| Time, Place: | Lectures, M 4-7 PM, Angell B203 |
| Instructor: | Joshua Farley |
| Office: | 205H Morrill Hall |
| Office hours: | M-W 10-12 or by appointment. |
| Telephone: | 656-2989 (O) 863-9915 (H) |
| E-mail: | joshua.farley@uvm.edu |
Course objectives
Assignments and Grading
Tentative
schedule
Projects
Project teams
Project Steps
Lecture Notes
• Understand the historical, social, ideological and political contexts
within which policies get made and implemented;
• Engage in a moderate level of policy analysis, attaining a level of
competency in several analytical methods;
• Determine the key actors within the policy making and implementation
arenas;
• Track ongoing policy debates;
• Develop and refine your writing, analytic, and problem-solving skills.
As the instructor, I understand my role to be: 1.) a facilitator who is responsible for keeping us on track; 2.) someone working to develop expertise in the field of public administration and public policy who humbly recognizes the limitations of his own knowledge; and 3.) as an evaluator of your progress toward achieving course objectives.
Each class will begin with check-ins at which time you and your colleagues will have an opportunity to pose questions concerning course expectations and assignments.
If you anticipate missing class, please let me know. Excessive absences will
jeopardize your success and ultimately, your grade.
Over the course of the semester you will be asked to track a particular policy topic or arena, using it as a reference for three papers and ongoing discussions throughout the semester.
The three papers associated with this assignment are:
1. Policy goals issue paper (2-3 pages)/class sharing (Due Sept. 19)
Identify a policy issue currently in the news, and explain what “goals”
underlie the issue. Incorporate at least one of the goals from Stone’s
"Policy Paradox." Write a 2-3 page overview, and be prepared
to share your paper with the class.
2. Problem-framing policy issue paper (2-3 pages)/class sharing (Due Oct.
3)
3. Assessment of policy tools and implementation paper/class sharing (1-2
pages) (Due Nov. 7)
Problematic written assignments can be re-written for a higher grade. You will need to work out a timeline for resubmission with me as soon as you are sure of your intent.
OTHER HOMEWORK WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS/
CLASS DISCUSSION LEADERSHIP 30%
Three additional homework assignments will be due as well. They include:
1. Policy actor article-- written (1-2 page) and oral overview (Due Oct.
10)
2. Group comparative analysis presentation/discussion (prepared for Oct.
24)
3. Policy solution case study response (1 page memo) (prepared for Nov.
14)
Problematic written assignments can be re-written for a higher grade. You will need to work out a timeline for resubmission with me as soon as you are sure of your intent.
Your class participation and preparation will be factored into this portion of your grade as well.
POLICY PARTNERSHIP PROJECT/PRESENTATION 40%
You will be expected to engage in a group policy project that involves working on a project of interest to an organizational/individual partner or ‘client.’ This “service-learning” element of the course will involve you and two to four other students in the class, performing some policy-related work. These partnerships will be developed over the first few weeks of class. Glenn McRae, an Adjunct Associate Professor with the Master of Public Administration program and Director of Public Policy Programs for the Snelling Center for Government, will help student teams establish a relationship with a public sector client, derive a “deliverable” to the partner/client, and provide general support to the teams. We will be assigning people to teams within the first few weeks of class.
Each team of students will provide some “deliverable” to the partner/client. This deliverable may take the form of a policy brief, a “white paper,” a literature review, a policy implementation evaluation plan, or some other yet to be developed project. This deliverable will be given to the client partner by the end of the semester.
Throughout the semester teams will have opportunities to report on their progress to the entire class. Although some class time will be devoted to small group planning time, you will likely need to establish some form of ongoing communication with team members electronically (via email) and face-to-face.
Your team will give a final presentation to the class (and perhaps the policy partner) sometime during the final two class periods. Guidelines for these presentations will be provided to you by me by the end of October.
This policy project will be evaluated by your partner/client, as well as Glenn McRae. Your final presentation will be evaluated by your peers. Each member of your team will evaluate the other. Individual grades will be assigned to each team member if it appears that some have done more/better work than others. These evaluations will be factored together with my evaluation to come up with a final grade for the project.
See appendix A & B at the end of this syllabus for more details about
specific project topics and an outline of for final project portfolio.
Patton, Carl V. and Sawicki, David S. 1993. Basic Methods of Policy Analysis & Planning, Second Edition. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Stone, Deborah. 2002. Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.
