PLSC 515 – Public Personnel Administration
Political Science Department
College of Arts & Sciences
Eastern Michigan University
Winter 2015
Gregory K. Plagens
601J Pray-Harrold
(734) 487-2522
gregory.plagens@emich.edu
Class Time: 6:00 to 8:40 PM, Tuesdays
Livonia Center
Office Hours: 5 to 6 p.m., Tuesdays (Livonia Center)
10 a.m. to noon Wednesdays (Main Campus)
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays (Main Campus)
and by appointment
Course Description
This course examines contemporary practices and leadership challenges in public sector personnel
administration. Since the mission of the MPA Program at EMU is to prepare leaders for public and
nonprofit organizations, particularly at the local level, attention is given to both sectors. Practices of the
national and state governments are covered since many practices of local personnel administration are
guided by federal and state laws or practices.
In constructing this course, two guiding principles have been used purposefully to determine the
material covered and the assessments required. I believe that continuous reflection on the concepts of
fairness and professionalism are essential for responsible public personnel administration. You will see as
the semester unfolds how these ideas can be, and should be, used in designing personnel systems and
acting on personnel matters.
Public personnel administrators should understand the mission of the organizations they serve and
how a strong personnel system can contribute to achieving organizational goals and objectives. This
semester we will take time to learn from one another in group sessions and discussions. You will be
asked to learn about and share the practices of the organizations where you currently work. If you are not
currently employed, or do not wish to share information from your organization’s personnel department,
you may choose a public organization at the national, state or local level about which to learn in detail.
Course Objectives
Students will learn to…
…conceptualize fairness and professional ethics, relating them to public personnel administration;
…relate public personnel administration to the ideas and ideals of public service;
…identify significant historical events in the evolution of public personnel administration;
…identify important legal issues in public personnel administration;
…connect public personnel administration to the mission of an organization;
…identify significant challenges in contemporary public personnel administration;
…think critically about and solve problems in contemporary public personnel administration.
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Course Resources
Required
 Naff, Katherine C., Norma M. Riccucci, and Siegrun Fox Freyss. 2014. Personnel Management in
Government: Politics and Process, Seventh Edition. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press.
 Additional readings will be made available in Adobe Acrobat form (pdf) on the course website.
Course Activities to Meet Objectives:
I have organized readings, discussions, lectures, exercises and case studies to guide you toward the
objectives stated above. You are expected to read assigned material prior to the class when it will be covered.
This helps facilitate discussion and give you some context in which to consider lecture material. In the
event that I fall behind on material, you should continue reading as assigned. Reading before and after
class sessions will provide you with a deeper understanding of the material. Students are encouraged to
read strategically and with time constraints in mind. I’ll explain what I mean by this in class.
Course discussions and lectures have been designed to simplify and illustrate ideas covered in the
readings. The activities of reading, listening and speaking are purposefully coordinated to help you
internalize the ideas being presented. Students who skip readings and count on me for the highlights are
less likely to learn the material. Students who skip class and rely on the readings will miss elaboration,
discussion and examples that will be useful to demonstrating competency through writing and exams.
You are expected to read, attend and participate in class. If you believe your personal circumstance warrants
an exception to this expectation, you should see me at the start of the semester to discuss your situation.
I need to assess your progress toward the stated objectives of the course, and to do this I will use
short writing assignments. All students begin the course with a zero. I assume that you are entering with
no knowledge of the subject being covered. Your final grade will reflect your ability over the semester to
demonstrate understanding of the material presented. Students must work independently when
completing writing assignments. This does not mean that you cannot talk to a classmate about a writing
assignment before it is due. Talking about a subject with a friend or family member can lead to deeper
understanding. Talk all you like. When it comes to completing each writing assignment, be sure that it is
an original work created by you.
You will be graded on the following criteria: how well you have followed the instructions provided
(i.e., did you do the assignment as requested); and, the quality of your exposition (i.e., proper word
usage, sentence structure, clarity, etc.). If you have a history of writing poorly, you will need to visit the
University Writing Center (see below for details) or find a tutor to assist you.
Several assessments will be used to determine progress toward course objectives. Please note that
there are some objectives for which there are no clear assessments. The constraints of a 16-week semester
require compromises, but I show the additional objectives so you will see what I hope to convey this
semester through readings, discussions and assessments.
