POL 305  Public Administration -- Fall 2011

Dr. Rick Ghere    Zehler 304  937.229.4220
richard.ghere@notes.udayton.edu

TEXTS:
    Smith and Licari Public Administration: Power and Politics... 2006
    Radin The Accountable Juggler 2002 

COURSE SCHEDULE
 

Introduction  

Aug. 25: Introduction to course

Aug. 30: Studying Public Administration—Smith & Licari Ch. 1 

Sept. 1: The Administrative State—Smith & Licari Ch. 2

Sept. 6: Complexity of Public Service Missions--Smith and Licari pp. 47-62
               and Radin Ch. 1

 Bureaucracy and Accountability

 Sept. 8:   Accountability--Smith & Licari Ch. 5

 Sept. 13: Accountability--Radin Ch. 2

 Sept. 15: Bureaucratic Power--Smith & Licari Ch. 4

 Sept. 20: Bureaucratic Management and Accountability--Radin Chs. 3 and 5

 Sept. 22: IN-CLASS "HALF-TEST"

Management and Leadership

 Sept. 27: Administrative Decisions--Smith & Licari pp. 122-133

 Sept. 29: Making Complex Decisions--Emerson et al. Ch. 8 on ereserve
 Oct. 4:     The Policy Lens--Radin Ch. 4

 Oct. 11:   Management and Policy--Smith and Licari pp. 62-72 and Radin Ch. 6
 Oct. 13:   Management and Professional Competence--Bowman et al, Ch. 4 on ereserve 

  Oct 18:    Involving Citizens--Radin Ch. 7 and Emerson et al. Ch. 4 on ereserve

  Oct. 20:   Emergency Management;  guest speaker; give out midterm exam
                        FEMA, Emergency Manager: An Orientation on the Position Unit 1 and Unit 2

  Oct. 25:   [to be announced] 

  Oct. 27:   Conclusions on Agency Leadership--Radin Ch. 8; MIDTERM EXAMINATION Due

Budgeting, Human Resources Management, and Implementation

  Nov. 1:   Budgeting--Smith and Licari Ch. 8   optional paper proposal due via e-mail

  Nov. 3:   Budgeting--Emerson et al. Ch. 13 on ereserve; Forms A  B   D 

 Nov. 8:   Budgeting/Human Res. Mngt.--Smith & Licari pp. 230--240

  Nov. 10: Human Resources Management: Watson pp.43-49 on ereserve:
                 Smith & Licari 211-229 

  Nov. 15: At-Will Hiring: Condrey and Battaglio "A Return to Spoils?" PAR 2007

  Nov. 17:  Implementation: Smith & Licari pp. 245-257
  Nov. 22:  Implementation: Smith & Licari pp. 257-268

Course Applications in Law Enforcement and Human Rights

 Nov. 29:  Law Enforcement: Orr and West, "Citizen Evaluations of Local Police" Ad.&Soc. 20070

 Dec. 1:     Human Rights: Hailey and James, "Learning Leaders"
                  The Key to Learning Organisations" 2002      optional paper due
 Dec. 6:     Crawford et al., "A Day in the Life of a Development Manager"     

Demands on Students

My demands upon students in this course are as follows:
·   A lack of reading preparation simply will not be tolerated.  Students should expect (a) to be called upon to discuss the reading and (b) to be accountable for readings through quizzes. Deficits in preparation will be so noted in students' "class contribution" rankings as well as in quiz outcomes.
·    Students are expected to attend class regularly and to voluntarily contribute to class with informed comments and observations.

·   Students are expected to observe all standards of academic conduct. Detected plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty will be dealt with severely.
·All assignments are to be submitted by the announced due date or are otherwise subjected to substantial penalty.

Course Description, Goals, and Grade Criteria

    This course surveys the basic elements of public administration as an academic study and a professional career. Some of these elements relate to the structure of U.S. government and to the nature of political processes therein. Other elements concern the nature of management, particularly within the public sphere. Emphasis will be placed upon applying the important concepts in public administration to specific situations illustrated in case studies. Although an introductory in nature, this course on public administration places heavy emphasis on values and professionalism associated with  public service in a democratic society.

Intended Student Outcomes:

Students will…

     …gain a sense of the professional skill-set and values required of public administrators as leaders;
     …understand how contemporary public administrations relates to its roots as an historical reform movement of the progressive
        era. 
     …gain analytical capabilities to trace the scope and extent of public authority delegated to government agencies.
     ...gain the competence to discern between valid and unreasonable criticisms of public bureaucracies.

Course Requirements and Grading

·    “Half-Test”                                          30 points

·    Mid-Term Examination                      60 points

·    Optional Course Paper                       70 points  

·    Course Contribution                      30 points

·    Final Examination)                        60 points
                                                              180 points (no optional paper)
                                                              250 points (with optional paper)