Genie Dr. Stowers W: 415-338-7501 Office: HSS 238 email: [e-mail] Off Hr.: T Th 5 7 & By Appt. Public Administration Program PA 800: Capstone Course in Public Administration Course Syllabus Fall 2005 Tuesday Nights Required Books / Cases Dobel, J. Patrick. Public Integrity. 1999. Johns Hopkins University Press. (Dobel) Goldsmith, Stephen and Eggers, William D. Governing by Network: The New Shape of the Public Sector. 2004. 0-8157-3129-9. Brookings Institution Press. (G&E) Hacker, Diana. 2002. A Writer's Reference (5th Edition) Bedford/St. Martin's, (Hacker). Kettl, Donald F. 2002. The Transformation of Governance: Public Administration for Twenty-First Century America Johns Hopkins Univ Press. (Kettl). JF Kennedy School of Government Cases (Available for download online from the JFK site at http://www.ksgcase.harvard.edu/article.htm?page=order#permission): 1. N15-86-1136.0: Learning by the Case Method 2. C16-02-1663.0: Giving in the Wake of Terror-- The Charitable Response to the Attacks of September 11th. 3. C16-02-1642.0: The City of Chicago and the 1995 Heat Wave 4. C15-98-1406.0: A Time of Reckoning: Crisis in the Buffalo Public School System and C15-98-1406.4: A Time of Reckoning: Crisis in the Buffalo Public School System (Epilogue) 5. CR15-00-1581.0: Stepping Up to the Net: The Land Trust Alliance's Efforts to Make Strategic Use of the Internet 6. C14-98-1479.0: Self-Help Housing on the Texas Mexico Border: The Frustrations of a State-Nonprofit Partnership. (B) 7. C106-97-1382.0: From Confrontation to Cooperation: How Detroit and Washington Became Partners and C106-97-1382.1: Rallying Behind PNGV (Sequel)
Student Learning Outcome Goals 1. The major goal of the capstone course is to synthesize and integrate material and skills learned during the course of the M.P.A. degree--the major concepts and important trends in the field as well as the student's chosen subfield. 2. Each student will develop further understanding of current and emerging trends in the field as well critical concepts and their role in each subfield. 3. Students will synthesize and integrate their understanding of public administration by engaging in the discussion and critical analysis of case studies from the field. 4. Each student will further develop their writing and presentation skills as well as their critical thinking skills. 5. Each student will take the opportunity to complete their portfolio and write a statement highlighting the most important accomplishments in the Program, as seen in the Portfolio.
Course Outline Introduction to Course Aug 30 (1) Introduction to Capstone Course activities Goals of Course Discuss Capstone Essay Review of Portfolio elements Group Discussion of Draft Summary Statement for Portfolio Synthesizing The Degree Program / Analyzing Case Studies Learning Through the Case Method READING: N15-86-1136.0: Learning by the Case Method Review Hacker. Kettl, Preface, Chapter 1. G&E, Chapters 1. Dobel, Chapter 1. Case Study Discussion and Presentations 9/6 (2) Case Study 1: The City of Chicago and the 1995 Heat Wave READING: C16-02-1642.0: Chicago Heat Wave Case Kettl, Chapter 7. G&E, Chapter 2. Dobel, Chapters 2 and 3. 9/13 (3) Case Study 2: Giving in the Wake of Terror READING: C16-02-1663.0: Giving in the Wake of Terror Case Kettl, Chapter 3. G&E, Chapter 3. Dobel, Chapters 4 and 5.
9/20 (4)
Case Study 3: C15-98-1406.0: A Time of Reckoning: Crisis in the Buffalo Public School System and C15-98-1406.4: A Time of Reckoning: Crisis in the Buffalo Public School System (Epilogue) READING: C15-98-1406.0 and C15-98-1406.4: Buffalo Public School System Case and Epilogue Kettl, Chapter 4. G&E, Chapter 4. Dobel, Chapter 6. Case Study 4: CR15-00-1581.0: Stepping Up to the Net: The Land Trust Alliance's Efforts to Make Strategic Use of the Internet READING: C15-00-1581.0 Kettl, Chapter 5. G&E, Chapter 5. Dobel, Chapter 7. Last Day to File for Graduation!!! Case Study 5: Self-Help Housing on the Texas Mexico Border: The Frustrations of a State-Nonprofit Partnership. (B) READING: C14-98-1479.0: Self-Help Housing Case (B) Kettl, Chapter 6. G&E, Chapter 6. Dobel, Chapter 8. Case Study 6: From Confrontation to Cooperation: How Detroit and Washington Became Partners and its Sequel. READING: C106-97-1382.0 and C106-97-1382.1: PNGV Case Its Sequel. G&E, Chapter 7. Dobel, Chapter 9.
9/27 (5)
September 30 10 / 4 (6)
10/11 (7)
Emerging Trends and the Big Issues in the Field 10/18 (8) OUTLINE OF STRATEGIC MEMO DUE TONIGHT FOR GROUP DISCUSSION. Panel Discussion- Public & Nonprofit Sector Managers Discussing Emerging Trends / Big Issues Class Discussion of Big Issues and Directions for Public Administration READING: Review Hacker. G&E, Chapter 8. Dobel, Chapter 10.
