Our recent survey finds quality of life remains high in the Treasure Valley

December, 2017

One of our most important roles of the School of Public Service is providing information to Idaho’s decision-makers. Accurate, thorough and insightful research and analysis is a crucial resource for Idaho businesses, cities and state legislators.

In this issue we’ll discuss the recently-released 2017 Treasure Valley Survey, which measures attitudes of Treasure Valley residents in regards to the economy and economic development, housing, employment and wages, taxes, and public spending priorities. We’ll also show you how our research is informing decisions on the best, most cost-effective ways to help homeless youth in Ada County.

We’re also proud to announce that one of our top students is bringing an Idaho voice to Washington, D.C. Eva Rodriguez, a Political Science senior, is one of ten advisors to the American Association of University Women. Eva is a first generation student and graduate of our NEW Leadership program.

Finally, we’ll show you scenes and essays from the first-ever Human Rights week, which was co-hosted by our Marilyn Shuler Human Rights Initiative and our Frank Church Institute.

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,
Corey Cook
Dean, School of Public Service
Boise State University

Treasure Valley Survey Reveals Attitudes on quality of life issues

Our Second Annual Treasure Valley Survey was conducted from September 5-8, 2017 and surveyed 1000 adults currently living in Ada, Canyon, Boise, Gem, and Owyhee counties. The survey found that quality of life remains high in the Treasure Valley although concerns about pace of growth are increasing.

Here are some key findings:

• Quality of life in the Treasure Valley remains strong, with very favorable attitudes reported on the area’s economy and neighborhood safety.
• Nearly 90% of respondents say that those living in the Treasure Valley are welcoming to newcomers with different religious, economic, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Concern about the fast pace of growth in the Treasure Valley increased significantly.
• Demand for more mass transportation options continues to grow, and public transportation is the most popular type of project for governments to spend tax dollars on.

Boise State Political Science senior selected to serve on prestigious American Association of University Women council

Eva Rodrigues, a first generation student at Boise State University, has been selected to serve on the prestigious Student Advisory Council for the American Association of University Women. Rodrigues recently traveled to Washington, D.C. with the nine other students chosen from throughout the country to serve on the 2017-2018 council for a leadership retreat.

Rodrigues is a political science major in her senior year and plans to attend graduate school. Her goal is to work in Regional and Urban Planning. She was a participant in the National Education for Women’s (NEW) Leadership Idaho in 2017 and is active in Alpha Pi Sigma, a sorority founded to support the Latino community.

Learn More About Eva Rodrigues and The AAUW’s Student Advisory Council on Our Website >

Idaho Policy Institute research serves as catalyst for bringing “Housing First” to Boise

New Path Community Housing broke ground on Sept. 20 as Idaho’s first “Housing First” development, serving 40 people experiencing chronic homelessness. In 2016, Idaho Policy Institute’s (IPI) assistant director Vanessa Fry and research associate Sally Sargeant-Hu assessed the community costs associated with chronic homelessness. They found that implementing a permanent supportive housing program with a housing first approach would result in savings and cost avoidance for the community of $2.7 million while better reducing barriers to housing.

Learn More About IPI Research on the IPI Website >

Human Rights Week at Boise State a big success

The inaugural Human Rights Week at Boise State witnessed hundreds of students and community members attending nine human rights events over nine days. Co-sponsored by the Marilyn Shuler Human Rights Initiative and the Frank Church Institute, topics ranged from human trafficking, Japanese-American internment, grassroots organizing, and immigration, refugees and national security.

View Images from Human Rights Week on Our Facebook Page >

Frank Church Institute presents a collection of essays on refugee issues

As part of the 34th annual Frank Church Conference, the Frank Church Institute presented a collection of essays, authored by a diverse group of policy practitioners, academics, students, and members of the refugee community. Essay topics ranged from personal perspectives on cultural diversity and local refugee policy to considerations of the broader humanitarian context behind the global refugee crisis.

Read Essays on Immigration and Refugee Issues on the Frank Church Institute Website >