1. Fairness Exercise (15%)
 Assigned: Jan. 6
 Due: Jan. 13
2. Case Study 1: Government Regulation of Sex (15%)
 Assigned: Jan. 20
 Due: Jan. 27
3. Best Places to Work Exercise (15%)
 Assigned: Feb. 17
 Due: Mar. 3
4. Case Study 2: Mentoring (20%)
 Assigned: Mar. 17
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5.
6.
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 Due: Mar. 24
Case Study 3: Personnel Conditions at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (25%)
 Assigned: Apr. 7
 Due: Apr. 21
Public Personnel in the News (10%)
 Assigned: Open
 Due: One before the end of Week 8; one before the end of the semester.
Grading Scale and Numeric Conversions
Grading is on a letter scale from “A” to “F”. Any assessments not turned in will receive a zero. Below
you will find language to explain the grading scale as well as numeric conversions for each letter grade.
 A Exceptionally High Order
97/100
 A92/100
 B+
88/100
 B Distinctly Above Average
85/100
 B82/100
 C+
78/100
 C Average
75/100
 C72/100
 D+
68/100
 D Below Average 65/100
 D62/100
 F Unsatisfactory (denoting failure)
55/100
Overall course grades are determined based on the following scale:
 A Exceptionally High Order
93+
 A90-92
 B+
88-89
 B Distinctly Above Average
83-87
 B80-82
 C+
78-79
 C Average
73-77
 C70-72
 D+
68-69
 D Below Average 63-67
 D60-62
 F Unsatisfactory (denoting failure)
Below 60
Students who track their performance throughout the semester and wish to compute various possible
final outcomes will find the following formula for Microsoft Excel helpful:
 =( Fairness * 0.15) + (CS1* 0.15) + (Best Places* 0.15) + (CS2 * 0.20) + (CS3 * 0.25) + (News1 * 0.05) +
(News2* 0.05)
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University Services to Assist You in Learning
Disability Resource Center
It is my goal that this class be an accessible and welcoming experience for all students, including
those with disabilities that may impact learning in this class. Students who believe they may have trouble
participating or effectively demonstrating learning in this course should meet with me (with or without a
Disability Resource Center (DRC) accommodation letter) to discuss reasonable options or adjustments.
During our discussion I may suggest you contact the DRC (240K Student Center; 734-487-2470;
drc@emich.edu) to talk about academic accommodations and the need for an accommodation letter. You
are welcome to talk to me anytime during the semester about such issues, but it is always best if we can
talk at least one week prior to the need for any modifications so that I can plan accordingly.
University Writing Center
The University Writing Center (115 Halle Library; 487-0694) offers one-to-one writing consulting
for both undergraduate and graduate students. Students can make appointments or drop in between the
hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays. The
UWC opens for the Winter 2015 semester on Monday, January 12 and will close on Monday, April 20.
The UWC also has several satellite locations across campus (in Owen, Marshall, Pray-Harrold, Sill,
and Mark Jefferson). These satellites provide writing support to students in various colleges and
programs across campus. The Pray-Harrold satellite (rm. 211) is open Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.
to 4 p.m. Other satellite locations and hours can be found on the UWC web site:
http://www.emich.edu/uwc.
The Academic Projects Center (116 Halle Library) also offers one-to-one writing consulting for
students, in addition to consulting on research and technology-related issues. The APC is open 11 a.m. to
5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays for drop-in consultations. Additional information about the APC can
be found at http://www.emich.edu/apc.
Students seeking writing support at any location of the University Writing Center should bring
with them a draft of what they are working on and their assignment sheet.
Course Outline
PART I: INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION
Week One – Jan. 6
Introduction
Syllabus Review
Fairness Exercise
Required Reading
 None
Assessment
 Fairness Exercise Assigned
Lecture Resources
 Goodnough, Abby. 2013. “Tennessee Race for Medicaid: Dial Fast and Try, Try Again.” The New
York Times, March 24.
 Fineberg, Kenneth R. 2012. Who Gets What: Fair Compensation after Tragedy and Financial Upheaval.
New York: Public Affairs
 Stone, Deborah. 2011. Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making. New York: W.W. Norton.
