A survey of 525 members of the Conference of Minority Public Administrators (MPAs) received 160 responses. In contrast to Herbert's 1974 essay depicting MPAs at the mercy of forces beyond their control, survey responses showed them making impressive gains in upper-level federal management positions and taking a proactive role in dealing with…

Discusses the "reasonable woman" standard in sexual harassment cases and gender-based differences in defining harassment. Investigates the issue of these differences in the emotional and psychological effects of hostile environments, using data from a survey of 8,523 public employees. (SK)

Researchers who track the American labor market told Congress last week that, contrary to conventional wisdom, the United States has more than enough scientists and engineers and that federal agencies and universities should reform the way they train young scientists to better match the supply of scientists with the demand for researchers. At a…

A list of specific campus projects that Congress has directed federal agencies to support this year includes controversial projects (so-called pork barrel projects) for which the agencies did not request funding or sponsor competitions. (MSE)

Discusses Ward's article on the potential usefulness of social science researchers for government agencies' analysis of public opinion. Emphasizes the need to gather representative data and suggests that researchers can take a proactive role by using a theory of social behavior such as Bronfenbrenner's. (CB)

The purpose of this survey was to describe how selected U.S. government agencies provide information to the public via Internet services. A total of 19 World Wide Web sites were selected for the survey. Findings are reported related to types of resources made available, how sites identify available information, accessibility of information…

Cites the failings of the National Institute of Education (NIE) and the reasons behind them, discusses the proper federal role in supporting educational research, and suggests developing alternative methods for providing leadership and funding so that the NIE can be abandoned. (PGD)

The practices of the Overlap Group, a group of colleges that pools information to arrive at common financial-aid packages for applicants, are examined and a Justice Department inquiry is discussed. An antitrust analysis and some possible conclusions by the Justice Department or reviewing court are offered. (MSE)

Coleen Rowley became one of the most famous whistleblowers in the United States in recent times when she blew the whistle on intelligence blunders at the FBI. The special agent's fiery 13-page letter to FBI Director Robert Mueller in 2002 detailed the FBI's failure to investigate Zacarias Moussaoui, a French national of Moroccan descent known as…

Public access to the Internet and computers is transforming public libraries into de facto e-government access points, for such disparate services as disaster relief, Medicare drug plans, and even benefits for children and families. This new role for public libraries is not just user-initiated. Government agencies now refer people to public…

This article introduces the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as a potential funding source for social work doctoral students. HUD's two doctoral research grant programs (i.e., the Early Doctoral Students Research Grant and the Doctoral Dissertation Research Grant) are nontraditional, largely untapped funding sources for social…

The National Park Service's National Historic Landmarks (NHL) Program plays a major role in preserving nationally significant cultural resources. National Historic Landmark designation increases public awareness of archaeology by highlighting the importance of the most significant prehistoric and historic archaeological resources. By disseminating…

This report reviews, in the context of their budget and staff resources, selected activities of six Federal agencies with significant responsibility for enforcing civil rights laws. They are: (1) the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights; (2) The Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights; (3) the Department of…

Citing a need for a strong, clearly-defined approach to software maintenance, this report emphasizes the importance of maintenance throughout the life cycle of a software system. It also stresses the need to plan, develop, use, and maintain a software system with future maintenance in mind. The report presents guidance for controlling and…

This booklet on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) attempts to provide an overview of the FBI's functions. Presented in a question and answer format, the 99 questions and answers discuss the federal government agency's history, administrative matters, jurisdiction, criminal investigations, security matters, foreign counter-intelligence, and…