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POLS=20 331: Public Administration

Spring=20 2011

DU=20 461

Tuesday/Thursday=20 9:30-10:45 a.m.

Professor: Kimberly Nelson,=20 Ph.D.

Office: 211 IASBO Building &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; &n= bsp; &nb= sp; =20 Phone: 815-753-6146

Email: klnelson@niu.edu &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; &n= bsp; &nb= sp; =20 Office hours: = Tuesday=20 1:30-2:30, Wednesday 1:30-2:30,

&nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; &n= bsp; &nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; &n= bsp; &nb= sp; =20 and by = appointment

Goals=20 and objectives of the course:

This=20 course is designed as a broad introduction to = public=20 administration. Public=20 administration differs from many other areas in academia in that it has = a strong=20 practical component. POLS = 331 will=20 introduce students to both the theoretical and practical sides of public = administration. Among the = topics we=20 will cover this semester are major theories of management, the policy = process,=20 and the relationship between politics and = administration.

Upon=20 completion of the course, students will have a general understanding of = the=20 history and practice of public administration. Students will also learn basic = concepts=20 from the fields of public budgeting, human resources, and strategic=20 management.

Required=20 Text:

Johnson,=20 William C. 2009. Public Administration: = Partnerships in=20 Public Service. Longwood, IL:=20 Waveland Press.

Other=20 readings are available via Blackboard.

Course=20 Requirements:

Attendance &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; &n= bsp; &nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; =20 10%

Midterm=20 examination &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; &n= bsp; &nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; =20 20%

Final=20 examination &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; &n= bsp; &nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; = =20 20%

Research=20 project &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; &n= bsp; &nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; = =20 25%

=20 Outline and list of references (20% of project grade; 5% of = course=20 grade)

= Final=20 paper (80% of project grade; 20% of course grade)

Case=20 study submissions (2 @ 10% each) &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; &n= bsp; =20 20%

In-class=20 exercises/homework &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; &n= bsp; &nb= sp; &nbs= p; =20 5%

Grading=20 Scale:

A=20 =3D 90-100; B =3D 80-89; C =3D 70-79; D =3D 60 =96 69; below 60 =3D = F

Assignment=20 Format: =

All=20 assignments should be typed in 12-point Times = New Roman=20 font. They should=20 be double-spaced with 1-inch margins.

Assignment=20 Submission Instructions:

Assignments=20 are due on the date listed on the syllabus, in hard copy format, at the=20 beginning of the class meeting. = In=20 addition, all assignments = (except=20 for exam corrections) must be uploaded to SafeAssign=20 via Blackboard (you have two = days=20 after the due date to upload the assignment without penalty). Hard copies must be=20 turned in on time to avoid a late penalty unless you have a = documented=20 emergency.

If=20 you have technical difficulties with uploading to SafeAssign, contact = ITS. Technical difficulties are not = a=20 legitimate excuse for not uploading the assignments. Assignments must be=20 submitted in both hard copy and SafeAssign=20 formats to receive credit toward your course grade. =20 All late=20 assignments will receive a one-letter grade deduction per day late. Case = studies=20 will not be accepted late without a = documented=20 emergency that prevents you from having access to a computer the day the = assignment is due (i.e. emergency hospitalization, unplanned military=20 deployment, etc.). Contact me as soon as possible if you miss an = assignment or=20 have questions or concerns about an = assignment.

Description=20 of Graded Course Requirements:

I. =20 Attendance:

Daily=20 attendance will be taken. Your attendance grade is a = simple=20 percentage of the number of days attended of the total number of class = meetings.=20 You must be on time to class. = If=20 you do not sign the attendance when it goes around the first time, you = will not be allowed to sign it at the end of class, = unless=20 you have a documented excuse for being late to = class.

It=20 is important that you attend class as much as possible. I use a combination of = lecture, case=20 studies, discussion, and multimedia to present the material. Some of the material presented = in class=20 is not available on the PowerPoint slides or in the book. It is difficult to do well on = the exams=20 without attending class. = In=20 addition, you will need to participate in the in-class exercises, = providing=20 evidence that you did the readings for the week, to receive credit for = the class=20 exercises portion of the grade.