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Week Two – Jan. 13
Ideas and Ideals of Public Service
Political and Historical Foundations
Required Reading
 Naff, Katherine C., Norma M. Riccucci, and Siegrun Fox Freyss. 2014. Personnel Management in
Government: Politics and Process. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press. (Chapter 1)
Recommended Reading
 Wilson, James Q. 1989. Bureaucracy: What Government Agencies Do and Why They Do It. New York:
Basic Books. (Ch. 8, People)
Assessment
 Fairness Exercise Due
Lecture Resources
 Horton, Sylvia. 2008. “History and Persistence of an Idea and an Ideal.” In Motivation in Public
Management: The Call of Public Service, edited by James L. Perry and Annie Hondeghem, 17-32.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
 Van Riper, Paul P. 1958. History of the United States Civil Service. Evanston, Ill.: Harper & Row.
Week Three – Jan. 20
Legal Framework of Public Human Resource Management
Required Reading
 Naff, Katherine C., Norma M. Riccucci, and Siegrun Fox Freyss. 2014. Personnel Management in
Government: Politics and Process. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press. (Chapter 2)
 State of Michigan. 1908. “Constitution of Michigan.” Accessed November 12.
http://www.legislature.mi.gov/%28S%28bmwhd345kr2wekiw5wehxsr3%29%29/documents/histo
rical/miconstitution1908.htm. (Article VI, Sec. 22, only)
Assessment
 Case Study 1 Assigned
Lecture Resources
 Rosenbloom, David H., and Joshua Chanin. 2009. “What Every Public Personnel Manager Should
Know About the Constitution.” In Public Personnel Administration: Problems and Prospects, edited
by Steven W. Hays, Richard C. Kearney, and Jerrell D. Coggburn, 17-33. New York: Longman.
Week Four – Jan. 27
Professional Ethics and the Public Personnel Administrator
Required Reading
 Cooper, Terry L. 2006. “Administrative Responsibility: The Key to Administrative Ethics.” In The
Responsible Administrator, written by Terry L. Cooper, 80-105. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
 Naff, Katherine C., Norma M. Riccucci, and Siegrun Fox Freyss. 2014. Personnel Management in
Government: Politics and Process. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press. (p. 71-72 only)
 State of Michigan. 1999. “State Ethics Act: Standards of Conduct for Public Officers and
Employees (Act 196 of 1973).” Accessed November 12, 2013.
http://www.michigan.gov/mdcs/0,1607,7-147-6881_13592-26139--,00.html#print
Assessment
 Case Study 1 Due
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Lecture Resources
 State of Michigan. 2013. “Rules of Practice and Procedure State Board of Ethics.” Accessed
November 12, 2013. http://www.michigan.gov/mdcs/1,1607,7-147-6881_13592-26824-,00.html#print.
 Pugh, Darrell L. 1991. “The Origins of Ethical Frameworks in Public Administration.” In Ethical
Frontiers in Public Management: Seeking New Strategies for Resolving Ethical Dilemmas, edited by
James S. Bowman, 9-33. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
PART II: CORE PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS
Week Five – Feb. 3
Human Resource Planning and Job Analysis
Required Reading
 Naff, Katherine C., Norma M. Riccucci, and Siegrun Fox Freyss. 2014. Personnel Management in
Government: Politics and Process. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press. (Chapter 3).
 Foster, Mark R. 2005. “Effective Job Analysis Methods.” In Handbook of Human Resource
Management in Government, edited by Stephen E. Condrey, 528-555. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Lecture Resource
 Coggburn, Jerrell D. 2009. “Outsourcing Human Resources: Problems and Prospects for the
Public Sector.” In Public Human Resource Management: Problems and Prospects, edited by Steven W.
Hays, Richard C. Kearney, and Jerrell D. Coggburn, 308-324. New York: Longman.
Week Six – Feb. 10
Classification and Compensation and Pensions and Benefits
Required Reading
 Naff, Katherine C., Norma M. Riccucci, and Siegrun Fox Freyss. 2014. Personnel Management in
Government: Politics and Process. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press. (Chapters 4 & 5).
Week Seven – Feb. 17
Recruitment and Selection
Required Reading
 Naff, Katherine C., Norma M. Riccucci, and Siegrun Fox Freyss. 2014. Personnel Management in
Government: Politics and Process. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press. (Chapter 6)
Lecture Resources
 Gazley, Beth. 2009. “Personnel Recruitment and Retention in the Nonprofit Sector.” In Public
Human Resource Management: Problems and Prospects, edited by Steven W. Hays, Richard C.