Theodoulou, Stella Z. and Cahn, Matthew A. 1995. Public Policy: The Essential
Readings. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
I hope to be able to place most of these readings on e-reserve
OPTIONAL:
Theodoulou, Stella Z. 2002. Policy and Politics in Six Nations: A Comparative
Perspective on Policy Making. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
We will decide as a class whether or not to include a comparative perspective.
Other readings can be found on E-Reserve, under my name and course number.
What is Public Policy?
What is the Relationship Between Politics and Administration?
Historical and structural context of public policy making—Birkland Ch.
1
Labor Day—No Class
Goals and Values: Paradigmatic Perspectives
Stone Introductions, Ch. 1-5
Agenda Setting, Power and Interest Groups
Birkland Ch. 5
Gibson, Cynthia M, “Facing Off on Social Policy: Can the Right and Left
Find Middle Ground?” (E-Reserve)
Nilsson, Eric A, “Public Support for Conservative Economic Policies”
(E- Reserve)
Kingdon, J, “Agenda Setting,” p.105 -112 Theodoulou and Cahn.
Student assignment due: Identify a policy issue currently in the news, and
explain what “goals” underlie the issue. Incorporate at least
one of the goals from Stone’s "Policy Paradox." Write a 2-3
page overview, and be prepared to share your paper with the class.
Interpretation of Problems
Stone Ch. 6-9
Interpretation, con’t.
Primer on Evaluation Methods
Rubin, “The Politics of Public Budgets” p.185-199. Theodoulou
and Cahn.
Student assignment due: ID how your policy issue is framed as a problem drawing upon at least one of Stone’s conceptions. Write a 2-3 overview—Be prepared to share.
Primer on Evaluation Methods
Patton and Sawicki Ch. 3
Birkland Appendix
Official and Unofficial Actors
All Read: Birkland Ch. 3-4
Student assignment due:
Be prepared to give a 10 minute synopsis of your article. Bring enough copies
of your notes on these readings to share with each member of the class.
Interest groups
• Crenson, M. and Ginsberg, B. “From Masses to Mailing Lists”
(E-Reserve)
Courts
• Crenson, M. and Ginsberg, B. “The Jurisprudence of
Personal Democracy” (E- Reserve) link
• Baum, L., “Appellate Courts as Policy Makers” p.277-287.
Theodoulou and Cahn. link
Consultants
• Sabato, L, “The Consultant Corps” p. 324-332. Theodoulou
and Cahn. link
Policy Networks
• Heclo, H., “Issue Networks and the Executive Establishment”
p. 46-57. Theodoulou and Cahn. link
Think tanks
• Callahan, D. “$1 Billion for Ideas: Conservative Think Tanks
in the 1990s” (E- Reserve) link
Bureaucracy
• Wilson, J.Q., “The Rise of the Bureaucratic State” p.
251-258. Theodoulou and Cahn. link
• Meier, K., “Regulation: Politics, Bureaucracy, and Economics”
p. 265-276. Theodoulou and Cahn. link
Professionals
• McKnight, J. “Professionalized Services: Disabling Help for
Communities and Citizens” (E-Reserve) link
Public administrators
• Reynolds, “Public Administrators and Policy Agendas: Some Preliminaries
to Statute
Law Making” (E-Reserve) link
Citizens
• Berger, P. and Neuhaus, R. “To Empower People: From State to
Civil Society”
(E-Reserve) link link
• Almond, G. and Verba, S., “from The Civic Culture” (E-Reserve)
link
Business
• Mintz, B. “The Failure of Health-Care Reform: The Role of Big
Business in Policy
Formation” (E-Reserve) link
Media
• Iyengar, S. and Kinder, D., “News That Matters” p. 295-304.
Theodoulou and Cahn. link
link
Actors Con’t
Article report outs con’t
Policy Analysis as Decision-Making—
the Rational and Incremental Perspectives
Patton and Sawicki Ch. 2, 4, 6, 8
Lindblom, “The Science of Muddling Through,” p. 113-127. Theodoulou
and Cahn.
Stone chapter 10
Policy Types and Tools: “Solutions”
Birkland Ch. 6-7
Stone Ch. 11-15
Lowi, “Distribution, Regulation, Redistribution: The Functions of Government,”
p.15-25. Theodoulou and Cahn.
Salamon, “The New Governance and the Tools of Public Action,”
(E- Reserve)
Student assignment due: Write a 1-2 page response to the question: “What policy tools are employed within your chosen policy topic/arena?”
Solutions Con’t
Patton and Sawicki-- Case studies
Student assignment due: Write a 1 page response to ONE of the assigned case studies. Be prepared to share in class.
