Self-Study Report
1
NASPAA SELF-STUDY REPORT
August 15, 2008
Master of Public Administration
School of Public & Nonprofit Administration
Grand Valley State University
401 W. Fulton Street
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504
Certified By:
Signature, NASPAA Principal Representative
Certified By:
Signature, Chief Academic Officer
Director
8/1/ 2008
Title
Date
Gayle Davis
Provost
8/1/ 2008
Printed Name
Title
Date
PROGRAM SUMMARY
ITEM
1. Title of degree (1.3)
DATA
Master of Public
Administration
2. Off-Campus locations (9.1)
N/A
3. Number of credits normally required for degree (4.3-A) 39
4. Total credits in required courses (4.21-B)
5. Total credits in elective courses (4.22-A)
6. Specializations advertised as available (4.22-C)
30
9
Public Management; Urban
and Regional Affairs;
Nonprofit Management and
Leadership; Health
Administration; Criminal
Justice
7. Number of credits which can be reduced for prior
undergraduate education (4.3-B)
8. Number of credits which can be reduced for significant
professional experience (4.3-B)
9. Number in faculty nucleus (5.1-B)
10. Number of students in degree program (6.3-D)
0
0
13
Full-time: 55; Part-time: 115;
Total: 170
11. Is a thesis or major professional report required? (4.3- No
C)
12. Is a comprehensive examination required? (4.3-C)
No
13. Is an internship available? Is it required? (4.4-B)
Yes; No
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
STANDARD 1.0 – ELIGIBILITY FOR PEER REVIEW AND ACCREDITATION
1.1 Eligibility ...................................................................................................................................1
1.2 Institutional Accreditation .........................................................................................................1
1.3 Professional Education...............................................................................................................1
1.4 Program Length .........................................................................................................................1
STANDARD 2.0 – PROGRAM MISSION
2.1 Mission Statement......................................................................................................................2
2.2 Assessment.................................................................................................................................9
2.3 Guiding Performance ...............................................................................................................12
STANDARD 3.0 – PROGRAM JURISDICTION
3.1 Administrative Organization....................................................................................................14
3.2 Recognized Program................................................................................................................14
3.3 Program Administration...........................................................................................................14
3.4 Scope of Influence ...................................................................................................................15
STANDARD 4.0 – CURRICULUM
4.1 Purpose of Curriculum.............................................................................................................16
4.2 Curriculum Components..........................................................................................................17
4.21 Common Curriculum Components ............................................................................26
4.22 Additional Curriculum Components..........................................................................29
4.23 General Competencies ...............................................................................................33
4.3 Minimum Degree Requirements..............................................................................................33
4.4 Internships................................................................................................................................36
STANDARD 5.0 – THE FACULTY
5.1 Faculty Nucleus .......................................................................................................................40
5.2 Professional Qualifications ......................................................................................................44
5.3 Practitioner Involvement..........................................................................................................44
5.4 Faculty Quality.........................................................................................................................46
5.41 Instruction ..................................................................................................................27
5.42 Research .....................................................................................................................52
5.43 Experience and Service..............................................................................................53
5.5 Faculty Diversity......................................................................................................................55
STANDARD 6.0 – ADMISSION OF STUDENTS
6.1 Admission Goals and Standards ..............................................................................................60
6.2 Baccalaureate Requirement .....................................................................................................62
6.3 Admission Factors ...................................................................................................................62
STANDARD 7.0 – STUDENT SERVICES
7.1 Advisement and Appraisal.......................................................................................................66
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7.2 Placement Service....................................................................................................................68
STANDARD 8.0 – SUPPORT SERVICES AND FACILITIES
8.1 Budget ......................................................................................................................................70
8.2 Library Services .......................................................................................................................71
8.3 Support Personnel ....................................................................................................................73
8.4 Instructional Equipment...........................................................................................................73
8.5 Faculty Offices.........................................................................................................................74
8.6 Classrooms...............................................................................................................................74
8.7 Meeting Area ...........................................................................................................................74
STANDARD 9.0 – OFF-CAMPUS AND DISTANCE EDUATION .......................................75
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STANDARD 1.0 - ELIGIBILITY FOR PEER REVIEW AND ACCREDITATION
1.1 Eligibility
The program is eligible and is applying for peer review and re-accreditation.
1.2 Institutional Accreditation
Grand Valley is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission; Member - North Central
Association, 30 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602-2504. Grand Valley was
accredited for undergraduate programs in 1968 and received accreditation at the master's level in
1979. The last comprehensive accreditation evaluation was 1998 - 1999; the next is in 2008 2009.
1.3 Professional Education
A. Leadership and Management Objective
The mission of the School of Public and Nonprofit Administration (SPNA) is to educate students
for lives of active citizenship and for professional careers in public and nonprofit organizations.
We are committed to developing in our students the capacities for ethical judgment, critical
thinking, and the core competencies necessary to fulfill multiple roles as effective managers,
public servants, and contributing members of their local, national, and global communities.
B. Degree Specification
SPNA is applying for reaccreditation of the Master of Public Administration.
SPNA is not applying for accreditation of the Master of Health Administration (MHA), which
was started in 2004. The MHA degree targets managers of nonprofit healthcare organizations.
When the time is appropriate, SPNA will seek accreditation for the MHA from the Commission
on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).
1.4 Program Length
The first admissions for the MPA was in 1978 with the first graduation in December 1979.
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STANDARD 2.0 - PROGRAM MISSION
2.1 Mission Statement
A. Background
The history of the MPA program can be divided into four periods.
Part I. Seidman College of Business, 1978-1982. Grand Valley’s MPA program was developed
in the Seidman College of Business in 1978 and graduated its first student in December 1979.
The MPA program graduated six persons in 1980, one in 1981, and four in 1982.
Part II. Social Thought and Public Affairs, 1983-1990. In a 1983 university reorganization, the
MPA program was married to the undergraduate PA program and placed in a newly created
department called “Social Thought and Public Affairs” (STPA). The other programs in STPA
were Political Science, Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice. The person charged with
both the graduate and undergraduate PA programs was titled the Coordinator of Public
Administration Programs and reported directly to the STPA Chair, a sociologist. The MPA
curriculum of 1983 was designed to emphasize behavioral graduate management studies rather
than administration, policy or quantitative studies in the public sector. The MPA program
graduated six persons in 1983 and three in 1984.
In 1986, without denying the differences between public and private sector management, the
program was modified to be more competitive with two separate regional offerings; a generic
master’s degree and a public administration master’s degree at two local universities. The result
was that the MPA became even less “public.” The variety of offerings from various programs,
while potentially creative and collaborative led, in implementation, to the program’s loss of
identity and autonomy.
In 1989, the University signaled its recognition of the importance of and support for the
program’s future by providing resources to hire a new full-time Coordinator of the PA Programs.
The PA Programs began a rigorous self-study of the graduate MPA program, its mission and the
constituents served. The self-study identified specific program needs: the programs lacked
sufficient autonomy; there was little delineation between graduate and undergraduate records and
processes; and the programs were unfocused and understaffed. The first remedial step was to
apply for NASPAA membership, thereby providing the program guidelines and support
necessary to propose and implement necessary changes. On November 3, 1989 the MPA
program was accepted for membership in NASPAA.
During that same period the PA Programs hired a consultant whose knowledge of NASPAA
standards helped insure a fair and useful evaluation. The consultant visited the program on
November 9 and 10, 1989. The MPA program graduated eight persons in 1989.
Part III. School of Public Administration, 1990-1996. The department of Social Thought and
Public Affairs was abolished and the School of Public Administration (SPA) was established on
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July 1, 1990. On July 17, the first proposal for restructuring the MPA was initiated in the
curriculum approval process, which eventually resulted in:
the MPA curriculum being restructured into its present configuration
addition of a concentration in Criminal Justice Administration (with classes taught
in the School of Criminal Justice).
addition of a concentration in Health Administration (developed with the active
involvement and support of a newly gathered Health Administration Advisory
Board)
hiring of an additional tenure-track faculty member.
In 1990 the School of Public Administration moved to downtown Grand Rapids. At the time, the
Grand Valley Grand Rapids Campus was composed of a single nine-story building, the E.V.
Eberhard Center, which opened in 1988. SPA was housed in leased office space in the 25
Commerce Building, along with Criminal Justice, Social Work, and Educational Connections.
In 1992, the School of Public Administration added a fifth and sixth tenure-track faculty line,
and secured a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation of nearly a million dollars to create two
new entities: 1) a new MPA concentration in nonprofit management and leadership which
provides funding for a seventh and eighth faculty tenure-track line, and 2) the Center on
Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership. The Director of the newly established Center became a
SPA faculty member.
From 1992-1994 the School established two additional Concentration Advisory Boards, in
“Public Management” and “Nonprofit Management and Leadership.” In 1995, the school added
three new tenure track positions. In 1996, a new director was hired and the Graduate Certificate
in Nonprofit Leadership was inaugurated.
Part IV. School of Public and Nonprofit Administration, 1997-present. In 1997, following a
strategic planning retreat, “and Nonprofit” was added to the School’s name, hence the current
name of School of Public and Nonprofit Administration (SPNA). The MPA was changed to
provide more focused policy and financial administration courses, and to allow more elective
credit hours. The Public Management concentration was rebadged “Public Management / Urban
and Regional Affairs” to reflect the growing importance of regional governance issues. In 1998,
SPNA began offering MPA courses at the Muskegon and Holland branches of Grand Valley.
New tenure track positions were added in 1998 and 1999.
In May 2000, SPNA moved into the new Richard M. DeVos Center in downtown Grand Rapids.
When the university was reorganized in 2003. SPNA joined the School of Criminal Justice, the
School of Social Work, the Johnson Center for Philanthropy, and the department of Hospitality,
Tourism, and Management to form the College of Community and Public Service.
In 2004 Public Management/Urban and Regional Affairs was split into two concentrations:
“Public Management” and “Urban and Regional Policy and Planning.” Also in 2004, a Masters
in Health Administration was inaugurated. New tenure track positions were added in 2002, and
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2006. Since 2001 the MPA program has grown from 104 students to 170 students.
In January 2008, SPNA will be moving to a suite in a new LEED-certified, mixed-use building
on the downtown campus.
B. Mission Statement
The mission of the School of Public and Nonprofit Administration is to educate students for lives
of active citizenship as contributing members of their local, regional, national, and global
communities, and for professional careers in public and nonprofit organizations. We are
committed to developing in undergraduate and graduate students the capacities for ethical
judgment, critical thinking, and the core competencies necessary to fulfill multiple roles as
effective managers and public servants.
The mission of the MPA program is to develop both the general knowledge and specific abilities
needed for leadership in a fast changing world. The curriculum is designed to prepare students to
act ethically and effectively in public management, urban and regional policy and planning,
nonprofit management, criminal justice, and health care administration, and to transcend
traditional boundaries in the pursuit of prosperous, safe, and healthy communities.
The resources of the SPNA program include 12 full-time faculty members, 1 phased-retirement
faculty member, one professional staff and 1.5 secretaries. SPNA is assigned office space along a
hallway in DeVos Center. Classroom space is provided in DeVos Center and the other Grand
Valley downtown buildings: Eberhard Center, Kennedy Hall and the Cook-DeVos Health
Science Center. The university provides $900 in professional development funds for each
professor. This is supplemented by additional funds from the Pew Teaching and Learning Center
and the Research and Development Office.
The constituencies of the MPA program are a mix of full-time and part-time students. Most of
them are from west Michigan, but a growing number are from other parts of Michigan and from
abroad. The following tables provide an overview of the student demographics.
Table 2.1.B.1
Enrollment in MPA program by race, Fall 2002 - Fall 2007
Asian
Black
Hispanic
American Indian
Not Reported
White
Total
Percent Nonwhite
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
4
8
1
1
4
119
137
10.2%
3
15
2
6
15
1
9
114
145
15.2%
5
16
4
1
11
120
157
16.6%
6
17
7
6
140
166
12.0%
5
9
2
1
11
117
145
11.7%
16
118
164
18.3%
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Table 2.1.B.2
Enrollment in MPA program by home address, Fall 2002 - Fall 2007
Kent County
Ottawa County
Muskegon County
Allegan County
Detroit Metro Area
Remainder Of Michigan
Remainder Of Us
Abroad
Total
Percent From Outside
KOMA
Percent From Abroad
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
69
21
6
5
4
24
3
5
137
26.3%
84
28
10
3
4
25
7
5
166
24.7%
71
20
13
2
5
16
7
11
145
26.9%
71
26
15
2
2
13
5
11
145
21.4%
82
27
10
3
5
18
1
11
157
22.3%
74
27
9
4
6
26
3
15
164
30.5%
3.6%
3.0%
7.6%
7.6%
7.0%
9.1%
Table 2.1.B.3
Percent Enrollment In MPA Program By Age, Gender, and Full-time/Part-time Status
Fall 2002 - Fall 2007
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
1
21
25
26
21
6
0
28
21
27
16
8
0
23
35
22
13
7
0
21
30
29
12
7
0
19
34
29
11
6
0
16
33
31
13
7
65.0
35.0
66.3
33.7
66.2
33.8
59.3
40.7
58.0
42.0
57.3
42.7
27
73
26
74
32
68
29
71
26%
74%
32%
68%
AGE
Age < 20
Age 20 - 24
Age 25 - 29
Age 30 - 39
Age 40 - 49
Age >= 50
GENDER
Female
Male
FT/PT STATUS
Full-Time
Part-Time
Strategies and objectives. The strategies and objectives of SPNA are consistent with its
environment. Important or unusual aspects of this environment are:
Grand Valley is a comprehensive university where teaching is highly valued.
Our student market is primarily west Michigan.
Our MPA has few program peers; it being a large masters program associated
with an undergraduate program, but without an associated Ph.D. program.
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Our MPA attracts a disproportionate number of nonprofit-oriented students
because our curriculum was early to recognize nonprofit management as an
important aspect of public service and we are institutionally associated with the
high-profile Johnson Center for Philanthropy.
Grand Valley’s facilities are relatively new and outstanding.
Grand Valley maintains low per student costs, achieved, in part, by keeping
auxiliary and support functions (e.g., development, marketing, record keeping,
career development, IT) centralized and keeping only essential staffing and
funding directly attached to the departments and colleges.
The faculty members who have joined SPNA in the past decade have a desire to
be active researchers.
(See current Strategic Plan in Volume II).
C. Mission Process
Prior to 2001, strategic planning was done by SPNA independently from the University or
College as a whole. In 2001, Grand Valley began an integrated strategic planning process. The
development of the University Strategic Plan began with the formation of a Strategic Planning
Committee comprised of representatives of the university’s constituent groups. Paul Mavima, a
SPNA faculty member, served on this committee, whose purpose was to engage the university
community in creating a framework (vision, mission, values, and goals) for a Grand Valley
strategic plan. The Board of Trustees approved the vision, mission, and values in February, 2003.
Using this new framework, the university’s organizational divisions, including the College of
Community and Public Service (CPPS), developed their own strategic plans. Dan Balfour and
Mark Hoffman represented SPNA during the CCPS strategic planning meetings. In turn, a new
SPNA strategic plan was developed consistent with the strategic plan of the College and the
University. The SPNA plan was developed at a December 2005 faculty retreat facilitated by Jim
Perry of Indiana University.
The work of the various organizational divisions informed the completion of the operational
aspects of the university’s strategic plan. Grand Valley’s Board of Trustees approved the
completed Strategic Plan for the university on July 13, 2007. The Strategic Positioning 2010
Committee was created in 2008 to review the University’s strategic plan.
D. Variation from Standards
None.
2.2 Assessment
SPNA is developing a learning assessment procedure that conforms to the university’s learning
assessment policies. The first phase of this plan was completed in Winter 2008, with assessment
of writing and critical thinking skills.
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Table 2.2.1
Assessment Rubric for Critical Thinking Skills
Criteria
3 = Good
1. Quality of
evidence
Completely evaluates
the evidence and
sources of evidence.
Can distinguish
between fact,
inference, opinion,
and value judgment.
2. Supports
arguments
Able to support a
position with a
substantial amount of
information, little or
no bias, and valid
arguments.
3. Used
Accurately and
models
completely analyzes
purpose using
appropriate models;
finds connections
between the material
and the models.
4. Recognizes Recognizes all
alternatives
plausible alternative
viewpoints or
solutions; completely
considers each one
before choosing.
2 = Satisfactory
1 = Needs
Improvement
Adequately evaluates Superficially
the evidence and
evaluates evidence
sources of evidence. and sources. Often
Can usually
substitutes opinion
distinguish between and value judgment
fact, inference,
for fact and
opinion, and value
inference.
judgment.
Able to support a
Able to support a
position with
position with some
adequate information evidence.
and few, if any,
logical fallacies.
0 = Absent
Merely repeats
information provided
or denies evidence
with no justification.
Confuses facts with
inferences, opinions,
and value judgments.
Cannot articulate a
position or offers no
supporting evidence.
Satisfactorily
Attempts to use
Models are
analyzes purpose
appropriate models, misapplied or not
using appropriate
but gives attention to used.
models; misses minor only the most
connections.
significant or obvious
connections.
Recognizes
alternative solutions
or viewpoints; gives
them some
consideration.
Recognizes a few
Unable to recognize
alternative solutions alternative solutions
or viewpoints; but
or viewpoints.
dismisses them
without justification.
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Table 2.2.2
Assessment Rubric for Communication Skills
Criteria
3 = Good
1. Content
Thoughtful and
Basic analysis of a
insightful analysis of thesis or purpose.
a clearly present
Reader gains
thesis or purpose.
sufficient insight.
Reader gains good
insight
Ideas arranged
Ideas are, for the
logically. Flow
most part, arranged
smoothly and are
logically and linked.
topics links. Reader Reader can follow
can follow
most of the
reasoning.
reasoning.
