List
Page 1 of 5
Introduction to Planning, Public Policy and Public Health
Introduction to Planning, Public Policy and Public Health 10:762:101:06
Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Spring 2013
Thursday 5:35 to 8:35 PM
Ruth Adam Building - Room 206
Instructor: Paul M. Drake, MCRP, AICP, PP
E-mail: drake2plan@yahoo.com
pmdrake@rci.rutgers.edu
Cell Phone: 908-872-3790
Office Hours: By Appointment on class days
Course Description
Purpose/Goal:
In 2013, the United States continues to face an epidemic of health issues including high levels of stress, diabetes, cancer and
other diseases attributed to our sedentary lifestyles. All the while, we have tolerated the design of chain store architecture
and a dependence on the automobile, which has replaced the oldest form of transportation we know – our feet. Charting the
right course for our future requires a team of generalists, including planners and public health professionals, who understand
the complexity of the many supporting and opposing forces that influence public policy.
This course will introduce and will challenge students with many of the policy decision-making processes in the fields of urban
planning and public health. These fields share common and often complex relationships that call out for an integrated
approach to how we interact with local communities and collectively, our planet. Planners and public health professionals
share a unique responsibility to protect the public interest throughout the decision making process. This is often not easy
when faced with competing interests at times when planning and policy decisions are being formulated by small towns as well
as big cities and in the laws and regulations of New Jersey and the many branches of the Federal government.
This course will introduce students to the theoretical principals and professional practices involved in urban planning and
public health. The reading assignments and class discussions will cover practical topics that are shaping the two professions
while group exercises will provide students with practical experience. Wherever possible, this course will include local and
state examples from New Jersey.
Course Objectives:
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
Identify and describe the key urban planning and public health issues that affect public policy formation and apply these
issues to making practical decisions regarding urban planning and public health, especially as they relate to a greater
understanding of the bases and development of human and societal endeavors across time and place.
Understand the inter-relationship between urban planning and public health that will enable the student to apply concepts
https://sakai.rutgers.edu/portal/tool/f72b6d42-4e92-49f9-aabc-39cd2e060796/printFriendly
1/24/2013
List
Page 2 of 5
about human and social behavior to particular questions or situations.
Research public health and urban planning issues at the municipal level and recognize these visual signs in a community
through a collaborative, active-learning, investigative team project and presentation. This will evoke an understanding of
different theories about human culture, social identity, economic entities, political systems, and other forms of social
organization.
Required Readings:
Various Reading Assignments, which are detailed below and will be posted as a PDF on Sakai.
Course Policies
Student Responsibilities:
Compliance to the following guidelines will ensure that each student benefits from class lectures and discussions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
You are expected to follow the Rutgers Academic Integrity Policy.
Be on time – Class starts promptly
You are expected to be non-disruptive during class. Side conversations, verbal insults, reading non-related course
material, working on your computer, surfing the web, texting, e-mailing, use of cell phones or listening to music or
recording of lectures is not permitted in class.
Laptops may will used in class with my permission for note taking only. If it becomes clear that laptop use in class is
more of a distraction, than an aid to learning, then such use will be discontinued. Surfing the internet during class is
not class participation.
GRADING & POLICIES
Grade Distribution
Attendance /Class Participation/Public Meeting Summary 20%
In class Mid-Term Exam: 25%
Take-home Final Exam 15%
Research Paper: 20%
Class Project & Group Presentation: 20%
Extra Credit - TBD
Attendance & Class Participation
Attendance and class participation is mandatory, especially when guest speakers are scheduled, since the class format
is not solely lecture-oriented. Please note that attendance and participation will count significantly towards your final grade
for the class. Each student will be expected to contribute to the class with respect to the readings and in-class
discussions. It is expected that regular class reading will be completed prior to class when assigned so that discussions can
be held in class.
Public Meeting Summary: Students will be expected to attend a public meeting as discussed in class and to prepare a
summary of the topic discussed. Details to be provided.
Mid-Term Exam: This exam will focus on the topics discussed in class and in the readings assigned. The MID TERM WILL
BE TAKEN IN CLASS AND MAY BE ON SAKAI ON INDIVIDUAL LAPTOPS. Please advise me if you do not have access to
a laptop.
