Carol Hardy-Fanta, Director

The Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy is committed to advancing women's participation in the public life of Massachusetts, the New England region, and the nation. Recognizing the talent and potential of women from every community, and guided by the urban mission of an intellectually vibrant and diverse university in the heart of Boston, we seek to expand the involvement of women in politics and policies that affect them, their families, and their communities. The Center was established with the support of the Massachusetts Caucus of Women State Legislators in 1994 at the John W. McCormack Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy serves as a public resource for women in Massachusetts and New England by providing:

EDUCATION: The Center hosts the Graduate Certificate Program for Women in Politics and Public Policy. Since its establishment more than thirty years ago, this "first-in-the-nation" graduate education program has served more than 500 alumnae as a springboard to new and enhanced careers, advanced graduate study, and increasingly effective political activism. Four of our graduates have gone on to serve in the State Legislature, and others serve in a wide range of policy-making positions in government, the private sector, and non-profit organizations. To find out more, call 617.287.6785 or email cwppp@umb.edu.

RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS: The Center's research program aims to be responsive, collaborative and substantive. Our research is designed to make a difference in the lives of women and their communities while also drawing the attention of policymakers to issues which directly affect women's lives. We also produce policy briefs for policymakers on a wide range of subjects; collaborate with community-based organizations and government agencies on a variety of research projects, and offer seed money to support research projects on topics that fulfill our mission.

ONLINE INFORMATION: The Information Resource Center at the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy has a growing collection, currently consisting of over 500 items, including books, reports, and articles on a variety of subjects relevant to women. The subjects included range from abortion to welfare, health to politics, family policies to the gender gap. The collection is accessible through a searchable data base and is available to students, legislators, and researchers.

PUBLIC EVENTS: The Center conducts a range of public service programs open to both the university community and the general public. Panel discussions, debates, films and conferences focus on women's political leadership and empowerment, and on social issues of special concern to women. Such events have long provided an opportunity for professional networking and for the exchange of ideas among decision makers, the media, other women's organizations, alumnae, and the public.

CONNECTION AND COLLABORATION: The Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy is committed to its vision of serving as the public resource for women in Massachusetts. Some of our key constituents include the women State Legislators, the statewide and local women's commissions, women's organizations around the Commonwealth and New England, diverse community organizations, and faculty and students on the UMass Boston Campus and campuses statewide. Our research projects, educational activities, information sharing, and events are typically conducted in collaboration with these key constituents. We are open to developing and sustaining relationships across the spectrum of government, non-profit and community organizations as we carry out our mission.