Kearney, and Jerrell D. Coggburn, 79-92. New York: Longman.
Assessment
 Best Places to Work Exercise Assigned
Week Eight – Feb. 24
Winter Recess: No Class
Week Nine – Mar. 3
Performance Management
Required Reading
 Naff, Katherine C., Norma M. Riccucci, and Siegrun Fox Freyss. 2014. Personnel Management in
Government: Politics and Process. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press. (Chapter 7)
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Assessment
 Best Places to Work Exercise Due
Lecture Resource
 Wilson, James Q. 1989. Bureaucracy: What Government Agencies Do and Why They Do It. New York:
Basic Books. (Ch. 9, Compliance)
PART III: KEY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CONCERNS
Week Ten – Mar. 10
Benchmarking and Metrics
Required Reading
 Ammons, David. 2005. “Benchmarking Performance.” In Handbook of Human Resource
Management in Government, edited by Stephen E. Condrey, 623-647. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Lecture Resource
 Hays, Steven W. and Robert Lavigna. 2009. “Human Resource Metrics in Government:
Measuring the Impacts of HRM.” In Public Human Resource Management: Problems and Prospects,
edited by Steven W. Hays, Richard C. Kearney, and Jerrell D. Coggburn, 160-178. New York:
Longman.
Assessment
 Case Study 2 Assigned
Week Eleven – Mar. 17
Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action
Required
 Naff, Katherine C., Norma M. Riccucci, and Siegrun Fox Freyss. 2014. Personnel Management in
Government: Politics and Process. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press. (Chapter 8)
Lecture Resources
 Hoyman, Michele M., and Lana Stein. 2005. “Sexual Harassment in the Workplace.” In Handbook
of Human Resource Management in Government, edited by Stephen E. Condrey, 423-439. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
 Pfeiffer, David. 2005. “Understanding the Americans with Disabilities Act.” In Handbook of
Human Resource Management in Government, edited by Stephen E. Condrey, 440-464. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
 Riccucci, Norma M. 2005. “A Practical Guide to Affirmative Action.” In Handbook of Human
Resource Management in Government, edited by Stephen E. Condrey, 403-422. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
Week Twelve – Mar. 24
Applied Human Resource Panel
 Professionals working or retired from the field will join us for a question and answer session.
Required Reading
 None
Assessment
 Case Study 2 Due
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Week Thirteen – Mar. 31
Diversity in the Workplace
Required Reading
 Naff, Katherine C., Norma M. Riccucci, and Siegrun Fox Freyss. 2014. Personnel Management in
Government: Politics and Process. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press. (Chapter 9)
Assessment
 Case Study 3 Assigned
Lecture Resources
 Foldy, Erica Gabrielle. 2004. "Learning from Diversity: A Theoretical Exploration." Public
Administration Review 64 (5):529-38.
 “Riccucci, Norma M. 2012. “Diversity and Cultural Competency.” In Public Personnel Management:
Current Concerns, Future Challenges, edited by Norma M. Riccucci, 50-59. New York: Longman.
Week Fourteen – Apr. 7
Legal Environment of Public Sector Labor Relations
Required Reading
 Kearney, Richard C., and Patrice M. Mareschal. 2014. Labor Relations in the Public Sector. Boca
Raton, Fl.: CRC Press. (Chapter 3)
Recommended Reading
 State of Michigan. 1947. Public Employment Relations: Act 336.
Week Fifteen – Apr. 14
Labor-Management Relations
Required Reading
 Naff, Katherine C., Norma M. Riccucci, and Siegrun Fox Freyss. 2014. Personnel Management in
Government: Politics and Process. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press. (Chapter 10)
Assessment
 Case Study 3 Due
Lecture Resources
 Ferris, F., and Hyde, Alfred C. 2004. “Federal Labor-Management Relations for the Next Century
– or the Last? The Case of the Department of Homeland Security.” Review of Public Personnel
Administration 24(3): 216-233.
 Mareschal, Patrice M. 2009. “Current Developments in Public Sector Labor Relations.” In Public
Human Resource Management: Problems and Prospects, edited by Steven W. Hays, Richard C.
Kearney, and Jerrell D. Coggburn, 290-307. New York: Longman.
Exam Week – Apr. 21 to 27
There will be no final exam. 