The annual public policy symposium, hosted by the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, was held in two segments, the first of which was Nov. 14.Dr. Sarah Dennis’ public policy development class and state and local government class gave the presentation for this year’s symposium.
The topics included the psychological effects of Hurricane Katrina, the emotional issues in New Orleans post-Katrina, desolation within the school board before and after Katrina, and the government’s response to Hurricane Katrina on the national, state and local levels.
The final presentation of the first night was focused on racial inequality, which set the tone for the second night of the symposium.
The second night of the symposium was titled Race Relations in America. In the heat of the surfacing of many racial issues presented by Dr. Sarah Dennis, Chris Hughes, Chanel Fields, Brytani Jones, and Therese Hunter.
Mercedez Hogan followed with a thought-provoking poem related to issues within the black community. The panelists participating in this discussion included Darryl Dennis, CEO of wire2net LLC; Dr. Ruben Gonzales, head of the Foreign Languages Department; DeEric Henry, editor of The Gramblinite; Dr. Williams Horton, Department of History; and Dr. Angelia Weaver, Department of Political Science and Public Administration.
The questions asked brought forth insightful answers from the entire panel. The event was supported by students, faculty and members of the community.
“The symposium was a great opportunity for students to learn about the effects of Hurricane Katrina as it pertained to government and also a chance to expand our public speaking skills,” Cassaundra Marisett said.
Cheryl Darroux said participating in the symposium on Hurricane Katrina “was a great and educational experience to me. It enlightened me on how politics can affect lives on a grand scale.”
Dr. Dennis said the purpose of the symposium was to allow students an opportunity to present their research.
Both classes were focused on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina two years later. Some students looked at housing, some students looked at the crime rate pre- and post-Katrina, and some of the policy students evaluated the policies affecting the aftermath of Katrina.