Metropolitan Studies Program Introduction
The Metropolitan Studies Program, the historical predecessor of CPR, was established in 1961 by the legendary Alan K. "Scotty" Campbell, who went on to chair the U.S. Civil Service Commission and become the first Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Its goal now, as then, is to conduct incisive policy-relevant research about urban issues and the impact of development and urbanization on populations. The Program continues its traditional focus on public finance, studying such areas as the structure of tax systems, intergovernmental relations, governmental accounting and financial reporting, and municipal fiscal conditions. More recently its faculty have begun to explore the impact of government policy on housing markets and where businesses choose to locate; racial and ethnic discrimination in housing and mortgages; the interaction of social welfare programs and employment; and empirical research about education finance. Other faculty are looking at: people vs. place policy, urban locations and low incomes, social services and jobs, government effects on personal decisions to start a small business, consume alcohol or tobacco, choose among employment options, or even to marry. Much of this work is enriched by the varied backgrounds and perspectives that international graduate students bring to the Program; in turn, they acquire research skills and analytical expertise to benefit their home country.