Final Exam: This exam will be a TAKE HOME exam on Sakai covering readings and in class discussions since the MID-
https://sakai.rutgers.edu/portal/tool/f72b6d42-4e92-49f9-aabc-39cd2e060796/printFriendly
1/24/2013
List
Page 3 of 5
TERM EXAM.
Term Research Paper: Each student will be required to research and prepare an OBSERVATIONAL TERM PAPER OF 5-10
PAGES based on a topic of student interest and observations relevant to the topics discussed in class. The topic of your
paper is required to be approved in advance by me with the submission of a brief outline and an introductory
paragraph. The format of the paper will follow the outline to be provided. Each paper should be peer-reviewed for clarity and
grammar by two of your classmates before submission. The peer reviewers will be credited on the final paper.
The paper is an opportunity for each student to reflect on and ANALYZE a topic of interest in the world of planning and public
health. The paper should be organized in a clear way and demonstrate an advocacy or adverse position for the topic. Note:
The paper will be required to be submitted on-line through Sakai and will be run through software that checks for plagiarism.
Late papers will not be accepted.
Class Project: This project is intended to be very interactive and visual. From the first day of class, you can be preparing for
the completion of the final project by observing the world around you. The world is a big place but as planners and public
health professionals, you have the ability to have a positive influence on how things work. Instructions for the class project
will be provided in more detail but it will involve the taking of photographs of positive and negative images around you in
groups of three or four. How people react to the world around them – the images they see everyday – has a profound affect
on their physical well-being. This class project will explore these very topics through the eyes of students and the lens of a
camera and mapping tools such as Google Earth.
Reading Assignments
All readings shall be completed BEFORE the class.
CLASS SCHEDULE
SPRING 2013
WEEK 1 – Thursday, JANUARY 24 INTRODUCTIONS and COURSE OVERVIEW
Reading Assignment : No reading for this week
Interactive Class exercise regarding the public process
WEEK 2 – Thursday, JANUARY 31 ORIGINS OF URBAN PLANNING
Reading Assignment: SEE RESOURCES - Week 2
Discussion of Assignment 1: Required Attendance at a Public Meeting
Discussion of Observational Research Paper – Topic Due: February 15, 2013
RESEARCH PAPER DUE: Sunday, APRIL 14, 2013 AT 10 PM THROUGH SAKAI
WEEK 3 Thursday FEBRUARY 7 2013 ORIGINS OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Required Readings:See RESOURCES Week 3 Required Readings Carson, Rachel (1962) SILENT SPRING Read the Forward, Chapter 1 & 2
WEEK 4 – Thursday FEBRUARY 14 2013 PUBLIC POLICY FORMATION - STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION
https://sakai.rutgers.edu/portal/tool/f72b6d42-4e92-49f9-aabc-39cd2e060796/printFriendly
1/24/2013
List
Page 4 of 5
Observational Research Paper – Topic Due by February 15, 2013 through Sakai by 10 PM
Reading - See Resources Week 4
Sherry Arndt – LADDER OF CITIZEN PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Jane Jacobs – Chapter 21 – Governing and Planning Districts
WEEK 5 – FEBRUARY 21 2013 The Legal Basis of Planning; Infrastructure and Environmental resource protection
Reading See Resources Week 5
Required Readings: Levy, John M (2009). “Contemporary Urban Planning”. Read Chapters 8 & 9 “The Comprehensive Plan”
pp.124-135 “The Tools of Land Use Planning” pp.137-168
OVERVIEW OF STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS AFFECTING PUBLIC HEALTH
Required Readings: Frumkin, Howard (2004) Urban Sprawl and Public Health Read Chapter 4 “AIR QUALITY” and Chapter 7
“WATER QUANTITY AND QUALITY”
Required Reading: New Jersey Health Code Regulations NJAC __________
WEEK 6 – FEBRUARY 28 2013 Land Policy Decision processes
See Resources Week 6 Reading Assignments
FINAL PROJECT TO BE DISCUSSED IN CLASS AND GROUPS TO BE ASSIGNED
WEEK 7 – MARCH 7 MID TERM EXAM
GUEST SPEAKER - PROFESSOR TONY NELESSEN
WEEK 8 – MARCH 14 SPRING BREAK - NO CLASS
WEEK 9 - MARCH 21 URBAN DESIGN & TRANSPORATION
