UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE

Course Outline PADM 470 – Administrative Processes (Online)

Instructor: Mark Kling, DPA

Phone: 909.820.2555 (Work)

                                                                                                        

Assignment Posting Sunday Evenings by 6:00 PM   Email: mkling@ulv.edu

 

Conferences available by appointment either in person, or by phone, however, online is the preferred manner to communicate.

 

Course Synopsis

Administrative Processes is an experiential course designed to address the problems, processes, and solutions for public administration. The course will incorporate human resource management, fiscal administration, planning, and administrative law concepts. In addition, organizational design, emergency management and policy making will be discussed. This course will investigate core elements of administration as well as incorporate some fundamental management skills (i.e. Clear communication in writing, analysis of behavior, managing complexity, leadership and ethics). 

 

Course Goals

 

The goals of this course are:

  1. To provide the student with an understanding of the environment of public administration and inter-and intra-governmental relationships.
  2. To provide the student with an understanding of the multiple functions of public administration and the management of major activities and roles of the administrator. 
  3. To provide an understanding of the mechanics of administration for budgeting, administrative law and human resources.
  4. Review of literature in management and leadership.
  5. To provide the student with the necessary knowledge of understanding the purpose and to provide an overview of administrative law.
  6. To provide the student with an overview of the importance of technology in developing methods of effectively dealing with the fast paced and ever changing world of public administration.
  7. To introduce the student to the need for emergency management in the public sector.

 

Course Outline

The course is structured into four parts, each having an overall significance on the student’s learning expectation.

 

 

Part one is designed to give students an overview of the various issues facing public managers, supervisors, and key stakeholders, including communication, organizational development, management, administrative law, ethics, emergency management. Each student will be required to write an essay on leadership.

 

Part two introduces the student to the personnel process with an emphasis on the role of a human resource manager. Job analysis, description, employee evaluation, recruitment and collective bargaining are discussed.

 

Part three discusses public budgeting. A variety of budgetary tools are discussed as students gain an understanding of the budget process, its function, and necessity.

 

Part four introduces the student to the decision making process, rational decision making, policy implementation and policy evaluation processes.  Each student will also write an essay that will encompass the entire course learning material, and culminates with an overview of an attended and observed local city council meeting of the student’s choice.

 

Course Activities

This course will make use of a variety of activities to achieve learning objectives. Students will log on to the University Blackboard system and will be lead through the four sections of this course, via a number of web resources, articles, and the required textbook.  In addition, students may be required to view course relative videos, reading online lectures as well as participating in course discussion forums and chat. A mandatory attendance at a city council meeting of the student’s choice will also be required.

 

Course Written Assignments

The two written essay assignments will ask each student to respond to a specific topic.  The student can use any source available to complete each essay, including, but not limited to class readings, videos, or exercises.  Additional information and instructions regarding the two essays will be posted in the assignment section. 

 

The final portion of the student’s grade will be determined by participation in the discussion forums and chat.  I can not stress this point enough, it is critical for you to participate with online discussions A MINIMUM OF THREE TIMES WEEKLY!

 

PLEASE UNDERSTAND THE PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENT FOR THIS CLASS.

 

Course Text and Materials – Required

This course requires a variety of reading and viewing material. Required materials are not limited to the course textbook. Throughout the course additional readings, videos, etc. may be indicated.

 

The required textbook is:  The Public Administration Workbook, 5- Edition

ISBN: 0-8013-3268-ISBN: 0321273354, Mark W. Huddleston, Dennis Dresang, University of Delaware

 

Public Administration Workbook        Publisher: Longman, Copyright: August 2006

 

Detailed Explanation of Assignments

Part One - Assignments 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

These assignments require the student to read the designated chapters in the Huddleston text book.  There will also be discussion questions posted for comment and participation.  Each student will be required to post a minimum of one substantive post per discussion question and add comments to fellow student’s posts.  

 

Written Essay Assignment 1 is a mandatory essay that each student is required to complete.  The essay shall be a maximum of 4 pages and will be on the topic of leadership.  Each student will be required to review a movie of choice regarding leadership.  Each student will be required to watch the video then write about the leadership qualities portrayed in the movie.  The essay must connect at least two leadership traits to either our class discussion or minimal literature review. Students shall format their individual essay with a title page, double spaced, Times New Roman, or Arial font, one-inch margins, and must be readable in Microsoft Word. Make sure you proofread and spell-check your essay prior to electronic submission.  Also, ensure your essay is virus free before sending.  You will simply use the digital drop box to send your essay, and it must be submitted, and time stamped before the required due date.  Late assignments will receive a substantial late penalty of 20% per day. 

