ISP Update / January, 2006

ISP Update / January, 2006

Contents

Greetings
ISP Dues
ISP Chicago

June Policy Conference
Assorted Notes
In Summary

GREETINGS

Greetings, ISP Board Members, Advisory Council, Liaisons, Friends, and NASW Chapters. My sincere wishes for a 2006 that includes success in your professional and personal lives and my highest hopes that Influencing State Policy (ISP) remains an affiliation that produces positive results for you and your students and members/colleagues/agencies. Important announcements below require your scrutiny...I shall try to be concise and clear.

ISP DUES

Are slowly dribbling in. Our goal is 350+ paying members. Please forward the $25 to me at once at the address below. ISP's EIN number is 81.0676553.

ISP CHICAGO

#1: I am accepting reservations now for the 10th ISP Anniversary Celebration Dinner and Awards Ceremony. Thanks to the good efforts of Dr. Ed Gumz and Dr. Kathy Byers, we have reserved a beautiful dining room overlooking Lake Michigan on the campus of Loyola University from 6:00 til 9:00 PM on Saturday, February 18, 2006. Your reservation includes: a buffet dinner including meat, fish, salads, desserts, wine, etc., for $35 per person; our main speaker, the Honorable Ken Dunkin, MSW, Illinois State Legislature; recognition of our 27 founding Charter members; awards to the 2005 ISP contest winners from CT, TN, WA, TX and LA; award to our PhD dissertation 2005 winner, Ms. Jeounghee Kim, MSW, of the Washington University George Warren Brown School of Social Work in St. Louis; remarks by Drs. Kathy Byers and Robert Schneider. All of this for $35 and it includes pre-dinner drinks. Please email me your reservations and the number you wish to reserve. I will provide detailed directions to the dinner site (about 10 mins. from hotel) once I have your reservation. Deadline for reservations: February 13! I will collect your payments in Chicago (cash or check). I look forward to your email to: rschneid@vcu.edu.

#2: ISP has rented two booths, 807 & 809, in the Exhibition Hall from the evening of Thursday, February 16 at 7 PM til Sunday. February 19 til 11 AM. Our main focus here is two-fold: our annual ISP auction and distributing info about ISP. I need volunteers to help us set up on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 1 PM in the Exhibition Hall and to keep someone at the booth at all times. A one hour stint would be most appreciated and please let me know by email to: rschneid@vcu.edu, that you would be willing to sign up. There will be a sign-up clipboard at the booths.

#3: The ISP Auction! We need your help to raise the money for ISP projects like the video series, contest awards, sponsorships, etc. Please notify me of some item or two that you would like to donate and then bring it with you to Chicago or mail it to me and I will take it. Do not think that the "others" will make this contribution. We need your high quality items: weeks or weekends at your summer getaway; tickets to events or shows; political memorabilia; hand made crafts; unique items from your state; autographed books or photos; tours or cruises; art works; social work memorabilia; etc., etc. We have secured a 7-day cruise on American West's Empress of the North ship to view the Columbia and Snake Rivers in Oregon. We have a Harley Davidson leather jacket. We have a liter of Kentucky Bourbon. Think creatively and let me know so that I can advertise ahead of time. Time is of the essence now, so do not delay. Email to: rschneid@vcu.edu

JUNE POLICY CONFERENCE

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work and Influencing State Policy are pleased to announce that the Call for Papers (CFP) for The Policy Conference 2006 in Washington, DC, June 16-19 (formerly in Charleston, SC) is available.

The theme of the conference is: "Shifting the Tide: Challenges for Policy Practice." It will be held at the historic Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. Outstanding policy makers and analysts are being invited to speak. Many opportunities to communicate your latest research or present policy practice ideas are available. Plan to attend and/or submit a proposal, panel, roundtable, or workshop. Students are especially encouraged to attend and submit a proposal of their policy work or experiences ($50 three day registration for all students). Please go to: http://www.vcu.edu/slwweb/PolicyConf06.html to read about the scope of the conference, tracks, agenda, CFP directions, hotel rates, registration, etc...The CFP deadline is Feb. 1, 2006. For more information, email: swpolicyconf@vcu.edu or mlorithomas@msn.com for CFP questions.

I invite you to assist the Conference planners in reviewing the proposals submitted by Feb. 1. Please email me if you would like to review and evaluate approximately 7-8 proposals. Directions for doing so online will be provided. Email to: rschneid@vcu.edu asap.

ASSORTED NOTES

The ISP website, www.statepolicy.org has surpassed 70,500 visitors.

Please direct your students to a visit to their state legislature this spring. Our last year's efforts were excellent: 8,078. Our goal this year is: 9000. Please be sure to notify/email to: rschneid@vcu.edu what your numbers are.

For those who live in Florida, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana: please check our website at www.statepolicy.org and investigate the Gulf Coast Disaster Contest for you and your students. ISP is helping a very motivated and well organized student from Barry University School of Social Work, Desaray Smith Dione with this special contest. Maybe you can participate.

ISP Board member, Dr. Michael Sherraden, was featured in the Wall Street Journal, January 11, 2006 for his work on Individual Development Accounts, viz., asset building programs for low income people. Congrats, Mike!

IN SUMMARY

You can do the following according to your choosing: reserve a place at the ISP 10th Annivsary Celebration dinner in Chicago for 2.18.06; you can donate a quality item to the ISP auction; you can volunteer to assist with the ISP booth and auction in Chicago; you can volunteer to review proposals (CFPs) for the Policy Conference; you can submit a CFP to the Policy Conf by Feb. 1, 2006; you can register for the Policy Conference in June at http://www.vcu.edu/slwweb/PolicyConf06.html

That is it for now....I hope to hear from many of you very soon.....thanks for your continued support. All the best...Bob.