GWIPP SEPTEMBER 2006 NEWSLETTER
Do the best you can in every task, no matter how unimportant it may seem at the time. No one learns more about a problem than the person at the bottom.
-- Sandra Day O'ConnorContents:
Policy Student Government Update
Sanjana Ahmad, MPP '07 Environmental Policy
Since our last update, the Policy Student Government Association (PSGA) has been working away, harder than ever (did you expect anything less?). As part of our duty to serve as a liaison between students and faculty, we met twice with the MSPP Deans over the last month. Topics of discussion included new student orientation, suggestions for better handling of student inquiries, and procedures for improving information dissemination regarding MSPP and University events, dates, and deadlines. This semester’s Town Hall Meeting was held on September 25th and gave students a chance to meet and discuss concerns with PSGA representatives. Our annual Quiz Night on September 15th was well attended by both students and faculty. Joel Landry is the new reigning Quiz Night champion, unseating Billy Grayson who himself unseated Dean Fetter only last year.
Over the last week, PSGA members, along with GWIPP, the Diveristy Committee and the Ecological Economics Student Group, have made presentations to students in the core courses. Our goal: get more new students involved. PSGA elections will be held this Friday, October 13 through Friday, October 20. Other upcoming events include: October 23-26-Pumpkin Carving Contest; October 31-Trick-or-Treating in Greenbelt; and November 7-Election Night Party.
Last but not least, our new and redesigned website is finally up and running! There you'll find our calendar of events, photos of the current representatives, our constitution, and FAQs. Check it out at http://www.publicpolicy.umd.edu/psga.
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News From the Hill: As Elections Loom, Congress Scrambles to Address Appropriations, Foreign Policy
Carolyn Chuhta, MPP '05 Social Policy
After a slow, steamy, August recess, members of Congress returned to Washington in early September ready for the many debates and votes ahead of them. From funding the annual budgets of federal agencies to finding solutions to border security, intelligence reform, and other national security concerns, there was much to be done before Election Day.
Despite the imminent close of the fiscal year on September 30, Congress passed only one funding bill – the Fiscal Year 2007 Defense Appropriations bill (H.R. 5631). This bill was conferenced and approved by the House on September 26 and 29, respectively; the President signed the bill into law on September 29. This law also provided for a continuing resolution (CR) which funds the rest of the government through November 17. Appropriations for agencies funded under the CR will likely be packaged together in an omnibus bill when Congress returns from recess in November.
One of the most controversial topics recently debated on the floor of both houses was President Bush’s proposal for military commissions (tribunals). Constitutional rights, national security strategies, and the humane treatment of detainees and U.S. soldiers took center stage in this very public debate among politicos, the media, and the American public. After Congressional leaders drafted alternative bills and brokered compromises, both chambers passed S. 3930 which was cleared for the President’s signature on September 29. The bill defines U.S. policy on the treatment of detainees, and covers issues such as interrogation techniques, the interpretation of the Geneva Convention agreement, and habeas corpus rights. Specifically, the bill:
- bars suspects from challenging their detention or treatment through habeas corpus;
- allows prosecutors, under certain circumstances, to use evidence collected through hearsay or coercion to seek a conviction;
- rejects the right to speedy trial, limits traditional right to self-representation;
- defines “unlawful enemy combatant” and allows the executive to detain indefinitely anyone it determines to have supported anti-U.S. hostilities; and
- immunizes U.S. officials from prosecution for cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment of detainees who were captured before the end of last year.
As the Senate gavel came down in the early morning hours of Saturday, September 30, the campaign season began in full-swing. As usual, about one-third of the Senate (33 seats) and the entire House are up fo re-election. The ongoing war in Iraq, terrorism, U.S. foreign policy, illegal immigration, and several recent political scandals are likely be some of the most prevalent deciding factors in November’s election.
For more information, please visit http://www.congress.gov.
Carolyn Chuhta is the Senior Legislative Aide for National Security in the office of Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski.
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The Bigger Picture: How Maryland Public Policy Alums are Affecting and Changing Policy
Shirley Hsieh, MPP '04 International Security & Economic Policy
Welcome to The Bigger Picture! This is a new feature in the GWIPP Newsletter that highlights the various careers and work of Maryland Public Policy Alums and, on a larger scale, how they think their current job is affecting policy and changing the world. The key is that no matter what the position is, what our Maryland Public Policy Alums are doing, or where they are, Public Policy Alums are continually making a difference in the world!
