PUBLIC AFFAIRS 101: INTRODUCTION TO THE ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC
POLICY (UPDATED 2/12/2016)
Course Syllabus, fall 2015
MWF 12:45 -1:40 Maxwell Auditorium
Instructor: Bill Coplin x-3709, Maxwell 102; email: wdcoplin@maxwell.syr.edu
Office Hours: M: 9:00-11:00 & 3:45-4:45; W: 9:00-11:00; F: 1:45-3:00 during academic year.
Email the instructor to make an appointment for one of the times listed above.
You improve your skills in the following 10 basic skill sets throughout the course:
1. Taking Responsibility
2. Developing Physical Skills
3. Communicating Verbally
4. Communicating in Writing
5. Working Directly with People
6. Influencing People
7. Gathering Information
8. Using Quantitative Tools
9. Asking and Answering the Right Questions
10. Solving Problems
You will be able to define and apply the following concepts required for public policy analysis.
1. Become willing and able to “do good” effectively.
2. Define and identify the components of public policy issues.
3. Identify a social problem and come up with a proposed public policy to deal with it.
4. List the benefits and costs of a proposed public policy.
5. Develop benchmarks to assess the impact of your policy on societal conditions.
6. Analyze the political factors and develop strategies to implement a proposed public
policy.
7. Identify essential features of major current public policy issues.
PAF 101 fulfills a social sciences and a critical reflections requirement for the Arts and Sciences core. It
is also required for all Policy Studies majors. It helps you learn how to do good as a citizen and to do well
in your personal life. It develops the research skills that you will use throughout your college career and
the rest of your life.
PAF 101 is divided into five parts. For each part, you will submit a module paper. The papers consist of
exercises that you will download from the PAF 101 web page. Each module must be typed following the
correct format. Absences, tardiness or poor participation in class will result in deductions from your
module grades. Class time will be used for lectures, outside speakers, and group exercises.
The PAF 101 Website contains critical information. You will need to download sections to bring to class
and to use in completing your assignments. Newsletters for each module and lecture slides for each class
will be posted as the course progresses. In addition, you will find TA office hours, extra credit speaker
forms, community service opportunities, research help and advice on how to get an A on your papers.
MODULE DUE DATES AND WEIGHTS:
Module 1
Module 2
Module 3
Module 4
Module 5
(Exercises 1)
9/18
125 points
(Exercises 2, 3, 4)
10/9
145 points
(Exercises 5, 6)
10/26
130 points
(Exercises 7, 8)
11/11
120 points
(Exercises 9, 10, 11.1)
12/11
130 points
REQUIRED MATERIALS: Available at SU Bookstore:
1. Coplin, William D. The Maxwell Manual for Good Citizenship: Public Policy Skills in
Action Croton on the Hudson: Policy Studies Associates, 2007.
2. Download course exercises and other materials from the web address:
http://classes.maxwell.syr.edu/paf101/
RECOMMENDED MATERIALS:
1. Coplin, Bill 10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College. Revised Edition, Ten Speed
Press, 2012.
2. Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People (any edition or publisher)
UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTS
Undergraduate teaching assistants will help you learn the material and complete the assigned papers. The teaching assistants took
PAF 101 last semester and were selected on the basis of their performances in the course, interviews, and their GPAs. TA office
hours are held in Maxwell 113. A chart listing the teaching assistants’ office hours will be available the second week of classes
on the website. You will be assigned to a supervising TA who will record participation and advise you about your progress in the
course. You can visit any TA during office hours.
REGULATIONS AFFECTING GRADES
You can obtain 650 points by handing in perfect papers on time, participating in all classes, and completing the community
experience. The following rules should be carefully read and followed because they will directly affect your grades.
1. PARTICIPATION POLICY Starting with the third class, attendance will be taken by your TA. Each absence,
lateness after 12:45pm, or failure to participate in a responsible way will result in a five-point deduction from your
module score. Occasionally, effective participation will require completion of a brief homework assignment. Failure to
complete such assignments will be treated as failure to participate. Poor attention or lack of preparation will result in
the same point reduction as if you were not in class at all. This includes sleeping, having side conversations or using
smartphones or laptops for purposes not related to the lecture during class. You will also lose 5 points if your cell
phone rings during class or if you leave class early.
2.
COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE Each student will complete a community experience of five hours and a one page
reflection paper described on the website. Failure to complete the experience by the specified date will result in a loss
of 35 points from the 650 points available in the course.
3.
EXTRA CREDIT Each student will have the opportunity to gain a maximum of 15 extra credit points by attending
speeches on campus or giving blood. Extra points can also be obtained through outstanding participation in group
activities during class.
4.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Students must hand in their own work. Collaboration in research is permitted as long as
there is not even the slightest evidence of direct copying or paraphrasing. Collaborating students should not be using
the same articles, websites, or books. Any similarity in wording between two papers, including a consistent case of the
same sources will result in a zero for both papers and a letter to your dean. Falsely reporting attendance at extra credit
speeches or community service is also considered academic dishonesty. The French legal system operates here: you
are guilty until proven innocent. The Syracuse University Academic Integrity Policy holds students accountable for the
integrity of the work they submit. Students should be familiar with the Policy and know that it is their responsibility to
learn about instructor and general academic expectations with regard to proper citation of sources in written work. The
policy also governs the integrity of work submitted in exams and assignments as well as the veracity of signatures on
attendance sheets and other verifications of participation in class activities. Serious sanctions can result from academic
dishonesty of any sort. For more information and the complete policy, see http://academicintegrity.syr.edu
5.