Tone is consistently Tone is generally
professional and
professional and
appropriate of
mostly appropriate
audience.
for audience.
2. Organization
3. Tone
4. Mechanics
5. References
6. Format
2 = Satisfactory
1 = Needs
Improvement
Some analysis of a
thesis or purpose.
Reader gains few
insights.
0 = Absent
Paper does not
identify thesis or
purpose. Analysis
vague or missing.
Reader is confused
or misinformed.
Writing is not
Little semblance of
logical and ideas
logical organization.
sometime fail to
Reader cannot
make sense. Reader identify reasoning.
needs to work to
figure out meaning.
Tone is occasionally Tone is not
professional or
professional. It is
occasional
inappropriate for
appropriate for
audience and
audience.
purpose.
Writing is free or
Occasional errors in Writing has
Errors are so
almost free of errors. writing, but they do numerous errors and numerous that they
not represent a
distracts the reader. obscure meaning.
major distraction.
Sources of presented Complete references Occasional and/or References are not
evidence are clearly are generally
incomplete
or mostly not
and fairly
present.
references are
presented.
represented
provided.
A recognized format CA recognized
Format of document No standardized
is correctly followed format is generally reflects incomplete format followed.
followed; a few
knowledge of
mistakes, however. standard.
Other aspects of the assessment plan included results of student surveys. An assessment report
was submitted to the University Assessment committee on June 15. Other aspects of student
learning will be developed over the next two years. A complete cycle of learning assessments
will be completed every three years, with the next submission to the University Assessment
Committee due in 2011.
Even before the university’s implementation of assessment, SPNA carried out regular
assessments, with a focus on student / alumni surveys and bi-annual strategic planning and goal
setting. Important surveys include:
Student course evaluations (each semester). This survey, administered during the
last two weeks of class, has 21 Likert scale questions on the quality of the class
and instructor, plus ten student demographic questions and three open ended
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question. The survey was moved from bubble sheets to on-line (via Blackboard)
in 2007.
Internship evaluations with students and employers are completed for every
internship.
Exit survey are administered at the end of the MPA capstone class.
Current graduate students survey is administered by Career Services. This is a 46question survey first conducted in 2007.
Graduate employment survey is conducted annually by Career Services. It asks
the new alumni if they are in school, if they are working,, if their jib is related to
their college education, and if their job is directly related to their college major.
MPA alumni survey is conducted every few years by SPNA. In 2007 it was a 38question survey conducted online. It mixed Likerts scales and open-ended
questions about employment histories and opinions on the MPA courses and
concentrations.
These processes have helped to guide the school and create a clear sense of identity and mission.
Assessment focuses on achieving excellence in teaching and on student learning and success in
advancing their careers. Our focus on serving the needs of the West Michigan region has
contributed to strong enrollments and a growing number of alumni in positions of leadership in
government, nonprofit, health and criminal justice organizations.
2.3 Guiding Performance
The structure and environment of the MPA program has been very stable since the last self-study
report. Four substantive changes have been made, informed by feedback and implemented
through the strategic planning process. Additionally, one issue of concern remained from the
decision to create a separate MHA program.
Internships. Internships had always been encouraged. Feedback from alumni and the COPRA
site-team suggested that the internship process should be expanded and improved. Starting in
2003, internships became mandatory for pre-career students. A professional staff position was
added to be, in part, an internship coordinator.
Urban and Regional Policy and Planning. Advocacy for regional consolidation has been giving
way to interest in regional cooperation. Cooperation among municipalities was becoming an
important issue for west Michigan’s local officials. In his 2004 State of the City address, Mayor
Heartwell of Grand Rapids said, “We will either prosper as a region or all slide down the same
chute to ruin. There will be no leaving some behind, no standing on the backs of a few. ... We
need to think outside the traditional boundaries and act beyond parochial interests. This work
can’t wait.” Grand Rapids has been ranked among the 10 most sprawling metropolitan areas in
terms of density and street networks. It has also been ranked at the bottom of Richard Florida’s
“creativity index.” Local issues, including the creation of a new suburban sewer district, a new
county-wide farmland preservation program, and the developing of a shared vision for the region
coordinated by the West Michigan Strategic Alliance. At a Winter 2003 meeting, the SPNA
faculty weighed these factors against our mission to provide our students with “specific abilities
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needed for leadership in a fast changing world.” The faculty voted to add a concentration in
Urban and Regional Policy and Planning in order to provide an option for students with a
primary interest on regional governance issues. The proposal was submitted to the faculty
governance in Fall 2003. Approval by the Division Curriculum Committee and the University
Curriculum Committee was achieved that semester and the concentration was available in fall
2004.
International NGO Management. Adding a course in international NGO management gave an
international perspective to the curriculum in the Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree.
Previously all our courses had a local or national focus. However, more and more, we were
enrolling students who were interested in understanding the management of nonprofit
organizations that operate in the international arena. We had a growing number of international
students, most of whom would like to pursue careers in International NGO management. We also
had American students who had similar aspirations. Most of those already had some experience
in international development from, among other things, being in the Peace Corp, working with
international ministries, or participating in study abroad programs. Assistant Professor Paul
Mavima developed “International NGO Management” as a special topic class in 2005. In Fall
2006, the faculty approved the addition of the course to the curriculum . The proposal was
approved by the College Curriculum Committee in 2006.
Hybrid classes. In 1998, SPNA started offering classes at GVSU’s Holland and Muskegon
campuses, including dual-campus ITV courses. The growth in the program was primarily in the
Grand Rapids market and many Grand Rapids-based students were being forced to drive to
Muskegon or Holland. Student surveys and course evaluations revealed this wasn’t terribly
efficient or popular. After 2002, these courses were phased out in favor of hybrid course
offerings (e.g., courses blending face-to-face instruction with substantial online learning)..
Hybrid courses served these Grand Rapids-based student better, while also meeting SPNA’s
objective of serving constituencies in Holland and Muskegon. Hybrid courses meet in-person
two or three times, so all face-to-face contact is not completely lost.
Impact of MHA on MPA enrollments. Healthcare management is a popular subject with
students, due to the high-profile growth of the healthcare industry in Grand Rapids and
nationwide. The decision to create an MHA program was consistent with the needs of SPNA’s
healthcare-oriented students. However, it posed a potential threat to the growth of the MPA
program, which had grown, in part, because of its healthcare management concentration. The
results were that enrollment in the MHA program was spectacularly successful, but enrollments
in the MPA program also went up, due to growth in the other concentrations.
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STANDARD 3.0 - PROGRAM JURISDICTION
3.1 Administrative Organization
The following chart shows the location of the program in the administrative structure of Grand
Valley State University. The School of Public and Nonprofit Administration is located in the
College of Community and Public Service. There are eight academic colleges at Grand Valley
and their respective Deans report directly to the Provost. The University’s structure relative to
SPNA is as follows:
Board of Trustees
President
Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dean, College of Community and Public Service
Director, School of Public & Nonprofit Administration
3.2 Recognized Program
The structure of the School of Public and Nonprofit Administration constitutes the director, Mark
Hoffman, and 12 full-time faculty members. One of these, Paul Mavima, resigned during the
self-study year, in December 2007.
One additional SPNA faculty member, Mike Mast, is in phased retirement and has taught strictly
at the undergraduate level for more than 10 years. For the purpose of this report, he is not
counted as “MPA faculty.” However, his full participation in faculty decision making, including
MPA matters, is retained, welcomed and appreciated.
SPNA also employs one professional staff member, Quincy Williams. The majority of Mr.
William’s responsibilities are related to the undergraduate program. However, he is SPNA’s
internship coordinator, which includes graduate-level internships.
3.3 Program Administration
The Director of the School of Public and Nonprofit Administration has primary responsibility for
administration of the MPA program. The director is appointed by the college dean, based upon a
vote of the SPNA faculty.
MPA-related administrative functions performed by other faculty and staff included:
MHA / MPA healthcare concentration coordinator (Steve Borders)
MPA admission committee (Donijo Robbins, Mike Payne, Dan Balfour)
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Internship coordinator (Quincy Williams)
Pi Alpha Alpa coordinator / liaison (Diane Kimoto)
Faculty governance roles during the self-study year included:
College Curriculum Committee (Ramya Ramanath)
College Personnel Committee (Paul Mavima, Rich Jelier)
Faculty Advisory Committee (Mike Payne)
University Finance and Budget Committee (Donijo Robbins)
Library Liaison (Seong-Gin Moon)
3.4 Scope of Influence
A. General program policy and planning are determined with full participation of the SPNA
faculty with the SPNA director and in consultation with the college dean and the dean of
graduate studies. Learning assessment policies are subject to review by the university
assessment committee. Strategic planning decisions are subject to the approval of the
college dean.
B. Degree requirements are determined with full participation of the SPNA faculty. These
decisions are subject to review by a college curriculum committee, the graduate council,
and a university curriculum committee. They are subject to approval by the college dean
and the university provost.
C. New courses and curriculum changes are determined with full participation of the SPNA
faculty. These decisions are subject to review by a college curriculum committee, the
graduate council, and a university curriculum committee. They are subject to approval by
the college dean and the university provost. Minor curriculum changes, such as changes
to prerequisites, have expedited procedures.
D. Admissions decisions are made by the SPNA director, based on recommendations from a
faculty committee.
E. Certification of degree candidates are made by the designated faculty advisor, with
approval by the SPNA director, college dean and university registrar.
F. Course scheduling and teaching assignments are made by the director in consultation
with faculty and dean of college.
G. Use of financial and other resources are determined by the SPNA director in consultation
with the faculty and college dean.
H. Appointment, promotion and tenuring of program faculty is based upon a
recommendation of the SPNA faculty, serving as a committee of the whole. This
recommendation is forwarded to the college personnel committee for review. The college
dean makes the decision, subject to review by the provost.
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16
STANDARD 4.0—CURRICULUM
4.1 Purpose of Curriculum
The curriculum for the master’s program is directly linked to our mission. Our mission is to
educate students to be valuable members to their organizations and society by developing their
capacities for ethical judgment, critical thinking, and general competencies. As such, we prepare
through a combination of common core components and specialized study in public
management, urban and regional policy and planning, nonprofit management, health
administration, or criminal justice administration and policy. The common core components
consist of 15 credit hours (5 courses) including:
PA 520: Foundations of Public Management
PA 611: Research Methods
PA 612: Human Resources in Public Organizations
PA 614: Organization Theory
PA 619: Management Seminar.
PA 520 and 619 are the anchor courses—introduction and capstone courses, respectively. PA
611 provides practical research skills for administrators, and PA 612 and 614 examine multiple
perspectives for understanding public and nonprofit organizations. Each of these courses stresses
the core concepts of the MPA program—ethical judgment and critical thinking—and the core
competencies necessary to fulfill multiple roles as effective managers, public servants, and
contributing members of their local, national, and global communities. While some of the core
competencies are covered in more depth in the specialized courses, the core courses are designed
to assure that students are exposed to and challenged to employ in an integrative manner
(especially in the capstone course) the various skills needed to be effective leaders in public
organizations and to explore the connections between the public, nonprofit, and for-profit sectors
of society.
Beyond the core courses, each student must take at least 15 credit hours in a concentration area
in one of the following:
Public Management
Urban and Regional Policy and Planning
Nonprofit Management and Leadership
Health Administration
Criminal Justice
Specialized courses in the concentration areas focus on the knowledge and competencies needed
to be effective in financial management, public policy, law, and ethics in each sector, along with
specific management issues and skills.
Students select an additional nine credits of courses as electives and pre-service students take
three credits of internship. Students may take courses from any of the other concentrations, from
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17
MPA courses not housed in a specific concentration including study abroad, workshops,
independent studies, or write a master’s thesis. In addition, students can take courses from other
graduate programs with the approval of their advisor.
Overall, through the combination of core, concentration, and elective courses the program
prepares each student to assume positions of responsibility in public, nonprofit, and health
organizations. Although we focus on supervisory and management positions, students can gain
strong analytical skills needed for research and policy analysis and evaluation work. The
program aims to create leaders who can be effective in specific settings while integrating general
knowledge and bringing a global perspective to local problems and issues.
4.2 Curriculum Components
A. Background Information
1. Credit System: Semester.
2. Length of Term: 15 weeks.
3. Number of Terms: 3 semesters.
4. Full-Time Status: 9 semester hours.
5. Time Limitation: 8 years.
6. Class Contact Hours: 1 credit hour = 15 contact hours; 2 credits = 30 contact hours; 3
credits = 45 contact hours
7. Numbering System: 200: Lower division undergraduate; 300-400: Upper division
undergraduate; 500 lower division graduate (may be taken by undergrads with permission);
600 upper division graduate.
B. Course Distribution
Table 4.2.B
Course Distribution
Course Level
Lower Division
Upper Division
Upper Div. & Graduate
Exclusively Graduate
Total
Common Curriculum Components
Required
Required Graduate
Prerequisites
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
39
0
39
Additional
Curriculum
Components
0
0
0
3
3
Total
0
0
0
39-42
39-42
C. Capable Professionals
The MPA curriculum at GVSU combines theory and application exposing students to and
equipping them with the most useful and current tools of the trade. Students are also required to
learn and utilize a variety of methods for exploring administrative and policy issues, including
case analysis, quantitative methods, and community-based research and service learning. In
addition, we aim stimulate intelligent and creative analysis by providing multiple perspectives on
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18
public and nonprofit organizations. While most of our graduates will work in local government
and community nonprofits or health organizations, the curriculum includes global and
international perspectives in order to help them to think beyond the traditional boundaries of
their organizations and communities and to explore new directions for policy and action.
D. Assessment and Guiding Performance
The assessment of the graduate courses and overall MPA curriculum involves a number of
different methods--rubrics, surveys, exit interviews, and strategic planning. The School uses the
results to better understand what was being offered in other courses and to assure that the
curriculum as a whole meets the School’s mission. Specifically, our assessment plan addresses
five fundamental areas: critical thinking skills, communication skills, information technology,
ethics, and career placement and advancement. Each is discussed in turn.
Two of most fundamental and important skills for any public or nonprofit administrator are to
master the art of thinking critically and communicating effectively. As such, the curriculum must
provide the necessary skills for the work place and students must demonstrate competencies in
these skills. The assessment of these skills is accomplished through using rubrics (to assess the
skills) and questionnaires (to understand the efficacy of these skills in the workplace). To think
critically, our students must support their arguments with quality evidence and model building.
In addition, they must recognize alternative explanations. Therefore, the critical thinking
objectives include:
Objective 1a. Demonstrate competencies in analytical skills
Objective 1b. Provide useful skills for workplace
To properly communicate ideas, problems, and solutions, our students should include insightful
analysis through the use of evidence, present their arguments in a logical and organized manner
that maintains a professional tone. Finally they should use proper mechanics and follow a
recognized format. Therefore, our objectives include:
Objective 2a. Demonstrate competencies in communication skills
Objective 2b. Provide useful skills for workplace
To assess critical thinking and communication skills, we use papers written by our students in the
capstone course, PA 619, Management Seminar. This course is designed to provide students with
a comprehensive overview and assessment of their advanced study of public and nonprofit
administration. The course approaches the study of public management from the perspectives of
a competing values framework, administrative ethics, and from multiple levels of analysis
(individual, organizational, and societal). Students combine theory and practice through case
analyses and personal assessment of management competencies. Each student completes a
journal article length research paper or analytical essay, with the best papers published in the
SPNA REVIEW. From this course we randomly selected 14 papers and randomly assigned them
to the public administration faculty for review. The faculty used the rubrics discussed in section
2.2 to evaluate each paper. For each paper, the faculty member assigned a score, ranging from 0
to 3, to each of the four critical thinking categories and the six categories for communication
skills. In their aggregate form, these scores allow us to assess the each skill category. Moreover,
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19
the total score (the summation of the scores for all four categories) provides us with the overall
quality of our students’ critical thinking and communication abilities. The following targets have
been established to provide us with continuous monitoring of these skills:
Papers in each assessment category rated satisfactory or better: 75 percent
All papers rated satisfactory or better: 75 percent
We meet our targets of 75 percent of all papers being rated as satisfactory or better in all critical
thinking areas except the ability to recognize alternatives. With exception to content and
mechanics, more than 80 of all communication skill targets are achieved. While content missed
the target by less than two percentage points, writing mechanics are substantially lower than the
established target. Table 4.2.D.1 1 below presents these results.
Table 4.2.D.1
Assessment scores for critical thinking and communication skills
Critical thinking skills
Quality of evidence
Supports arguments
Used models
Recognizes alternatives
Communication skills
Content
Organization
Tone
Mechanics
References
Format
Good/Satisfactory
n
%
11
78.6
11
78.6
13
92.9
10
71.4
11
12
12
8
12
13
Needs Improvement
n
%
3
21.4
3
21.4
1
7.1
4
28.6
78.6
85.7
85.7
57.1
85.7
92.9
3
2
2
6
2
1
Average
21.4
14.3
14.3
42.9
14.3
7.1
1.93
2.07
2.07
1.79
2.07
2.07
2.21
1.71
2.57
2.07
In total, all of the papers assessed received a satisfactory or better rating for critical thinking and
communication skills. Table 4.2.D.2 shows these results.
