$1 Million in Federal Education Funding Supports 16 McCarthy Center Projects
The Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good has received $1 million from the federal Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). The money will fund “Project Public Service,” a collection of 16 research, education, and service projects put together by the center that advance its goal of preparing students to be public service-minded leaders and to impact public policy for the common good.
The funding was made possible by Rep. Nancy Pelosi, “through her efforts to ensure that the San Francisco community benefits fully from available federal programs,” said Leo McCarthy.
A faculty steering committee, along with center staff and Leo McCarthy, chose proposals that “are in pursuit of the center’s mission to inspire and equip students to engage in public service,” McCarthy Center Director Richard Spohn said.
The projects are:
The Public Service Leadership Recruitment Program will recruit outstanding high school students with an interest in public service to attend USF and participate in McCarthy Center programs.
The Citizenship Development Research Project will study how and why university students become active citizens. In collaboration with researchers in New York City, a USF-led team will use USF and Bay Area students as a sample base for the project, which will provide a foundation for the center’s mission of inspiring and equipping students for public service.
The Political Ethics Case Development Project will be led by ethicist and former USF President Al Jonsen, who now teaches in the Fromm Institute. Jonsen will develop a series of real-world case studies of ethical challenges confronted by politicians. The end product will be a first-of-its-kind casebook that examines how public servants grapple with ethical issues.
A Legislative Drafting Course/Clinic will be set up at the USF School of Law to give students hands-on experience in writing legislation. “Unless you know how laws are made and passed, you’re not able to advocate effectively for the poor and the marginalized,” Spohn said. The clinic is scheduled to be up and running in fall 2004.
A Public Service Resource Bank within the McCarthy Center will be developed as a library of public service research materials. It will include publications as well as electronic resources.
The Globalization Ethics Project will use three case studies of emerging nations to understand the ethical problems presented by global finance institutions, trade treaties, and global corporate investors. The end products of the project will be a report, a conference, and a new undergraduate course, all focusing on the impact of the global economy on the poor and marginalized.
A Medley of Events on Public Service, and Publication of Primers on Social Issues and Public Service Vocations will take place in spring 2005 during the university’s 150th anniversary celebration as a way of emphasizing USF’s commitment to public service. Specifically, the center will sponsor two series of public events, one focused on career paths and one on key public policy issues related to the poor and marginalized. Publications on both topics also will be prepared.
A Conflict Resolution Compendium of theories, methodologies, and case studies will be compiled as an introduction to the study and practice of conflict resolution.
The Office of Service Learning will facilitate service learning conference attendance, and syllabus and site development by faculty. The office will help faculty develop syllabi for service learning courses as required by USF’s core curriculum, and help identify partner organizations. This project will also sponsor faculty members’ attendance at service learning conferences.
McCarthy Faculty Public Service Research Fellowships will sponsor faculty research in public service-related topics, with an emphasis on California state and local issues. Reports by fellowship recipients will be published.
The Homeless Research Project will chronicle, evaluate, and build on policies and programs aimed at solving homelessness in the Bay Area. Former San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos, who serves on the McCarthy Center’s Board of Overseers, will help lead this project.
Bridging the Digital Divide will put computer science students’ technical skills to work for nonprofits in the Bay Area. Led by Professors Chris Brooks and Dave Wolber, students will provide technical support and Web site development, and analyze how public policy and businesses can help provide universal access to technology.
The Asian American Civic Engagement Project, to be led by Philosophy Professor David Kim, aims to encourage increased participation and involvement of Asian Americans in public life and service.
The Genocide Profile Project will identify the cultural, social, and economic conditions that have given rise to genocide. An overview of the genocide phenomenon, and references for people researching genocide and trying to prevent it, will be produced.
The Democracy Capacitation Research Project will assess six leading programs that train legislators and judges in emerging democracies. Led by Law Professor Judd Iversen, the project will assess the most effective methods of training leaders of emerging democratic countries.
The PICO Project, led by award-winning journalist Robert Blair Kaiser, will be a broad study of the Pacific Institute for Community Organizing (PICO), a network of faith-based community organizations aimed at improving the quality of life of low income and marginalized people. Kaiser, Newsweek’s Vatican correspondent, will produce a description of PICO techniques and oral histories of PICO leaders. Kaiser, who is spending the year at USF as a McCarthy Visiting Distinguished Practitioner, will also help PICO establish a quarterly journal. 
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