San Diego State University-Imperial Valley Campus
Course Syllabus and Schedule
PA 630 Seminar in Public Personnel Administration
Spring 2015, Monday 5:30PM-8:10PM, Room C-008
Instructor: Richard C. Martin, Ph.D.
Office Hours: by appointment
E-mail: rmartindiaz85364@yahoo.com (e-mail is the best way to reach me)
The instructor reserves the right to adjust the course design
I.
Course Description: All people, managers and employees, encounter human
resource processes. In addition, these issues are frequently found in headline
news reports. Special cases such as genetic testing in recruitment and
selection; pay reform initiatives in compensation; employee and management
competence; family friendly workplace, outsourcing, women in employment
careers traditionally held by men, sexual harassment or discrimination based
on sexual preferences make the study of Human Resource Management
(HRM) very interesting. This course examines the personnel processes, in
public service organizations, that are vital to the functioning of all institutions.
It studies how human relations problems arise and what can be done to solve
them. Additionally, the course studies the processes and options employees
who disagree with a personnel decision have; how the raised level of
expectations of employer and increasing diversity in the workplace produce
added challenges and opportunities for managers.
II.
Student Learning Objectives:
a. Be familiar with the role of the HRM function in public service
organizations and how HRM creates a workplace receptive to change
b. Learn ways to improve the HRM functions in public service organizations
c. Value the history of the civil service commission and how it affects
selection
d. Understand the changing environment, key principles, and operating
characteristics of public HRM
e. Explore ethical judgments required in HRM and develop guiding
questions to make decisions
f. Identify the framework of HRM law and understand its paradoxes and
problems
g. Know recruitment and selection challenges and processes
h. Comprehend trends and paradoxes affecting classification strategies
i. Grasp the functions of a compensation system
j. Recognize the composition of the workforce and trends that drive
employee-responsive programs
k. Understand motivation philosophies
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III. Course Format: One definition of a “seminar” describes the concepts as a “meeting
to exchange views”. The idea behind this type of course is that the instructor creates an
interactive learning environment where each person contributes input to the group and
that the time spent together is characterized by interactive learning. For you to get the
most out of PA630 requires high involvement and a commitment to trading ideas. Class
periods will include a combination of lecture, discussion, case exercises, and small group
activities/presentation. Discussion material will be drawn from the course text, current
research/articles, and relevant work experiences.
IV. Evaluation
Student performance will be assessed in several ways during the semester. Evaluation
will be based on the following elements.




Attendance
Class Participation
Exams
Research project
V. Course Requirements:
1. Textbook:
a. Evan M. Berman, James S. Bowman, Jonathan P. West, Montgomery Van
Wart, Human Resources Management in Public Sector, Fourth Edition
Sage. 2013
b. Frank J. Thompson, Classics of Public Personnel Policy, Wadswoth
Cengage Learning, 3rd Ed.
2. Examinations: There will be three exams during the semester. The exams will be
essay and will cover material discussed in class as well as the assigned readings. The
third exam may contain questions which are cumulative in nature? There are no make-up
exams except in the case of extreme illness or emergency. Documentation will be
required, i.e., physician’s note with a phone number, obituary and death certificate, police
report, etc. If you need to miss an exam due to a previous work assignment, you must
notify the instructor the first week of class or by January 26.
3. HR Issue Research Paper: As an individual or in groups of no more than three
(special requests will be considered), research a contemporary issue related to diversity in
the workplace. A written comprehensive research paper is to be handed in on May 4 by
5:30PM. The objectives of the paper are for the students to demonstrate an ability to do
research and develop a position on a current diversity in employment issue by examining
different perspectives and facts. A group has the right to ask that a non-participating
group member receive a zero for the project. The group must contact and notify the
instructor as least eight days before the assigned presentation that they wish to drop the
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group member. The instructor will then notify that member, with no less than one week
notice, that they have the choice of doing their own paper or of receiving a grade of zero
for the research project. Papers handed in late carry a 10 point per 24 hour period penalty.
The research paper must be handed in on blackboard turnitin assignments and be
given to the instructor hard copy.
4. Case studies and small group exercises: Case discussion and small group exercises
are a particularly important method for applying course material.
