Bureau of Public Affairs Research

Message from the Director

Greetings and welcome to the Bureau of Public Affairs Research! The staff of the Bureau and the members of the Department of Political Science are excited about the great potential and changing direction of the Bureau. Over the next few years we hope to build on the existing strengths the Bureau has had for years, including producing research reports for local and state officials and conducting topical policy and political analysis. We are also in a time of transition where we hope to link the policy-based research faculty at the University of Idaho together under the auspices of the Bureau to better fulfill the outreach mission of the University of Idaho. This network of faculty across the University (called "faculty associates") will be conducting Bureau-sponsored research on a range of political, environmental, recreational, international and agricultural policy work. Our hope is to also get our top undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Idaho involved at the Bureau by engaging in political research on legislative policy or important political issues of the day. We plan to offer a seminar series for a small group of students (run by a faculty member) to produce up-to-date research on policy issues facing Idaho or the pacific northwest. Thanks for stopping by and we hope you'll come back soon to watch our progress. Brandon Rottinghaus Director