Capital Campus

Capital Campus is the educational outreach program of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University dedicated towards state policy makers. The Mercatus Center at George Mason University is the premier university-based source for bringing economics and public policy together. A research and education center, we are dedicated to facilitating a freer, more prosperous and peaceful society.

Capital Campus brings seasoned scholars and practitioners to state capitals around the country to educate policy makers about the workings of our market economy. This university-based program lends an academic approach to important state policy questions and works to bridge the often distinct worlds of theory and practice.

Capital Campus courses provide a forum where the presentation of reliable academic research and practical discussion of real-world lessons intersect. This unique educational model yields programs offering information that is not only highly credible, but broadly applicable to the work of a diverse audience of state policy makers from all branches of government and from both sides of the aisle.

2007_CapCampusMap

For more information about Capital Campus, please contact Jim Musser, Director of State Outreach at (703) 993-4930 or via e-mail at jmusser@gmu.edu.

State-Specific Programs

Capital Campus Alaska

Capital Campus California

Capital Campus Minnesota

Capital Campus Pennsylvania

Capital Campus Texas

Capital Campus Virginia

Recent Events:

	Education Reform & Finance in California Capital Campus September 21, 200712:0 PM
	On September 21, 2007, Capital Campus California will host a unique discussion on the role of finance and governance in reforming California's education system. Participants will hear from leading academics and policy analysts on what California can do to reform education in the next year.
	California Infrastructure Spending: the Seen and the Unseen Capital Campus May 19, 200612:00 PM
	By providing an economic framework for understanding infrastructure spending decisions, this course brought to light some of the unseen consequences associated with large-scale infrastructure improvements and offer simple but important tools for evaluating projects of such magnitude.
	Issues 101: Making Sense of Health Care Capital Campus March 9, 20093: 30 PM
	As healthcare costs continue to rise across the nation, there is growing concern that the number of people without access to affordable care may rise. Unfortunately, while everyone agrees a problem exists, few agree on a solution. This course will provide policymakers with a framework for understanding the rules and incentives of the current health care system and how that system might be changed to address the problems of cost, access and coverage.
	The New Knowledge Economy: Increasing Competitiveness in the Golden State Capital Campus March 25, 200812:00 PM
	Bruce Yandle of Clemson University will discuss the challenge California faces during this transformation and how it compares to other states in the Union. He will also share strategies California policy makers might pursue to preserve and enhance economic growth while ensuring opportunities for greater prosperity for all Californians.
	The Games Economists Play: Interactive Public Policy Capital Campus March 19, 20088:0 AM

	Capital Campus Pennsylvania Launch Reception Capital Campus June 2, 20086: 00 PM
	Reception to launch the Capital Campus Pennsylvania program. Policy makers from around Harrisburg are invited to attend and learn about the new program.
	Issues 101: New Ideas for a New Session - Budgeting in a Downturn Capital Campus January 26, 20099:30 AM
	The current economic slowdown has taken its toll on state budgets across the country and Pennsylvania is no exception. Policy makers in the state face a myriad of budgetary problems and only painful or unpopular solutions remain. Unfortunately, state policy makers rarely have time to reconsider their overall fiscal systems to prevent the underlying problems that caused the current crisis from re-emerging in the future. This course will give a background on state budgetary issues from a variety of perspectives.
	Avoiding the Crunch: New Ideas for Addressing Budget Deficits Capital Campus February 8, 200812:0 PM

	What Should California Hope to Achieve from AB32? Capital Campus August 24, 200712:00 PM
	Last year California garnered national attention with the passage of AB32 - a landmark greenhouse gas reduction bill that sets new standards for emissions in California. As policy makers now begin to implement AB32, what challenges could they face? What issues could California encounter in the future? What should California hope to achieve from AB32? Please join Dr. Frank Wolak, professor at Stanford University, to discuss the realities, challenges, and opportunities found in AB32.
	Foundations of Law and Policy for Economic Growth in California Capital Campus August 11, 200612:00 PM
	This course for California policymakers and staff will explore why investment decision making in the public sector is different from investment decision making in the private sector, and which policies California might pursue to promote sustained prosperity.
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