From the mid-1970s to 1982, Washburn University of Topeka (Kansas) offered training programs for jail employees and other interested public officials, beginning with topical seminars and later, extending to courses for academic credit at a number of sites. In 1992, the university will begin offering courses again. (MSE)

Although the plight of cities seems nearly hopeless, three new-style big city mayors have emerged to try ideas deserving study by other cities. Edward Rendell of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), John Norquist of Milwaukee (Wisconsin), and Stephen Goldsmith of Indianapolis (Indiana) are demonstrating that U.S. cities can be made to work. (SLD)

Recent advances in science have underscored how critical children's first five years of life are to their later success in school and life. It has also been recently recognized that early childhood interventions, particularly those that combine child-focused educational activities with parent-child relationship building, can positively influence…

California continues to widen access to local child care and preschool programs--albeit in fits and starts--for a variety of families. About 65% of all four year-olds statewide now attend a preschool center. Government spends $3.6 billion on early care and education programs statewide, including a three-fold increase in state spending since 1996.…

This report offers background information on the restructuring of higher education in New Jersey's State Department and Board of Higher Education in 1994, focusing primarily on the substance of the proposals, components of the legislation, and the process through which the changes were developed. Political debates and dimensions are not addressed…

A teaching unit is presented for fourth-grade students to learn about Indiana history during the period of 1850-1865. Designed for three to five class periods, the materials include an Oliver P. Morton biography packet, a timeline activity, crossword puzzles, sentence completion worksheet, and an essay test. (DB)

This study was designed to assess major linkages of professionalism and professional education with the public service, to highlight some of the resulting problems within, and among, different professions, and to set forth hypotheses and questions to provoke and guide more intensive future research. Results indicate that professionalism is rapidly…