Public Administration Issues

Winter PA Update

2011-12-20T09:20:00.001-08:00

Public Administration Update - Winter 2011

Have a Happy Holiday!

What's in this update?

New Planning Emphasis
Nonprofit Project Update
Local ASPA Chapter
MPA Alum Talks with Obama
Student, Faculty and Alum News
ASPA/Department Student Support for ASPA Conference
Public Administration Honor Society

New Community Planning Emphasis

The faculty have approved a departmental emphasis on community planning. With that, we are seeking university approval for a new certificate in community planning. Several of our new faculty members have expertise in this area and we are glad to move in a direction that will support local government particularly. We are making additional courses available in planning and information technology as well as making sure relevent electives in public policy, capital budgeting and others are available to students. In addition, we are working on relationships with local communities to provide assistance to them and to develop living laboratories for education and research. It you are particularly interested in this area, please let us know.

Nonprofit Project Update

The Nonprofit Project is moving right along. Classes visit agencies, we engage in consults with local nonprofits and always we teach and learn about what makes nonprofits tick. Recently we received approval to move the nonprofit certificate online. With this expansion we are adding aditional electives in nonprofit management. Our project website got an update and you are welcome to look and provide us with feedback.

Local ASPA Chapter on Track

The local chapter of the American Society for Public Administration is back on track. Thanks to the work of PA faculty and local practitioners the group has gone from "zero to sixty" in just over a year. Quarterly lunches have resumed and have been well attended. There is an active awards program with an annual public service (Rail-Splitter) award. In addition student awards and conference support is part of the group's activity.

With the support of the ASPA chapter, there is a new student ASPA organization with its own Facebook page and activities.

Check out the schedule and activities at the ASPA chapter site.

ASPA/Department Student Conference Support

The ASPA chapter, along with the PA Department, will provide supportive funding for from one to three students (depending on the strength of the applications) to attend the ASPA national conference. Funding will come from the ASPA chapter and also from the Department of Public Administration.

Students may apply to the awards committee of the ASPA chapter. To apply, applicants will need a three-page essay describing their career goals and how attendance at the ASPA conference will enhance those goals.

Decisions for support funding will depend on the applicant’s essay as well as attendance and support for ASPA chapter meetings.

The available funds will be divided equally among the successful applicants. The university portion of the funds will come as reimbursement for legitimate conference expenses.

Send application material to the ASPA awards committee care of wmill3@uis.edu.

Students are encouraged to apply for other university and possible ASPA national support as well.

PA Honor Society

Interested in Pi Alpha Alpha? This is the honor society for public administration students.

Students may be inducted from among the master’s degree students in the department, institute, or school wherever the Pi Alpha Alpha chapter membership is based provided:

1. They have maintained a GPA of at least 3.7.

2. Master degree students must have completed at least fifty percent (50%) of the required course work (a minimum of 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours). A chapter may set a higher percent of completion if it chooses.

This is a good networking opportunity and good for your resume. To apply for membership go to our honor society web page on the PA website.

Talking with President Obama

Judy Guenseth, MPA graduate and head of Galesburg Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, got to have a conversation with President Obama at a question/answer session in Alpha Illinois. Below is her report.

I was able to attend the townhall meeting with President Obama in Alpha, Illinois. I was one of 7 people who he picked to ask him a question. I wasn't vetted ahead of time, I simply raised my hand (with enthusiasm).

I told him my name and that I was director of tourism for the Galesburg Area. I thanked him for coming to the area, for making an unexpected stop in Galesburg. I congratulated him in his recent birthday and told him I had passed the 50 milestone recently and it wasn't that bad. He asked how come I looked better than him. I said it was because I was from Galesburg. (Big laughter) He said that makes sense.

I then commended his wife on her program to improve healthy living and I asked him what his administration would do to expound on this line of thinking knowing that a healthy nation is a productive nation and also reduces long-term health care costs. What kind of positive incentives would his administration do to encourage better eating and healthier lifestyles for all people, but especially for school age children.

He said it was an impressive question. He talked a bit about how important tourism is. He talked about his wife's program, but also legislation to improve school lunch nutrition. He said some other things as he liked to expound on his ideas about things. All in all I was pleased with his answer.

I didn't ask the question because I thought his administration was doing a great deal in the area, because it is an area that is overshadowed by other greater concerns. However, I was hoping to plant a seed that looking at ways to reduce long-term medicals costs is also a good economic practice. From his answer, I think he knows that, but I am not sure the general public does.

I was able to shake his hand afterward. It was a great opportunity to promote Galesburg and ask a good question. My boss thinks I can do just about anything now. (not really) Part of this experience was by chance or providence, but it was also planning ahead and putting myself out there. I did think about what I would ask if given the opportunity.

A great experience!

Recent Student, Faculty and Alum News

Scott Reimers, MPA grad, was appointed Chief of Staff for the house minority leader in Illinois. The State Journal Register reported: "Scott will be able to transition into this new position flawlessly and provides a wealth of institutional knowledge and a wonderful ability to work with others on our staff, our members and other elected officials and their staffs around the capitol," said Cross. "We are thrilled that he has accepted the position and are certain he will do a fantastic job."

