PLSC 510- Modern Public Administration
Fall 2013
Thursday 6-8:40 pm
Livonia Campus
Dr. Barbara Patrick
Office: Department of Political Science, Pray Harrold Hall
Office Hours: W 12:00-4 pm or by appointment
Phone: (734) 487-1453
E-Mail: bpatric1@emich.edu
REQUIRED TEXT:
J. Steven Ott and EW Russell (2001). Introduction to Public Administration: A Book of
Readings. New York: Longman Press
We will also make use of handouts and other reading material to supplement the text.
COURSE OBJECTIVE:
This course is designed to provide students with an in depth understanding of the
intellectual origins of modern public administration. Its purpose is to familiarize students
with the major questions being asked by scholars, help students gain a better
understanding of the general trends in public administration subfields, and to expose
students to classical, neoclassical and more recent approaches to the theory and practice
of public administration. Emphasis throughout the semester will be on critical thinking
and reading, as well as class discussion. A major theme of the course is current trends
and issues in modern American public administration.
Class Attendance and Etiquette:
Class attendance is very important. You have 2 absences, after the second absence your
grade may be lowered. Repetitive late arrivals can also result in an absence. If you
arrive late or must leave early it is your responsibility to inform me. Also it is very
important that you arrive on time on exam days. If you arrive after the first student
completing the exam has left the room, you will not be allowed to complete the exam.
Make-up exams are only given with adequate documentation at the end of the semester.
Class attendance on days that student present days is also very important. Failure to
appear on present days without an excused absence will result in a grade deduction. Late
arrivals on presentation days will also affect your presentation grade.
Grading
Midterm 20%
Final Exam 20%
Class Participation/Article Critiques 20%
Current Issues Assessment 20%
Semester Paper 20%
Examination:
Students must take the midterm exam when it is given in class; make ups will only be
scheduled for extraordinary circumstances. You must notify me in advance. If you miss
the exam I will assume that you have chosen to receive a “0” for your grade on that
exam. The final exam will be a take home exam for which students will be given one
week to complete.
Class Participation and Article Critique:
Because this class is structured as graduate level seminar, a significant portion of your
grade will be based on your level of contribution to class discussions. Therefore it is
imperative that you come to class prepared to discuss the reading.
Each student will review and present two articles that are assigned for class reading. On
the evening of your presentation day, you should submit a 1 to 2 page written critique of
the week’s reading. You should also provide a brief handout for your classmates and the
instructor. Assignments for presentation will be made during the first class session.
Current Issues in Public Administration:
As future leaders in the field of public administration it is important that you posse the
skills to think critically and offer solutions to issues or problems that will occur in the
field. The ability to critically analysis materials and issues will be especially important to
those of you who may continue on to a doctoral program. Given the significance of this
skillset students will work in pairs or in some cases individually, to assess a current issue
in the field of public administration. The assessment will require students to identify
central questions related to the issue, why it’s important to the field of public
administration, key stakeholders impacted by the issue, and viable alternatives on how
the issue may be adequately addressed by administrators and policymakers. Topics and
groups will be assigned on the first day of class. Throughout the semester students will
be allotted to strategize and organize ideas in class. They will present their finished
product to the class. A 4 to 7 page synopsis should also accompany the presentation.
Issue/Topics Include:
*The Newton, Connecticut School Shooting and the Safety of Public Employees: Is
Arming Public Administrators and Volunteers a Viable Solution?
*The PN State Scandal and Legal/Ethical Accountability: From the President to the
Graduate Student and Janitor-What are the Implications for Organizational Ethics and
Accountability?
*The NCLB Teacher Cheating Scandal: Is Meaningful Performance Management
Reforms Possible? How Can Employees Be Motivated and Appropriately Sanctions?
*Attracting & Retaining the Best and Brightest in the Public Sector
*E-Government Expansion: What the cost and benefits; should the movement be
expanded or constricted?
*Race and Mistrust of Government: From Rodney King to Kanye West-How Do We
Build Trust and Relationship?
*Contracting Out Government Services: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Semester Paper:
Each student is required to complete a 10 to 15 page research paper that relates to
material from the course. The paper should be analytical and written in a professional
manner. Grammar and spelling will be considered in determining the grade of the paper.
Professional journals should be used. You should use a minimum of 10 peer review
journal articles in your paper. Sources that may be helpful in locating journal articles
include EBSCO HOST, JSTOR and other indexes available through EMU Library. The
final product should double spaced in 12 point Times New Roman format using APA
style format.
Your proposed topic must be submitted to the professor for approval by November 21,
2013. It should be typed, clearly explaining what topic you plan to investigate and why.
You will present your final research paper to the class.
Students with Disabilities:
If you wish to be accommodated for your disability EMU Board of Regents policy #8.3
requires that you first register with the Access Services Office (ASO) in room 203 King
Hall. You may contact ASO by telephone at (734) 487-2470. Students with disabilities
are encouraged to register with ASO promptly as you will only be accommodated from
the date you register with them forward. No retroactive accommodations are possible.
