Division of Governmental Studies and Services

Washington State University’s Division of Governmental Studies and Services (DGSS) is an applied social science research and outreach unit, jointly sponsored by WSU Extension and the College of Arts and Sciences.

DGSS draws upon faculty, staff, and student capacity from across the University. For over 50 years, the mission of DGSS has been to translate the resources of the University for public benefit through research, technical assistance, and training projects with communities, with state, local, federal, and tribal government agencies, and with select non-governmental entities.

DGSS brings expertise in mixed-methods research design, quantitative and qualitative data analysis (to include multivariate regression techniques, propensity score matching, hierarchical linear modeling, path analysis, etc.), merging and analyzing large secondary data sets, and expertise in the areas of criminal justice systems, program evaluation, public policy, and public administration.

Faculty and Student Engagement

DGSS provides support for basic research and grant-related work for WSU faculty and graduate students. We have undergraduate internships available and provide applied research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. Our graduate and undergraduate students have participated in disaster relief and recovery efforts in Washington State, conducted research in biased policing, automobile theft prevention, environmental sustainability, and several other projects.

The Division works closely with faculty and students across the University, particularly in the School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs; the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology; and the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication.

Recent Projects

Coastal Hazards Organizational Resilience Team (COHORT)

The Coastal Hazards Organizational Resilience Team (COHORT) was developed as an interagency team to address coastal hazards across disciplines. The agencies represented on COHORT are the Washington State Department of Ecology, Washington Sea Grant, Washington State Emergency Management Division and Washington State University (WSU) Extension.

Younger Driver Feasibility Study

Crash rates in Washington State have increased, especially among younger drivers. To address this issue, the Washington State Legislature passed ESSB 5583, which required the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL) to conduct a feasibility study for expanding the driver education requirement to young adults (18 to 24-year-olds).

Pathways to Housing Security in Washington

This report provides an analysis of mostly structural-level conditions and their impact on homelessness in Washington State using publicly available data at the county-level from the Washington State Department of Commerce and the U.S. Census American Community Survey. Factors such as median rent, rent burden, income inequality, unemployment, and poverty rates were examined. It highlights county variations in key variables, such as median rent and rent burden, that impact their homelessness rates over time.

View more projects

Contact Us

2020 NE Wilson Road, Hulbert Hall Room 311
PO Box 646233
Pullman, WA 99164-6233

Email: dgss@wsu.edu
Phone: 509-335-4796