COURSE NUMBER:
COURSE TITLE:
SOWO 793
Asset Development Practice and Policy
INSTRUCTOR:
Jessica Dorrance
Office: 919.962.0134
Home: 919.260.9249
jdorranc@email.unc.edu
SEMESTER:
CREDIT HOURS:
OFFICE HOURS
Spring 2011, 2:00-4:50PM
1.5
Tuesdays 12:30 – 1:45 (or by appointment)
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course explores community-based efforts and social policies to
help lower-income individuals and families build wealth through increased access to financial
services and asset-building opportunities.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of the course students will be able to:
1. Differentiate income- and asset-oriented social policies in the U.S.
2. Understand rudiments of asset-oriented tax policy in the U.S.
3. Describe data on wealth disparities by race, education and other social factors and
identify historical antecedents, economic trends and patterns of institutional
discrimination that explain such data.
4. Describe major theories that guide asset development practice and policy.
5. Understand the role of Community Development Financial Institutions and other
nonprofit organizations, conventional banks and credit unions in expanding access to
financial services and asset-building opportunities.
6. Analyze and describe major components and strategies of cross-sector, multiinstitutional community initiatives that target lower-income/lower-wealth individuals,
families and neighborhoods with financial services and asset-building opportunities.
7. Describe best- and evidence-based practice for specific asset-building areas including
homeownership counseling and assistance, micro-enterprise, Individual Development
Accounts, Child Savings Accounts, income tax filing assistance, and banking the
unbanked.
EXPANDED DESCRIPTION: Asset development policies and practices, which seek to help build
wealth, represent a different approach to economic opportunity than income-based ones. This
course will explore a variety of intervention models aimed at helping low- and moderateincome individuals and families build wealth and strengthen their role as financial actors.
Students will learn what these models look like at the community level and how programs
should be designed using evidence concerning their evaluated results. This course is useful
both for social workers who envision a role in running IDA, homeownership or related asset-
building programs and for social workers who want to understand the landscape of wealthbuilding, not just income assistance, opportunities for their clients.
REQUIRED TEXT:
Sherraden, M. (2005). Inclusion in the American Dream: Assets, Poverty and Public Policy. New
York, NY. Oxford University Press
The required text can be purchased at the student bookstore or online through
www.amazon.com.
Other reading materials:
Gitterman, D. (2009). Boosting Paychecks: The Politics of Supporting America’s Working Poor.
Brookings Institution Press.
Chapters from this text will be available through the e-reserve system.
Links for additional required readings are included below in the course outline and reading
assignment listing. These items will also be posted on blackboard.
COURSE OUTLINE AND READINGS:
Week 1 – Tuesday, January 11
Introductions and course overview
Brief history of key asset building policies and background discussion on asset development
Readings:
None
Week 2 – Tuesday, January 18
Overview of various wealth stripping practices
Discussion of the racial wealth gap
Readings:
Sherraden: Chapter 1, “Assets and Public Policy”
OverDraft Explosion
http://www.responsiblelending.org/overdraft-loans/research-analysis/crl-overdraftexplosion.pdf
Phantom Demand Report on Payday Loans
http://www.responsiblelending.org/payday-lending/research-analysis/phantom-demandfinal.pdf
The Racial Wealth Gap Increases Fourfold
http://iasp.brandeis.edu/pdfs/Racial-Wealth-Gap-Brief.pdf
Week 3 – Tuesday, January 25
Continuation of discussion on financial traps as well as information on financial services for lowincome consumers
Financial reform legislation
Readings:
Sherraden: Chapter 8, “Reaching out to the unbanked”
Financial Capability: What is it, and how can it be created?