II. =20 Mid-Term=20 and Final Exams:

The=20 examinations will be in-class (dates are = listed on the=20 schedule). The exams are = not=20 comprehensive. Exams will = have a=20 mixed format which may include, but is not be limited to, multiple = choice,=20 definitions, short answer, and true/false questions. Make-up exams will=20 only be given in extreme emergencies and only with prior notice = to=20 Professor Nelson. An = unexcused=20 absence on the date of an exam will result in a score of zero for that=20 exam.

Exam=20 grades for the first exam will not be = curved. In lieu of a curve, students = will have=20 the opportunity to correct their exam and return the original exam and=20 corrections at the next class meeting. =20 Corrections should be typed on a = separate piece=20 of paper. Handwritten = corrections=20 will not be = accepted. For the multiple-choice = questions, an=20 explanation as to why the answer is correct is=20 needed. Students = submitting=20 corrected exams will receive up to =BD of the points missed added to the = exam=20 grade. No late resubmissions = will be accepted. =20 If you do not attend class the day the exams are handed out (and = you do=20 not have an excused absence) you will not have the opportunity to make = the=20 corrections. If you fail = to return=20 your exam, with or without corrections, you will receive a deduction on = the=20 exam.

III. = Research=20 Project

Each = student must=20 complete a research project (6-8 pages) that is due at the end of the=20 semester. The project = consists of a=20 preliminary outline and bibliography to be = submitted in=20 February and a completed paper that is due in April. A grading rubric is available = on=20 Blackboard that explains how the assignment will be=20 evaluated. In = addition, on=20 Blackboard, there is a sample paper by a student who received an A on a = similar=20 assignment to give you an example of what constitutes =91A=92 work. Please see me if you need any=20 clarification on this assignment.

Find a = topic of=20 interest. = Using the = newspaper, online legitimate news sources, or news magazines (Time, Newsweek, etc.), select a = current event=20 related to public administration that interests you. Avoid issues that are solely = political=20 or that are primarily the concern of the private sector. This will serve as an example = to which=20 you will apply findings from academic literature.

Apply to = public=20 administration. = By = looking at the=20 syllabus and/or speaking to the professor, select a broad topic in = public=20 administration that most closely fits the issue you have selected (fitting your issue into = a broader=20 topic will help you identify the necessary journal sources). Find 3-5=20 academic sources = related to this=20 topic (academic sources are peer-reviewed journal articles that we = discussed at=20 the beginning of the semester, see list available through the hyperlink; = if you=20 find articles in other journals, you should consult with me before using = them).=20 These sources should be directly related to a=20 public = administration=20 concept or theory. The = sources=20 should also be related to each=20 other.

Outline = and list of=20 sources. Write a=20 detailed outline of your paper and compose your = bibliography. Submit both on February=20 15. Before = starting the=20 outline, write your thesis statement at the top of the page. Then, using the rough outline = below,=20 complete a detailed outline of your paper. =20 On a separate page, draft a bibliography using either the=20 APA Style or Chicago = Style=97in text=20 parenthetical notations and a reference list at the end of the = document. Points will be=20 deducted for incomplete or inaccurately formatted=20 references.

For the = completed=20 paper (due April=20 28), use the = articles and=20 your knowledge of the current event from news accounts to write up a = written=20 report with the following sections:

1) =20 Cover=20 Page

a. =20 The cover = page=20 should include your name, the title of the paper, and the course name = and=20 number

b. =20 Do not = write your=20 name on any other pages of the paper

2) =20 Introduction

a. =20 Brief = description=20 of the issue

b. =20 Explain = why the=20 issue is important from a public administration perspective. This does not mean you should = say =93This=20 is important to public administration because=85=94 Instead, you should simply = describe why=20 the issue is important.

c. =20 Thesis=20 statement=97how are you relating the case to journal articles? For example, you might say = something=20 like this=85