Writing the Capstone Essay 10/25 (9) No Class. Write Strategic Assessment Memo READING: Review Hacker. 11/1 (10) 11/8 (11) No Class. Write Strategic Assessment Memo READING: Review Hacker. Optional Class Meeting to Discuss Progress & Answer Questions Write Strategic Assessment Memo READING: Review Hacker. Review DiResta. No Class. Write Strategic Assessment Memo READING: Review Hacker. No Class. Write Strategic Assessment Memo READING: Review Hacker. Thanksgiving Day. Monday. Strategic Assessment Memos are Due @ 9am Via Email--No Exceptions. Hard Copies Due on 28th, also. Career Planning & Career Goals How To Get There? (Color Card Exercise) READING: Review Hacker. Presentations of Critical Issues and Recommendations in Strategic Assessment Memos Last Day to File Report of Completion.
11/15 (12) 11/22 (13) 11/24 November 28 Career Planning 11/29 (14)
12/6 (15) December 9
Review and Summarize Portfolio 12/13 (16) Presentations of Critical Issues and Recommendations in Strategic Assessment Memos. Portfolio / Career Goals Statements Due. NO EXCEPTIONS. Celebration! Course Assignments Portfolio / Career Goals Statement 6- Two Page Case Memos Capstone Essay (Strategic Assessment Memo)
15% 30% 55% 100%
Class Policies Out of courtesy for all your classmates, all students must attend all presentations, not just your own. Attendance is crucial in this class; absences will be noted and no more than one will be accepted. Plagiarism. Whenever words are taken directly from another author without quotation marks and direct attribution to the author, it constitutes plagiarism which is a serious and punishable offense at this university. Please ensure that your papers are written in your own words, that ideas and facts taken from others are clearly attributed to them, and that anything taken verbatim from another source is enclosed in quotation marks. Citations can take the form of footnotes or in-text references, but there should be a full bibliographic reference somewhere in the document. In the case of a direct quotation, the citation should include the page number where the quote was found as well. Direct quotes from another author should be used sparingly, and only when the point you are making is stated by best using someone else's words. Expectations in the Classroom. Students are expected to attend all classes, be on time for class and stay for the entire length of class unless cleared with the profession in advance due to professional or other responsibilities elsewhere. Assignments are expected to be completed and to be turned in on time. Academic Misconduct. Cheating and plagiarism are contrary to the mission of the university and are never tolerated. Students who display inappropriate conduct, including cheating and plagiarism, may be subject to disciplinary action as provided in Title 5, California Code of Regulations. Any student may be expelled, suspended, placed on probation, or given a lesser sanction for discipline problems. The Student Discipline Officer, housed in the Dean of Students Office, is responsible for administering the Student Disciplinary Procedures for the California State University and should be contacted for further information. Emphases in Case Memos: For each case memo, summarize the major points of the case and its issues plus major players. (In only two typewritten pages--this limit is strictly observed). Then be prepared for class to discuss the following about each case: The timeline The major issues The players and decision makers involved, The decisions to be made (along with courses of action and the consequences of these actions) The case environment The resolution of the case
In addition, focus on the items below for the specific case memo identified: Case Memo 1. Focus on identifying issues and discussing them Case Memo 2. Identify issues and then focus on the players and the big decisions Case Memo 3. Identify issues and then focus on the decisions made and their repercussions Case Memo 4. Identify issues and recommendations for improvement along with the skills & leadership required to make those changes Case Memo 5. Identify issues and recommendations--the "big" and "small" issues plus recommendations Case Memo 6. Identify issues and focus upon the big issues in public administration--like politics v administration, how to organize tasks, accountability vs. authority, diversity, ethics, efficiency v. democracy
Portfolio / Career Goals Statement The portfolio / career goals statement should be written as if it is to be read by a potential employer. It should present a summary of what student has accomplished in the completion of their M.P.A. degree and should synthesize what each student can therefore contribute to an organization. It could also address student's ultimate career goals and the career steps that could be taken to achieve that goal. The statement will also include a self-evaluation of how well the student has done in meeting the criteria for effectiveness in the various areas of the portfolio (this not to be included on the CDROM unless requested--this is for use in the Public Administration Program only). Strategic Assessment Memo This take home essay should be 15-20 pages (no longer than 20 pages). It will be based on one of the six cases that we discussed the first several weeks of class. However, it will analyze the issues in much greater depth (see list of points to cover below). Its purpose is to give you the opportunity to showcase the knowledge and skills you have acquired while completing your MPA coursework. Your writing should demonstrate your analytical ability, as well as your proficiency in organizing and writing a logical, cogent and concise paper. Your discussion of the case should refer to appropriate public administration concepts and literature to demonstrate your knowledge of these concepts. It should also: Include citations to literature read over the course of the program, as well as any additional library research you do. Be based on a minimum of 25 sources, comprised of journal articles, books, government documents and other appropriate sources should be cited in the paper.
Be written in memorandum format to a specific individual or position (e.g., mayor, governor, department head) who would be in a position to carry out your recommendations. Move from a discussion of the issues to providing specific recommendations
The m...