Category: Community Outreach

Legal Services Offered by the Legal Action Center

Legal Action Center
Image: lac.org

Since 1997, Sharyn O’Halloran has held several professorial positions with Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. She now serves as the senior vice dean for the university’s School of Professional Studies. Sharyn O’Halloran has been published in a number of academic journals, including the American Journal of Political Science and the Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization. She is an active volunteer with the Legal Action Center based in New York City.

Since 1973, the Legal Action Center (LAC) has provided legal advocacy and representation for people facing discrimination due to their HIV/AIDS status, criminal record, or addiction. In addition to creating education programs for policymakers and developing research projects that analyze the impact of public policies, the LAC offers direct services to its clients.

The LAC provides representation and legal counsel free of charge to New Yorkers who are illegally barred from accessing housing and employment or denied other rights. Some of its services include filing complaints of discrimination with the appropriate agency and appealing denials for occupational licenses or public housing due to the applicant’s criminal history.

New York Appleseed Celebrates the Passing of the D15 Diversity Plan

New York Appleseed
Image: nyappleseed.org

Drawing upon 25 years of experience, Sharyn O’Halloran is a professor of political economics at Columbia University. She is also an author whose work has earned her awards and grants from the National Science Foundation, Hoover Institution, and Russell Sage Foundation. Sharyn O’Halloran’s educational pursuits extend to the nonprofit sector, as she is a supporter of New York Appleseed, an organization that advocates for more diverse schools and communities throughout the state.

This past September, Appleseed representatives stood with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and other city officials as they announced the approval of a plan to encourage and facilitate an increase in diversity at 11 middle schools in Brooklyn’s Community School District 15. Prior to the approval of the community-driven plan, District 15 was a choice school district, which meant none of its schools served a specific geographical area; 10 of the 11 schools utilized a screened admissions method that favored privileged students.

However, the new desegregation plan includes a proposal to remove academic-based screening from each of those middle schools and a measure to set aside 52 percent of enrollment to children from low-income families, as well as those learning to speak English. De Blasio also announced the City was putting aside an additional $2 million to launch similar desegregation programs in other districts.

Legal Action Center Pushes for Better ATI and Reentry Programming

Arthur Liman Policy Institute pic
Legal Action Center
Image: lac.org

Since 1993, Sharyn O’Halloran has taught at Columbia University as the George Blumenthal Professor of Political Economics. When not working, Sharyn O’Halloran supports several local organizations, such as the Legal Action Center (LAC). This nonprofit advocates on behalf of people with HIV/AIDS, criminal records, and struggles with addiction.

Recently, the LAC filed a position paper pushing for better alternative-to-incarceration (ATI) and reentry programs. New York State has become nationally renowned for its programs, which have helped saved millions of dollars while also reducing prison populations and curbing crime rates. Historically, these programs have received strong bipartisan support.

The LAC paper calls for the restoration of more than $2 million in funding cuts from these programs in the Executive Budget and actually seeks additional money to strengthen the effort. This funding could help provide critical addiction and mental illness treatment, offer skills training to improve individuals’ ability to find and retain employment, and create new avenues for reconnecting with families and for finding permanent housing after involvement with the criminal justice system.

APSA’s 2016 Annual Meeting Heads to Philadelphia in September

APSA’s 2016 Annual Meeting
Image: https://www.eapsa.org

A professor of political economics, Dr. Sharyn O’Halloran teaches undergraduate- and graduate-level courses at Columbia University. Dr. Sharyn O’Halloran also participates in activities hosted by the American Political Science Association (APSA).

In 2016, APSA will host its 112th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. Taking place at the Philadelphia Convention Center on September 1-4, the forum will cover topics related to the theme of Great Transformations: Political Science and the Big Questions of Our Time. The conference will encourage attendees to reflect on major challenges impacting social, technological, economics, and environmental spheres, as well as approaches to studying large and complex processes. Attendees should also expect discussions on comparative politics and new norms and policies.

APSA is accepting proposals for papers and roundtables. In addition, it seeks short course and workshop ideas that encourage hands-on participation. These activities should embrace adult learning principles while offering information that enhances knowledge in professional development or a subfield. The call for proposals is open through January 8, 2016.

Community Impact’s Emergency Services Programs

The George Blumenthal professor of political economy and a professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University, Sharyn O’Halloran teaches various undergraduate, graduate, and professional courses. In addition to teaching, Sharyn O’Halloran serves on the Board of Directors of Community Impact at Columbia University.

Committed to helping individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, Community Impact maintains several programs with the assistance of students, faculty, and staff at Columbia University. Four of the organization’s programs, which are discussed below, focus on emergency services:

– Community Lunch. Located at the Broadway Presbyterian Church, Community Lunch provides home-cooked meals for up to 100 individuals with low-income backgrounds. Food is served family-style, and volunteers often organize holiday parties and fundraising events.

– Project for the Homeless. Responsible for maintaining two homeless shelters, Project for the Homeless consists of students from Barnard College and Columbia University. Student volunteers work as nightly supervisors at the shelters and ensure that they stay open for 120 nights.

– SHOUT. Dedicated to providing families and individuals without a home with fresh food and dry goods, SHOUT volunteers and coordinators run a weekly food pantry at Ford Hall. Open on Mondays and Thursdays, the pantry provides clients with warm clothes.

– Habitat for Humanity. Volunteers with the organization’s Habitat for Humanity branch work once or twice a month to renovate and construct affordable housing. The program has previously helped restore homes damaged by Hurricane Sandy and is currently exploring youth initiatives.