&nbs= p; =20 =93While any organization, public or private, is at risk of = hiring=20 employees who are unethical, when public administrators defraud their = employers,=20 they are stealing from the public whose interests they are supposed to=20 protect. For example, = recently a=20 case came to light in City Z where an employee was able to steal over = $500,000=20 (citation). Research in = the public=20 administration literature provides some insight into the efforts = governments are=20 making to prevent internal organizational = fraud.=94

3) =20 Describe = the=20 findings from the academic literature and relate those findings back to = the=20 thesis statement.

a. =20 What = lessons from=20 the academic literature can be applied to the = issue you=20 are investigating?

4) =20 Conclusion

a. =20 Sum up = your main=20 points

5) =20 References=20 page

a. =20 Using=20 APA or Chicago Style, = write a list=20 of references used

b. =20 Textbooks = do not=20 count as legitimate sources

c. =20 You need = 3-5=20 peer-reviewed public administration journal articles plus the reference = for the=20 current event

d. =20 You may = also use=20 books to supplement your sources, but they cannot be substituted for the = three=20 journal article minimum

IV. = Case = Study=20 Analyses

Each = student is=20 required to complete two (2) case study = analysis projects=20 and submit them for a grade. = There=20 are four (4) case studies to = choose=20 from, it is your responsibility to look at the syllabus and choose the = cases to=20 submit. =

Case = studies and=20 their due dates are listed on the = syllabus. Cases can = be=20 found on Blackboard. =20

In = paragraph form=20 (3-5 pages), the case analysis should include the following=20 sections:

1) =20 Clearly = and=20 succinctly, describe the problem or issue that is the subject of the = case. Use names to identify key actors in the case = (not all=20 actors).

2) =20 Identify and evaluate 2-3 relevant = potential=20 courses of action. = Describe each=20 and state their strengths and weaknesses.

3) =20 Choose = the=20 alternative that you believe is most appropriate and justify your=20 choice.

4) =20 Use the = discussion=20 questions provided at the end of the case or in a separate document = paired with=20 the case on Blackboard to help guide your analysis. While you are not = answering=20 these questions directly, they can provide guidance for the=20 write-up.

5) =20 Write a = concluding=20 paragraph

A case = analysis is=20 not a description of the case. = It=20 is a critical analysis of the major issues of concern in the case. A summary of the case is not = sufficient=20 for this assignment. A = grading=20 rubric is available on Blackboard.

NOTE:

If you = choose not=20 to turn in a written case analysis in a given week, you must still read the = case and be=20 prepared to discuss the questions at the end of the case (this will = count=20 towards your grade for the class exercises). Case studies cannot be turned in = late=20 without a documented emergency (emergencies may include a death in the = immediate=20 family, unannounced military deployment, or hospitalization)=97to be = decided by=20 the professor on a case-by-case basis. =20 For this reason, I advise students not to wait to turn in the = last two=20 case studies. It is best = to=20 complete at least one in the first part of the=20 semester.

V. = ; =20 Extra=20 Credit:=20

Each=20 student has the opportunity to prepare written study guides for the = mid-term and=20 final exams. Students = will receive=20 extra credit points on the exam for which they prepared the study = guide. The study guides should be=20 well-organized and typewritten. = I=20 will compile the study guides and make a single guide available to the = class to=20 help students prepare for the exams. =20 The study guides are due on March=20 1 for the midterm and May = 3 for=20 the final exam.

Academic=20 Integrity:=20 Students are required to adhere to NIU=92s code of = student=20 conduct for academic integrity. =20 Violations will result in a failed grade on the assignment and = possibly=20 the class. In addition, = the=20 professor may choose to submit your offense to the office of judicial=20 affairs.

You are = expected to=20 ensure that all assignments submitted for a grade reflect substantially = your own work, that work = submitted=20 under your name is substantially original, and that you have = understood=20 and learned the competencies in each assignment and not relied primarily = on the=20 knowledge of others. = Students whose=20 work is substantially plagiarized from others = will=20 receive an F on that assignment or exam. =20 If you are unclear of what actions constitute plagiarism, please = see me.=20

For = further=20 reference, refer to the web resource from the Department of Political = Science on=20 plagiarism:

http://= polisci.niu.edu/polisci/audience/plagiarism.shtml.

