- Community & Alumni Engagement
- Community and Economic Engagement
- Public Policy Institute
Public Policy Institute
The WCU Public Policy Institute aims to empower the Western North Carolina region to effectively manage real policy problems by mobilizing students, community leaders, faculty, and citizens to discuss and develop viable policy options to create more effective policies.
Our Goals
- Facilitate student growth and involvement in their communities.
- Improve public policy in the region by conducting rigorous research on major issues.
- Making resulting research available and understandable to a practitioner audience.
- Attract dedicated students, faculty, and staff to assist in carrying out the mission.
- Obtain resources to carry out the mission of the institute.
- Exercise policy leadership in the region.
About PPI
The PPI hosts a number of educational events and seminars in the fall and spring semesters, including Constitution Day celebrations, political debates for local races, seminars, and more. CONSTITUTION DAY 2020
Some of our recent PPI projects include:
- LoGoS (Local Government Survey), an annual survey of all municipal and county governments in North Carolina on an issue of relevance in the field.
- WNC Food Policy Council, a network of more than 200 food producers and food security agencies in the seven western counties of North Carolina. Learn more about the WNCFPC
- County-wide surveys for Haywood County, NC, concerning public library usage and land use planning.
- Election debates held on the campus of Western Carolina University.
- North Carolina Nonprofits Survey, an annual survey of nonprofits in the state on an issue of relevance in the field.
- Preparation for the educational events and seminars which we host on campus in the fall and spring semesters.