Academic Integrity:
Academic dishonesty, including all forms of cheating and plagiarism, will not be
tolerated. Penalties for an act of dishonesty may range from receiving a failing grade for
a particular assignment to receiving a failing grade for the entire course. In addition, you
may be referred to Office of Student Judicial Services for discipline that can result in
either a suspension or permanent dismissal. The Student Conduct Code contains
detailed definitions of what constitutes academic dishonesty, and it can be accessed
online at www.emich.edu/sjs
COURSE OUTLINE:
Week One (September 5, 2013)
Introduction
Week Two (September 12, 2013) Defining Public Administration/Historical
Overview
Chapters 1 and 2
Shields, Patricia M. 2008. “Rediscovering the Taproot: Is Classical Pragmatism the Route
to Renew Public Administration?” Public Administration Review (March/April):
205-221.
Hildebrand, David L. 2008. “Public Administration as Pragmatic, Democratic, and
Objective.” Public Administration Review (March/April): 222-229.
Schachter, Hindy Lauer. 2007. “Does Frederick Taylor’s Ghost Still Haunt the Halls of
Government? A Look at the Concept of Governmental Efficiency in Our Time.”
Public Administration Review (September/October): 800-810.
Week Three (September 19, 2013)
Chapters 3 and 4
Week Four (September 26, 2013) The Practice of Public Administration
Chapter 8
Kelly, Janet. 2005. The Dilemma of the Unsatisfied Customer in a Market Model of
Public Administration. Public Administration Review, 65 (1): 76-84.
Light, P. 2006. The Tides of Reform Revisited: Patterns in Making
Government Work, 1945-2002. Public Administration Review, 66 (1): 6-19.
Moynihan, D. 2006. Managing for Results in State Government: Evaluating a Decade of
Reform. Public Administration Review, 66 (1): 77-89.
Breul, Joanathan, and John M. Kamensky. 2008. “Federal Government Reform: Lessons
from Clinton’s ‘Reinventing Government’ and Bush’s ‘Management Agenda’
Initiatives.” Public Administration Review (November/December): 1009-1026.
Breul, Jonathan. 2007. “Three Bush Administration Management Reform Initiatives: The
President’s Management Agenda, Freedom to Manage Legislative Proposals, and
the Program Assessment Rating Tool.” Public Administration Review
(January/February): 21-26.
No Child Left Behind Case Study
Week Five (October 3, 2013) Market and Performance Management Reforms
Chapter 10
Finer, Herman. 1941. "Administrative Responsibility in Democratic Government."
Public Administration Review, p. 335-350.
Week Six (October 10, 2013)
Chapter 5
Wong, Kenneth K. 2008. “Federalism Revised: The Promise and Challenge of the No
Child Left Behind Act.” Public Administration Review (December special issue):
S175-S185.
Tolbert, Caroline J., et al. 2008. “Institutions, Policy Innovation, and E-Government in
the American States.” Public Administration Review (May/June): 549-563.
Landy, Marc. 2008. “Mega-Disasters and Federalism.” Public Administration Review
(December special issue): S186-S198.
Thompson, Frank J. 2008. “State and Local Governance Fifteen Years Later:s8-S19.
Enduring and New Challenges. Public Administration Review (December special
issue):
Week Seven (October 17, 2013)
Midterm Exam
Week Eight (October 24, 2013)
Chapters 12 and 15
Bowman, James S., and Claire Connolly Knox. 2008. “Ethics in Government: No Matter
How Long and Dark the Night.” Public Administration Review (July/August):
627-639.
Bowman, James S., and Jonathan P. West. 2009. “To ‘Re-Hatch’ Public Employees or
Not? An Ethical Analysis of the Relaxation of Restrictions on Political Activities
in Civil Service.” Public Administration Review (January/February): 52-63.
Week Nine (October 31, 2013)
Chapters 6 and 7
Week Ten (November 7, 2013)
Administrative Response to Natural Disaster
In Class Video
Week Eleven (November 14, 2013) Emergency Management
Schneider, Saundra. 2005. “Administrative Breakdowns in the Governmental Response
to Hurricane Katrina.” Public Administration Review, p. 515-516.
Stivers, Camilla. 2007. “So Poor and So Black: Hurricane Katrina, Public
Administration, and the Issue of Race.” Public Administration Review, p. 48-56.
Donahue, Amy and Sean O’Keefe. 2007. “Universal Lessons From Unique Events:
Perspectives From Columbia and Katrina.” Public Administration Review, p.77-81.
Jurkiewicz, Carole. 2007. “Louisiana’s Ethical Culture and Its Effect on the
Administrative Failures Following Katrina.” Public Administration Review, p. 57-63.
Menzel, Donald. 2006. “The Aftermath: A Failure of Federalism or Leadership?” Public
Administration Review, p.808-812.
Farazmand, Ali. 2007. “Learning from the Katrina Crisis: A Global and International
Perspective with Implications for Future Crisis Management.” Public Administration
Review, p.149-159.
Week Twelve (November 21, 2013)
Current Issues Presentation Day (Research and Current Issues Papers Due)
Week Thirteen (November 28, 2013)
Holiday
Week Fourteen (December 5, 2013)
Research Presentation Day
Week Fifteen (December 12, 2013)
Wrap up session and discussion of final exam
The instructor reserves the right to amend the syllabus.