Thomas Skuzinski

Thomas Skuzinski is an associate professor in the Department of Public Administration. He holds both doctoral and master degrees in urban and regional planning from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctor degree from Michigan State University College of Law. Prior to joining NIU, Professor Skuzinski was an assistant professor in the School of Public and International Affairs at Virginia Tech, where he also served as director of the Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree and associate director of Education with the Virginia Center for Housing Research. An experienced instructor and advisor, Professor Skuzinski has received university and college awards for excellence in teaching and commitment to diversity and has mentored students to recognition in national competitions. His scholarship, which has been funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Regional Studies Association, focuses on the interplay of rules, norms, and cultural worldviews in shaping administrative and political decisions within and among local governments.

Areas of Expertise

  • Local government law
  • Land use and environmental law
  • Regional and metropolitan governance
  • Planning (esp. land use, affordable housing, and transportation)

Selected Publications

  • Skuzinski, Thomas and David Weinreich. 2021 (forthcoming). "A New Measurement of Regional Transit Governance." Territory, Politics, and Governance.
  • Weinreich, David and Thomas Skuzinski. 2020 (forthcoming). "Measuring the Governance of Public Transportation Systems in U.S. Metropolitan Areas." Journal of Planning Education and Research.
  • Skuzinski, Thomas. 2020. "States and the Relationships among Local Governments." In State-Local Relations in Partnership and Conflict. Eds: Eric Zeemering and Russ Hanson. (Rowman and Littlefield).
  • Skuzinski, Thomas. 2018. The Risk of Regional Governance: Cultural Theory and Interlocal Cooperation (Routledge).
  • Skuzinski, Thomas, and Evangeline R. Linkous. 2018. "Tradable development rights in the US: Making zoning flexible through market mechanisms." In Instruments of Land Policy. Eds: Jean-David Gerber and Thomas Hartmann (Routledge).

Selected Conference Presentations

  • Skuzinski, Thomas (presenter and author). "Exploring the Capacity for Innovation: The Changing Nature of Local Autonomy in U.S. Regions." Regional Studies Association North American Conference. 2019. 
  • Skuzinski, Thomas (moderator, presenter, and author). "Street-level Autonomy." Urban Affairs Association 49th Annual Conference. 2019.
  • Skuzinski, Thomas (panel organizer, moderator, and presenter). "The Role of Local Governments in U.S. and European Regional Governance." American Society for Public Administration 2019 Annual Conference. 2019.
  • Skuzinski, Thomas (co-presenter and co-author) and Jay Rickabaugh. "Local Autonomy as a Determinant of Regional Economic Development Policy." Small Cities 2018 Conference. 2018. 
  • Skuzinski, Thomas (panel organizer, presenter, co-author) and Jay Rickabaugh. "Local Autonomy and Development Policy in Mid-Size Appalachian Regions." Urban Affairs Association 48th Annual Conference. 2018.
  • Skuzinski, Thomas (moderator, presenter, co-author). "Opting Out: The Theory and Measurement of Localist Impulses." American Society for Public Administration 2018 Annual Conference. 2018.
  • Skuzinski, Thomas (invited panelist and author). "Balancing Local and Regional Interests Using Cultural Heuristics" 5th Annual Deil S. Wright Symposium, Section on Intergovernmental Administration and Management, American Society for Public Administration. 2018.

 

Associate Professor
IA 209
815-753-0183
tskuzinski@niu.edu

Education

  • Ph.D., University of Michigan
  • M.U.P., University of Michigan
  • J.D., Michigan State University

Curriculum Vitae

Contact Us

Department of Public Administration
IASBO Building (2nd Floor)
815-753-0183
publicadm@niu.edu
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Office Hours

Monday-Friday
8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Lunch break: noon-1 p.m.