"Reimers said he plans 'to continue to work hard for Leader Cross, the caucus, and our staff building relationships with other elected officials and their staffs to do what is best for the residents of our state. I take these new responsibilities very seriously.'"

Seham Ataullah, MPA student, has been selected from a very competitive application pool to receive the Fall 2011 President's Research in Diversity Travel Award. This $500 award will apply to travel expenses to the Global Mindset Development in Leadership and Management Conference.

Congratulations to Ed Wojcicki, our PA writing class instructor, on the publication of a new book, Nobody Calls Just to Say Hello: Reflections on Twenty-Two Years in the Illinois Senate, coauthored with the subject of the book, it captures an insiders view of state politics.

Ann Schneider, DPA alum, is no longer "acting" secretary (CEO) of the Illinois Department of Transportation. IDOT is a very large state agency overseeing many aspects of transportation in Illinois. Congratulations, Ann, on becoming the duly appointed Secretary of IDOT.

We recently received word that William J. Pittman, MPA Grad, moved from Lieutenant in the Springfield Police Department to Police Chief of the Nantucket Police Department in Nantucket, MA.

Looking Back and Looking Forward

2011-12-14T06:56:00.000-08:00

How do publicservants cope with increasingly higher expectations while budgets continue to decrease? Is it fair to expect public managers to workharder as their salaries and benefits erode? In these hard economic times, how can public servants expect to dobetter than many of the citizens they serve?

A recent lunch meeting and panel at the Central IllinoisASPA chapter raised these and other interesting questions. Panel member Jeff Voss had some very relevantexperience to share. In a surprise movethe Illinois governor eliminated the state salary line for regional publicschool superintendents and for a considerable time he worked without pay. Firmly believing that his office does goodthings for the public, he still walked out the door each morning to do hislegally mandated duties. Thankfully,funding has been restored.

Drinda O’Connor (retired deputy chief operations officer,Illinois Department of Human Services) spoke of such severe budget shortages inher agency that they were forced to “share memory upgrades” to old computers inorder to be able to use a new email system. Managers often have to take up the slack and be creative. For Drinda, what kept her going were hercolleagues. Even on a bad day, she said,she enjoyed working with the people she worked with in public service. She thinks things will get better. But the work environment, she believes, willbe different.

So how do we cope with the stress and shortages until thingsdo get better. There were many ideas. Bruce Cowans, Vice President for FinancialServices Consulting with Maximus, believes that many managers have beenspeaking up more. With conflictingexpectations from above, more managers are stepping up to make the agencywork. Though managers may be fearful of negativereactions when taking leadership, the critical mission of public serviceagencies sometimes requires taking risks. Unfortunately, Bruce noted, there are no “golden parachute” stockoptions for public managers who take risks and then things don’t work out asplanned.

For my part, I was glad to be at the meeting. In these stressful times it feels good togather with a group of people who are clearly committed to public service. Many of us are so busy that we don’t havetime to reflect on our situations or to take comfort in our common commitmentto doing good. What is the oldexpression? When you are up to your assin alligators, you forget you are there to drain the swamp.

Yet the question had to be asked: “With narrow outcomemeasurements making us crazy, politically motivated bureaucrat bashing and extensivebudget cuts coupled with increasing expectations, what is the incentive for publicservice? For my part I thought that JeffVoss came up with precisely the right response. What I heard him say was:

“In 15 years I want to look backand see that I have made the world better for my kids and their generation.”

Enough said.

Will Miller

JUDY GUENSETH: Don’t make poor outlet for our frustration

2011-12-13T10:17:00.000-08:00

Judy Guenseth, recent MPA grad, has an opinion column in her local newspaper. Cool to see our UIS MPA grads influencing policy.

JUDY GUENSETH: Don’t make poor outlet for our frustration

Proclamation Concerning Public Service

2011-04-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

Sangamon County: Public Service Recognition Week

In honor of the millions of public employees at the federal, state, county, and municipal
levels:

Whereas: Americans are served every single day by public servants at the federal, state, county and municipal levels, doing the tasks that help keep our nation working; and

Whereas: Public employees are often unsung heroes that take not only jobs, but oaths; and

Whereas: Many public servants, including military personnel, police officers, firefighters, border patrol officers, embassy employees, public health professionals and others, risk their lives each day in service to the people of the United States and around the world; and

Whereas: Public servants include teachers, doctors and scientists…secretaries and astronauts…engineers and auditors…nurses and safety inspectors…laborers, computer technicians and social service providers…and countless other professions and occupations; and

Whereas: Day-in and day-out they provide the diverse services demanded of government by the American people, and do so with efficiency and integrity; and

Whereas: Without these public servants at every level, continuity would be impossible in a democracy that regularly changes its leaders and elected officials;

Now Therefore: The Sangamon County Board does hereby announce and proclaim to all citizens and set seal hereto, that May 1-7, 2011, is Public Service Recognition Week in Sangamon County;

And That: All citizens are encouraged to recognize the accomplishments and contributions of government employees at all levels, particularly those of the County of Sangamon who work so hard on our behalf.