Table 4.2.D.2
Overall critical thinking and communication skills of graduate students
Overall rating
Good
Satisfactory
Needs improvement
Average total score
Critical thinking skills
n
%
5
35.7
9
64.3
0
0.0
7.9
Communication skills
n
%
8
57.1
6
42.9
0
0.0
12.71
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To assess the usefulness of these skills in the workplace, we distributed a survey to our alumni in
the fall 2007 semester; to which 127 responded. The survey asked our alumni to rate their
proficiency in certain skill areas as well as the importance of these skills in the work place. The
following targets have been established to provide us with continuous monitoring of these skills:
Percent of students saying at least some level of knowledge gained: 80 percent
Percent of students saying skills important in the workplace: 80 percent
Over 85 percent of those who responded to the survey said they gained at least some knowledge
in their ability to think critically, solve problems, and evaluate programs. Over 80 percent of the
responded claimed they learned at least some knowledge in managing employees, applying
statistical techniques, and developing budgets. Finally, less than 80 percent feel they gained at
least some knowledge in their abilities to manage the financial aspects of an organization and
write grants. Table 4.2.D.3 presents these findings. However, when asked about the importance
of the above skills in the workplace, fewer than 85 percent of the respondents said that managing
the financial aspects of the organization and writing grants is at least somewhat important. Table
4.4.D.4 shows these results.
Table 4.2.D.3
Students’ perceptions of knowledge gained in selected areas
Skills Learned
Critical thinking skills
Solve problems
Evaluate a program
Manage a group of employees
Apply statistical techniques
Develop a budget
Manage financial aspects of agency
Write grants
Oral communication skills
Written communication skills
Public presentation skills
Much
n
62
60
45
36
44
28
20
33
52
62
46
Some
%
55.4
54.5
42.1
34.3
41.9
27.7
19.6
32.7
46.4
55.4
41.1
n
47
44
53
53
44
54
59
44
54
45
59
None
%
42.0
40.0
49.5
50.5
41.9
53.5
57.8
43.6
48.2
40.2
52.7
n
3
6
9
16
17
19
23
24
6
5
7
%
2.7
5.5
8.4
15.2
16.2
18.8
22.5
23.8
5.4
4.5
6.3
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Table 4.2.D.4
Students’ perceptions importance of selected areas in workplace
Skills Important to Workplace
Solve problems
Critical thinking skills
Evaluate a program
Manage a group of employees
Manage financial aspects of agency
Apply statistical techniques
Develop a budget
Write grants
Written communication
Oral communciation
Public presentation skills
Very important
n
%
84
85.7
84
82.4
67
69.8
55
57.3
43
47.3
40
41.7
39
41.5
36
38.7
89
89.0
86
87.8
85
86.7
Somewhat important
n
%
12
12.2
17
16.7
23
24.0
32
33.3
33
36.3
44
45.8
42
44.7
32
34.4
10
10.0
12
12.2
9
9.2
Not at all important
n
%
2
2.0
1
1.0
6
6.3
9
9.4
15
16.5
12
12.5
13
13.8
25
26.9
1
1.0
0
0.0
4
4.1
Overall, we meet our targets in most critical thinking categories. While recognizing alternatives
fails to meet the 75 percent target, in general all the papers analyzed met a satisfactory rating. To
improve this target, our students can support their arguments by providing more quality evidence
and establish and use models. In addition, faculty must assist students by explaining model
building and the importance of literature searches. Moreover, faculty should provide alternative
paradigms in classroom discussions.
Moreover, we meet our communication targets but are substantially off the mark in one area
(writing mechanics) and two points from the target in another (content). Students should be
encouraged to write multiple drafts of paper, seek assistance from writing center, and pick up
papers at end of semester. Faculty need to be more attentive to writing mechanics, enforce an
established format, and emphasize the significance of conducting and collecting evidence (i.e.,
literature searches).
Finally, although more than 20 percent of our students say they did not gain any knowledge in
the ability to manage the financial aspects of an agency or write grants, for more than 15 percent
of the respondents, they claim that these two areas are least important in the workplace.
However, perhaps the lack of training in these two fields (financial administration and grant
writing) leads our alumni to other fields. What could explain the missed targets? We offer a grant
writing course, but we do not require students to take the course as part of the degree; however,
we do strongly encourage our nonprofit students to enroll in grant writing. We offer and require
a finance course in all graduate concentrations; however, the nonprofit finance course also covers
topics like fund development. The nonprofit course should be split into two courses, one
covering fund development and the other focusing on financial administration of nonprofits.
Public and nonprofit administrators use information technology to manage and solve problems
and assist the overall decision making process. As managers, administrators, and directors of
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public and nonprofit organizations, our students must first understand the important role
information technology plays in our profession and second, be competent in the technology so
they apply these skills in the work setting. Therefore, our objectives are for our students to:
Objective 3a. Demonstrate competencies in and understand role of information
technology.
Objective 3b. Apply knowledge of IT skills and abilities in work/professional setting.
In the alumni survey, we asked our alumni to rate their proficiency in information technology,
specifically computers, and tell us how useful computer skills are in the work place. The
following targets have been established to provide us with continuous monitoring of these skills:
Percent of students saying at least some level of proficiency gained: 80 percent
Percent of students saying skills important in the workplace: 80 percent
We miss our proficiency target by 7 percent; 27 percent of our alumni said they did not gain any
proficiency in computers while in the program. However, 97 percent argue computers are at least
somewhat important in the field. Table 4.2.D.5 presents these findings.
Table 4.2.D.5
Students’ perceptions of proficiency gained in and importance of information technology
Information Technology
Much/Very
Some/Somewhat
None/Not at all
n
%
n
%
n
%
Proficiency gained
24
22.0
56
51.4
29
26.6
Useful in the workplace
75
75.8
21
21.2
3
3.0
Most of the skills obtained in the MPA program go beyond basic word processing skills. We
need specific information from students as to which computer programs/software they find most
useful. For example, if students believe word processing very useful in the workplace, they may
argue they gained no proficiency, because the MPA program does not teach word processing (we
assume our students have these skills or will learn them outside the classroom). However, GIS
and statistical software are part of the program (GIS as an elective) so students gained
knowledge but may not find them useful, or vise versa (they use GIS in the workplace but did
not take the course because it is an elective and the student may have thought the class was
unnecessary at the time. In any event, we need to add specific information about programs used
in our next survey.
Public and nonprofit administrators encounter ethical issues every day. Whether they analyze the
equity of funding one program over another, ethics is at the forefront. As managers,
administrators, and directors of public and nonprofit organizations, our students must first
understand the important role of ethics in decision making. Therefore, our objectives include:
Objective 4a. Develop knowledge and awareness of ethical issues.
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Objective 4b. Apply ethics in work/professional setting.
Data from the alumni survey are used to evaluate these objectives. We asked our alumni to rate
their knowledge gained in ethics and the usefulness of this knowledge in the workplace. The
following targets have been established to provide us with continuous monitoring of these skills:
Percent of students saying at least some level of knowledge gained: 80 percent
Percent of students saying skills important in the workplace: 80 percent
Overall, 90 percent of the respondents say they gained at least some knowledge of ethics and
even more said this knowledge is somewhat useful in the workplace. These results are presented
in Table 4.2.D.6. Both targets are achieved.
Table 4.2.D.6
Students’ perceptions of proficiency gained in and importance of information technology
A great deal/Very
Ethics
Some/Somewhat
None/Not at all
n
%
n
%
n
%
Knowledge gained
45
40.2
57
50.9
10
8.9
Useful in workplace
52
52.0
45
45.0
3
3.0
The final goal of our curriculum is to provide and enhance the skills necessary for administrators
to develop and advance their careers. Therefore we want our students to:
Objective 5a. Develop knowledge and skills necessary to be an effective
administrator
Objective 5b. Develop knowledge for workplace placement and advancement
Objective 5c. Provide a degree that enables advancement of career goals
The program has established itself as the leading training-ground for local government officials
in western Michigan. Today, Grand Valley MPA alumni include the city managers or deputy city
managers of Walker, Grant, Rockford, Buchanan, Greenville, Grandville, Wayland, Howard
City, Hudsonville, Wyoming, Norton Shores, Whitehall and Hiawatha (Kansas). Many alumni
also work as municipal, county and judicial administrators.
The Master of Public Administration has become increasingly attractive to pre-career students
seeking to jump-start their journey into public, nonprofit, and healthcare management. They
come from a wide variety of undergraduate disciplines including political science, economics,
theology, business, foreign languages, sociology, geography, English, health science, social
work, criminal justice, psychology, history, art, and music. In 2007, 55 MPA students attended
school full time.
Our program has a strong local reputation, but it has also attracts international students. In the
fall 2007, 14 international students brought global perspectives from such diverse countries as
Armenia, China, Germany, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgystan, Mexico, Nepal, Poland, Romania,
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Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Zimbabwe. Representing our largest number of international
students ever, this group also included two Muskie fellows and one Fulbright scholar.
We distributed a survey to our alumni in the fall 2007 semester to gather the necessary data to
assess a variety of objectives, including career development, placement, and advancement. We
asked our alumni to rate their knowledge gained in selected areas, the usefulness and importance
of these areas in the workplace, the usefulness of their internship (required for pre-service
students) and the overall quality of the MPA degree. The following targets have been established
to provide us with continuous monitoring of these skills:
Percent of students saying at least some level of knowledge gained: 80 percent
Percent of students saying the internship helped with job placement: 80 percent
Percent of students saying MPA advanced career goals: 80 percent
Over 80 percent of respondents said they achieved at least some knowledge in the leading fields
of public and nonprofit administration (see Table 4.2.D.7). In addition, the internship program
assisted 80 percent or more to find a job and to understand real-world practice and politics.
Moreover, over 90 percent believed the internship was valuable for their career (see Table
4.2.D.8). Finally, over 80 percent of our alumni believe the MPA enabled them to achieve their
career goals (see Table 4.2.D.9). Overall, all targets are achieved.
Table 4.2.D.7
Students’ perception of knowledge gained from program
Knowledge Gained from Program
A great deal
Some
Not at all
n
%
n
%
n
%
Organizational management and behavior
76
67.3
37
32.7
Strategic planning
63
55.8
42
37.2
8
7.1
Policy formation
50
44.6
55
49.1
7
6.3
Research methods
50
44.6
54
48.2
8
7.1
Ethics
45
40.2
57
50.9
10
8.9
Personnel management
45
40.2
61
54.5
6
5.4
Budgeting
31
27.4
70
61.9
12
10.6
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Table 4.2.D.8
Internship quality
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
n
%
n
%
n
%
My internship related coursework
to real-world practice
33
78.6
4
9.5
5
11.9
My internship exposed me to realworld politics
30
73.2
7
17.1
4
9.8
My internship aided me in getting a
good job
23
59.0
8
20.5
8
20.5
I received experience which I found
valuable to my career
20
74.1
5
18.5
2
7.4
Table 4.2.D.9
Alumni perception of MPA degree advancing career goals
Very much
Somewhat
Not yet
Not at all
Don't know or unsure
n
54
39
8
11
3
%
47.0
33.9
7.0
9.6
2.6
Overall, the assessment reveals areas of concern to include writing mechanics. A module
covering these activities will be introduced into PA520. SPNA will develop learning assessments
for other key areas, including:
ethics
information technology
financial management
In the end, students with a master’s in public and nonprofit administration are finding jobs in
their field. This is a very good outcome. Still, improvements to the internship process are
recommended. Internships are an important bridge between academia and career. To address this
issue, we will be establishing pipeline internships with key local government and nonprofit
agencies and requiring that students have 9 credits, including a finance class, before doing their
internship. Other actions will be considered, including:
promoting summer fellowship programs
hosting more career-building workshops and employer forums.
creating a mentoring program with alumni
Although we do not except or suggest that any one course encompasses all the competencies,
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together the core and specializations enhance our students’ values, knowledge, and skills to act
ethically and effectively ethical action to manage organizations, formulate, evaluate, and solve
problems while understanding institutional processes—political, economic, and social.
E. Graduate Classes
All of the graduate courses, including those numbered 500-599 are primarily for graduate
students. Although rare, an undergrad may enroll in a one-credit workshop. Graduate students
must take 39 credits of graduate level course and pre-service students must complete 3 credit
hours of internship. We do not count undergraduate courses toward the MPA degree.
F. Required Prerequisites
No required prerequisites.
4.21Common Curriculum Components
A. Required Graduate Courses
MPA students need 39 credits to graduate and pre-service take an additional 3 hours of
internship. All students, regardless of service, are required to take the following five courses
which make up the core of the MPA:
PA 520: Foundations of Public Management, 3 credits
PA 611: Research Methods, 3 credits
PA 612: Human Resources in Organizations, 3 credits
PA 614: Organization Theory, 3 credits
PA 619: Management Seminar (capstone), 3 credits
Generally, PA 520 and PA 619 are not waived or substituted. On occasion, we encourage those
students interested in pursuing a doctorate to write a master’s thesis (PA695), which can be
substituted for PA 619. Waivers or substitutions may be allowed for the other core courses if an
equivalent graduate course has been taken (at GVSU or from another accredited institution) or in
the rare instance of scheduling problems when another course may be substituted but not waived.
In addition to the 15 credit hours of core classes, all students take 15 credit hours (5 courses, one
of which is a finance course) in one of the following concentration areas:
Public Management
Urban and Regional Policy and Planning
Nonprofit Management and Leadership
Health Administration
Criminal Justice
B. Ethical Action
Ethical issues and topics are emphasized throughout the curriculum and in focused courses in
accordance with their prominence in the program mission statement. Each of the core courses
includes specific ethics content; an overview of issues in PA 520 (foundations), ethics of
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research and the ethical treatment of subjects in PA 611, ethical treatment of employees in PA
612 (human resources), ethical implications of various approaches to organizing in PA 614
(organization theory), and ethical dilemmas in public management in PA 619 (capstone seminar).
Courses in each of the concentrations address ethical issues specific to the sectors (public,
nonprofit, health, and criminal justice).
C. Curriculum Coverage
The curriculum components—the core and specializations—enhance our students’ values,
knowledge, and skills to act ethically and effectively ethical action to manage organizations,
formulate, evaluate, and solve problems while understanding institutional processes—political,
economic, and social.
To achieve the management of public service organizations, the curriculum covers the following
components:
Human resources: The curriculum dedicates an entire course to human resource
management (PA612) which is required of all students. This course reflects the
centrality of this function for all public and nonprofit organizations. Specifically, this
course covers the strategic context of HRM, issues of diversity, job analysis,
recruitment, performance evaluation, compensation and benefits, training and
development, labor relations and collective bargaining, regulatory reform,
privatization, and reengineering. While there are differences between sectors, these
are not seen as great enough to warrant a separate course for each sector.
Budgeting and financial processes: The curriculum devotes three courses to financial
management, one for each sector: public (PA615), nonprofit (PA662), and health (PA
632). While each student must take a course in financial management, the differences
in financial management practices and requirements are great enough between the
sectors such that one course cannot do justice to all of them. Therefore, each
specialization has its own required financial management course. Some students take
more than one of these courses as the financial components of the different areas
often overlap. The courses cover budget processes of the respective organizations, the
raising and spending of funds, reading and analyzing budget documents and financial
statements, managing cash and debt. These courses do not, however, equip students
with the tools to develop a budget from beginning to end as the courses focus on
financial management processes.
Information management, technology applications, and policy: Like most PA
programs, it wasn’t long ago when information technology was limited to research
methods class. Research methods (PA 611) is still an important course for IT content,
and students learn how to collect and manage primary and secondary data and
databases (PA 611). Computer-aided presentation is an important skill based content
in Foundations of Public Management (PA520). In the past few years many section of
PA520 have included a week on information technology issues. Since 1999, SPNA
has offered a one credit Information Technology Workshop. The content of this
workshop has evolved over time. It currently is a forum guest speaker forum with
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presentations by the IT director of Grand Rapids, the executive director of the
Community Media Center, and a quality improvement specialist with the Muskegon
County Health Department. Topics covered include municipal Wi-Fi, evaluating
nonprofit web sites, cable franchising, community information systems, and free
software available to nonprofits. The Technology Workshop is very popular, with 106
students attending since 2004. SPNA was early to introduce GIS into the curriculum.
The first GIS course was offered in Summer 2000, and it became an official course
(PA644) in 2002. The GIS course was designed to be more than a hands-on software
application course, but rather to address issues of how GIS technology was changing
the operation of local government. Students are also exposed to GIS use in nonprofit,
planning, health, and criminal justice contexts while they learn applied techniques in
thematic mapping, centrographic statistics, and cluster analysis. The GIS course is
required for students in the Urban and Regional Policy and Planning students, and
elective for all other students. Since 2004, 73 students have taken this class. The
SPNA faculty recognizes that information technology is important and MPA students
could benefit from more IT content. To this end, Information Systems Management
and Assessment was taught as a special topic this summer. In Winter 2009,
Technology in Nonprofit Management will be taught as a special topic. After
assessing the feedback from these special offerings, the faculty will consider adding
them to the standard curriculum.
In the application of quantitative and qualitative techniques of analysis, the curriculum covers the
following components:
Policy and program formulation, implementation and evaluation: The curriculum
offers a policy course in each concentration: public (PA 616), nonprofit (PA 663),
health (PA 631) and criminal justice (CJ 604). These courses are normally taken after
research methods and the introductory course to their specialization so that students
are prepared to engage in policy research and evaluation. These courses discuss the
politics of policy in terms of legislative and executive processes at the federal and
state level and in some instances international levels. Students are exposed to key
forces involved in the policy making and analysis processes including economic,
social, ethical and political factors. In addition, central players of importance,
including special interest groups, lobbyists, the press, elected officials, legislative
staff and public agencies are covered. Students examine different theories that
describe the process as well as identify the various official and unofficial participants
engaged in developing policy. Moreover, students learn about some of the factors that
motivate or constrain policymakers as well as the decision mechanisms that
determine which policies are adopted and which are discarded.
Decision-making and problem-solving: Students are exposed to and engaged in
decision-making and problem-solving throughout the whole curriculum, but such
components are emphasized in organization theory (PA614) and the capstone course,
(PA 619), where students analyze case studies, write reaction papers, and link theory
to practice. The courses in the concentrations provide students with the specialized
tools necessary to make decision and solve the most complex of problems.