http://csd.wustl.edu/Publications/Documents/WP10-17.pdf
The Community Reinvestment Act: Past Successes and Future Opportunities
http://www.frbsf.org/publications/community/cra/cra_past_successes_future_opportunities.p
df
Week 4 – Tuesday, February 1
Public benefit programs and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
Readings:
Sherraden: Chapter 4, “Who are the Asset Poor: Levels, Trends and Composition, 1983-1998”
The Earned Income Tax Credit at Age 30: What We Know
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2006/02childrenfamilies_holt/20060209_
Holt.pdf
Assets and Opportunity Scorecard
http://scorecard.cfed.org/downloads/pdfs/ExecutiveSummary.pdf
Week 5 – Tuesday, February 8
Individuals Development Accounts (IDAs)
The promise and perils of homeownership
Readings:
Sherraden: Chapter 10, “Assets and the Poor: Evidence from Individual Development Accounts”
Sherraden: Chapter 7, “Home Ownership and Youth Well-Being”
Foreclosures by Race and Ethnicity: The Demographics of a Crisis
http://www.responsiblelending.org/mortgage-lending/research-analysis/foreclosures-by-raceand-ethnicity.pdf
Week 6 – Tuesday, February 15
Asset-building through the tax code
Savings innovations and opportunities
Readings:
Gitterman: Chapter 1, “Boosting Paychecks in America”
Gitterman: Chapter 8, “The Past and Future Politics of Boosting Paychecks”
Assets Agenda 2011
http://assets.newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/policydocs/Assets_Agenda_2011.pdf
Week 7 – Tuesday, February 22
Final exam
Paper presentations
TEACHING METHODS
My goal is to facilitate the development of a learning community, where students learn from
one another and local experts, not just the instructor. Students will be expected to have
completed all reading prior to class and most of class time will focus on discussion and
problem-solving activities to integrate learning and build skills.
Learning can only truly occur in a space where all participants feel respected and safe.
Therefore all class participants, student and instructor, will be expected to interact in a collegial
manner, challenging ideas while respecting people.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Requirement
Class Participation
Final Paper & Presentation
Final Exam
% of Grade
30%
40%
30%
The final paper assignment is due at the beginning of the final class meeting (Tuesday, February
22). I will accept late assignments, but 5 points will be deducted from the grade for every late
day including weekends.
GRADING SYSTEM
The School of Social Work operates on an evaluation system of Honors (H), Pass (P), Low Pass
(L), and Fail (F). The numerical values of these grades are:
H: 94-100
P: 80-93
L: 70-79
F: 69 and lower
HONOR CODE
Students are expected to complete assigned and independent readings, contribute to the
development of a positive learning environment, and demonstrate their learning through
written assignments and class participation. Original written work is expected and required. The
University of North Carolina has a rich and longstanding tradition of honor. If you have not yet
done so, please see the Student Code of Honor. All submitted work must conform to the Honor
Code of the University of North Carolina. For information on the Honor Code, including
guidance on representing the words, thoughts, and ideas of others, please see:
http://instrument.unc.edu
Please note that plagiarism is defined in the Code as “the intentional representation of another
person’s words, thoughts, or ideas as one’s own.” Violation of the Honor Code will result in an
“F” grade, and referral to the Honor Court.
From the Code: “It is the responsibility of every student to obey and support the enforcement
of the Honor Code, which prohibits lying, cheating, or stealing when these actions involve
academic processes or University, student or academic personnel acting in an official capacity.
Students will conduct all academic work within the letter and spirit of the Honor Code, which
prohibits the giving or receiving of unauthorized aid in all academic processes.”
All written work must be accompanied by a signed Honor Code statement, and work lacking
this affirmation will not be accepted. The statement is to read as follows:
I have neither given nor received any unauthorized assistance on this assignment.
<Student’s Signature>
POLICY ON THE USE OF LAPTOPS AND CELL PHONES
The use of laptops is acceptable during class for taking notes, use with activities, etc. However,
the use of laptops is discouraged during class discussions, i.e. they should not get in the way of
engagement in class discussion. Cell phones should be turned off during class.
POLICY ON ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Students with disabilities that affect their participation in the course should notify the
instructor if they wish to have special accommodations in instructional format, examination
format, etc., considered, and should obtain a supporting letter from the UNC Department of
Disability Services (http://disabilityservices.unc.edu).
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
Students are expected to use good academic English; grades will be lowered for poor grammar,
syntax, or spelling. Those who have difficulty writing are strongly encouraged to contact the
Writing Center (962-7710 or http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/)
The School of Social Work faculty has adopted APA style as the preferred format for papers and
publications. Thus, all written assignments completed for this course must follow APA style for
the formatting of the paper, citations, etc. A summary was distributed at orientation. The
following web sites provide additional information:
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http://www.apastyle.org/elecref.html (APA Style for material in electronic formats)
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html (general information about
documentation using APA style)
http://www.bartleby.com/141/ (electronic version of Strunk's The Elements of Style which
was originally published in 1918)
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/resources.html (The Writing Center, links to on-line
reference material and many other useful sites for authors)
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/ (The UNC writing center—on-line and tutorial help at
Phillips Annex 962-7710)