‘Policy Lab’ partnership draws interest from other Big 10 universities

Presenter: Lane County is recognized for its work in launching an innovative program that pairs the local research university with county government. On June 24, County Administrator Steve Mokrohisky:

Steve Mokrohisky (Lane County, administrator): Today we wanted to recognize this ‘Outstanding Community Partner Award’ that we received from the University of Oregon recently—the 3PM (Planning, Public Policy, and Management) program at the University of Oregon—recognizing this partnership that began in 2018.

[00:00:29] It sort of started with a simple conversation and an idea. And then it’s been developed and nurtured and grown into what it is today because of really some outstanding individuals both at the University of Oregon and here in Lane County.

[00:00:45] And so Professor Ben Clark is here with us from the University of Oregon. Ben was one of the catalysts for this project and really the passionate leader at the University of Oregon, along with Josh Bruce and Aniko Drlik-Muehleck. Those have been our partners.

[00:01:00] And I just, an incredible thank you and great work to Jeff Kincaid in county administration, Steve Adams and our policy team, and Greg Rikhoff, our assistant county administrator, who have been the county staff leads, just charging this thing forward.

[00:01:15] And it does take a lot of work. We coordinate with faculty, we meet regularly with the faculty in the PPPM program, along with our leaders in Lane County to sort of conceptualize ideas. So the questions the faculty at the University ask are: What are you working on? What are the issues that are of concern? And then we discuss how we can turn those into actual projects.

[00:01:43] So I just want to make a few comments here: This program began in early 2018. It’s the first of its kind that we’re aware of in the country that pairs a county government with a public research university, consistently and deliberately working together in a program fashion.

[00:02:00] Policy Lab over the last seven years has enabled the completion of over 50 projects in partnership with various courses such as public budgeting, public management, Real World Lane County, which has become an actual class that is, that are students that take on real-world problems, and then the MPA, the Masters in Public Administration, capstone work.

[00:02:21] Hundreds of students have been able to connect with local government professionals through experiential coursework, convenings, internships, interviews, and other engagement opportunities. And we continue to develop this partnership and other engagement opportunities expanding to the rural parts of Lane County that really are the places where—

The University has its base, its home here in the metro area of Eugene and Springfield and the incredible assets that the university has are easily accessible here within the metro area.

[00:02:56] But our rural communities really need the resources that the University provides more than any others. And so we’ve really worked to deepen those relationships with communities like Oakridge and Veneta, Creswell and Cottage Grove, bringing elected officials into the classroom and hosting various chats with elected and appointed officials.

[00:03:17] So, just so excited to recognize this, we go on and on, you all are very familiar with this program, I want to thank commissioners for how engaged all five of you were in those presentations. It was like, we had to kind of go, we had to keep moving ’cause you kept asking questions and wanting to know more about different projects, and that’s what we want.

[00:03:37] That’s where these partnerships are really valuable is when we can engage in this work, present information, and it helps to inform our decision-makers, our policymakers, and our community in solving challenges.

[00:03:49] Presenter: From the University of Oregon’s School of Planning, Public Policy, and Management, Ben Clark:

[00:03:56] Ben Clark: The conception of the award really came about because of this partnership. And something that I wanted to do from 3PM to recognize how much our community provides a service to our students and to the University of Oregon.

[00:04:11] This partnership is an example for people around the country. And we’ve had the opportunity, Steve and I, to sort of preach the gospel of the Policy Lab to other Big Ten universities this spring. And, you know, were very warmly received around the country and the questions of, ‘Wow, I’m amazed. How can we do that too?’

[00:04:38] And so it’s really a testament to the folks sitting up here and the hard work that they put into this, the day in and day out, every week, pretty much all year round, and just making that partnership happen, the time and the effort that they put into it and the heart that this team puts into it.

[00:04:59] A plaque is nice, but you know, the work that they put into it has really transformed, I think, this student experience. And so that’s why we wanted to present this award to this team here. Thank you.

[00:05:15] Presenter: Assistant County Administrator Greg Rikhoff:

[00:05:18] Greg Rikhoff (Lane County, assistant administrator): We should probably also share that not only is Ben the lead for the school of 3PM, he will be recognized this fall with full professorship. So for those of you who know about the academy and know the journey to full professorship, we’re excited that Ben’s getting that recognition and will have that level of work on his plate.

And we (of course) would like to think that it’s no small part this partnership that’s helped bring him to the fore although he’s, there’s a lot of great work that he does and it’s probably worth talking about one of these days.

