LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Welcome to the Policy Matters Journal!
I am delighted to present the inaugural issue of this annual publication. The
outlet’s broad objective is to serve as a vehicle for rich discourse and debate on
contemporary public policy issues. Comprised entirely by capstone projects written by
current students enrolled in the Jacksonville University Master in Public Policy (MPP)
program, each article provides a rigorous examination of a singular policy area
including healthcare, education, criminal justice, and business. The interdisciplinary
nature of the Policy Matters Journal accompanied by its focus on real-world policy issues
makes the work suitable to a variety of academic, professional, and community
audiences. We invite you to review the issue and discuss its findings with friends,
family, and colleagues. The increase in open communication on shared public policy
concerns amongst readers is at the heart of our endeavor.
I must thank various individuals whose efforts have contributed to the
success of the first issue of the Policy Matters Journal. My appreciation goes to Mr. Rick
Mullaney, Esq., Director of the Jacksonville University Public Policy Institute, for
sharing a similar vision on expanding the exposure of work being completed by MPP
students, as well as the dedicated faculty members who voluntarily advise
individual students throughout the capstone process. My invaluable staff of Managing
Editor, Elizabeth Feustel, and Design Editor, Jenna Blyler, have my gratitude for
agreeing to join me on this project; their expertise and professionalism are self-evident.
A final note of thanks to this year’s authors—it is your ideas and creative solutions to
policy problems that form the core of this publication. It is my hope that future editions
of the Policy Matters Journal will build on this inaugural foundation of publishing
quality student scholarship.
Austin Trantham, Ph.D.
Editor-in-Chief