Self-Study Report
29
With an understanding of the public policy and organizational environment, the curriculum
covers the following components:
Political and legal institutions and processes: An overview is provided in PA 520
(Foundations); but addressed in-depth in concentration courses including PA 620:
Metropolitan Politics and Administration (politics and power, formal and informal
governance, minority power structures), PA 621: Administrative and Regulatory Law
(executive branch, separation of powers, due process), PA 634: Health Care Law and
Ethics (malpractice and other liability issues, licensing and regulation, professional
ethics, contracts and property, insurance, corporate, taxation, antitrust, fraud and
abuse, medical staff, confidentiality, health care access, peer review, ethics
committees, legal and ethical aspects of patient care decision making and consent),
and PA 660: Nonprofit Sector: History and Ethics (governance and legal status).
Economic and social institutions and processes: Students are exposed to an overview
in PA 520 (Foundations), and provided with more detailed coverage in the financial
management courses (PA 615, 632, and 662), the health economics course (PA 633),
and an elective course, Economics for Public Administration (PA 610). Specifically,
students are exposed to the tradeoffs between the economics and social policies that
affect the organization and the public as a whole.
Organization and management concepts and behavior: This component is central to
the mission of SPNA and is covered PA 520 (Foundations), and explored in-depth in
PA 614: Organization Theory and PA 619: Management Seminar, PA 612: Human
Resources, PA 643: Strategic Management and Planning, PA 642: Conflict
Management.
4.22 Additional Curriculum Components
A. Elective Design
All students must take 24 credit hours beyond the core requirements. Fifteen of these hours are
in a concentration area selected by the student based on specific interests and the other nine
credits are electives. The elective portion of the curriculum allows students to set up a program
of study that meets their individual interests and needs. They may take additional courses,
workshops (maximum of three credits), independent study (maximum of six credits), or thesis
(maximum of six credits). Pre-service students must complete 3 credit hours of internship. These
different areas serve all students, part-time and full-time alike. No course is offered to target one
group over another.
B. Elective Courses for Broad Advanced Training
1. Students are not allowed to any courses open to undergraduate students.
2. The elective courses that are offered primarily for students in the master’s program are as
follows:
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30
PA 550-553: Workshops, 1 credit
PA 535: Grant Writing, 3 credits
PA 610: Economic Analysis for Public Administration, 3 credits
PA 680: Special Topics, 3 credits
C. Elective Courses for Specializations
Students select one of the five different specialization (called concentration) areas. The purpose
for each concentration is distinct and directly related to the community identified need and
regional/national/international demand for specific courses. These concentrations meet both
academic and practitioner requirements for qualified, ethical managers who have a firm
educational foundation in the special areas in which they are or will be employed. Moreover, the
presence of these diverse concentrations addresses the program mission’s focus on developing,
“…both the general knowledge and specific abilities needed for leadership in a fast changing
world. The curriculum is designed to prepare students to act ethically and effectively in public
management/urban and regional affairs, nonprofit management, health care administration, and
criminal justice, and to transcend traditional boundaries in the pursuit of prosperous, safe, and
healthy communities.”
All of the courses in the concentrations are offered at least once a year, and where high demand
exists, they are offered twice. The number of students how have declared a concentration is
virtually impossible to track since students sometimes change concentrations or declare it at the
time of graduation. We can, however, track enrollments in the concentration courses (Figure
4.22.C) as well as graduates in the different concentrations (Table 4.22.C).
Figure 4.22.C
Number of Students Enrolled in Graduate PA Courses, Fall 1997 to Winter 2008
180
160
Number of Students Enrolled in Graduate
PA courses, Fall 1997 to Winter 2008
140
120
100
80
60
PM&URPP
Health
Nonprofit
40
20
0
1997-98
1998-99 1999-00
2000-01 2001-02
2002-03
2003-04 2004-05
2005-06 2006-07
2007-08
Self-Study Report
31
Table 4.22.C
Number of MPA Graduates by Concentration, 1998-2007
Public Management
Urban and Regional Policy and Planning
Nonprofit Management and Leadership
Health Administration
Criminal Justice
Unknown
98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 Total
8
7
3
9
13
14
6
14
9
83
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
4
1
7
4
5
3
4
9
12
19
13
12
81
4
7
7
3
10
5
5
3
4
48
1
2
0
1
0
5
0
3
2
14
5
5
19
12
10
12
16
14
7
100
Each of these concentrations is the product of extensive dialogue, meetings with community
leaders and exhaustive research into the philosophy, theory, and empirical studies of each field.
Further, each benefits from studies of comparative data that were gathered from across the
country from existing programs. The curriculum for each concentration, as with the core, is kept
current from ongoing meetings with advisory board members and by faculty members whose
expertise remains in the particular area of specialization.
Public Management. The concentration is designed to provide the essential tools necessary for
those students interested in public management particularly city and county managers. This
concentration allows students to craft a program that best suits their interests and background,
whether students choose to specialize in preparation for management positions at the
state/federal level or local/urban governance. Students are required to take the following courses
and all, except PA 623 and PA 642, are offered at least once a year and sometimes twice a year
depending on demand.
PA 615 Public Financial Administration
PA 643 Strategic Management and Planning
PA 620 Metro Politics and Administration
Select any two courses:
PA 616 Public Policy Analysis
PA 621 Administrative and Regulatory Law
PA 623 Labor Management in the Public Sector
PA 641 Economic and Community Development
PA 642 Conflict Management
PA 644 GIS in Public Service
Urban and Regional Policy and Planning. The newest concentration, added in 2004, is designed
for those students most interested in regional governance particularly in the policy and planning
of urban and regional entities. While students are exposed to some planning, we do not offer a
required or elective class dedicated entirely to planning. Students are required to take the
following courses:
PA 615 Public Financial Administration
PA 616 Public Policy Analysis
PA 620 Metro Politics and Administration
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32
PA 641 Economic and Community Development
PA 644 GIS in Public Service
Nonprofit Management and Leadership. This concentration prepares students to manage and lead
nonprofit organizations. Students are required to take the following courses:
PA 660 Nonprofit Sector: History and Ethics
PA 661 Nonprofit Management Practices
PA 662 Nonprofit Resource and Financial Management
PA 663 Nonprofit Organizations and Public Policy
PA 665 Nonprofit Boards, Trustees, and Governance OR
PA 641 Economic and Community Development
Health Administration. The Health Administration concentration is designed primarily for midcareer professionals who are in clinical or administrative positions and who wish to increase their
knowledge, improve their productivity, or seek career advancement. While other health
administration courses are offered (generally reserved for MHA students), MPA students are
required to take the following courses.
PA 630 Health Administration and Service
PA 631 U.S. Health Policy and Politics
PA 632 Health Services Financial Management
PA 633 Health Economics
PA 634 Health Care Law and Ethics
Criminal Justice. The Criminal Justice concentration was developed to meet the growing demand
for well-educated criminal justice administrators. The courses are designed for those who wish to
increase their knowledge, improve their productivity, or seek career advancement. Through the
collaborative efforts of the School of Criminal Justice and the School of Public and Nonprofit
Administration, this concentration is structured to prepare graduates to work cooperatively in a
variety of criminal justice environments. Students are required to take the following courses:
PA 615 Public Financial Administration
CJ 601 Criminal Justice Leadership
CJ 604 Policy Formation
And two of the following
CJ 602 Legal and Ethical Issues
CJ 603 Community and Media Relationships
CJ 605 Program Evaluation or
CJ 606 Research Methods/Analysis
CJ 680 Topics in Criminal Justice
Since each of the concentrations required three basic criteria – academic rigor, NASPAA
guidelines, and community leadership consultations – each contains specific courses in the area
of institutions, ethics, financial management and policy analysis. Directly because of the
Self-Study Report
33
involvement of community leaders in each field, the entire community serves as a laboratory for
analysis and decision situations. Further, community leaders are often found in the classroom as
guest speakers; in the offices as sources of, or seekers of, information; and in the advisory board
meetings as contributors to or questioners of the curriculum; or leading committees on which our
faculty members serve.
4.23 General Competencies
The general competencies consistent with the mission of the MPA program at GVSU include:
ethical judgment, critical thinking, communication skills, and the core competencies (human
resource management, financial management, organization theory and behavior, public policy
analysis, decision-making, research skills – quantitative and qualitative, information technology,
political, legal, and social institutions) necessary to fulfill multiple roles as effective managers,
public servants, and contributing members of their local, national, and global communities.
While some of the core competencies are covered in more depth in the specialized courses, the
core courses are designed to assure that students are exposed and challenged to employ in an
integrative manner the various skills needed to be effective leaders in public organizations and to
explore the connections between the public, nonprofit, health, and for-profit sectors of society.
4.3 Minimum Degree Requirements
A. Degree Credit Hours
The minimum number of graduate credits required to earn the MPA degree is 39 credit hours for
in-service students and 42 credits for pre-service students. We do not allow for reductions in the
required credit hours for undergrad work or professional work experience, but require preservice students to take an additional three credits, generally fulfilled with an internship. We do
allow six credits of internship to be counted towards the minimum degree requirements for preservice students.
B. Degree Length
The time required to complete the degree does not vary based on the educational and
professional background of students. Full-time students can complete the program in 18-24
months, depending on number of credit hours taken per semester (18 months if 12 credits taken,
24 if 9 are taken). Internships require at least 300 hours of work in a semester. Most are
completed over 3 months in the summer semesters. Up to six hours of internship may be applied
towards the MPA requirement of 42 credit hours.
C. Concluding Requirements
The Management Seminar (PA 619) is the capstone course for the MPA at GVSU. The course is
designed to provide students with a comprehensive overview and assessment of their advanced
study of public and nonprofit administration. The course approaches the study of public
management from the perspectives of a competing values framework, administrative ethics, and
from multiple levels of analysis (individual, organizational, and societal). Students combine
theory and practice through case analyses and personal assessment of management
Self-Study Report
34
competencies. Each student completes a journal article length research paper or analytical essay,
which is part of the assessment of student learning for the MPA program, with the best papers
published in the SPNA REVIEW. Student competencies to be assessed include ability to
conduct and interpret research, professional writing skill, substantive knowledge of a policy or
management subject area, and oral presentation.
A thesis is not required for graduation but may be written as part of a student’s elective study.
Few students choose this option, but those who do must form a committee of two professors (a
chair who must be an SPNA faculty member and one other GVSU faculty member). A thesis
must be a substantial piece of original research that includes a review of the literature,
methodology section, findings, and conclusions. Students can apply up to six credit hours of
thesis toward the requirements for the MPA.
Finally, we do not require a comprehensive examination.
D. Course Formats
Most graduate courses meet once per week for three hours and the majority of these are in the
evenings, from 6 pm to 9 pm in order to accommodate the schedules of working professionals.
Each semester, one or two courses are offered during the week in the afternoon. In addition,
some classes are held on Saturdays, meeting every week or for six hours every other week.
Finally, we offer a few hybrid courses; those that are a combination of online and in person/in
class meeting times, usually a Friday or Saturday.
Most courses are offered once a semester and twice in some instances where demand is high,
such as PA 520 (the foundations course), PA 611 (research methods), and PA 619 (management
seminar).
Self-Study Report
35
E. Student Transcript Analysis
Course Number & Title
Crs
Required Courses
520
Foundations of Public Management
611
Research Methods
612
Human Resources
614
Organization Theory
619
Management Seminar
3
3
3
3
3
Public Management/Urban Policy and Planning
615
Public Financial Administration
616
Public Policy
620
Metropolitan Politics and Administration
621
Administration and Regulatory Law
623
Labor Management in the Public Sector
641
Economic and Community Development
642
Conflict Management
643
Strategic Management and Planning
644
GIS in Public Service
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Health Care Administration
630
Health Administration and Service
3
631
US Health Policy and Politics
3
632
Health Services Financial Management
3
633
Health Economics
3
634
Health Care Law and Ethics
3
Nonprofit Management
660
The Nonprofit Sector: History and Ethics
3
661
Nonprofit Management Practices
3
662
Nonprofit Resource and Financial Mgt
3
663
Nonprofit Organization and Public Policy
3
665
Nonprofit Boards, Trustees, and Governance
3
670
International NGO
3
Criminal Justice
601
Criminal Justice Leadership
3
604
Policy Formulation
3
602
CJ 602 Legal and Ethical Issues
3
603
Community and Media Relationships
3
605
Program Evaluation
3
606
Research Methods/Analysis
3
620
Advanced Police Systems
Elective Courses
550-553 Public Administration Workshops
1
535
Grant Writing
3
610
Economic Analysis for Public Administrators 3
635
Hospital Administration
3
638
Long-term care Org and Mgt
3
640
Marketing Health and Human Services
3
680
Topics
3
690/691 Internship
3 or 6
Courses from other programs at GVSU
3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Student Number
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
A
B+
B+
A
B+
A
AAAB+
A
B+
B
AA-
AAB+
A
B+
B+
B
B
B+
B
A
B+
AAA-
A
B+
B+
A
B+
A
AA
AA
B+
AAAA-
A- A B+
B+
A
A- A B+
A
A
B+ A- B+
A- AA- A- AB+ A
A
A
A
A
A
A AAA A
A AA- A-
A
A
A
A
A
AAB+
A
B
AB
A
AA-
B B+
B B
B+ A- B
B+ A- B+
A- B+ A-
AA
A
C+ B
B+ AC B
C-
A-
A-
B+
AB
A
A
A-
B+
AA
F/B+ AA- AA-
A A A A B+
A A
A
AB+
AB
B+
B+
A
A- A
AB+
B
AA-
20
A A
A AAA- A
A A
A-
B+ B+
A- AA AB+ A AA- A B+
B+
19
B+
AA
AA-
AA
A-
A
A-
A
A
A
B+
A
A- B+
A A
A AAA
B+
B+
A-
B+
A
A
B+
CR
A B
CR CR CR CR
F A A
B
C+
A
AA
A-
AA
A
CR CR
CR CR CR
B B B+
A
A
A
A-
A
C+
A
A
CR
A
CR
A
CR
A A
CR
A A C+
CR
CR CR
B+
Notes: Student 18 has an MSW and MPA is a second master’s degree. Student 19 was dismissed in Winter 2005 because
of low GPA and was readmitted in Winter 2007.
CR
A
Self-Study Report
36
4.4 Internships
A. Internship Design
The internship provides an opportunity for the student to sample prospective employment and for
the site to observe potential applicants for employment. A major objective of the internship
program is to establish a mutually beneficial and reinforcing experience for the student to “learn
by doing” and for the sponsoring organization to use the apprentice in studying problems and
testing new ground.
The internship is an integral part of the MPA program for students who lack program related
working experience or who are making a significant career change in their life. Internships are
completed on a part-time or full-time basis. If full time, the internship is for 10 weeks or more
for 40 hours per week. If part time, the internship is completed over a period of at least 15 weeks
at the rate of 20 hours per week.
Since the majority (68 percent) of MPA students is in-service, integration of administrative
experiences with the academic program occurs naturally. Classroom discussions and assignments
often include relevant work-related applications or projects. However, integration of an
internship with a student’s academic program is addressed more systematically. Interns submit
written progress reports on a bi-weekly basis. These reports are informal and ask the intern to be
introspective, reflective, and subjective; for example, they are asked: How do you feel? What are
you thinking? What are you learning? In some instances, personal insecurity or preparation
deficiencies are expressed. Given this opportunity for counseling, the internship coordinator
and/or academic advisor can recommend self-improvement efforts, specific courses or course
related projects that help the intern gain more knowledge and self-confidence.
B. Internship Status
Internships are required for students who lack degree-related working experience or who are
making a significant career change. There are no prerequisites for participation. Interns earn
either three or six credits, depending upon the number of field hours worked, 300 hours for three
credits and 600 hours for six credits. The internship coordinator assigns a grade of either
“Credit” or “No Credit.” Students receive Credit when they satisfactorily complete of 300 or 600
field hours, plus the required progress reports and final paper.
C. Supervision
Intern supervision is a cooperative function of the field site/supervisor and Quincy Williams, the
internship coordinator. The field supervisor and the intern, with the approval of the internship
coordinator, mutually decide upon work schedule, work assignments and specific duties. The
field supervisor is responsible for the intern’s activities. The field supervisor provides an
evaluation of the intern’s activities either at the time of the field visit and/or at the end of the
internship.
The internship coordinator is also involved in supervision and evaluation of the internship
experience. Supervision is handled via the student generated progress reports, office visits,
telephone calls and the formal site visit. The internship coordinator evaluates the internship field
experience and written reports and assigns Cr (credit) or NC (no credit).
Self-Study Report
37
At least one formal field visit occurs and provides an opportunity for discussion between the
internship coordinator, the field site supervisor, and the intern. This linkage provides feedback
to our program about field expectations for our interns and about the adequacy with which we
are preparing students for careers in public service. Last, the internship final paper requires
interns to systematically evaluate their experience and its connection with their academic
program.
We maintain information about past, current, and prospective internship sites. Placement occurs
through field initiated requests, internship coordinator recommended sites, and/or approval of a
student selected site. In all cases, we try to match intern interests and abilities with field
expectations. When possible, more than one prospective intern will be recommended to a given
site so the site personnel have the responsibility of choosing the “best” intern.
Some interns are paid which may be in the form of hourly pay, stipend, honorarium, tuition, or
other forms such as paid certification training, parking and mileage.
Internship placements vary with the interests of students seeking placement. The School’s
placement process is relatively informal, involving personal contacts of faculty, prospective
interns and field agencies. Placements include both governmental and nonprofit agencies.