WEEK 10 - MARCH 28 - AFFORDABLE CARE ACT; INSURANCE; RISK MANAGEMENT
WEEK 11 - APRIL 4 ENERGY, GLOBAL WARMING
WEEK 12 - APRIL 11 FOOD AND NUTRITION
WEEK 13 - APRIL 18 BROWNFIELDS AND REDEVELOPMENT
WEEK 14 - APRIL 25 CLASS PRESENTATIONS
WEEK 15 - MAY 2 - CLASS PRESENTATIONS - LAST CLASS
WEEK 16 - TAKE FINAL EXAM DUE
https://sakai.rutgers.edu/portal/tool/f72b6d42-4e92-49f9-aabc-39cd2e060796/printFriendly
1/24/2013
List
Page 5 of 5
Rutgers University’s Academic Integrity Policy:
Academic misconduct includes cheating, plagiarism, failure to cite sources, fabrication and falsification, stealing ideas, and
deliberate slanting of research designs to achieve a pre-conceived result. Misconduct will not be tolerated. Penalties for
misconduct can range from failing an assignment/exam or the class to even dismissal from the university.
Students are expected to attend all classes; if you expect to miss one or two classes, please use the University absence
reporting website https://sims.rutgers.edu/ssra/to indicate the date and reason for your absence. An email is automatically
sent to me.
The University’s Academic Integrity Policy can be found at: http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/integrity.shtml#. For addition
information, you will find the Bloustein School’s perspective on academic misconduct on the last page of this syllabus.
Academic Misconduct: A Bloustein School Perspective
Academic misconduct includes cheating, plagiarism, failure to cite sources, fabrication and falsification, stealing ideas, and
deliberate slanting of research designs to achieve a pre-conceived result. We talk about misconduct and ethical behavior in
classes and expectations are set forth in student handbooks and catalogues. For example, it is presented on pages 545-547
in the New Brunswick Undergraduate Catalogue for the years 2003 through 2005 and on pages 16-18 of the Edward J.
Bloustein catalogue for the years 2003 through 2005. We are not repeating that material here. Note, however, that penalties
for misconduct can range from failing an assignment/exam or dismissal from the university.
The Bloustein School is appending this memorandum to your course syllabus because we recently have detected obvious
cases of plagiarism. We have found far fewer cases of other forms of academic misconduct, but we find several every year. It
is imperative that you understand that unethical academic conduct is intolerable, and it is completely preventable.
Academic misconduct almost always happens for two reasons. One is ignorance of academic rules and practices. For
example, in virtually every recent plagiarism case in the School, material has been taken from an Internet site and placed in
text without appropriate note or attribution. You must learn the proper rules for attribution. If you are not sure, ask your
instructor! If you do not know the rules that govern the use of data sets, attribution, analysis and reporting of these sets, the
faculty will help you. There is no such thing as a stupid question regarding this subject.
Pressure is the second common reason for academic misconduct. Students, faculty, every one of us are subject to deadline,
financial, self-worth, peer, and other pressures. If you are potentially allowing pressure to drive you to misconduct, please
step back and resist that urge. You can cope with pressure in a positive way by reaching out to friends, counselors, and
faculty members. Within the Bloustein School community, you will find understanding people and positive direction.
The Bloustein School plays an important role in the planning and public policy agenda. Our work and our students must be
above reproach.
CANCELLATION OF CLASSES
In the event of weather or other emergency, a “Campus Operating Status” page will be posted as a link from the New
Brunswick Campus website, http://nb.rutgers.edu Please refer to this page for updated information on closings, class
cancellations or delayed openings, as well as bus schedules, parking lot availability, and dining hall and student recreation
center hours. Please do not call the Rutgers Police for closing or class cancellation information.
https://sakai.rutgers.edu/portal/tool/f72b6d42-4e92-49f9-aabc-39cd2e060796/printFriendly
1/24/2013