URBS 401/501: Foundations
Online – Individual Study
Fall 2013
Dr. Beth Wielde Heidelberg
Office: 106 Morris Hall
Office Phone: 507/ 389-1714
Office Fax: 507/ 389-6377
Office Hours:
Tuesday – 9:00 – 12:00, 2:00 – 5:00
Thursday – 9:00 – 12:00
IN EDINA: 4:00 – 6:00
E-Mail: beth.heidelberg@mnsu.edu
Course Description
Foundations is designed to provide a background into the profession of management and planning in the
local government environment. Whether you are a citizen, consultant with municipal clients, or local
government staff, this course will give you insight into the ‘inner world’ of city government.
The main goal of the course is to introduce you to the statutory policies that you will need to practice –
and enforce – in local government management and planning. Because most local-level policy is
governed by state (rather than federal) statute, we will concentrate mostly on state statutes, using
Minnesota statutes as a case study. If you plan to practice in another state, you will need to research their
statutes – some states will have very similar policies, others will not.
This is not an interdisciplinary course. Consider this a warning for students who are only taking this course
because it’s an online course. URBS 401/501: Foundations is designed specifically for students looking at
careers in local government urban management and urban planning, or private sector consulting (where
your clients will be local government units). Students of political science, geography, and economics may
find the course useful, but I send out this warning to other majors – look at the topics carefully, as we will
be covering law and policy directly related to the operation of governance at the local level. I will be
making no attempt to try to make it relevant to your non-URSI major. Consider yourself warned.
Foundations intends to serve as a ‘rule book’ of some of the most important laws and policies that you will
use in your practice.
D2L Use
D2L will be used for the course. Be sure you have activated your account.
Not only will it contain assignment sheets and quizzes, it will contain all announcements and class
presentations. It will also be where you turn in your assignments. You can also monitor your grades with
it.
Required Software
All of the course ‘lectures’ will be available on D2L. These sessions are Flash presentations. You will need
to have the Flash player on your computer to access them. The Flash player can be downloaded free at
http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/
Readings are saved in a .pdf format. You will need Adobe Acrotbat, FoxIt, or a similar .pdf reader to
access them. You can download this for free at http://get.adobe.com/reader/otherversions/
Assignment sheets are produced on Microsoft Word. You will need this program, or a compatible
program (such as the free software you can download at www.OpenOffice.org.
Course Orientation
I have posted a “Course Orientation” under “Course Administration” in the D2L Content tab. Be sure to
read through this for some basic information, policies, and tips on doing well in URBS 401/ 501: The City.
Consider it a secondary syllabus to this one; the policies and practices I detail in the orientation are
enforceable.
MSU e-mail
I will be using your @mnsu.edu e-mail account to contact you. You will need to make sure the University
has set you up with an account and that you check it regularly. Many students use another account as their
primary contact, but I will not be tracking individual e-mail preferences (I have over 250 students a
semester – tracking everyone’s e-mail accounts would be a full time job unto itself!). This isn’t just my
policy – MSU defaults its official e-mails to a students @mnsu.edu account.
It is your responsibility to check this account on a regular basis. I usually try to cross-post announcements
on the D2L home page, but it it’s something urgent, I may not be able to do so. Check your @mnsu.edu
account!
Readings
Instead of traditional academic/ theory books, I have posted relevant government documents on D2L.
These will serve as your readings. Not all of them will be required; some of them I have provided more as
a reference for you to retain as you begin your professional practice. I suggest waiting until after the
lecture to look through them.
These are all public government documents and as such do not violate any copyright laws. I believe it will
be more beneficial to you to see firsthand the laws, policies, and guiding materials you will use in the ‘real
world’ than read dusty theorists who may have never been in practice a day in their lives. But I’m a
former practitioner, and see this course more like ‘job training.’ However, if you want to study theory on
your own, I can develop quite a good reading list for you. Just e-mail me.
One of the most frequently asked questions I get is, “Do I really have to read through all those
documents?” Answer: No. Familiarize yourself with the topics included in the documents, because they
will be the regulations you will need in your professional practice. But as for memorizing material, don’t
bother – first, because the rules can change – every single year in some cases. Second, I won’t quiz on the
readings. I provide them because a good planner and city manager will know these rules, and know
where to find them in the statute book when they need the most current version. A bad, second-rate
planner and manager will have never seen these rules before and won’t be aware of how they impact their
practice.
Course Grades
Grades will be given based on a points systems. MSU allows “shaded” grades (+, -). This course will use
this system.
