Dec. 3, 2009

The Master's of Public Policy program at CSU Monterey Bay is sponsoring a panel discussion involving local policymakers from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 7 in the University Center conference rooms.

Panelists are Judy Darnell, public policy director for United Way of California and a 2006 graduate of the MPP program; Monterey County Supervisor Simon Salinas; and Monterey County Chief Administrative Officer Lew Bauman.

They will speak on public policy from the perspective of an advocate, a decision maker and a government official. The panel is part of a class in Introduction to Policy Analysis and Public Action, taught by Dr. Ignacio Navarro.

"In the forum, we will learn how practitioners use and produce policy analysis in their work," said Dr. Navarro. "We will also explore how politics and technical information shape policy analysis and how practitioners balance these two seemingly competing forces in their work. Finally, we'll learn how practitioners envision policy change, their views on what causes it, and what the role of policy analysis in change is." One issue likely to be addressed is health care, since all three panelists have been involved in this timely policy issue.

The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.