The Joint Urban Studies Center, the Center for the Small City at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens

Pennsylvania. The Conference traditionally brings together members of the academy, government, nonprofit,

and business communities in a forum where ideas and methods may be exchanged.

This year‘s conference theme is Downtown Development, and scholars in all disciplines are invited to

submit paper proposals that reflect the theme or that are related to the concepts of economic

development and regional cooperation. We also encourage scholars to propose entire panels on

subjects that may be subsumed under the theme. In addition, scholars who wish to present a workshop

to government and business leaders on the applications of their research to downtown development,

regional economic development, regional partnership, or improving the efficiency and effectiveness of

local government are invited to do so. Please see additional topics on the following pages.

The deadline for the submission of paper proposals, panels, and workshops is January 25, 2006.

Scholars whose proposals have been selected for presentation will be notified no later than March 1,

2006. Please direct questions of a general nature concerning the program, panels, workshops, or

regarding proposals in subject areas not identified among those mentioned above to:

Thomas J. Baldino, PhD.

Department of Political Science

137-159 South Franklin Street

Wilkes University

Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766

Phone: (570) 408-4474 Fax: (570) 408-7871

Email: tbaldin@wilkes.edu

We are excited by the opportunity to host the Conference in Wilkes-Barre, the first time that the

Conference has been held in a location outside the Mid-west, and we hope that you will take this

opportunity to participate in this interdisciplinary and multi-faceted conference. Please share this call for

papers with your colleagues.

Sincerely,

Thomas J. Baldino, PhD. Teri Ooms

Faculty Coordinator JUSC Executive Director

The purpose of the Conference is to energize the stakeholders -- elected officials, local

governments’ staff, higher education institutions, non-profit organizations, economic and

workforce development organizations, investors, industry, and community leaders --to work

together more effectively. By generating awareness of opportunities and resources, sharing

best practices and lessons learned, and outlining next steps, participants will be prepared to

help stimulate entrepreneurship, identify and develop best practices to maximize economic

impact on communities and institutions, align workforce development with industry needs, and

enhance the quality of life in our communities.

This conference will include a dynamic mix of keynote presentations and breakout sessions

focusing on local government operations, planning, development, entrepreneurship, workforce

development, infrastructure, housing, public safety, and community development. Submissions

may be for individual twenty-minute presentations that will be grouped thematically on panels,

with each panel running sixty to ninety minutes, including presentations and discussion.

The following information should be included in the proposal outline you submit. Presentations

that include a higher education official and a community partner or business partner are

encouraged. Best practice strategies and lessons learned are also encouraged.

Presentation Topic and Suggested Track:

Organization:

Contact Person:

Address

Phone:

Fax:

E-Mail:

Website:

Leader/Presenter(s):

Your presentation should be empirically based and fit into one of the tracks below.

Planning

Zoning

Transportation

Housing Strategies

Retail & Hospitality Development

Public Placemaking

Urban Design Guidelines

Economic, Community Development & Redevelopment

Public Safety

Workforce Development

Community/University Partnerships

K-12 Education

Diversity

Infrastructure

High Speed Telecommunications

Purchasing

Technology

Planning

Budgeting

Financing

Consolidation of Services

Consolidation of Government

Poverty & Welfare

Growth Planning & Sprawl

Homelessness

Regional Governance

Vacant Land

Older Suburbs

Environmental Concerns

High Technology Development

Competitive Strategies

Small Business Growth

Proposals for presentation will be selected based on:

Content: Clarity of purpose, appropriateness, relevance to audience

Process: Degree of participant involvement, variety of learning styles addressed,

realistic design for available time

Balance: Diversity of session topics and formats

Please include the word “presentation” in the subject line.