October 19, 2009
9:00 – 11:00
SPNA Department Meeting
303C DeVos
Facilitator:
Mark Hoffman
Recorder:
Attendees:
Dan Balfour, Seong Gin Moon, Margaret Schulte, Greg Cline, Diane Kimoto, Mike Mast, Mike Payne, Rich
Jelier, Donijo Robbins, Al Lyons, Pricilla Kimboko, Fran Cain, Sherry Moyer, Steve Borders
Mark Hoffman
Minutes
Agenda item:
MPA / MHA STUDENT HANDBOOK
Discussion:
Donijo Robbins, Steve Borders, and their graduate assistants (Andy Crosby and Mandy Wedge)
are preparing a graduate student handbook. In the process, some policies need to be clarified.
These include:
1) Admission policies, especially for those with under a 3.0 GPA.
2) Counting Seidman “foundation” classes (500 level) as electives in the MPA program.
3) Program prerequisites in:

research methods or statistics;

computer skills, especially with spreadsheets,

economics
4) Define attendance policy
5) Disallowing course credit for non-program courses with less than a B grade
6) Restricting registration when carrying “incomplete” grades.
7) Restricting course repeats
Re: #1: There is no clear consensus on what the admission process should be for students with
substandard GPAs.
Re: #2: There is a near consensus that Seidman “foundation” classes (500 level) should not count
as part of our graduate program. Mark and Steve are concerned about the added cost burden.
Margaret believes that clearer expectations will blunt the psychological impact.
Re #3: Dan is concerned that program prerequisites will discourage liberal arts majors.
Re: #4 Rich is concerned that a specific departmental policy will usurp the prerogative of the
course instructor to set policy.
Re: #5: all agree on prohibiting for non-program courses with less than a B grade
Re: #6: All agree in principle. But enforcement is an issue.
Re: #7: All agree on restricting course repeats to 2.
Actions:
Donijo, Steve and co. will be working on second draft.
Agenda item:
NASPAA CONFERENCE
Discussion:
From October 15 through October 17, Donijo Robbins represented the School of Public &
Nonprofit Administration at the 2009 NASPAA Annual Conference in Arlington, Virginia. She
attended the following sessions:

MPA and CPM: Cooperation of MPA and Certified Public Manager Programs can help
both build the public service.

Online learning: Challenges and opportunities of a public affairs online environment

Won’t add a dime to the deficit: Teaching fiscal responsibility in a new era of health care
reform and rising deficits

Teaching moments from the financial collapse

Teaching mid-career executive degree students: Knowing the mid-career student

Meeting the challenge: Identifying and achieving the diverse and changing workforce and
citizen competencies as identified as the proposed NASPAA standards 2009 6.1

How to make effective use of external advisory boards: What works and what doesn’t

Perspectives on diversity
On Friday, October 16 Donijo attended the Annual Meeting where, as GVSU’s representative, she
voted in the minority against the amendment to change the language of the preconditions for
accreditation review. The language changed from
" ... leaders, managers, and analysts in the professions of public affairs, administration, and policy
..." to "leaders, managers, and analysts in the professions of public affairs, public administration,
and public policy." In addition, Donijo along with 10 other representatives voted in the minority in
opposition to the new NASPAA accreditation standards. Donijo also voted against world peace
and puppies.
Actions:
None
Agenda item:
CHANGE TO MPA CJ CONCENTRATION
Discussion:
This MPA concentration relies on courses in the MS Criminal Justice program. The courses offered
by MSCJ have changed. The MPA emphasis must be updated to reflect the current course
numbers and titles. The following is the recommended 15-credit concentration, as formally
endorsed by the CJ faculty:
PA 615 - Public Financial Management, Credits: 3
CJ 601 - Criminal Justice Leadership, Credits: 3
CJ 604 - CJ Program and Policy Evaluation, Credits: 3
CJ 607 - Criminology, Credits: 3
CJ 602 - Legal and Ethical Issues, Credits: 3
Donijo was concerned about CJ’s cross listing graduate and undergraduate classes. Mark said
these are the core MSCJ courses and not the cross listed electives.
Vote:
Actions:
Unanimous approval
.
Hoffman will submit change before end of week
2
Agenda item:
STEVE BORDERS SABBATICAL PROPOSAL
Discussion:
The faculty examined Tasmanian Steve’s sabbatical proposal for 2010-2011. See:
http://faculty.gvsu.edu/hoffmanm/stevatical.doc
Dan thought a clear research statement would help the proposal. Priscilla offered to help with some
editing.
Vote:
Unanimous approval
Actions:
Steve must submit the proposal to the Dean’s Office by October 30.
Agenda item:
Discussion:
STUDENT WRITING GUIDES
The Writing Center is in the process of developing department "genre" guides. You can see what they
have done so far posted here:
http://www.gvsu.edu/wc/index.cfm?id=49C0D83E-F28F-19A4-542E29B81173CAA4
They want to develop several more guides specifically for PA students (grad, undergrad or both). And
maybe a general guide for students with English as a second language.
The most desired guides were for
1) memo writing / briefing paper (Sal)
2) case analysis (depending on the applicability of the Business case analysis
http://www.gvsu.edu/wc/index.cfm?id=49C0D83E-F28F-19A4-542E29B81173CAA4
3) critical thought papers.(Margaret)
Actions:
Mark will provide this information to Ellen Schendel (schendee@gvsu.edu) at the Writing Center.
Agenda item:
INVENTORY OF STUDENT LEARNING
EXPERIENCES
Discussion:
We have been asked by the Provost to fill out a spread sheet on learning experiences outside of gen
ed. (See the memo below for the rationale.) Please fill out electronically or on paper the information
for the undergraduate classes you teach. I will compile the results.
Spreadsheet: http://faculty.gvsu.edu/hoffmanm/gened/studentinv.xls
definitions (Leap Goals): http://faculty.gvsu.edu/hoffmanm/gened/leapgoals.doc
explanatory memo: http://faculty.gvsu.edu/hoffmanm/gened/inventorymemo.doc
Each faculty member who teaches an undergraduate course should fill out the spreadsheet and
return to Mark by Friday October 23.
Actions:
Mark will provide this information to Ellen Schendel (schendee@gvsu.edu) at the Writing Center.
3