Capstone Course in Public Policy
Capstone Course in Public Policy
Te capstone course in public policy (SBS 591) provides students with an experience-based learning environment. To facilitate this goal, partnerships have been developed between the public policy minor and different local, regional and state offices and organizations that have public policy interests, to identify projects that students can engage when they are participating in the capstone course which will be relevant to these offices' initiatives. Thus far, arrangements have been secured with the City of Columbus, the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC), and the Ohio Business Roundtable, and preliminary discussions have occurred with the other state and local agencies and organizations.
The capstone course was first conducted during Spring quarter 2008, with the student who was enrolled in the course writing a substantial report that analyzed the legal background and experiences of eight major cities in the United States that had adopted mandatory recycling programs for multi-family residential and commercial properties within their jurisdictions, and identified lessons that could be gleaned for Columbus and the surrounding metropolitan area. The final report was delivered to members of MORPC, staff members of the Mayor of Columbus (including the environmental steward of Columbus, and Mayor’s environmental policy advisor), and the head of education and outreach for SWACO. Future iterations of the course will engage a wide array of topics, including climate change management in the state of Ohio, the impacts of ballot initiatives on electoral processes in Ohio, and the relationship between tax zones and business development in different localities.
For further questions about the capstone course, please contact Professor Alan Wiseman (wiseman.69@osu.edu).