D. Intern Placements
Students make an appointment with the internship coordinator at least one semester in advance to
arrange an internship. Generally, students come with the name(s) of the organization with which
they are interested in working and the internship coordinator takes the appropriate steps to
establish the internship. Students who need assistance selecting an organization, work with the
coordinator to find a valuable placement. By and large, organizations are willing to cooperate
with the School to place them in positions from which students will gain practical experiences.
From 2004 to 2008, 130 students have participated in internships. Table 4.4.D lists all internship
placements during the self-study year, 2007-2008.
38
Self-Study Report
Table 4.4.D
Internship Placements
2007-2008
Length of
Site
Placement
Baker College
One Semester
Child and Family Resource Council One Semester
City of Frankfort, Michigan
One Semester
Covenant Village of the Great Lakes Two Semesters
Covenant Village of the Great Lakes One Semester
Department of the State (Michigan) One Semester
Dorothy A. Johnson Center
One Semester
Eurasia Foundation
One Semester
Grand Rapids Community Foundation One Semester
Grand Valley Metro Council
One Semester
Grand Valley State University
One Semester
Grand Valley State University
One Semester
Hackley Hospital
One Semester
Ottawa County Administration Office One Semester
Planned Parenthood
One Semester
Primary Care Association
One Semester
Priority Health
One Semester
Public Sector Consultants, Inc.
One Semester
Sprectrum Health
One Semester
Sprectrum Health
One Semester
Sprectrum Health
One Semester
St. Mary's Hospital
One Semester
St. Mary's Hospital
Two Semesters
St. Mary's Hospital
One Semester
The Right Place
Two Semesters
U.S. Department of Commerece
One Semester
Hours
Per
Week Credits
20
3
20
3
20
3
20
6
20
3
20
3
20
3
20
3
20
3
20
3
20
3
20
3
20
3
20
3
20
3
20
3
20
3
20
3
20
3
20
3
20
3
20
3
20
6
20
3
20
3
20
3
Self-Study Report
39
STANDARD 5.0—THE FACULTY
Central to the mission of SPNA is the recruitment and maintenance of a diverse faculty that is
dedicated to excellence in teaching supported by active scholarship. Currently, our full-time
faculty consists of 13 members who teach courses in the core requirements as well as the full
array of courses in the five concentration areas. This means having faculty in public
management, public policy, financial administration, urban affairs, nonprofit administration, and
health care administration (plus criminal justice). The combination of an emphasis on full-time
faculty with appropriate and judicious use of adjunct professors/practitioners is essential to the
successful delivery of the MPA curriculum. Faculty must be diverse in terms of these
substantive areas and also in gender and race/ethnicity in order to serve the needs of our students
and the community.
The primary qualification for SPNA faculty is excellence in teaching in one of these substantive
areas. Excellence in teaching is assessed on a regular basis in the contract renewal process, in
annual performance reviews, and in the annual assessment process. Measures of teaching quality
include faculty members’ teaching portfolios, student course evaluations and surveys, and peer
reviews of teaching. These measures generally indicate that instruction in the MPA program
achieves excellence through the use of multiple modes of instruction, up-to-date materials and
sources, and instructional technology, including the Internet.
Faculty who achieve excellence in teaching normally would be expected to also engage in active
scholarship, which includes publishing books, refereed journal articles, book chapters,
professional reports, and presenting papers at professional conferences. While research
productivity is not expected to be at the level of a research university, SPNA faculty have
maintained a consistent record of active scholarship and community service that has contributed
to excellence in teaching.
Since 2002, several high quality candidates have been hired, but at the same time, some have left
or passed way. The most difficult specialty areas for recruiting have been nonprofit management,
public policy, and health administration. Fortunately, recent searches have prevailed, hiring four
faculty with expertise in these areas, Ramya Ramanath (nonprofit) Seong-Gin Moon (public
policy), Stephen Borders and Jane Sponholz (health administration). Unfortunately, Dr.
Sponholz passed away in 2007. Subsequently, a national search led to the hiring of Gregory
Cline (began responsibilities in January 2008) and Margaret Schulte (joined faculty in August
2007) to fill the vacancy and an additional faculty line in health administration, respectively.
At the conclusion of the fall semester Paul Mavima resigned his position to pursue other
interests. The high degree of turnover is of some concern, but reflects the difficulty of keeping
such high quality recruits in a job that demands a higher teaching load than other programs and
the socialization of these new PhDs towards pursuing jobs with less teaching and greater
research opportunities. As a recruiting tool, the School has hired two newly anointed PhDs as
post-docs (i.e., visiting professors). The requirements for the post-doc positions will be split
between the School, teaching three courses per academic year, and the Johnson Center for
Philanthropy, as a research associate. Finally, the director of the Johnson Center, Kathy Agard is
part of our faculty, teaching on average, one course a semester. Several well-qualified
Self-Study Report
40
practitioners fill the gaps, particularly in the years of faculty searches, sabbatical replacements,
and were other areas of expertise are missing among the full-time faculty.
5.1 Faculty Nucleus
A. Critical Mass
The School has maintained the critical mass necessary to deliver all aspects of the MPA
program, both the core and the concentration areas. Full-time faculty members teach the vast
majority of courses, with adjunct professors teaching in specialized areas (such as administrative
law and human resources) and providing practitioner input into the curriculum. Full-time faculty
members with professional interest and training are available to teach in all of the following
areas: public management (Balfour, Hoffman, Mavima, Jelier, Robbins, Moon), urban/regional
affairs (Jelier, Hoffman, Moon, Robbins), research methods (Robbins, Cline, Borders), nonprofit
administration (Payne, Ramanath, Agard, Kimoto), and health administration (Payne, Borders,
Cline, Schulte), and in a variety of elective courses, including grant writing (Payne, Cline,
Kimoto, Agard), strategic management and planning (Mavima, Balfour), economic development
and analysis (Jelier, Payne), environmental policy (Moon), and others.
Faculty interaction occurs in regular faculty meetings and in other forums and seminars. Faculty
offices are located in the same building, in the same hallway, creating an atmosphere for causal
conversation.
In November 2008, SPNA in conjunction with the West Michigan Chapter of ASPA is hosting
the Region 4 Conference. This conference will open the door to many opportunities for the
regional and state government and nonprofit managers to interact with the faculty.
Faculty expertise exposes students to a variety of different viewpoints. Teaching schedules are
set up so that students do not study all of their concentration area from just one professor. They
will normally have core courses from three or four different professors and concentration courses
from at least two different full-time professors and one or two adjuncts.
41
Self-Study Report
B. Faculty Nucleus
Name
Rank & Title
Kathy Agard
Associate Professor,
Director of the
Johnson Center for
Philanthropy
Professor
Assistant Professor,
Coordinator of MHA
Assistant Professor
Danny Balfour
Stephen Borders
1
Gregory Cline
Mark Hoffman
Richard Jelier
Associate Professor,
Director of SPNA
Associate Professor
Diane Kimoto
Assistant Professor
2
Associate Professor
Paul Mavima
Seong-Gin Moon
Assistant Professor
Michael Payne
Ramya Ramanath
Professor
Assistant Professor
Donijo Robbins
Margaret Schulte
Associate Professor
Associate Professor
_____
1
Appointment started January 2008
2
Resigned at end of fall semester, 2007
Tenure
Administrative Degree & Field
Status
Unit
n/a
Johnson Center for EdD
Philanthropy
Tenured
Tenure
Track
Tenure
Track
Tenured
SPNA
SPNA
SPNA
PhD, Public Administration
PhD, Urban and Regional
Science
PhD, Political Science
SPNA
PhD, Urban Studies
Tenured
SPNA
Tenure
Track
Tenured
SPNA
PhD, Political Science and
Urban Studies
PhD, Communications
SPNA
PhD, Public Administration
SPNA
PhD, Public Affairs
SPNA
SPNA
PhD, Economics
PhD, Environmental Design
and Planning
PhD, Public Administration
DBA
Tenure
Track
Tenured
Tenure
Track
Tenured
Tenure
Track
SPNA
SPNA
42
Self-Study Report
C. Teaching Assignments
Faculty
Kathy Agard
Danny Balfour
Stephen Borders
Gregory Cline
Academic
Year
Course
#
Credits
2006-2007
661
3
Nonprofit Management Practices
2007-2008
535
3
Grant Writing
661
619
3
3
Nonprofit Management Practices
2006-2007
2007-2008
619
3
Management Seminar
2006-2007
631
3
US Health Policy and Politics
632
3
Health Services Financial Management
611
3
Research Methods
631
3
US Health Policy and Politics
2007-2008
632
3
Health Services Financial Management
611
3
Research Methods
2006-2007
520
3
Foundations of Public Management
551
1
Information Technology Workshop
644
3
GIS in Public Service
520
3
Foundations of Public Management
551
1
Information Technology Workshop
620
3
Metropolitan Politics and Administration
641
3
Economic and Community Development
620
3
Metropolitan Politics and Administration
641
3
Economic and Community Development
550
1
Career Development Workshop
660
3
The Nonprofit Sector: History and Ethics
550
1
Communication Skills
550
1
Career Development Workshop
660
3
The Nonprofit Sector: History and Ethics
550
1
Communication Skills
552
1
Financial Management Workshop
614
3
Organization Theory
643
3
Strategic Management and Planning
619
3
Management Seminar
552
1
Financial Management Workshop
614
3
Organization Theory
643
3
Strategic Management and Planning
520
3
Foundations of Public Management
616
3
Public Policy
520
3
Foundations of Public Management
680
3
Environmental Policy
616
3
Public Policy
2007-2008
2006-2007
2007-2008
2006-2007
Diane Kimoto
2007-2008
2006-2007
Paul Mavima
2007-2008
2006-2007
Seong-Gin Moon
Management Seminar
2007-2008
Mark Hoffman
Richard Jelier
Title
2007-2008
43
Self-Study Report
Teaching Assignments, Continued
Faculty
Michael Payne
Academic
Year
2006-2007
2007-2008
2006-2007
Ramya Ramanath
2007-2008
2006-2007
Donijo Robbins
2007-2008
2007-2008
Margaret Schulte
Jane Sponholz
2006-2007
Course
#
535
Credits
3
633
3
Health Economics
662
3
Nonprofit Resource and Financial Mgt
610
3
Economic Analysis for Public Administrators
633
3
Health Economics
535
3
Grant Writing
662
3
Nonprofit Resource and Financial Mgt
660
3
The Nonprofit Sector: History and Ethics
663
3
Nonprofit Organization and Public Policy
661
3
Nonprofit Management Practices
660
3
The Nonprofit Sector: History and Ethics
663
3
Nonprofit Organization and Public Policy
661
3
Nonprofit Management Practices
611
3
Research Methods
615
3
Public Financial Management
611
3
Research Methods
615
3
Public Financial Management
630
3
Health Administration and Service
635
3
Hospital Administration
640
3
Marketing Health and Human Services
630
3
Health Administration and Service
635
3
Hospital Administration
Title
Grant Writing
D. Course Load
The normal course load for a full-time faculty member is 3 courses per semester (graduate and
undergraduate). During the self-study year (August 2007– June 2008), the following faculty had
release from courses:
1. Dan Balfour: released from two courses in the fall semester, 2007 per contract with Dean
of CCPS and all courses in the winter for sabbatical
2. Stephen Borders: released from one course per semester for MHA coordinator
responsibilities
3. Gregory Cline: released from one course in the winter semester, 2008 per hiring contract
for course preparation and research
4. Mark Hoffman: released from three courses in the winter semester, 2008 for directing
SPNA
5. Seong-Gin Moon: released from one class in the fall semester, 2007 per hiring contract
for course preparation and research
6. Ramya Ramanath: released from one course per semester per hiring contract for course
Self-Study Report
44
preparation and research
7. Donijo Robbins: released from all courses in the fall semester, 2007 for sabbatical
8. Margaret Schulte: released from one course in the fall semester, 2007 per hiring contract
for course preparation and research
E. Other Full-time Faculty
During the self-study and preceding year, we had no other full-time faculty. However, one
faculty member, Myron (Mike) Mast is in phase-retirement. This means he teaches nine credits
per academic year, all of which are undergraduate courses. In addition, we have one professional
staff member, Quincy Williams serves as the School’s internship coordinator, but does not teach
graduate courses.
5.2 Professional Qualifications
All (100 percent) 13 members of the faculty nucleus have a doctorate degree; 11 PhDs, one EdD,
and one DBA.
5.3 Practitioner Involvement
Practitioners play an important role in the MPA curriculum at GVSU. They mainly provide upto-date expertise in specific topics in the concentration areas and occasionally teach in the core
curriculum when needed. Practitioners who teach in the MPA program must have at least a
master’s degree and significant and substantial experience in public and/or nonprofit
organizations. Experienced attorneys have been especially valuable in teaching courses in
administrative law and in health care law and ethics. Present and former city managers have
taught organization theory and human resource management.
A. Instruction by Practitioners
Of the 117 three-credit courses offered in the self-study year (2007-2008) and the preceding year
(2006-2007), 22 of these courses (18.8 percent) were taught by 16 different adjuncts. In addition,
12 one-credit courses were offered during the same timeframe, of which four (33 percent) were
taught by adjuncts. Of the 16 adjuncts, 63 percent have a doctorate degree (5 JDs, 4 PhDs, and
one DPA). The following table provides a list of our adjuncts, their qualifications, as well as the
courses taught.
45
Self-Study Report
Table 5.3.A.
Instruction by Practitioners
Name
Micki Benz
Job Title / Agency
Vice President, St.
Mary's Hospital
Greg Cline
Senior Program
Director, Michigan
Public Health Institute
Ryan Cotton
City Manager, City of
Spring Lake
William Jewell Attorney, Smith
Haughey Rice &
Roegge, P.C.
Susan Johnson
Peter Letzmann Attorney, Selfemployed
Mary McDonald Director, Community
Research Institute,
GVSU
Bruce Nanzer Assistant Professor of
Political Science and
Director of the
Community Leadership,
Aquinas College
Cara Nieboer
Attorney, Smith,
Haughey, Rice, &
Roegge
Joy Oostendorp Director, Independent
Living, Holland Home
Scott Pederson Attorney, Hospice of
Michael Reagan President, Proaction
Behavioral Health
Alliance
Gustavo
Associate Director &
Rotondaro
GIS Manager,
Community Research
Institute, GVSU
Deanne
PhD student, Michigan
Sherwood
State University
Josef Soper
Administrator, 61st
District Court (retired)
Elizabeth White Assistant City Attorney,
City of Grand Rapids
Year
2007
Course Title
Marketing Health & Human Services
2007
Research Methods
Degree & Field
MA, English
Literature
PhD, Political Science
2007
Organziational Theory
MPA
2007
Health Care Law and Ethics
JD
2007
Grant Writing
Nonprofit Boards, Trustees, & Governance
Research Methods
Nonprofit Boards, Trustees, & Governance
2006-2007 Rec Ret & Freedom of Info Act
Conflict of Interest: Local Government
2007-2008 Rec Ret & Freedom of Info Act
Conflict of Interest: Local Government
Administrative Law
2008
Stragetic Management & Planning
PhD, Child and
Family Studies
JD
PhD, Child and
Family Ecology
2008
Management Seminar
PhD, Publlic
Administration
2008
Health Care Law and Ethics
JD
2007
Long-term care Org and Mgt
MPA
2006
2008
2007
2007
2008
2007
Administrative Law
Nonprofit Law
Human Resources
Human Resources
Human Resources
GIS in Public Service
JD
2008
Management Seminar
MPA
2008
Organziational Theory
DPA
2006
Conflit Management
JD
MA, Counseling
Psychology
MA, Urban Planning
Design and
Development
Self-Study Report
46
B. Practitioner Involvement
Practitioners serve as guest lecturers or panelists in class or in workshops. They also are
members of our advisory board.
5.4 Faculty Quality
A. Faculty Data Sheets
See Volume II for data sheets of faculty nucleus.
B. Promotion and Tenure
Newly hired faculty members receive a three year appointment and evaluated for a two-year
contract renewal one and half years after their start date. The renewal process begins with two
peer reviewers (normally tenured faculty members appointed by the director) who visit
classrooms and examine portfolios at length. While the other members also review the portfolios,
they do not visit the courses. By February, a faculty meeting is held where all faculty, discuss the
individual’s portfolio. According the University’s faculty handbook, every faculty member up
for renewal, promotion, and/or tenure is evaluated using the same criteria and shall be expected
to demonstrate that they meet the level of performance consistent with the expectations of their
rank. In these personnel actions, except Dismissal for Adequate Cause, the burden of proving
that their performance warrants the personnel action under consideration rests with the regular
faculty member to be reviewed. It is the university's responsibility to process the requested
personnel action. Each of the criteria listed below must be demonstrated to some degree.
Teaching effectiveness is regarded as the most important.
Effective teaching. This includes, but is not limited to, knowledge of the field
taught, classroom and tutorial performance, communication skills, human
relations skills, evaluation skills, curricular development, and performance as an
academic advisor. All academic units will use student evaluations as one method
to determine teaching effectiveness of regular faculty members.
Scholarly/Creative Activity. This includes, but is not limited to, professional
research, creative activities, scholarly writing, editorial boards, scholarly
presentations at conferences, participation in professional activities, degrees and
continued education, and holding official positions in professional organizations
when the position has scholarly outcomes.
Service to Unit, College, University, the Profession, Community. A faculty
workload includes service to the university, college, and unit, as well as to the
community/profession. Unit, college and university service includes, but is not
limited to, participation in university governance, unit, college and university
committees, curriculum development, work as an advisor to student organizations,
and carrying out special assignments. Community service and service to the
profession involves the engagement of a faculty member's professional expertise.
