Members of the LBJ Journal of Public Affairs editorial board and their guests celebrated 10 years of publishing on Tuesday, May 5, at a reception held at the Thompson Conference Center. Members of past editorial boards attended the reception, where the publication is traditionally released.
Launched in 1988 by Tamar Osterman (LBJ Class of '88) and David Twenhafel (LBJ Class of '89) as an annual publication, the Journal has involved about 80 student volunteers who have managed, edited, and produced the publication over the last 10 years. During this period, the work of more than 50 writers has been featured.
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In this issue's opening letter from the current editorial board, major events of the past 10 years highlight how the world, the university, and the School have changed since the first issue was published.
"In the intervening decade, war was waged in the Persian Gulf, the Berlin Wall was torn down and the NAFTA was hammered out," the letter says. "Here in Austin, LBJ School students learned to master the technological demands of the Internet, saw the Longhorns win the last football game of the Southwest Conference, witnessed the retirement of Max Sherman, beloved LBJ dean, and welcomed Edwin Dorn into the Dean's Office last fall. Other realities thrust forward a less welcome change. In possibly the most over-discussed news story in our tenure, the Fifth Circuit Court handed down its decision in the Hopwood case (that eventually disallowed race-based scholarships and race-based admission policies at UT Austin)."
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Journal Managing Co-Editor Kierstan
Gordan talks with Austin American-Statesman Editor Richard
Oppel following a brown bag talk by Oppel in February at the
LBJ School. (see
story)
Photo by María de la Luz Martínez
U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone--a Democrat from Minnesota who serves on five committees that focus on labor and human resources, foreign affairs, small business, Indian affairs, and veterans' affairs--is featured in this year's Practitioner's Corner. His article, "The Unfinished Agenda: Race, Poverty and Gender in America," challenges readers to look for new ways to end poverty and alleviate the social problems that go along with it.
"By starting the Journal with the opinion of a decisionmaker, we hope that readers will start to experience what public service is all about--action and advocacy to make the nation better," write the editors.
This year's articles are "The National Endowment for the Arts: Crisis or Commitment in America's Arts Agenda," by Elizabeth R. Pleshette; "Connecting Schools and Libraries to the Internet: Empty Promises or Worthwhile Goals?" by Maria D. Gutierrez and Patricia Osorio-O'Dea; "A River without Water: Examining Water Shortages in the Yellow River Basin," by Eric Zusman; "A Modern Civil War: Annexation Pits Neighbor against Neighbor," by Richard Maxwell; "Finding Common Ground: Improving Workers' Rights in Developing Countries," by Elise Gould; "Getting to Green: Renewable Energy through Green Pricing," by Rachel Feit; and "Patronage and Politics in Islamic Banking," by Peter C. Lyon.
This year's managing editors are Kierstan Gordon and Bob Hall. The rest of the editorial board includes Michael Collins, Michael Dean, Chris Knight, Julia Massimino, Whitt Orsburn, and Leigh Sebastian.
The Journal is distributed to members of the LBJ School community, selected state and federal legislators, and others interested in public affairs. It can also be viewed on the World Wide Web at http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~journal.