The primary mission of the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) is to conduct, support and foster applied academic research that informs local, state, and urban policy issues.

The Center is housed within the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, where it helps scholars conduct policy-relevant social science research. CLOSUP functions as an information resource for policymakers and practitioners, academics, students, the media, and the public. The Center works to foster effective communication between academic researchers and the policymakers dealing with today's state, local, and urban policy problems. A second important goal of the Center is to facilitate student learning and engagement with today’s critical local, state, and urban policy issues.

New Working Papers

4 new working papers released, February 2010:

Rational Ignorance in Education: A Field Experiment in Student Plagiarism. Brian Jacob.
The Impact of No Child Left Behind on Student Achievement. Thomas Dee and Brian Jacob.
The Effect of Employment Protection on Worker Effort: Evidence from Public Schooling. Brian Jacob.
Do Principals Fire the Worst Teachers? Brian Jacob.

Michigan Research Briefs

The series "Michigan Research Briefs" provides readers with a nonpartisan analysis of key policy topics facing Michigan today. The goal of these reports is to inform policy discussion throughout the state. The briefs do not represent original research, but rather aim to summarize the existing literature on the topic. Read more.

The Prison Population and Corrections Expenditures

CLOSUP has released the sixth and final brief in its publication series Michigan Research Briefs: a Series on Key Policy Issues. The sixth brief reviews trends in crime rates, the incarceration rate, and corrections expenditures. The brief also examines potential solutions to reduce the cost of corrections while maintaining public safety.

Download the brief.

See the press release.

See other briefs in the series released previously.

Michigan Public Policy Survey Key Findings Report

The first key findings report from the first wave of the new Michigan Public Policy Survey is now available. Read more about the Key Findings Report or see an overview of the MPPS.

October 2009: Local Government Fiscal and Economic Development Issues

The Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) is a new, ongoing survey program targeted at the chief elected and the chief appointed official in every unit of general purpose local government in Michigan. MPPS is designed to gather both opinion and factual data on a wide variety of policy issues and local government operations at the grassroots level throughout Michigan. MPPS is conducted by CLOSUP in partnership with the Michigan Association of Counties, Michigan Municipal League, and Michigan Townships Association.

Download the report.

Read the press release.

See news coverage of the MPPS.

Upcoming Events

March 10, 2010, 4:00-5:30pm: "Will U.S. Schools Drag Us Down?" Richard Hanushek, Stanford University
March 15, 2010, 4:00-5:30pm: "Neighborhood as Sustainability Laboratory: Agency and Agendas in the 'Green' Rebuilding of New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward" Barbara Allen, Virginia Tech National Capitol Region Campus. Sponsored by the Ford School Science and Technology in Public Policy Certificate Program, co-sponsored by CLOSUP.
March 22, 2010, 4:00-5:30pm: "Health Care Reform at the State vs National Level: Tradeoffs and Tipping Points."
March 29, 2010, 4:00-5:30pm: "The Policy and Politics of the Michigan Prisoner Re-entry Initiative."
April 1, 2010, 11:30am-1:00pm: "Winter Heating or Clean Air? Unintended Impacts of China's Huai River Policy." Avraham Ebenstein, Harvard University

See videos from past events

See other events around UM with relevance to state and local policy

closup@umich.edu |

735 South State Street, Suite 5310. Ann Arbor, MI. 48109-3091 |

phone: 734-647-4091 |