Community service includes, but is not limited to, engaging in community
outreach, acting as a board member in a community based organization,
Self-Study Report
47
participating in public service programs, and work as a pro bono consultant on
community projects when representing the university. Service to the profession
includes leadership or committee roles in professional organizations. Each unit
will determine the types of community/professional service most appropriate to its
specific mission and program objectives. It is recognized that the relative
importance of any of the professional achievement and service criteria may vary
depending upon a variety of factors including the stage of the
During the meeting, one person takes thorough notes of the ensuing discussion, usually the
Director, and these notes are used to craft the recommendation letter sent to the College
Personnel Committee. At the end of the meeting, one person motions for a two-year renewal
(always in the affirmative). Faculty members vote via closed ballot and the office coordinator
tallies the votes. If the motion fails, another motion is made, this time for a one-year contract
renewal. The faculty votes again. If the motion fails the personnel action fails and the faculty
move not to renew the candidate. In any event, passage or failure of motions, the director writes
a report, with vote and rationale, and sends it to the College Personnel Committee. This
committee makes a recommendation, either concurring or diverging from the School’s
recommendation, to the Dean. As the appointing officer, the Dean makes the final decision on
renewal, promotion, and tenure.
Since 2002, one associate professor was promoted to full professor and three assistant professors
were promoted to associate professor and tenured. In the past two years, four members of faculty
have received two-year contract renewals and one member was renewed with one-year contract
renewals and subsequently denied tenure by the School. However, upon appeal by the faculty
member, the Dean granted tenure.
5.41 Instruction
A. Quality of Instruction
High quality instruction is central to the mission of SPNA and Grand Valley State University.
Faculty members are recruited and hired based on their enthusiasm for teaching and ability to
support and develop their teaching with active scholarship. In SPNA, high quality instruction is
defined as combining theory and practice in the process of facilitating student learning in all
aspects of public and nonprofit administration. Faculty are encouraged to utilize a variety of
teaching methods, including lecture discussion, case analyses, applied research, and service
learning in pursuit of this objective. Faculty monitor their own teaching excellence by taking
note of what does and does not work in both lecture and assignment, and reviewing course
evaluations. In addition, faculty as a whole evaluate courses through the assessment and strategic
planning processes, which includes reviewing results the from exit and alumni surveys and
consulting with our advisory board.
Course evaluations from the fall 2007 and winter 2008 semesters, which students complete
online, reveal that most students (75 percent or more) are satisfied with their instructor and the
courses. Of the 417 responses, 75 percent or more of the students agreed or strongly agreed that
faculty gave clear and organized presentations of the course material that challenged them to
48
Self-Study Report
think in new ways. In addition, students said that the faculty was responsive and fair. The
following table presents the course evaluation questions and student responses (numbers and
percentages).
Table 5.41.A.1
Course Evaluation Results for Faculty Nucleus, Fall 2007-Winter 2008
I learned a great deal from this course.
Strongly
Agree / Agree
n
%
318
76
Neutral
n
%
56
13
Strongly
Disagree /
Disagree
n
%
42
10
Course objectives were clearly communicated.
334
80
27
6
55
13
1.92
Class sessions were well organized.
315
76
41
10
60
14
2.06
The instructor made presentations which were understandable.
325
78
31
7
59
14
1.99
The instructor was responsive to questions from students.
354
85
28
7
33
8
1.69
Course Evaluation Questions
Average
1.92
The instructor demonstrated concern for student progress.
335
81
53
13
27
7
1.81
I was given information about how I would be graded.
345
83
42
10
28
7
1.78
Methods used to evaluate my understanding of the course material were fair.
320
77
47
11
47
11
1.99
The material presented in this course challenged me to think in new ways.
343
82
36
9
38
9
1.84
The quality of the instructor for this course was excellent.
330
80
22
5
62
15
1.95
The quality of this course was excellent.
310
74
58
14
49
12
2.05
Similarly, of the 171 students who were enrolled in courses taught by adjuncts during the fall
2007 and winter 2008 semester, a clear majority agreed or strongly agreed that the adjuncts were
clear, fair, and knowledgeable. The following table presents the course evaluation questions and
student responses (numbers and percentages) for the School’s adjunct faculty.
Table 5.41.A.2
Course Evaluation Results for Adjunct Faculty, Fall 2007-Winter 2008
Strongly
Agree /
Agree
Course Evaluation Questions
I learned a great deal from this course.
Course objectives were clearly communicated.
Class sessions were well organized.
The instructor made presentations which were understandable.
The instructor was responsive to questions from students.
The instructor demonstrated concern for student progress.
I was given information about how I would be graded.
Methods used to evaluate my understanding of the course material were fair.
The material presented in this course challenged me to think in new ways.
The quality of the instructor for this course was excellent.
The quality of this course was excellent.
n
109
107
94
108
120
106
111
105
109
104
101
%
85.2
83.6
73.4
84.4
94.5
82.8
86.7
82.7
84.5
80.6
78.9
Neutral
n
50
51
44
49
33
28
55
54
47
33
49
%
39.1
39.8
34.4
38.3
26.0
21.9
43.0
42.5
36.4
25.6
38.3
Strongly
Disagree /
Disagree
n
12
13
19
10
2
4
9
10
9
15
13
% Average
9.4
1.82
10.2
1.87
14.8
2.05
7.8
1.80
1.6
1.39
3.1
1.61
7.0
1.79
7.9
1.87
7.0
1.78
11.6
1.78
10.2
1.93
49
Self-Study Report
In addition to course evaluations, we gage the perceptions of graduating students in exit surveys.
These surveys were administered at the conclusion of the capstone course (PA619, Management
Seminar) in December 2007. We asked students about the faculty, curriculum, and program on
the whole and found that all of the students agreed or strongly agreed that the faculty are
competent, effective teachers, and approachable and that a majority of the students (88 percent)
believe faculty are available outside the classroom and give quality feedback. The following
table presents, in percentages, students’ perceptions of the faculty.
Table 5.41.A.3
Graduating Student Perceptions of Faculty, Fall 2007
Question
Faculty generally demonstrated competence in their field.
Faculty generally taught effectively.
Faculty generally conveyed high expectations.
Faculty generally gave high quality feedback.
Faculty generally were available outside of the classroom.
Faculty were easily approachable.
Strongly
Agree / Agree
Strongly
Disagree /
Disagre
Not
Applicable/
No Response
100.0
100.0
100.0
87.5
87.5
100.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
12.5
8.3
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
4.2
0.0
Besides course evaluations and exit surveys, we also ask former students about the quality of the
faculty. Data from a survey distributed to alumni in the fall of 2007 show a high degree of
satisfaction with the quality of instruction in the MPA program. Ninety percent of respondents
were either satisfied or very satisfied with the education they received. Moreover, more than 90
percent of the alumni rated the quality of the faculty at average or better in their knowledge,
preparation, communication, accessibility and responsiveness. However, advising fell short of
expectations; 29 percent of the alumni rated career advising below average and 14 percent said
academic advising was below average. The following table summarizes these findings.
Table 5.41.A.4
Alumni Perceptions of Faculty, Fall 2007
Faculty as a whole:
Knowledge of their respective subjects
Exposure to a variety of points of view
Proper balance between theory and practice
Opportunities for application of knowledge
Opportunities to interact with practioners
Preparation for class
Ability to communicate clearly in class
Accessibility outside classroom
Responsiveness to student needs
Career advising
Academic advising
Diversity of faculty
Below
Average
n
%
0
0.0
7
6.4
9
8.4
9
8.2
18 16.7
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
2
1.9
24 28.9
13 13.8
11 10.5
Average
n
10
23
16
26
28
18
11
21
19
17
28
29
%
9.1
20.9
15.0
23.6
25.9
16.7
10.4
20.6
17.9
20.5
29.8
27.6
Above
Average
n
%
100 90.9
80 72.7
82 76.6
75 68.2
62 57.4
86 79.6
94 88.7
80 78.4
85 80.2
42 50.6
53 56.4
65 61.9
50
Self-Study Report
While each student receives a faculty advisor upon admission, and meets with that advisor at fall
orientation, there appears to be a need for more active follow-up by faculty in advising. Because
SPNA does not have additional staff for advising, either for curriculum planning or career
development, these tasks must be performed by faculty. The university does have a career
development center that has provided some useful assistance and job fairs, but more is needed to
help address the specific needs of students in public affairs.
As a method of keeping our courses and course offerings current, we asked our alumni about the
knowledge and skills gained while in the program and their usefulness in the workplace. In all
areas except budgeting, over 90 percent of our alumni said they gained at least some knowledge
in the core areas of public administration: organizational behavior, management, planning,
policy, research, and ethics (see table below).
Table 5.41.A.5
Alumni Perceptions of Knowledge Gained From Program, Fall 2007
Knowledge Gained from Program
Organizational management and behavior
Strategic planning
Policy formation
Research methods
Ethics
Personnel management
Budgeting
A great deal
n
%
76
67.3
63
55.8
50
44.6
50
44.6
45
40.2
45
40.2
31
27.4
Some
n
37
42
55
54
57
61
70
%
32.7
37.2
49.1
48.2
50.9
54.5
61.9
Not at all
n
%
8
7
8
10
6
12
7.1
6.3
7.1
8.9
5.4
10.6
In addition, over 85 percent of those who responded to the survey said they gained at least some
knowledge in their ability to think critically, solve problems, and evaluate programs. Over 80
percent of the responded claimed they learned at least some knowledge in managing employees,
applying statistical techniques, and developing budgets. Finally, fewer than 80 percent feel they
gained at least some knowledge in their abilities to manage the financial aspects of an
organization and write grants. The following table presents these findings.
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Self-Study Report
Table 5.41.A.6
Alumni Perceptions of Skills Gained From Program, Fall 2007
Skills Gained from Program
Critical thinking skills
Solve problems
Evaluate a program
Manage a group of employees
Apply statistical techniques
Develop a budget
Manage financial aspects of agency
Write grants
Much
n
%
62
55.4
60
54.5
45
42.1
36
34.3
44
41.9
28
27.7
20
19.6
33
32.7
Some
n
%
47
42.0
44
40.0
53
49.5
53
50.5
44
41.9
54
53.5
59
57.8
44
43.6
None
n
%
3
2.7
6
5.5
9
8.4
16
15.2
17
16.2
19
18.8
23
22.5
24
23.8
However, when asked about the importance of the above skills in the workplace, fewer than 85
percent of the respondents said that managing the financial aspects of the organization and
writing grants is least somewhat important.
Table 5.41.A.7
Alumni Perceptions of Skills Important in the Workplace, Fall 2007
Solve problems
Critical thinking skills
Evaluate a program
Manage a group of employees
Manage financial aspects of agency
Apply statistical techniques
Develop a budget
Write grants
Very important
n
%
84
85.7
84
82.4
67
69.8
55
57.3
43
47.3
40
41.7
39
41.5
36
38.7
Somewhat important
n
%
12
12.2
17
16.7
23
24.0
32
33.3
33
36.3
44
45.8
42
44.7
32
34.4
Not at all important
n
%
2
2.0
1
1.0
6
6.3
9
9.4
15
16.5
12
12.5
13
13.8
25
26.9
While more than 20 percent of our students say they did not gain any knowledge in the ability to
manage the financial aspects of an agency or write grants, these two areas of are least importance
in the workplace for more than 15 percent of the respondents. However, perhaps the lack of
training in these two fields (financial administration and grant writing) leads our alumni to other
fields. What could explain the missed targets? We offer a grant writing course, but do not require
students to take the course as part of the degree; however, we do strongly encourage our
nonprofit students to enroll in grant writing. We offer and require a finance course in all graduate
concentrations of which budgeting is one of many topics covered in the course. Offering a course
dedicated to budgeting would resolve these issues.
B. Workload Policy
Normal faculty teaching load is nine credit hours per semester (graduate and undergraduate). In
practice, this means teaching three courses per semester plus advising, thesis, independent study
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Self-Study Report
supervision, and scholarly research. Faculty members with a less than active research and service
agenda teach 12 credits per semester.
C. Class Sizes
Class Size
1-9
10-19
20-29
30-39
40-49
50 or more
2007-2008
2
23
29
4
0
0
Number of Course Sections
2006-2007
2005-2006
2
7
29
31
22
17
1
2
0
0
0
0
2004-2005
8
33
15
0
0
0
D. Actual Credit-Hours Taught
Faculty Member
Kathy Agard
Danny Balfour
Stephen Borders
Gregory Cline
Mark Hoffman
Richard Jelier
Diane Kimoto
Paul Mavima
Seong-Gin Moon
Michael Payne
Ramya Ramanath
Donijo Robbins
Margaret Schulte
Jane Sponholz
2007-2008
Graduate Undergrad
6
0
3
0
12
0
3
3
6
0
9
9
5
15
7
3
15
0
12
6
9
3
6
3
12
3
0
0
Total
6
3
12
6
6
18
20
10
15
18
12
9
15
0
2006-2007
Graduate Undergrad
3
0
3
6
9
3
0
0
13
3
6
12
5
15
16
0
9
6
12
6
9
3
12
3
0
0
9
3
Total
3
9
12
0
16
18
20
16
15
18
12
15
0
12
5.42 Research
Although high quality teaching is the primary value for the faculty at GVSU, the MPA faculty
members are dedicated to supporting their graduate level teaching with active scholarship. Since
2004, current SPNA faculty has published books, chapters in edited books, technical reports and
journal articles, which have appeared in the following periodicals:
Comparative Technology Transfer and Society
Human Resources for Health
International Journal of Public Administration
The Journal of Health and Social Policy
53
Self-Study Report
The Journal of Public Affairs Education
The Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting, & Financial Management
The Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly
Organization & Environment
Public Administration
Public Administration Quarterly
Public Administration Review
Public Finance & Management
Public Performance and Management Review
Social Science Quarterly
In addition, faculty members have presented papers, served as conveners and panels at regional
and national conferences, and authored essays and book reviews for professional periodicals.
Finally, some of our faculty are successful rainmakers, bringing in over $400,000 in funded
research. Publications and research projects for the last four years are summarized below.
Publication type
Books
Book Reviews
Chapters in Books
Funded Research
Journal Articles
Presentations
Reports
Number
2
8
11
$405,000
21
34
21
Volume II provides a full view of each faculty members’ accomplishments in teaching, research,
and service for the last four years, 2004 through May 2008.
5.43 Experience and Service
The faculty brings with them a variety of experiences from the public, health, and nonprofit
sectors. For example, prior to moving into academia, some faculty members were practitioners—
a deputy city manager, a senior program director for a health institute, policy analyst, president
of an association, and executive director of a nonprofit. In addition, many faculty members serve
on boards of regional, state, and national organizations, these include:
Michigan Nonprofit Association
Council of Michigan Foundations
American-Nepali Student & Women’s Educational Relief
Grand Rapids Wheelchair Sports Association
CDM, Inc. – Nonprofit food pantry
Michigan Public Health Association
Main Stay Therapeutic Riding Program
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54
A number of faculty members provide consulting services to regional, state, and national
organizations. These include:
The Children’s Health Fund.
Public Policy Research Institute
City of Muskegon
The Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership
The Interurban Transit Partnership
Early On Michigan: Infant and Toddler Early Intervention System
The United Way of Grand Rapids
Community Research Institute
Many faculty members review articles for on-line and print journals. Moreover, five faculty
members (Borders, Cline, Hoffman, Kimoto, and Balfour) serve on editorial boards for the
following journals:
American Review of Public Administration
Journal of Public Affairs Education
Journal of Public Health
Journal of Public Management of Social Policy Michigan
Public Administration Review
Public Voices
In addition, our two newest faculty members, Margaret Schulte and Greg Cline, respectively, are
editor-in-chief of the following journals:
Frontiers of Health Management, Health Administration Press
Michigan Journal of Public Health
Finally, as part of the School’s and University’s mission, faculty members who have been with
the university for more than one year are strongly encouraged to serve committees for the
university—departmental, college, or university committees. All of SPNA faculty members
currently serve, have served, or will serve in the next academic year on at least one committee.
These committees include:
University Faculty Senate
Faculty Salary and Budget Committee
University Assessment Committee
Outstanding Service Award Committee
International Advisory Committee
Faculty Advisory Committee
College Personnel Committee
Library Liaison
College Curriculum Committee
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55
5.5 Faculty Diversity
A. Diversity Plans
SPNA has made consistent and concerted efforts to promote and maintain faculty diversity. The
School’s faculty has mostly been as or more diverse than that of the university. During the selfstudy year, 31 percent of SPNA faculty was non-white (compared to 17 percent university-wide)
and 46 percent of SPNA core faculty was female (compared to 43 percent university-wide).
However, the departure of an international (African) male, has reduced the overall diversity of
the faculty from 33 percent to 25 percent non-white, however, next year (2008-2009) we will
begin a search to fill the vacancy. As such, the School will continue to make progress in the area
of diversity.
In 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2007 the School conducted national searches to fill vacated or new
positions. In 2002, we hired one new faculty member, a white male who has subsequently left for
another university and was replaced in 2005 with an international male. In addition, the
university converted a visitor position into a tenure-track position, which was filled with an
Asian/Native American female. In 2003, the search for health faculty was finally fruitful with the
hiring of a white male and white female, who subsequently passed away and was replaced with a
white male in 2008. In 2005, two international faculty members (one male and one female) were
hired replacing vacant positions. In 2007, the university approved a new faculty line added in
health administration and we hired a white female.
Promotion of faculty diversity occurs through the hiring process of new faculty members,
including visiting professors and adjuncts, and through ongoing support efforts. In the hiring
process, recruiting occurs through advertisements in publications targeted at minority candidates
and through contacts with doctoral programs nationwide. In addition, the university provides
minority recruitment resources as well as resources for retention, for example, the Office of
Multicultural Affairs, Women’s Center, and Disability Support Services. However, hiring
practices have changed since November 2006 when the citizens of the state of Michigan
approved Proposal 2, which read:
A proposal to amend the state constitution to ban affirmative action programs that
give preferential treatment to groups or individuals based on their race, gender,
color, ethnicity or national origin for public employment, education or contracting
purposes
The proposed constitutional amendment would:
1. Ban public institutions from using affirmative action programs that give
preferential treatment to groups or individuals based on their race, gender, color,
ethnicity or national origin for public employment, education or contracting
purposes. Public institutions affected by the proposal include state government,
local governments, public colleges and universities, community colleges and
school districts.