The = English=20 Department also has an informative webpage on plagiarism; it can be found here: http:/= /www.engl.niu.edu/composition/guidelines/plag.shtml.

Accommodations=20 for Students with Disabilities

A=20 student who believes that reasonable accommodations with respect to = course work=20 or other academic requirements may be appropriate in consideration of a=20 disability must (1) provide the required verification of the disability = to the=20 Center for Access-Ability Resources, (2) meet with the Center for = Access-Ability=20 Resources to determine appropriate accommodations, and (3) inform the = faculty in=20 charge of the academic activity of the need for=20 accommodation.=20 Students are encouraged to inform the faculty of their requests for=20 accommodations as early as possible in the semester, but must make the = requests=20 in a timely enough manner for accommodations to be appropriately considered and reviewed by the university. If = contacted by=20 the faculty member, the staff of the Center for Access-Ability Resources = will=20 provide advice about accommodations that may be=20 indicated in the particular case. Students who make requests for=20 reasonable accommodations are expected to = follow the=20 policies and procedures of the Center for Access-Ability Resources in = this=20 process, including but not limited to the Student=20 Handbook.

A=20 wide range of services can be obtained by students with disabilities, = including=20 housing, transportation, adaptation of printed materials, and advocacy = with=20 faculty and staff.=20 Students with disabilities who need such services or want more = information=20 should contact the Center for = Access-Ability=20 Resources (CAAR) at = 815-753-1303.

Department=20 of Political Science Web Site

Undergraduates=20 are strongly encouraged to consult the Department of Political Science = website=20 on a regular basis. This up-to-date, central source of information will = assist=20 students in contacting faculty and staff, reviewing course requirements = and=20 syllabi, exploring graduate study, researching career options, tracking=20 department events, and accessing important details related to = undergraduate=20 programs and activities. To reach the site, go to http://polisci.niu.edu/.<= /SPAN>

Undergraduate=20 Writing Awards

The=20 Department of Political Science recognizes, on an annual basis, = outstanding=20 undergraduate papers written in conjunction with 300-400 level political = science=20 courses or directed studies, such as independent studies or honors = theses.=20 Winners are expected to attend the = Department=92s spring=20 graduation ceremony where they will receive a certificate and a check = for=20 $50.00. No more than two papers may be submitted by = a=20 student. There is = no=20 requirement as to the length of papers submitted for the award. Often = the=20 Department awards prizes for both an outstanding short paper and an = outstanding=20 long paper. The number and types of award is dependent upon the papers = submitted=20 for consideration in any given year. Authors do not have to be political = science=20 majors or have a particular class standing. Only papers written in the = previous=20 calendar year are considered for the award. = However,=20 papers completed in the current spring semester are eligible for the = following=20 year=92s competition even if the student has graduated. Papers can = be=20 submitted by students or faculty and must be supplied in = triplicate to=20 the undergraduate secretary. = All=20 copies must have two cover pages =96 one with the student=92s name and = one without=20 the student=92s name. = Papers are not=20 to be stapled or bound. Instead, please use paper = clips. Papers are generally due = in March=20 and notice of call for papers and submission deadlines will be=20 published in the department e-announcements. You may also contact = the=20 department for information at 753-1015.

Classroom=20 Decorum

Students=20 are to arrive at class on time. =20 Students are to remain for the entire session unless excused by the professor beforehand or confronted = with a=20 serious personal emergency. = For=20 instance, it is not acceptable to students to walk in and out of class = to answer=20 cell phones, take casual bathroom and smoking breaks, or attend to other = personal matters. = Cell=20 phones, pagers, or any electronic devices that make noise must=20 be turned off during class unless the instructor has been = notified=20 beforehand of a special circumstance (e.g., sick family member, pregnant = wife,=20 special childcare situation, etc.). =20 No one should talk while someone else is talking; this includes = comments=20 meant for a classmate rather than the entire group. What may seem like a whisper = or a=20 harmless remark to one person can be a distraction to someone else, = particularly=20 in a small room. Overall, = classroom=20 dialogue and behavior should always be courteous, respectful of others, = and=20 consistent with the expectations set forth by the = university.

