SPNA Review

Welcome to the inaugural volume of best papers by MPA students in the School of Public and Nonprofit Administration at Grand Valley State University. This publication recognizes the outstanding achievements of our students, while providing evidence of student learning and exemplars of research and writing for new MPA students to emulate. The papers chosen for publication come from across the spectrum of public and nonprofit management, public policy, and health administration. Each paper was initially written to fulfill a course requirement in the MPA curriculum, and then improved and submitted for publication as part of the MPA capstone course, Management Seminar. Finally, a panel of faculty members reviewed the papers and selected the finalists for publication. The papers show the extent to which students about to complete their MPA are able to master a substantive topic area, design and complete a research project, and present their findings in a clear and accessible manner.

Below are the abstracts of all student papers considered for publication in the SPNA Review. A copy of the SPNA Review as well as all other papers can be obtained by contacting Annie Hagar (616-331-6524, hagara@gvsu.edu)

Abstracts to articles
published in volume 1:

Racial Profiling: National Legislation Policy Analysis by LaTasha Chaffin

Nonprofit Board Accountability: A Literature Review and Crtitique by Lynne M. Doyle

Environment of Telemedicine by Shahryar (Shawn) Oliai

Public Safety Use of Overtime and Cutback Management: A Case Study of the Grand Rapids, Michigan Fire Department by Nancy Recker

How Should a City Promote Minority Construction Contracting? A Policy Analysis by Barbara M. Taylor (MPA Best Paper Award)

Capital budgeting from a local government perspective: Evidence from the Village of Spring Lake, Michigan by Jill Wendorf

Abstracts to other student papers:

An Assessment of Policy Governance and Regional Planning Commissions in Michigan by Dave Bee

The Pennsylvania Tobacco Settlement: How will the money be spent? by Lorren Clark

Direct to Consumer Advertising: Helpful or Misleading? by Candyce N. Covington

Vending Machines in Public Schools: Consumer Freedom vs. Public Health by Carolyn E. Cross

Protecting the Rights of Vulnerable Citizens: Is it a question of structure- internal vs. external rights enforcement? by Dennis Dull

The City of Detroit, Economic Development and Comerica Park by Steve Gracheck

PACE-Program for the All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly After thirty plus years where to from here? by Lori A. Herbig

CTRS Trends in Volunteerism Relating to Nonprofit Organization by Julie Lake

Is It Time for National Health Insurance in America? History, Insight, and Thoughts for the Future of U.S. Healthcareby Joshua M. Meringa

Federal Marriage Amendment: One Man One Woman? by Laura Schaberg

A Look at Compassion Fatigue by Jennifer Self

Reducing Mentally Ill Offenders in the Criminal Justice System A Review of the Literature by Tracy L. Taylor

The DDT Debate by James Vollick