EXCELLENT SERVICE. The winners of the 2007 Georgia Excellence in Public Service Awards are serious about improving the quality of life in Georgia.
INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH. Michael Beck is the new director of the Institute's International Center for Democratic Governance.... A delegation of officials from China's Qinghai Province visits the Institute to discuss public administration training options for the future.... Democratic Republic of Congo lawmakers learn more about the roles and responsibilities of state legislators.
LEADING THE WAY. County and municipal officials gathered at special institutes this summer to learn more about how to put their leadership skills to work on visions for their communities.
TRANSPORTING DATA. Information technology specialists are helping Georgia Department of Transportation officials evaluate how the agency collects and stores a multitude of information.
CLASSROOM ON THE MOVE. The Vinson Institute and the Association County Commissioners of Georgia teamed up recently to provide officials with a first-hand look at innovative health-care initiatives in the state.
ETHICAL BEHAVIOR. What selected local governments think about ethics in general and their ethics ordinances in particular is the subject of an Institute study.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY. Dr. Amy Parker is the new director of the Institute's Environmental Policy Program.
FINANCE EDUCATION ONLINE. A new online elective course in the Finance Officer Certification Program covers financial laws in Georgia local governments.
RIVER WATCH. A new page on the popular GeorgiaInfo Web site provides extensive information on each of Georgia's rivers, along with photos and links to other sites.
OUTSOURCING OUTLOOK. Decisions about outsourcing services defy easy solutions; a new Institute study is examining the key factors involved.
LET THE RACE BEGIN. Paul Begala, well-known political commentator, will present a lecture on the 2008 political race at the University of Georgia on October 22.
PUBLICATIONS SPOTLIGHT. Partisan change and lobbying are explored in the new issue of State and Local Government Review.... Compliance Auditing in Georgia Counties and Municipalities offers a convenient one-stop subscription for current compliance information.... Both the civil and criminal case volumes of the Suggested Pattern Jury Instructions are now available in new print editions and in an online set
PROJECT CITIZEN. Teachers throughout the state are learning how to use a nationally recognized civic education program in a series of special workshops coordinated by the Vinson Institute.
CHECK IT OUT. The Institute is coordinating a new management and development program for future Georgia Public Library Service leaders.
OUTSTANDING OUTREACH. The Vinson Institute's Human Resource Management Program was well-represented at the annual meeting of the Southeastern Conference on Public Administration (SECoPA) held recently in Nashville, Tennessee. Faculty member Carl McCoy was appointed to the Capacity Steering Group of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA). This major committee oversees all ASPA sections and chapters.... Ilka Decker, staff member, was tapped to serve on SECoPA's conference site selection committee.... Steve Condrey, faculty member and director of the Human Resource Management Program, was elected SECoPA chair-elect of the organization, which currently serves approximately 1,800 members.
