Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy
The mission of the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy is to develop programs and promote research to further the public's knowledge of our system of governance, and also to highlight the critical importance of public service. The Baker Center also places a special emphasis on examining the role of the media in society. We hold the papers of Sen. Howard H. Baker Jr. and Sen. Fred Thompson, with plans to obtain more TN and US political papers. These are being processed and promoted to researchers.
The Baker Center offers free public programs to students (university, high school) and the community on issues within our mission focus. For example, in 2003, our first public program focused on the embedded journalists in Iraq - the history of reporting on war, Pentagon policy, and military, journalists and editorial views of the policy and the outcomes. In Spring 2004, we featured a lecture and breakfast by David Halberstam on the Press and one on Terrorism by Gen. Wayne Downing. In the Fall 2004 we featured a one day program on Presidential Communications featuring speech writers, archivists and directors of Presidential libraries on the communication techniques of FDR, Reagan, LBJ, and Nixon. We also joined Harvard's "Campaign for Political and Civic Engagement (www.iop.harvard.edu) and promoted voting and sponsored some of the largest DebateWatches in the country attracting 200 and 100 residents and students for the first and third Presidential debates. We also are planning a building and museum focused on our system of govt. Fundraising is proceeding and construction is planned for Fall 2005.
In March 2005 we will be co-sponsoring a program on the Clean Air Act - challenges and the future. This Spring in collaboration with the Dept. of Ed. and Center for Civic Ed., we are planning a TN Summit on Civic Education with the purpose being to promote awareness among state legislators, teachers, business, and citizens. In the Summer 2005, a summer institute for high school history and govt. teachers is being planned on the relationship of Congress and the Presidency, with a special focus on modern presidents. State and National standards are targeted.
Nissa Dahlin-Brown, EdD
Assistant Director
University of Tennessee
Howard Baker Center for Public Policy
1400 Cumberland Ave.
217 Hoskins Library
Knoxville, TN 37996
Phone: (865) 974-0931
Fax: (865) 974-8777
Web: www.bakercenter.utk.edu