Grading Scale
Percentage
A+
A
AB+
97 - 100%
94 – 96%
90 – 93%
87 – 89%
C+
C
CD+
77 - 79%
74 - 76%
70 - 73%
67 - 69%
B
B-
84 - 86%
80 - 83%
D
DF
64 - 66%
60 - 63%
59% ↓
Pass/ No Pass Grade Policy
Some students are concerned about how a ‘minus’ grade impacts their GPA (even though a ‘+’ might
actually increase their GPA, but whatever). If getting an A- instead of an A will ruin your life forever and
ever, you might consider taking the course “Pass/ No Credit.” You can learn more about this option by
researching the policies of the Registrar. But here are some things you need to know before deciding to
take the course this way.
 GRAD STUDENTS: As stated in ther URSI Graduate Student Handbook (if you haven’t read it
already – DO THAT), graduate students are not eligible to take this core course using the P/ NC
option. Graduate core courses in URSI are not eligible for P/NC.
 UNDERGRADS: You may take this course using the P/NC option. I checked with the department.
 Taking a class ‘Pass/ No Credit” will not affect your GPA, even if you don’t pass. It may impact
your completion rate, though. It only counts toward earned credits if you pass the course.
 “Passing” the course requires the equivalent C or better. A D or F equivalent means “No Credit.”
 University policy states that no more than 32 undergraduate credits may be taken on a P/NC basis,
and only a limited amount (not specified in university policy) are accepted for the major or minor.
 If you want to attempt to switch to P/NC, you will need to contact the Registrar to see how to do
this, and decide for yourself if the process is right for you. I cannot make the switch from letter
grade to P/NC for you.
Course Projects
Assignment sheets will be posted on D2L for all assignments. Quizzes will also be done on D2L. **Notice
that all the due dates are on Thursday of the week? Be sure you mark the dates on your personal calendar!
You notice that the grad students have a different point scale than the undergrads. The assignment
requirements are different for graduate students than for undergraduates on many assignments; it required
extra scrutiny and analysis. Detailed requirements for each assignment will be laid out on an assignment
sheet.
Note: UG = Undergrad students, GR = Graduate students
DUE DATE
Sept 18
Assignment
Charter and Policy Research
Oct 9
Management Quiz
Points
UG – 30
GR - 42
40
Oct 16
Contracts and Clause Elements – GRAD ONLY
GR - 30
Oct 30
Nov 20
Zoning/ Subdivision Research
Practitioner Interview OR “How to Read a Plat”
Week of
Nov 25 –
Dec 3
December
11
City Council or Planning Commission Meeting Memo
**No specific due date this week, just get it in before Dec 3
so I can get it calculated into your grade promptly.
Final Quiz – Planning
60
UG – 25
GR - 35
EXTRA
CREDIT
(10)
45
Notice how the due dates tend to fall on Wednesdays? If you didn’t, be aware – the due dates fall on
Wednesdays!
Late Assignments
I have a pretty standard policy of deducting -3 points per day late. That means that regardless of excuse
you can still turn the assignment in late for credit – until the points run out. After the point deduction
exceeds the available points, I will not accept the assignment for any reason. I typically don’t even read/
listen to the excuse – it’s either in or it’s not. The reason for taking a hard line on this? In government, if
you miss a deadline, the penalties are often a whole lot worse than just a few points deducted. It can
result in withholding of funds, large fines, and loss of grant money or opportunities. In the real world, you
do anything you have to in order to meet those deadlines. So I’m going to practice that philosophy here.
The exception? If you have a legitimate medical emergency or death in the family, and can provide
documentation that I can put in the class file. This is more for me than anything; if I am accused by one of
your classmates or Academic Affairs of playing favorites, I need that documentation to prove that I am
adhering to professional ethics. In fact, I rather hate even asking for it, but I have had colleagues run in to
this problem.
A note on the Practitioner Interview OR “How to Read a Plat” assignment options
Students will interview a practicing professional (local government staff, consultant, someone drawing a
paycheck by doing planning or management) to get a sense of what a career in the Urban Studies field is
like in the “real world.” So you will either talk to a practitioner or have them show you how to read a
plat map. Because you have to rely on other people’s availability to get this assignment done, I suggest
you conduct this interview/ workshop early in the semester.
Students get to choose one or the other assignment – you do NOT have to do both. You won’t get extra
credit for doing both. My recommendation is that if you are intending to go into local government urban
planning, that you choose the “How to Read a Plat” assignment. Those going in to management may
benefit more from the Practitioner Interview.
