Highlights
at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

Activities Honoring Ambassador Young on his 69th birthday

A foreign policy symposium featuring former U.S. President Bill Clinton, a gala fund-raiser that drew celebrities and government leaders from around the country and world, and, finally, the naming of Andrew Young International Boulevard in downtown Atlanta comprised a weekend of events recognizing the former U.S. ambassador's 69th birthday in March.

Foreign Policy Symposium. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Ambassador Andrew Young participated in a special foreign policy symposium honoring Andrew Young's birthday on March 9, 2001. Dean Bahl moderated the discussion before a packed house at Ebenezer Baptist Church in downtown Atlanta. Clinton and Young addressed ideas for closing the gap between rich and poor nations, promoting African economic development, and expanding the role of technology in international business.

President Clinton was presented with the school's first Andrew Young Medal for Capitalism and Social Progress, for his contributions to the development of dynamic and robust free economies based on socially responsible capitalism.

Gala Celebration. More than 1,500 friends paid tribute to Andrew Young, for his work as preacher, former Atlanta mayor and lifelong civil-rights advocate, during a birthday party at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta. The event raised $1.2 million for the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, which will be used for scholarships.

Special guests included Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell, Georgia State University President Carl Patton and scores of national and international dignitaries. Rev. Dwight Andrews, Senior Minister, First Congregational Church, U.C.C., led an invocation; local media anchor Monica Kaufman served as Mistress of Ceremonies; and hosts Maya Angelou and Harry Belafonte provided a special biographical tribute.

Street Naming. The weekend of events honoring Ambassador Young concluded with the ceremony for the naming of Andrew Young International Boulevard in downtown Atlanta, attended by the Mayor, Atlanta City Council, and guests.

Other Highlights of 2001

Georgia Cancer Coalition. Russ Toal, named director of the Georgia Cancer Coalition in May by Governor Roy Barnes, joined the Andrew Young School as Distinguished Fellow in Health Policy. He continues as member of the AYSPS Board of Advisors.

Environmental Protection Division Water Auction. The Environmental Policy program conducted the Environmental Protection Division's water auction at eight different sites in Southwest Georgia, March 17, 2001.  As a result of the auction, some 31,000 acres of land were taken out of irrigation for summer, 2001, at a cost of about $4.5 million. According to State Government Officials, the GSU leadership in this effort was superb. 

The Environmental Policy program expanded water policy efforts begun in 2000 with the Flint River Water Planning and Policy Center. The North Georgia center at GSU and the Coastal Rivers Water center at Georgia Southern University were added. Together the three centers form the Georgia Water Planning and Policy Center. See more in the Environmental Policy Program section of this report.

Public Finance Conference in Honor of Richard Bird. In April the International Studies Program held a conference in honor of Richard Bird, "Public Finance in Developing and Transition Countries." Invited speakers included experts in the field such as Govinda Rao, David Wildasin, Robert Ebel, Charles McLure, Vito Tanzi, and Sijbren Cnossen. See more in the International Studies Program section of this report.

Property Taxation Conference. In May the Fiscal Research Program sponsored a day-long conference on split rate property taxation. "Taxing Land, Taxing Building: Should They Be the Same?" funded by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. Participants included appointed and elected state government officials, business leaders, government agencies, lawyers, and faculty from the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies.See more in the Fiscal Research Program section of this report.

Ron Brown Institute for Sub-Saharan Africa. Georgia State University and University of Pretoria officials signed an agreement in May to establish the Ronald H. Brown Institute, a business-training and skills-development center in Sub-Saharan Africa. Named for the late U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and funded by a $5 million grant by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the goal of the Ronald H. Brown Institute is to contribute to private-sector-led economic growth in Africa by strengthening the skills of people already in business and providing training to other individuals, especially students, aspiring to enter the business world.

South Africa Study Abroad program. Undergraduate economics students from the Andrew Young School and Morehouse College participated in a joint study-abroad program in May. The trip included a visit to the University of Pretoria, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, and the South African Reserve Bank. See the section, Outreach to other Universities in the State, for more information.

Indonesian Masters Program. The Department of Economics and the International Studies Program welcomed 35 Indonesians in July for a year-long Masters in Economics program.  The program is funded by a $2 million grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development. See more at the International Studies Program section of this report.

Third Annual Meeting of the Georgia Collaborative to Improve Care at the End of Life. The Georgia Health Policy Center developed and facilitated the 3rd Annual Meeting of the Georgia Collaborative to Improve Care at the End of Life in June, which was attended by more than 125 individuals from over 50 organizations.

The center's work in conjunction with Georgia Public Television on Final Choices: Changing a Culture, was honored. The program was the recipient of a Southeastern Emmy Award, a National Headliner Award, and a Georgia Association of Broadcasters Award in 2001.

The Coca-Cola Leadership Conference and The Coca Cola Diversity Training Program. Coca Cola Enterprises and the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies hosted The Coca-Cola Leadership Conference in September. This day long, hands-on conference was attended by approximately 90 high school senior class presidents from around the state.

The Andrew Young School provided function space and administrative support for the The Coca Cola Diversity Training Program, which began in September. Sponsored by a $1.5 million grant from The Coca Cola Company, and developed and operated by The American Institute for Managing Diversity (AIMD), the program offers training in innovative diversity management processes and methods to help maximize the potential of all individuals in their respective organizations.

Nonprofit Studies Program. A nonprofit program was established "to foster academic scholarship in the nonprofit sector, and serve as a conduit between scholars and practitioners in creating and disseminating knowledge." Atlanta has one of the fastest-growing nonprofit sectors in the United States, providing an ideal location in which to study this sector's growing influence and challenges. See more at the Public Administration and Urban Studies section of this report.