Implementation
Birkland Ch. 8
Cline, K., “Defining the Implementation Problem” (E-Reserve)
Pressmen, J. and Wildavsky, A., “Implementation” (E-Reserve)
Sabatier, P. and Mazmanian, D., “A Conceptual Framework of the Implementation
Process” p.153-172. Theodoulou and Cahn.
Majone, G. and Wildavsky, A., “Implementation as Evolution” p.140-152.
Theodoulou and Cahn.
Patton and Sawicki Ch. 9
TBA (I may be on my way to Brazil for a conference)
Student power point presentations of final project.
Student power point presentations of final project
No class
Final project “deliverables” due to client, McRae, and Koliba..
Understanding a policy area and the questions associated with it is, in part dependent on the lens that you are using to view it. For the purpose of these group projects, the group should decide on which perspective it will take and in what frame it will operate. Here are three suggested frames:
1. The Vermont Legislature (perspective of an individual legislator and
the support staff at Legislative Council and the Joint Fiscal Office) http://www.leg.state.vt.us/
2. The scientists or professionals involved in the issue (e.g., physicians)
3. Lobbyist working on behalf of an affected client.
All of these actors (and many others) frame policy issues and play a large role in making and implementing public policy. Resources will be provided to assist in developing the specific approach that you chose to take.
I. Patient Safety: Reporting of Infection Rates and Medical Errors
There is increasing pressure being generated to establish systems for hospitals
and medical professionals to report and make public incidents relating to
patient safety. There is a wealth of literature that points to medical errors
and preventable hospital acquired infections as significant causes of death
in the USA. The question of accountability has increasingly become a public
policy issues at the local, state and federal level. So far there has not
been a definitive system advanced that would address this, but many are being
proposed and opposed.
What policy goals would this advance? Would it create a safer environment
for patients? Would it incentify hospitals to improve quality? Would it place
an undue burden on health organizations? Can the information be communicated
in a way that would truly allow consumers to make better choices or utilize
the health system in a way that clearly selects for quality and better outcomes?
Resources:
Institute of Medicine http://www.iom.edu/
VT Assoc. of Hospitals and Health Systems http://www.vahhs.org/
VT Medical Society http://www.vtmd.org/
American Hospital Association http://www.aha.org/aha/key_issues/patient_safety/
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/errorsix.htm
Joint Commission for the Accreditation of
Healthcare Organizations http://www.jcaho.org/accredited+organizations/patient+safety/medical+errors+disclosure/
II. Wind Energy Installations
Vermont, as well as other states, has been in the midst of highly controversial proposals for the siting of industrial wind energy power facilities. In particular, Vermont will have to re-write its energy portfolio as the sources of 2/3rd’s of it electric energy will possibly not be renewed in ten years. Wind energy advocates have portrayed the development of wind sites in Vermont as a viable way of building a mix of smaller scale in-state energy resources. Opponents point of problems with aesthetics, environmental concerns, property values and what they see as an expensive way to contribute only a small and unreliable source of future energy. The policy environment has taken this issue up piecemeal on the local level, on state lands, and in the Green Mountain National Forest. Proposals are before local and state regulatory and planning authorities. What should the public policy agenda be in regard to wind power development? What goals should be promoted, or harm prevented.
Resources:
American Wind Energy Association http://www.awea.org/policy/
Vermont Public Service Board http://publicservice.vermont.gov/energy-efficiency/ee_files/wind/vissering_report.pdf
Burlington Free Press and media (The BFP has run a long anti-wind series of
editorials and articles) http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050726/OPINION/507260313/1006/NEWS05
Utility sites http://www.cogreenpower.org/Wind.htm
III. Economic Development in a knowledge based industry environment
Increasingly states like Vermont have to re-think their strategies for economic development. In an increasingly knowledge-based economy developing state strategies to attract, retain and enhance jobs and industry must take on a new face and employ strategies that are different that those of even 10 years ago. How does a state incentify the development of re-location of businesses who do not need typical industrial infrastructure but who have the capacity to provide and grow large number of high paying jobs? State strategies have focused on private sector companies, but increasingly high quality jobs are found in the non-profit sector in organizations that can locate anywhere and are not place-based. What are the strategies necessary to attract these types of institutions? What are the steps that Vermont can take through state government mechanisms to be responsive to this new environment? Is there a role for local governments and other development organizations to play?
