The Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs (TSPA) in the College of Arts and Science and the Division of Applied Social Sciences (DASS) in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources are excited to announce that the Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis (OSEDA) joined the Truman School to partner with the Institute of Public Policy (IPP), effective January 1, 2019.
This merger will allow OSEDA and IPP to combine the strengths of their respective research programs and collaborative partnerships to serve the state of Missouri. DASS has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with OSEDA, celebrating 40 years in 2018. This merger will build on the historically strong ties between DASS faculty and TSPA faculty and enable a much more comprehensive, broader public service program.
IPP and OSEDA share a core focus on Missouri policy. OSEDA’s incorporation into IPP will join OSEDA’s skilled researchers with IPP’s engagement mission to create a single resource for public policy makers. Merging their extensive data structures will provide useable and accessible information to academic researchers as well. During the transition, OSEDA will retain its unique identity within IPP in order to maintain relationships and provide continuity for existing projects and programs, with the eventual goal of transitioning to a single resource under IPP.
Joining under a single administrative structure will also improve institutional efficiency, led by a shared director and managed by one fiscal office. Dr. Lael Keiser, TSPA Director, will continue to serve as the Interim Director of IPP. OSEDA program director Wayne Mayfield will serve as the Associate Director for Research. Emily Johnson will serve as the Associate Director for Operations. The two staffs will remain at their current capacity.
A search for a permanent director of IPP will begin on January 1, 2019. MU Extension and the College of Arts and Science have committed funding to the IPP director position, giving IPP the shared mission of research and extension.
The Institute of Public Policy is the source for independent, nonpartisan public policy analysis for Missouri. Established in 2000 as an integral part of the Truman School of Public Affairs, IPP works to examine critical public policy issues for policy makers and citizens, focusing on education, public health, public safety, regional and economic development, and social services. IPP also provides a wide scope of services to the university, the state of Missouri — both legislative and executive branches — county, city, and municipal governments, and nonprofit organizations across the state.
OSEDA enhances public and private decision-making, collaborating with partners in the analysis of social and economic data in ways that contribute to improvements in the well-being of people, enterprises, and communities. OSEDA’s partnerships foster collaborative engagement in the meaningful construction of information and knowledge to improve the quality of public education, improve state and local government services, improve the health and social strength of people and communities, and improve the capacity for economic development.