NO INCOMPLETES If your work is not finished by the last day of class, a zero for the unfinished work will be
averaged into the grade. A grade of incomplete will not be given. No exceptions to this rule.
6.
LATE PAPER POLICY All papers are due at 12:45 p.m. Any paper received after 12:50 p.m. on the designated day
will be considered late. You will lose 5 points if the paper is received by 4:30 p.m. on the date that it is due. Each
day after the due date, you will lose 10 points if handed in by 4:30 p.m. If you hand in any of the first four modules
late, you may submit a written excuse with the paper. The number of points deducted, if any, will be determined after
the excuse and the paper are handed in. Computer and printer problems are not accepted as vital excuses. The
module five paper must be handed in by 12:45 p.m. on the last day of classes. You will receive a zero for the module
five paper if it is not in by 12:45!
7.
DISABILITY-RELATED ACCOMMODATIONS Students who are in need of disability-related academic
accommodations must register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS), 804 University Avenue, Room 309, 315443-4498. Students with authorized disability-related accommodations should provide a current Accommodation
Authorization Letter from ODS to the instructor and review those accommodations with the instructor.
Accommodations, such as exam administration, are not provided retroactively; therefore, planning for accommodations
as early as possible is necessary. For further information, see the ODS website, Office of Disability Services
http://disabilityservices.syr.edu/
8.
MODULE RE-EVALUATION If you are unhappy with your module grade, you may submit a regrade request by
the next class. Professor Coplin will regrade the paper. If you still have questions, you may meet with Professor Coplin,
by appointment, so he can explain his decision. He will not adjust the grade as a result of this meeting, but he will
explain his decision. Procedures for the regrade process will be explained in class.
DATE
8/31
9/2
9/4
FALL 2015 SEMESTER CALENDAR WITH ASSIGNMENTS Updated: 2/12/2016
DAY
ACTIVITY
NOTE: TOPICS AND SPEAKERS MAY CHANGE COURSE
MON
COURSE INTRODUCTION
WED
DEC. OF INDEPENDENCE
FRI
PRE-TEST DUE; TEAM ASSIGNMENTS/ TA INTRODUCTIONS
9/7
9/9
MON
WED
NO CLASS: LABOR DAY
TPE INTRODUCTION; TPE ASSN. 1 DUE BY THE END OF CLASS
9/11
9/14
FRI
MON
9/16
WED
TPE TEAM MEETING; ROUGH DRAFT OF ASSN. 2 DUE AT END OF CLASS
TPE TEAM MEETING; BRING TYPED ASSN. 2 FOR ALL TEAM MEMBERS; 1 TYPED COPY
OF FINAL DRAFT OF ASSIGNMENT 2 DUE IN MAXWELL 102 AT 4:00 P.M.
TPE DEBRIEFING/FINAL PAPER DIRECTIONS
9/18
9/21
9/23
9/25
9/28
9/30
10/2
10/5
10/7
FRI
MON
WED
FRI
MON
WED
FRI
MON
WED
MODULE #1 DUE: INTRODUCTION; PROBLEM FOCUS
LIBRARIAN LECTURE FOR CH.2 EXERCISES
SOCIETAL PROBLEMS AND POLICY CHOICES
COLLEGE SUCKS
SPEAKER –John Mandyck
EMAIL TA COMMUNITY SERVICE PLAN Marissa Mims
DESIGNING A SURVEY
BRING EXERCISE 4.1A and B ON CLASS TOPIC COMPETITION WORKSHOP
COMPETITION DEBRIEFING
10/9
10/12
10/14
10/16
10/19
10/21
10/23
FRI
MON
WED
FRI
MON
WED
FRI
MODULE #2 DUE; INTRODUCTION TO MODULE 3
PROBLEM SOLVING & GRAPHS
Grading Exercise BRING PARAGRAPH ON PREFERED GRADING SYSTEM
SPEAKER—
SPEAKER –
BRING EXERCISE 5.1 ON CLASS TOPIC; COMPETITION WORKSHOP
COMPETITION DEBRIEFING
10/26
MON
MODULE #3 DUE; INTRODUCTION TO MODULE 4
10/28
10/30
WED
FRI
BENCHMARKING
SPEAKER: Nick Pirro
11/2
11/4
11/6
11/9
MON
WED
FRI
MON
SPEAKER
BRING EX. 8.2A ON A CLASS TOPIC; COMPETITON WORKSHOP
COMPETITION DEBRIEFING
COMPETITION DEBRIEFING
11/11
11/13
11/16
11/18
11/20
11/23
11/25
11/27
WED
FRI
MON
WED
FRI
MON
WED
FRI
MODULE #4 DUE; INTRODUCTION TO MODULE 5-PRINCE CHARTS
MORE ON PRINCE CHARTS
SPEAKER
BRING EX. 9.2 ON CLASS TOPIC; COMPETITION WORKSHOP
COMPETITION DEBRIEFING
NO CLASS – THANKSGIVING BREAK
NO CLASS – THANKSGIVING BREAK
NO CLASS – THANKSGIVING BREAK
11/30
12/2
MON
WED
STRATEGIES – CH. 10
SPEAKER – Frank Lazarski
12/4
12/7
12/9
12/11
FRI
MON
WED
FRI
REVIEW MODULE 5 AND 11.1
COMMUNITY SERVICE FORMS DUE; REASON TO DO GOOD
GRADING AMERICA
MODULE #5 DUE; EVALUATION