Class=20 Schedule:

This=20 schedule is subject to change. = Some=20 links may have changed since preparation of this syllabus.=20

DATE

TOPIC

ASSIGNMENT=20 DUE

Jan.=20 18

Introduction

Case=20 studies and research project

Jan.=20 20

Writing = and researching in public = administration

Homework=97bring=20 in three print-outs of news stories you think can be related to=20 PA

Chapter = 1, Writing for the = Government=20 (on=20 Blackboard)

Curriculum=20 and Case Notes,=20 Boehrer (on = Blackboard)

Handout = on Blackboard=97Researching Academic = Sources

Jan.=20 25

Context = of public administration=97historical development & basic = concepts;=20 public vs. private

Johnson,=20 Chapter 1

=93Muckrakers=20 and Reformers to the Rescue=94 (on = Blackboard)

Case=20 Study=97The Blast in Centralia No. 5=20 (on=20 Blackboard); due January 27

Jan.=20 27

Feb.=20 1

Structural=20 and legal basis of public = administration

Johnson,=20 Chapter 2

Guest=20 speakers=97Current MPA = Students

Feb.=20 3

Feb.=20 8

Federalism=20 & intergovernmental relations

Johnson,=20 Chapter 3

Feb.=20 10

Guest=20 speaker on intergovernmental = relations

Feb.=20 15

Public=20 policymaking & power=20

Johnson,=20 Chapter 6

Research=20 paper outlines and bibliographies due Feb. 15

Feb.=20 17

Case=20 Study=97Reinventing School Lunch=20 (on = Blackboard), due Feb. 17

Feb.=20 22

Organization=20 theory and behavior

Johnson,=20 Chapter 5

Guest=20 speaker on employee motivation

Feb.=20 24

Mar.=20 1

Ethics

Abu=20 Ghraib Documentary

Johnson,=20 Chapter 14

Dubnick=97Accountability=20 and Ethics (on = Blackboard)

ICMA=20 Code of Ethics: http://icma.org/en= /icma/ethics/code_of_ethics

Mar.=20 3

Annual=20 Editions, Reading #9 Abu Ghraib: A Case of Moral = and=20 Administrative Failure (on = Blackboard)

Mar.=20 8

Review=20 for mid-term

Mar.=20 10

Mid-term=20 Exam

Mar.=20 15-17

Spring=20 Break

Mar.=20 22

Decision-making

Johnson,=20 Chapter 8

Exams=20 returned=20 Mar.=20 22

Mar.=20 24

Case=20 Study=97How a City Slowly Drowned=20 (on = Blackboard), due Mar. 24

Mar.=20 29

Leadership

Johnson,=20 Chapter 7

Corrected=20 exams due Mar. 29

Mar.=20 31

Apr.=20 5

Personnel/Human=20 Resources Management

Johnson,=20 Chapter 10

Guest=20 speaker on HR

Apr.=20 7

Apr.=20 12

Public=20 finance and budgeting

Johnson,=20 Chapter 9

Apr.=20 14

Case=20 study=97The Fall of the House of California (on = Blackboard), due Nov. 4

Apr.=20 19

Privatization,=20 collaboration, New Governance

Johnson,=20 Chapter 4

Apr.=20 21

Apr.=20 26

Civil=20 society, community participation, civil rights and=20 liberties

Johnson,=20 Chapter 12

Apr.=20 28

Final=20 paper due April 28

May=20 3

Implementation=20 & program evaluation

Johnson, = Chapter 13

May=20 5

Last=20 Class Meeting

Catch-up = if needed

Review=20 for final exam

May=20 12

Final=20 = Exam=9710:00-11:50