UpDate - Vol. 11, No. 32, Page 5
May 21, 1992
In General Assembly; Urban affairs fellows learn the ropes of politics

     Three days a week since January, four students leave for Dover at
9:30 a.m. A half hour later, another group of four does the same
thing. They'll continue until June.
     These University students are on a mission. They serve as staff
members to the Delaware General Assembly.
     The eight students are part of the Legislative Fellows Program,
now in its 10th year in the University's College of Urban Affairs and
Public Policy.
     On March 25, the state legislature recognized the program
formally with House Resolution 99, which summarized the program's
progress and commemorated its anniversary.
     The Delaware Public Administration Institute (DPAI) acts as
manager, while the University and the General Assembly serve as
co-sponsors. Jerome R. Lewis, director of the public administration
institute, has been supervisor since the project's inception. Audrey
Helfman, senior management analyst in the institute, assists in
coordinating the program.
     In the fall, students-most of whom are at the graduate
level-apply. They take an exam, which tests their writing and their
ability to express themselves. A panel of judges reads and rates the
written tests, with semifinalists moving through an interview process
where they must articulate their ideas quickly.
     Last fall, more than a dozen applicants made it to the interview
stage; eight fellows were chosen.
     For their six-month experience, the fellows serve as legislative
staff to various committees. They conduct research, present data at
meetings, answer specific questions and provide their constituents
with information on current issues.
     "It's a real opportunity for us at the University, because it's
an excellent laboratory for decision-making and learning about people
and government," Lewis said.
     Larger state legislatures have hundreds of full-time staff, while
Delaware has only a few. The legislative fellows are often the only
committee staff. Usually the student presents his or her non-partisan
research directly to legislators.
     Diana Oliver, current fellow and a graduate student in the Master
of Public Administration (MPA) Program specializing in environmental
policy, said it is "really interesting to see the interplay (in the
legislature)." She said she enjoys the program because it allows her
to see how the state government works and allows her to make contacts
with members of government agencies who later may provide career
opportunities.
     Oliver is assigned to the House of Representatives and serves on
the natural resources and agriculture committees. While covering
legislation regulating wetlands, she discovered how quickly one must
gather information on issues and how important it is to be
well-briefed before attending a committee meeting.
     Christopher Eisenberg serves four House of Representatives
committees, the largest two dealing with banking and insurance and
revenue and finance. An MPA student specializing in public policy
analysis, Eisenberg said he has an interest in numbers and spends most
of his time researching. Recently, he studied a "peer lending" program
that aids small, low-income businesses with limited resources that
would not otherwise qualify for small business loans.
     David Dillon, another MPA student, serves as the assistant for
the human resources, education and substance abuse committees of the
house. Due to the economy, it has been a slow year for these
committees. He spends time contacting constituents about controversial
issues and clarifying legislation with attorneys.
     Dillon also is working on a special project assisting the speaker
of the house. His research concerns cultural exchange and
international trade with areas such as the Yucatan in Mexico, with
which Delaware wants to establish a "sister relationship." The project
is currently concentrating on exchange with Japan, Dillon said.
     Like Dillon, Scott Tester also receives special assignments from
members of the senate. A graduate student in political science and
international relations, Tester has served as a fellow before.
Recently, he gave a policy briefing on health care comparing the
governor's health care plan to those in other states and countries.
     Daniel Ganz, who like Tester has participated in the Legislative
Fellows Program for two years, is an MPA student specializing in
policy analysis. He works for the senate, and his assignments relate
to environmental audits, an amendment for a prisoner relief fund, job
training seminars and legal analysis.
     Christine Kraft heard about the Legislative Fellows Program from
a friend. She holds a doctorate in educational studies from the
University and now is an MPA candidate specializing in educational and
social service policy analysis. As a fellow, she is assigned to the
senate and also works for individual senators on special projects;
including the Senate Family Task Force where she conducts long-term
research on economic factors that have influenced families in the last
two decades.
     Kraft said the fast-paced environment is a challenge to
understand. One of her assignments is to sit on the side lines of the
floor and note what kinds of issues various senators discuss.
     She compared her legislative experience to her time in academics.
She said professors continually study one topic until they know
everything about it. Senators study information that will help them
solve problems, and their topics continually change.
     "It's an accomplishment to have a successful partnership with our
legislature for 10 years," Lewis said.
     When the "students are doing a good job for the legislature, it's
good for the University," Lewis said. "Dover expects a lot from us.
For the most part, we give them what they want."
     -Laura Reisinger