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The Arch Policy Institute is sponsored by the Morehead Honors College. Previously known as Roosevelt@UGA , a group of students created the organization over a decade ago to inspire community activism and offer solutions to complex problems. To better align with our mission of serving the local community of Athens through our policy teams, we rebranded to The Arch Policy Institute in 2023. As a non-partisan, student-run policy think tank, we aim to discuss, write, and implement policy. We empower UGA students to become active and informed citizens.
ABOUT US
"Whether you pursue a career in government, law, healthcare, consulting, tech, or something completely different, policy offers a framework for how to think and solve problems, and API makes policy accessible."
OUR WORK
API provides three main avenues for student to engage with policy: discussion, writing, and implementation.
DISCUSS
Each week, we learn about and discuss public policy issues. We lead discussions on major relevant issues. We invite panels of experts and local leaders on issues affecting Athens-Clarke County. We also host elected officials, including Mayor Kelly Girtz and several county commissioners. While these weekly meetings range in format, they make policy accessible to students of all backgrounds and knowledge levels.
WRITE
Through the Arch Policy Journal, API offers students a medium to improve their policy writing skills. As UGA’s annual flagship policy publication, the Arch Policy Journal accepts the best policy proposals from across campus, refines them in a faculty review process, and then showcases them in print and online formats. Most authors had no policy writing experience prior to the Arch Policy Journal; API guides you from idea to proposal.
IMPLEMENT
Our policy teams consist of year-long cohorts of members who initiate the policy process through rigorous research, with the help of local stakeholders and policy experts. Then, Policy teams write policy proposals based on insights from their assessment of local issues and the current policy landscape. Cohorts culminate their experiences by acquiring support from elected and government officials to materialize their recommendations into action.