5. Regular Attendance & Participation. Students are expected to be active participate
and make meaningful comments on cases and items being discussed in all classes. Class
attendance will be monitored. It is the participant’s responsibility to obtain materials for
any missed classes from other students. Missing three sessions or more sessions will be
noted negatively: there are NO EXCUSED ABSENCES for this purpose. Good and
active class participation will be rewarded.
6. Preparedness: Read all materials as outlined in the syllabus as well as any handouts
and be prepared to discuss in class. It is highly recommended that you read the assigned
chapters before attending the class.
7. Appropriate Behavior: Students are expected to maintain civility in the classroom.
No disrupting the class by whispering, and chatting to others, or working on other
projects is tolerated. The same applies to cheating and plagiarism. Students must
maintain respect for themselves and others in the class through appropriate language and
body language. Failure to comply with behavioral codes of conduct will impact upon
grades.
8. Evaluation Criteria:
Class Attendance
Class Participation
1st Exam
2nd Exam
3rd Exam
Comprehensive Research Paper
10%
10%
20%
20%
20%
20%
9. Grading Criteria:
A = 100-94; A- = 93-90; B+ = 89-87; B = 86-83; B- = 82-80; C+ = 79-77; C= 76-73; C= 72-70, D+ = 69-67, D= 66-63, D- = 62-60
I will have discretion for adjusting the course grade by one grade category, (e.g. from D+
to C- or D+ to D) for quality class participation, excessive absence and/or frequent
tardiness or disruptive behavior. I will normally only use this discretion to increase
grades that are below a C+. A participant’s grade may be dropped one grade level if
he/she misses more than three classes.
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A grade of “WU” for a “withdrawal unauthorized” (formally “U”) indicates that you
enrolled in a course, did not officially withdraw from the course, but failed to complete
course requirements. For purposes of GPA computation, this grade is equivalent to an
“F”. If you attend a portion of a course and then, after receiving a failing grade, stop
attending without officially withdrawing, you will receive a final grade of “F” rather than
“WU”
A grade of “I” for “incomplete authorized” is only given when a minor portion of
required course work has not been completed and evaluated in the prescribe time period
due to unforeseen, but fully justified, reasons. It is your responsibility to bring pertinent
information to the instructor and to reach an agreement on the means by which the
remaining course requirements will be satisfied. An incomplete shall not be assigned
when the only way you could make up the work would be to attend a major portion of the
class when it is offered next.
There are no makeup exams except in the case of extreme emergency. Documentation
will be required, i.e., physician’s note with a phone number, obituary and death
certificate, police report, etc. If you need to miss an exam due to a previous work
assignment, you must notify the instructor the first week of class or by January 26. Papers
handed in late carry a 10 point penalty for each 24 hour period. The maximum possible
late penalty is 50 points off the assigned grade.
10 E-mail and Blackboard- Every student enrolled in PA630 is required to have a
ROHAM e-mail account that is linked to Blackboard. Students can login to web portal
click button Roham/e-mail account. It is the student’s responsibility to check blackboard
on a regular basis, at least every couple of days.
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Classroom Participation Rubric
Distinguished=100- Proficient=89-80
90
100% will be
Participant is almost
received if a
as good as one
participant attends
receiving a
100% of classes and distinguished rating
is:
but one or two
elements are not
Always well
always done.
prepared for class.
Evident that
individual has
completed all
readings
assignments prior to
class.
Intermediate=79-70
Deficient below 70
Participation is
generally similar to
one getting a
deficient rating, but
there are one or two
elements done well
Seldom prepared for
class. Evident that
that individual has
not completed
reading assignments
prior to class.
Exhibits negative
attitude towards
course and class
members
Does not contribute
to class discussion
or in class activities
Exhibits positive,
supportive attitude
toward course and
class members.
Consistently
contributes to class
discussion
Consistently
contributes to in
class activities
Class Attendance
100% attendance = 100%
-9% for each class missed
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January 19
Holiday Martin Luther King Day
January 26
Review the syllabus, set expectations, getting to know each other,
set the contract, participant information. Begin introduction
1. Thompson Preface xiii
2. Berman Introduction
February 2
Human Resource Management and Public Personnel
Administration responsibilities, environment
Assignments:
1. Berman Chapter 1
2. Thompson The Personnel Office Friend or Foe, page 135
February 9
Employee friendly policies, family/work programs, health safety
and wellness, flexible work arrangements, traditional benefits
trends. Social equity.