 

Part Two - Assignments 6, 7, 8 and 9

These assignments require the student to read the designated chapters in the Huddleston text book.  There will also be discussion questions posted for comment and participation.  Each student will be required to post a minimum of one substantive post per discussion question and add comments to fellow student’s posts.  

 

Part Three - Assignment 10, 11

These assignments require the student to read the designated chapters in the Huddleston text book.  There will also be discussion questions posted for comment and participation.  Each student will be required to post a minimum of one substantive post per discussion question and add comments to fellow student’s posts.  

 

Part Four - Assignment 12

This  assignment requires the student to read the designated chapter in the Huddleston text book.  There will also be discussion questions posted for comment and participation.  Each student will be required to post a minimum of one substantive post per discussion question and add comments to fellow student’s posts.  

 

Written Assignment 2 – Final Essay

This assignment is a mandatory essay that each student is required to complete.  The essay shall be a minimum of 4 pages, no more than 6, and will be on the topic of the local governmental administrative process.  During the term, each student will be required to attend one local city council meeting, preferably in the community you live in.  Each student will be required to integrate the course of study, administrative process, into the actual local governance process.  The essay shall describe what each student learned by integrating the concepts discussed in Huddleston, and how a local governmental body conducts the governance process. More information will be provided to you during a later posting.

 

Students shall format their individual essay with a title page, double spaced, Times New Roman, or Arial font, one-inch margins, and must be readable in Microsoft Word. Make sure you proofread and spell-check your essay prior to electronic submission.  Also, ensure your essay is virus free before sending.  You will simply use the digital drop box to send your essay, and it must be submitted, and time stamped before the required due date.  Late assignments will receive a substantial late penalty of 20% per day. 

 

Additional Information – Participation Clarification

Each student must understand that in order to successfully pass this course, you will be required to participate in the online discussions, a minimum of three times each week.  You can simply achieve this requirement by answering the discussion questions, then commenting on your classmate’s posts.

 

The best grade you can receive in the course with no discussion question participation is a C-.

 

NOTE:

A substantive post consists of a well thought out answer to the topic question.  Your answer should provide the class with an opportunity to ask follow-up question(s).  As a matter of clarification, a simple, “I agree, your point was well taken, I understand your point of view, etc,” is NOT a substantive post. 

 

STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC HONESTY

Papers and assignments submitted, in addition to examinations taken in this class, are subject to the University of La Verne’s Policy Statement on cheating and plagiarism, found in the Rights and Responsibilities section of the current ULV catalog.  Cases of cheating or plagiarism are subject to disciplinary action including change of grade and/or administrative sanctions.  Research on term papers or class assignments, which may include the textbook designated for the class and other outside readings, must be based on original effort, and may not be reproductions, in whole or in part, of any other work.  Further, papers and assignments in this class may not be used for other class requirements, and may not be completed by any other person or persons.

 

 

Essay Information and Directions

 

Essay 1

Leadership Essay

 

Introduction

“Title of your leadership piece”

Describe the movie of choice and leadership traits you are writing about that is consistent with either our class discussion or a minimal literature review. Are there any secondary leadership traits that emerge from the movie?  If so, describe them in the introduction.

 

Description

Describe the movie briefly

            Introduce the main characters

            Why you chose a particular leadership trait portrayed in the movie. 

 

Discussion of Leadership themes

In depth review of traits and their context relative to class discussions and/or literature review.

            Why traits are particularly important to the administrative processes

            What we can learn about leadership from the movie

            Interesting points garnered from the movie

 

Concluding Statement

Something about what you learned from the movie in the context of our class discussion and/or your literature review regarding leadership.

 

Essay shall consist of a maximum 4 pages, not including title page, (optional table of contents), and mandatory reference page.  Double spaced, Times New Roman, or Arial Font, and references required.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Essay 2

Local Governance Process Essay

 

Introduction

Local Government Processes

Theme from an administrative processes standpoint

 

Description

            Introduce the City, and City Council Members

Describe the types of items that were on the agenda

           

Discussion of administrative processes themes

            In depth review of themes and their context

            Why themes are particularly important to administrative processes

Connection with class discussions, Huddleston, and/or other sources

            What we can learn about administrative processes from your City Council

            Interesting points garnered from the experience

 

Concluding Statement

Something about what you learned from this assignment.

 

Essay shall consist of a minimum of 4 pages and a maximum of 6 pages, not including title page, (optional table of contents), and mandatory reference page.  Double spaced, Times New Roman, or Arial Font, and references required.