If you have any questions or would like to contribute to The Bigger Picture, please contact
Name: Shirley Hsieh (MPP ’04, ISEP)
Title: Public Sector Consultant
Organization: IBM Global Business Services / Global Combat Support System – Army Product Lifecycle Management Plus (GCSS-Army (PLM+))What are you currently working on? For the past year, I have been working as an Organizational Change Analyst for the GCSS-Army (PLM+) program. In very simple terms, the PLM+ program is integrating the U.S. Army’s supply chain using new SAP NetWeaver® software. Integration will help soldiers order and receive military supplies more efficiently and effectively wherever they are in the world. My job is to meet with different U.S. Army organizations, sponsors, and stakeholders and discuss ways to help the military and soldiers in the field understand new technology – whether it be creating a quarterly newsletter, writing magazine articles, or holding one-on-one workshops and “University courses.”
How is your job affecting policy/making a difference? The PLM+ program definitely helps the U.S. Army to operate more efficiently; however, many people do not understand the new technology and how it may affect them; thus, many people are (strongly) resistant to it. My job is to simply help U.S. Army organizations realize the benefits of new technology. When people start to understand why there is a need for new technology, they begin to open up and be more proactive about it. Collectively, this improves the efficiency of government organizations.
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Shiftwork in the 24/7 Economy
Kristen Waters, MPP '07 Social Policy
After my sophomore year in college, I accepted a summer internship working in a General Motors assembly plant in Baltimore. Figuring that my marketing and English skills would be put to work in a front office, I was surprised when I was assigned to the body shop, conducting ISO compliance audits. I was even more alarmed when three weeks into the job my supervisor reassigned me to a special project which entailed a switch to the late shift. On the first shift, I had arrived at 7 am and left work at 4 pm, but my late shift work started at 4:30 pm and ran until 12:30 am, even 1 or 2 am, depending on how long it took the plant to reach its daily production quota. I had one weekend to retrain my body to function on this later shift and spent the rest of summer feeling out-of-sync with the rest of world.
My shiftwork experience was temporary and although I stuck with it, I had other internship opportunities and my parents to fall back on; yet, for many working Americans late shifts or rotating schedules have become a regular part of their family lives. Research indicates that the work hours of Americans are increasingly diverse. There is a growing division in the labor force: one segment has increased the hours it works while the other is working shorter or nonstandard work weeks (Golden, 2001). More workers have flexible work schedules and work is increasingly performed along the fringes of the “standard” work day, starting or ending several hours before or after the traditional nine-to-five schedule (Golden, 2001). Over one-fourth of dual-earner couples include a spouse who works a non-day shift. While alternating shifts can help couples to share child care burdens, it can also resemble single parenting for each partner and can contribute to marital dissatisfaction, sexual problems, and even higher divorce rates (Presser, 2004).
How do these structural changes in families’ work schedules affect their child care options? For nightshift workers, there is a mismatch between their child care needs and its availability. Presser (2004) finds that “[w]hen mothers are not married and are working non-standard schedules, the most frequent relative providing care is the grandparent” (p. 63). Fathers also provide care while mothers work the late shift, but the quality of relative care remains unknown. The extent to which children of shiftworker parents care for themselves during the day while their parents sleep is also uncertain (Presser, 2004).
In a review of European studies on shiftwork and health, Alexander Wedderburn (2000) finds that some shiftworkers experience physical health problems, such as sleep difficulties, heart disease, digestive problems, and mental health difficulties including nervousness, anxiety, and depression. Shiftwork may also increase risks to women’s reproductive health. According to Wedderburn (2000) part of the social cost of shiftwork – which shiftworkers themselves rank as “of greatest concern” – includes restrictions on a worker’s sexual, social, and parental roles. A shiftworker’s partner may also experience limitations in terms of the type of work he or she may perform. Consequently, these social interruptions can result in “a sense of alienation from society and isolation from family may develop” (Wedderburn, 2000, p.25). While shiftworkers may have much to gain from the collective bargaining tactics of unions (and in fact, the U.S. Congress Office of Technological Assessment (1991) encourages labor and management to include provisions for “the safety and needs of shift workers in collective bargaining agreements”); ironically, their social isolation may prevent them from seeking these beneficial associations.
To learn more about this issue:
Golden, Lonnie. 2001. “Flexible Work Schedules: What Are We Trading Off to Get Them?” pp. 50-67. Monthly Labor Review (March). http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2001/03/contents.htm
Presser, Harriet B. 2004. “Employment in a 24/7 Economy: Challenges for the Family.” Chapter 3, pp. 46-76, in C. F. Epstein and A. L. Kalleberg, eds., Fighting for Time: Shifting Boundaries of Work and Social Life. NY: Russell Sage Foundation.