[00:05:56] I did want to recognize Jeff Kincaid up here. With so many of us, we could leave this as really great thinking, but in terms of actually getting the work done, having the details followed, being the thought partner who is helping to make tactical and strategic decisions on a daily basis, Jeff has been just an exceptional partner.

[00:06:22] He gets time with you, kind of on focused issues. I wanted to let you know that he is the backbone of this program and we could not be doing this without him.

[00:06:34] So thank you, and I just want to emphasize: We’re singular here. This is the county and university doing this type of work. And the ability to bring that kind of energy and thoughtfulness to our 4,700 square miles is really a tremendous piece. It should be replicated across this country. But right now, we’re it.

[00:07:01] Presenter: Lane County Commissioner Pat Farr.

[00:07:03] Pat Farr (Lane County, commissioner): Dr. Clark, it takes a great leader to have the vision to initiate a program like this, and you are a great leader. You’ve demonstrated that. Congratulations on your full professorship.

This work is unbelievable, not just for what you do in this room here, but what you do for the lives of the young men, women, and the people who are in your classes. So I can’t begin to thank you enough.

I’ll also take this time, Dr. Clark, to thank you for being my appointee to the Charter Review Committee. In addition to all of the work that you do at the University, you stepped out and did all of that work simultaneously. Dr. Clark, thank you very much.

[00:07:38] Presenter: Commissioner Heather Buch:

[00:07:40] Heather Buch (Lane County, commissioner): Thank you again for the recognition from the university of Oregon. Clearly our staff is exceptional and very proud of them to have earned this reward.

I do have a question, though. Are we the only ones that do this kind of partnership? Or are there just only a few in the country?

[00:07:59] Presenter: Greg Rikhoff:

[00:08:00] Greg Rikhoff (Lane County, assistant administrator): There are many, many policy labs, metropolitan policy labs. You see pairings with municipalities all over the place. You don’t see counties partnering with tier-one research universities.

[00:08:15] Presenter: Steve Mokrohisky:

[00:08:17] Steve Mokrohisky (Lane County, administrator): There’s actually a national organization called the Metro Lab, which is sort of a coalition of universities and municipalities that work together.

So as Mr. Rikhoff said, yeah, the concept of policy lab is certainly not new and it happens in a lot of other, in a lot of places, but it’s city governments that are working with universities, which makes, which makes sense in a lot of ways.

But the relationship between a between a county government and university is this is the only one that we’re aware of.

[00:08:47] Heather Buch (Lane County, commissioner): We need a ‘County Lab,’ basically.

[00:08:51] Presenter: Commissioner Laurie Trieger:

[00:08:53] Laurie Trieger (Lane County, commissioner): I’ll just say riffing on that this might be something to talk about at NACO conference, our National Association of Counties. I don’t know if our administrator has shared but this is a great opportunity to to share that with our national colleagues because it is, it’s such an impactful for us at the county right real policy solutions that your students have identified have made it all the way through our process and up to the state legislature into bills that have been signed.

[00:09:19] So, it is real-world work happening and so thank you for appreciating this partnership and this organization. And I think it is always one of the highlights of the year is when we get the report back and engage with the Policy Lab students.

[00:09:34] Presenter: Commissioner Ryan Ceniga:

[00:09:36] Ryan Ceniga (Lane County, commissioner): As Mr. Mokrohisky kind of hit on, it is a, you know, this is a very powerful partnership and then to follow up with Commissioner Trieger, these are real-world solutions that we’re coming up with.

[00:09:50] I mean, you know: How great did Mason (Bartholomei) do for Mapleton and West Lane there? And then teaming up with Rep. (Boomer) Wright and Vanessa to get all that stuff actually through. And you know, that’s a bug Mason caught that might be addicting.

[00:10:08] And then just when I was leaving I was kind of caught Julien Hernandez because that was something that I’m very passionate about is volunteering time.

And we talked and talked and talked and I had no idea that he was a pitcher for the U of O team. He’s on a jet doing homework and this was one of his projects that he wouldn’t let go because he wanted to finish it out. So you know that comes from having great professors there that are inspiring these kids to continue on.

[00:10:41] And I think as we all move in these careers, we realize how important those relationships are. So thank you. And this is great work. It truly is.

[00:10:52] Presenter: Commissioner David Loveall:

[00:10:54] David Loveall (Lane County, commissioner): The thing I brought out of all the compliments that you shared one to another is that all of you are committed to giving us something that we can never give you back.

And that’s your time and your expertise for doing what you do so I want to thank you for your time, something that you give us that we can never pay you back for doing what you do. So thank you again very much, everyone.

[00:11:11] Presenter: Lane County and the University of Oregon lead the way, as a Big Ten research university teams with county government to solve real-world problems.