Resources
Think Vermont http://www.thinkvermont.com/index.cfm
Vermont Creative Economy http://www.creativeeconomy.org/cne/vt.html
VANPO http://www.vanpo.org/
Knowledge Economy http://www.enterweb.org/know.htm
OECD http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/51/8/1913021.pdf
IV. Encouraging local food purchasing Networks
Local economic development is concerned with the growth of businesses and services that provide more of a closed loop in circulating economic resources in the local economy for as long as possible. This can be combined with other policy development such as the encouragement and preservation of local agriculture and food production, processing and distribution. Local food purchasing networks are seen as key tools in achieving these dual goals. What policies are necessary to encourage and support the development of these networks? Can policies be developed that provide efficient and effective means to meet multiple end goals?
Resources
Vermont Fresh Net http://www.vermontfresh.net/
VT Agency of Agriculture http://www.vermontagriculture.com/
Ctr for Sustainable Ag http://www.uvm.edu/~susagctr/
Intervale Foundation http://www.intervale.org/
V. The Political Economy of Information
Freedom of information and freedom of expression are vital to the democratic process. However, in the United States we are witnessing an increasing concentration of media in the hands of fewer and fewer large corporations, increasing government control over the information citizens do and don’t have access to, and increased government access to information on private citizens. Representative Bernie Sanders has introduced several bills to prevent increasing concentration of the media, to promote media diversity, to require broadcast licensees to offer reasonable opportunity for the discussion of conflicting views on issues of public importance, and to restrict the ability of the federal government to monitor what we read. To quote Sanders’ web site, “the media plays a crucial role in our democracy in providing objective and unbiased points of view. Since Congress passed the 1996 Telecommunications Act, the United States has seen an enormous upsurge in media consolidation that has led to the increased homogenization of what Americans see, hear, and read. Profit has eclipsed traditional concern for the public's interest and brought with it a host of consequences.” This project will be more open ended than others. There are two key questions: how does information affect public policy, and how does public policy affect information? If information is key to good public policy and plays a crucial role in our democracy, can we devise public policies that promote objective and unbiased points of view? How? Is this a problem in Vermont? If not, what can be done to prevent if from becoming one? Do federal laws reduce state options? You might imagine that are preparing a briefing paper for a legislator interested in this issue.
Resources
Congressman Sanders on Corporate Control of the Media http://www.bernie.house.gov/corporate_media/home.asp
Sanders on the Patriot Act http://bernie.house.gov/patriot_act.asp
Channel 17 Media and Democracy program.
This will build on your initial literature review, and is likely to be incorporated directly into your final deliverable, but will be graded on its own. This should be completed by October 3.
Include name/title of contacts, contact information, and organizational description (can append website information, brochures, etc. to the appendices). You should incorporate your initial list into the methods section of your progress report and draft. Your initial list should be completed by October 17.
A “white paper,” policy brief, web site, etc. To help you finish
this in a timely fashion, I have tried to break your work down into several
generic steps. Based on what your team works out with Glen and your sponsor,
these steps may be more or less appropriate, but they are designed to help you,
and 'due dates' are primarily suggestions to help keep you on track.
Initial literature review September
28
Problem statement/ issue area/ relevant background
October 3
One page overview of deliverable October 10
List of key collaborators/partners/audiences October
17
Interview questions October 24
Progress report and draft October
31
Account of interviews November
7
Abstract November 14
Final deliverable and Appendices
Peer evaluations
(Note: your total presentation should not last for more than 45 minutes).
Note: your final grade for this project will include an assessment of the quality of your final presentation.
One goal of this piece: learn how various policy actors perceive their roles
within the policy arena.
Provide list of final interview questions.
Summarize content of each interview (1 to 2 pages for each person interviewed,
including job title). Note: you only have to highlight 4 people total for
this part.
Analyze for common themes/differentiations (2 to 4 pages total).
Some possible areas for examination (you are not restricted to these):
Provide an overview of the policy actors involved/impacted— relate to
readings and discussions.
Discuss which goals, problems or solution (Stone) can be applied to your policy
issue.
Discuss which stage(s) of the policy process that this project touched on.
What can be learned about the policy process?
Discuss which policy tools have been or could be employed.
(This should appear within a stand alone paper format of 7 to 10 pages).
a. Final work plan
b. Other supporting documentation
Lecture 1: What is Public Policy?
Lecture 2: Goals and Values: Paradigmatic Perspectives
Lecture 3: Agenda Setting, Power and Interest Groups
Lecture 3.5: Group Work
Lecture 4: Interpretation of Problems
Lecture 5: Primer on Evaluation Methods
Lecture 6: Official and Unofficial Actors
Lecture 7: Comparative Perspectives
Lecture 8: Policy Analysis as Decision-Making—the Rational and Incremental Perspectives
Lecture 9: Policy Types and Tools: "Solutions"
Lecture 10: Implementation