U.S. Congress, Office of Technological Assessment. 1991. Biological Rhythms: Implications for the Worker. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/ota/Ota_2/DATA/1991/9108.PDF
Wedderburn, Alexander, ed. 2000. “Shiftwork and Health,” Special Issue of the European Studies on Time (BEST), Vol. 1. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. Also available on the website of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions: http://www.eurofound.eu.int/pubdocs/2000/09/en/1/ef0009en.pdf
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October GWIPP Potluck Photo Gallery
GWIPP members and alumnae continue the time-honored tradition of gathering for yummy home-cooked (or at least thoughtfully purchased) dishes and engaging conversation on the first Sunday of every month. Alum Carolyn Chuhta hosted our October potluck, a feast replete with several Italian entrees and chocolate desserts. (Nobody was complaining.)
Join us Sunday, November 5th for the next potluck dinner. See details below!
Carolyn takes in the scene and urges guests, “Don’t leave me with too many leftovers!”
Marisa, Ruby, Hank, and Crystal survey the variety of pasta options.
Erin and Marisa dig in!
Ruby, the spicy chili chef!
Isaac and Yarrow take time out from their studies to join us.
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Got Something to Say?
We need your submissions for these upcoming GWIPP newsletters. Please email Kristen Waters if you are interested in writing on any of the following themes:
December -- The Leadership Issue; advice on finals
March -- The Science and Technology Issue: gearing up for Earth Day/Month events in April; feature on climate change; focus on women's health
May -- The "Changes" Issue - transitioning from school to full-time work; becoming a parent; going back to school (articles from new and prospective students on "why now?"); deciding when it's time to change jobs
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Upcoming GWIPP Events
Next GWIPP Meeting – Monday, October 16th, 7-8 pm, Community lounge (VMH 1113)
Join us for a planning session. Snacks will be provided.
Maggie McIntosh on Environmental Policies and Politics in Maryland – Friday, October 27th, 10-11:30 am, Community lounge (VMH 1113)
Maggie McIntosh is Chair of the Environmental Matters Committee and represents the 43rd District of Baltimore City in the Maryland House of Delegates. With her committee members, she is working toward a cleaner and healthier Chesapeake Bay. This Environmental Policy Roundtable is co-hosted by the Ecological Economics Student Group (EESG) and GWIPP. Visit EESG on the web.
November GWIPP Potluck – Sunday, November 5th, 6-8 pm
Bring your friends, partners, and kids with you to second-year student Kate Howard’s house for good food and great conversation! Please RSVP toAddress: 749 Silver Spring Avenue, Silver Spring MD 20910
Phone: 301-920-0135 (h) or 415-412-7773 (c)Directions:
From Inner Loop 495: Exit at Georgia Ave (south). Proceed south through downtown Silver Spring and turn left at Silver Spring Ave. There is a left-turn lane. Go 2 blocks (crossing Fenton and Grove Streets). My house is on the left #749. There is street parking in the neighborhood.
From Outer Loop 495: Exit on Colesville Road HWY 29 (south). Proceed south toward downtown Silver Spring and turn left at Fenton Ave. Continue past Whole Foods and turn left at Silver Spring Ave. Go 1 blocks (crossing Grove Streets). My house is on the left #749. There
is street parking in the neighborhood.From Metro: Take the Red Line to Silver Spring. On exiting the station, turn left and walk up the stairs. There's a cul-de-sac taxi stand. You'll want to walk towards Georgia Ave (on Bonifant). Cross Georgia walk one block. Turn right on Fenton Ave (new condos will be on your right. Walk down Fenton 2 blocks and turn left at Silver Spring Ave. Walk more 1 block (crossing Grove Street). My house is on the left #749.
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Special Events in the Area
Paid Leave: Who Get’s It, Who Doesn’t, and What’s Being Done About It
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
8:30-10:00 am
Baltimore City Community College, Corporate Training Room
710 E. Lombard Street Baltimore, MD 21202Panelists: Kate Kahan, National Partnership for Women & Families; Jodie Levin-Epstein, CLASP (Center for Law & Social Policy); Vicky Lovell, Institute for Women's Policy Research.
Please RSVP to
Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women
Sunday, October 15, 2006
12:00-4:00 pm
Baltimore, MD
http://www.mdlegagenda4women.org/
The Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women (MLAW) is a statewide coalition of women's groups and individuals formed to provide a non-partisan, independent, voice for Maryland women and families. The group advocates for progressive legislation and policy that promotes and protects the well being of Maryland women and their families and provides them opportunities to develop their full potential.
Rock Against Violence
Sunday, October 15th at 9 pm
The Women's Foreign Policy Group's 2006 Annual Luncheon Event
Featuring H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia
Monday, October 16, 2006
Luncheon at 12 noon
The Ritz Carlton
1150 22nd Street NW
Washington, DC 20037Tribute by Dr. Jendayi Frazer, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs
Mistress of Ceremonies, Renee Poussaint, CEO, National Visionary Leadership ProjectFor more information, see http://www.wfpg.org/
These and other events can be viewed at the GWIPP website. Download events to your own Google or iCal Calendar.
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