Extra Credit Policy
By the time you reach this level in your academic career, you should be able to earn the grades you need
based on performance of the requirements for the class. But I also realize there are people a) who are
really hungry for success in this profession and want to learn more about it, b) are just barely on the verge
of the next highest grade and want to do the work to reach that next level, or c) want to see how the
classroom stuff translates into the real world, so I am setting aside my normal “No extra credit in upper
division courses” to give a 10 point extra credit opportunity. This involves attending – and providing
evidence of attendance – a City Council or Planning Commission meeting. NOTE: The extra credit only
extends to one meeting. You cannot attend more meetings for more points (I have to put a limit on it
somewhere).
Enrollment
You must be enrolled in the course during the semester to earn a grade. I will not “hold over” a grade,
allowing you to take the class one semester and officially enroll in another. This sometimes happens if the
tuition bill cannot be paid, or there is another dispute on student status. Basic rule: if you don’t have D2L
access, you cannot participate in the class.
Students with Disabilities
MSU provides students with disabilities reasonable accommodation to participate in educational programs,
activities, or services. Students with disabilities requiring accommodation to participate in class activities or
meet course requirements should first register with the Office of Disability Services, located in 0132
Memorial Library, telephone 507/ 389-2825, TDD 711, and then contact me as soon as possible.
Cheating, Plagiarism, and Other Academic Fraud
Cheating will not be tolerated in any case. If you are caught cheating, I reserve the right to give you an
automatic F for the course and your case will be sent to Academic Affairs.
Learning Outcomes
 Students will understand the legal basis for a career in local government management and
planning.
 Students will know the rules of practice for major management and planning practices.
 Students will understand local government structures within the federal, state, and local
framework.
 Students will become acquainted with major local government documents and learn how to
identify clauses in them to respond to citizen questions.
 Students will begin networking with professionals/ practitioners.
General Education Requirements
This course does not fulfill a General Education category requirement.
This course fulfills an URSI Undergraduate Core requirement
This course fulfills an URSI Graduate Core requirement
Be sure you have not previously taken this course. Dr. Heidelberg will not be responsible for checking past
rosters to see if you were on there – if you accidentally repeat this course, it will not be counted toward
your progress toward graduation. Amazingly, this has happened more than once in my time here.
GRADUATES: If you took this course as an undergraduate at MSU, you may NOT repeat it as a graduate
for graduate credit. If you are uncertain if you had this course before, please check your transcripts. Dr.
Heidelberg is NOT responsible for ‘accidental repeats’ or checking old rosters to see if you were on there.
URBS 401/ 501: FOUNDATIONS
Week
Unit Topic
Aug 26 - 30
Sept 3 - 6
01 Intro and City Structures (Don’t forget to read
the Online Orientation, too!)
02 City Council, Open Meeting Law, Meetings
Sept 9 - 13
03 Management Basics, Conflict of Interest
Sept 16 - 20
04 Budgeting
Sept 23 - 27
05 Contracts, RFP, and Bidding
Sept 30 – Oct 4
06 (Short session) Capital Improvements Plan
Oct 7 – Oct 11
07 Complete Quiz #1
DUE OCT 9 - Quiz #1, Management
Oct 14 - 18
08 Planning and Zoning Basics
DUE OCT16 - Contracts and RFP
Assignment (GRAD ONLY)
Oct 21 - 25
09 Subdivisions and Plats
Oct 28 – Nov 1
10 Eminent Domain and Community
Development
11 Community Design Input and Standards
Nov 4 – Nov 8
Nov 11 – Nov
15
Nov 18 – Nov
22
Nov 25 – Dec 3
Dec 9 – Dec 11
12 ADA Regulations for Physical Development
(NOTE: Under development. You will be
notified when it is complete).
13 City Hall Communications (NOTE: Under
development as of 8/13. You will be notified
when it is finished.
14 Cities of the Future (NOTE: Under
development.)
COMPLETE QUIZ 2 by Wednesday, Dec. 11
Assignment Due Dates (late
assignments will result in point
deduction)
DUE SEPT 18 - City Charter
Analysis
DUE OCT 30 - Zoning &
Subdivision Assignment
DUE NOV 20 - Practitioner
Interview OR “How to Read a Plat”
(remember – you can choose one or
the other – you do not need to do
both).
Extra credit memo due (optional)
DUE DEC 11 - Complete Quiz #2
(Comprehensive)
**Notice how assignments and quizzes are due on Wednesdays? Note
that on your calendars.