Assignments:
1. Berman Chapter 8
February 16
HRM law, employee rights and responsibilities, laws governing the
workplace, privacy issues, discrimination.
Assignments:
1. Berman: Chapter 2
2. Thompson; Public Personnel Administration and the
Constitution: An Emergent Approach. David H. Rosenbloom,
page 367
3. Review the web page www.eeoc.gov
February 23
Women in the workplace
1. Thompson; Through the Glass Ceiling: Prospects for
the Advancement of Women in the Federal Civil
Service.
2. Katharine C. Naff., page 328
March 2
1st Exam
March 9
Recruitment, tasks, skills and responsibilities, civil service staffing
Assignments:
1. Berman: Chapter 3
2. Review the web page www.opm.gov see USA Jobs and other
features.
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March 16
March 23
March 30
`
Screening, selection, tasks, skills and responsibilities, different
philosophies
Assignments:
1. Berman Chapter 4
2. Thompson The Silent Revolution in Patronage, page 63
Human resource planning, job analysis and job classification,
Assignments:
1. Berman Chapter 5
Spring Break
April 6
An example of how merit really works
1. Thompson: Position Classification: A Behavioral Analysis. Jay
M. Shafritz, page 100
April 13
2nd Exam
April 20
Motivation, climate of and tools for:
Assignments
1. Berman Chapter 6
April 27
Compensation and benefits, pay systems
Assignments
1. Berman Chapter 7
2. Thompson Merit Pay in Public Sector, James L. Perry,
page 121
May 4
Current issues in Public Personnel Administration
Paper Due by 5:30PM
1. Thompson; People and Performance Challenges for the Future
Public Service. Patricia W. Ingaham, Sally C. Selden, Donald
P. Moynihan , page 521
2. Thompson; Cultural Diversity Programs to Prepare for Work
Force 2000: What’s Gone Wrong? Norma M. Riccucci, page
346
May 11
3rd Exam
VII. Human Resource Issue Paper
Due May 4, 2015 by 5:30PM to be handed in on turnitin assignments on blackboard and
given hard copy to the instructor
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I. PURPOSE: The objectives of the paper are for the students to demonstrate an ability
to do research and develop a position on a public service human resource diversity issue
by examining different perspectives and facts. Examples of topics that can be researched
include, but would not be limited to, the glass ceiling, employment opportunities in
public service of current undocumented workers that might occur with immigration
reform, changes to be made with the needs of the two career couple, legally required paid
sick leave and paid family leave, using emerging virtual workplace in the public sector,
employment equality for women in combat positions in the military, women as Navy
Seals, efforts to manage diversity in a specific government agency, employment equality
for older workers and members of the LBGT community. The focus of the paper should
be on current state of the issue and changes that might be made in the future. The paper is
to be well-structured and well-referenced. Discussion of information in the papers will
held on May 4: there are no formal presentations. The general guidelines for the research
report are as follow
(1) Examine the history and facts related to the Human Resource issue in public
service organizations;
(2) Through research develop an understanding of the different perspectives from
the different stakeholders;
(3) The paper should illuminate the reason different stakeholders have different
positions and perspectives:
(4) In the paper discuss what your group members believe will be future changes
in organizations.
(5) Support your position and perspective.
(6) Utilize at least four peer-reviewed articles.
II. FORMAT:
. 10 (+) typed, double-spaced pages
. Divided into sections with headings
. References using APA style
. Bibliography
. Appendices as necessary (used for additional back-up material)
. Proofread for grammar, spelling and sentence construction
. Turned in by deadline
III. ASSISTANCE: Your instructor will be glad to provide you with helpful suggestions
and guidance. Please make arrangements for special sessions as needed.
IV. WHEN TO BEGIN? Please begin planning your papers as soon as possible—
immediately is best. Do a little each day and you will find the task enjoyable and useful.
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