Self-Study Report
2. Prohibit public institutions from discriminating against groups or individuals
due to their gender, ethnicity, race, color or national origin. (A separate provision
of the state constitution already prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color
or national origin.)
The amendment affects the School and the University as a whole and is as follows:
ARTICLE I Sec. 26. (1) The University of Michigan, Michigan State University,
Wayne State University, and any other public college or university, community
college, or school district shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential
treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or
national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public
contracting.
(2) The state shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any
individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in
the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting.
(3) For the purposes of this section "state" includes, but is not necessarily limited
to, the state itself, any city, county, any public college, university, or community
college, school district, or other political subdivision or governmental
instrumentality of or within the State of Michigan not included in sub-section 1.
(4) This section does not prohibit action that must be taken to establish or
maintain eligibility for any federal program, if ineligibility would result in a loss
of federal funds to the state.
(5) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted as prohibiting bona fide
qualifications based on sex that are reasonably necessary to the normal operation
of public employment, public education, or public contracting.
(6) The remedies available for violations of this section shall be the same,
regardless of the injured party's race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin, as
are otherwise available for violations of Michigan anti-discrimination law.
(7) This section shall be self-executing. If any part or parts of this section are
found to be in conflict with the United States Constitution or federal law, the
section shall be implemented to the maximum extent that the United States
Constitution and federal law permit. Any provision held invalid shall be
severable from the remaining portions of this section.
(8) This section applies only to action taken after the effective date of this section.
(9) This section does not invalidate any court order or consent decree that is in
force as of the effective date of this section.
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57
According the GVSU Diversity Assessment Committee, Employment Subcommittee Report of
March 2007, the university is classified as a federal contractor and is therefore an Affirmative
Action Equal Opportunity Employer governed by federal guidelines. Thus, GVSU’s legal
obligation to comply with Affirmative Action supersedes its legal obligation to comply with
Proposal 2. GVSU’s efforts to attract a diverse pool of candidates comply with both federal
guidelines and Proposal 2 as long as these efforts do not exclude or exclusively target specific
subpopulations.
Employment Subcommittee members further examined various parts of the search process for
salaried employees and found one aspect to be in non-compliance with Proposal 2. Current
guidelines from Human Resources state that all search committees for salaried positions must
have at least one female and at least one minority person among its members. Employment
Subcommittee members recommend the guideline be revised to require at least one person who
is identified as a “Diversity Advocate” as a member of a search committee for a salaried
position. Diversity Advocates could be any salaried or hourly employee who is committed to the
goal of helping GVSU promote and integrate diversity in all aspects of the university work
environment. An individual would need to successfully complete a training experience to be
identified as a Diversity Advocate. Diversity Advocate training is not currently offered at GVSU;
however, the staff in Human Resources is aware of training experiences used at other universities
that could be drawn upon to develop appropriate training experiences at GVSU. Serving on a
search committee would be only one of the potential responsibilities of a Diversity Advocate.
Other responsibilities might include serving as a point of contact or as a resource person for
issues of diversity or serving as a facilitator or diversity representative on various committees
and task forces. The creation of Diversity Advocates would show that diversity is, and should be,
the concern of all employees at GVSU, which in turn would help GVSU make important
progress towards its diversity goal.
The subcommittee created a diversity plan of action “to promote and integrate diversity in all
aspects of university life.” Their recommendations are as follows:
Recommendations for Both the Recruitment and Retention of a Diverse Workforce at
GVSU
1. Create Diversity Advocates
2. Create a Diversity Directory for Faculty and Staff
3. Create a Diversity Center on Campus
4. Create a Family Leave Benefit
Recommendations for the Recruitment of a Diverse Workforce at GVSU
1. Recruiting and Preparing to Search-- Move search committee training by Human
Resources to be the 1st step of the search process flowchart for salaried positions.
2. Use a common phrase addressing diversity in all position announcements at
GVSU.
3. Create search committees that are diverse from a variety of perspectives.
4. Encourage employees to develop networks of diverse people and to suggest
employees contact people within these networks about applying for available
positions.
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Self-Study Report
Interviewing the Final Candidates
1. Send a packet of information about GVSU and the local community prior to the
interview.
2. Question candidates about their experiences working with diverse populations.
3. Individualizing the interview
The University has subsequently created and filled the new position, Vice President for Inclusion
and Equity who provides leadership in the development and implementation of a university-wide
integrated approach to enhancing diversity awareness and intercultural competency for students,
faculty and staff. In future hiring decisions, SPNA will follow procedures adopted by the
University.
B. Diversity Data
FACULTY DIVERSITY
Faculty
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
J
K
L
M
N
AA/EEO/ADA Category
White male
White male
International male
International female
Asian/Native American female
White female
White male
White male
International male
White female
White female
White male
White male
Rank
Assistant
Assistant
Assistant
Assistant
Assistant
Associate
Associate
Associate
Associate
Associate
Associate
Full
Full
Tenure Status
Tenure Track
Tenure Track
Tenure Track
Tenure Track
Tenure Track
na
Tenured
Tenured
Tenured
Tenured
Tenure Track
Tenured
Tenured
C. Faculty Searches
In the past four years, 2004-2008, the School conducted searches for three faculty members,
which resulted in the hiring of four faculty as the University added a faculty line in the 2007
search. We hired two males, one white and one international, and two females, one white and
one international.
In the 2005-2006 academic year, the School conducted a search for two faculty, both to fill
vacant positions, one in public policy and the other in nonprofit. We received 15 applications for
the public policy position, five who were female and seven internationals. We interviewed four
males, three internationals and one white. We hired an international male.
We received six applications for the nonprofit position. Two of the applicants were male and the
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59
other four female. Four applicants were international and two white. We interviewed three
international applicants, two of whom were female. We hired a international female.
During the early summer of 2007, the School conducted an emergency search to the fill the
health administration position of Jane Sponholz who passed away earlier in the year. We
received 16 applications, six from females, six from internationals. We interviewed three
candidates including one female and one international. We offered the job to an international
male who declined the position and subsequently offered to position to a white male. The white
female also was hired to fill a new line added at our request.
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60
STANDARD 6.0—ADMISSION OF STUDENTS
6.1 Admission Goals and Standards
A. Mission
The admissions policies of the School follow the mission by our commitment to attract and
educate a diverse student population that is dedicated to public service as a career. We seek
students from diverse backgrounds, with various baccalaureate educations and professional
experience in diverse public service activities. Therefore, our policy states that persons who have
not had their undergraduate education in any form of public administration or business are fully
admissible without prerequisite courses.
We do not use the admissions process in the assessment of the program as the general philosophy
is to accept all applicants from all backgrounds with an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0
or higher. The department does not keep records or analyze relationships between undergraduate
GPA and success in the graduate program, nor do we know if retention rates differ among
diverse groups. However, the University’s Office of Institutional Analysis collects information
on behalf of departments and programs but they do not differentiate between part-time and fulltime applicants. That is, currently there is no way to know if an applicant will be enrolled as a
full-time or part-time student.
B. Admission Process
The admissions process is the same for all students, regardless of service, background, age,
gender, nationality, and disabilities. As such, certain criteria are applied to all applicants. Only
students who have attained their baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college
are considered. We do not accept students with degrees from unaccredited schools or diploma
mills.
Applicants complete an application online or submit a hard copy via mail to the Office of
Admissions. Students must meet all of the criteria for entry, which include an official transcript,
an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher from an accredited college or university calculated on the
last two years of undergraduate work, three letters of recommendation, an essay, and
professional writing sample. For international students, the University requires the TOEFL.
Upon receipt, the Office of Admissions forwards a copy of the application to the School.
At this point each person is counted as an “applicant” to the Program. The name of the applicant
and relevant data are registered into a file and a cover sheet is attached which contains the names
of all SNPA faculty members. While all faculty members are encouraged to evaluate each
packet, a three-member committee and the Director, assesses each file and recommends action.
Complete applications are normally evaluated and a decision is made within two weeks of
receipt and the applicant is notified. Applications are accepted, denied, or held pending
additional information. Denials may be based on an insufficient or inadequate essay or GPA.
Letters of recommendations that do not meet the criterion (we sometimes receive letters from
friends or relatives who can speak only of the relationship) are not accepted and replacements are
requested. As stated above, in the event of insufficient information from the application, some
students are required to submit GRE or GMAT scores if their GPA is below the minimum of 3.0.
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61
There is no distinction made between full-time and part-time or pre-service and in-service
students in the admissions process. The above requirements apply to everyone; there are no
special admissions policies.
In addition, transfer students from other GVSU graduate programs or another college or
university graduate program must apply for admission to the MPA program. The School allows
up to twelve hours of transfer credit for courses with a grade of “B” or better, taken within the
past five years. Courses accepted in transfer must be relevant to the course of study and meet the
requirements of the program, whether as core courses, or concentration, or elective courses.
Transfer courses are recommended by the advisor on the appropriate University form that
requires approval by the Director. They are sent to the Registrar of the University for formal
entry into the student’s record.
C. Representation
The School has benefited from the overwhelming growth of the university as a whole. As a
result, the School has been very successful in attracting women and minorities into its MPA
program even with limited recruiting efforts. In the 2007-2008 academic year, 57 percent of
matriculating graduate students were women, reflecting national trends but 10 percent less than
the university’s composition. Of those who reported their ethnicity, 18.3 percent of the MPA
students were non-white which is comparable to the MSW program but greater than the MBA
program, where 6 percent of the student body is non-white.
As our recruitment efforts have been negligible at best, we believe the university population, and
program’s population has reached a plateau. As such, we have developed a recruitment plan with
the Graduate Dean’s Office to recruit and retain a diverse MPA student body. The plan includes
but is not limited to:
Off Campus Recruitment Receptions, October 2008, in Lisle IL and Chicago IL
(overnight trip), Southfield MI, Sterling Hts MI and Dearborn MI (overnight trip),
Lansing MI
On Campus Recruitment Reception, October 2008
Student Visitation Days, October 2008, March 2009, April 2009
Winter Registration and Orientation, January 2009
Transfer Student Visitation Day, January 2009
Majors Fair, January 2009
Distinction Scholarship Competition, December 2009-February 2009
Currently, two MPA students have visible disabilities (i.e., confined to a wheel chair), however
the Office of Institutional Analysis could not provide us with specific data on the numbers of
MPA with disabilities, physical or otherwise. The Office of Disabilities Support Services
provides considerable support (campus, community and Internet services) for students with
disabilities and all faculty members are aware of these services. DSS supplies a 48-page desk
reference for to faculty and staff online at http://www.gvsu.edu/cms3/assets/DC7DCF3F-F7D8F4AB-BF94F08A60A76FC2/facultystaffguide.pdf. All course syllabi must contain a statement
of the School’s support for students with disabilities and the faculty also states this in class. The
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62
School’s website is compliant with all regulation for accessibility and the faculty makes every
effort to accommodate students with disabilities.
6.2 Baccalaureate Requirement
There are no special conditions that permit admissions to applicants other than those with a
baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution or those with appropriately
evaluated credentials from non-US universities.
6.3 Admission Factors
A. Admission Factors
The admission factors used in the admissions decisions for the MPA include:
A completed graduate application.
A nonrefundable application fee.
An official transcript from each undergraduate and graduate institution attended.
An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher from an accredited college or university,
calculated on the last two years of undergraduate work.
Applicants will less than a 3.0 GPA may be admitted if other indicators
predict a likelihood of academic success. These include but are not
limited to five or more years of professional work experience since
receiving a baccalaureate degree, taking the GRE or GMAT, a personal
interview, and an application essay.
Three letters of reference from informed sources.
A 3-4 page typed essay on career and educational objectives.
A professional writing sample.
For international students, the University requires evidence of English language
proficiency verified by the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
scores or CELT (Comprehensive English Language Test) scores for all
international students whose native language is not English.
Students must meet all of the criteria for entry. Denials may be based on an insufficient or
inadequate essay or GPA. Letters of recommendations that do not meet the criterion (we
sometimes receive letters from friends or relatives who can speak only of the relationship) are
not accepted and replacements are requested. As stated above, in the event of insufficient
information from the application, some students are required to submit GRE or GMAT scores if
their GPA is below the minimum of 3.0.
Although we require a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher, we recognize that, with maturity and
work experience, people often become better students. Therefore, in addition to the minimum
3.0 GPA, we consider all professional activity after the baccalaureate degree. Although we do
not require students to take the GRE or GMAT, we do ask applicants whose record fails to
provide sufficient information to make an informative decision to take the GRE. This is
especially true if a grade point average is below our criterion.
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Self-Study Report
In addition, applicants submit three current letters of recommendation from recent professors,
and/or current employers, and/or from supervisors of volunteer experiences. The letters are
expected to be from persons who can address the applicant’s qualifications for successful
graduate study and professional public service.
The School also requires each applicant to submit a three-to-four page essay and a writing
sample from an undergraduate course or a professional document their current job. The purpose
for the writing samples is twofold. First, the application essay requires applicants to reflect on
their decision to enter graduate studies and on their choice of public administration in particular.
Second, the essay and writing sample provide a good measure of writing, thinking, organizing
and, often, problem-solving skills.
Over the past four years, roughly 70 percent of our students have been enrolled as part-time
students (8 or fewer credits), which implies a similar percentage of in-service, practitioners (the
university does not keep a record of pre-service and in-service status, but our new database
discussed earlier will). The following table shows the numbers and percentages of enrolled fulltime and part-time students from 2004 through 2008.
Full-time students
Part-time students
Total
2004-05
n
%
46
31.7
99
68.3
145 100.0
Academic Year
2005-06
2006-07
n
%
n
%
42
29.0
41
26.1
103
71.0
116
73.9
145 100.0 157 100.0
2007-08
n
%
51
30.7
115
69.3
166 100.0
B. Admissions Record
The School relies on the Office of Institutional Analysis for a variety of different data on
students—admissions, retention, enrollments, and graduation. The university does not have a
probationary status, students are either admitted or denied and those students who are non-degree
seeking—have not applied to a graduate program—are not included. Finally, the university does
not differentiate between full- or part-time students at the time of application, admission, or
graduation; they do so only for enrollments.
Since 2004, 660 students have applied for admissions to the MPA program and 70.5 percent
were accepted and 71 percent of admittees matriculated. The number of minorities at all stages of
the application process increasing. Minorities have comprised a low of 13 percent (2004-05
academic year) to a high of 25 percent (2006-07 academic year)—our program’s minority
composition is comparable to or higher that that of other professional master’s programs (i.e.,
MSW and MBA, respectively). In all stages of the application process, females have consistently
comprised of at least 55 percent and in the self-study year (2007-2008), 65 percent of the
applicants, 68.5 percent of admittees, and 64 percent of those who matriculated were female. The
following tables present information on MPA applicants, enrollment, and graduation for the selfstudy and four preceding years. Some notes of interest about the data:
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Self-Study Report
The university does not differentiate between full-time and part-time applicants;
this is not part of the application process. We only know credit hours once
students matriculate.
The university does not have a probationary admissions process.
The number of applicants includes all who submitted an application form,
although some applications were incomplete and never forwarded to SPNA.
2007-2008 ADMISSIONS/ATTRITION RECORD
2007-08
Applicants
Admittees
Registrants
Active Students
Graduates
Minority
Female Male
23
10
16
6
8
2
29
12
5
3
White
Female
66
46
30
84
13
Not Reported
Male Female Male Total
38
21
12
170
26
14
3
111
21
9
3
73
67
16
8
216
11
5
1
38
2006-2007 ADMISSIONS/ATTRITION RECORD
2006-07
Applicants
Admittees
Registrants
Active Students
Graduates
Minority
Female Male
22
9
13
7
11
7
30
10
5
1
White
Female
45
37
25
79
16
Not Reported
Male Female Male Total
36
12
11
135
28
7
6
98
19
5
4
71
70
9
6
204
15
3
0
40
2005-2006 ADMISSIONS/ATTRITION RECORD
2005-06
Applicants
Admittees
Registrants
Active Students
Graduates
Minority
Female Male
14
7
11
6
6
5
19
8
4
2
White
Female
40
31
27
93
38
Not Reported
Male Female Male Total
40
9
3
113
32
5
0
85
23
4
0
65
64
10
3
197
14
4
1
63
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Self-Study Report
2004-2005 ADMISSIONS/ATTRITION RECORD
Minority
Female Male
9
8
6
4
4
3
24
5
7
0
2004-05
Applicants
Admittees
Registrants
Active Students
Graduates
White
Female
43
32
23
89
19
Not Reported
Male Female Male Total
31
8
6
105
26
4
3
75
18
4
2
54
57
7
4
186
10
1
2
39
2003-2004 ADMISSIONS/ATTRITION RECORD
Minority
White
Not Reported
Female Male Female Male Female Male Total
21
10
58
34
8
6
137
14
4
45
25
4
4
96
12
3
31
17
2
2
67
22
8
107
57
4
7
205
1
2
26
15
1
4
49
2003-04
Applicants
Admittees
Registrants
Active Students
Graduates
C. Probationary Student Assessments
There is no probationary status in the MPA as the University does not have a probationary status.
On rare occasion, we hold applications and final decision pending more information or further
action (e.g. taking an undergrad or graduate course, taking the GRE); however, students are
either admitted or denied.
