Collections
Diverse Voices in Public Policy
Diverse Voices in Public Policy contains interviews with former legislators, cabinet officials or other prominent policy makers. The collection is significant because Interviewers have explored a range of issues including race, ethnicity, gender. These interviews show how the composition of the legislature and state government changed with respect to diversity, and what challenges existed for persons of color and other minority groups.
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Energy & Environment
Energy & Environment contains the interviews of individuals who were involved with development and implementation of state energy and environmental policy from the 1970s through the early decades of the 2000s. The interviews elicit insights about the policy making process, the assignment of priorities, and the give-and-take involved in reaching final policy decisions. Of special interest are instances in which Kansas developed singular solutions and means for implementing them.
Healthy Kansans
Healthy Kansans contains interviews of individuals who were involved with development and implementation of state health policy from the 1970s through the early decades of the 2000s. Kansas saw a decline in its State Health Performance Indicators during the last 30 years. These interviews will help policymakers understand the evolution of organizations and institutions related to the health of Kansans and determine how effective those organizations and institution have been in promoting a Healthy Kansas. The interviews elicit insights about the policy making process, the assignment of priorities, and the give-and-take involved in reaching final policy decisions.
Kansas Courts and the Rule of Law
Kansas Courts’ key role is to guarantee the “rule of law” to every citizen, regardless of wealth or position of power. The decision-making of the appellate courts is seen only through written opinions. Interviews with former Supreme Court Justices, judges and others involved in the court system will illuminate this indispensable and often misunderstood part of the policy process.
Kansas Governors
Kansas Governors includes interviews of former governors from the 1980’s-2010. These interviews provide insight into how their leadership, political and policy skills were shaped by their legislative or other governmental experiences.
Leaders in Kansas Education
Leaders in Education tells the story of a changing educational environment starting in the 1960’s with how public school funding evolved to how higher education governance was restructured in the 21st Century. Interviews with policy leaders and educators reveal the strategies and methods they used to implement these changes to the education system from K-12 to higher education.
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Notable Kansans
Notable Kansans is a collection of interviews of people who have served in a variety of roles, related to the development or administration of public policy. Generally, these individuals had long public service careers. Their impact on government or life in Kansas is unmistakable and positive.
Reflections on Water
Reflections on Water is a series of oral history interviews of individuals who shaped state water policy in the 1970s and 1980s. Rex Buchanan, Director Emeritus of the Kansas Geological Survey, conducts the interviews of legislators, natural resource planners, administrators, farmers and environmentalists.
Statehouse Conversations
Statehouse Conversations contains interviews with former legislators who served from 1960-2020. The collection is significant because the interviews focus on public policy issues and the dynamics of the legislative process as the starting point for legislators’ recollections. Interviewees were selected because they played leading roles in the development of substantive public policy.
Statehouse Press Conversations
Statehouse Press Conversations contains interviews with former members of the press who covered the Kansas Legislature and Kansas politics.
Women, Then and Now
Women, Then and Now includes new interviews of some of the women legislators whose legislative experiences were initially captured during interviews by Washburn University faculty members in 1990-92. The more recent interview explores their experiences in office as they look back on their years of service. In addition, this collection includes several short conversations with small groups of the former legislators who compare their experiences.