D. Enrollment/Size of Program:
PROGRAM SIZE - NUMBER OF STUDENTS REGISTERED IN FALL TERM
Year
2004
2005
2006
2007
Full-Time
46
42
41
51
Part-Time
99
103
116
113
TOTAL
145
145
157
164
Minority
22
17
26
30
Female
96
86
91
94
Disability
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
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66
STANDARD 7.0 - STUDENT SERVICES
7.1 Advisement and Appraisal
A. Advising System
When students are assigned a faculty advisor upon admission to the MPA Program. The student
meets with his or her advisor to discuss the program in general, address any questions and decide
on the student’s program of study. All core faculty members advise students except the
Philanthropy Center Director, who has no formal assignment of students but who is available to
students for any consultation they may request.
The School attempts to distribute the number of advisees equally among faculty members. The
Director handles most incoming requests, discussions with potential students, discussions with
denied students, and any students who wish to change advisors to another faculty member with
whom they have established a good rapport. After original assignment of advisors, at a time
when students usually know none of the faculty, students are encouraged to seek their own
choices when they come to know all of the faculty members better.
Advisors are normally assigned in relation to the career of the student and his or her choice of
Concentrations. In that way, the advisor is better able to identify placement opportunities, advise
course selections and “speak the language” of the field. In addition to normal advising
discussions, students are also encouraged to meet with the Director of Internships since he
receives job notices and advertises career placement opportunities as well
as internship opportunities.
Once a program of study is agreed upon by students and advisors, there is no requirement for
approval of course selections. Students are encouraged to meet with their advisors when they
have questions, problems or when they are faced with decisions related to their programs. Since
all faculty members and the director are always available to students, the advising function
becomes the role of all and students are comfortable asking various faculty members for
information and guidance.
B. Financial Assistance
Financial assistance for graduate students is in the form of students loans, Federal College Work
Study based on financial need, graduate assistantships, and scholarships.
SPNA is allotted seven graduate assistantships. Special project graduate assistantships are
sometimes provided through the dean of graduate studies. Additional graduate assistantships are
sometimes provide using grant money. MPA students can also obtain graduate assistantships at
various offices and centers at the university. These assistantships may be at 20 hours per week,
which provides for twelve hours of tuition waiver per semester plus a $4,000 stipend, or at 10
hours per week with a six-hour tuition waiver and a $2,000 stipend. There were 29 MPA
students with graduate assistantships somewhere at Grand Valley during the self-study year:
9 SPNA
5 Johnson Center for Philanthropy
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2 Campus Recreation
2 Movement Science
1 American Humanics
1 Autism Education Center
1 Biology
1 College of Interdisciplinary Studies
1 Delta Strategy (external)
1 Fieldhouse Administration
1 Graduate Studies and Grants Administration
1 Hauenstein Center
1 McNair Scholars
1 SMART Center
1 Social Work
There are three scholarship funds specifically for SPNA students.
Joyce F. Hecht Distinguished Scholarship in Philanthropy. This scholarship is
named in recognition of Joyce F. Hecht and will support Grand Valley students
who aspire to help nonprofit organizations in all the ways that Joyce has so
capably helped Grand Valley as its first Director of Development, the founding
Executive Director of the Grand Valley University Foundation, and its gracious
and effective ambassador to the western Michigan community. The scholarship is
awarded to outstanding full or part-time graduate students pursuing career paths
in fundraising, grant writing, grant making and other areas of nonprofit
development.
John Heerspink Scholarship honors John Heerspink’s 27 year plus career in
nonprofit and philanthropy. The scholarship is designated for a MPA graduate
student whose focus is in nonprofit management.
SPNA Scholarship Fund. This scholarship fund is used to provide assistance to
students who are on study abroad programs, doing special projects or have special
needs.
2004-2005
2005-2006
2006-2007
2007-2008
Assistantships
Scholarships
?
?
30
29
?
?
?
2
C. Student Attrition
Attrition of MPA students is not a major problem. Most students who matriculate manage to
graduate unless they move from the area or take on new responsibilities, etc.
Self-Study Report
68
7.2 Placement Service
A. Placement Assistance
At Grand Valley, career placement activities are coordinated by the Career Services office,
working in consort with the individual colleges and departments. Career Services assigns a
career adviser / liaison to each department, who helps coordinate the career development
activity. There are no special career services resources allocated directly to the college or
department. However, all faculty members in SPNA counsel students on career development
and placement.
Career Service offers the following free services to all students:
LakerJobs is a free online system which allows students to access job and
internship postings, upload résumés for viewing by employers, and sign up for oncampus interviews.
Job-Search Assistance is provided through one-on-one meetings with a career to
discuss any aspect of the job search, including résumé - and cover-letter writing
and networking strategies.
Simulated Interviews are offered though one-on-one interviewing session, where
students ll receive constructive feedback from a Career Services staff member and
develop powerful interviewing strategies. (Videotaping is optional.)
Career Contact Bank is a database of alumni and other professionals who are
willing to provide informational interviews and job-shadowing opportunities.
Career Services Library (206 STU, 116B DEV) provides career references,
employer brochures, binders and videos.
Careerfest, every fall semester, is a career fair exploring job and internship
opportunities in business and industry, law enforcement and government.
Placement assistance activities of particular help to MPA students includes:
Since 1997, SPNA has offered a graduate Career Development Workshop each
winter semester designed to provide students with the guidance they need to
achieve their career goals. Topics include resume writing, successful interviews,
and how to search for the right job. Guest speakers from government, nonprofit,
and health organizations provide insight on the types of jobs that are available and
specifics of what employers are looking for. Enrollments for the workshop have
been strong and feedback very positive. In all, 97 students, mostly in the MPA,
took this workshop between Winter 2002 and Winter 2008. Because of the
increase in the number of students, the workshop will be offered in both Fall and
Winter in 2008-09.
Begun in 2003, SPNA sends out a “career opportunities” e-mail message about
three times a month, with between 20 and 30 job opening, internship, fellowship
and scholarship postings in each. These job and internship postings are intended
to be useful for MPA students and alumni currently in the job market, but also
educational for those planning their future career path. Over time, more alumni
and community members have sent job postings to SPNA for dissemination
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Self-Study Report
through the career services newsletter.
On 10 April 2007, Career Services presented “Health Career Employer Panel”
with panelists talking about their roles as chief-executive, operating, finance, and
nursing officers and others from a variety of hospitals and health-related
organizations.
On 17 March 2008, Career Services presented “Beyond Your Master’s Degree:
competencies that Employers Require, Expect and Value” exposed Grand Valley
graduate students to a panel of local professionals in the non-profit, social work,
criminal justice, and public/government sectors, who can offered advice on the
attributes, competencies, and experiences that employers seek when hiring
candidates with Master’s degrees.
As the below table indicates, 84% of recent MPA graduates are either employed in the field or
are in graduate school the year following their graduation. This rate is comparable to that for
Grand Valley MBA graduates, although lower than for Social Work and Criminal Justice.
Table 7.2.A.1
Employment Status of New Graduate Students in MPA and selected programs, 2004-2006
Number
of
Response
Employed Graduate
Graduates
Rate
Employed in Field
School
Public Administration (MPA)
91
55%
94%
78%
6%
Criminal Justice (MS)
9
56%
100%
100%
0%
Social Work (MSW)
237
46%
100%
97%
0%
Business (MBA)
162
46%
96%
82%
3%
All GVSU graduate degrees
1,741
55%
98%
94%
1%
Employed in
Field or in
Graduate
School
84%
100%
97%
85%
95%
_____
Source: Annual surveys of GVSU graduates, 2004-2006.
B. Follow up of Graduates
As the below table indicates, MPA graduates are nearly equally divided between the public,
nonprofit and educational sectors. The prominence of the latter is likely due to the high number
of Grand Valley employees join the MPA program.
Table 7.2.B.1
Type of Employer for MPA 2002-2007 graduates, by gender
Organization type
Male
Government (federal, state, local, etc)
4
School district, college or university
2
Private Industry
Health Care
2
Non-profit organization (excluding other above groups) 4
Total
12
Source: MPA alumni survey, 2007.
Female
7
8
1
2
7
25
Total
11
10
1
4
11
37
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Self-Study Report
STANDARD 8.0 - SUPPORT SERVICES AND FACILITIES
8.1 Budget
A. Budget Process
The budget is prepared each fall semester by the director of the School and submitted to the dean
of community and public service. Basically, it is an incremental process where the director
submits any proposed increases and/or new expenditures for the next year’s budget.
B. Budget Sufficiency
The school’s budget, as allocated by the university through the dean of College of Community
and Public Service (see table below), has been sufficient to be able carry out its stated objectives.
Beyond salaries and fixed costs, the discretionary portion of the budget (CSSM) is relatively
small, but provides enough for some special programs and initiatives, such as the annual Pi
Alpha Alpha awards celebration. The School’s budget has been augmented with some funds
from services and contracts and special allocations from the dean’s office. The budget has
provided sufficient funds for all basic supplies and functions of the School.
Some recent changes in the budget were the elimination of the “equipment” allocation, an
increase to student wage allocation to cover an increase in graduate assistant stipends from
$2,000 to $4,000 per semester and an increase in the allocation of the faculty development
budget from $500 to $900 per person. (Note: The faculty development allocation is augmented
by grants from research and development and/or the Faculty Teaching and Learning Center.)
2007-2008
2006-2007
2005-2006
2004-2005
CSSM
$20,934
$22,734
$18,991
Equipment
$0
$0
$3,500
Student Wages
$56,000
$51,164
$37,164
Faculty Dev
$10,350
$10,350
$4,400
C. Salary Information
BASE FACULTY SALARY DATA
RANK
Professor
Associate Professor
Assistant Professor
Instructor
NUMBER
2
4
5
0
MEDIAN
$82,864.
$66,201
$52,562
MEAN
$82,864
$67,901
$56,341
Note: The table does not include the salary of Kathy Agard, who is paid out of the Johnson
Center budget, nor Paul Mavima, who resigned in December 2007. It does include administrative
stipends for Mark Hoffman (SPNA director) and Steve Borders (MHA coordinator).
Self-Study Report
71
8.2 Library Services
A. Library Support
Grand Valley maintains two library sites: the main library on the Allendale campus and the
Steelcase Library on the downtown campus. The collections for public administration, nonprofit
management, health administration, and criminal justice are all housed in the Steelcase Library
in the DeVos Center. Some policy, planning and urban studies journals are in the Allendale
library (because the political science and geography & planning departments are at the Allendale
campus). Faculty and students can search the library from any computer connected to the
Internet. Library materials can be delivered from one campus to the other within 24 hours.
Basic information:
annual SPNA allocation for books: ????
annual amount spent on journals in this field: ????
annual amount spent on databases supporting this program: ????
the number of volumes in the library in this field: ????
the number of journals the library provides access to in this field:????
The library supports many multidisciplinary electronic databases, including:
Cambridge Journals Online
Ebsco Academic Search
Ebsco Business Source
InfoTrack OneFile
JSTOR
LexisNexis Academic
M.E. Sharpe Journals
PAIS International
Sage Complete
ScienceDirect
Springer Link
Taylor & Francis Online Journals
Wiley Interscience
Wilson Select / ECO
Several field specific electronic resources include:
Public Administration Abstracts
Literature of the Nonprofit Sector
The library subscribes to over 60 public administration, nonprofit management, public policy and
urban studies related journals, including:
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Self-Study Report
Academy of Management Journal
Public Administration Review
Academy of Management Review
Journal of Policy Analysis and
Management
Journal of Policy History
Administration & Society
Journal of PA Research & Theory
Public Choice
Administrative Theory & Praxis
Journal of Public Affairs Education
(J-PAE)
Journal of Public Budgeting,
Accounting & Financial
Management
Journal of Public Policy
Public Finance Review
Administrative Science Quarterly
American Review of Public
Administration
Australian Journal of Public
Administration
Canadian Public Administration
Journal of Socio-Economics
Journal of Urban Affairs
Conflict Resolution Quarterly
Journal of Urban Economics
Economic Development Quarterly
Municipal Finance Journal
Evaluation Review
National Tax Journal
Harvard Journal of Law and Public
Policy
International Journal of Nonprofit
& Voluntary Sector Marketing
International Journal of Public
Administration
International Journal of Public
Sector Management
International Journal of Urban and
Regional Research
International Review of
Administrative Sciences
Journal of the American Planning
Association
Journal of Government Financial
Management
Journal of Management and
Governance
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector
Quarterly
Nonprofit Management and
Leadership
Philosophy and Public Affairs
Public Budgeting & Finance
Public Integrity
Public Manager, The
Public Performance & Management
Review
Public Personnel Management
Public Productivity & Management
Review
Public Works
Public Works Management &
Policy
Public Voices
Publius: The Journal of Federalism
Review of Policy Research
Policy & Practice of Public Human
Services
Policy Sciences
State and Local Government
Review
Strategic Management Journal
Policy Studies Journal
Urban Affairs Quarterly
Public Administration (British)
Urban Affairs Review
Public Administration &
Development
Public Administration Quarterly
Urban Studies
Voluntas
One important special collection is the Dorothy A. Johnson Collection on Philanthropy and
Nonprofit Leadership, one of the most comprehensive libraries in the country in the areas of
philanthropy, volunteerism, and nonprofit initiatives. The library benefits from an endowment
provided by the Council of Michigan Foundations upon the retirement of their founding
president and CEO, Dorothy A. Johnson. Formerly held in the Council of Michigan Foundations
library, the collection is now housed at the Steelcase Library on Grand Valley’s downtown
campus and is affiliated with the Consortium of Foundation Libraries.
Results from a survey conducted in 2007 by the Office of Career Services at Grand Valley show
that MPA students have a slightly higher satisfaction rate (scores of 1 or 2) than students in other
management-oriented graduate programs at Grand Valley.
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73
B. Library Program Role
The library assigns a staff member to coordinate acquisitions with each academic department.
The Steelcase library includes an instruction center and an introduction to the library is part of
graduate student orientation. Materials may be put on reserve for courses in both print
(traditional) and electronic formats. The library staff must sign off on grants and new course and
program proposals. Faculty members have found the library to be very supportive of their
research projects.
8.3 Support Personnel
The School has one full-time Clerical/Office/Technical (COT) position assigned to it. The duties
of this position include clerical support for the director and faculty, coordination and
communication with the office of the dean of social sciences, and supervision of student
worker(s). Sherry Moyer has held this position since January of 1997. A second half-time COT
position has a support function, plus primary responsibility for the MHA and special projects.
8.4 Instructional Equipment
A/B. Computer Support and Audio-Visual Support
Grand Valley has 1,400 computers in labs and classrooms and all classrooms have fully
equipped presentation technology. Grand Valley provides wireless access to students, faculty and
staff throughout all academic and administrative buildings.
Every faculty and administrative staff member has a personal computer in his or her office that is
supported by academic computing. Each computer has a full software package that includes
word processing, spreadsheet, Internet access. Other supported programs include SPSS, SAS,
and ESRI ArcGIS. The university provides access to Blackboard 7.3 as an Internet-based
instructional support program.
SPNA faculty use Blackboard to support their teaching in MPA classes. The program includes
course information, documents, discussion boards, chat rooms, wikis, journals, collaboration
tools for groups and links to other sites. There is a centralized Help Desk department to provide
faculty, staff and students with assistance to computer issues including software application
assistance for Grand Valley supported software. Academic Computing and Educational
Technology has a staff of Academic Systems Coordinators, Analysts and Instructional Designers
to assist faculty with using technology in the production and dissemination of course materials
while researching and promoting emerging technologies to enhance SPNA’s teaching and
learning mission. There are Student Technicians throughout the buildings trained to assist
faculty and students with using classroom and lab technology. These Student Technicians
regularly test equipment and monitor consumables to make sure technology resources are
provided and in good working order to the Grand Valley community when needed including
conference and lecture support.
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74
The DeVos Center houses seven computer lab classrooms and open labs (six Windows and one
Macintosh), one laptop cart and 42 Kiosk computers (for e-mail, access to Blackboard and Office
2007 applications) in public areas throughout the building. Similar facilities can be found in the
other downtown campus buildings and on the Allendale and Holland campuses. SPNA has
seven computer workstations available for use by SPNA students and graduate assistants in the
hallway across from faculty offices.
8.5 Faculty Offices
All full-time, nucleus faculty members have an individual office on the second floor of the
DeVos Center. The offices are equipped with a desk, computer table, additional table or desk
extension, bookshelves, and file cabinets.
Adjunct faculty do not have office space. They can use the director’s conference room for
meeting with students or take advantage of the public meeting spaces in DeVos and Eberhard
Centers. After SPNA moves to new office space in January 2009, at least one shared office will
be available for adjuncts.
8.6 Classrooms
All MPA classes meet at the downtown Grand Rapids campus, which includes classrooms in the
DeVos Centr, Eberhard Center, Kennedy Hall, and the Cook DeVos Health Science Center.
Room configurations include case rooms, seminar rooms, lecture halls and traditional
classrooms. Most classrooms seat 25 – 50 students. All are equipped with presentation
technology and wireless Internet access.
8.7 Meeting Area
DeVos Center provides areas for informal meetings among faculty and students. The atrium area
contains the Student Project Center, which features computer terminals, tables, white boards, and
other seating areas conducive to group meetings. Tables and chairs are found throughout the
complex in small alcoves and other areas. Similar facilities can be found in other downtown
buildings and the Allendale campus. After SPNA moves to its new office suite in January 2009,
there will be student study areas within the suite, near the faculty offices.
Because of the density of faculty in the office area of DeVos, there is inadequate informal
meeting space in and around the SPNA hallway. This is another benefits of moving to a new
office suite.
Self-Study Report
STANDARD 9.0 - OFF-CAMPUS AND DISTANCE EDUCATION
During the self-study period, there were no courses that require less than three in-person class
meetings.
75